Review by Booklist Review
Upperclass Gwen Bainbridge and former British Intelligence officer Iris Sparks are unlikely friends and business partners. Six months (and three books) ago, they set up The Right Sort Marriage Bureau in postwar London. Here, the marriage business takes a back seat to old business, when Andrew, a former lover Iris worked with during the war, turns up, wanting to hide out at her flat. Actually the lease is in his name, a fact on which several plot turns twist. Iris is not the only old lover with a grudge against Andrew, which puts her in some very hot spots. Though this is mostly Iris' story, Gwen isn't neglected. She is still trying to get custody of her son from her in-laws while figuring out how to shake off widowhood; both endeavors are aided by visits to her psychiatrist, giving readers new insights into Gwen's personal history. Along with providing a solid cast of characters, Montclair does a swell job of bringing 1946 London to life, with a visit to an exhibit called "From War to Peace" at the Victoria and Albert one of the book's highlights.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The friendship of Gwen Bainbridge and Iris Sparks, the "intelligent and resourceful" owners of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau, is tested in Montclair's exemplary fourth mystery set in post-WWII London (after 2021's A Rogue's Company). When someone is shot to death in Iris's flat, where an ex-boyfriend of hers has been living as a renter, Iris's ability to be fully frank with Scotland Yard is limited by the connection of the victim to her previous life as a British intelligence operative. Iris decides to investigate on her own and asks Gwen to help search for the killer. The case comes at a fraught time for Gwen, who attempted suicide in 1944 after learning her husband was killed in battle; she was subsequently institutionalized in an asylum. Gwen is in the process of petitioning to end the guardianship controlling her life, which could be jeopardized if she once again probes a murder. The solution to the crime is both surprising and fair to the careful reader. Montclair's capable, funny, and fully developed leads set a gold standard for the amateur sleuth subgenre. Dorothy Sayers's fans will hope this series has a long run. (July)
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Review by Library Journal Review
In Montclair's fourth "Sparks & Bainbridge" mystery (after A Rogue's Company), Iris Sparks and Gwendolyn Bainbridge, owners of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau, are caught up in a murder once again. Both Iris and Gwendolyn are trying to heal from their difficult pasts, Iris from being a spy in World War II and Gwendolyn from losing her husband and her sanity. When a woman is murdered in Iris's apartment, which is paid for by her former lover, Iris becomes the prime suspect, and both women must work together to find the real culprit despite encountering difficulties in their friendship. Montclair continues to develop Iris and Gwen as characters, portraying their struggles with mental health and relationships with empathy. The snappy dialogue, charming characters, and high stakes will have readers racing through this novel to discover who is truly responsible for the crime. Montclair portrays 1940s speech and culture well, with many allusions to postwar concerns. VERDICT This will appeal to mystery readers who enjoy humor, historical fiction, and well-written crime-solving teams.--Tristan Draper
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
After solving four murders, a war widow and a former spy are forced to tackle espionage on the homefront. Iris Sparks feels guilty about her World War II service as a spy whose shattered ankle prevented her from going overseas. Gwen Bainbridge, her partner in The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, has been trying to recover custody of her son ever since her husband was killed in the war and her depression caused his aristocratic parents to have her committed. The duo's troubles start when Iris is followed by a woman who turns out to be Helena Jablonska, a Polish widow seeking their services in finding a new husband. Gwen can tell that she's pregnant, though, and so turns her down. Returning to her flat, Iris finds her former lover and fellow spy Maj. Andrew Sutton sitting on the sofa. He says he needs somewhere to hide, and since he's paid the rent on the flat through the end of the year, he refuses to leave, even when her current lover, gangster Archie Spelling, turns up. Iris flees to Gwen's home, and while she's gone, a woman is murdered in her flat. The police assume that the dead woman is Iris until DS Michael Kinsey, who'd once been engaged to her, goes to inform Gwen of her death and finds her alive. " 'What's wrong, Mike?' asked Iris, looking at him with concern and, it has to be said, amusement. 'You look like you've seen a ghost.' " Iris becomes the main suspect, but she's so well schooled in interrogation techniques that the police get nothing from her except the identity of the dead woman: Helena Jablonska. After Gwen calls Iris' former boss and strings are pulled, she's released, but now she and a reluctant Gwen must enter the world of espionage to find a killer. A believable postwar tale with troubled heroines who must juggle lovers, spies, and an unexpected villain. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
