A review by fireplacebookworm
Murder at the White Palace by Allison Montclair

mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? Character
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

Murder at the White Palace by Allison Montclair is the 6th book in the Sparks & Bainbridge Mystery series. I am embarrassed to say that I once again requested a book in a series that I have never read. In this case, like many others, I jumped in head first and read it and it worked out for me. I really enjoyed reading this book and plan to go back and read the ones that came before!

I really enjoyed both the main characters. They were fun, adventurous, frustratingly real, and had great arcs throughout this novel. I was able to make sense of the storyline even though I knew nothing from the previous 5 books. The writing kept me engaged and on the edge of my seat. 

As someone who reads a lot of cozy mysteries, there was a lot of character development in this one and not as much mystery. The mystery, though it appears in the summary as a major plot point, is really a subplot to the character arcs of Sparks and Bainbridge, though this didn't, always, bother me, I do with there was more mystery. I also wish the full mystery had come out prior to being 100 pages in. 

Overall, this was a very engaging and suspenseful read. I will be requesting book one on Libby and reading the previous five books. I look forward to book 7! 

Read if you enjoy:
🔎cozy mystery
🔎strong women
🔎dicey relationships
🔎post WWII
🔎Gang stories