This is 6th in Allison Montclair's highly entertaining series starring an odd couple of PIs in post-WW II London. Genteel young widow Gwendolyn Bainbridge and ex-intelligence officer Iris Sparks, run The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, but somehow always end up with murders to investigate.

Gearing up for the 1946 holiday season, Gwen and Iris plan a New Year's Eve event for their clients. Iris's gangster lover Archie offers a club he's acquired that's under renovation, the White Palace. Said renovation exposes a stabbed body.

Of course, Gwen and Iris investigate this and a colder case, and intervene to prevent a gang war along the way. The violence escalates, but they get their man, and soon the festivities commence. The episode ends on a cliffhanger, leaving fans anxious for more.

Murder at the White Palace by Allison Montclair is the 6th book in the Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery series. I am embarrassed to say that I once again requested a book in a series that I have never read. In this case, like many others, I jumped in head first and read it and it worked out for me. I really enjoyed reading this book and plan to go back and read the ones that came before!

I really enjoyed both the main characters. They were fun, adventurous, frustratingly real, and had great arcs throughout this novel. I was able to make sense of the storyline even though I knew nothing from the previous 5 books. The writing kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat.

As someone who reads a lot of cozy mysteries, there was a lot of character development in this one and not as much mystery. The mystery, though it appears in the summary as a major plot point, is really a subplot to the character arcs of Sparks and Bainbridge, though this didn't, always, bother me, I do with there was more mystery. I also wish the full mystery had come out prior to being 100 pages in.

Overall, this was a very engaging and suspenseful read. I will be requesting book one on Libby and reading the previous five books. I look forward to book 7!

Read if you enjoy:
🔎cozy mystery
🔎strong women
🔎dicey relationships
🔎post WWII
🔎Gang stories

This book had an interesting plot and was in a way an easy read. It was conversational and had a lot of dialogue that made the story flow easier, but it also had "gang member talk," which in my opinion was hard to read. I liked the plot, but I found this book difficult for me to connect with. I wasn't overly attached to any of the characters. This was a nice attempt of a book, but it didn't hit the mark for me.

Murder at the White Palace by

Allison Montclair

In post World War II, London, the matchmakers of The Right Marriage bureau are involved in yet another murder .

This sounded very interesting and I requested the ebook from Netgalley.

I had planned to read this sooner than later, but other books got in the way 😀

This was a great read. I love the different characters and the whole London setting.

This is number six in the Sparks and Bainbridge series , however, I didn’t feel that I had to read the previous books to enjoy this one.

I recommend this if you’re looking for a nice cosy mystery .

This was my least favorite of all the Sparks & Bainbridge books. The “whodunit” part was, I’m not going to say obvious, but it was close. I missed the witty banter that usually characterizes the series. Sparks suddenly becoming all soft and mushy was a turn-off for me. I enjoyed her strength and no-nonsense approach to life, so seeing her get gushy didn’t appeal to me at all.

However, I did enjoy that Bainbridge has grown a backbone. She was able to keep her cool and play a player without the reader being two steps ahead. This development in her character was refreshing and added a new layer to the story.

I have to admit here I was dreading this book; book 5 introduced a new narrator and I was very much not a fan and it really affected the overall story for me. I was therefore was pleasantly surprised that I settled in with the narration more quickly than I had expected to [indeed, the narration was better, as if the narrator too had settled in and was way more comfortable with the characters than in the previous book], and while I am not TOTALLY sold on this narration [some of the voices are just...wrong], it was much better and I enjoyed this book much more than #5.

I say enjoy, but that may be the wrong word, because this was a real nail biter [especially at the end] and it was also deeply sad [there are no happy endings here], and I was left bereft and wanting book #7 [and also hoping that there was actually GOING to be a book 7! Thankfully, there is. Hallelughiah. It releases 2.4.2025!!! YAY!!!] immediately!!

At one point when all the crazy was going down [and the crazy is full speed ahead in this one and makes you take a deep deep breath in case you can't breathe again before the end - thankfully you can LOL], I said to myself, "Self, what if it is *THIS PERSON*", and then laughed because it was just so absurd, until it wasn't and I was left shocked, surprised, and very saddened, especially when the why comes out. Such a crazy story and it shows just how debilitating and all-encompassing bitterness and vengeance can be. Also, if someone tells you what you need to move forward in a relationship with them, don't wait until 12:01am to act on it. IYKYK. ;-)

While I am sure you can read this as a standalone, I don't really recommend it only because you'll be lost pretty quickly with this huge cast of characters [many that have been around since book 1] and their backstories - it is very beneficial to start at the beginning and learn all about them that way - the impact of this story will be much greater that way. Just my two cents.

This was the best of the series, even with all the sadness and by the end, I was so very glad I had not given up on this series and had read this one. Well done!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Allison Montclair, and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

At the open of this instalment, both women are at an interesting point in their lives. Gwendolyn has her legal independence, and wants to move on with her life, as in, find a place to live for her and Ronny, and begin dating. Iris has been seeing Archie Spelling for a while, and though she resists putting labels on their relationship, he seems to be moving in that direction. Iris has also decided that it's time that Archie meets her formidable mother.

The pair also want to continue to grow their business, and come up with the idea of a New Year’s Eve dance for all their clients. To do so will need a large venue, and Archie has recently purchased one, known as the White Palace, and is renovating it.

Gwen gets two surprises when she and Iris scope out the location:Des, whom Gwen had had a crush on (book one),is helping Archie with the construction, and the pair find a dead body concealed behind a wall.

Needless to say, there’s a mystery here, as there are details about the unknown dead man that point to Archie’s and Des’ fathers’ wartime then criminal past.

Gwen is not eager to delve, as she’s just recently been cleared by the Court of Lunacy, but Iris moves forward, particularly as Archie is involved. But it's not long before Gwen begins wholeheartedly investigating, particularly as multiple tragedies occur, but she's also there to make sure Iris does nothing too rash in pursuit of whomever attempted to kill Archie.

Author Allison Montclair creates another compelling narrative in post-war London, as he takes us from the Right Sort office to a tony neighbourhood, to a wedding celebration, and to a dodgy snooker club. The stories in this series tend to be well-paced with plenty of humour and snappy dialogue thrown in, but this novel seemed to have even more urgency as the two women rush to reveal the connections between Archie's past and present.

And though the case is wrapped up, there are still things left open, but at least we get a party and some hope for a better New Year for the partners. I sincerely hope we won't have to wait too long for the next instalment as this one was fantastic, and I have to know what happens next.

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

Right Sort Marriage Bureau—more hijinks!

Well this series is taking an interesting direction. Post war London, and Gwendolyn Bainbridge and Iris Sparks, proprietors of the very successful Right Sort Marriage Bureau decide to hold a New Year’s Eve party for their clients. Gwen has just been declared no longer in need of supervision according to the Court of Lunacy (if you haven’t read previous titles in the series you must to catch up on Gwen’s heartbreaking story). It’s more than time to celebrate!
Archie Spelling (head of the Spelling gang and Iris’s boyfriend) provides the venue, The White Palace, a place he’s recently bought and that he’s restoring. Archie has big plans. The Palace used to belong to Frank Reese another gangster. Archie bought it from his widow, Vanessa. Of course there’s history—of the gangland robbery and violence type. However, no-one was prepared for a body to turn up, least of all Archie, a body that’s been walled up for some years.
Archie’s in the clear but as things unfold he is connected. The situation become somewhat dicey and the New Year’s event hits a few roadblocks.
Another fabulous read from Montclair!
And yes, the way things end has me poised impatiently for the next book.

A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

This delightful series continues with Gwen, finally out from under the supervision of the Court of Lunacy, and Iris, becoming more comfortable with the life she has chosen. The two proprietors of "The Right Sort" marriage bureau are finally finding their footing after the very difficult war years. At every turn, fascinating new aspects of the women's characters are revealed. Set against a dreary, but interesting historical period, this is a series to be savored from start to finish.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy of this book! The sixth installment of the Right Sort mystery series finds Sparks and Bainbridge planning a New Year's Gala for their single clients. However, a body found at the party venue interrupts their matchmaking business, and they are thrown back into solving crime. Regular readers will enjoy the personal developments in the lives of the main characters. Those missing Maisie Dobbs or even Ruth Galloway should start at the beginning of this series: they are fun, engaging reads.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.
This is the 6th book in a series, and while it's a good book, most readers will enjoy it a lot more with the background of the previous entries.
Good solid post-WWII era (London, UK) historical mystery, set in London, strong female protagonists.
5 out of 5

Sparks and Bainbridge have worked hard to make their matchmaking business succeed in a London just starting to recover from WWII. It's great to see them developing as friends and independent women, and to share the details of their everyday lives. The author excels at writing in a way that the reader can feel the texture of things, and see clearly through the characters' eyes. I really enjoy that there are 2 main POVs, and that each character is so distinct.

The agency wants to arrange a New Year's party for its clients, and Sparks' gangster boyfriend has just the place...until a body is found when they're cleaning up for the party. Was it murder? How much more 'interfering' will the police put up with? Will the party go ahead?

This series is a delight, I never know what will happen, but I'm always happy to go for the ride.

Title: Murder at the White Palace (Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery #6)
Author: Allison Montclair
Length: 320 pages
Format: ebook arc
Pub Date: July 30, 2024
Genre: Cozy Mystery, Historical Fiction
Rating Out of 5: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Spice Level: closed door
Summary:
In post-WWII London, The Right Sort Marriage Bureau's matchmakers, Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, find themselves entangled in another murder. While planning a New Year’s Eve event, they discover a body hidden in a building owned by Sparks’ beau, Archie. As they delve deeper, they realize the victim was murdered, not a Blitz casualty, and the case becomes personal. The duo must solve the mystery to protect their clients, business, and themselves.

Thoughts:
I’ll be honest. I had no idea this was a series when I requested this arc, so I have not read the previous 5 Sparks & Bainbridge Mysteries. That ended up not really mattering anyway because this was such a quick, enjoyable, cozyish mystery read that could easily be read as a standalone (with the exception of us being left on a cliffhanger). I instantly fell in love with Iris and Gwen. This is a weird comparison, but they reminded me of the geese from The Aristocats. I don’t know how to elaborate on that or explain it so just take it as it is. They’re just two best friends that are constantly there for one another, but they’ve got such feisty attitudes. I really do want to go back and read the first 5 of these now. Just a fair warning, there’s Iris’s POV and also Gwen’s POV, but the only distinguisher between the two is a hard return to another paragraph. Read if you love cozy mysteries, stories set in London, stories set in 1940s, strong female main characters, London gangs, and snooker!

Special thanks to the @netgalley and @minotaur_books for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

The success of this mystery series is due to the friendship between Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge, owners of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau. It’s 1946, and the scarcities of the war are lessening as Iris and Gwen plan a New Year’s Eve Party. When a body is discovered at the proposed venue, the race to solve the murder begins. There are twists and some surprises. Recommended. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

First things First. This is the sixth book in a mystery series begun in 2019 and I missed the memo. That meant that when I started Murder at the White Palace, I found the beginning slow as I had to do the middle of a continuing story catch up on the characters. Iris Sparks, is a young woman who's dating a gangster and her mother is a Member of Parliament who cannot deal with her daughter's "irresponsible ways." "Sparks" has partnered with her friend, Gwen Bainbridge, widowed in WWII and just out of a period of grieving that turned into a stay in a mental facility. Gwen has a young son, her husband was titled and his parents are nice to her but had custody of her son. Gwen is now filthy rich. Sparks and Gwen are best friends and run a marriage bureau, helping to match couples in post-war London. They decide to throw a New Years Eve party for their clients but it is the last minute and so they secure as a venue a former club that Sparks' gangster boyfriend bought and is restoring from bomb damage. A body is found buried in a wall during demolition. The man who found the body is an old flame of Gwen's. The cop investigating is Sparks' ex fiancé. It's an old case, not a big deal because they cannot even identify the man. But Sparks noticed something was taken from the scene and it makes her curious. t Gwen and Sparks have done some sleuthing, as we know now, in five prior books. So, off we go into a a well wrought twisty mystery and a series of great subplots and bad dates for Gwen who's trying to get back into the swing of dating.

I loved this novel! I think the characters are fun. They are sufficiently developed for me to appreciate and connect to them. The premise is also nice, involving a friendship the reader enjoys between two women who know everything about the other. Along the way are a cast of obvious regulars as well as new folks brought in to die or become suspects or whatever. Montclair makes sure that all the weird people and their weird behaviors are explained sufficiently. The red herrings are well planted. The various scenes, e.g., when the gangster goes to dinner at Sparks' mother's home, are entertaining. The story is well plotted. As usual, one cannot say too much or a mystery review becomes a spoiler, but I'm going to say that, as a person who is not starting many new series, this is one I plan to read from book 1. So enjoyable. I'm happy to be a new fan.

I thoroughly enjoyed diving into this post-WWII mystery! Iris Sparks and Gwendolyn Bainbridge are as charming as ever, and the murder at the White Palace hotel offers plenty of twists to keep you guessing. I especially loved that Archie had a bigger role this time—his interactions with Iris and Gwen added extra depth to the story.

However, I was a bit let down by the ending, which felt unfinished. With the possibility that this might be the final book in the series, I'm left wondering about several unresolved plot threads. It’s frustrating to think I might never get closure on some of the story lines I’ve come to care about.

Overall, Montclair's writing continues to be sharp and evocative, making this a solid read for fans of historical mysteries. I just wish the conclusion had been more satisfying.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One of the things that I love about Allison Montclair’s series is the way that her characters have evolved over time. Gwen Bainbridge has become an independent woman after losing her husband in the war and having a breakdown. She has finally been freed from her in-laws conservatorship by the Lunacy Court and now controls her own life. Iris was involved with Intelligence during the war and has had several failed relationships. She is now involved with Archie, head of the Spelling gang, and it has reached a point where she has introduced him to her disapproving mother and is set to meet his family. As proprietors of a marriage bureau they have decided to hold a New Years Gala for their clients. When they have trouble finding a venue, Archie suggests the White Palace, a club that he recently purchased. It was damaged in the Blitz but is now being renovated. As they tour the club, a brick wall collapses, revealing a body that has been there since the end of WWI. Gwen notices a ring on the body’s finger that will tie him to Archie’s father, who was murdered at about the same time. That murder and the murder of a third member of their gang was never solved. Now someone is out to eliminate anyone connected to the murders. An attempt is made on Archie’s life and another person tied to the case is soon murdered. The answer lies with the ring and a series of robberies that occurred at the end of WWI.

Now that Gwen has won her independence she is finally ready to buy her own home and begin to date. After defeating Sticks, a member of Archie’s gang, at snooker she agrees to a date and a rematch. It came as a surprise that she plays at a championship level and Sticks recruits her to aid him in a revenge match. Things go bad when she realizes it is a con, revealing another of her abilities. Gwen has the ability to detect when someone is lying, a talent that plays a part in averting a gang war after the attack on Archie. Iris also has an important decision when she discovers a ring that Archie planned to give her. What makes this series so special is the friendship between Gwen and Iris. They know each other’s shortcomings, but they also know that they can rely on each other. Murder at the White Palace can be read independently, but I recommend starting with The Right Sort of Man to appreciate how these characters have developed. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/Minotaur for providing this book.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. It had me gasping out loud, yelling, and absolutely in tears. The way I adore Iris and Gwen like they are my own family just grows with each book. Headstrong, daring, smart and independent I am idolize these fictional characters. The banter throughout made this book so much fun to read even under the most stressful circumstances. I wanted to reach out and hug both of them so many times and I could not turn the pages fast enough to see what would happen. The writing and storytelling is fabulous and perfectly pieced together. So many twists and a SHOCKING ending, I already miss this series and can't wait for more!

Sparks and Bainbridge return in this novel set in a London that is beginning to recover from WWII. Their friendship continues to strenghten as Gwen enjoys her new found freedom and Iris goes all in with Archie. There was more snooker in this installment than I needed, but I guess it's culturally appropriate. It was interesting to see Iris interact with her mother and for Gwen to let loose a little. I can't wait to see what the future holds for them.

This book is the sixth installment of The Right Sort series. In this book, Gwen, newly released from the bonds of the court of lunacy has regained her confidence, her inheritance, custody of her son and has a new lease on life. She and her partner , Iris are goin to throw a New Year’s Eve dance for the clients of the Right Sort. The have trouble finding a venue, but their luck changes when Iris’ gangster boyfriend, Archie Spelling offers his newly renovated club, The White Palace. During their inspection of the club, a body is discovered, and thus begins yet another crime/mystery that draws Gwen and Iris in. If you’ve been reading the series, you will enjoy this story. There is a dinner with a member of Parliament, a game of Snooker, a wedding, a shooting and a few other things thrown in. I am deliberately being vague on details so as not to ruin the story. Thank you Net Galley for the early copy of this book.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher, but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Murder at the White Palace finds Gwen and Iris planning a New Year's Eve party for their clients at the Right Sort Marriage Bureau. They decide to see if Iris's beau Reggie (a bit of a gangster) knows of a location that would be suitable. While viewing the site to see if it was suitable, they unexpectedly discover a skeleton and find themselves involved in solving an old murder that results in dangerous events in the current. I love this series so much and this is definitely one of the best mysteries in the series with a very surprising twist near the end. Both Iris and Gwen continue to grow and change; Gwen continues to figure out how to move forward with her life now that she has been declared sane including dating and setting up a residence independently of her in-laws. Iris and Reggie have reached an important stage in their relationship that becomes even more crucial following the events of this book. The friendship between Iris and Gwen is wonderful and I always enjoy the banter between the two. I'm looking forward to many more books in the series.