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2026 Book 53 - The Briar Club by Kate Quinn

It was well written and kept my interest, but the pacing was a bit slow at times. I liked the multiple viewpoints and I was intrigued by the murders. It tells the story of a group of people living at a boarding home, The Briarwood House (which is a character in the story too). The owner of the home is horrible, but her two kids, Lina and Pete, find a family within the boarders, thanks to the warmth of the newest tenant, Grace. Grace is an observer, and she, and the reader, learn the stories of the other tenants. They all become close as they attend a Thursday evening supper club. A zillion spoilers to follow:

Among the tenants is Englishwoman, Fliss, who is struggling with postpartum depression and being a single mother while her husband is in Korea during the Korean War. She was a nurse and misses her career. Nora falls for a shady “businessman,” (gangster) and his dog, Duke. Bea was a women’s league baseball player before blowing out her knee, and she struggles with teaching high school gym. Arlene wants desperately to find a husband, and thinks she has a FBI agent locked down, until he dumps her and he falls for Bea. Reka is an artist who fled Hungary and has struggled in the US after her belongings were stolen by someone who was supposed to help her. Claire falls for an abusive senator’s wife. And Grace has the biggest secret - she’s a Russian spy, in hiding because she has no desire to live the spy life. 

The book starts with a dead body (the guy Grace was partnered with as a Russian spy), and then a second body (the abusive senator). Grace kills her ex-partner when he comes to the Briarwood House to kill Grace. Arlene kills the abusive senator because she thinks he’s also a spy. Grace’s ex-partner finds her because Grace accompanies Lina to a Pillsbury baking competition, and her photo ends up in the paper. The members of the Briar Club don’t want to turn Grace in because they see her as a friend.

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