After an attempted start where I lost interest, I finally restarted A Peculiar Combination and finished it pretty quickly. This is a mystery, not a romance, and I personally was an little sad about the prolonged will they won't they love triangle and the way some questions were left open at the end of the book for later in the series. But the mystery itself was fun and I stayed up too late at night reading to see what happened. Good for when you need some escapist reading.

Thanks to #Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an advance copy of #APeculiarCombination

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Excellent new series, set in WWII London. Electra McDonnell lives with her Uncle Mick and cousins, earning their living as thieves (safe crackers). One night, while out on a job with her uncle, they are caught. Instead of putting them in prison, they government recruits them: in order to win their freedom, they need to break into a safe containing blueprints critical to the war effort. When the job goes awry, Ellie and her uncle need to work with a stiff upper-lipped major in order to expose the spies. Love how witty and engaging Ashley Weaver's characters are, with snappy dialogue and the ability to make me not want to put the book down. I also love how her books have a secondary back story that makes you want to continue the series. I highly recommend this exciting new series.

The first book in the Electra McDonnell series, this is my introduction to the work of the author, and I’m immediately on board for the series. Narrated by Ellie in first person, past tense, I’m very drawn to this twenty four year old safecracker, born in a prison near the end of the Great War, and raised by a family of Irish thieves.

The story takes place over the course of a few short days, in 1940 England, shortly before the Blitz.

The historical setting is well done; during the time the novel is set, Britain has yet to feel the full impact of the war on its own soil, despite having declared war on Germany about half a year before. Regular citizens were living in a strange sort of limbo, seeing the young men go, knowing many have already died, fearing an invasion, while not having experienced most of the horrors of war yet themselves, there’s a bit of a sense of unreality.

So people have dutifully blacked out their windows, stored their valuables in cellars, and sent their children away from the city, while otherwise going about their daily lives as best they can, for they have still to make a living and keep the country functioning.

And this is how Ellie and her uncle Mick find themselves in the position of being useful to the British government; via Major Gabriel Ramsey, they are essentially blackmailed into His Majesty’s service.

Ellie is a fantastic narrator; she’s young enough to be passionate, rebellious, and just a bit impulsive, but old enough to have learned control. What brings the story to life is her irrepressible snark.

“Don’t scream,” he said in a low voice. It was a stupid thing to say; if I was going to scream, I would have jolly well done it already. (Chapter 8)

“There was no hint of tiredness in his manner, however. He was too good a fraud for that.” (Chapter 13)

“He looked just the sort of man who would slit a throat. Good lord, did these people recruit directly from the villain warehouse?” (Chapter 13)

Although the plot is centered on the missing documents, the chemistry between Ellie and Major Ramsey crackles with life from their very first meeting, and it only gets better from there; at one point there’s an excellent ‘fake’ makeout session between them that is more real than either wants to acknowledge.

The introduction of Felix Lacey, a very old friend of the McDonnell family, plants the roots of a potential love triangle. I sincerely hope the author doesn’t stretch it too long into the series, as I’m not a fan of the trope, but also because Felix deserves his own fulfilling relationship.

On the one hand, the obvious “opposites attract” Ramsey/Ellie pairing is excellent, because they are different enough in character and life experience to complement each other really well, and the chemistry between them is very well done; Ramsey’s stoicism is very much part of his character, but Ellie gets under his skin again and again.

However, there’s more separating them than “we are at war” or “she’s a thief, he’s an officer”; he’s the nephew of an Earl, and her mother was convicted of murdering her father (something that is apparently explored further later in the series).

As for a Felix/Ellie pairing, their relationship feels very natural; they’re long time friends who know and understand each other very well, and their caring for each other goes far beyond physical attraction, a shared history that goes back many years. However, Felix has been changed by his experiences in the war; not only is he finding himself displaced in this unchanged-yet-new London as a war veteran, but having lost a lower leg during the first few months of the war brings a host of baggage and new nuances to anyone’s life.

Honestly, I will be angry if Felix is left to pine alone, or if the author chooses to drag the love triangle for books and years, à la Stephanie Plum.

I enjoyed the espionage aspect quite a bit; the author threads lightly on the “all is fair in war” approach most governments take regarding subrosa activities. By which I mean, while everyone is clear that Major Ramsey is a black-and-white kind of man, who would much prefer the direct approach, yet is intelligent and sensible enough to accept that it would not work under the circumstances (ergo, framing the McDonnells), neither Ellie nor Uncle Mick, or Felix for that matter, let him forget that he’s operating in a grey world, and therefore has zero moral superiority over them.

It was also much fun how everyone kept underestimating Ellie; Ramsey, trying to put her in a neat little box, and failing; the potential traitors, who know she’s not of their class, and so on. It really is lovely to see her showing them up. A person doesn’t need a privileged upbringing, titled relatives, or a degree, to be skilled, clever and educated.

I had a few suspicions about one of the villains, and I was surprised by how wrong I was, which is a credit to the author; more so because when I thought about it, there were a couple of subtle hints.

Another winning aspect to the writing is the very real sense of team building; despite the early impression of Ramsey as incapable to bend or adapt, he and Ellie end up assembling a great crew of irregular troops in service of His Majesty’s war efforts.

Which brings me to the real sense of an established family and community for Ellie; the people around her don’t just exist for the sake of the plot, but have their own lives and goals. This aspect is less explored for Ramsey; even though some of his personal history comes to light, there’s still some distance for the reader, as it’s all seen through Ellie’s eyes.

In sum, a very enjoyable read; I’m looking forward to reading the next one (already in the TBR pile) soon.

A Peculiar Combination gets 9.00 out of 10.

Well it certainly took me long enough to get to this ARC of Weaver’s Electra McDonnell series. And why did I foolishly wait so long? Who knows: titles in the TBR are like the lone sock you lose in the wash and then mysteriously “find” months later. But I’m glad I did because I enjoyed it thoroughly, enough to look forward to the next two books. For now, here are the blurbish details to orient us:

FIRST RULE: DON’T LOSE YOUR CONCENTRATION.
Electra McDonnell and her family earn their living outside the law. Breaking into the homes of the rich and picking the locks on their safes may not be condoned by British law enforcement, but with World War II in full swing, Uncle Mick’s locksmith business just can’t pay the bills anymore.

SECOND RULE: DON’T MAKE MISTAKES.
So when Uncle Mick receives a tip about a safe full of jewels in an empty house, he and Ellie can’t resist. All is going as planned—until the pair is caught red-handed. But instead of arresting them, government official Major Ramsey has an offer: either Ellie agrees to help him break into a safe and retrieve blueprints crucial to the British war effort, or he turns her over to the police.

THIRD RULE: DON’T GET CAUGHT.
Ellie doesn’t care for the major’s imperious manner, but she has no choice. However, when they break into the house, they find the safe open and empty, and a German spy dead on the floor. Soon, Ellie and Major Ramsey are forced to put aside their differences to unmask the double agent, and stop Allied plans from falling into enemy hands.

I’ll start by saying that if you’re expecting John le Carré you’re not going to get it. The charm of Weaver’s WWII-intrigue novel is in its characters and their relationships, not the intricacy of its plot or the moral grey areas of its political ethos. The closest equivalent I can think of, if you enjoy her books, are Kate Quinn’s WWII lady-spy novels. Weaver is Quinn, um, without the gravitas; in other words, for a war-time narrative, its characters navigate their world danger-free and there isn’t much by way of blitz-ridden London. When bodies, like the one in the blurb, appear, they’re more Agatha Christie than le Carré. What does Weaver’s Electra McDonnell have going for it? Oh, a great slow-burn romance, a stone-cold hunk of a hero, who cracks before the heroine, a fun premise, terrific dialogue, and pacing that kept me reading into the wee hours.

Weaver pulls off one thing beautifully: the changes in her heroine. Electra is always a delight; witness her response to Ramsey’s “offer”: ” ‘I’m not sure what to say…’ I glanced at the insignia on his uniform, guessed at his rank, and then purposefully demoted him. ‘Lieutenant.’ ‘Major,’ he said, without a blink. ‘Major Ramsey.’ ‘Well, Major Ramsey,’ I said, recrossing my arms, ‘before I commit to anything, I want to talk to my uncle. Alone.’ ” Electra is sassy and smart. What she becomes, however, is committed to the war effort, to helping her country. She is a woman who loves her family, but somewhat unmoored. Her collaboration with Ramsey gives her purpose. A lovely character arc.

And what is truly marvellous about A Peculiar Combination? Ramsey and Ellie’s banter: his marble-like demeanor to her flirtation; his dry delivery to her teasing quips. I adored the scene where Ramsey (and the one that follows where he reveals his first name) and Ellie work out their ruse for infiltrating the traitors’ arena. A pretend relationship! What more could a romance reader want?: ” ‘I asked you to dinner, and we struck up an immediate romance.’ ‘Are we very much in love?’ I asked cheekily. I was trying to see how we were going to play this, if he would be willing to soften some of those edges to banter with me. I had a sneaking suspicion it was going to be very difficult to flirt with Major Ramsey. ‘This is our fourth date,’ he said, not in the least flustered by my provoking behavior. ‘Your feelings are unclear, as you’ve been playing hard to get.’ The corner of my mouth tipped up, and I clicked my tongue. ‘Have I? And with such a shortage of men in this country, too.’ ‘It’s not entirely your fault,’ he said. ‘My personality takes a bit of warming up to.’ I laughed…” As did I. Suffice to say, for romance readers, there is a magnificent “kiss scene”. I stay mum on the circumstances to avoid spoilers.

What doesn’t work there? While the premise is clever and compelling, the piling on of one surprise development after another, as Ramsey and Ellie pursue the traitors that is, makes the alpha-smart and capable Major Ramsey look more delta than alpha. The resolution is cartoonish, as are the villains. But I didn’t care because I had fun with Ellie, Uncle Mick (so many cool characters are involved), and the Viking-like Major Ramsey. I’m keen to spend time with them again. Miss Austen agrees; A Peculiar Combination offers “real comfort,” Emma.

Ashley Weaver’s A Peculiar Combination is published by Minotaur Books. It was released in 2021. I received an e-ARC from Minotaur Books, via Netgalley. This does not impede the free expression of my opinion.

I appreciate the publisher allowing me to read this book. This is a really good book. it kept me interested until the end and I even felt like I learned something a nice bonus. Highly recommend.

What a delightful WW II. mystery! Electra McDonnell is a lovely heroine for this new series by Ashley Weaver. She is so completely human that I would want her as a friend-she tries to conquer her Irish temper, is conflicted over the men in her circle and not above a lark or put off by danger-just the sort to have on your side. We get a very well developed start into the characters of this series but also have some ambiguity to keep us coming back. I thank #netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this copy of #apeculiarcombination to read and review, all opinions are my own.

The cover is lovely. the book is a great read, highly enjoyed it.
This ARC was given to me by NetGalley and the publishers to read and review. All comments above are my true opinion after reading this book.

Ellie McDonnell and her uncle Mick are thieves. One night, they break into a house to crack a safe. However, it turns out to be a set-up, and they are caught red-handed. In order to get out of prison, Ellie makes a deal with a government official, Major Ramsey, to break a safe filled with German secrets. Once she arrives at the safe, she finds nothing but a dead German spy. Ellie goes on an investigation to find out who killed the German spy and uncover what secrets the Germans hold.

I found Ellie to be a very annoying character. When nothing goes her way, she would complain. Even though she was an adult, she acted like a spoiled teenager. Therefore, while she was a genius at code-breaking, independent, and tough, I could not like her character. I did not find her charming. Her sassy remarks came off as whiny. Therefore, she was not an appealing character.

Overall, this novel is about loyalties, secrets, and spies. A Peculiar Combination is more of a spy thriller than a cozy historical mystery. Even though I disliked Ellie, I still found a few decent characters that I liked. I thought Ellie’s uncle was the most interesting character in this series. The love triangle was unnecessary and distracting. Still, this was a very fast-paced novel that is filled with political intrigue, action, danger, and humor! A Peculiar Combination is very well-written and is full of vivid details about World War II! Thus, this novel did pique my interest in reading the sequel. I hope that Ellie becomes more mature and likable in the next novel. I recommend this to those interested in World War II spy novels. A Peculiar Combination is perfect for fans of The Rose Code, In Farleigh Field, and Louise’s Chance!

London, 1942. Electra McDonnell is an intelligent woman. She knows that any money her family has isn't exactly achieved by honest means but with things already so scarce during the war, what's a woman to do? When Uncle Mick receives a tip about a safe full of jewels in an empty residence, he and Ellie can't resist. Everything is proceeding as planned -- that is, until they get caught red-handed by a government official. So much for a trustworthy tip! Instead of taking them straight to prison, Major Ramsey requests Ellie's help with a matter of his own. Break into a safe that has documents crucial to the British war effort. If she declines, well, then it's off to prison.

Eager to do what's best for king and country, Ellie acquiesces. But when they break into the house, they find a dead body and no documents. With time running out, Ellie and Major Ramsey find themselves in several close quarters as they work towards disrupting Germany's plans. Will the things go their way, on and off the investigation field?

I thought A Peculiar Combination was a stellar introduction to this series. For one, the novel moved along at a brisk pace. Second, Ellie and Co. were interesting characters to spend time with. I never got the sense that Ellie was a damsel in distress. She always fought to be included in any situation, no matter how dangerous, and that her family encouraged her determination. There was a great scene toward the book where X bows out so Ellie could step in. Third, I appreciated the fact that the author didn't try to shoehorn a romance. While there were hints of something in the future, it was very subtle. Looking forward to reading the next one!

Ashley Weaver, author of the fabulous Ashley Ames mystery series, has launched another series, this one set in World War II England.

Plucky Electra “Ella” McDonnell — caught red-handed cracking a safe with her Irish uncle (and father figure) Mick McDonnell — agrees to do a bit of safe-cracking for the Crown in exchange for freedom for herself and her uncle. That’s how Ella’s career in Military Intelligence begins. The novel’s filled with plenty of Nazi spies and surprises, making me eager to read the sequel.

Do I love Ella McDonnell as much as Ashley Ames? Of course not, but this is still a five-star read. Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the really, really, really good.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and Ashley Weaver for free e-ARC in return of my honest review of A Peculiar Combination.

World War II. Electra McDonnell, finds herself in a peculiar situation. She knows that her ways of earning a living are outside the law, however, in the midst of a World War, she has little choice. Along with her uncle, she picks rich people safes for money and jewellery. One of their trips do not end well - they are captured but instead of the police station, they find themselves in a townhouse with Major in charge who offers them a job to secure much needed intelligence. They have little choice and agree. It leads to more mystery and further work with government.

A Peculiar Combination has it all - a mystery filled with spies, murder, romance and loyalty to one's family as well as one's country. It is a quick and delightful book to read. The plot is twisted in unpredictable ways that helps to keep the reader engaged in a story. Characters are quite well developed for a mystery type of mystery. I found the love story to be a bit cheesy.

Overall, I enjoyed A Peculiar Combination.

The first book in a future series with a good set of characters and a speak her mind heroine. This was a fun read. I enjoyed the setting of London at the beginning of WWII. I thought that I had the mystery solved and that a twist was coming in the end. Yes, it did come but not exactly the way I thought. A light, easy and satisfying read, which is highly recommended. Thank you to NetGalley, and Minotaur Books, for the advance copy.

A fun start to a new series! It definitely feels like an Ashely Weaver book, with some elements being very similar to her other series, particularly its opening book, Murder at the Brightwell, what with the two competing suitors offering familiarity and intrigue, by turns. But in this series, Weaver is clearly interested in telling one cohesive story rather than have a handful of open & shut cases, like in the Amory Ames series.

Electra is a fun and relatable character with demonstrable skills in sleuthing (being a petty criminal helps with that), both love interests have something to offer and seem to legitimately care for her, and the mystery felt like something that could have potentially happened during WWII. I found the family of criminals' willingness to hop on board with a government mission a little out-of-character, especially how devoted to their country they seem to become, but other than that, this is a solid first book in the Electra McDonnell series. I look forward to reading more of them!

A Peculiar Combination is the first book in the Electra McDonnell WW2 period mystery by Ashley Weaver. Released 25th May 2021 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is such a well written and immediately engaging book. The protagonists are understandable and sympathetic (despite being firmly on the wrong side of the law) that the reader is instantly drawn to their side. The hook was firmly embedded within the first few pages of setup and I found the entire read satisfyingly action filled and fast paced.

The resolution and denouement were exciting with espionage and skullduggery aplenty, whilst foreshadowing the possibility of future adventures for Electra and her compatriots.

Four stars. This would be a good choice for fans of historical spy thrillers and general historical mysteries who don't mind a touch of romance in their reads. I found the characters especially well rendered and the dialogue flowed well and believably. The author is adept at her craft.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

*received for free from netgalley for honest review* really ended up liking this book! different from other ww2 mystery books ive read, looking forward to reading more!

**I received and advanced readers copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

I really like Weaver's Amory Ames series, so I was anxious to read this new novel, featuring Electra McDonnell in WWII England. Much like Weaver's other series, this book has a murder mystery, a resourceful and entertaining heroine, and a dash of romance. A winning combination!

Electra "Ellie" McDonnell is a thief. But, she stumbles upon a much graver problem than being caught and sent to prison. This problem may just change the course of the war, and Ellie must use her ingenuity and her "skills" to keep England safe. The supporting cast of characters add much flavor to the storyline, especially Major Ramsey, whose secrets and at times stony disposition recall to mind strong, brooding male characters in classic literature.

A very engaging read. I would love to read more about Ellie and her escapades saving the world.

It had a great premise but I wasn't a fan of the execution. This would be a good recommendation for readers who love cozy mysteries and are interested in history.

What a fun mystery! I love that A Peculiar Combination is set to be a series. Ashley Weaver has a beautiful writing ability, and she paints the ultimate old time mystery with Agatha Christie detail. I love that her newest heroine is strong willed, and slever. Ellie definitely left me wanting more, and I cannot wait until we meet her again. This book is original and the plot is veery unique. I could envision the costumes, and the settings thanks to Weaver's great descriptive writing. There was just enough romance, and it didn't overtake the original plot as sometimes romance can do. The characters felt relatable and complex. Anyone that loves a historial romance along with a strong female lead will devour this one!

Thank you to netgalley and minotaur for the copy in exchange for an honest review

4.5 stars
As a fan of author Ashley Weaver’s Amory Ames Mysteries, I jumped at the opportunity to read A PECULIAR COMBINATION, the series debut introducing locksmith Electra McDonnell. It is a fabulous World War II tale of theft, espionage, treason, and glamour with a bit of romance.

Uncle Mick is a respected locksmith who puts his skills to use as a thief. With his sons away at war, Ellie helps him out when needed. At a job that seems all too easy, the pair is caught and blackmailed by the British government to help retrieve important information and help the war effort. Ellie wants to do her part but sure did not expect it to be as a safe-cracker. When things do not go as planned and she and Major Ramsey discover a German Spy dead, priorities take a turn to flesh out potential double agents and German sypasizers.

I really enjoyed this. There is just enough danger and intrigue to keep readers guessing. I adore spunky Ellie and the uptight Major Ramsey, and opposites definitely attract within these pages. Suspense mixed with wit set a perfect tone, and the story moves along at a brisk pace. The World War II setting is wonderfully described, and I felt like I was there in the midst of the action. As is often the case in times of war, one can never really know who they can trust, and this premise is prominent throughout the tale.

A PECULIAR COMBINATION is stellar historical fiction balanced with a touch of mystery and romance – a heady combination for sure. I cannot wait to read more featuring Ellie. Highly recommended!

I received an ARC of this title from Minotaur Books through NetGalley and voluntarily shared my thoughts here.

This book was totally my cup of tea - WWII London, spies, very juicy, smart , likable characters and a good dosage of sense of humor.
What a great star for a new series, can't wait to meet Ellie and Mayor Ramsey again.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free copy.