I enjoy this series but I didn’t care for this one. Too much running here and there and I’m ready to learn more about Mr. X and what exactly is his work. Phil has been asked to act as hostess for a wealthy friend’s dinner party and could she bring her maid, Lilly, to help the nanny with some unruly children. While at the party of doctors or scientists, there’s a murder. Lily’s asked to sit with Rose, a grown woman who is very child like and is very frightened. Lily’s suspicious that Rose is being drugged and is now in danger. With the help of her butler, Preswick, and “just-a-friend” the newspaper boy on the corner, they help Detective Atkins solve a murder. ( )

A Secret Never Told is the next book in the Lady Dunbridge Mystery series, and I think one of the reasons I keep reading this series is for the historical descriptions. This one featured some aspects of Coney Island as well as delving into the early fields of psychology, something that fascinated me.

I am a huge fan of historical mysteries so I really loved the descriptions of the time period. Coney Island was hugely popular in the early 1900s so I was intrigued about it being used as a setting for a murder as it was chock full of those things; I didn't want to learn about the rides and the fun stuff, I wanted the underbelly, the wheelings and dealings of the criminal world. And while the story definitely alluded to that, and the characters did come across some shady stuff, I really felt like all they did was touch upon it and didn't really delve into it.

The author's writing style is great though, and has this way of drawing you into the story. I definitely enjoyed her descriptions of the time period and thought the character development (from the first book) was good. Phil, to be honest, is the most annoying of the characters, but her heart is in the right place and she wants to do well by her friends and her servants, whom she considers friends. Personally, she drives me crazy. And I am not a fan of her relationship with Mr. X. I don't know who this man is, but I have my suspicions; I don't have any objections to the teasing and flirting, etc...but I can't put my finger on why the whole thing makes me uneasy. Maybe it's because Phil also flirts with the detective and finds him attractive as well, and I have never been a fan of those love triangle things, not that this is what it is, but I am really hoping it doesn't go there. That being said, I am fascinated by both Lily and Preswick, her servants, and their skill set, and know there is a story there to be told and am waiting patiently for the day it happens.

I did enjoy the mystery and thought there were plenty of twists and turns; however, it was kind of easy to figure out if you paid attention. I am not a psychology major, but I did have to take a few classes in uni and I was always fascinated by the development of the field so I found the arguments between the various characters, who were split into various fields and followers, quite interesting. I also know it was very political, especially considering the state of world politics during this time period as various countries were building their military forces and looking at many different things to augment them. I was a bit disappointed that we didn't discover more about the reasons why Phil's boss wanted her involved, but I guess that will be revealed in future books. The lack of knowledge about the War Department's involvement is starting to get on my nerves though. And this is where I do have knowledge, considering the time period, as we head into WWI. I want to know more about the political stuff, about Mr. X., and about the War Department.

Verdict
A Secret Never Told was a quick and fun read, chock full of interesting facts about Coney Island and the development of psychology in the early 1900s. I thought the author had a great writing style and I found her characters interesting, but I am not a huge fan of the main character and some of the things do require some suspension of belief. I am intrigued by Mr. X and the War Department's involvement and look forward to learning more about them in future books. Recommend if you are looking for a fun historical mystery series. ( )

A Secret Never Told is the fourth book in the A Lady Dunbridge Mystery series by Shelley Noble.

Philomena(Phil) Amesbury, Countess of Dunbridge, and her best friend, Bev Reynolds, are spending some time at Coney Island. Even though Phil is enjoying her time sunbathing and visiting the amusement parks at Coney Island, she is bored, as she misses chasing villains. Phil receives an urgent message from Godfrey Bennington, who has connections to the War Department and who Phil had helped on a previous case, asking for her to meet with him in New York City. At the meeting, Godfrey asks Phil to act as hostess at a dinner party for Erik Vogeler, a prominent psychoanalyst from Austria. The latter will be delivering a paper on psychology in warfare. At the dinner, some other psychologists and academics are familiar with each other. As the dinner party is conversing outside the dining room, an uninvited guest, Georgina and her sister Rose arrive, and they are known to the other dinner guests. Before long, there is a gunshot, with the bullet grazing Erik and proceeding to hit Georgina between the eyes, killing her. Nobody saw where the shot came from, or did they know for sure who was the intended victim. Phil realizes the event’s seriousness when she notices that Mr. X is also a guest working undercover. It’s time for Phil, her maid Lilly and butler, Preswick to do their own sleuthing and hope to help Detective Sergeant Adkins learn the killer’s identity.

I love this series. The characters are well-developed and fascinating. I enjoy their banter and how well they work together. I like that Phil often feels that they are more like family rather than staff. The street urchin, Just a Friend, who always has Phil’s back, is fascinating. The book is well-written and plotted and very exciting and accurately depicts life in 1908. There were plenty of twists and turns that kept me guessing until the end as to who the killer was. The Author’s Notes are also well worth reading.

I am eagerly awaiting the next book in this exciting series. ( )

alienist, murder, murder-investigation, law-enforcement, secrets, mysteries, early-20th-century, mysterious-character, family-dynamics, relationships, NYC*****

Lady Philomena, the young Dowager Countess of Dunbridge, with the help of her maid Lily, and the family butler Preswick have previously been tapped for assistance by a shadowy representative of an unknown group (presumably working for good). They even have a group of young folk on call to help when needed known as the 58th street irregulars. This episode starts with an odd dinner party and with a bang. Literally, as one of the party is shot between the eyes by an unknown villain for unknown reasons. And the it really gets interesting! An interesting mystery with delightful characters!
I requested and received a free ebook copy from Macmillan-Tor/Forge Books via NetGalley. Thank you! ( )