Weaver has created an unusual female protagonist in occasional thief Ellie McDonnell, who after being caught with her uncle during a burglary, must team up with Major Ramsay to stop a traitor from handing over important military secrets to Germany during WWII. Ramsay needs her safe-cracking skills to substitute fake papers but things become much more complicated when they discover the traitor dead, the safe open and the papers gone. Now it is a race against time to identify who has the papers and still pull off the operation.

Ellie and Ramsay are a peculiar combination as a team. Ramsay is a career military man with a respect for the law and use to people following his orders. Ellie is independent, doesn’t like to be ordered around and has a much more fluid view of the law. With her boisterous extended family, she is very much the opposite of the straight-laced Ramsay. Clashes are inevitable but their common aim to do what is best for the country—yes, a thief can still be patriotic—creates a strong motivation to work together.

I love their interactions that feel fresh and continue to evolve as they work as a team. That’s because neither is the stereotype of their cast. Ellie isn’t a hardened criminal or a lady thief, instead a sometimes burglar who is well read, courageous and intelligent. At the same time, Ramsay isn’t the rigid and impervious rule follower he first appears to be either.

The cast is filled out with Ellie’s extended family and other acquaintances, with some of Ramsay’s minions as well, to provide an interesting group that keep the conversation lively. This is war though, so there are occasional sidetracks into the more anxious feelings and the grim reality of people they love at risk and the stakes they are facing.

A dash of romance, lots of suspense and a few twists will keep the reader engrossed and entertained. I was surprised at some things at the end. I really enjoy Weaver’s Amory mystery series but this one could quickly become my favorite. There is something special here.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the blackout nights of World War II London, two safecrackers are apprehended and compelled into serving their country in a unique way.

A wonderful start to a new series.Ellie is a terrific character a female safe character who becomes a Britis Spy to avoid jail time.This book drew me right in kept me turning the pages.An author a bookI will be recommending.#netgalley #st.Martins

Thank you to #netgalley and #stmartinspress for this #arc out today in the US!

This book is the first in a new series from Edgar-nominated author Ashley Weaver. Set in England during WWII, A Peculiar Combination is a delightful mystery-slash-spy novel.

I really enjoyed this! Quite a bit more than I've enjoyed Weaver's Amory Ames series - though I've only read the first two.

The protagonist, Electra McDonnell, is stalwart and feisty, and the type of woman who is constantly being overlooked and undervalued (mostly because of the time period) but proves her doubters wrong with grace and wit. She also seems to have a very interesting backstory, which I hope we'll get to hear more about.

I also really liked that her love life never overshadowed the mystery plot line, which is a big complaint of mine about the Amory Ames series.

I'm really looking forward to reading more of this series!

Electra grew up with her uncle and cousins and knew their business wasn’t exactly full clean, but that’s exacerbated when WWII begins and everyone just wants to survive. One night, Electra and her uncle are caught in the act and offered a proposition; break into a safe to steal plans and help their country or go to prison. Soon, they find themselves swept up in a much larger operation that puts theirs and others lives at stake to find a double-agent.
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A Peculiar Combination was a fun read for me. Electra is a stubborn yet incredibly smart young woman. Learning about safe-cracking was something out of the norm and interesting. The entire book was well-balanced between information while keeping a fast pace. I also really appreciated that while the book takes place during WWII, it’s not so much a wartime book like many others; it’s more about uncovering a mysterious double agent.
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If you’re looking for a book with a stubborn yet smart female lead, a double agent, some mystery and tense moments, I recommend A Peculiar Combination! I know I’m eagerly awaiting book 2!

Clever, mysterious, and witty!

A Peculiar Combination is an immersive, suspenseful tale set in London during WWII that takes you into the life of Electra McDonnell, a part-time, talented safecracker who is recruited by the broodily handsome Major Ramsey to use her exceptional skills to help king and country retrieve some documents of a fragile nature before they can possibly be passed into enemy hands.

The prose is rich and polished. The characters are plucky, resourceful, and intriguing. And the plot is a well-paced, intriguing mystery full of suspects, deduction, red herrings, familial dynamics, espionage, duty, friendship, flirtation, secrets, and duplicity.

Overall, A Peculiar Combination is a vivid, atmospheric, highly entertaining tale by Weaver that is not only a fantastic start to the Electra McDonnell series but, in my opinion, the perfect choice for anyone who loves a lighthearted, amusing, historical mystery.

What do you get when you combine a feisty, safe-cracking heroine and a uptight, ram-rod straight army intelligence major? A can’t miss combination of mystery, romance, and historical fiction. Set in London during WWII, this new series introduces Electra “Ellie” McDonnell, who along with her uncle Mick make part of their living breaking into the houses of those who have fled the city for the safer environs of the countryside. Their current job seems too easy, and it is. They are set up by Major Gabriel Ramsey, who needs just their particular talents. He requires help breaking into the safe of a traitor and convinces Ellie to cooperate by threatening she and her uncle with prison. When the break-in is unsuccessful, Ellie decides to continue helping Ramsey sort through a cast of suspects and possible traitors in a race against time, to keep war secrets out of the hands of the Germans.

This first book in what promises to be an exciting new series, is chockfull of intrigue, suspense, wit, and romance. An intricately plotted storyline, with crisp dialogue, this is a great read for fans of cozy mysteries, historical fiction, WWII historical fiction and romance. I cannot wait for the next installment!

A Peculiar Combination, first in a thrilling new series by Ashley Weaver, had me at the first click of a safe being picked! Electra McDonnell and her uncle Mick are caught soon after they steal jewels from a safe in an upscale house. Turns out, they were set up by a secret branch of the British government, seeking safecrackers they can use in the war against the Nazis.

I adored gutsy Electra, her handsome love interest, the atmosphere of espionage, and the deftly written tale that made me gasp when unraveled. Perfect for fans of feisty female characters, gripping hist fic, and romance that hints at much much more. Highly recommended!

5 of 5 Stars
Pub Date 25 May 2021
#APeculiarCombination #NetGalley

Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the review copy. Opinions are mine.

I loved this story! How often does a female professional safe cracker get to become an important assent to the British as she helps a rather stuffy British Major capture a double agent. Filled not only with suspense, but it is also at times humorous as Ellie McDonnell finds herself and her father’s rather dubious friends helpful to the survival of the British empire. And of course, there is a little romance, as Ellie finds herself unwillingly becoming enamored of the British Major. There are many cozy British spy mysteries, but author, Ashley Weaver, has found a heroine who stands out from the others. I look forward to more books in the series.

I was excited to see that Ashley Weaver had a new series coming out. That it was set during one of my favorite time periods to read about - WWII - was a bonus. While I enjoy her Amory Ames series, I liked A Peculiar Combination a bit more.

It's not just because it is set during WWII that I enjoyed it more. I loved the characters. I saw similarities to Amory Ames in the main character Electra "Ellie" McDonnell but by the end of the book she was her own character and I definitely wanted to read more about her adventures.

The supporting cast was great. When I read an Amory mystery I don't feel there are a lot of supporting characters. There's her husband, of course, but they have an odd relationship. In A Peculiar Combination, there are a number of characters surrounding Ellie. There's her Uncle Mick and Major Ramsay. You can see early on that Weaver is setting up a love triangle with Ellie, the major, and Ellie's long-time friend Felix. At this moment, I'm rooting for both of them.

So we have great characters, but we also get a great plot. I love spy books. Weaver did an awesome job with the plot. You will be guessing to the end who the traitor is. I was totally shocked, It came out nowhere but made perfect sense on the person was revealed. I loved the whole espionage scenario. I read a lot of spy thrillers but this is only my second spy cozy. I loved it. Weaver was able to perfectly balance the tension of a spy story with the lightness of a cozy mystery.

The cover is quite eye-catching, don't you think? It matches the story so well. It signals right off the bat that this is going to be a bit edgier than a typical cozy mystery, but you can subtly see the elements that are often associated with cozy covers.

I can't wait until there is another book in this series.

My review will be published at Girl Who Reads on Monday, May 24 - https://www.girl-who-reads.com/2021/05/a-peculiar-combination-by-ashley-weaver.html

I so enjoyed this new book by Ashley Weaver! A Peculiar Combination is the first of her new mystery series set during WWII featuring Electra McDonnell, her uncle Mick and various other miscreants. Uncle Mick is a locksmith and expert safecracker and has taught Electra (Ellie) everything he knows. When they are caught in the middle of a job by Major Ramsey the jig is up...so to speak. Major Ramsey is British Intelligence and offers to free them if Ellie will help him retrieve some sensitive papers before they are turned over to the Germans by an unknown spy. Thus begins one of the most enjoyable mysteries I've read in quite awhile! There are spies and double agents galore, not to mention danger and double crosses facing our heroine before the mystery is solved. Thanks to her unconventional upbringing Ellie is a strong, clever woman, and she cares deeply for her country and the people in her life. Major Ramsey starts out as a straightlaced military man but even he comes under Ellie's spell. The traitor came as a complete surprise to me...well done Ms. Weaver! The only reason I'm giving this book 4.5 stars instead of 5 is I didn't quite have the feeling of 1940 London about me....other than that I LOVED this book and I can't wait to read the next in this delightful series.
Thanks to Netgalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley.

This is a great combination of historical fiction, mystery, and spy thriller. The key characters went from a life of crime (safe-cracking, breaking and entering, etc.) to covert espionage work for the British Government during WWII.

The characters are well developed and interesting. Their "assorted skills" are brought into play as they try to support their country, instead of going to jail.

I look forward to reading future books in the Electra McDonnel series.

Spies + safe-cracking + a smart, brave, funny female protagonist + a smidge of potential romance

When Electra (Ellie) McDonnell and her sometimes locksmith/sometimes thief Uncle Mick are caught robbing a safe, they are coerced into using their unique talents to assist the British government in their fight against Nazi spies.

Despite her unconventional entry into the world of espionage, a rocky start to her working relationship with her (super hot) handler, Major Ramsey, and finding herself in increasingly risky situations, Ellie is determined to use all of her skills to contribute to the war effort.

This was a *very* fun read and made me really want to read other books by @ashleyweaverauthor. I loved Ellie, am lightly in love with the Major, and especially liked the mini lesson on safe-cracking. I’m so excited that this is going to be a series and can’t wait to see what Ellie gets up to next!

One of these days, I'll tire of reading historical mysteries set during World War II, but I don't show any signs of slowing down-- especially when books like Ashley Weaver's A Peculiar Combination are being published. If you're a fan of series like Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope or Allison Montclair's Sparks and Bainbridge, you're going to enjoy adding this new series to your reading list.

Ellie is smart, brave, and definitely a quick thinker. Her reasons for distrusting law enforcement give her character more depth and will definitely have readers on her side. Once Ellie begins working with Major Ramsey, she likes the feeling it gives her; she feels that, for the first time in a long time, she's doing something good. Ellie gets stubborn when anyone tries to intimidate her, and I really appreciated the fact that, although there are times she doesn't want to tell the irritating Major Ramsey everything she knows, she's smart enough to realize that keeping things from him will only cause her grief in the long run.

Naturally, the major with a titled background, Hollywood good looks, and ramrod down his back is there to provide a hint of impending romance as well as a source of annoyance. Normally, I don't care for romance in my mysteries, but Weaver has such a light touch with it that I enjoyed the sparks, and she makes the major's backstory so intriguing that I have to know more.

The mystery is a good one in A Peculiar Combination, the story flows smoothly, and with the main characters so skillfully introduced, I'm looking forward to more burgling, safecracking, and romantic sparks in the books to come.

I got about 25% through this book and the characters were just not believe to me. They didn’t sound English. The would use American idiomatic phrases. I couldn’t continue. The story just wasn’t believable and I had a hard time feeling a connection to any character.

This is a new to me author and I will be looking for more not only in this series, but other works. I enjoyed the way the characters interact with each other. This was action packed and keep me on the edge of my seat. Can’t wait to see what
happens next!

My sincere thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for allowing me the privilege of reading this new series!

We have here an adventurous WWII spy novel with a little bit of romance written into it. Electra has a great backstory. She is a thief who was born in prison to a woman who would later be murdered. Electra's own father is convicted of her mother's death. So, she has issues. One night she and her uncle are caught after robbing a safe in an empty home. They are brought into the world of subterfuge and violence as they are enlisted to help keep the Nazis from getting important war plans.

Where it goes from there is action packed. There isn't really much new here. This isn't the type of novel you finish and think, "Wow, I've never seen anything like that." Which isn't bad. It's a good old fashioned spy thriller. I have become pretty bored with British books set in WWII. I sometimes think they see it with a nostalgia that is unrivaled anywhere in the world. However, in this book it was quaint.

I look forward to seeing what more we can find out about Electra and the Major.

Ashley Weaver has done a great job with the first in this new series! Electra (Ellie) is a fun, clever heroine as a safe cracker turned spy (in order to avoid jail) during WWII. The book kept my interest throughout. This enjoyable adventure / caper novel is also part murder mystery and has a decent amount of light romance to keep the reader entertained. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

It's WWII London and Ellie and Uncle Mick find themselves in a pickle when they are caught after breaking into a house and stealing jewels. They find themselves pressed into service in the effort to find the traitor who has been passing information to the Germans. Major Ramsey makes a deal with Ellie- help him and she (and Mick) won't go to jail. This sets up a romp of a caper, with spies, double dealing, and murder. THere's a bit of a love interest in Ramsey but even more so in Felix, Ellie's childhood friend who is back from service in France (and won't be going back). No spoilers from me but this has some very good twists (I was surprised). The characters are delightful and the concept of a female safecracker helping the war effort is a fun one. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I'm hopeful we'll see Ellie again.

This book did not disappoint, it is a stunning start to a new historical series.

I love the character of Electra McDonnell who is crafty, independent, and strong. She can crack a safe, pick a lock, and ferret out the truth with the best of them. She doesn’t wait for the men to rescue her, she takes care of herself.

While there was a murder, the focus was on the spy mystery. A quest to figure out who was transferring secret documents to the Germans? It was an entertaining backdrop to learning about the characters in this new series.

I also liked that there was a touch of romance with both the hunky Major who recruits Electra to help him catch the spies. Also, some sparks with a childhood friend who is injured and back from the war.

From the characters, the plot, and the romance, this book deserves all five stars! I can’t wait for the next book in the series.