The Briar Club is uniquely structured and compelling historical fiction from 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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Welcome to #ThrowBackThursday where I highlight an older review or post a current review of a backlist title. This week I’m featuring historical crime fiction, The Briar Club by Kate Quinn.

I’m linking up with Davida @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog for #ThrowbackThursday.

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?

Connected short stories…

Continue here for my full review of The Briar Club…

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