Having discovered her talent for solving murders, Lady Philomena, Phil, Dunbridge is hired by Mr. X. He sends her to get information from investigative journalist Tommy Green only she is shocked to find him dead with his throat slit. Phil finds herself in way over her head when she unravels illegal activity involving very powerful and dangerous people.

A Resolution at Midnight is the last book in A Lady Dunbridge Mystery series by Shelly Noble, published by Forge Books. The story is set in Gilded Age Manhattan December 1907. It is about Lady Philomena, Phil, Amesbury as she investigates the murder of investigative journalist Tommy Green. Phil is sent by her elusive boss Mr. X to meet with Mr. Green in a nickelodeon to receive information about organized crime in New York City. She finds him dead with his throat slit. Phil unravels illegal activity with possible ties to top politicians and businessmen of NYC. She realizes she has stumbled upon something really big and dangerous and is in way over her head and in real personal danger.

Main character Philomena (Phil) Amesbury is the young Dowager Countess of Dunbridge. I feel for her, but also feel impressed by how she starts a new life in a new country trying to work for a living and keep very minimal staff.

Supporting character NYPD Detective Sergeant John Atkins seems to be a caring and compassionate character that has an interesting relationship with Phil. I find his frustration with Phil endearing as she puts herself in danger.

What set this plot apart from others I have read was that Phil is kept in the dark as to who she is working for and has little to no information or directions what assignment she is on. She basically stumbles around looking for clues to investigate which makes me curious of what she may find.

This is the first book I have read by Shelly Noble and it worked perfectly as a standalone.
While plots may wary, there is a similar vibe to stories I have read set in NYC, which I thoroughly enjoy. The writing is vivid and the dialogue felt authentic. I particularly enjoyed Martha, Marty, Rive, who tries to become a news reporter in a man’s world.

The ending I felt was particularly well written. It kept me completely captivated. For obvious reasons I cannot tell you why. -Just check it out for yourself.

Conclusion: This is the captivating story of an English lady who reinvents herself to solve murders in Gilded Age Manhattan. She finds top politicians and businessmen playing by their own rules and lives matter very little when big fortunes can be built. If you enjoy opulent settings and a good murder mystery, you would love this well crafted story reminiscent of Downton Abbey.

Fans of Shelly Noble would love this and readers of murder mysteries would enjoy it as well. Similar authors to explore might be Alyssa Maxwell or Kate Young.

Thank you to publisher Forge Books and NetGalley for this eARC which gave me the opportunity to share my honest review. All opinions in this review are completely my own.

Rating: 5 stars / 5
Main reasons: well crafted plot stands out, good writing, great research, fabulous ending