In their fourth outing, Gwen and Iris are involved in yet another murder case. And this is Despite Gwen’s best efforts to live as placid and respectable a life as possible in preparation for going before the Court to petition to get her legal rights back as Ronnie’s mother.

Iris' unwelcome former lover Andrew is back in town. And if that wasn't bad enough, she's being followed by a woman, who, after Iris confronts her, reveals her connection to part of Iris' past. Then the woman is found murdered in Iris' apartment, forcing Iris to flee to the Bainbridge mansion, pulling Gwen back into a murder situation.

Gwen is also continuing to deal with the outcome of the Bainbridge family revelations (from the previous novel), and she wishes desperately to be out of the Bainbridge house with her son. (There are references made to situations and people from book three, so read that entry in the series if you haven’t yet. Actually, just read the entire series -- it's a hoot!).

Iris investigates, mostly by herself, as Gwen has been advised by her lawyer and psychiatrist to desist getting involved with murder if she wants any chance of reclaiming her rights. Of course, Gwen only lasts so long on the sidelines before jumping in, after all, Iris is her best friend. That the two solve the mystery is a given, but what was particularly interesting was how shaken Iris was by all the pain she unearthed in her psyche afterwards.

Though discussing mental health issues were seen as not done at the time, I liked Gwen’s conversations with her psychiatrist, who gets her to really think about what she wants from her life, once the Court rules in her favour.

I was also very pleased that Iris has been talking to the same psychiatrist for her own reasons (this actually started in a previous instalment of the series). Events in her relatively recent past are forcing her to deal with the effects on her of her war activities, and things from even further back in her past. It’s a nice detail to add to the story, further fleshing out Iris, who has been a bit of an enigma, even while being the seemingly unflappable, tougher and more dangerous of this pair of women.

Both women are in interesting places in their lives, with both coming to some startling but also welcome revelations about themselves. Both seem to be looking forward positively with their lives, so I cannot wait to see what The Right Sort Marriage Bureau gets up to next.

Thank you to Netgalley and to St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

The story started off very quickly. I always enjoy a historical fiction book. I am not enjoying this time period as much as I had hoped, so I probably won’t continue with this series. Overall a cute book.

Since Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge and Miss Iris Sparks founded The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, their business has grown by leaps and bounds. This is of course, excellent news, but it doesn’t mean it’s all smooth sailing for these two as they find themselves being approached by a woman who has ties to one of Sparks’ former paramours and fellow spies. The timing couldn’t be worse as Gwen is finally about to start the process of regaining full legal control of her life and that of her son.

This book was fully of snappy, witty dialogue that, I’ll admit, took some getting used to, but it was absolutely brilliant. It did take a bit for the mystery to get set up and really get going, but with such compelling characters I didn’t mind. The mystery was complex and well thought out and I loved seeing Gwen and Iris run rings around the investigators yet again, finally earning their grudging respect. It’s not very often that I venture away from strictly read romance, but when I do it’s usually for this author/series and she hasn’t let me down yet, though I am of course always rooting for Iris and Gwen to find love themselves. This was another fun and clever mystery. I love seeing Gwen and Iris continue to grow and develop as characters, so I’ll be looking forward to the next installment in the series.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Unkept Woman is the 4th book in the Sparks and Bainbridge mystery series. You must read from the beginning!

Our two leading ladies are at it again-- just trying to move on from their past and help others find love. However, trouble finds them again in the form of Iris's ex showing up at her flat, soon followed by a dead body. In this installment, Gwen is considering what her life will look like once she has reclaimed the freedom and custody of young Ronnie that she has wanted so badly. Iris is also taking a long look at her romantic history and present.

This is a super fun series that I adore! If you like The Lady Sherlock series by Sherry Thomas, this one will make you smile. We have fantastic leads, fun plot twists, and an interesting look at the plight of women in London after WWII. Highly recommend!

London 1946.

If you haven’t met the partners who comprise the Right Sort Marriage Bureau, you’re in for a treat. They were introduced in Allison Montclair’s The Right Sort of Man. The second book, A Royal Affair, is a particularly apt read during Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee year.

Miss Iris Sparks (Cambridge grad and serial fiancée) and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge (former debutante, widow, related to the Royals) opened The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, in 1946. They hit it off at the wedding of George and Emily Bascombe, where Gwen was the “match-maker,” for the seemingly mismatched couple and Iris, at the behest of the bride, quietly investigated the potential groom. Iris and Gwen were the fairy godmothers for the newlyweds…and what a felicitous encounter, as it resulted in their matchmaking business.



The two women have connections up the wazoo. Iris Sparks was an integral part of the war machine, although she refuses to discuss her service. Very hush hush. Gwen lost her much-loved husband to battle: her despair was so overwhelming that she was institutionalized for four months in a sanitorium. She and her six-year-old son Ronnie live with her titled in-laws, an unpleasant situation since Lord and Lady Bainbridge have custody of her son.

Nothing is easy for Iris Sparks and Gwendolyn Bainbridge. What they want—freedom from the control of her late husband’s family (Gwen) and an honorable, uncomplicated personal life (Iris)—proves difficult to achieve. Their wartime pasts envelope them in clinging tendrils. Do they want to cut through the vines and break free or are there aspects of the past that are worth preserving?

Iris’s rather lurid past intrudes. There was a time when the serial fiancée side of her life catapulted into the spook war-work she was doing under the radar. Her beau Mike dumped her and married on the rebound when he caught wind of Iris’s seemingly nefarious personal life. Iris has a key to the apartment she sort of shared with her married lover Andrew. A young woman surprises her there when she stops by and she and Andrew have words.

“What did this Jablonska woman want?”



“She, pregnant. You, father. Me, patsy.”



“My, my, you do seem upset,” he said. “One might almost suppose you still had feelings for me.”



“I do have feelings for you, Andrew, and they are entirely negative. You came back from the war and we embarked on our torrid, tawdry, two-year affair. You’ve been going back and forth ever since VE day. And the entire time you were cheating on me.”



“No, the entire time I was cheating with you. Remember?”



“Then what was she?”



“Someone I knew in the war.”



“I was someone you knew in the war.”

The conversation devolves further but Andrew admits Iris “went through things” and he thanks her for her contribution to the war effort although he is adamant that his war, on European soil, far outweighed anything she experienced. The Jablonska woman is the tip of a very complicated iceberg, one that drags Iris back into spy craft.

Poor Gwen. It’s not easy to leave where she’s living. Ronnie’s grandparents love him and he is happy living there, cossetted and adored by the servants as well. Her father-in-law’s son from an extramarital relationship lives there too, and he and Ronnie are great friends. Against that backdrop, Gwen vows to legally fight to be the paramount decision-maker in little Ronnie’s life. If she prevails and gets permission from the court to set up an independent household, what will be the cost? Will independence settle Gwen’s ghosts?

One’s past doesn’t like being put behind one, she thought. There are no dungeons strong enough or deep enough to lock it away and forget it forever. It will find a way to erupt back into the present, scorching everything in its path.



Buck up, old girl. You won’t be here for much longer if things go well.

The marriage bureau takes second place to the disruptions in their personal lives. They play some cards they won’t ever be able to play again. For example, Gwen reaches out to a secretive higher-up to spring Iris from prison. That avenue is closed to them after the request is fulfilled. Iris keeps encountering her former beau, now a detective sergeant and the one who got away. What Mike thinks he knows about Iris isn’t quite accurate. What about Gwen’s love life: Will she ever love again after the brutal loss of her husband to war?

Iris and Gwen both see the same therapist. Allison Montclair subtly reminds us that therapy is not a panacea; that answers and solutions must come from within. For the first time, there is a major conflict between Iris and Gwen: Iris needs Gwen’s help, Gwen can’t do anything untoward lest she jeopardize her ability to take on full custody of her son. Gwen is between a rock and a hard place.

Aristotle gave us the pithy phrase, “The whole is greater than the sum of its parts,” which is how I think of the two proprietors of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. They are indisputably stronger together. I am not ready to say goodbye to Iris and Gwen and I hope I don’t have to wait long to find what happens next.

This is becoming one of my favorite series, due to the time period, 1946, the London setting and the two main characters. Business partners in the Right Sort Marriage Bureau, Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge seem to find themselves immersed in murder and drama. Gwen is trying to regain custody of her son, after losing it to her in-laws, once she fell apart when her husband was killed in WWII. Iris is accused of murder when a woman is found dead in her home. Iris has a past as a spy, providing the twists and turns that take place in the story. Recommended and thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

In 1946, two women, who shouldn’t have been friends or even known each other, opened The Right Sort marriage agency. Women, whose work was prized during the war years, are booted out of their jobs when the men returned home. There’s also a definite shortage of marriageable men due to the high death toll. How’s a girl supposed to meet the right sort of guy? Before Match.com, there was The Right Sort.

Sparks, Iris that is, won’t talk about what she did during the war, some sort of intelligence work is her partner Gwen Bainbridge’s best guess. Sparks was involved with a married man, but that’s over. At least until he shows up out of the blue. Now what?

Gwen is a widow who lost her mind for a bit when told of her husband’s death. Her father and mother-in-law were quick to take charge of her life. She was sent to a mental hospital, had regular meetings with a therapist, lost control of her money, was forced to live with her in-laws upon her release, and worst of all, lost custody of her son, Ronnie. Her father-in-law continually threatens to send the boy to boarding school.

Excellent at surveillance, Sparks knows when someone is following her. The question is why? Of course, it didn’t take much to figure it out. The woman was way too obvious. It seems she’s looking for Sparks’ married lover, claiming she knew him well in France, and is now having his baby.

Sparks is shocked to find the police believe she’s dead when there she stands, living proof she’s not. It’s especially hard on Detective Sergeant Mike Kinsey, a former lover, now married to someone else.

As Sparks sorts out her personal life from her past life and tries to fit in with her current life, Gwen is doing something of the sort herself. Her father-in-law is ill, has revealed a shady past of his own, and may be willing to negotiate Gwen’s current state of affairs. In the end, the best we can do is keep moving forward.

This is book four of the series. Sparks and Gwen are unlikely friends but fiercely devoted. They advocate for the best match for their clients and, despite restrictions set by society, are finding their way. The mystery is a good one, clues scattered about, mistaken identities to unravel, and a fluctuating society to navigate in the meantime. It’s a series I enjoy and can reread. I look forward to book five and beyond.

Iris Sparks is once more caught up in another intelligience adventure. Her partner in the Right Sort Marriage Bureau, Gwen, is dragged into the adventure. Andrew show up in Iris' flat and wants no one to know he is hiding there. There is a murder or two. Iris is the prime suspect. She is in hiding; trying to solve these deaths with the help of Gwen who meanwhile is working on having the lunatic designation removed from her name.
There are many complications in the continuing tale of Iris and Gwen. Read and enjoy.

This is a Sparks and Bainbridge novel, these are two amazing women who happen to find themselves in areas where they can solve crimes when they’re not busy at their day job being professional matchmakers at a business they co-own together called the Right Sort Marriage Bereau. This is the first novel I’ve read featuring Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, this is thew forth one on the series of five books so far. Even though I’m late to the party, I was able to catch up with both characters very quickly so I’ll go back and read the other novels I’m sure, but it’s not necessary. This novel can be read as a standalone, for sure.

Sparks and Bainbridge are just trying to run their business without any issues, but I don’t think they get many breaks of normalcy in their lives or friendship with each other. They have had many adventures and solved many crimes and this one is no different. It starts with Iris who is greeted unfriendly-like in her flat by an old flame who is looking to hide out using her place, so Iris goes to stay with Mrs. Bainbridge. The next day they are at work and their first client is a woman who is seeking a husband after losing hers during the war. This woman gets turned away because she happens to already be pregnant, something that Bainbridge picks up on pretty quickly as the woman was only three months pregnant. Anyway, meeting with the woman who’s name is Helena Jablonski sets things in motion, dreadful things with drama.

With a dead body left at Iris Sparks residece, even though she wasn’t staying there because she was staying with Gwen Bainbridge, Iris becomes one of the top suspects along with the guy who needed to stay at her flat. Can Iris clear her name, find a killer, get justice, answers, and the truth of what happened? Find out in this fantastically written book, that’s so good I didn’t want to put it down until I found out if I was right about the killer or not.

A great read, it went quickly becuase I just had to know what happened and if our main girls were going to be okay. I loved these gals, they were really a couple of women that I would love to know in real life, they’re so smart and funny and witty and observant in ways that I wish I was more like. I enjoyed getting to know them and their adventures better and I can’t wait to go back to the beginning and read all their adventures. I’m also stoked to read the fifth book in the series and see how Iris Sparks love life goes, I found myself very interested in the last thing she told the doctor about her feeling on the matter of love. I know she loves a man she can’t have and there is probably something psychological to that because it’s starting to seem like she has a thing for married men and I am just curious to see if she ever gets into a healthy relationship, only time (and hopefully the next novel) will tell.

If you love books about spies, secrets, action, mystery, and a small dash of romance, this is probably a book you’ll really enjoy. It’s set in the 1940’s too, so if you like a little historical fiction, this might be up your alley as well.

Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge and Miss Iris Sparks make an unlikely, but successful, pair, running The Right Sort Marriage Bureau and introducing couples who are in search of a spouse in post-World War II London. While Gwendolyn is taking more steps toward regaining control of her life, after she fell apart when her husband died, Iris' past is catching up to her when her once-boyfriend and former spy colleague turns up unexpectedly...and someone starts following her. When Iris needs help, will Gwendolyn be able to risk her future by helping her friend and partner?
I love this series, and this latest installment was no exception. It intrigues me that a man wrote it under a female pseudonym--it seems an odd choice of genre for an author to feel the need to hide his gender. But that doesn't detract at all from the clever plot, witty and sharp banter, and character progression. The series is best read in order, but there are enough hints at what has already transpired to still make this book understandable if a reader wants to jump into it here. I continue to be engaged by the continued themes of loss, individual and national trauma recovery, war, and love in its many shades. Historical accuracy is a hallmark of this series, especially spycraft and London recovering from the war as its economy is limping along and social morays are evolving. An intelligent and engaging read.
I received a copy from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

4 stars. A highly enjoyable and engaging read set against the backdrop of post WW2 where life is only beginning to take on a new rhythm of "normal". Recommended.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me take a peek at an early copy. My views are my own.

The Unkept Woman is the 4th in Allison Montclair's delightful series starring an odd couple of businesswomen/detectives in 1946 London, England.

This time, Gwen and Iris investigate a Russian spy, with Iris on the run from police, under suspicion for murder.

As always, Gwen and Iris wend their ways through a convoluted and perilous plot, sharing witty exchanges en route. I really enjoy this series.

Entertaining, witty, intelligent historical mystery. I truly enjoyed this latest installment in Allison Montclair’s series set in post-WWII Britain, which had me once again cheering for Iris and Gwen - two independent characters with an abundance of gumption and smarts. Montclair’s dialogue is crisp and sometimes deliciously dryly humorous. And the plot was relatively propulsive; I read this tale in just a few hours. My only significant compliant is that the duo’s matchmaking bureau, The Right Sort, and their concomitant matchmaking skills were mostly missing from this novel. Hopefully Montclair will focus on their business once again in the next Sparks & Bainbridge story. Many thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur for the complimentary ARC. Opinions are my own.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This is the first Sparks & Bainbridge novel that I have read. Gwen and Iris run The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. Gwen is a recent widow from action during WWII and is trying to reverse the lunacy judgement against her. In addition, she wants to get her son back from her in-laws.

Iris was an undercover agent during the war and her past keeps intruding on her present.

As the story opens, a body is found in Iris's room. This begins the investigation! Is it Iris or someone else?

I enjoyed this novel and look forward to future escapades in this series.

Excellent historical fiction set in England post WWII. England is slowly getting back to normal life, but the espionage business goes on, especially now that the Russians are adversaries. Gwen and Iris are still matchmaking through their Right Sort Marriage Bureau, and Gwen is trying to regain the rights to independent decision making and her money. Iris has left the government after being a spy during WWII.

However, there’s trouble ahead. A important guy from her wartime life has reappeared, and he unwittingly brings a murder with him. Gwen is struggle with her deceased husband’s family, and is more determined than ever to win her independence.

This book is part of an excellent series. The writing is well done, and I love the glimpses of London and espionage during WWII. 4 stars.

Synopsis

The Right Sort Marriage Bureau was founded in 1946 by two disparate individuals - Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge (whose husband was killed in the recent World War) and Miss Iris Sparks who worked as an intelligence agent during the recent conflict, though this is not discussed. While the agency flourishes in the post-war climate, both founders have to deal with some of the fallout that conflict created in their personal lives. Miss Sparks finds herself followed, then approached, by a young woman who has a very personal connection to a former paramour of Sparks. But something is amiss and it seems that Iris's past may well cause something far more deadly than mere disruption in her personal life. Meanwhile, Gwendolyn is struggling to regain full legal control of her life, her finances, and her son - a legal path strewn with traps and pitfalls.

Together these indomitable two are determined and capable and not just of making the perfect marriage match.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed as in this review are completely my own.

I like this series. This one did not have much activity from the marriage bureau but had plenty of suspense and action. A quick read.

"The Unkept Woman" is the latest book in the series featuring Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge, matchmakers and amateur detectives. I have not read the earlier books, but events from their past are key features of this book, so the reader gets a good sense of the backstories and personalities of Sparks and Bainbridge. Iris and Gwen make for interesting friends and business partners, as their life stories have been rather different. However, they make for a good duo, complimenting each other well. The story revolves around the death of a possible Polish spy who has a connection to Andrew, a former colleague and paramour of Iris. The story has elements of international intrigue and espionage, as well as jealousy, revenge, prejudice and discrimination, mental illness, and post-war recovery. Iris and Gwen are both rather resourceful and clever; underestimating them is a foolish endeavor. The murderer and motive, once revealed, are both somewhat surprising and not surprising. I intend to read the earlier books.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Oh wow I really enjoyed this book!! It is atmospheric and an entertaining tale. The characters are great and I love their dialogue. This is a very well written book. It is a great book for those who enjoy an easy to read historical whodunit.

Wow I loved this book! Though I am jumping into this series at the 4th book, I had no problem getting into the setting, the story and the characters right away. It was almost more exciting not knowing the previous stories, and seeing the recaps and memories through the characters now. The characters, especially Iris and Gwen really jumped off the page and were so vivid and interesting. Though Iris has such an intriguing background with her spy skills, Gwen also has a dramatic past and strong future and I honestly couldn't decide on a favorite. I love how they work off each other and trust each other in all the uncertainty. I was on the edge of my seat for most of the book and was shocked by the ending. I love the easy going banter, even in times of danger, that had me easily turning the pages and connecting with the events. I cannot wait to go back and catch up and see more of this story!

The Unkept Woman is the fourth Sparks & Bainbridge historical mystery by Allison Montclair. Released 26th July 2022 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 320 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

The writing is the high point. It's elegantly sculpted, engaging, and smoothly flawless. Readers will appreciate the settings and descriptions. The characters, including the secondary ones, are well rounded and feel integral and more than window dressing.

The dialogue is intelligent and often rapid fire. I enjoyed the flow of the banter, especially between the two titular main characters; even (especially) when they were discussing very serious subjects, such as the death of a colleague, wartime activities and deaths, and Gwen's legal troubles re-establishing herself as sane and getting custody of her son back.

I had some slight trouble with some seemingly anachronistic aspects of the story. For example, both women have a regular psychotherapist and the parts of their sessions relayed in the narrative seem thoroughly modern by comparison and my suspension of disbelief was shaken each time the doctor says "and how did that make you feel?" or "did you consider that...". At the time the book was written, state of the art treatment still included lobotomization and electroconvulsive therapy.

There are some potentially triggering themes: mental illness, racism, sexist treatment of women, suicide ideation, The book is warmly and sympathetically written but it's generally not humorous at all.

Four stars. Although the mystery is self contained here (and a twisty mystery it is), there are major spoilers for earlier books if read out of order.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.