Allison Montclair

Medieval Jesters are sent on a mission by their guild to convince a former member (now an abbot) to accept a bishopric. Unfortunately they arrive as a murder has been discovered in the monastery so their mission is delayed until the threat to the abbot is solved.[return]Such an entertaining mystery; I loved the 'foolish' interchange between Claudia & Theo...as well as with just about everyone they came across. Their relationship with their young daughter and new apprentice are also endearing. You will also brush up on some of your medieval terms and architecture as the different parts of the monastery (and cathedrals) are mentioned.[return]I will definitely look for more books in this series--this was a new author for me.… (plus d'informations)

Right Sort Marriage Bureau—more hijinks!

Well this series is taking an interesting direction. Post war London, and Gwendolyn Bainbridge and Iris Sparks, proprietors of the very successful Right Sort Marriage Bureau decide to hold a New Year’s Eve party for their clients. Gwen has just been declared no longer in need of supervision according to the Court of Lunacy (if you haven’t read previous titles in the series you must to catch up on Gwen’s heartbreaking story). It’s more than time to celebrate!
Archie Spelling (head of the Spelling gang and Iris’s boyfriend) provides the venue, The White Palace, a place he’s recently bought and that he’s restoring. Archie has big plans. The Palace used to belong to Frank Reese another gangster. Archie bought it from his widow, Vanessa. Of course there’s history—of the gangland robbery and violence type. However, no-one was prepared for a body to turn up, least of all Archie, a body that’s been walled up for some years.
Archie’s in the clear but as things unfold he is connected. The situation become somewhat dicey and the New Year’s event hits a few roadblocks.
Another fabulous read from Montclair!
And yes, the way things end has me poised impatiently for the next book.

A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.… (plus d'informations)

I love this series and am trying very hard not to read all of the books back to back to back. This one, with the return of Lord Bainbridge evoked a great deal of incoherent fury for how he treats Gwen and, really, everyone around him. I am astonished that by they end I felt some empathy for this terrible human, but I also delight in the satisfaction of him being brought low. Not sure about the psychologist -- still can't decide if he's a trustworthy and excellent human, or not. He certainly has high standards for mothers and the definition of sanity. Anyway, it kept me up late and early reading and I was so glad to follow their continuing adventures.

I am very annoyed that the trailer at the end of this book is for book 6 -- which I am not ready to read yet, and which will now confuse me when I think I've read the beginning somewhere else before.… (plus d'informations)