Author: Allison Montclair

Title: Murder at the White Palace

Date: 2024

Pages: 308

Genre: Mystery

Iris Sparks, a feisty, capable young woman, and Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a beautiful, wealthy young widow are an unlikely pair who run an unusual business together. They own “The Right Sort Marriage Bureau” in post-war London. They decide to have a “Right Sort Hopeful Hearts New Year’s Ball” and need to find a place to hold it. Iris’ boyfriend Archie runs an organization that has some shady dealings, and some legitimate businesses. Archie offers them the White Palace for the ball. The White Palace is a dilapidated night club that he is having restored.

But when Gwen and Iris tour the White Palace a wall nearly falls onto Gwen and a nearby worker! And a skeletal hand is found poking out from the wreckage. At first, it’s assumed that this is a bomb victim, hidden for years. But later stab wounds are found on the body. He was murdered! In the meantime, Iris and Archie appear for the first time as a couple at a family wedding. Archie gives Iris a small black jewelry box. But before he can speak he is shot and severely wounded! Iris can’t rest until she finds out who shot him. She has a decision to make, and a question to answer, when (or if) Archie recovers!

Iris and Gwen don’t plan it, but they get pulled into investigating the murder at the White Palace. And though they are warned off by the police, both Iris and Gwen are determined to find Archie’s shooter.

There’s lots of interesting characters, suspects and action in this mystery. Even though Iris and Gwen have very different viewpoints, come from different backgrounds, and don’t always agree on things, they are very loyal to each other. Their friendship is extremely important to them, and they are always looking out for each other. It’s nice to see how their relationship grows over time.

This is the newest title, the fifth in the series. Readers can certainly start with this one. But if you want to start at the beginning, the first book is The Right Sort of Man.

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Robbin Bailey

Concord Public Library