The Briar Club: The dramatic new historical mystery novel for 2024 from the author of The Rose Code and The Alice Network

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, D.C., 1950 Everyone keeps to themselves at Briarwood House, an all-female boarding house in the heart of the US capital, where secrets hide behind respectable facades. But when the mysterious Grace March moves into the attic room, she draws her oddball collection of neighbours – a poised English beauty, a policeman’s daughter, a frustrated female baseball star, and a rabidly pro-McCarthy typist – into an unlikely friendship. Grace’s weekly attic-room dinner parties and window-brewed sun tea become a healing balm on all their troubled lives, but she hides a terrible secret of her own. And when a shocking act of violence tears the house apart, the Briar Club 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. 'This powerful, unforgettable historical romance is for fans of Mary Anna Evans's Justine Byrne series and stories with strong women characters' Starred Library Journal Review 'Compulsively readable, The Briar Club will find eager readers in those who love woman-led historical fiction with rich, appealing characters' Starred Booklist Review 'Blending suspense with themes of class struggle and female empowerment, this is a thrilling addition to Quinn's repertoire’ Glamour Magazine The suspense of the narrative is heightened as the women of Briarwood House navigate the treacherous waters of espionage, their loyalty to each other their only lifeline. The Briar Club, a top pick among thrillers, will keep you on the edge of your seat, questioning every shadow and every silence. For fans of Marie Benedict (The Only Woman in the Room), Louise Penny (The Grey Wolf), John Grisham (The Boys from Biloxi), Elodie Harper (The Death Knock), and Ken Follett (Fall of Giants). HarperCollins 2024