The Haunting of the Desks

Sparks & Bainbridge #2.5

by Allison Montclair

Sparks and Bainbridge of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau return in this short story from Allison Montclair as their expansion into a new office - and acquisition of a new desk - results in unexplainable phenomena that can only mean that their new digs are haunted!

In London, 1946, The Right Sort Marriage Agency is off to a good start and their early success means that Miss Iris Sparks and Mrs. Gwendolyn Bainbridge can now afford to expand into the long-empty office across the hall. And with that long closed office comes some more professional furniture - including a partner's desk from Harrod's. But something is afoot in that office - strange noises at unusual hours, some of the furniture seeming moved around and cleaned, all behind a locked door. The building's janitor is convinced that this is proof that the office is haunted.

But Sparks and Bainbridge are not so sure that's the only, or even the correct, conclusion. Instead, they suspect there's something going on related to the locked partner's desk and the long closed office. With their detective hats on, Sparks and Bainbridge are determined to uncover the truth about the mystery of the haunted partner's desk...or die trying?

Genres: Mystery, Historical Fiction, Historical, Short Stories, Fiction, Historical Mystery, Novella

73 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 27, 2021

About the author

ALLISON MONTCLAIR grew up devouring hand-me-down Agatha Christie paperbacks and James Bond movies. As a result of this deplorable upbringing, Montclair became addicted to tales of crime, intrigue, and espionage. She now spends her spare time poking through the corners, nooks, and crannies of history, searching for the odd mysterious bits and transforming them into novels of her own. The Right Sort of Man is her debut novel.

Allison Montclair is a pseudonym of Alan Gordon.

Reviews

[Jeannine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked this novella originally and gave it three stars, but finding out that Allison Montclair is a pseudonym being used by established author Alan Gordon makes me annoyed. I am irritated by a male author publishing under a female name when women were *forced* to do this in the past because of gender bias.

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good 3.5 stars at the least for this short story that delivered many chuckles and only leaves one wanting more of Sparks and Bainbridge.
Early on in this short story there is one of the funnier exchanges I have read this year wherein the owner of the office building where Sparks and Bainbridge run their business is letting the building janitor know just what he thinks of his performance as he runs his mop about the floors.
"Mopping was a frequent cause of his distraction, which is why he resisted doing it..." And the boss.."You weren't mopping, MacPherson, you were moping." The back and forth between the two goes on and finally ends, "MacPherson, if you somehow manage to recollect your sacred quest of moppery when you are done with four oh seven, I will renounce all of my worldly goods, particularly this building, and become a hermit, providing the Church of England has a comfortable hermitage with a well-stocked wine cellar somewhere."
The ladies help the police solve the puzzle of the fate of the men and their treasure who had occupied the office that contained the lovely mahogany desks in their new office 407.
Entertaining as always!

Library Loan

[Jess · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know this was a short story and it was nice to see them take possession of the new office, but I missed the side characters a lot. The stuff about Harrods was fascinating, though, I need to know more about British department stores immediately.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fine novella as novellas go. I might even give it a boost for including the correct legal definition of burglary, which was a fun and pleasant surprise for me!

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

A quick but good read to whet my appetite for the next book in this cracking series.

Iris and Gwen (Sparks and Bainbridge)'s marriage bureau is having some success and so they have decided to expand into the empty office suite next door, not least because it contains two very handsome desks which the previous occupants left behind.

The building's caretaker (janitor) believes the suite is haunted by the ghost of a man who died in the suite 15 years ago, but Iris and Gwen think the answer lies in the locked drawers of the desks.

This was very short, yet Allison Montclair packed so much into those 50 pages, and the solving of the mystery was unexpected.

[Eden · Rating 5 out of 5]

2021 bk 365. What a delightful interlude. The ladies are back at it again when they learn of a 15 year old mysterious death that occurred in the office they are adding to their space. A partner desk purchased from Harrod's provides some clues and what is in the drawers even more. Upon learning that the original fraud investigator was their detective friend, they put their heads together and Voila.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, if short story starring Bainbridge and Sparks, whom I have just discovered and already love. This was only 65 pages long so just a taste of these great characters, but I still enjoyed it, as it has all the snap, sparkle and humour of the full-length first book in this series I recently finished.

It whet my appetite for even more Bainbridge and Sparks!

[Janine Ballard · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

Not too bad but rather slight.

[Heidi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun short story in the series. Very clever.

[Elizabeth R · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful and fun novella (really a short story), the witty writing, London details, and twisty plotting all in full force.

[Jane Irish Nelson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very amusing and enjoyable short story in this clever series. Those new to the series are advised to start at the beginning, however, in order to fully understand the characters. Well spiced with humor. Recommended.

[Coralee Hicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Montclair, also known as Alan Gordon, is renowned for his short stories. They have been featured in several well-known mystery magazines, including Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine and Ellery Queen's Mystery Magazine. He has also contributed to various anthologies, such as MacMillan's Cozy Case Files. This title would chronologically fit as Volume 2.5 in the series.

The delightfully entertaining tale introduces the reader to two iconic 1946 London settings: the office building that survived the Blitz, now housing The Right Sort Marriage Bureau, and Harrod's Department Store. Gwen and Iris have expanded their business to two rooms. In the new location, they discover furniture left behind by the previous occupants. To their surprise, partner desks from the pre-war era are found in all their dusty glory.

As Gwen, Iris, and Sally renovate the office, everything seems to be going smoothly. Then, the custodian reports strange noises and claims the office is haunted. Sparks and Bainbridge investigate and notice that items indeed appear to be moving around. This leads them to Harrod's to uncover the history of the desks. Ghosts? Perhaps, no matter who or what there is enough pizzazz for everyone.
This short story is well worth tracking down. You won't be disappointed.









A simple tale with a simple ending? Take a chance, track down this short story. You will not regret it.

[James Garman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sparks and Bainbridge of The Right Sort Marriage Bureau have had a good success with their business and have decided to expand to the next office, one that 15 years before had been an accountance business. They had been forced to close when one of the sons of the original order embezzled and spend funds from the firm to spend on cars and gambling.

Actually both of them had embezzled but one had died out of country and the other apparently committed sucide a short time latter. Now with the office re-opened for the Right Sort matchmaking service, the principals go in and found two great old desks that they want to use. In the process, they have to get the keys and go to Harrod's to get said keys reproduced and have additional humor with dealing with the pomp and circumstance of that fancy store.

We also have to deal with McPherson, the head Janitor for the building that is quite the character with his memory losses as he deals with issues about cleaning the building and remembering his keys. It makes the success of the investigation even more remarkable.

Recommend it to anybody who enjoys mysteries with more than a little insane humor.

[Tamar...playing hooky for a few hours today · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clever little atmospheric mystery (very quick read). I may invest some time in the series where Iris Sparks and Gwendolyn Bainbridge operate a (post WWII) Marriage Bureau - and in their spare time, help the police solve mysteries. At least, in this instance they helped solve a 20 year old murder mystery. The two women, one single and one who appears to be a war widow, are absolutely full of themselves, taking control over everything and everyone around them in their single-minded, successful efforts to get down to the bottom of things.

I truly enjoyed the banter reminding me a little of the friendship between Emmy and Bunty in A.J. Pearce's Emmy Lake Chronicles (Dear Mrs. Bird, Yours Cheerfully, Mrs. Porter Calling).

I absolutely loved the vivid, period descriptions of Harrods (the mammoth departments and solicitous employees), the building and offices of the Marriage Bureau, and the rambling stream of conscious thoughts of the building's janitor.

[Dlora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful short story that I wish was longer. Sparks and Bainbridge's business is doing well enough they can rent out the office space next door and with it comes two beautiful office desks and a mystery. There is a delightful janitor who often gets lost in thought whose story I'd love to have expanded. He is uncomfortable cleaning out the newly rented, haunted?, office that has has never been occupied since the last owner died in the room. And the door is found mysteriously unlocked, an emaciated man is caught in the room who then quickly disappears, and a puzzle to decipher has been left inside a locked drawer. This short story has all the flavor and fun of Montclair's longer novels but it reminds me why I don't like short stories--they are too short!

[Paraphrodite · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars.

A very short story regarding the partners desks in the empty office next door to The Right Sort Marriage Bureau that Sparks and Bainbridge had taken over for expansion. We found out what actually happened to that Accountancy firm and the providence of the desks - Harrods! This necessitated a trip to Harrods' Furniture department to have new keys made for the drawers - together with red tassels! And of course, solving the decades old mystery of the death of one of the partners of the firm.

I particularly enjoyed the trip to Harrods and learning a bit more about that mecca of retail therapy.

[Larry · Rating 5 out of 5]

If this short story is any indication of what I can expect from the books of this series, I will be buying the entire series, no question! The main characters are two very intelligent young women in the business of matchmaking and very clever indeed. The plot of this story is straightforward and the premise is finding out what happened to the owners of the desks the women acquired and why. There is a lot more to this premise than I stated, but you will need to read it to understand. I highly recommend this short story and look forward to the books.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short story featuring Iris Sparks and Gwendolyn Bainbridge of the Right Sort Marriage Agency. The ladies have decided to lease the office next door to give them more space. It has not been in use for fifteen years and Angus McPherson, the building custodian, knows that it is haunted. However, it does have two excellent quality partner desks and, even after all this time, Harrods still has copies of the keys. A pleasant read with lively characters.

[Susy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 short but entertaining stars. We have a delightful short mystery involving our favorite marriage matchmakers/detectives, Sparks and Bainbridge. The mystery centers around the empty office next to The Right Sort marriage bureau. Before the ladies can move in, they come across an old mystery involving the long gone former tenants and the remaining two desks. Follow along as the ladies solve an old case and expand their office space. Enjoy!

[Sheila · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good short story featuring Iris Sparks and Gwen Bainbridge. Iris and Gwen are expanding their office and taking over the vacant office on their floor. But it seems that the new office, which has been empty for 15 years, might be haunted. Or is there another explanation, a mystery that Gwen and Iris can solve?

[Eileen McCauley · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enjoyable and fun short story. Two quotes are examples of why I love Iris and Gwendolyn:
“Ladies, you remember PC Godfrey.”
“A woman never forgets the first man who fingerprinted her,” said Mrs. Bainbridge.

“This is where she s going to one-up us and be smug for a month,” says Sparks to Parham
“Maybe two,” said Mrs. Bainbridge.””

[Katie Bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amusing short story revolving around the desks in the office next door to The Right Sort marriage bureau. There's a mystery surrounding the former proprietors and the way they vacated the premises 15 years ago, and Iris and Gwen are on the case!

[Vontel · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting little addition to the narratives as the stories progress, which wouldn't likely fit into one of the full-length novels, but add some more interesting back story to their business & lives. It's also another opportunity to discover more about their detecting skills. I actually read the ebook version.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun, short read focusing on Sparks and Bainbridge's new office. There may be a ghost from a suicide (or murder) that happened fifteen years earlier, or there could be a more earthly reason.

[Jennybeast · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well, this was a satisfying little bonus story. I am glad that the police are now much happier to see/ work with our heroines, or at least more polite. I love the obsession with the desks. I love that the desks have back story. I love that Harrod's has this level of furniture service. Wow!

[Mike Nettleton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fulfilling short story

Short story writing is an art form. And Allison Montclair can spread fictional paint with the best of them. A satisfying who and how dunnit set in post WW2 London.

[Simone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was looking at this series, trying to figure out where I left off and which to read next when I realized there was this short novella that I had never read. This was a fun one to wake up and read it one sitting on the couch over break.

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nice short mystery to tide a reader over until the next full length Sparks & Bainbridge book is published.
Interesting information and history about Harrod's furniture department too.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well it was a short story which I’m not big on, but it was entertaining and now I know the secret of the desk and the haunted office.

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightful

I only wish it were longer. But a wonderful slice of Ms Montclair's talent. Even in a small package, real characters solving an interesting mystery