From New York Times bestselling author Shelley Noble, Ask Me No Questions is the first in the Lady Dunbridge Mystery series featuring a widow turned sleuth in turn-of-the-twentieth century New York City. A modern woman in 1907, Lady Dunbridge is not about to let a little thing like the death of her husband ruin her social life. She’s ready to take the dazzling world of Gilded Age Manhattan by … of Gilded Age Manhattan by storm.
From the decadence of high society balls to the underbelly of Belmont horse racing, romance, murder, and scandals abound. Someone simply must do something. And Lady Dunbridge is happy to oblige.
At the Publisher’s request, this title is being sold without Digital Rights Management Software (DRM) applied.
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Told with wit and humor…a spirited and spunky addition to the ranks of aristocratic women sleuths of the early 20th century.
The many fascinating characters and historical details make this a thoroughly entertaining read. I can’t wait for Lady Dunbridge’s next adventure!
Dollycas’s Thoughts
We meet Lady Dunbridge after mourning her husband’s death for two years. She and her “maid” and butler journey to Manhattan in 1907 where her friend Bev Reynolds will introduce her to all her high society friends. Right after they get off the ship gunshots ring out, she hears Bev scream, and chaos ensues. Getting through the crowd they find Bev’s husband dead in the arms of a floradora girl crying that he killed himself. The evidence doesn’t support that claim and the police set their sights on Bev as their main suspect. Lady Dunbridge may have just arrived but she knows her friend is not a killer. While making her introduction at all the dinners and balls she vows to keep her eyes and ears open to prove her friend’s innocence. Of course, she will do a bit of snooping too.
Ms. Noble has created an impressive amateur sleuth in Lady Dunbridge and teamed her up with excellent assistants in her “maid” Lily, and butler Preswick. Lily has many talents and Preswick does all he can to keep the both of them safe. All three are strong characters. The supporting cast includes Bev Reynolds, her staff, her husband’s staff, and their friends. They are a very eclectic group. Bev’s husband Reggie ran with a horse racing set and he seems to have owed everyone money. Bev friends are the elite set and the spouses of the men her husband seems indebted too. The author has really fleshed out these characters by the end of the story.
Solving the mystery takes us all around New York to the dinners and parties and out to the Reynold’s stable at Holly Farm where their horses are kept and trained. There is twist after twist after twist. I had my focus drawn to one character and then away and back again, yet the climax was surprising and exciting.
The author gives us so much detail throughout the whole story that every place came alive in my mind, The same with the people. Her words generated some wonderful imagery. She also kept true to the language of the time which I liked.
This series is off to an excellent start. The author has left doors open for future installments. I am excited to learn more about Lily and Lady Dunbridge and her life as she continues to live in New York.
In Shelley Noble’s richly researched and witty historical mystery Downton Abbey meets Sherlock Holmes meets Tammany Hall. And there are thoroughbred race horses!
Lady Dunbridge hops the pond, rebelling against her dowager status to take Gilded Age Manhattan society by storm. However, instead of soirees and balls, she finds herself thrust into a murder investigation with “Upstairs” and “Downstairs” joining forces to find a killer before he strikes again.
Noble introduces her formidable sleuth, Lady Dunbridge, with a bang, quite literally, when the philandering, horse-mad husband of her American friend is shot in broad daylight. Her ladyship is quickly forced to take matters into her own hands, lest her friend be arrested for murder. This first book in a new series is deftly plotted, well-researched, sharp with wit, and teases at the possibility of future romance. Highly intriguing and entertaining.
Witty, racy, and full of gorgeous period detail, Ask Me No Questions is the perfect book for all of us who miss Downtown Abbey.
FUN, FUN AND MORE FUN!
Shelly Noble’s new novel is rich in historic detail and so funny I was giggling out loud. The Countess of Dubridge is a memorable character and the story takes you on a fun ride from 1907 England to Manhattan New York.
I have just become a number one fan of her work and plan to read more.
Ask Me No Questions is the first book in the A Lady Dunbridge Mystery series.
Lady Philomena Dunbridge has just finished a suitable period of mourning for her husband an article in the newspaper refers to her as Lady Dowager. At twenty-six years old, she feels that she is too young to be called a dowager. Philomena(Phil) decides that she will head for America and start a new life. She writes Bev Reynolds, they had attended the same finishing school, asking if she could stay with the Reynolds until she could get settled in. Once the ship docks and the passengers are descending the gangway, spots Bev in the crowd and they wave to each and then starts to run away. Phil follows her to a car and in the car is Reggie Reynolds dead from a gunshot and a female who later identified as his mistress, Mimi LaPonte. Quite naturally Bev becomes the #1 person of interest in the death of her husband.
Phil, along with her lady’s maid, Lily, and her butler, Preswick, set out to identify who the murderer is. Phil soon learns that Reggie has two very expensive hobbies, gambling, and his horse racing stable. Also, he has gotten money from his father-in-law for a manuscript that no one knows about. She soon discovers that some of the most powerful members of society may have wanted him dead. Also, some of these same members of society are also involved with Reggie in his horse breeding and racing. The book concludes with a very exciting showdown at the race track
I thought this was a well-told and plotted story with an interesting cast of characters. I’m looking forward to more of the “stiff upper lip” Preswick, Phil’s wonderful butler. Also, I am hoping to learn more about Lily’s backstory. I thought she was quite an interesting young lady.
I’m eagerly awaiting the next book in this enjoyable new series.
This was a very enjoyable read with interesting characters and an interesting plot. The protagonist is a winner, both colorful and entertaining, with a charming butler and clever maid as devoted servants. I would characterize the book as a cozy mystery, since it is rather thin on historical elements, but the capable writing puts it on a par well above the majority of cozy mysteries and cozy writers. I’ll be reading the second book in this series, and likely any others to follow. I don’t care for romance books, or I’d be trying the author’s other books and series also, because the author writes so well.
Ask Me No Questions, is the first book in the new Lady Dunbridge Mystery Series and my first read by Shelley Noble. Lady Philomena Dunbridge is our protagonist, a 26 year old widowed countess who is also an amateur crime-solver.
The story takes place in the early 1900’s in Manhattan, New York. Lady Dunbridge is originally from England but she has decided to come to America after being in mourning for her husband. As soon as she arrives and meets her friend at the boat dock she finds herself in the middle of a mystery. Her friend’s husband has been found murdered.
Readers are introduced to a great group of characters. I loved the main character Lady Phil as well as her maid, Lily and her faithful butler, Preswick. The author did an excellent job describing the early 20th century New York setting. This is one of my favorite time periods and the historical detail was amazing.
Ask Me No Questions was such a joy to read. A great start to a new series…can’t wait for the next installment in the Lady Dunbridge Mystery Series. Highly recommended. Thanks to the author and Forge for providing me a copy to review. Highly recommended for those who love mysteries set in the early 20th century.
Brimming with wit and rich historical detail…atmospheric and charming.
Entertaining, full of wit and rich historical atmosphere. Lady Dunbridge is as effervescent as a glass of champagne. Fans of the Miss Fisher mysteries will love this book.
3.75/5
This is the first in a mystery series set in 1907 Manhattan.
Dowager Countess Dunbridge, a widow at 26, has been ostracized for her scandalous behavior by her English family and sent to live in the US. At her disembarking, she is thrust into the murder investigation of her friend Bev’s philandering husband. Was it the mistress or perhaps a horse racing fraud scheme that did him in?
While too predictable, it’s humorous and with enough intriguing characters that I’d be willing to try the next one.
true life characters in true life type of situations. yet, we have mercy being shown.
I found the story a bit slow at the start, the murder not withstanding.
With time it grew on me.
I like the main charatcer and her servants. (Looking forward to learning more about Lily’s background.)
The “good” police officer was also interesting. Having read other stories about the NYC police corruption of the time and the attempts to fix it, I could readliy see the situation.
As others have mentioned, many of the characters are rather tiresome.
Phil’s girlfriend is sad. This is someone she thinks (thought?) of as sharp? That ship seems to have sailed.
This is the sort of fluffy but fun book that one thinks about reading at the beach. It’s not especially memorable. In fact, I mostly remembered I’d read it because of the picture of the cover and I had to read a Goodreads review to remember the plot.
I became addicted to this entire series
Very entertaining and fun.
A London widow arrives in New York City, and as she is waiting for her friend’s car, it arrives with her friend’s husband shot to death. With her friend being the main suspect, and the police intent on pinning it on her friend, it is left to the widow to uncover the mystery. I love stories that take place in New York City during this time period. The Molly Murphy series and the Gaslight series are two of my favorites, but I didn’t enjoy this enough to read the next book in the Lady Dunbridge series.
Wonderful series…love the main character and love the time period.