Member Reviews

If you haven't read any of the Sparks and Bainbridge historical mystery series, now is an excellent time to start. The sixth installment, Murder at the White Palace, is a bit of a fresh start for Sparks, Bainbridge, and the series. I would definitely suggest starting at the beginning of the series, but if you want to dive in here you should be fine. (Note that there may be some spoilers for the earlier books in this review.)

Both Sparks and Bainbridge are at a turning point in their private lives. Sparks and her gangster boyfriend Archie make it official, and are actually meeting their respective families. Bainbridge is free from her custodial sentence and is looking for romance for herself. And things are going well for the The Right Sort Marriage Bureau the two women have opened in post WWII London.

Things are going so well for the matchmaking business that the friends and partners decide to host a New Year's Eve dance for all their clients. Archie has recently bought a building bombed in the war and is in the process or rebuilding. But a body is found behind the walls. This is the starting point of a well-plotted mystery that crosses years and uncovers secrets everyone would just as soon stay hidden. Sparks and Bainbridge must work with both sides of the law to solve the mystery, and must also deal with the consequences of what happens after the body in the wall is identified.

I am not at all an expert of post WWII London, but the setting and the history ring true. The world Montclair has created is easy to sink into, and the characters are easy to love. This book is a great addition to the series.

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Murder at the White Palace is the 6th book in Allison Montclair's fantastic historical mystery series Sparks and Bainbridge. I started on book 3, as the mystery in each stands alone. After reading that one book, I found one of my all-time favorite series! I still need to go back and read the ones I missed; I don't want to miss a word. Out of the ones I've read, this is my favorite so far...which is saying a lot because the other books in the series I've read are both 5-star reads.

In post-war London, as 1946 comes to a close, the partners of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau are planning a New Year's Eve party for their clients. The partners are Miss Iris Sparks (a woman with a dangerous, secret past in British Intelligence) and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge (a genteel war widow and now single mother who has finally been found sane by the Lunacy Court and has regained access to her vast funds). Sparks and Bainbridge check out one empty building as a possible location for the soiree , but they discover there's a body contained in the walls. At first it was believed the man died in the Blitz, but several stab wounds quickly show that he was murdered. To make matters even worse, the owner of the building is Sparks’ lover, Archie Spelling, who has ties to a variety of enterprises on both sides of the law, and the main investigator for the police is her ex-fiancée! Gwen, too, has a complicated love life, as she enters the dating pool once again after the death of her husband in the war. They've got more than enough going on right now without having to deal with a murder, but the murderer may be closer to them than they could ever even imagine.

This is one of those stories you want to cancel everything for so you can sit down and read...I was riveted to the pages! This was, I believe, the most exciting of the ones I have read. When the body was discovered in the wall of the White Palace, the venue for the upcoming soiree, it was natural to assume that the body was buried during the Blitz and left undetected. But the stab wounds? That wasn't the Blitz! Who was the man, and what was the significance of the unusual ring he was wearing? As usual, Sparks and Bainbridge find themselves involved with the murder and investigation, especially when it seems that the dead man had a connection with Archie's deceased father. Things are complicated enough in their personal lives for these woman without a murder! The detective on this case has been assigned to ex-fiancée of Iris, which makes this murder even more difficult to deal with. Also, Iris is dating Archie Spelling, a known mobster, and she is about to introduce him to her disapproving mother, AND she is going to attend a wedding with Archie and meet his family. Is she ready for this?! And Gwen is also having personal issues of her own. She has finally been declared sane by the "Lunacy Court" (what an unfortunate name!) and is wading deeper into the dating pool. She went on a few dates with Iris's best friend Sally (Salvatore), but he didn't want to be himself, so she has moved on. Gwen is being courted by a man who helped her in Court, but she is also interested in River, a snooker player who is charming and captures her attention. But does he have ulterior motives? When a horrible event takes place at the wedding that Iris and Archie are attending, finding the killer becomes even more important. (Not going to give you any spoilers here of what transpired; I hate when that happens!) Though the mystery was thrilling, once again it is Ms. Montclair's characters who totally make the story. Iris had a secret life in British Intelligence and is tough-as-nails; she knows how to kill and protect because of her previous history. She doesn't have much money, but refuses to let Gwen cover expenses for her; they are partners, and she won't give up that partnership for anything. Gwen lost her husband in the war and attempted suicide. Now she has regained control of her fortune and she's a single mother. These two are total opposites, yet they have not only become business partners but also wonderful friends who always have each other's back. It's their relationship that makes these stories so special. I absolutely love their humor and snark! There is something new we learn here about Gwen: She plays snooker. And she's good! I know nothing of the game, but the author makes it easy to understand. Gwen also has a special knack for knowing if someone is lying; she's like a human lie detector! I was very surprised by Archie this go-around. I wasn't a fan previously...come on, he's a mobster!...but here I fell in love with him. Not everything is black or white, not even for a mobster! It's quite obvious he's crazy about Iris and cares for her deeply. I was thrilled to see Sally again, and I hope to see him have a romance again. Can he actually learn to be himself...and learn to like that person? This book ended on a bit of a cliffhanger. I seriously MUST read the next book as soon as possible. Please write quickly!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

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Thank you to Minotaur St. Martin's Press for my advance electronic copy. My opinions are my own.

The founding partners of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge and Miss Iris Sparks, are meeting with more and more professional success, even as their personal lives are getting more and more complicated. When Gwen (who finally has control of her life, her money, and her son, after being declared legally sane again) has the bright idea to hold a New Year's Eve ball, Iris--former spy--is willing to ask her boyfriend (head of a London gang) to rent his new club to them for the purpose. But when a body is found in the basement of the club, things start to get more complicated.

I very much appreciate that each new installment in this series moves plot and character development forward. Several ongoing plot points were addressed in a very satisfying way, including getting to see how Gwen lives life now that she's free, and how Iris and Archie's relationship is evolving. This series has consistently delivered not only on story, but an immersive, human look at the world of post-World War II London in 1946. Also, it continues to provide a positive mental health rep and snappy dialogue. Feelings are complicated, and past and present relationships live together in the same person. I appreciate the male author's way of writing women in a genre that is dominated by women.

Triggers: death, murder, infidelity

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Nothing gives me greater pleasure than the knowledge another Sparks and Bainbridge mystery awaits me. I loved #5, The Lady From Burma, and kept digits crossed #6 would match it. With apologies for sounding like a broken record, I loved Murder At the White Palace, though a different animal than Lady. In Lady‘s case, there was a pathos to the story of Iris and Gwen’s client and an ending in tragedy (though there were happy endings as well).

In White Palace, Montclair makes Iris and Gwen the centre of the goings-on: it’s their story, especially Iris’s, and there are new beginnings and endings quite quite ended. The publisher’s blurb will give us the plottish details of our amateur-sleuths-professional-matchmakers’ latest adventure-escapade:

In post-WWII London, the matchmakers of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau are involved in yet another murder.

In the immediate post-war days of London, two unlikely partners have undertaken an even more unlikely, if necessary, business venture—The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. The two partners are Miss Iris Sparks, a woman with a dangerous—and never discussed—past in British intelligence and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a genteel war widow with a young son entangled in a complicated aristocratic family. Looking to throw a New Year’s Eve soiree for their clients, Sparks and Bainbridge scout an empty building—only to find a body contained in the walls. What they initially assume is a victim of the recent Blitz is uncovered instead to be a murder victim—stabbed several times.

To make matters worse, the owner of the building is Sparks’ beau, Archie Spelling, who has ties to a variety of enterprises on the right and wrong sides of the law, and the main investigator for the police is her ex-fiancée. Gwen, too, is dealing with her own complicated love life, as she tentatively steps back into the dating pool for the first time since her husband’s death. Murder is not something they want to add to their plates, but the murderer may be closer to home than is comfortable, and they must do all they can to protect their clients, their business and themselves.

Murder At the White Palace is Montclair’s most seamless read because it isn’t split between Iris and Gwen’s matchmaking and sleuthing, making some of the series volumes episodic. The glue to the matchmaking is the planning of the New Year’s Eve soirée for their over a hundred clients (business is growing!) and the plans’ venue becoming the crime scene. It is more complicated than suggested in the blurb; yes, there’s the venue, in the midst of being renovated post-Blitz by Archie, thus connecting to Iris. Likewise is Gwen’s connection to one of the on-site workers, a man she came near to dating and remains attracted to, Des Burton. Des has “moved on” and is engaged, but still harbors feelings, as lowly as resentment and definitely attraction towards Gwen. She, on the other hand, is regretful about the way she rejected him.

In the meanwhile, Archie and Iris grow more intimate and we glimpse them together when Archie invites her into his home, when Iris brings Archie to meet her mother, and when they attend a Spelling family wedding as a couple (the bride and groom the Right Sort Marriage Bureau’s matrimonial achievement). All around, a small, tight world in which Iris and Gwen navigate the discovery of the body in the White Palace’s basement, once discovered as a victim of murder and not the Blitz, buried since the 1920s…ah, the plot thickens for Iris and Gwen and it’s a mighty compelling one too.

The past, as represented by the victim, and Gwen and Iris’s present is linked by the two wars. Murder At the White Palace is not concerned with war’s effect on survivors, traumatic or otherwise. Rather it’s about two generations, both having “done their part”, and, upon their return, resume the life they were meant to have. It’s more of a novel about moving on than war’s aftermath. But the past still weighs people down, even if not in the war they experienced, or the war their fathers and mothers fought, but in the way the past can weigh people down as they come to terms with events and how they bear on their lives. Without spoiling, there is an attempt at understanding the past, at uncovering it, and at putting it to peace.

This is what mills around Iris and Gwen. We see them make tentative steps to move onto the next place in their lives. But what Montclair does best is show again and again Gwen and Iris’s loyalty to each other, the depth of their friendship, and love for each other. Gwen makes first steps to date and her attempts result in several, none the men of her heart. Montclair shows their protagonists’ love lives rather than their matchmaking. If you’re looking for a straight who- and why-dunnit, you won’t find the focus here. Answers are offered, but this is more about characters moving in the scene, taking over the scene, having a great part in the scene, or exiting scenes. If you’re a lover of the series, like yours truly, you’ll love it (I could have done with fewer snooker scenes, but that Gwen is a champion is a hoot). If you’re new to the series, I’d backtrack and read the books that come before. Also because they’re most enjoyable. With Miss Austen, we deem Murder At the White Palace evidence of “a mind lively and at ease,” Emma.

Allison Montclair’s Murder At the White Palace is published by Minotaur Books and releases today, July 30. I received an e-galley, from Minotaur Books, via Netgalley. The above is the honest, AI-free expression of my opinion.

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Murder at the White Palace is book six in the Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery series by Allison Montclair.
I’ve read the last three and have truly enjoyed them.
The plot is satisfyingly twisty yet comprehensible.
A fantastic story with fascinating characters.
The writing is the high point. It's elegant, engaging, and smooth. Readers will appreciate the settings and immersive descriptions.
This is an intriguing London post-WWII mystery.

Thank You NetGalley and Minotaur Books for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

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4.5 stars

This is one of the few series where I just can't wait for the next entry - but this one was well worth waiting for. Gwen Bainbridge, rich aristocrat widow, and Gwen Sparks, former WWII intelligence operative, run a matrimonial agency and solve mysteries on the side.

The chemistry and dialogue is so good that I want to slow down my reading so I don't miss anything. These two disparate personalities have formed an unbreakable bond. They are feisty, smart, logical, compassionate women who have endured more than they ought to have.

The two are better at others' love lives than their own. They both are drawn to what some would call inappropriate men. They want passion and not propriety but have had some bad luck.

In the background of this one, they are planning a grand New Year's Eve ball for their clients and hire a newly acquired under renovation club belonging to Gwen's gangsterish boyfriend Archie. It isn't long before a body turns up - from decades ago, but with links to Archie's past. It's a terrific plot with lots of action but the characterizations are the real meat here. I was sad to get to the last page. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

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If lovers of historical mysteries haven't read one of Allison Montclair's Sparks & Bainbridge mysteries, they really need to do something about it. This series puts readers right in post-World War II London and serves up one strong mystery after another as well as two of the best characters in crime fiction. Setting, mystery, character? You know you can't resist!

I have to admit that, if I'd paid more attention, whodunit would not have been a huge surprise here, but I was distracted. As in all the other books, the main reason why I love this series is the two main characters. In Murder at the White Palace, Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge continue to grow and change as a result of the life experiences they share.

Due to that pesky Official Secrets Act, we may never know exactly what Iris Sparks did during the war, but she's only just realizing the profound effect it has had on her. Her service during the war has changed her view of the world and the people in it, and she's just beginning to realize that she may need to change, too.

On the other hand, Gwen Bainbridge has had a very traumatic, emotionally charged time of it. When her husband was killed in the war, Gwen had a complete breakdown and was hospitalized. Her husband's aristocratic family took complete control of her life as well as that of her small son. It's been an uphill battle, but Gwen has finally gained her independence, and it's a thrill to see her beginning to spread her wings and fly.

As you can see, I'm more wrapped up in the lives of the characters than I am in the mystery, but the mystery is good, too. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: this is a marvelous series that you really need to read. Due to the character development, it's best to start at the beginning with The Right Sort of Man. I know you'll fall under the spell of Iris and Gwen, just like I did.

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Allison Montclair's Murder at the White Palace delivers another captivating chapter in the charming world of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. Set in post-WWII London, this novel expertly combines the intrigue of a murder mystery with the allure of historical drama, creating a compelling read that resonates with its richly drawn characters and period detail.

The story follows the intrepid Miss Iris Sparks and the genteel Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge as they embark on a New Year's Eve soiree for their clients. Their excitement takes a dark turn when a body is discovered hidden within the walls of an empty building they’re scouting. What they initially assume to be a casualty of the Blitz soon reveals itself to be a case of murder—a twist that throws their plans into disarray.

Montclair excels in weaving together the personal and professional lives of her protagonists. Iris, with her shadowy past in British intelligence, and Gwen, navigating life as a war widow and single mother, are both richly developed characters whose personal stakes in the murder investigation add depth to the narrative. The tension between Iris and her ex-fiancée, who is now the lead investigator, adds a layer of complexity and emotional resonance, while Gwen's tentative reentry into the dating scene provides a heartwarming counterpoint.

The setting of post-war London is vividly realized, with Montclair’s attention to historical detail creating an immersive backdrop that enhances the story's authenticity. The murder mystery itself is well-crafted, with enough twists and turns to keep readers guessing until the final reveal. The interplay between the murder investigation and the characters' personal lives adds layers of intrigue and drama, making for a satisfying read.

However, while the novel excels in many areas, it occasionally treads familiar ground. The plot's reliance on well-worn mystery tropes and the somewhat predictable nature of some twists might not surprise seasoned readers of the genre. Nevertheless, Montclair's skillful character development and the novel’s atmospheric setting largely compensate for these minor shortcomings.

Overall, Murder at the White Palace is a delightful read that skillfully combines historical fiction with the thrill of a well-executed murder mystery. Montclair’s engaging characters and vivid depiction of post-war London make this a strong addition to the series, deserving of its four-star rating. Fans of historical mysteries and character-driven narratives will find much to appreciate in this charming and suspenseful novel.

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verbal-humor, snarky, series, surprises, post-WW2, London, mental-health-issues, mystery, historical-fiction, cozy-mystery, the-mob, local-law-enforcement, ex-spy, revenge, relationships, relatives, unpleasant-in-laws, unpleasant-relative, class-consciousness, gangsters, matchmaking*****

The owners of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau are Duchess Gwen Bainbridge who has been cleared by the Lunacy Court in spite of her deceased husband's relatives, and Iris Sparks who is a former operative for a secret wartime agency and has a mobster boyfriend. They want to have a New Year's Eve party but are having trouble finding a location to use. When Iris's boyfriend finds one, it needs some fast refurbishing. Things go pear shaped when boyfriend gets shot and a skeleton comes out of the wall. Now things REALLY get exciting! There is no shortage of intriguing characters in this VERY twisty plot! What fun!
I requested and received an EARC from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!
#SparksAndBainbridgeMysteriesBk6

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Has it really been a whole year since the last installment in the Sparks and Bainbridge series came out? Apparently so! And yet, from the first line of dialogue (the first line in the book, in fact), I was once again fully immersed in the world of Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge, business partners, dear friends, and not-always-willing amateur sleuths.

The story picks up a week or so after the events in The Lady from Burma, as Gwen starts taking steps to move out of her in-laws's house with her son Ronnie, once the matter of custody has been resolved, and Iris continues to look for a suitable place to move to, once the lease on her flat expires at the end of the year.

The business is doing well, if not quite blooming, and both partners are looking forward to matching more compatible couples--and further advertise their enterprise--at a New Year's Eve "Hopeful Hearts" ball, when a dead body falls on Gwen--almost literally.

As the book blurb indicates, the main plot thread revolves around the murdered man found behind a brick wall in the cellar of a nightclub during renovations; given the building's history, as well as the usual business activities of the new owner, a dead body in the cellar might have been discreetly disposed off, had Iris and Gwen not been present during the discovery of the mummified remains. Things being what they are, the police are called, and it soon comes to light that the man had been murdered a good twenty years or more before the Blitz.

As it's unlikely that any of the people present when the body was found could be involved in the murder, the police soon let Gwen, Iris, Archie, and the rest of the Spelling Enterprises gang get on with the business of finishing the renovations in the building and planning the ball--and get on with their lives.

Which they are all happy to concentrate on, until something pretty terrible happens, pushing Iris and Gwen to once again become entangled in a murder investigation, applying their individual talents to the matter at hand with a vengeance.

There is a marked emphasis on relationships in this book; Iris's with Archie foremost, but also with former fiance and current Serious Crime Detective Mike Kinsey, and with her mother, who happens to be a Member of Parliament. For her part, Gwen has finally taken her wedding ring off; she doesn't think she's ready for a real relationship, but she's at least willing to give the whole dating thing a try, with varying degrees of success.

And of course, there's Gwen's and Iris's friendship, and how it too must change as their personal circumstances change. The two grow a lot in the course of the story, even though most of the action takes place in just a handful of days, as both of them finally let go of their pasts. Iris makes a decision about her relationship with Archie that changes her life, while Gwen mends fences with old friends.

"Why are you doing this to me?" Gwen asked plaintively. "Because you did it to me." Said Iris, plunking the telephone in front of Gwen. "Your turn." (Chapter 3)

The banter between the leads is fantastic as always, as is the worldbuilding; the realities of post-war London affect everything the characters do. There's rationing and rubble, smuggling and partying, nightclubs and snooker halls, and people trying to rebuild their lives and find a new sense of normal, even as the world continues to change.

These books have a regular core cast of characters who play bigger or smaller roles in each story; this time, most of the Bainbridge family and associates remain in the background, with various cops and assorted members of Archie's gang coming to the fore, along with a number of relatively minor characters from different books in the series. It's impressive how much characterization can be shared with one scene, or a couple of short conversations, and the author does it here repeatedly, providing quick and accurate portraits of multiple minor characters--who may or may not show up again later in the series.

While the mystery in this novel is self-contained, it is the sixth book and seventh story overall in the series; there are a number of overarching plot threads, particularly the ones dealing with the protagonists' personal lives and their individual character arcs, that deserve to be enjoyed in full by reading all the entries in order.

A new-to-the-series reader would enjoy the ride, no doubt, while missing some of the subtle callbacks and inside jokes. I laughed out loud several times as I inhaled the book, and again as I re-read it while writing this review; I also teared up a few times. The next book cannot come out soon enough.

Murder at the White Palace gets a 9.50 out of 10.

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I thank NetGalley and Minotaur Books for an advance reader copy of “Murder at the White Palace.” All opinions and comments are my own.

The love lives take center stage once again, there’s barely a marriage bureau mention, but at least we get a dead body very early on in “Murder at the White Palace,” the latest Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge historical mystery book outing by Allison Montclair.

It’s New Year’s Eve in 1950s London, and the two proprietors of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau have come up with the idea of a “hopeful hearts ball” at a nightclub owned by Iris’ gangster boyfriend. Sounds like fun, except for the body discovered in an old storeroom. Well, if that won’t put you off champagne at midnight, nothing will, so between fending off the ex-policeman boyfriend for Iris, who’s convinced the new boyfriend knows all about this latest find, then danger for boyfriend Archie himself, and Gwen dealing with her newly-acquired “sane” self -- and life as a snooker shark (and never mind the would-be boyfriends hovering around for her) -- readers get a fast-paced, tricky plot that never fails to entertain. With education, too, as to how women were expected to act and conduct themselves in postwar Britain. Luckily, Iris and Gwen have never followed the conventional wisdom of the time.

And in the end, we learn that love transcends everything, including close personal ties that will come as a true shocker to everyone involved. Happy New Year, or, maybe not.

“Murder at the White Palace” showcases Iris and Gwen at their best, with some revelations for faithful fans. With never a dull moment, it will be interesting to see what author Allison Montclair has in mind for the next in the series.

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Up front- I am a huge fan of this series which pairs Gwen, a wealthy war widow, and Iris, a Cambridge grad with a very different war background, and sees them make matches but also solve murders. Iris has fallen in at long last with Archie Spelling, a gangster with heart, and his men and it's this connection-when Archie agrees to let them use the White Palace, a club he's renovating, as the site of a New Years party for singles-that sets things afoot. There's a body in the rubble! A body that is wearing a ring and then isn't-a unique ring that proves key to solving not only the mystery of the body but more importantly, the identity of the person who tries to kill Archie. Fans should know that we learn a lot more about him, and spend a bit of time with Iris' mother, but no time whatsoever on matchmaking. No matter because we also learn that Gwen is a talented snooker player and we see her begin to open up to other men. As always, this is complex, with surprises (including several really big ones) and deserves to be read without spoilers. Montclair has terrific storytelling skills and she's great with characters- these are believable and well rounded people. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A great read and I can't wait to see what's next.

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Thank you St Martin’s Press @stmartinspress , Netgalley @netgalley , Sara Eslami, and Allison Montclair for this free ebook!
“Murder at the White Palace” (Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery #6) by Allison Montclair ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Historical Mystery. Location: London, England. Time: 1946.

THE SERIES: In post-war London, two partners start The Right Sort Marriage Bureau in the heart of Mayfair. Quick-witted and impulsive Miss Iris Sparks is a woman with a secret past in British intelligence. Sensitive, intuitive Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a war widow with a young son, is entangled in a rigid aristocratic family. Most of their clients want to restart lives in a changed world, but somehow mystery and murder finds its way to The Right Sort.

THIS BOOK: Sparks and Bainbridge scout an empty building for a New Year’s Eve soirée for their clients-and find a body in the walls, stabbed several times.
The building’s owner is Sparks’ beau, Archie Spelling, head of the Spelling Gang, who has ties to enterprises on both sides of the law; and the main investigator for the police is Mike Kinsey, Sparks’ ex-fiancé. Gwen tentatively steps into the dating pool for the 1st time since her husband’s death. As Gwen and Sparks investigate the source of the dead body, they find themselves caught up in old rivalries and crimes. The murderer may be closer to home than they thought. They must protect their clients, their business and themselves. Meanwhile, both Sparks and Bainbridge need new homes, and Gwen takes up her snooker cue again.

Author Montclair’s writing style is clever and witty-and you’ll learn a bit about snooker! Her characters are strong women, unforgettable and charming, the plot and subplots are substantial and fun. Montclair’s historical details are fascinating. It’s a perfectly lovely book to read, and it’s 5 stars from me🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️#SMPGEarlyReaders #SMPinfluencers #murderatthewhitepalacebook #sparksandbainbridgeseries #allisonmontclairauthor

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Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for access to this arc.

Gwen’s private life was the main non-mystery part of the last book so now it’s Iris’s turn. She and Archie have been dating only a short time but (pun intended) the sparks really are flying. Iris has been accepted by Archie’s gang while Gwen is revered by them. Both these things are important over the course of the story.

From the cut of the suit, the body has been in situ for over twenty years and, from the stab wounds, the person was murdered. Gwen notices something that will be important for all people investigating the mystery which of course includes G & I as well as the Met. Yes, of course Mike – Iris’s ex – is assigned to the case and those two hiss and spit at each other before maybe coming to an understanding. With a fresh pair of eyes and less personal involvement, another inspector is added to the mix and I must say I like this guy.

But who is the dead man and why was he killed and left where he was found? The route to closure is long and many clues are needed. I like that as with most of their cases (and these books), the reader is allowed to slowly digest what’s going on and add the clues to their knowledge base along with the investigators. I had a vague idea of who might be the culprit and was correct but still enjoyed playing along at home and following the bread crumb trail to the ultimate reveal.

I also loved watching Iris “meet the family” at the wedding of the couple whose matchmaking was done by The Right Sort. And Mrs. Sparks finally makes her appearance, allowing us to see where some of Iris’s “take no nonsense” attitude comes from. Seeing Gwen begin to break free and plan her next steps away from the brooding Bainbridge household had me breathing a sigh of relief. I hope that Iris remembers a bit of information she wrote down while inspecting a house that Gwen plans to buy in Maida Vale. But honestly, I could have done with a lot less snooker and definitely much less description of it.

So good job on moving G & I along in their lives and mingling that with another murder that they solve, albeit with a little help from the Met.

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Iris and Gwen, owners of The Right Sort marriage agency, decide to hold a new year's eve party for their clientele and while looking for a suitable location, Gwen literally falls over a dead body, embroiling them in another mystery. At first the body appears to have been buried during the blitz, but the corpse turns out to be much older and somehow connected to Iris's gangster boyfriend Archie.

Gwen, a rich war widow, and Iris, a spy with a mysterious past, are an odd couple but their partnership works. This book could be read as a stand alone but some of the references to past events might be confusing and characters who appear in minor roles in this book will be much more familiar to readers of the earlier books in the series. I found it to be an entertaining mystery and enjoyed reacquainting myself with characters from earlier books.

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I love these books, although in this one I missed the usual B story involving a couple being matched. Still a fine mystery, though!

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This might be my favorite book of the Sparks & Bainbridge series so far! It has so many elements that make it hard to put down - personal and professional intrigue, a mystery with ties to the past that are affecting the present, romance, deception, and more! The characters seem to have really come into their own in terms of the author's developing their voices as well as their relationships with each other. Some of the scenes are also just so funny and delightful to read.

This would make sense as a stand alone book, but you'd be missing a lot of backstory and wouldn't fully appreciate how far Gwen has come in her struggle for freedom from her in laws.

Can't wait until the next installment!

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In post-war London, Iris and Gwen run The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. While preparing for a New Year’s Eve party, they discover a body hidden in the walls of their chosen venue. The murder investigation throws them into a dangerous world of wartime secrets, complicated relationships, and a killer who may be closer than they think.

This book is a lot grittier than I expected. It contains no matchmaking but instead takes place in London’s underworld with many of the characters involved in organized crime.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

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This one was a 3.5 for me, but I know that a lot of that has to do with the fact that I had not read the prior books before, and therefore have no connection or familiarity with these characters.
I can tell that if I started from book 1, I would have loved these characters more and understood their mindset regarding some things. I enjoyed the mystery itself in this book but was not as thoroughly entertained as I should have been and even felt a bit lost at some points. Again, I blame my lack of background context and not necessarily the book itself.

Thank you St. Martin’s for the cozy mystery read though!

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I binge read the beginning of this series in 2022 and book 5 about a year ago. One problem with books that come out a year apart like these can be that you lose track of the personal arcs of the main characters. Montclair has done an amazing job however, and I picked right back up with Sparks and Bainbridge as if no time has past. This is a great murder mystery full of twists and turns and with plenty of character development. Looking forward to many more!

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced review copy--all opinions are my own.

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