After receiving a cryptic message from Mr X, Lady Dunbridge finds herself seated next to a dead body in a darkened theatre. Why in the world must Mr. x communicate in such an obscure manner. Lady Dunbridge discovers the dead body is a prominent reporter who has been working on a big story. No one knows what it is about, but speculation is it must have been big for him to be murdered. Using her socialite friend Bev and another reporter from the newspaper, Lady Dunbridge soon unearths the story and finds herself on top of a building in TImes Square at the stroke of midnight with the new electrified ball dropping from the rafters. An excellent mystery

A Resolution At Midnight is the third book in the Lady Dunbridge Mystery series by Shelley Noble.

Philomena Amesbury(Phil), Dowager Countess of Dunbridge, Preswick, her butler, and Lily, her maid, have all gone their separate ways to do their last-minute Christmas shopping. When Phil returns to the Plaza, she finds a note telling her to go to the Theatre Unique at 1:15 and sit in the last row. Phil’s not sure who sent the message but feels that it is her Mr. X for who Phil has worked for before. Upon arriving at the designated spot, she doesn’t smell Mr. X’s exotic tobacco aroma but does sense the smell of death. Soon there is a scream, and an unknown person quickly escorts Phil out of the theatre. Phil makes her way around to the front of the theatre and notices the arrival of Sgt Becker, her nemesis, and a corrupt police officer. Since Becker is out of his district, Phil is sure there must be a cover-up in progress, and that feeling is reinforced when she sees the mortuary van arrive to take the body before the police can conduct an investigation.

Soon, Phil will learn that the body is that of the New York Times reporter, Tommy Green. Green had been working on a story about the Black Hand gang. The gang had been terrorizing individuals and bombing businesses in more impoverished neighborhoods.

Phil goes with her friend Bev to the Times Building to have lunch with Marty Rive, a reporter, hoping to break into the man dominated newsroom. Phil would like to obtain information on what Green was working on but knows that anything she might share with Marty would send her off, putting her in danger and Phil. Hopefully, no threat will come to Phil, and she will be able to enjoy the first time of the ball descending on New Year’s Eve.

The story is well-written and plotted and historically accurate. The characters are well-developed, believable, and enjoyable. The character that I enjoyed the most is Just A Friend. The young boy sells newspapers outside the Plaza and always seems to be there when Phil can use some help. There are plenty of red herrings that kept me guessing until the end.

I will be watching for the next book in this delightful historical mystery series.

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
ARC kindly provided by Macmillan-Tor/Forge and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

New York City, 1907: It’s Christmastime, and the city is buzzing. On top of the normal festivities, the New York Times is going to debut a new marvel on New Year’s Eve, a ball that will descend on the spire of the Times building, covered in electric lights. It’s Lady Dunbridge’s first Christmas in the States, and she’s determined to make it the best holiday for her found family. But Phil isn’t just a young widowed socialite, she’s also an amateur detective, working for an organization that refuses to identify itself. Shortly before Christmas, she goes to meet a contact only to discover that his throat has been slit. Now, along with juggling her Christmas plans, she’s involved in solving a murder.

This is the third book in the series, and I have not read the first two books. It certainly works as a stand-alone mystery, though I’m willing to guess that some of the development of the interpersonal relationships would have seemed more natural if I had the background from the prior novels. This was a fun, slightly haphazard feeling novel. I never felt captivated by the story or the characters, but still enjoyed it. Recommended for fans of the Maggie Hope, Perveen Mistry, and Maisie Dobbs series of mysteries: historical mysteries with a female private investigator.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.

I loved the cover and the first chapter. the writing was decent but I felt like I didn't really connect to the characters or the story, I look forward to reading again when in a better headspace.

A Resolution at Midnight by Shelly Noble is a time period cozy with charming protagonists and engrossing mysteries set in the most magical city of New York.

This is the third book in order, but the first one that I have read. Still it was easy to get into the story as previous references were well explained.
Lady Dunbridge has moved to New York from London and finds her new life absolutely exhilarating and fascinating. She is known in high circles as someone who solves problems quietly and with the outmost discretion. She knows a man, whom she calls Mr. X, who gives her assignments occasionally and helps her out.

I really like all main protagonists. Even though Lady Dunbridge is the main character, her butler Preswick and her maid Lily are also involved in solving crimes. I especially enjoyed their joined efforts and how they complimented each other's strengths.
Mystery was an interesting one, set in the world of journalism with many colorful characters. It is also Christmas time in New York and the whole book has that special feeling about it.
The only thing I didn't really understand is her relationship with Mr. X. I found it incredulous that a lady of such intelligence would let things develop the way they did and go along with it.
I will go back and start the series from the beginning so that I could better understand the whole setting.

Christmastime In Manhattan.....
A Lady Dunbridge Mystery and the third in the series. Christmastime in Manhattan, the Golden Age. Murder rears it’s ugly head amidst much ado in the City. Lady Dunbridge is ever happy to assist. With an atmospheric setting, a hugely likeable protagonist and a wonderfully drawn cast of supporting characters this is such an enjoyable mystery. A first class read and a very worthy addition to the series.

I saw where the story was going relatively early on, but oh, what fun it was arriving at the conclusion! This is the third Lady Dunbridge book, and while it can be read as a stand-alone, I wouldn’t recommend it. Not because of the mystery itself, but because of the rich cast of supporting characters. Mysterious maid Lily and intrepid butler Preswick continue to delight; stalwart Det. Atkins and the enigmatic Mr. X keep us longing for more - sigh. This was a fun, engaging read from start to finish.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Philomena, Lady Dunbridge, a widow from England, is a gifted sleuth. She works with a team of two, her butler and maid: more than employees, more like family. She lives in the Plaza and mingles with both the haves and have-nots of the city. She is employed by a mysterious, chameleon-type man who represents a nebulous group. She has as a confidant a New York City detective. The former is attractive and seductive; the latter, handsome and very decent. She is in love, a little, with both of them. This time she searches for the murderer of a veteran journalist and the source of corruption among the city’s wealthy. Forced to deal with the Black Hand, corrupt police and unethical journalists, she must find answers by New Year’s when the iconic ball will drop for the first time in history. Shelley Noble in this third Gilded Age mystery has once more engaged her readers with complex characters and historic allusions.

Second in a series set in New York City during the gilded age; sympathetic, multi-dimensional characters and a strong female protagonist make this a winner. The seasonal touches evoke New York in the early 1900s and the mystery blends fact and fiction to create a very satisfying story.

(NOTE: The following review will appear on CriminalElement.com the week of the title's publication.)

Philomena Amesbury, the Countess of Dunbridge, is enjoying her first holiday season in New York City, soaking in the beautiful decorations of the Gilded Age and looking forward to ringing in 1908 with loyal servants Lily and Preswick.

Returning from Christmas shopping one morning, she finds a note from the mysterious man she’s dubbed Mr. X, instructing her to attend a nickelodeon. Hoping this will be a chance to discover more about the enigmatic figure responsible for her current work as a secret detective, Phil rushes to the Theater Unique.

Unfortunately, she’s not the only one at the meeting who’s late…


Taking a last quick look around the flickering room, Phil pulled her skirts back, eased into the row, and sat down.
He didn’t greet her. Didn’t even appear to wake up…
And she was filled with an unnamed dread.
She touched his shoulder. He slumped forward. She leaned closer but couldn’t see his face or smell the faint aroma of the exotic pipe tobacco he favored. But she did smell something sickly metallic, and her stomach heaved.
With a Herculean effort, she pulled him upright; his head rolled, then snapped back over the seat back.
The race continued inexorably on the screen.
The gash where his throat had been slit, and the black stain, soaking his collar and spreading down his woolen jumper, appeared and disappeared in the flicking light and dark, light and dark, of the moving picture.
Her mind—and yes, her heart—reeled, as logic fought for purchase.
…This was not Mr. X. This man was shorter, stockier, his neck thicker. Even with his talent for absurd disguises, Mr. X couldn’t possibly change so much.
Besides, Mr. X would never succumb to the indignity of having his throat slit in an afternoon nickelodeon.


For the third time, Phil’s up to her neck in a dangerous mystery. The murdered reporter, Tommy Green, was investigating the notorious Black Hand, which has claimed responsibility for numerous bombings and arsons. The fearsome (and fearsomely corrupt) Sergeant Charles Becker is trying to cover up the slaying. There’s a mole at The New York Times, and the possibility of political ties to the case. And Green’s protégé, Marty Rive, may muck up Phil’s investigation in her zeal to break a career-making story.

At least Phil can always count on old ally Detective Sergeant John Atkins, perhaps the only clean cop in New York. And the delicious, yet infuriating, Mr. X has a knack of turning up at vital moments, too. With such friends—and the faithful Lily and Preswick, able investigative assistants in their own right—Phil faces down danger with her usual tenacity and high society aplomb.

A Resolution at Midnight is the third Countess Dunbridge mystery from Shelley Noble and builds directly upon her preceding adventures; you could enjoy this on its own merits, but knowing what came before makes this a richer, more satisfying read. So many of the characters here were previously established, from Phil’s BFF Bev Reynolds and mysterious maid Lily to the plucky newsboy Just a Friend and the boxer-turned-stable manager Bobby Mullins.

Then there’s the heroine’s clandestine, romantic dynamic with Mr. X, who always appears in disguise or under cover of darkness. Noble is playing a long game with him, and the build-up to the future reveal of his identity is proving to be both tortuous and intriguing.


His eyes flashed in the dark. She didn’t even know their real color. She’d seen them brown, black, gray, blue—glass lenses, Preswick had told her. Sherlock Holmes had often used them in his many disguises. And people thought fiction was stranger than life.
Not her life, Phil was happy to say.
“What else do you call me?”
Phil’s breath caught. “Mr. X.”
His finger stopped, and he laughed. It was melodious and carefree, and Phil marveled, because she knew he could be ruthless.
“You don’t really? It sounds like a character from a dime novel.”
“Well, what do you expect, with you coming and going through windows, appearing and disappearing in the fog, handing out pistols like cocktails.”
“Hmm. I like it.” And that put an end to further conversation.


Phil herself remains a charming lead. She’s a little scandalous, very irrepressible, outspoken and determined, but also deeply feeling towards her friends and servants (more chosen family than employees at this point). And she has a finely honed empathy for other women, particularly those in plights familiar to her: those married to cads and abusers, those looked down upon by society for their behavior or circumstances.

Noble has a knack for populating her stories with colorful characters. Even the background faces that appear for a handful of sentences are memorable. She’s stocked Resolution with plenty of familiar archetypes—the passionate lady reporter determined to prove her worth to the Boys Club; the gorgeous and outrageous Southern belle; harsh titans of industry and starchy politicians; helpful and playful street urchins—but uses them deftly in a many-pronged mystery that has enough surprises to keep us guessing right up to the final reveal.

A Resolution at Midnight is a historical whodunit brimming with period detail; Noble has clearly done her research. And with its holiday trappings, its Gilded Age setting is vibrant and thoroughly cozy, even when the tension spikes and the stakes are raised.

There’s a nice balance between thrills and nostalgic warmth here. This is a yarn that’ll appeal to a broad array of readers, fitting for fans of espionage, lady detectives, historical fiction, organized crime, and turn-of-the-century journalism, just to name a few.

Noble likes to end each of Phil’s adventures with the observation that the Countess of Dunbridge is always “more than happy to oblige.” And readers will walk away from A Resolution at Midnight hoping she’ll oblige us for many years to come.

At last, I was finally able to finish the book, not because I didn't like it but because I didn't have time to read it. I just want to say that this book is the third part of a series. Can it be read separately? I think so. I enjoyed it because it wasn't so introductory and it made me want to read the first two books. I was so fond of Phil, she was a fresh and modern main character for the 1900s. On the other hand, the development of the plot was good, I constantly had to join the clues to find out who was the culprit, but there were some times where the author gave many details and it was frustrating. Overall, the book was entertaining and I'm looking forward to the next one.

"Miss Fisher meets Downton Abbey in this critically acclaimed mystery series from New York Times bestselling author Shelley Noble.

Roasted chestnuts from vendor’s carts, fresh cut spruce trees lining the sidewalks, extravagant gifts, opulent dinners, carols at St Patrick’s Cathedral, a warm meal and a few minutes shelter from the cold at one of the charitable food lines...

It’s Christmas in Gilded Age Manhattan.

And for the first time ever an amazing giant ball will drop along a rod on the roof of the New York Times building to ring in the New Year. Everyone plans to attend the event.

But the murder of a prominent newsman hits a little too close to home. And when a young newspaper woman, a protégé of the great Jacob Riis and old Vassar school chum of Bev’s, is the target of a similar attack, it is clear this is not just a single act of violence but a conspiracy of malicious proportions. Really, you’d think murderers would take a holiday.

Something absolutely must be done. And Lady Dunbridge is happy to oblige in A Resolution at Midnight, the third book in this best selling series."

If you watched the latest season of The Alienist and wanted a certain newspaper man dead, well, read this to fill that longing!

I was not sure about what to expect from this book. I must admit I chose it for the beautiful cover but the mystery really hooked me. I think that the author did an excellent work with the investigation and the mystery is really clever and entertaining. I will definitely look for more books by Noble.

Another delightful mystery solved by Lady Phil. When a muckraking journalist is found murdered in a darkened theater ... in the seat next to Lady Philomena Dunbridge, she is thrown into the web of NYC politics. With the help of the mysterious Mr. X, Detective Atkins, and her trusty companions, she must find the murderer before the ball drops in Times Square for the very first time. I've so enjoyed this series, and can't wait to find out who Mr. X is!

1907 New York Phil Countess of Dunbridge was spending Christmas at the Plaza Hotel with Butler Preswick and Maid Lily. This close circle would come to investigate the murder of newspaper man Tommy Green. Phil was one of only a small group who knew where he died as she had been sent there by Mr X. Mr X a man always in disguise but who she was strangely attracted to. There is a slow start to this story to set out the many characters. Phil will find being a Lady will not protect her from imminent death could it be the work of the Black Hand or a more shady group. The finale will excite with the first drop of the New Years Eve ball in Time Square. This is the 3rd book in the series and l think checking back on the main characters in previous books will help with their backstories. Overall a good mystery at a romantic time of year. I was given an arc of this book by Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Another exciting Lady Dunbridge adventure! I have enjoyed this series very much and A Resolution at Midnight did not disappoint. With a Christmas setting, a intrepid female reporter trying to get off the society best and a murder with ties to Tammany Hall, the plot is exciting and fast paced and as always the characters are interesting. We get a little more insight into Mr. X, as we have with additional story, and I'm hoping we get a better idea of who he is and works for in the next book which I am looking forward to!

Loved loved loved following the adventures of Phil and her '"family" in adventures around New York. We are introduced to several new characters who would be interesting to read about further, including a spunky woman news reporter. The mystery was intriguing, and definitely had several twists and turns that I did not see coming. I cannot wait to continue reading about Phil, Preswick, Lily, Mr. X, and Detective Atkins.

This was quite a fun read. I hadn’t read the first two in this series, but I was able to understand what just have come before without feeling too left out. This book follows Phil, Lady Dunbridge, as she attempts to solve a murder mystery that involves the newspaper and real estate worlds of New York City. Set right before the fist NYE ball drop, the backdrop and detail afforded by this story is engaging. Phil’s servants turned family Lily and Preswick are excellent detecting companions, and the rest of the cast of characters are as equally well done. The additional mystery of Mr. X is a good one as well, and draws the reader in on another level. I recommend this if you want a quick but immersive read. I will likely read the next in the series if I come across it!

Thanks, Netgalley, for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Crime thrillers and historical fiction fascinate me, so when they're thrown together... boy, I'm a happy reader. This novel promises Miss Fisher vibes, one of my favorite TV series, and I'm glad that it captured the atmosphere of the Gilded Era: the fashion, the balls, the mannerisms of high society people.

I haven't read the previous books in this series, but I was able to catch up with its key players: of course, Dowager Countess Phil, her butler Preswick, her maid Lily, the dashing Detective Sergeant Atkins, and the mysterious Mr. X. This time, they are investigating the death off journalist Tommy Green, and why his death was covered up.

It was an intriguing case, with a lot of characters involved. But the manner of the investigation dragged on, focusing more on characters chatting on theories and backgrounds of potential suspects rather than acting upon it. There was little action with the investigation, and I wished for more, though the climax somehow redeemed the lukewarm story. I didn't see Mr. X's relevance in this novel and thought that the novel could still stand on its own without him, but I guess he's got a bigger purpose in the coming cases.

Overall, it is a delightful reading experience. Holiday season in 1907 New York was a perfect backdrop for the story, and I love that I was transported to that time.