Monday, February 03, 2025

An Excellent Thing in A Woman by Allison Montclair

 
First Line: Archie was dead, to begin with.

Gwen Bainbridge's beau, Salvatore "Sally" Danielli, has taken a job at the BBC Studios at Alexandra Palace, but when one of the Parisian performers for a new variety show is found dead in the theater, several inconvenient coincidences make Sally the prime suspect. 

Fortunately, Sally has two women determined to prove his innocence. Just days earlier, the dead woman had arrived at The Right Sort Marriage Bureau looking for a husband--any husband-- to avoid returning to Paris. As Gwen Bainbridge and Iris Sparks begin to search for answers, Sparks finds ties to the secret world she left behind when World War II ended. 

Once again, these two indomitable women find themselves searching for a killer.


~

Allison Montclair's Sparks & Bainbridge historical series continues to be one of my favorites. The growth of the main characters is wonderful, and An Excellent Thing in a Woman continues to let readers share in the lives of two strong, intelligent, and witty women.

Another thing I love about this series is the attention to detail. I really get a feel for post-World War II London. In this latest installment, readers get a behind-the-scenes look at the BBC Studios, and when Gwen buys a television, we see how that one item immediately begins to impact our lives.

The Official Secrets Act also plays a part in the book. Sparks' work during the war ties into the murder of the French woman, and trying to solve the crime isn't easy when she's signed documents stating that she's not allowed to mention anything she did during the war.

I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series. This is the third murdered client of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, and I think the author is going to shake things up in book eight. Bring it on! 

An Excellent Thing in a Woman by Allison Montclair
eISBN: 9781448312382
Severn House © 2025
eBook, 211 pages

Historical Mystery, #7 Sparks & Bainbridge
Rating: A
Source: Net Galley

10 comments:

  1. I really like the blend of historical information and the characters' lives here, Cathy. It's not easy, in my opinion, for historical novelists to give a strong sense of place and time without 'information dump,' so I give a lot of credit to authors who can do that well. I don't blame you for being a fan of this series.

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    1. The author is a very talented writer of historical mysteries.

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  2. I really need to try this series. So many series....ha!

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    1. Yes-- you really DO need to try this series. Come on-- you know you can squeeze one more in! ;-)

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  3. This series has been on my "to read" list for a while. Maybe I'll actually get to it this year.

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    1. I hope so, Dorothy. I think you would enjoy it.

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  4. That's a great first line! I really need to try and get caught up in this series.

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    1. I never make formal New Year's resolutions, but I seem to have made an informal one: get caught up on several of the series I read. Wish me luck!

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  5. I'm so glad to know there's a new installment! This is one of my favorites, and I've been eagerly waiting to know what happens after the way matters were left at the end of the last book.

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    1. I think you'll like the way their lives progress, Kate.

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Thank you for taking the time to make a comment. I really appreciate it!