UNDER THE CARING AND CRAFTY TUTILEDGE OF HER UNCLE MICK, ELLIE (ELECTRA) MACDONNELL IS CAUGHT PICKING LOCKS BY GOVERNMENT AGENTS.
IN EXCHANGE FOR A SURE TRIP TO JAIL, STOIC AND HANDSOME SPECIAL AGENT MAJOR RAMSEY FORCES HER TO HELP RETRIEVE SECRET DOCUMENTS, MEANT TO HELP THE GERMANS.
AS ELLIE AND MAJOR RAMSEY PREPARE TO CRACK THE SAFE, THEY’RE MET WITH A DEAD GERMAN SOLDIER ON THE FLOOR AND AN EMPTY SAFE.
FIERCE, INDEPENDENT WISE-CRACKING ELLIE AND THE MAJOR MUST PUT THEIR DIFFERENCES (AND BACKROUNDS) ASIDE TO SOLVE THIS CRIME BEFORE SECRETS ARE LEAKED TO THE NAZIS.
SET IN WWII ENGLAND, THIS IS THE FIRST ELECTRA MCDONNELL SERIES BY ASHLEY WEAVER, AUTHOR OF THE AMORY AMES MYSTERY SERIES.
I ENJOYED THE NARRATOR AND WOULD RECOMMEND CHECKING OUT THIS EASY BREEZY TITLE, AND OTHERS BY WEAVER, ON HOOPLA.

The series is a little bit spy thriller, a little cozy mystery, with a wonderful bit of romance blossoming on the wind. A Peculiar Combination crosses genres in brilliant fashion to intrigue readers.

This novel reminds me of the tv series White Collar only it is WWII and we have a female protagonist. The mystery was very good and was cleverly crafted. There was suspense, and many twists along the way. I look forward to more in this series.
Many thanks to St. Martin’s Press and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Ashley Weaver immerses the reader in World War II espionage in England through the eyes of a female safe cracker who is recruited to help the authorities retrieve valuable documents before they are handed to the Germans. Major Ramsey directs the operation and Electra McDonnell, the safe cracker, acts as his girl friend as they try to find the agents who may be friends or relatives of Major Ramsey. Unusual fast moving romantic thriller.

I love a good historical fiction mystery and this one did not disappoint. The storyline flowed well and kept me intrigued from beginning to end. Definitely recommend and can't wait to read more by this author!

This was a great start to a new series set in England during WWII. The heroine is Electra "Ellie" McDonnell, a smart and sassy thief. After being caught in the act of robbing a house, she is blackmailed into the espionage game. Her "handler", the dashing Major Ramsey, is everything Ellie is not. Together, they race against the clock to outwit the Germans.
I love this new series with it cast of misfits banning together to do their part to help win the war. I cannot wait for the next for the next adventure.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing a copy of this book for review.

A Peculiar Combination opens a new series by Ashley Weave in 1940 London. It features features Electra McDonnell, whose locksmith Uncle Mick moonlights as a burglar and safecracker.

After being caught on a burglary, Ellie and Mick are forced to assist Major Ramsey to recover blueprints critical to the war effort, leading to a series of cloak-and-dagger escapades - and burgeoning romance.

This is the debut novel in a new series by Ashley Weaver, who also writes the successful Amory Ames series. Electra McDonnell and her Uncle Mick find themselves caught red handed as they attempt a jewel heist to make ends meet during WWII. Electra finds herself drawn into a plot to obtain documents critical to Britian's war effort. Along the way, we are introduced to the mysterious Major Gabriel Ramsey, heading up the operation.. When Electra and Major Ramsey return to exchange the documents, they find a body. A thrilling game of cat and mouse ensues with double agents, and others interested in the documents. The espionage is not so heavy that it bogs down the story, which I liked. The pacing of the book is breakneck, as Electra and Major Ramsey struggle to deliver the false do9cuments. I thoroughly enjoyed the chase, and red herrings abound. Electra and Major Ramsey play well off of each other, and a touch of romance doesn't hurt. I look forward to additional books in the series. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

This is a great start for a new mystery series with Ellie (Electra) McDonnell. Ellie and her Uncle Mick are close, as Uncle Mick taught Ellie the ins and out of his locksmith business. Not always on the right side of the law, they get caught opening a safe, but not by the police. It is 1940 in England, and the military is trying to root out German spies. Ellie and her Uncle are made an offer to assist the government with a dangerous mission or go to prison. Working with Major Ramsey, a very stiff, formal, but handsome military man, makes for some interesting scenes. I really enjoyed the book and recommend it. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

What an excellent debut for this new character!
A fun read with nice character development of the lead and the major.

Still a little confused about why they had to use a forger for letter - I may have missed something as to the specifics and absolute need to change the contents of that letter
I also thought they said it was already forged, so why did he have to do it again?

Plot has been seen before but still seemed fresh with a nice little twist at the end.

Looking forward to Electra book 2!

Loved this book - definitely my favorite of hers and such a strong start to a new series. I love that this didn’t feel like a typical plucky girl on the home front setup. Looking forward to more!

What a fun new mystery and a very enjoyable read! The heroine is feisty, likeable, and capable. She's a safecracker who also wants to serve her country, and it was fun seeing how those two things came together in this creative adventure. There's a bit of a love triangle, but it doesn't feel juvenile (as they sometimes do) and it's not the focus of the story either. This is the first book from this author that I've read and I can't wait for the next one!

My thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC via netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

As the first entry in a new series, A Peculiar Combination does a good job of setting up new characters and story arcs that can lead into the next installment. I didn't love it at first, but I started to enjoy it once Ellie, the protagonist, started working with the government to advance the war effort. The characters are distinctive and show unexpected qualities of loyalty and resourcefulness as the novel goes on. Ellie is at first underestimated, but she proves herself highly capable and resourceful. I'm looking forward to seeing how this series develops.

I have really enjoyed Ashley Weaver’s Amory Ames books so when I saw she was coming out with a new lady detective series and with a heroine by the name of Electra (Ellie for short), I knew this was going to be a great, great read! Clearing my schedule, I added this one to my early summer reading list and I am so glad that I did!

The Amory Ames series has been fun and I have liked the books I have read, but this book felt so much more complete for some reason (I will get to my thoughts on that in a minute!). Historical mysteries are my favorites, especially when it includes a little romance between the murder and investigating. But as many historical fiction/mystery readers know, WWII and the Victorian era are saturated with books.

So the question becomes how does an author distinguish their new lady detective series? It’s a tough question, for me the thing that caught my eye about this one was the name of the heroine. I loved her flashy and memorable name, it conjured images of a brazen, bold heroine that I just couldn’t get out of my head. That was what made me pick this one up in the sea of WWII historical mysteries!

Summary
The first in the Electra McDonnell series from Edgar-nominated author Ashley Weaver, set in England during World War II, A Peculiar Combination is a delightful mystery filled with spies, murder, romance, and the author’s signature wit.

Electra McDonnell has always known that the way she and her family earn their living is slightly outside of 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 World War II is in full swing, Ellie’s cousins Colm and Toby are off fighting against Hitler, and Uncle Mick’s more honorable business as a locksmith can’t pay the bills any more.

So when Uncle Mick receives a tip about a safe full of jewels in the empty house of a wealthy family, he and Ellie can’t resist. All goes as planned–until the pair are caught redhanded. Ellie expects them to be taken straight to prison, but instead they are delivered to a large townhouse, where government official Major Ramsey is waiting with an offer: either Ellie agrees to help him break into a safe and retrieve blueprints that will be critical to the British war effort, before they can be delivered to a German spy, or he turns her over to the police.

Ellie doesn’t care for the Major’s imperious manner, but she has no choice, and besides, she’s eager to do her bit for king and country. She may be a thief, but she’s no coward. When she and the Major break into the house in question, they find instead the purported German spy dead on the floor, the safe already open and empty. Soon, Ellie and Major Ramsey are forced to put aside their differences to unmask the double-agent, as they try to stop allied plans falling into German hands. (summary from Goodreads)

Review
As mentioned earlier, Ellie as a heroine felt a little more polished and finished in this one than Amory Ames. Weaver is a strong writer and her lady characters are well written and interesting, but for me, Ellie seemed like she had a little something extra that Amory didn’t. Ellie had wit, sass, and strength but she just had something that made her sparkle and I can’t quite put my finger on it, but as I was reading her I felt like she was someone I would love to be friends with and perhaps I saw a little of myself in her character and I couldn’t help but all in love with her in a way that I didn’t with Amory Ames. Once you add in Weaver’s stunning historical research for this book, you will know right away that you are reading something special.

I also couldn’t get enough of the oddball pairing that was Ellie and Major Ramsey. If Ellie is the sassy thief, Major Ramsey is the strait laced voice of reason but when you get them together, the chemistry and sparks are undeniable. I loved the hint of romance in this one, but as always, I want more romance and I am eager to see how things develop with Major Ramsey and Felix (yes there is a little love triangle in this one) develop in future books.

While there was a romantic element in this one, it is not the focus. Weaver has written a new, well-balanced mystery/espionage series that has just the right amount of romance. The mystery itself is really well done and even if the beginning started out a little slow, but just a few chapters I was hooked and by the end, suspense was at an all time high! I loved how well done this one was. The mystery was smart, thought out, and nuanced. I think this went hand in hand with her historical research. Combining the historical research and a smart mystery with excellent characters and character development really made this one stand out. In the end it earned five stars from me. I loved it and can’t wait for the next book!

Book Info and Rating
Format 304 pages, Hardcover

PublishedMay 25, 2021 by Minotaur Books

ISBN9781250780485 (ISBN10: 1250780489)

Free review copy provided by publisher, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own and in no way influenced.

Rating: 5 stars

Genre: historical fiction, historical mystery, detective novel

A skillfully written, clever espionage novel with a gutsy heroine and well developed supporting cast of characters. The novel contains second chances, secrets, and unexpected twists. It is a delightful mystery based on WW2 espionage, murder, spies, clever criminals, wit and national allegiance.

Ellie and her Uncle Mick have a skill at safecracking. They are caught breaking into the home of a wealthy British family at the start of the war. Rather than going directly to prison, they are given the opportunity to break into the safe of a German spy and replace a set of blue prints with a doctored set. Only upon entry to the home, the spy is found dead and the blueprints are gone. Ellie, bearing her own emotional wounds, utilizes her skills to help her country find the double spy and foil the plan.

What follows is a complicated web of unexpected twists and plan changes that require adept, rapid responses, adaptations, guts and grit.

After the death of her parents, Ellie (Electra) McDonnell was raised by her Uncle Mick and her two male cousins. She has been taught the family trade, safe cracking. In the past, it has been her uncle and cousins who have done most of the actual break-ins but it is WWII and they are gone so now she helps Uncle Mick to break into wealthy houses during the black-outs.

They have received some very reliable information about their latest target but Ellie senses something is off. Still, they go ahead with the plan. Only turns out out her instincts were right and they are caught. Only, it's not by the police but a government agency led by Major Ramsey and she is given the choice - help them uncover a traitor or find themselves at the mercy of His Majesty.

I wasn't expecting much from A Peculiar Combination, the first in the Electra McDonnell series by Ashley Weaver - just a nice cozy historical mystery - but I gotta say I found it unputdownable. I really enjoyed the characters especially Ellie who makes for a smart, interesting protagonist. There's plenty of twists and turns and red herrings galore. The mystery of who dunnit is compelling and kept me guessing right up to the big reveal. If the next books in the series are as good as this one, it's definitely one to look forward to.

<i>Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review</i>

The author of the Amory Ames mysteries kicks off a new series with A Peculiar Combination.
Ashley Weaver, author of the seven-book Amory Ames mystery series, introduces her readers to a new heroine in A Peculiar Combination, set in England during World War II. Electra ("Ellie") McDonnell is an attractive, talented young woman who works with her uncle as a safe-cracker, preying on upper-middle-class families who have fled wartime London. The pair are apprehended one night during a job gone wrong and taken into custody by the handsome, irascible Major Gabriel Ramsey, head of a clandestine government agency. He makes a deal with them: He'll drop all charges if they help him disrupt a local spy ring. They agree, but the plan takes an alarming turn when their chief suspect turns up dead.

The narrative is Ellie's first-person account of her feelings and experiences as she accompanies the Major on increasingly dangerous missions. Weaver skillfully brings her heroine to life, portraying her as strong and independent yet naïve, particularly where the Major is concerned. The author is especially adept at showing her character's transformation from crook to patriot as she comes to understand just how vulnerable her country is to Nazi sympathizers, and realizes that she truly can make a difference to the war effort.

At times reading more like a thriller than a mystery, the plot starts at a brisk pace and picks up even more as the story progresses. Red herrings abound, and there are plenty of twists and turns to keep readers guessing. Throw in a dash of romance, and the result is a fun, fast read. I can easily envision this series becoming addictive for some; if nothing else, there is the promise of the budding relationship between Ellie and the Major heating up in subsequent books.

While the novel is certainly enjoyable, it's without doubt on the light side. There are some plot points that don't quite make sense, and others that are eye-rollingly predictable. Other than the narrator herself, Weaver's creations are mostly stock characters (the tough-as-nails-yet-vulnerable leading man, the merry thief uncle, etc.); there aren't really any surprises here. And, while set in 1940, it's not terribly immersive historical fiction. The author inserts period snippets here and there, like the rarity of silk stockings or the use of blackout curtains, but nothing of which even casual readers of WWII literature would be unaware. The romance also didn't work for me personally; I'd say the lead characters lacked chemistry, although I suspect this will be rectified in forthcoming books.

When all's said and done, I did like the book enough to recommend it — with caveats. It's a perfect beach read and a wonderful diversion for those looking for an entertaining novel they can speed through and don't have to think too hard about. It's also appropriate for all age groups (the author keeps the romance PG-level) and it will likely earn Weaver many new fans. I look forward to the next entry in the series, and I imagine other readers will as well.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.

As a lover of WWII novels, often storylines may feel repetitive. I loved the novel spin of Ellie the lock picker who comes to her country’s aid. I did feel like the ending was a bit predictable, but I’m eager to read more about Ellie McDonnell.

I love Ashely Weaver’s novels. She writes true British whodunits with authentic settings and spot on dialogue, yet with a twist of quirky adventure. I’ve gobbled up her Amory Ames books like candy for the whip smart writing and fabulous settings with a mystery that keeps you guessing. Her latest offering is no exception.



Ellie was such a fun heroine. Having been raised by an uncle and cousins who skirted around the edges of the law, she was most definitely not your typical type of heroine. She’s tough and fearless, yet with a feminine side, making her the type of well-rounded character you wish were real so you could grab a cup of coffee with her. She’s caught between two beguiling guys; her long-time friend Felix and the new man in her life, Major Ramsey. Readers will be kept guessing which will win her affections.



The dangers and struggles of wartime London are highlighted in the pages, offering a historically accurate backdrop with depth. Add in themes of espionage and a murder mystery you won’t be able to solve until the very end, and you’ve got a winning novel from one of the best voices in the genre.



Fans of British mysteries will devour A Peculiar Combination, the first of what I hope is many books in this fresh new series.



I received a complimentary copy of this book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

A PECULIAR COMBINATION by Ashley Weaver is her first Electra (Ellie) McDonnell novel, featuring a young female safecracker in WWII era London and Torquay. Edgar award finalist Weaver has written numerous "cozy" mysteries (see Murder at the Brightwell) and this latest one had plenty of questions: Who are the German spies and collaborators? Who murdered Harden? Could the transfer of secret plans be stopped? Would Ellie fall for Major Ramsey or childhood friend Felix Lacey? The historical details, a Belgravia "office," and a fancy society party lend an air a bit like a game of Clue and this puzzling mystery is sure to entertain. An especially likeable sleuth, Ellie abides by her Uncle Mick's philosophy: "One thing at a time. Focus was the key to success. Focus and prioritizing the tasks ahead." She also offers a bit of feminist "cheekiness" with observations like: "That's the way it was now, with the men away fighting. Women stepping up to do the jobs we'd been telling them we were capable of all along." Enjoy! A PECULIAR COMBINATION received a starred review from Publishers Weekly.