The Briar Club: A Thrilling and Powerful Story of Female Friendships and Secrets

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved that the house was a character and had “feelings” towards its occupants. I liked getting a glimpse into the day to day lives of different types of women living in the same boarding house in the 1950s. I liked the mystery of who done it and was surprised at the end, I didn’t see that coming. Witnessing the beautification of the house along with the developing friendships and recipes given throughout gave me the feeling of being part of the Briar Club. As outside characters were mentioned (Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, E. Fredric Morrow, etc ) I was quick to google them and get the historical significance of their mentions in the book. I also liked the Authors note at the end explaining the true people behind the characters, including Grace’s room (which of course I also googled). It wasn’t lost on me the parallels of US events that happened in the 1950s with events of going on today. I’ll part with words and statements from Sen. Maragret Smith’s Declaration of Conscience speech as they really resonated with me. In her speech she endorsed every American’s right to criticize, to protest, and to hold unpopular beliefs. “Freedom of speech is not what it used to be in America,” she complained. “It has been so abused by some that it is not exercised by others."

We all enjoyed this book, most gave it an 8 or 9. It is a feel good book with a happy ending.

this was a great book! i really enjoyed the deep dive into each character (character development) it was such an interesting way to tell the story! loved the recipes!!!! i learned some things about the 50’s that i never knew. the narrator was the absolute best ever! my new favorite! i highly recommend this book.

This was a slow burn 1950s mystery centered on a D.C. boardinghouse. While the pacing feels intentionally long as it explores individual backstories, the collection of intimate “portraits” of each character eventually collides together at the end. The characters are deeply layered, ranging from the lovable to the unpleasant but complex, and the setting captures the historical atmosphere. There were several unexpected shocks, particularly regarding Grace’s true identity and the explosive Thanksgiving Day climax. With the house itself serving as a narrator and 1950s recipes tucked between chapters, it’s a rich, immersive read that rewards your patience with a stunning conclusion.

Favorite book of all time. Beautifully written 👏🏽