by Maureen C: Thanksgiving 1954, Briarwood House, Washington D.C. “If these walls could talk well, they are certainly listening.” Briarwood house is an old boarding house for women only. It has seen three wars, ten presidents, and countless tenants. But never a murder. There are a cast of characters, all with a story to tell and their own secrets. Grace March is the newest tenant and the heart of the story. She hosts dinner parties every Thursday night in her tiny room. All these women have are hot plates to cook with.
My favorite character was Nora, a policeman’s daughter in love with a gangster. Bea was a delight learning about the all women baseball team she was on. Each chapter is devoted to one of the characters. This book focuses on the friendship these women had and how they became a family. There are many issues of the 1950s, including McCarthy politics and the changing roles of women.
This book is well written and researched. I also loved the recipes. A captivating story.
