An Excellent Thing in a Woman - (Sparks and Bainbridge Mystery) by Allison Montclair (Hardcover)

About the Book

"London, 1947. Spirited Miss Iris Sparks and ever-practical Mrs Gwendolyn Bainbridge are called to action when Gwen's beau Salvatore 'Sally' Danielli is accused of murder! Sally has taken a job at the BBC studios at Alexandra Palace, but when the beautiful Miss JeanneMarie Duplessis - one of the Parisian performers over for a new variety show - is found dead in the old theatre, a number of inconvenient coincidences make him Suspect No:1. Just days earlier, Miss Duplessis had arrived at The Right Sort, desperately looking for a husband - any husband - to avoid having to return to Paris. As the plot thickens, Iris is pulled back into the clandestine circles she moved in during the war and it soon becomes apparent that to clear Sally's name, she and Gwen would need to go on the hunt for a killer once more!"--

Book Synopsis

The owners of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau are back, and more determined than ever to bring love matches to the residents of Post-WWII London . . . so something as trivial as a murder investigation isn't going to stop them!

London, 1947. Spirited Miss Iris Sparks and ever-practical Mrs Gwendolyn Bainbridge are called to action when Gwen's beau Salvatore 'Sally' Danielli is accused of murder!

Sally has taken a job at the BBC studios at Alexandra Palace, but when the beautiful Miss JeanneMarie Duplessis - one of the Parisian performers over for a new variety show - is found dead in the old theatre, a number of inconvenient coincidences make him Suspect No:1.

Just days earlier, Miss Duplessis had arrived at The Right Sort, desperately looking for a husband - any husband - to avoid having to return to Paris. As the plot thickens, Iris is pulled back into the clandestine circles she moved in during the war and it soon becomes apparent that to clear Sally's name, she and Gwen would need to go on the hunt for a killer once more!

Those who enjoy reading Kerry Greenwood's Phryne Fisher mysteries and Dorothy Sayers will adore this warm and witty historical mystery!

Review Quotes

Montclair seamlessly blends fair-play detection, immersive period detail, and dashes of humor in her latest historical -- "Booklist"

A riveting, fast-paced mystery full of wartime secrets, romance, and psychological trauma-- "Kirkus Reviews"

The banter between Iris and Gwen remains brisk and hilarious, and Montclair does a particularly good job throwing readers off the culprit's scent. Series fans will be over the moon-- "Publishers Weekly on Murder at the White Palace"

A believable postwar tale with troubled heroines who must juggle lovers, spies, and an unexpected villain-- "Kirkus Reviews on The Unkept Woman"

A page-turning mystery full of local color and angst-filled romances-- "Kirkus Reviews on Murder at the White Palace"

Along with providing a solid cast of characters, Montclair does a swell job of bringing 1946 London to life-- "Booklist on The Unkept Woman"

An artfully constructed puzzle and dry humor lift Montclair's excellent third mystery featuring professional matchmakers and amateur sleuths Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge in post-WWII London . . . Montclair's feisty leads continue to develop as psychologically plausible characters. Phryne Fisher devotees will clamor for more-- "Publishers Weekly Starred Review of A Rogue's Company"

From the drawing room to the back alley, murder is no match for this unlikely pair of marriage brokers-- "Kirkus Reviews on A Rogue's Company"

Intriguing characters and two mysteries are intertwined with little-known regulations on mental health in postwar England-- "Kirkus Reviews on The Lady from Burma"

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-- "Publishers Weekly Starred Review of The Unkept Woman"

Set in 1946 London, Montclair's sixth whodunit featuring matchmakers Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge (after The Lady from Burma) is another winning blend of humor and mystery-- "Publishers Weekly on Murder at the White Palace"

Sharply plotted and filled with a robust cast of supporting characters, this is a mystery that both stands on its own and neatly links previous series entries-- "Booklist on A Rogue's Company"