Aubrey Hamilton Reviews: The Unkept Woman by Allison Montclair

Alan Gordon is a lawyer, author, lyricist, and librettist, an interesting mix of career interests. Between 1999 and 2010 he wrote eight books in the Fool’s Guild mysteries, set in early 13th century Europe, and in 2019 launched a new historical series under the name Allison Montclair. In September 2020 I burbled in this space about the debut of Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge, proprietors of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, in 1946 London, England. https://kevintipplescorner.blogspot.com/2020/09/aubrey-hamilton-reviews-right-sort-of.html

Since then Gordon has released three more volumes of their adventures as well as a separately published short story. The fifth is scheduled to be published next summer. The fourth is The Unkept Woman (Minotaur, 2022), which focuses more on the personal lives of the main characters than on their marriage bureau and its clientele. Iris Sparks, who worked in covert operations during the war, is startled to find that her past has come alive again. First she realizes she is being followed on her way to the office one morning. Her shadow is not especially competent so Iris knows it’s no one professionally trained but she cannot think who might be interested in trailing her. Her musings on this subject are pushed aside when she returns to her apartment to find an earlier paramour has returned and is planning on hiding there.

In the meantime widowed Gwendolyn Bainbridge decides to take formal action to claim her inheritance, which would result in independence from her in-laws. The interview with the lawyer who might undertake the job for her highlights just how unusual the idea of a woman starting her own business was for the time. It was hilarious, as Gwen conscientiously reveals the sideline in homicide she and Iris have inadvertently developed. He assures her that anyone involved with as many murders as she seems to have been will not be viewed as responsible enough to manage her own affairs by the judiciary so she agrees to avoid murders for the duration, a bargain she is unable to keep as the story unfolds.

The authentic backdrop of post-war London with its bombed-out buildings and shortages of every kind is one of this series’ high points. Gordon’s research is impressive. Gwen and Iris are charming creations and I am looking forward to their next adventure, when I hope attention returns to their burgeoning enterprise. Highly recommended.

Starred review from Publishers Weekly.

  

Aubrey Nye Hamilton ©2022

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works on Federal It projects by day and reads mysteries at night.