Allison Montclair Books in Order

The Recommended Reading Order

For the best reading experience, the Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery series should be read in publication order. The series is heavily character-driven, and the lives, traumas, and personal growth of the main characters—Gwendolyn Bainbridge and Iris Sparks—develop continuously from book to book. Reading them out of order will spoil significant character developments, relationship arcs, and revelations about their pasts.

Here is the chronological and publication sequence for Allison Montclair's books:

1. The Right Sort of Man (2019)
2. A Royal Affair (2020)
3. The Haunting of the Desks (2021) — Short Story (often numbered as Book 2.5)
4. A Rogue's Company (2021)
5. The Unkept Woman (2022)
6. The Lady from Burma (2023)
7. Murder at the White Palace (2024)
8. An Excellent Thing in a Woman (2025)
9. Fire Must Burn (2026)

Sparks & Bainbridge: Book-by-Book Breakdown

1. The Right Sort of Man (2019)

This is the essential starting point of the series. Set in 1946 London, it introduces the two lead characters: Iris Sparks, a sharp-tongued former intelligence officer with a secretive wartime past, and Gwendolyn Bainbridge, a wealthy war widow fighting to regain custody of her son and establish her independence. Together, they open "The Right Sort Marriage Bureau" to help lonely Londoners find love in the aftermath of the war. However, when a client is arrested for murder, they must turn their talents toward sleuthing to save their business and establish their name.

2. A Royal Affair (2020)

In this second installment, the marriage bureau's reputation grows. Sparks and Bainbridge are hired by a representative of the Royal Family to investigate a prospective suitor for a member of the royal lineage. The investigation pulls them into a web of blackmail, court intrigue, and personal secrets that threaten the crown and force Iris to utilize her wartime espionage skills once more.

3. The Haunting of the Desks (2021)

This short story is set shortly after the events of the second novel. As the marriage bureau finds success, Iris and Gwen decide to expand into a new office space across the hall. To furnish the new room, they purchase an antique partner's desk from Harrods. Soon, odd phenomena begin to occur—unexplained noises and objects being moved behind locked doors. While the building's janitor is convinced a ghost is afoot, the partners rely on cold logic and observation to find the real culprit.

4. A Rogue's Company (2021)

The third full-length novel shifts focus to Gwendolyn's personal struggles. As she fights to prove her mental competency to her controlling family, a new case lands at the bureau. A young woman goes missing, and the investigation reveals a blackmail plot that hits uncomfortably close to home for Gwen, forcing the partners to outmaneuver high-society manipulators and street thugs alike.

5. The Unkept Woman (2022)

This novel delves deeply into Iris's past. A woman is found murdered in the flat directly below Iris's residence. The victim turns out to have ties to the intelligence community, forcing Iris to confront her former handler and secrets she thought she had left behind during the war. Gwen must step up to support her partner while dealing with her own ongoing custody disputes.

6. The Lady from Burma (2023)

A woman visits the marriage bureau seeking a husband for her spouse, revealing she has a terminal illness and wants to ensure his future happiness. Shortly afterward, she is found dead at the foot of a cliff. While the police rule it a suicide, Gwen and Iris suspect foul play and uncover a complex conspiracy involving colonial ties, family greed, and hidden identities.

7. Murder at the White Palace (2024)

The duo takes on a case that hits close to Iris's personal life when an old boyfriend is accused of murder. The crime occurs at the White Palace restaurant, dragging the partners into the dangerous world of London's post-war criminal underworld, black market operations, and gang rivalries.

8. An Excellent Thing in a Woman (2025)

This installment features a case set in the theatrical world of London. When a young actress is threatened, Iris and Gwen are hired to protect her and investigate the source of the harassment. The investigation exposes the dark side of the post-war entertainment industry and the vulnerabilities of women trying to make a living in it.

9. Fire Must Burn (2026)

The eighth book takes the partners out of their usual routine at the bureau. Set in 1947, the plot involves international intrigue connected to Iris's university days. The narrative utilizes flashbacks to Iris's time at Oxford, revealing how her early relationships and education shaped her career in wartime intelligence, while the modern timeline deals with a murder linked to those old connections.

Understanding the Cozy Case Files Samplers

If you search for Allison Montclair's bibliography online, you will often find references to her inclusion in various volumes of the Cozy Case Files Mystery Sampler series (such as Volumes 6, 9, and 12). It is important to know that these are not original anthologies or collections containing unique Sparks & Bainbridge short stories.

Instead, the Cozy Case Files are free digital samplers published seasonally by Minotaur Books (an imprint of St. Martin's Publishing Group) to preview upcoming releases. For example, Volume 6 contains the first few chapters of The Right Sort of Man, and Volume 9 previews A Royal Affair. Readers should not purchase these volumes expecting standalone stories, as they only serve as promotional previews.

Who is Allison Montclair?

Allison Montclair is the pen name of Alan Gordon, a New York City-based attorney, librettist, and author. Writing under his own name, Gordon is well-known in the historical mystery genre for the Fools' Guild mysteries, a series set in the Middle Ages following a guild of court jesters who double as secret agents. If you enjoy the historical detail, theatrical flair, and witty dialogue of the Sparks & Bainbridge books, his Fools' Guild series (beginning with Thirteenth Night) offers a similar narrative voice set in a different historical era.

Practical Reader Advice & Starting Point

• Best Starting Point: You should absolutely start with The Right Sort of Man. The core dynamic of the series relies on the friendship and contrast between Iris (cynical, street-smart, haunted by espionage) and Gwen (refined, resilient, recovering from trauma). Their mutual trust builds gradually from this first book.
• Can they be read as standalones? While each book features a self-contained murder mystery that is solved by the final page, the overarching personal lives, legal battles, and romantic prospects of Iris and Gwen carry over continuously. Reading them out of order makes the character arcs difficult to follow.
• Historical Context: The series is highly praised for its meticulous historical accuracy. Montclair details the realities of post-war London, including rationing, bomb damage, the changing roles of women who worked during the war, and the mental health struggles (then called neurasthenia or shell shock) of returning soldiers. Knowing this backdrop helps readers appreciate the societal pressures the characters face.