Review - Locked In Pursuit

 World War II spy versus spy gets a woman hero who is complex and passionate in Electra McDonnell with plenty of thrills and a slow burn romance.  Check out the newest book in the series and how it measures up.

1)  A Peculiar Combination (click here)

2) Key to Deceit (click here)

3)  Playing it Safe (click here)

Guest Post  (click here)

Author: Ashley Weaver

Copyright: May 2024 (Minotaur Books) 272 pgs

Series: 4th in Electra McDonnell mystery series

Sensuality: mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Historical Cozy mystery, Cozy Intrigue

Main Characters: Electra McDonnell, a safe-cracking thief aiding the war effort

Setting: 1942, London England

Obtained Through: Publisher for an honest review, Netgalley

 Book Blurb:  "Safecracker Ellie McDonnell hasn’t seen Major Ramsey—her handsome but aloof handler in the British government—since their tumultuous mission together three months before, but when she hears about a suspicious robbery in London she feels compelled to contact him. Together they discover that a rash of burglaries in the city all lead back to a hotbed of spies in the neutral city Lisbon, Portugal, and an unknown object brought to London by a mysterious courier.

As the thieves become more desperate and their crimes escalate, it becomes imperative that Ellie and Ramsey must beat them at their own game. Fighting shadowy assailants, enemy agents, and the mutual attraction they’ve agreed not to acknowledge, Ellie and Ramsey work together to learn if it truly takes a thief to catch a thief."

My Thoughts:  Ellie continues looking into her mother's death in jail for the murder of her father, but she is soon busy with helping Major Ramsey which only gets her into bigger trouble.  Major Ramsey the disciplined military man with high society background has stayed away from Electra, but will he remain so stoic as they work together again? Felix Lacey is still in the picture but what is he involved in with travel he won't talk about?  Uncle Mick gets enlisted to aid again and the housekeeper Nacy is the nurturing presence Electra needs in this uncertain, ever changing time.

This outing is just as thrilling as the others and doesn't disappoint.  There is plenty going on beyond just spys around the mission, Electra "Ellie" manages to get herself indebted to a gangster plus another man for favors that could backfire on her.  The pacing is brisk and even though I'm normally a slow reader, I flew through this book.  Several heart-pounding and heart-wrenching scenes that make this a compelling read.  This is a great addition to the Electra McDonnell series, kudos.

Rating:  Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 

Review - Key to Deceit/Playing it Safe

1) A Peculiar Combination (click here) 

Guest Post: (click here)  

I realized I hadn't done my review of the second book in this series when I was ready to write my review for the third.  So, you get both books in this one post.  I love the premise of this series, a safe craker using her unique skills to aid British Intelligence during WW2. Read on to find out how the second and third books "stack up".

The author has also written the Amory Ames Mysteries that I have reviewed.

The Key to Deceit 

Author: Ashley Weaver

Copyright: June 2022 (Minotaur) 288 pgs

Series: 2nd in Electra McDonnell Mysteries

Sensuality: Mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Amateur Sleuth, Cozy Intrigue

Main Character: Electra McDonnell, a safe-cracking thief aiding the war effort 

Setting: 1942 London during WWII

Obtained Through: Personal purchase

Book Blurb: "London, 1940. After years of stealing from the rich and giving to the poor―well, to themselves, anyway―Ellie McDonnell and her family have turned over a new leaf as they help the government’s war effort. It’s true that the straight-laced Major Ramsey didn’t give them much choice, but still, Ellie must admit she doesn’t miss breaking and entering as much as she might have thought. What she does miss is the challenge of unlocking an impossible code and the adrenaline rush that comes from being somewhere she shouldn’t.

So when Major Ramsey turns up unannounced with another job, she can’t say no. A woman’s body has been found floating in the Thames, with a bracelet locked onto her wrist, and a cameo locket attached to it. It’s clear this woman was involved in espionage, but whose side was she on? Who was she reporting to? And who wanted her dead?"

My Thoughts:  In addition to the job Major Ramsey enlists her to do, Ellie is looking into her mother's death in jail for the murder of her father.  She has a lot going on and the fast changing world around her is another challenge.  Major Ramsey initially was seeking Uncle Mick to do the job, but Mick was unavailable so he resorts to Ellie. He seems reluctant to involve Ellie much, either from the danger of the job or of spending time together. Long time forger friend-of-the-family Felix Lacey is working to be closer to Electra and she cares for him but is it romantically or more a friend?  Uncle Mick and the housekeeper Nacy are absolute gems and stand out secondary characters.

The plot has a murder to solve but is also full of intrigue. The climatic confrontation was spot on with high stakes and no room for mistakes.  This was complex enough to keep me glued to the pages.  But more than that, the author delivers an absorbing setting with layered characters.  

Rating: Excellent - Loved it! Buy it now and put this author on your watch list

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Playing it Safe

Author: Ashley Weaver

Copyright: May 2023 (Minotaur) 272 pgs

Series: 3rd in Electra McDonnell Mysteries

Sensuality: Mild

Mystery Sub-genre: Amateur Sleuth, Cozy Intrigue

Main Characters: Electra McDonnell, a safe-cracking thief aiding the war effort 

Setting: 1942 London during WWII

Obtained Through: Library

Book Blurb:  "As the Blitz continues to ravage London, Ellie McDonnell—formerly a safecracking thief, but currently determined to stay on the straight and narrow to help her country—is approached by British Intelligence officer Major Ramsey with a new assignment. She is to travel under an assumed identity to the port city of Sunderland and there await further instructions. In his usual infuriating way, the Major has left her task as vague and mysterious as possible.

Ellie, ever-ready to aid her country, heads north, her safecracking tools in tow. But before she can rendezvous with the major, she witnesses an unnatural death. A man falls dead in the street in front of her, with a note clutched in his hand. Ellie’s instincts tell her that the man’s death is connected in some way to her mission.

Soon, Ellie and the major are locked in a battle of wits and a race against time with an unknown and deadly adversary, and a case that leads them to a possible Nazi counterfeiting operation. With bombs dropping on the city and a would-be assassin shadowing their every move, it will take all of Ellie’s resourcefulness and Major Ramsey’s fortitude to unmask the spymaster and avert disastrous consequences—for England and for their own lives." 

My Thoughts:  Ellie is a great heroine in the midst of a national crisis who steps up on many levels to the challenge of the times and her circumstances.  Major Ramsey is the epitome of a strict military man with a pinch of high society untouchable air for this slow burn attraction to keep me coming back. Felix Lacey is still in the picture, for this is more complex than two men interested her.

Ellie being away from her family in an unfamiliar city creates a sense of isolation and uncertainty. I appreciated the counterfeiting aspect since this was a real tactic used in the war. The bombings hammering the country every night and the emotional toll is touched on as well.  

This was another page-turner with a sense of cat-and-mouse against a hidden spy master and a killer loose.  There was a twist or two to mix things up and keep me on my toes.  Plus the subplot of following up on the mystery of her mother has a significant development.    

This has become a must-read series for me and the sub-plot of Major Ramsey and Ellie's undeniable and growing attraction makes waiting for the next book torture.    

Ratings: Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend. 

Thank you for reading this blog and please recommend to friends and family who will enjoy it.

Guest Post - Ashley Weaver

Please welcome Ashley Weaver, author of the Amory Ames mystery series and the exciting new Electra McDonnell historical mystery series.  I will be reviewing her debut novel in the new Electra McDonnell series soon.

Ms. Weaver is also the Technical Services Coordinator for the Allen Parish Libraries in Louisiana. Weaver has worked in libraries since she was 14; she was a page and then a clerk before obtaining her MLIS from Louisiana State University. She lives in Oakdale, Louisiana.

How My New Series Was Born

A few years ago, I developed a fascination with World War II. I began reading several nonfiction books on the topic, everything from the Blitzkrieg to the SAS to the Navajo Code Talkers. It’s a subject that has innumerable facets to be explored, so many absolutely incredible rabbit holes to follow. I even read the riveting account of a serial killer operating in Occupied Paris!

It was while reading an excellent book by Ben Macintyre entitled Agent Zigzag, however, that I was inspired to write my own World War II tale. Agent Zigzag is the true story of Eddie Chapman, a petty criminal and sometime member of a safecracking gang, who ended up becoming a double agent for the British. I loved the idea of someone who was initially on the wrong side of the law using their talents for the Allies. I thought it would be especially interesting if that person was a woman. And so the idea for Electra McDonnell was born!

World War II proves a particularly good timeframe for the story
of criminals with a code of honor. It was a time when everyone was pulling together to “do their bit” to stop Hitler and his armies. Whether it was victory gardens, creative rationing, scrap drives, or buying war bonds, people wanted to help in whatever ways they could. Having my character, Ellie, possess a skill set that is considered dishonest in peacetime but invaluable in a time of war creates an interesting dynamic. When she is asked to break into a safe to retrieve some important documents before they can be handed to the Nazis, she has the opportunity to help the war effort on a larger scale. Not only is she able to help the cause, which is something she genuinely wants to do, but she is also able to take pride in her work in a way that she hasn’t been able to before.

Researching for this book allowed me to take a close look at England—London in particular—at the start of WWII. The Blitz has not quite started in A Peculiar Combination, but I found that, even before the bombs began to fall, there was a sense of unity and shared purpose among the British people. As various countries fell before the advancing German army, it became increasingly vital that Great Britain prevail against the Nazi onslaught. The mindset of determination and resilience was something I tried to work into my characters. Even though Ellie and her military intelligence contact, Major Ramsey, come from completely different worlds, they are equally determined to do whatever necessary to stop the enemy from succeeding.

I also particularly enjoyed getting to research the art of safecracking for this book. It was fascinating for me to delve into the workings of locks and develop at least a basic understanding of the mechanisms and how they can be thwarted. I even bought a lockpicking set to practice with, though it will be a long time before I come anywhere close to Ellie’s level of skill!

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Thank you Ms. Weaver for your sharing a little of the behind the scenes of your new series.  I'm looking forward to reviewing it since I too am fascinated by WWII history.