A Secret Never Told by Shelley Noble

It's June of 1908 and Philomena Amesbery, Countess of Dunbridge, is enjoying the diversions of Coney Island. Well, she should be. But there's a distressing lack of murders or dangerous situations. She hasn't had anything like that since the previous year. But a phone call from the fabulously wealthy Godfrey Bennington recalls her to New York. At last! Adventure!

Except that Godfrey asks her to be his hostess at a party. Is there anything to be on the lookout for? Godfrey says no but he could literally ask any number of women to be his hostess and he has particularly asked her. At least Phil's return to the city reunites her with her butler Preswick and maid Lily. 

On the way to the dinner, two women who were not originally invited, join the group. Dr. Georgina Nash and Rose. While Georgina seems oddly belligerent toward other guests (a smattering of scientists and psychoanalysts with some of whom Georgina has an obvious history), delicate and beautiful Rose seems to not know what is going on.

It is a mystery that once again pulls in Detective Sergeant Atkins into Phil's sphere. And it is interesting to note that one of the doctors has a fill-in secretary who is none other than Phil's Mr. X. Just what exactly is going on?

Four stars 

This book comes out November 23rd, 2021

Follows A Resolution at Midnight

ARC kindly provided by Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

A Resolution at Midnight by Shelley Noble

 Philomena "Phil", Lady Dunbridge (please don't call her dowager) is loving her life in New York. It's Christmas, and she is figuring out who her real family is (hint, not the ones she's related to by blood.) The Mr. X calls on her again. She is to go to an address, sit in the last row, and... well, she doesn't really know. But she sure doesn't expect to sit next to a dead man. And certainly not one that has had his throat slit.

Just like that, Phil is embroiled in another mystery. This one introduces new characters, friends of Bev and part of the upper crust. It's too bad that they too will be sucked into this whirlpool that touches all their lives and reaches into the highest echelons of New York government.

A lovely story perfect for the holiday season. I don't know that I would start with this book in the series but they are not slow reads so a person would be able to get to this third book in the series quickly. There are some things that I don't love about Mr. X but I'm guessing we'll get to know more about him as Phil does.

Four stars

This book comes out November 5th

Follows Tell Me No Lies

Followed by A Secret Never Told

ARC kindly provided by Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Tell Me No Lies by Shelley Noble

Philomena Amesbury, Lady Dunbridge helped solve the murder of her  friend's husband and that makes her a somewhat more likely person for financier Luther Pratt to come to when a young man is murdered at his home. The night before, Phil had gone to a party at his house and met Perry Fauks, heir to the Copper, Coal and Steel fortune. This morning, he is dead.
The immediate suspect is Perry's valet but the death is being quickly hushed up and Phil wonders why. Add in a friend from England who was coming to meet with Perry to discuss selling her mines, Agnes, Luther's daughter who was engaged to Perry but seems to love the family secretary, and Agnes' cousin Maude who would love to have been the one in Agnes' shoes as well as a smattering of other characters and it is a conundrum indeed. And Phil's unknown benefactor is still pulling strings  and giving her hints and instructions on how to navigate this mystery.
The mysterious benefactor/spymaster is getting to be a little too much for me. I really hope that there will be more developments with him in the next book as it is getting to be too over the top right now.

Three stars
This book comes out November 5th
Follows Ask Me No Questions

Followed by A Resolution at Midnight
ARC kindly provided by Macmillan and Edelweiss
Opinions are my own

Ask Me No Questions by Shelley Noble

If you like the 1920's historicals that are popping up, you'll like this one from a slightly earlier period. Lady Dunbridge is only 26 but she's already a dowager. When her father gives her two untenable options, she decides to make her own, third option and heads across the Atlantic to stay with her friend Bev. Too bad Bev's husband is murdered at the pickup and die in the lap of his mistress. What the heck is going on? It seems that the man had a lot of shady dealings so there are a lot of people who become suspects.
It's a nice start to some world building and I think further books will be even better.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out October 16
Followed by Tell Me No Lies
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley