Allison Montclair Books In Order

Publication Order of Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery Books

Publication Order of Cozy Case Files Mystery Sampler Books

Publication Order of Anthologies

Allison Montclair is the pseudonym of Alan Gordon.

Allison writes the “Sparks and Bainbridge” series of historical mystery novels. The first one, called “The Right Sort of Man”, was released in the year 2019.

“The Right Sort of Man” is the first novel in the “Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery” series and was released in the year 2019. First comes love, and then comes murder.

In London, which is slowly recovering from the second world war, two vastly different women join together in order to launch a business in the heart of Mayfair- called The Right Sort Marriage Bureau. Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a widowed and practical woman with a son, and Miss Iris Sparks, who is quick witted and impulsive. They are determined to achieve a bit of independence and do a bit of good in a quickly changing world.

The promising beginning to their marriage bureau gets threatened when Tillie La Salle, their new client, is found killed and the guy arrested for the crime is her prospective husband they matched her up with. The police are convinced they have the killer in custody, Sparks and Bainbridge aren’t. In order to clear his name, and to rescue the reputation of their fledgling operation, they decide to investigate the matter on their own. They use the contacts and the skills they have acquired through life and individual adventures during the war. What they don’t yet know is this is going to put their very lives at risk.

Iris and Gwen are the stars here, and they alone make the book worth reading. The mystery unfolds in such a way to keep you turning the pages, as do the revelations about Iris and Gwen’s pasts. The historical details are vivid, there is beautiful prose, and unforgettable and witty characters. Readers cannot wait to check out more books in this series, after having enjoyed this one a bunch.

“A Royal Affair” is the second novel in the “Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery” series and was released in the year 2020. London in 1946. The Right Sort Marriage Bureau is now starting to take off and the owners need a bigger office and a secretary to handle the growing demand of the place. They just don’t have the necessary means, at the moment. A cousin of Gwen’s arrives, with a quite remunerative and interesting proposition, both of them are all ears.

Lady Matheson, Gwen’s cousin, works for the Queen in “some capacity” and needs some discreet investigation done. It appears that Princess Elizabeth has developed some feelings for a dashing Greek prince and there is a blackmail note that has shown up and it alludes to potentially damaging information about this prince. The palace, who needs to find out what skeletons could lurk in the closet of the prince, but also needs to keep it out of the palace’s gossip circles, turn quietly to Iris and Gwen.

Without making a stir, the two have to find out about the secrets lurking in this prince’s past, before his engagement to England’s future Queen is announced. There is a lot more at stake than just the future of the Empire, there is their potential new office that lies in the balance.

4 Responses to “Allison Montclair”

1. frost: 1 month ago

   I read almost a book a day, and you are one of my ten favorite authors. I love that I care about every character in the Right Sort books. That makes reading a book more like visiting friends. Thank you, and I hope you keep writing them.

   Reply
2. Penelope Mitchell: 2 years ago

   Just finished The Right Sort of Man, and loved it . Iris and Gwen are totally believable and it was fun to watch them interact and develop. I’m looking for the second one, and hope there will be lots more.

   Reply
3. karen haggart: 3 years ago

   what a fun new series! I’m so glad you write them and I’m even gladder?moreglad? I found them. keep up the good work 🙂

   Reply
   • Eva Helledal: 1 year ago

     Great books, characters and “goings on”.
     Can’t wait to read them all.
     More, please

     Reply