Ask Me No Questions by Shelley Noble-Great Escapes Tour-Review/Character Interview

About the book 

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.

Interview with a character

Hello it is a delight to meet you Miss Lily.  I am so glad you could

spend a few minutes chatting today!

Have you ever been interviewed before?

          No, ma’am.  Well, not for a real interview.  I’ve been questioned before, but I’m not supposed to talk about that.  My mistress, Lady  Dunbridge said she was  happy that  you wanted to interview me and I could answer questions, but that because of our  situation  I must be discreet.

I am sure you have many things to chat about what with your arrival 

In NYC!  What was it like traveling so far? 

          The ocean is bigger than anything you’ve ever seen. And I didn’t get sick or anything.  But Mr. Preswick, that’s Lady Phil’s butler, didn’t give me time to do anything but learn how to be a lady’s maid.  I wasn’t a lady’s maid before that.  But  Lady Phil paid my way to America and I would do anything for her. 

I am sure it was quite an experience did you enjoy it?  What was 

The best part.  I am sure I would enjoy the dining!

          Oh yes.  The ship was  the largest I’ve ever seen.  With big  smoke stacks and  a whole bunch of levels.  We were on the top  level with the rich people, but once I went down to where the  poor people stayed.  That wasn’t nice.  Oh, but the dinners, even in the servants dining hall dinners were scrumptious.  More food than you could eat and all very fresh. Mr. Preswick said they were even served wine at the butler’s tables.

Since your arrival have you had an opportunity to visit any interesting places while in service to Lady Dunbridge.

          Lots. But some of them I can’t talk about.  We went to Belmont  Race track, it’s brand new and  beautiful. And we helped catch a killer, but I can’t talk about that, either. Oh and Bloomingdales. They have  an escalator that takes you from one floor to another.  And everything you could want to buy.  And we had ices on the street.  I really enjoyed those.

I understand your traveling together and the opportunity to work for Lady Dunbridge was a bit of a surprise can you tell us how that happened.

          Well, I guess I could.  I  was, for reasons of my own, trying to  hide in the ship so I could get to  America.  But  I got caught.  I would have paid but I didn’t have any money.  But Lady Phil saw me struggling with the customs men and stepped in to save me.  She paid my passage and since her own maid had  chickened out at the last minute,—really  who would be afraid to get on a ship?— she said I could be her lady’s maid. So, it all worked out.

I have never met a Lady’s maid.  Can you tell us a little about your duties to

Miss Dunbridge. 

          Well, I’m responsible for  getting her dressed and doing her hair, and keeping her clothes cleaned and  ready to wear.  And I accompany her often when she goes out, though I’m not sure if that’s what lady’s maids usually do.  We live at the Plaza Hotel so some things are different than if we lived in a big house. It has all the modern conveniences.  They send your dinner up on an electric dumbwaiter all the way from the kitchen in the basement.

Did you have a lot to learn?  Who was your instructor?

          Yes, an awful lot.  Mr. Preswick taught me everything on the voyage over. He was  really strict and sometimes I had to bite my tongue  not to talk back.  I’m glad I didn’t, because it’s the best thing in the world living in the Plaza with Lady Phil.

I am sure Manhattan is a interesting place.  Have you had  the chance to visit any special places?  

          Mr. Preswick and I sometimes go out to the Nickelodeons on our nights off. And we live right across the street from Central Park.  It’s beautiful and you can take a carriage ride to see all the sights.  I haven’t had a chance to meet  too many people yet. But that’s fine with me. We stay busy enough just the three of us.

I’ve heard that Lady Dunbridge is a bit of a sleuth!  Has she ever called on you to help her in an investigation? 

          Of course.  Me and Mr. Preswick are indispensible to her. There’s  this  policeman Detective Sergeant Atkins  who  is always  trying to get us  to stop, but there is this other  man, who is very mysterious.  Lady Phil calls him Mr. X because we don’t know his name and he’s always  showing up during an investigation, sometimes he’s in disguise just like Mr. Preswick’s  favorite  detective Mr. Sherlock Holmes. We’re not sure who Mr. X works for; I think Lady Phil likes Mr. X but I don’t know.  But that is one of the things I’m not allowed to talk about. Most of the cases we’ve been called in to investigate were very hush hush.

This has been such a nice little visit.  Thank you for taking The time to chat!  

          Thank you for having me. Can I go now?

Of course and thank you for sharing about your adventures!  Have a wonderful afternoon.  I hope we can meet again soon.

And others are saying 

This was a lovely book to read and I have certainly gathered Lady Dunbridge into a favorite sleuth category. I really loved the historical setting and moments in this book.
~Bibliophile Reviews

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.
~Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book

I view the delightfully independent and free-thinking Lady Dunbridge as the Edwardian English version of Victoria Woodhull, the 19th century American who advocated free love, founded a newspaper, and campaigned for the U.S. Presidency in 1872. Both were “quite the woman,” and both captured a certain spirit which now seems almost blasé, but for their times were truly “off the beaten path . . .

And I thought

This was a new kind of read for me.  But I enjoyed it. 
The historical setting was interesting.  Reading about the days of 
proper ladies and the setting in Manhatten was interesting. 
Although I am not sure most 'proper' ladies spend their time 
sleuthing.  But I am glad our Lady Dunbridge doesn't spend her time drinking tea. 
I enjoyed the characters and I took a special liking to the sweet maid Lily.  
I am looking forward to spending more time Lady Dunbridge and the characters.  Ask Me No Questions is a great start to a new series. 

I received a complimentary copy.
My review will appear on retail sites and Good Reads. 

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