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  • The Briar Club

  • A Novel
  • By: Kate Quinn
  • Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
  • Length: 15 hrs and 3 mins
  • 4.8 out of 5 stars (1,537 ratings)

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The Briar Club

By: Kate Quinn
Narrated by: Saskia Maarleveld
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Publisher's summary

The New York Times bestselling author of The Diamond Eye and The Rose Code returns with a haunting and powerful story of female friendships and secrets in a Washington, DC, boardinghouse during the McCarthy era.

Washington, DC, 1950. Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, a down-at-the-heels all-female boardinghouse in the heart of the nation’s capital where secrets hide behind white picket fences. But when the lovely, mysterious widow Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbors into unlikely friendship: poised English beauty Fliss, whose facade of perfect wife and mother covers gaping inner wounds; policeman’s daughter Nora, who finds herself entangled with a shadowy gangster; frustrated baseball star Beatrice, whose career has come to an end along with the women’s baseball league of WWII; and poisonous, gung-ho Arlene, who has thrown herself into McCarthy’s Red Scare.

Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. When a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club women must decide once and for all: who is the true enemy in their midst?

Capturing the paranoia of the McCarthy era and evoking the changing roles for women in postwar America, The Briar Club is an intimate and thrilling novel of secrets and loyalty put to the test.

Includes a bonus conversation with Kate Quinn, Saskia Maarleveld, and Tessa Woodward, editor of The Briar Club.

©2024 Kate Quinn (P)2024 HarperCollins Publishers

What listeners say about The Briar Club

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  • Overall
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Couldn’t stop listening!

Kate Quinn is by far my favorite author. The amount of characters and yet it all came together and they made a perfect harmony for novel full of one twist after another. And Saskia is my absolute favorite narrator hands down.

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Get lost in The Briar Club

Briar Club didn't fit in with the typical Kate Quinn books to me. This book was a mystery, and it even had a slight magical element where one of the perspectives was the house's perspective itself. But it was sooooo good. It did have the historical fiction element with well researched details about what was happening in the world of the 1950s. I loved the different perspectives of women from all walks of life. Everytime a new character was narrating the story they were my new favorite (except Arlene... lol).

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I love Claire and Sydney!! I need another book about their relationship going into the 1960's and what they go through trying to be together.

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Very enjoyable

I seldom leave a review but I really loved the characters in this novel. Each different from the other, they came together with love and unity. Actually I love anything Kate Quinn writes. She never disappoints.

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can't pick my favorite book but I can tell you my favorite author and narrator

The Briar Club is simply magic. There's nothing to say except that it is Kate at her absolute best and she is of course phenomenal. delightful characters, thrilling plot lines, a twist that will give you whiplash, and an ending that will bring you joy. oh but you'll probably come away hungry. and the best news is, Kate is determined to win Saskia a best narrator award, so we can look forward to many more masterpieces from these two. Thank you both with all my heart for this adventure. I just hated for it to end. As usual with Kate's books I wish I could start it all over afresh.

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Interesting and unique

It seems like it would be hard to keep track of who’s who, but that’s not the case at all. The writing feels very genuine, and is obviously well researched. Perfect narration as well.

I listened almost constantly during my waking hours, finishing in 2 days! That’s the sign of a great book.

This was my first Kate Quinn book, and I’m looking forward to reading more.

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The storyline, the fact that all these characters could be real, it was amazing!

Absolutely without a doubt one of the best books I’ve ever listened to! Love it, wonderful characters, great narrators

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Amazing characters

I love Kate Quinn and her ability to create such beautiful and dynamic characters. Enjoyed the setting and the time period and how it fit into the story. It was nice to hear something from the 50’s. I loved the house and that it too is a character. Saskia Maaleveld is excellent and gives such life to the characters. Highly recommend!

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Great!

Another great book by Kate Quinn. Such great character development and an interesting story all the way through.

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Avid reader

I was glad to have the interview at the end of the book. It brought it together better as a historical novel

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The diversity of the characters and their backgrounds

This book was such a great listen, I had a hard time putting it down. I loved there were so many wonderful and interesting characters.

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