The Lady from Burma by Allison Montclair

The Lady from Burma
by Allison Montclair

ISBN-13: 9781250854193
Hardcover: 336 pages
Publisher: Minotaur Books
Released: July 25, 2023

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description, Modified from Goodreads:
In the immediate post-WWII days of London, two unlikely partners have undertaken an even more unlikely, if necessary, business venture - The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. The two partners are Miss Iris Sparks, a woman with a dangerous - and never discussed - past in British intelligence and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a war widow with a young son entangled in a complicated aristocratic family. Mostly their clients are people trying to start (or restart) their lives in this much-changed world, but their new client is something different. A happily married woman has come to them to find a new wife for her husband. Dying of cancer, she wants the two to make sure her entomologist, academic husband finds someone new once she passes.

Shortly thereafter, she's found dead in Epping Forest, in what appears to be a suicide though there is some doubt. At the same time, Bainbridge is attempting to regain legal control of her life, opposed by the conservator who has been managing her assets - perhaps not always in her best interest. When that conservator is found dead, Bainbridge herself is one of the prime suspects. Attempting to make sense of two deaths at once, to protect themselves and their clients, the redoubtable owners of the Right Sort Marriage Bureau are once again on the case.


My Review:
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.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.