I am not sure "The Lady From Burma" is REALLY what the story is about, but it was a fun read. There is some love, murder, and intrigue so it makes for a read. I think I'd really enjoy this as a vacation read - something you need to focus on, but not too much. I haven't read any of the other books from this series, but I do not believe you need to, as there is enough context to understand the main characters. I enjoyed it!

This is the first book I've read in this series, so I possibly missed a bit of the backstory, but I was still able to really enjoy this book.

Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge run "The Right Sort Marriage Bureau" - a matchmaking agency in London - just after the end of WWII. One day, a woman, "The Lady from Burma", walks in and makes an unusual request. As Iris and Gwen fight their own personal battles of life and love, they also must help their clients and uncover a murderer. Of course, all their lives are intertwined in unexpected ways and interesting characters turn up many times!!

I really enjoyed reading this cozy mystery. The plot moved quickly and I was able to start to get to know the characters (would have been easier if I had been familiar with them from previous books, but ok nonetheless).

I would definitely read another book in this series!!

No graphic violence or sex/mild language.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book. #sponsored

Alison Montclair has written another wonderful Sparks and Bainbridge book!

This time, the ladies are finding a match for a man who will soon be widowed, paid for by his wife (who is dying of cancer). Gwen is anxiously awaiting her hearing to be declared sane and able to take over her own financial affairs and gain custody of her son. And both ladies are trying to figure out their love lives.

What I love about these books are how they illuminate the struggles women faced (or face) in controlling their own futures. The writing is crisp and full of humor, but also compassion for the conditions of the poor, the criminally insane and women.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book!

Gwen and Iris are so great. Loved this mystery. It all started when a lady who used to live in Burma came in to find a new wife for her husband. It was such an unexpected request, and the ladies were reluctant to fulfill the request until Gwen spoke with her privately. In the meantime, Gwen's lunacy hearing is coming up and she has been asked to sit in on a board meeting in anticipation of her being released by the court. Nothing is turning out the way she thought it would go and matters go from bad to worse. When the lady from Burma ends up dead in a forest, Gwen is sure she did not commit suicide and there is one policeman who agrees with her. As Gwen is trying to prove that she is sane, Iris is busy trying to find the person who killed the lady from Burma. When the two things come together, Gwen and Iris have to come up with a plan to solve both problems. Are they linked?

I absolutely LOVE this series. It’s witty and well-crafted. I rushed through the first four books in the series in two days of my summer break and then settled in with this entry. The two heroines/detectives are quite unlikely. Iris Sparks spent WWII working intelligence for the British. She was also trained in all sorts of spycraft and self-defense. She’s tough and damaged. And she’s dating a prominent gangster. Her partner is Mrs. Gwn Bainbridge, the aristocratic widow of a wealthy scion of a munitions and mineral company who died during the war. Gwen lost it when she found out her husband had died and tried to kill herself. She was confined to an institution for the crazy for half a year and lost her rights to be guardian for her adorable six-year old son and to control her inheritance from her husband which includes a 40% stake in the family business. She’s been struggling through all the earlier books to regain control over her life.

Meanwhile, Iris and Gwen have teamed up to operate a marriage bureau to help lonely people in 1946 Britain to find spouses. It is a very unlikely business, but somehow it keeps leading the pair to be involved in solving murders. That’s not the best occupation for someone trying to convince a misogynist court system that she is not a lunatic.

Add in obvious shenanigans by the cretinous lawyer who has been assigned to control her financial stake in the company and two murders and you have a fascinating and fun mystery.

The side characters are fun and interesting. The setting is well-done as we see the difficulties that the British people are facing a year after the end of the war as the economy is still uncertain with shortages and rationing.

I stayed up late reading this and couldn’t put it down. Now I’m sad that I’ll have to wait for the next entry into this series. I recommend starting with the first book in the series so that you get to know the other characters and the back-stories for the two main characters. You won’t regret it.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

July has been almost too delicious for words. First was the long awaited return of Sujata Massey’s Perveen Mistry series; and then, just as eagerly anticipated (by me) is the new book in Allison Montclair’s Sparks and Bainbridge series. Five books in, fans of the series know that Gwen Bainbridge and Iris Sparks run The Right Sort marriage bureau in postwar London. Iris did undercover work during the war; Gwen lost her husband, fell apart, and was literally declared a lunatic by her husband’s family, who have custody of her child and have put the portion of the family company she’s inherited from her husband under the control of the lunacy court. It looks like, in book five, that the form of purdah Gwen finds herself in is about to be lifted. Her lawyer is hopeful and so is Gwen.

Meanwhile, she and Iris have been approached by a woman from Burma (hence the title) who has waited out the war for her husband to return from the Burma jungles. When he comes home, however, she finds she has cancer, and she’s at The Right Sort to make sure he’ll be looked after when she’s gone. This has Gwen in tears and the practical Iris arranging financial details. Gwen is certain she’s talked the woman out of suicide, but it’s not long before the woman’s body is discovered, an apparent suicide. This is a mystery novel, however, and it is far more likely, of course, to be murder.

Montclair delivers on so many fronts. First of all there’s a complex plot; there’s a distinctive setting; there’s an unusual occupation for the main characters; and finally, and perhaps most importantly, there are the characters themselves - believable, complicated human beings with opinions, emotions, intellect, curiosity – they are indelible. Iris and Gwen have different backgrounds, but they complement each other. While both have romances at different stages, the central relationship in the books is their friendship.

In this book, Gwen is having a hard time awaiting her hearing. If it goes well, she will again have full custody of her son, and will be able to set up her own household. The man appointed to her case by the lunacy court seems to have a vague hostility toward her, which naturally makes her nervous. This arc has run through all the books to date and it’s brought to an excellent conclusion in this novel. I won’t spoil it and give away which way the courts decide.

Surrounding it is a complex plot involving beetles, finances, and thwarted and uncertain romances for both Iris and Gwen. The different threads of the novel – beginning at the Right Sort with the lady from Burma of the title – all tie up but it’s far from clear how they are related. Oh, did I mention, these books are also page turners? This is the kind of read where you’re super irritated to be interrupted for any reason. This is one of the strongest entries in this wonderful series, which is saying a lot. And stay tuned for the beetles.

This book is part of a series but can be read as a standalone. I have not read any of the other books in the series.
Setting is post WWII London.
Lady Gwendolyn Bainbridge and Miss Iris Sparks are interesting characters.
Witty dialogue and humor that took a little bit to get used to. Funny and entertaining read.

Thank you NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the opportunity to read this book.

Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge face enough criticism in founding their own business, The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, despite matchmaking being a more traditionally female pursuit. Trying to solve the murder of a unique client while keeping Gwendolyn out of the hospital for the criminally insane for the rest of her life puts just a bit more pressure on both women. The author does a great job of helping these women learn to grow in their power and confidence as they search for clues without causing more problems in the process. This is the fifth book in a series, and I had no trouble catching up with the characters’ backstories to the extent needed to enjoy this book

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, Netgalley, and the author Allison Montclair for early access to this solid mystery.

Allison Montclair's Sparks and Bainbridge series gets a sparkling new addition with The Lady from Burma. Gwen Bainbridge is finally getting her day in court. Declared a lunatic after a failed suicide attempt after the war death of her husband, she has traveled a long, hard path to recovery and self-determination. Her marriage bureau, run with partner Iris Sparks, is thriving, as is her son, living with her in the home of her in-laws. When a new client with an unusual request shows up on their doorstep, The Right Sort Marriage Bureau is ready.

The relationships of the business's clients are interesting, but the heart of this book are the lives of Sparks and Bainbridge and their struggles to come back from their personal war experiences.

I think this series benefits from being read in order, and recommend starting with "The Right Sort of Man".

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Lady From Burma, by Allison Montclair

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy of this book.

This is the fifth in the series of the cozy mysteries encountered by the proprietors of “The Right Sort Marriage Bureau,” set up after WWII by two young women. It can be read as a “stand alone” book, and is the first I’ve read in the series, but I will be reading the others.

Iris Sparks, petite and dark-haired, in her 20’s, and Gwen Bainbridge, tall and blonde and with a six-year-old son, suffered a great deal during the War, and still continue to have emotional wounds. Yet their animated, breezy interactions belie that, and give a snappiness to the novel, even as they struggle to come to terms with loss, grief, and uncertainty. Their marriage bureau is an effort to bring some happiness into the post-war world, even if their own love relationships are complicated.

Somehow, in their contacts with clients, Iris and Gwen have become involved in several murder cases. “The Lady from Burma,” their latest, involves both domestic and legal issues, with engaging characters and twists and turns in the plot.

Occasionally, physical descriptions or events are put almost too strongly: For example, Gwen’s propensity for tears and emotional outbursts can make the story seem less believable. Despite this there are serious issues raised: the perception and treatment of women and their roles; changing norms in post-war Britain; mental health; and personal commitments to family, friends, and lovers.

I look forward to learning more about them in the earlier books, and hope the series will continue.

The Lady from Burma is the fifth in the phenomenal Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery series. Set in post-WWII London it is chock full of wry wit, humour, intelligent and well-developed characters and fascinating plots. The writing is gorgeous, engrossing and whip smart. We learn enough of the characters to get to know them but are not told everything which keeps the dangling carrot just out of reach. What a pleasure to peel back the layers in each book! I didn't think it possible but this book is even more beguiling than the previous ones in the series.

Two friends are matchmaking partners in The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. Miss Iris Sparks was in British Intelligence and has a mysterious past and rather shady boyfriend. Mrs. Gwen Bainbridge is a war widow with a son and was condemned to an asylum but has now been free for a time. However, she is still considered a lunatic by some and must face court to prove her sanity. Though from different backgrounds, both ladies strive to find happiness for others...and are no strangers to death. Good thing as that skillset comes in very handy when dealing with murder and the police. A lady from Burma has a very unusual request, to find her husband a new wife as she has terminal cancer. When her dead body is found, Gwen becomes one of the top suspects. Not only is there murder and courtroom drama but the ladies also get entangled in romantic (and other) pickles. Thankfully Police Constable Hugh Quinton is on their side. Not everyone is as loyal.

Historical Fiction readers seeking a strikingly original read, add this to the top of your list. No clichés in sight. I love that the ladies are truly clever and enterprising with a lot of oomph. This is no ordinary Historical Fiction/Mystery! The pace is deliciously slow and the stars are the characters even more so than the mysteries. They have their challenges and secret sorrows as well as dazzling moments.

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this fabulous, fabulous novel! I am terribly curious to discover what the author has in store in the sixth book.

"The Lady from Burma" is a mystery set in 1946 in London. It's the fifth book in the series. It probably shouldn't be the first book you read in the series (like it was for me) because it focused a lot on Gwen's legal troubles and Iris' love life. The actual murder investigation didn't start until about halfway through, and the author gave the readers a strong hint at the very beginning about what's going on (the motive for murder). It didn't really feel like a mystery to me but more like a historical drama. Historical details were woven into the story to create a distinct sense of the time and place.

Iris was observant, smart, and came up with good, logical leads to follow up on regarding possible suspects. Gwen's the more intuitive partner, and she can also quickly spot when things don't match up and need looking into. But she's her own worst enemy. She acted on her insights in ways that weren't rational and only made things worse for her. I don't know if this is her typical behavior, but I have a hard time accepting her as an amateur detective even after she figured out critical clues. Gwen just seemed so easily overwhelmed and guided by her emotions even when she knew her actions weren't wise.

There was some bad language. There was sex (as Iris enjoys having sex even if she--a match maker--isn't looking for love) but no actual sex scenes. Overall, I'd recommend this as a historical but not so much as a mystery.

Couldn't get into it because the language is a bit old-school and Agatha Christie-ish, which i personally don't like

Another enjoyable title in this series. So many red herrings-a cast of characters-and lots of lost people who are slowly finding themselves none of the most enjoyable series of this time period.

An entertaining, witty and well paced historical story. The Lady From Burma is the fifth book in a mystery series. In post World War 2 England, two women start a marriage bureau and end up solving a mystery. I haven't invested in this series, as this is my first novel by this author. Having said that, I will be going back to the others and read them as well.

The Sparks and Bainbridge series continues to be a favorite. Once again, I was drawn into the story from the first pages. There is so much going on between the crime plot and the subplots of the two sleuths, but all of the threads intertwine and lead to the perfect ending that I never expected. The author has a remarkable talent of bringing the story to life through a vivid portrayal of post WWII London, witty dialog, and characters that feel so authentic and sympathetic that I miss them when the book ends. You can read The Lady from Burma as a stand-alone, but if you haven’t read the earlier books in the series, do yourself a favor and read them now! Thank you, St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the complimentary egalley.

There is a lot to enjoy in The Lady from Burma. The concept of two women running a marriage bureau after WWII is a fun basis for a cozy mystery series, and the fact that one of the partners is a widow and the other never married is a nice added touch. The fact that neither of the partners is married also stokes their personal interests in the opposite sex, and their various romantic pursuits get almost as much coverage in the book as the murders. This will appeal to some readers more than others, e.g., I will not be recommending the series to my husband. Their clients also are interesting. Several are involved in entomology, and I learned a new term, mothing, which is the use of lights to look for moths at night.

The writing style is another especially enjoyable aspect of the book. There was good dialogue and some clever collaboration between the marriage bureau and police officer Quinton. As a fan of good chapter endings, I especially appreciated some of those, which left me with a smile on my face. Unfortunately, the ending of the book itself was not nearly as pleasing as the chapter endings; the last completely unnecessary scene produced a frown, not a good way to leave a book that had many good features.

I had not read the previous books in the series and felt very much at a disadvantage, because Sparks’ and Bainbridge’s backgrounds are significant to the book. This is especially true for Gwen Bainbridge, whose mental health problems are so significant that she has a court-appointed guardian, and a significant factor in the book is her effort to have the court declare her sane enough that she can recover the independence. Iris’ background also has intriguing aspects I would like to know more about, like how she came to be dating a gangster. I recommend beginning with the first book of the series, The Right Sort of Man.

On the other hand, I would not recommend you become a client of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, given their clients’ likelihood to become murder victims.

I received an advance review copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.

This was another excellent episode in the Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery series. It is almost the end of the first year that Iris and Gwen's marriage agency The Right Sort has been in operation. The business is growing and finally becoming profitable since many are looking to start over after the interruption of World War II.

When a married woman who is dying of cancer comes in to sign up her husband for their services, they become involved in yet another murder investigation. Just days later, she is found dead in Epping Forest in an apparent suicide. But the local constable who is called to the body thinks that things might not be as they appear. A brochure from The Right Sort Marriage Bureau sends him to Iris and Gwen for information.

Meanwhile, Gwen's court date to prove her competence and remove her legal guardian is coming up. Things should go well, but a contentious board meeting and argument with her legal guardian throws a monkey wrench into the proceedings. Then, when her guardian is found beaten to death, Gwen becomes the prime suspect.

This was an engaging and entertaining mystery. I like the post-World War II setting. The dialog is crisp. The women's problems are real and engaging.

I really enjoyed this book. It is about 2 friends who are in business together - they run a dating business. Kind of... The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. Where people come in and willingly sign up to be matched up with other single candidates on Sparks' and Bainbridge's list. If the pair are compatible, then the business is paid for the match and the couple lives happily ever after. Until a terminally ill-woman comes to visit them. She apparently loves her husband very much, and just wants to make sure he is taken care of after she is gone. The women give her a condition before taking her on as a client, but that condition appears to be broken when the woman is found dead shortly after signing her contract with the women. Luckily, Sparks and Bainbridge have also assisted the police in criminal investigations, and don't delay in putting these skills to use when learning about their client.
The problem is, Mrs. Bainbridge must tread lightly because she could loose everything - again. She has been under a conservator and has finally been given a court date where she can prove her competency to end that. But if she is accused of interfering with any police matters, then that could be used against her.

I continue to love this evocative and mystery series. Just terrific.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing an ARC for my review.