Publication Date: June 4th 2019 by Minotaur Books
Pages: 320
Source: Publisher
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo
About the book:
First comes love, then comes murder.
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 the promising start to their marriage bureau is threatened when their newest client, Tillie La Salle, 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 fledging operation's reputation--Sparks and Bainbridge decide to investigate on their own, using the skills and contacts they've each acquired through life and their individual adventures during the recent war.
Little do they know that this will put their very lives at risk.
My Thoughts:
I really enjoyed The Right Sort of Man, Iris Sparks and
Gwen Bainbridge came from very different backgrounds, but the war in a way evened
out their differences is social status. It’s
clear that Sparks led a dangerous life during the war helping England in covert
endeavors, making her a formidable woman when faced with the mystery and danger
presented when one of their clients is accused of murder. One would think that
Gwen Bainbridge wouldn’t be cut out for sleuthing, being raised as a lady, but
her sharp mind and her excellent people reading skills make her a natural. These two together not only tackle the
mystery, but they provide support and understanding to each other, and they
both needed it. Iris is haunted by events that happened in service to her country,
and Gwen is morning the loss of her husband while trying to raise her six-year-old
son.
The Right Sort of Man was set in an interesting and heartbreaking
period of time, post-World War II, when England was recovering from the bombings,
loss of life, and dealing with rationing. It reminded me of times my
grandmother would relate her experiences during this time, living in England,
me listening with rapt attention and amazement over how different and difficult
things were for her. It definitely left a mark. The story also reminded me of
the mystery series, Foyle’s War
with Michael Kitchen, set in the same time period, an excellent and fascinating
series.
I loved the quick-witted banter back and forth between Gwen
and Iris, these women had a lot of spunk and sass, which was fun in between the
more serious parts of the story. The writing
was sharp and clever, and I was guessing at the guilty party up until the
end. Nice surprise! Both Sparks and Gwen have romantic possibilities
and I look forward to seeing how they develop in the coming books.
4 Suns
