The Right Sort of Man (Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery #1)

by Allison Montclair

Overview

From debut author Allison Montclair comes an engrossing historical mystery novel set in post-war London, The Right Sort of Man.

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 their promising start is threatened when their newest client 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 fledgling operation’s reputation—Sparks and Bainbridge decide to investigate on their own. Little do they know that this will put their very lives at risk.

*BONUS CONTENT: This edition of The Right Sort of Man includes a new introduction from the author and a discussion guide

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781250621412
Publisher:	St. Martin's Publishing Group
Publication date:	07/28/2020
Series:	Sparks & Bainbridge Series , #1
Pages:	352
Sales rank:	212,739
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 8.10(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

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.

Editorial Reviews

★ 04/22/2019

Set in 1946 London, Montclair’s stellar debut and series launch introduces an unlikely pair of detectives. Gwen Bainbridge, whose husband died during WWII, lives with her late husband’s parents, who managed to get legal custody of her six-year-old son, Ronnie. Gwen and Iris Sparks, a former operative for British intelligence, run the Right Sort Marriage Bureau. Their innocuous business becomes less so after client Tillie La Salle is stabbed to death shortly after her particulars were provided to Dickie Trower, a shy accountant. Dickie is charged with Tillie’s murder, his purported motive anger over the cancellation of their first date. Convinced that the wrong person is behind bars and facing intensely negative press, Gwen and Iris investigate Tillie’s death. They soon find plausible alternative motives, including fallout from the dead woman’s involvement in the black market and a former beau’s jealousy. Both leads are complex, well-developed characters, whose penchant for humorous byplay never comes at the expense of the plot, which resolves itself in a clever fair play reveal. Fans of Maisie Dobbs and Bess Crawford will be delighted. (June)

Publishers Weekly

* Named Best Mystery of 2019 by ALA's Reading List Council *

"Stellar...Both leads are complex, well-developed characters, whose penchant for humorous byplay never comes at the expense of the plot...Fans of Maisie Dobbs and Bess Crawford will be delighted." —Publishers Weekly (starred review)

"Fans of M. C. Beaton will relish the wit, and followers of Susan Elia MacNeal and Jacqueline Winspear will enjoy the depth and the period detail. Readers will want to get on the reserve list for the next Iris and Gwen adventure!" —Booklist

"The Right Sort of Man Marriage Bureau's debut is exactly the right sort to have readers hoping for a second date!" —Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"Sparkles with excellence as the author devises a first-rate plot, invests her heroines with depth and charm, paints an atmospheric portrait of postwar London and provides a bit of romance." —The Fredericksburg Freelance Star

"With a fun historical setting and two witty heroines, readers will enjoy this duo." —The News & Sentinel

"Brimming with wit and joie de vivre but sneakily poignant under its whimsical surface, The Right Sort of Man is an utter delight and a fantastic kickoff to a new series." —BookPage

"The plot moves quickly, well-paced with unexpected twists. There are moments of light-heartedness and moments of deep emotion, adding depth and dimension and lifting this book well out of the field of run-of-the-mill historical mysteries. The dialogue is fast-paced and funny, with some of the best one-liners I’ve seen in a novel." —Historical Novel Society (Editor's Choice)

"Full of heart, astute, and darkly comic, The Right Sort of Man is a keenly observed historical mystery set in post-WWII London about two women, a former intelligence agent and war widow, who join forces and set up a marriage bureau with the mission to knit lives together, while grappling with their own pasts." —Cara Black, New York Times bestselling author

"The Right Sort of Man is the right sort of book! I loved every minute of this delightful adventure with two thoroughly modern women fighting for a place in a rapidly changing world. Can't wait for the next installment!" —Victoria Thompson, bestselling author of Murder on Union Square

"Utterly fabulous! Vivid historical detail, gorgeous prose, and witty, unforgettable characters all combine to make The Right Sort of Man one of the best books I’ve read this year. Perfect for fans of Jacqueline Winspear and Susan Elia MacNeal. I can’t wait to read Iris and Gwen’s next adventure!” —Anna Lee Huber, bestselling author of the Lady Darby Mysteries

"Rarely have I seen a novel that manages to be so charming and so substantial at the same time. The Right Sort of Man does more than nail post-WWII London in pitch-perfect setting and language—it introduces a female dynamic duo with whom I very quickly fell in love. The end of this book left me with a single thought: when can I read the next Iris and Gwen adventure?" —Lyndsay Faye, author of The Gods of Gotham and Jane Steele

From the Publisher

★ 2019-02-18

A war widow joins a former spy in setting up a matrimonial agency.

Losing her husband, Ronnie, to combat in World War II sends Gwendolyn Bainbridge into an incapacitating depression. When she emerges from her extended stay in a private sanitarium, she learns that her mother-in-law, Lady Carolyne Bainbridge, has won the legal right to manage all of Gwen's affairs, including legal guardianship of Gwen's young son. But a chance meeting with Iris Sparks, whose work for the War Office is best summed up as "I can't tell you that," gives Gwen a renewed sense of purpose. The ill-assorted pair decide to open a matrimonial agency. Iris, who's been engaged multiple times, brings a wealth of experience about what does or doesn't make couples click, while Gwen adds a smattering of clerical skills as well as the determination to do something worthwhile. Fueled by their disparate talents, The Right Sort Marriage Bureau enjoys a modicum of success before the roof caves in. Tillie La Salle, an East Ender who works in a dress shop, enlists their help in finding a spouse to take her far away from Shadwell. Almost immediately afterward, she's found murdered, and the police arrest Richard Trower, Iris and Gwen's initial match for her. The tabloids have a field day with the story. It takes wit, grit, and ingenuity for the pair to save their agency. The account of game Gwen's efforts to navigate London public transport is worth the purchase price all on its own.

The Right Sort Marriage Bureau's debut is exactly the right sort to have readers hoping for a second date.

Kirkus Reviews