I have to assume an author has done a top notch job when they have me so"into" their characters that I am furious for what is happening to them.
Allison Montclair does that in this book.
I was really upset by various things that happened to Mrs. Bainbridge. The extent of the male dominance over her was quite appalling.
Over all it contributes to a well executed story with real, believable characters for whom the reader can feel empathy or hatred.
Well done.

THE LADY FROM BURMA (Sparks & Bainbridge Mysteries Book #5) by Allison Montclair is another emotional and intricately plotted historical mystery in the Sparks & Bainbridge mysteries series set in post WWII London. I love reading this series and feel they are best read in order due to the continuing growth and evolution of the main characters.

Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge are partners in The Right Sort Marriage Bureau in post WWII London. Most of the lady’s clients are singles looking for a partner in this new post-war age, but the lady who seeks their services now is a happily married woman who has come to find a new wife for her husband. Mrs. Remagen is dying of cancer and wishes to find her entomologist husband someone to love and take care of him when she is gone, but Gwen, with her almost magical ability to tell when someone is lying to her, realizes there is more to her plan. When she is found dead, it appears to be suicide, but the ladies find it difficult to believe.

At the same time, Gwen is once again trying to gain legal control of her life. Her conservator who should be protecting her assets and managing her business interests is against her regaining her freedom and Gwen confronts him. When he is found dead, Gwen becomes the primes suspect.
Now with two deaths threatening The Right Sort Marriage Bureau and its founders, Iris and Gwen with help a young police officer and a variety of their friends are once again on the case.

I really enjoy reading this series. Iris and Gwen are great protagonists that always surprise you. Their differences work so well together, and their ever-growing friendship adds to their strength. I have always been emotional over with Gwen’s personal backstory and this book especially highlighted the injustice of the times. This story has a lot of set up for the two intertwining mystery plots throughout until they come together at the end which for me did slow the beginning of the book a bit. As more clues are revealed, then the pace begins to pick up and all the threads come together to the surprising climax. I stuck with it, and it became an intense page turner after the set up.

I highly recommend this addition to the series and am anxiously waiting for the next!

When I was approved for this book, I was excited. The premise of the book was incredibly interesting. I did not know that it was part of a series until I began reading it. This led me down a rabbit hole of Montclair's series Sparks and Bainbridge Mysteries and I fell in love with this series. This book in particular had me sucked into the world with Iris and Gwen. Every page was a new twist and had me wanting for more. You connected with the characters and want the best for them. You follow Iris and Gwen on another exciting adventure when a lady comes to their business looking for a wife for her husband. Yes, you read that right. Her husband. Shortly after their meeting, the lady is found dead and they're thinking she was murdered. Throughout the entire book, I was on the edge of my seat. I never knew what was going to happen next and by the end, I was so pleasantly shocked by the end of the mystery. Truly a wonderful addition to the series and I cannot wait for the next one by Montclair.

This was an interesting historical mystery. I LOVED the characters and their development throughout the story. The plot was able to hook me in right from the start, The suspense had me at the edge of my seat and I really recommend this book to those that love a historical mystery.

The Lady from Burma was a fun and witty story that keeps your attention from the beginning. I didn’t realize this was a part of a series until about half way through and it made me want to read the others! Mrs. Bainbridge is a character that you just want to root for and want to see succeed. I loved the setting in post WWII London. The mystery itself was executed so well and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it unfold! Such a fun read!

The Right Sort Marriage Bureau was created by Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge in England after the war ends. Gwen is a posh sort who is still trying to reclaim her rights after a suicide attempt and Iris is a former spy who doesn't talk about her past. The two ladies created the agency to protect their clients from liars, and dangerous people.

Having been involved in a few scrapes and mysteries in the first four books the agency is well established. The skills of Sparks and Bainbridge have been well tested. Book five, The Lady from Burma introduces a new mystery. The aforementioned Lady is dying from cancer and she would like to make sure her academic minded husband will be taken care of when she is gone. She is afraid he will retreat from the world and no one will take care of him or know how wonderful he is. She opens an account for him with the agency. It seems he also did some clandestine work for England during the war in the jungles of Burma. Recently he has been asked to lend his aid again but refused so he can be with his wife during her illness.

When the lady is found dead in the Epping Woods by apparent suicide only Bainbridge and Sparks think something is wrong and investigate.

This is a great historical mystery series, really shows how difficult things were for women who wanted more than the society was willing to give them at the time.

Tremendous! Precisely what I was looking for in the moment. Sure, it's not going to change your life or open your eyes to heretofore unrecorded wonders, but these two plucky heroines make old paths seem new and fresh. Excellent character chemistry, and fabulous, propulsive prose. A welcome wad of mental chewing gum that proved an enjoyable, rather uplifting respite from the current chaos of our world. Liked it so much, I went back and read the entire series!

The Lady from Burma is the fifth Sparks & Bainbridge historical mystery by Allison Montclair. Released 25th July 2023 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 336 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.

The writing is the high point. It's elegant, engaging, and smooth. Readers will appreciate the settings and immersive descriptions. The characters, including the secondary ones, are well rounded and feel integral and more than just window dressing. The author is also adept at narrative fiction overall, and the plotting is well crafted with good pacing which engaged but never overwhelmed the story.

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 changing landscape of London and the post-war world, wartime activities and deaths.

There are some potentially triggering themes: isolation, 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.

What I like about this series (besides the exciting mysteries and world) is that the characters keep bettering themselves. Both ladies look at their love lives and wonder if they want more or are just settling. The answers are accurate to their characters. There was one couple I thought was cute but agreed that the romantic relationship wasn’t working.

This review is based on an advanced reader copy provided through Netgalley for my honest thoughts.

I keep returning to this series for its wonderful dialogue and interesting mysteries, but more importantly, the friendship between the two leads Iris Sparks and Gwendolyn Bainbridge.

In this fifth instalment, that friendship is tested; Gwen's case is up before the Lunacy Court, and she is desperate to regain her legal and financial rights over hers and her son’s lives. She's been told in no uncertain terms by her lawyer and psychiatrist that she must stay away from murder investigations as her investigating will only be seen as a lingering instability in her character. When two murders occur, Gwen wants no part in solving them, leaving Iris to manage on her own.

The first murder is of their new client, Mrs. Remagen, who was dying of cancer. The woman had contracted the Right Sort Marriage Bureau to find her soon to be alone entomologist husband a new wife. Iris and Gwen are initially surprised, as they've never had to deal with a request like this before. After details are agreed upon, the two set to work, but are very soon after shocked when they learn their new client has committed suicide. The Right Sort owners know this makes no sense, based on their understanding of their client.

Gwen decides to meet with the conservator in charge of her finances, and to accept an invitation from a member of the Bainbridge corporation’s Board. The conservator is dismissive of Gwen, and is shocked when he sees her at the Board meeting, where, because of her father-in-law’s absence from the day-to-day running of the company while he recovers from his injury (previous book), several Board members attempt to snatch control of the company. One of the conspirators is Gwen’s conservator, and Gwen averts the takeover, but decides to become more familiar with the company's and her own finances, which eventually sends her in a fury to her conservator's office. Sometime that same day, her conservator is murdered, and Gwen is chief suspect.

Meanwhile Sparks is investigating their client’s death, and attending a talk about insects at the museum so she can suss out the widower for a possible motive. She quickly eliminates him as a suspect, and meets a young female insect researcher who seems interested in the Right Sort finding her a possible partner. Sparks also meets a smart young constable, Hugh Quinton, who also feels that the suicide is suspicious.

When it’s clear Gwen cannot get away from murder, and realizes she wants no negativity between her and Sparks, she and Iris begin working together on figuring out both murders. The two cases are complex, with many things going on but the author manages to keep things clear and the pacing moving well.

The women's digging eventually unearths lies, legal and financial mismanagement, murder, and just generally terrible behaviour. They also need to dig deep emotionally, as aspects of the case are causing much reflection into who they are and what they want.

I was surprised that Iris was such an insect admirer, but every little new detail we learn about the very secretive Sparks is always welcome.

My complete enjoyment of this charming series continues, as this instalment was a very satisfying journey for both women, as they realize just how much they really do need each other emotionally and professionally.

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

This is the 5th outstanding book in the Sparks & Bainbridge mystery series. The two women run the Right Sort Marriage Bureau but somehow end up solving mysteries together. Set in post WWII London, this is excellent historical fiction. In this book, one of their own clients is found murdered and they investigate.
5 stars.

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 continue to really enjoy this series. This may be my favorite one yet as the characters get more and more developed and the plotlines become more complex and interwoven. At the same time it’s still nicely lighthearted and easy reading. I look forward to the sixth installment eventually.

Alison Montclair's series is a must read for any historical or traditional mystery fan! Will be putting it on my book club list and recommending it to anyone looking for a different twist on the historical mystery!

Another solid outing in the Sparks and Bainbridge series. After suffering a breakdown when her husband was killed, Gwen Bainbridge was declared a lunatic and her affairs were handled for her. Now that she's ready to regain her automony, her conservator has been murdered and she's an obvious suspect. Of course she and her partner, Iris, take up the investigation, even though her sleuthing has been used as further evidence of her insanity! A twisted and winding story that kept me turning pages.

The Lady from Burma by Allison Montclair is a London post-WWII mystery and is the 5th in a series. I love reading a historical fiction mystery and this one was fantastic! While it can be read as a standalone, I recommend to read the other books because of the wonderful back story. I thought it was engaging and enjoyed every moment of my read.

Allison Montclair's "The Lady from Burma" is the fifth installment in her captivating Sparks & Bainbridge mystery series. Set in post-World War II London, the novel follows the intrepid duo of Iris Sparks and Gwendolyn Bainbridge as they delve into a perplexing case involving a seemingly suicidal death, a mysterious client, and a web of hidden secrets.

The story unfolds when Miss Sparks and Mrs. Bainbridge receive an unusual request from The Lady from Burma, an enigmatic client who wishes to find a suitable wife for her entomologist husband, Professor Remagen, upon her passing. Before they can fulfill their task, tragedy strikes, and The Lady from Burma is found dead in Epping Forest, her death ruled a suicide.

Refusing to accept this at face value, Miss Sparks and Mrs. Bainbridge embark on an investigation that leads them down a labyrinth of clues, suspects, and long-buried secrets. As they delve deeper into the case, they uncover a world of deception, betrayal, and hidden motives.

Montclair skillfully weaves together mystery and historical fiction, immersing the reader in the atmosphere of post-war London. The characters are vividly portrayed, their personalities and backstories gradually revealed as the story unfolds. Miss Sparks and Mrs. Bainbridge form an unlikely but effective partnership, their contrasting strengths complementing each other as they navigate the complexities of the case.

The Lady from Burma is a captivating tale of intrigue, set against the backdrop of a world struggling to rebuild after the war. Montclair's writing is engaging and suspenseful, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat until the very end.

I enjoy this series and the charming characters. This book shakes things up a little. The examination of women's rights and mental health are honest, if deeply troubling.

A London post-WWII mystery that is the 5th in a series. I don’t read a lot of historical fiction but this one was interesting because Iris and Gwendolyn own a marriage agency that helps women find the right spouse for them.

In this one, a happily married woman comes into the agency to find a new wife for her husband as she is dying of cancer. When the same woman is found dead in a nearby forest, Iris and Gwendolyn seek out the truth.

While it can be read as a standalone, I wish I would have read the other books because I missed some of the back story. I thought it was engaging and enjoyed solving the mystery with them.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this eARC. The Lady from Burma is out now.

This is the fifth Sparks & Bainbridge mystery, and there’s a heavy serialized element with these books—the two women run a marriage bureau, which somehow keeps leading them into danger and intrigue. The titular lady is an unusual client; she wants them to find a match for her husband. Adela is dying of cancer, and feels her spouse would be lost without a wife to take care of him.

Gwen Bainbridge, whose own suicide attempts after her husband was killed in World War II led her to be labeled a “lunatic,” makes the woman promise that no matter what, she won’t kill herself. When Adela dies, apparently by her own hand, Gwen is convinced that it must have been murder.

Meanwhile, Gwen’s getting ready for the trial which may finally give her back her freedom, as well as allow her to take her husband’s seat on the board of her father-in-law’s company. The “lunatic” label gets thrown around freely in this book, but frighteningly enough, that was an official term, even in post-WWII Britain—the Office of the Master in Lunacy, which had jurisdiction over the financial affairs and personal welfare of the mentally ill, wasn’t renamed until 1947 (it is still around, but now called the Court of Protection).

As usual, I’m not sure how well this novel would fare as a stand-alone, but fans of the series will enjoy the banter between Sparks & Bainbridge and Gwen’s rock-solid determination to secure her personal liberty once and for all.

Allison Montclair immerses the reader in the fifth Sparks & Bainbridge mystery with The Lady from Burma. It's postwar London and the Right Sort Marriage Bureau has been tasked finding a partner for a lady's husband after she dies from cancer. Then the lady turns up dead, murdered. Meanwhile Mrs. Bainbridge is having trouble getting her legal status as a former lunatic straightened out. Iris Sparks, a former doer of dangerous deeds for the government, is investigating both the loss of Mrs Ramagen and the case of her partner. To complicate things further the guardian for Mrs. Bainbridge is somehow entangled in all this. Lots of intrigue and murder. Enjoy.