The Briar Club is a uniquely structured and compelling new histfic release by the popular author, Kate Quinn.

The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

Genre/Categories/Setting: Historical Fiction, Crime Fiction, Friendship, Women Supporting Women, Washington, DC (United States)

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My Summary of The Briar Club:

Two murders + a “thoughtful” rooming house + Thursday Night Supper Club + an interesting historical period in the U.S. + a cast of colorful characters (suspects) = one unforgettable story.

When Grace March, a beautiful, secretive, and mysterious widow, moves into the attic room at the rundown and quiet boarding house, everything changes. Grace has a way of bringing people together and some unlikely friendships form. The list of interesting characters includes

• Fliss, a young doctor’s wife and mother whose husband is away at war;
• Nora, a police officer’s daughter who works at the National Archives and becomes entangled with a shadowy gangster;
• Bea, a baseball star with a short-lived career when the women’s league folds; coaches at a high school; falls for a G-Man (FBI agent)
• Arlene, a prickly woman who is devoted to exposing communists during McCarthy’s Red Scare and is secretary for the House Un-American Activities Committee;
• Reka, an elderly Hungarian immigrant;
• Claire, a petty thief who works at a senator’s office while holding other odd jobs; saving for a house, rescues her gay lover from an abusive husband;
• the landlady, her teenage son, and young daughter (with a learning disability);
• assorted supporting characters.

This is a large cast of characters! (too many? I had to keep notes) As this eclectic group of boarders gathers in Grace’s attic room for Thursday Night Supper Club (the landlady is away!), we remember that opening murder scene. Who is murdered? Who is keeping secrets?

My Thoughts:

Setting

The Briar Club takes place in a Washington, D.C. Rooming House. during the McCarthy Era in the 1950s. The story opens in the present with a murder scene, two dead bodies, and a police investigation. From there we are taken back a few years to retrace events that lead up to this murder.

Structure

The Briar Club is a collection of short stories held together by a compelling mystery and one unique point of view (the house) whose unique perspective links chapters together. Each chapter is dedicated to one character resulting in a series of vignettes or short stories. At first, I wasn’t sure about this structure, but I grew in my appreciation throughout my reading experience. As each character receives her or his own chapter, we also see how she or he interacts with all the other characters. We are constantly aware that one of these characters could be a murderer or a victim.

Themes

Poignant themes include found family, friendship, women supporting women, finding your voice, coming-of-age, politics, postpartum depression, domestic abuse, secrets, and dysfunctional family drama. Each character brings a unique set of issues leading to a multilayered plot and complex story line. A dramatic conclusion brings it all together.

My Reading Experience

What I enjoyed:

• uniquely structured (while some readers might complain that this is a departure from Quinn’s usual style, I always appreciate a creative structure….and I think it comes together well)
• well-written (and researched)
• engaging and compelling from the first page (in true Kate Quinn style)
• holds my interest throughout (unputdownable and page turning)
• thoughtful themes
• histfic that’s not WWII
• memorable characters and content
• 1950s atmosphere
• a side of thriller
• a good balance of character-driven and plot-driven (my fav!)
• multilayered and complex
• substantial and noteworthy author notes (not to be missed)

While there’s a great deal to appreciate and this earned a full five stars, the structure (a series of short stories) and the number of issues addressed might be challenging for some readers. Even though all the stories and characters are connected, I felt like I was starting over with the introduction of each new character. It all works and comes together beautifully in a dramatic (and maybe over the top) conclusion….but….it isn’t the same as reading a cohesive story. Does this make sense?

Content Consideration: murder, domestic abuse, toxic relationships, postpartum depression, some profanity and brief open-door romance (Story Graph lists many, many content warnings if you want to check them out).

Recommending The Briar Club

Fans of Kate Quinn might be surprised by the different format but will be thrilled with the riveting story (including a side of thriller) that the author delivers. I highly recommend The Briar Club for everyone who loves character-driven and engaging histtfic and a unique story structure.

Related: Other books by Kate Quinn I’ve reviewed: The Rose Code, The Huntress

My Rating:  5  Stars

Meet the Author of The Briar Club, Kate Quinn

Kate Quinn is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of historical fiction. A native of southern California, she attended Boston University where she earned a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Classical Voice. She has written four novels in the Empress of Rome Saga, and two books in the Italian Renaissance, before turning to the 20th century with “The Alice Network”, “The Huntress,” “The Rose Code,” “The Diamond Eye,” and “The Briar Club.” She is also a co-author in several collaborative novels including “The Phoenix Crown” with Janie Chang and “Ribbons of Scarlet” with Stephanie Dray, Laura Kamoie, Eliza Knight, Sophie Perinot, and Heather Webb. All have been translated into multiple languages. Kate and her husband now live in Maryland with three rescue dogs.

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QOTD:

Are you a Kate Quinn fan?
Is this new release on your TBR?

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