The matchmaking ladies are back in post war London.


This time, a client with an unusual request. She is dying, and is looking for a suitable mate for her husband when he is a widower.

The mystery unfolds around this and other clients.

The irony is that while the ladies are spot on with arranging other
people's love lives, their own personal lives are complicated

Sparks still struggles with trauma after her war experiences, while Bainbridge is trying to reclaim her life after her stint in a mental hospital.

I enjoyed the mystery, but am less interested in the personal lives of the two main characters.

It is fascinating, however to see how far the treatment of mental illness has progressed, as Bainbridge is offically a "lunatic" due to her hospital stay.

I received a copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley.

I read the first in this series when it came out, and then decided not to read the second because it featured Elizabeth II as a character, and that struck me as weird. I planned to read nos. 3 and 4 before this one, but time got away with me, and in the end I just read no. 5.. I enjoyed it very much, and although I think it would have been better to read them in order, it was fine as a standalone. Here Iris and Gwen are trying to find matches for clients while Gwen attempts to have her lunacy ('correct' medical term at the time) declared at an end. This thread of the story was far more interesting than that of the poor Lady from Burma. The writing is entertaining and amusing and it is a quick read.

Recommended. Now for instalment no. 3....

The Lady From Burma, the fifth installment in the Sparks and Bainbridge mystery series is a very good and compelling read. As in all the books in this series centered around Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge, co owners of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, there is a mystery involving a client searching for their future mate. The mysteries are always well thought out and well plotted. What stood out for me in this book was the focus on mental health and the legal ramifications of being legally declared a lunatic in post WWII England. Due to a nervous breakdown after the war death of her young husband Gwen Bainbridge was declared a lunatic and a ward of the court. We have watched her struggle with this for the previous novels and a sub plot in this fifth installment had me thinking about the plight of these unfortunate individuals. For me, the measure of a well written book is wanting to learn more about something I had no previous knowledge of. I hope there will be another book in this series.

I was delighted to have the opportunity to read an advance copy of the latest Sparks & Bainbridge mystery thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. This book is a great addition to the series which I have loved. I was happy to get reacquainted with the characters and continue reading about their adventures. I became engrossed in the atmosphere of post-war London, and I learned a lot about the horrifying treatment of people with mental health issues at that time. The mystery in this book was very clever and complex. I couldn't put the book down. I highly recommend this book and the entire series (which should be read in the order written), and I can't wait for the next installment.