From the publisher of Ask Me No Questions
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 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.
My review
I was really looking forward to reading this book. I love the time period, the pomp and circumstance, and and the spirit of the times. In short, I came into this book with high expectations.
The story begins with a smart introduction of Philomena Amesbury, the countess of Dunbridge. Known as Phil to her friends She has sass, is smart, and has no compunction about showing up the police.
The strength of this book is the plot and the story. It’s filled with twists that left me unsure of who the killer was until the end. For readers who like the continuity of a series, the author introduced multiple long story arcs, which will likely form the basis of future stories.
In period pieces, I look forward to being immersed in the world, but I found the descriptions and character development weak. There were times when they didn’t paint a clear picture, making it difficult to visualize the setting, the dress, the atmosphere, and others where I was quite satisfied. The one main character who really shined was Detective Sergeant John Atkins. His essence and values were clear from the beginning and remained true throughout.
This was a good story overall. I was always interested to see what was coming next and wanted to know how Phil was going to solve the crime. I’m also curious as to what her next adventure will be.
Review of Hall of Mirrors by Christopher Fowler
Thank you for your review on “Ask Me No Questions” and for being part of the book tour.
Love stories written in this era. This one sounds wonderful and I would love the opportunity to read it.