The Key to Deceit is the second novel in Ashley Weaver's World War II historical series Electra McDonnell. The first book, A Peculiar Combination, was one of my favorite books last year. I was extremely excited to get an ARC of the follow-up. However, there is always the worry that the first one was a fluke and the second one will not come close to measuring up. I'm pleased to say I enjoyed this one as much as the first!

In London 1940, the war is about to come to England's shores. Electra "Ellie" McDonnell is part of a family of safe crackers and thieves. They are now assisting the government's war effort. It wasn't something they set out to do, but after a break-in gone wrong they were forced by Major Ramsey to help Britain's intelligence service. Ellie doesn't miss her past life as much as she thought she would, though she does miss the challenge and adrenaline rush of unlocking codes. Major Ramsey once again comes a-knocking, needing Ellie's help in a new situation. The body of a young woman is found in the Thames; she has a bracelet locked on her wrist with a cameo locket attached. Major Ramsey believes she was involved in espionage, but for which side? And why was she murdered? They are determined to find out, a task made even more dangerous as German planes begin to bomb London.

I am beyond happy to have Ellie McDonnell, Major Ramsey and the rest of the gang back! Ellie and her Uncle Mick are working hard to stay on the straight and narrow, though being honest isn't all that exciting. While Uncle Mick is out of town, straight-laced and stern Major Ramsey returns, requesting assistance with a new mystery. Who is the deceased young woman, and why does she have a bracelet and locket locked on her wrist? Ellie of course is eager to help, and she assists the Major by removing the locket which, they discover, conceals a small camera. The dead woman was obviously spying, but for whom? And just who is the spymaster? Stubborn Ellie refuses to be left behind by the Major as he continues the investigation... did he really think she would? I just adore our heroine! Ellie is talented, smart, witty and as I said before, extremely stubborn. I love her relationship with Major Ramsey. They are total opposites and shouldn't mix well together, but they do. Their chemistry is great and smoulders beneath the surface. Complicating that relationship is Ellie's blossoming romance with her dear friend Felix Lacey, who just happeown. to be a talented forger. Some people may not care for romance mixed with their mysteries, but I do! I can understand her attraction to both men, but I'm rooting for the military man! I was glad to become reacquainted with Ellie's Uncle Mick, cousin Colm and housekeeper Nacy. The mystery here was a great one. I didn't come close in guessing who the spymaster was! The storyline of Ellie trying to determine the truth about her mother who was accused of murdering her father continues here. My favorite parts of the book, however, concerned the beginning of the German bombing of London. They all knew it was coming, but the reality of it is simply shocking. The author painted a vivid picture of the fear, horror but also the bravery of the Brits. They would not be beaten down. I started to cry when I was drawn into Ellie's fear as they hid in their cellar, not knowing if they would have a home when they emerged. It really turned up the series a notch. The only thing I hated is knowing I have to wait a year for the next book!

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

In the first book in the Electra McDonnell series (A Peculiar Combination) Electra and her Uncle Mick are caught robbing a safe and are coerced by the British government to use their unique skillset to help stop Nazi spies. There was some serious romantic tension building between Electra and her handler, the moody (HOT) Major Ramsey, but Electra thinks her work with him is done, until [now we're on book two!] a dead woman is found floating in the Thames with a bracelet locked to her wrist, and Ramsey is back and in need of further assistance.

This was a fun read, but I didn't love the storyline quite as much as the first book. I would also love to see things progress a bit further with Ramsey and Electra -- there wasn't as much crackling tension as I'd like. I did enjoy hearing more about Electra's mom's backstory! Overall, a solid second installment of the series, and I am already excited to see what happens in book 3!


3.5 rounded up

I finished the first book in a few hours and couldn’t wait for more! So you can imagine my squeals of excitement when I saw this book pop up on netgalley.

These mysteries are such fun! The eccentric cast of characters and intriguing mystery make for a riveting story.

This is one of those series where I wish they had all been published years ago so I didn’t have to wait more than a few minutes to get my hands on the next installment!

Needless to say I am waiting with bated breath to see what happens to Ellie and the crew next!

A very enjoyable read, this one has a little something for everyone. This is the second in the Electra McDonnell series but it was not necessary to have read the first. A combination of safe crackers, thieves, British intelligence, spy games and romance keeps the reader entertained all the way through. Wonderful characters and a good plot make this a must read for mystery readers.
#TheKeytoDeceit#NetGalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for granting me another FABULOUS Electra (Ellie) McDonnell WWII adventure, featuring all the same memorable cast of characters--Major Ramsay, Felix, and Uncle Mick. In this installment, Major Ramsay needs help breaking up a German spy ring and Ellie is very eager to help. Great character repartee and good pacing throughout. Ms. Weaver does an expert job writing mysteries. Very much looking forward to her next adventure!

Tinker. Tailor. Soldier. Spy.
Who can discreetly spy on the spies?

Ashley Weaver presents her second edition of the Electra McDonnell Series. It's August of 1940 in London during World War II with the fear of potential bombings arriving at their doorsteps. Londoners live with impending danger around every corner.

Major Ramsey of the Intelligence Service contacts Ellie McDonnell to assist him on another case. They worked together successfully in A Peculiar Combination. Ellie and her family are crafty locksmiths who have used their unusual talents on the other side of the law in the past. But they've turned over a new leaf and are using their wits for the government during war time.

A woman's body has been found floating in the Thames. She's wearing an unusual cameo bracelet around her wrist that has a strange lock attached. Ramsey knows that Ellie can open even the most difficult of locks. It's a trip to the morgue where Ellie also notices how refined the woman had been dressed. She clicks open the bracelet and discovers a small camera inside. It appears that this woman may have been caught up in espionage.

What starts out as a crackin' good spy novel quickly hits the dirt with a thud. Ashley Weaver did a smacking good job with the first book, A Peculiar Combination. I was doubting that this book was written by the same author. Weaver brings in a heavy layer of a love triangle that overshadows all and everything. Instead of danger and mayhem aplenty in the opening scenes, we get Ellie mooning over Ramsey and breathing heavily over her new boyfriend, Felix. And this goes on throughout the book. Enough........way more than enough.

The Key to Deceit had so much potential in the beginning stages. There's a heap of good avenues here: dead bodies, hidden cameras, the Blitzkrieg, German/British spies. And each only received a light dusting and then seemed to be scrambled together at the end. The bank scene was more of a diversion as well. A high interest storyline was given over to hearts and flowers.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books and to Ashley Weaver for the opportunity.

In this second outing for Electra, Major Ramsey again uses her skills as a thief to help solve the murder of a young woman found in the Thames. The Major suspects a connection to Germany and Electra finds herself invested in solving crimes as much as in stealing. Its the beginning days of the Blitz for this continuation of a fascinating mystery series.

This second book in author Ashley Weaver's "Elektra McDonnell" series, is a delightful murder mystery and so much more. The setting is mid-summer, 1940 London. The Germans have set their sights on England from both the air and the ground. Everyone's on tenterhooks as they anticipate an attack. Meanwhile our plucky Elektra McDonnell ("Ellie" to her family and friends as well as locksmith and reformed thief), has been approached by the dishy Major Ramsey with a request for her assistance. A woman's body has been retrieved from the Thames wearing a bracelet with a simple lock in need of unlocking. Ellie makes short schrift of the lock and they discover that there is even more to this bauble than meets the eye. There is something rather nefarious about the dead woman. Who was her handler and who wanted her dead?

The story itself was not terribly complex but the idiosyncratic characters were what made the book for me. Ellie's uncle and cousins are all part of the family theft ring. Major Ramsey, the rigid upright British officer and member of the Ton, has again drawn on the services and skills of Ellie and her talented relations in order to get to the bottom of the mystery. There's also a bit of a love triangle in the story with Ellie at its center. Only time will tell where that leads. The writing is clean, well crafted and the characters are interesting and well-developed. The mise en scène was deftly created and one could imagine strolling through the rubble of a blitzed London. All in all, this was a sweet and enjoyable historical mystery. Even though I started this series with book two, there was enough background information to not be totally asea. Yet, the story was charming enough that I will definitely be going back to the first book to get caught up. If a fun historical mystery is your jam, then this may be just the right book for you.

I am grateful to Minotaur books for having provided a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Their generosity, however, has not influenced this review - the words of which are mine alone.

As much as I enjoyed book one in this series, The Key to Deceit showed so much improvement by the author.

The story was less sensationalized; still an adventure, but a more realistic one. The plot was tighter, shorter, and made more sense; much less messy and drawn out. Happily, the same characters we are quickly coming to love are back and in top form.

The only real problem I saw was the ridiculous amount of ham-fisted patriotism. I felt like I was stumbling into a war bond rally every five minutes. I expected a rousing rendition of God Save the King after every bomb. There has been a flood of WWII era fiction over the past several years; we surely understand the feelings of Londoners at that time. Ease off just a bit, please. I'm gagging on my afternoon tea and biscuits.

Other than that, there were just small things that a good proofreading could easily fix, such as the overuse of the word 'lovely'.

I give The Key to Deceit 4 1/2 enthusiastic stars and am already looking forward to the next book in the series.

An enjoyable mashup of WWII intrigue and local larceny.
Engaging characters, romantic tensions, and a good mystery.

I am so sad to have to give this less than 3 stars. I really enjoyed the first one and was interested in a second and it just fell flat to me. almost wish the first one was longer and it would have ended there.

This is the second book in the Ellie McDonnell series. The series is set in WWII London and features Ellie and her family of not always "honest" locksmiths assisting Britain's security forces. I loved the first book and am pleased to say the second is just as good.
The Major once again requires Ellie's assistance to solve a mystery. His case involves the body of a murdered woman with a locked bracelet. There may be a link to espionage. The story is good. The characters are true to the societal norms of the times. The book is a delightful blend of mystery, thrills, romance and humor. I am anxiously looking forward to a third volume.
For fans of the Maisie Dobbs and Bess Crawford series.
This is a review of an advanced reader copy provided by NetGalley.

The Key To Deceit is the second book in the Electra McDonnell series and I just can't seem to get enough.. I enjoyed this novel so much. The characters are now a part of my family, and I am all in with their spy and mystery solving adventures. The writing has me so captivated that I feel as I am right there in their midst experiencing what they are going through. The love triangle has me rooting for Felix in one chapter and Major Ramsey in the next. What a conundrum. I like them both. So, I am waiting on bated breath to see how this will all pan out. I certainly hope there are many more adventures to come.
*I was given a copy of this book by the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
4.5 stars

This is the second booking the Electra McDonnell series set in England during WWII. The heroine Ellie is once again teaming up with the dashing Major Ramsey to stop a spy ring of Germans working in London.
I love this series of everyday people doing the part for the war effort. As I read the book, I almost felt like I was part of the Blitz. I cannot wait for the next adventure.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing a copy of this book for review.

A page-turning mystery set in WWII London!
Ellie McDonnell and her engaging Uncle Mick have reformed, giving up their thieving ways to help the war efforts under the command of the inscrutable Major Ramsey- not that they had much choice. When the major shows up with a new request/command for assistance, Ellie’s thrilled to jump into the fray.

A young woman is found floating in the Thames wearing an expensive fur coat with a bracelet and cameo locked onto her wrist. It’s clear she’s been murdered, and the major’s sources assure him she was part of an espionage ring sending key information to the Germans. Though he hates to bring civilians- especially the headstrong Ellie- into his investigations, time is of the essence and the McDonnells are the best in the business.

Ellie and Major Ramsey are thrust into a nest of spies who are photographing key locations in London for the German invasion. The closer they get to the truth, the more danger and death surrounds them.

Set amid the devastation of WWII, Weaver brings us onto the streets of war-torn London with air raid sirens blaring and blackouts creating a mysterious backdrop to intrigue. There’s a second storyline going that’s every bit as interesting with Ellie’s search for the truth about her deceased mother who spent her life in prison for the murder of her husband, Ellie’s father. Add to that, an interesting cast of characters, a possible love triangle, a missing cousin, and you have the makings for a thrilling television series- hint, hint!

This is the second book in the Electra McDonnell series but can easily be read as a standalone.

I should have known that no bad love triangle ever goes unpunished. I am known to completely shut down at the slightest hint of a love triangle, but the mystery in APC was entertaining enough to push through the whisper of a triangle.

Not here. Not only was the mystery and action lackluster, the plot took forever to get going. When it did finally rev up, we stalled out over and over again every time one of the love interests entered a scene. No matter what was happening, each entrance was punctuated with an inner monologue of Ellie’s indecision about which one she likes better. And despite the author’s best intentions to make it believable, it’s so obvious which one Weaver likes best and Ellie will ultimately end up with- and not just because one has an excellent characterization and one is a pale 2D sketch whose development over two books has been minimal and uninteresting. It made me really dislike Ellie, who is supposed to be independent and savvy and instead spent most of her time puzzling over her attraction to two different men.
Look, not to go on and on about the triangle, but it was the only thing happening for most of this book. Even when Ellie was tracking spies or literally being threatened with death, her internal thoughts revolved around them- and not even because they were involved in the action! This was supposed to be about espionage and solving a crime, but the climax of the entire book lasted about two pages.

Look, for people who don’t mind them (like fans of Stephanie Plum) this love triangle will probably not be an issue. But I was not a fan of those books and I’m not sure I’ll continue in this series.

This author has a good series going, and she knows how to create a good story and characters. I hope this series finds an audience. Recommended.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!

Key to Deceit by Ashley Weaver

Another exciting mystery needs solving, and once again Major Ramsey calls on the McDonnell family for help. Locksmiths by trade, they sit on the cusp of criminal behavior, but the prim and proper major can overlook a thing or two.

Narrator and niece Ellie is eager for an adventure and the major is easy on the eyes. She is always available to help her country, and it is wartime. WWII is in full swing and London is in danger of being bombed. The Germans must be stopped.

What I loved most was being entertained every step of the way, smiling until the author, with perfect timing, turned up the tension towards the end. Weaver’s writing style is fun and engaging; her characters endearing.

This is a story all readers will enjoy. It’s a five star read and I thank #StMartinsPress and #NetGalley for my ARC.

espionage, WW2, family-dynamics, family, historical-fiction, historical-places-events, historical-research, suspense, witty, 1940, London, romantic, safecrackers, family-business, forgery, picklock, spies, secrets, lies*****

A well-dressed woman is found floating in the Thames wearing a very unusual, locked bracelet. The intelligence service spymaster calls upon Ellie the picklock/safecracker to open it. It is a camera and then the hunt is on to find the information and the dead woman's handler. All during The Blitz.
The undercurrent story line is the conflicting current of attraction that Ellie has for both her aristocratic military spymaster and for her old friend (and crush) the forger who lost a leg to The Great War and is helping her to research some history regarding her mother who died from Influenza.
This is not a thriller but borders on being a comfortable cozy historical mystery and I loved it.
I requested and received a free e-book copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Thank you!

Ashley Weaver's second installment in the Electra McDonnell series is a delight! As an avid fan of her Amory Ames series, I enjoy her second series just as much! In this entry, Ellie helps Major Ramsey from the first book in solving a murder with her expert lockpicking skills. Weaver brings the cast of characters back in this story with a few new welcome additions in this motley, but loving crew. As she joins the Major in his investigation, we also get glimpses into Ellie's love life and perhaps a love triangle in a future book. I also loved how Weaver weaved in the beginnings of the Germans bombing London and the impact that has on Ellie and her family. While I still miss the Amory Ames series, this is another welcome addition to read with great character development, mystery and intrigue, and a sprinkling of romance.