Murder at the White Palace - A Spotlight

I read a lot of books and with so many great reads coming out, it's hard to keep up. I get behind in series without even realizing it!. Today I'd like to shine a spotlight on one such series. I read the first and today I discovered the sixth book in the series will be released this week. The book? Murder at the White Palace by Allison Montclair. 

Blurb: 

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.

The Right Sort of Man - A Review

Review

THE RIGHT SORT OF MAN by Allison Montclair
The First Marriage Bureau Mystery

As London continues to recover from World War II its inhabitants are looking for stability and happiness. Tillie La Salle wants a life that will lead her out of her neighborhood and into matrimony. Enter the Right Sort of Marriage Bureau. Although Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, proprietors, find Tillie to be somewhat shady, they arrange a meeting with a prospective match. But instead of a happy ending, Tille just gets an ending. Police arrest her intended beau for her murder, but Sparks and Gwen believe their client innocent. Now the duo will use their unique skills to find the real murderer.

I enjoyed my foray into the Right Sort of Marriage Bureau. Witnessing the ramifications of the war, especially as it affected the women of London, seeing the world of spivs, and noting the importance of stockings made for a captivating read. It's the little details that make this book special; the fact that Sally is a budding playwright, daydreams featuring Ronald Colman, and, perhaps most specially, a goldfish named Herbert.

THE RIGHT SORT OF MAN is a smart book. There's an ingenious mystery, intricately plotted and filled with fascinating characters. The book is filled with witty banter. It's smart, but superficial. There is tremendous backstory, some of which is teased out periodically. The characters are so interesting, but somehow still come out somewhat two dimensional. It wasn't until the very end that I felt a true connection.

THE RIGHT SORT OF MAN brings readers to 1946 London. There are ruins, rebuilding, and ultimately hope. This book has the potential to become a wonderful series. 

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Jacket Copy:

"A delightful immersion in the period and personalities, with that touch of depth that transforms a good series to a great one." —Laurie R. King

First comes love, then comes murder.

In a London slowly recovering from World War II, two very different women join forces to launch a business venture in the heart of Mayfair—The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. Miss Iris Sparks, quick-witted and impulsive, and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, practical and widowed with a young son, are determined to achieve some independence and do some good in a rapidly changing world.

But the promising start to their marriage bureau is threatened when their newest client, Tillie La Salle, is found murdered and the man arrested for the crime is the prospective husband they matched her with. While the police are convinced they have their man, Miss Sparks and Mrs. Bainbridge are not. To clear his name—and to rescue their fledging operation’s reputation—Sparks and Bainbridge decide to investigate on their own, using the skills and contacts they’ve each acquired through life and their individual adventures during the recent war.

Little do they know that this will put their very lives at risk.

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Author Bio:

Allison Montclair grew up devouring hand-me-down Agatha Christie paperbacks and James Bond movies. As a result of this deplorable upbringing, Montclair became addicted to tales of crime, intrigue, and espionage. She now spends her spare time poking through the corners, nooks, and crannies of history, searching for the odd mysterious bits and transforming them into novels of her own. THE RIGHT SORT OF MAN is her debut novel.

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