I simply could not put Locked In Pursuit down after starting the latest book in the Electra McDonnell series. The historical detail of London during the Blitz of WWII was fascinating and helped set the tone of the mystery. What pleased me the most was the moral development of the main character as she slowly evolves across the series. I’m excited for the series to continue with the exploration of a romantic relationship spanning the class divide, the risk posed by spies and espionage during WW II along with the plot development of the story behind Electra’s parents tragic demise.

I absolutely devoured 'Locked in Pursuit' by Ashley Weaver within two evenings of receiving it, and after constantly checking for updates due to the cliffhanger she left us poor readers dangling from in Electra's previous adventure. I can't wait to go back and re-read it slowly as I rushed through it, in order to savour my favourite passages.

And what a love letter indeed to Ellie/Electra's devotees with enough backstory for any reader joining midway because this latest edition doesn't disappoint!

I was super delighted that this one picked up not too far along after where things left off previously, nor that we didn't have too wait long before Ellie and Major Ramsey are back on the trail of one of the things they do best together: sniffing out enemy spy activities. I was honestly guffawing out loud at the author's deft way of portraying their 'battle-of-the wits' intermingled with their warring personal emotions towards one another, which have been one of my favourite aspects of these characters and this series. I also love the addition of meeting others from the major's world that provide more insights to Ellie's (and us readers) need to discover more about his closed-book life.

Without going into spoilers territory, I also felt Ellie's increased uncertainty and post-traumatic stress from the events of the previous book rang true, especially during war time, as she tries to cope with it on her own. Even though she was keeping things from those she normally trusted, it was good to see her continue to delve into the intel she learned about her parents' past.

On the relationship front, I was glad to see more progress with the dreaded triangle, and Ellie's attempts to muddle through this quagmire. It's good to see her budding maturity in terms of wanting to clarify things with Felix and the major, even if things take heart-beating turns with both of them. As much as I liked the banter and swoon-worthy aspects of their interactions in this story, I do hope that things resolve more between Ellie and Gabriel by the next adventure because it now feels a bit needlessly drawn out.

The mystery and sleuthing plot retained more of the wonderful WWII spy caper pacing from the first book that I love about this series. It was good to meet others from the McDonnell's shady community and see Uncle Mick involved again. Without giving too much away, I could not have predicted the ending at all, and look forward to seeing how their next mission plays out.

Fellow lovers of Electra and Ashely Weaver's writing, you will absolutely LOVE this continuing tale, and new readers, I highly recommend you go back and start at the beginning to get the full meal deal. Huge thanks to Netgalley and Ashley for providing this advance copy that has actually whetted my appetite for the next one already.

I was very excited to receive an early copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for a review. I haven't really written a review before but here you go:

This is the fourth book in the series and I've read all of the previous titles. I think it would be best to read them all in order as it makes this book more impactful. I won't give a synopsis as that's easy to find and better done than I would do. The story takes place three months after the finale of the last book. Ellie, the main character, while back home with her family, is much more on her own in this book. She is trying to deal with the stress of all that has happened (the war, the Blitz, her cousin missing, the Major's injuries, the revelations about her late father) on her own and I think it all comes to a head by the end of the book. She makes some poor decisions that have unintended consequences in terms of her romantic and professional relationships. I was surprised by the seriousness of some of the outcomes.

The "love triangle" takes a big step towards resolution but not in a particularly happy way. I'm not a big fan of love triangles or will they/won't they situations so I was happy that this part of the ongoing story moved forward. There are some new characters introduced - some from the criminal world and some from Major Ramsey's life - and those added a lot of interest to the story. This is nitpicking but there were a few word choices that were weird - one word I had to stop and look up.

I think overall the tension and seriousness was much stronger in this book than in the previous ones. The pace also seemed much faster. I enjoyed it very much and it set up the story for the next book very well. Actually, the next book's story is what I thought this book's story would be. But, as usual, the author seems to know what the characters need to do first better than me. There's also a fun nod to the author's Amory Ames books that I enjoyed.

Writing: 3/5 Characters: 4/5 Plot: 3.5/5

A perfect airplane read! Number four in the Electra McDonnell series in which a (former) safe cracking thief turns her skills to help the British government in the person of the (handsome, naturally) Major Ramsey in London around 1941. Some nice twists and connections to historical events. I like all the characters — they are interesting and well drawn. In addition to the case in hand, each book makes some progress on Electra’s backstory (father murdered and mother accused of the crime before Electra was born) while the Electra and stoic Major Ramsey romance continues at a steady parboil.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced reader copy of LOCKED IN PURSUIT, the 4th book in the Electra McDonnell series. I was absolutely thrilled to get this ARC, but sad that once AGAIN, I have finished Electra's latest adventure with Major Ramsay in one day!! Loaded with action and great scenes between the two, this story is set a few months after their last adventure. Ellie reads about a robbery in the paper that she realizes she and Uncle Mick hadn't heard about from their inside sources, and she immediately guesses something isn't right. She uses it as an excuse to run it by Major Ramsay and they are off like a shot on another thrilling adventure through wartime London. Some tantalizing new light is shed on the mystery surrounding Ellie's parents, as well as news on one of her cousins, who has been MIA. Love how Ms. Weaver teases out the details of Ellie's life. This episode sees definite progress in Ellie's relationship with the major.♡♡ Highly recommend!!

The fourth book in the Electra McDonnell series was a page-turner. I wish I would have limited myself to one chapter a week so it wouldn't seem so impossibly long until the next book.

I'd highly recommend reading the previous three books in the series as they build upon one another. This one finds Ellie back home in London amidst a frigid January. Ashley Weaver does a wonderful job conveying the mood through the cold.

We get more of a backstory to several things, including a bit of Ellie's parents and also Ramsey's family, as we are introduced to one of his sisters. I came to like Ramsey's character more, while actually getting more irritated with Ellie. She is understandably under a cloud over the revelation about her father, which we learned in the last book, and is more affected by what happened in Sunderland than she realizes. However, her poor decision-making and feeling the need to keep things secret makes quite a mess. And she shares a defect with Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, as Mr. Darcy pointed out, which was "wilfully to misunderstand" everyone but particularly Ramsey, in Ellie's case. To be honest, if the back and forth of their relationship continues in the fifth book, I'm not sure I'll bother reading a sixth.

The mystery storyline was thrilling and fast-paced. I really enjoyed the details of it and learning a bit of the situation in Portugal during WWII. And I have to add, I love the titles in this series, very clever.

Oh man, this series is heating up. It feels way too long to already be anxiously awaiting book 5!

We join back up with Ellie three months after the events in Playing it Safe. Unlike the previous books in the series, the mission, while interesting, takes a backseat to other dilemmas in the character's lives.

Ellie is grappling with the news she learned about her father, and is wondering how to move forward with the knowledge, without anticipating the danger rattling old cages can cause.

Major Ramsey is still recovering from his injuries, and I think we see a lighter side of him in this book. Less rigid, more human in recognizing how he pushes himself 24/7 from fear of what a lapse in vigilance may cause. When Ellie notices the suspicious burglary and reports it to him, we see his drive to determine what the threat may be, while also having him show a bit more reflection and action in his work with Ellie.

While the mystery revolves around tracking burglaries and determining who from a flight from Lisbon is concealing information, Ellie seems to play a bit fast and loose with her own personal safety, and that is more of the story this time. For me, this was a bit frustrating - though I think it will lead to positive character development in the future - I just want to be mad at her for some of her actions in this book. For a reformed thief she seems to still have trouble recognizing when she is crossing a line, while at the same time seeming too innocent to understand the potential negatives to agree to do any sort of favor-for-a-favor. I both want her to be a better criminal and a more honest person.

Ellie and Major Ramsey continue their will-they-won't-they dance, though the complexities of their relationship continue to grow in ways that will be more than difficult to overcome.

The ending - I knew something was coming, but I didn't expect it to be as explosive as it was in the last chapter - I think the tone of the next book will be very different from the previous four, and, again, I think we will see a lot of growth from Ellie. The danger in the new mission will have larger stakes than any of the previous books - and Ellie's mystery around her parents continues to loom in the background. Her tense relationship with the major will truly be at an inflection point - and I'm both excited and dreaded to see where the story goes next year.

I absolutely loved the 4th installment of the Electra McDonnell series! The mystery was well-plotted and there was a twist at the end that I did not expect. I always enjoy the mysteries in this series but my very favorite part is the characters, especially Electra and Major Ramsey. Loved the character growth in this book and really enjoyed getting to meet Ramsey’s sister. I was also glad to see Ellie being honest with Felix at the end. I cannot wait to for the next installment!!! I am really hoping for more progress in Ellie and the Major’s relationship.

It’s always a pleasure to pick up an Ashley Weaver book. I'm thrilled to also say that Locked in Pursuit was fan-freakin’-tastic! It took me a day and a half to read, and every time I had to put the book down to do other things, I always ran back to it as soon as I finished. To start off, I absolutely love the character development in this one. As the series progresses, we are finally getting some real deets! For instance, Electra gets more information and insight on the death of her parents. Major Ramsey ( Swoon!) finally gives you a bigger insight into his thoughts, especially concerning Electra, and you get a little peek into his family. The mystery was interesting too, but for me, I enjoyed the journey (the quick story progression) more than anything else. It was like finally being able to see a clearer picture of a puzzle.

The book ended on a slight cliffhanger. I won't lie and tell tales, but it's definitely going to tie in to the next book. Weaver made me think I had the ending all figured out, but she threw a curveball. But a good curveball! That’s kinda of how I felt about the last book's ending too. But I love roller coasters, so I can't complain.

I was sad to see the book end because I knew I’d have to wait till next year for another new installment. But it is definitely worth the wait. Looking forward to the next read in the Electra McDonnell series!

I have been reading this author’s Amory Ames series, which i loved for the first dozen or so. There was no character growth. I love this Electra character very much, i love her Uncle. I have read the first book and now this one. I am highly recommending it. I absolutely loved it. I am terrified history will repeat itself and put Electra in a rut. I can see the signs, but i hope not.

Ashley Weaver likes to play with my emotions and it's going to take all the way until the NEXT book for me to recover!!!!

I would highly recommend for readers to start with the previous books in the Electra McDonnell series (especially the last one, #3) before they dive into this - not because of confusion - but mostly for the opportunity to really discover and understand the dynamics of all the main characters and how all their pieces are currently coming together. Example: I personally found Electra to be a more emotional and reckless soul in this book when she wasn't so much in the past, but she's understandably this way now bc of the events that took place towards the end of book #3.

This was overall another great work of mystery, historical espionage, and romance all rolled into one!

Thank you Netgalley and Minotaur for the ARC!

I am delighted when I see a new title for offer by Ashley Weaver. Electra McDonnell and her family are/were thieves with the highest ability in cracking locks and safes until they were caught and recruited by Major Ramsey to help with the war effort. Ellie is quite good with spying and working with Major Ramsey so when she sees a notice about a robbery in the paper she think is nothing of reaching out to the Major. Once again they’re a team and although it’s a little awkward after their kiss last time the two work well together while going after a mysterious package from Lisbon. A combo WW2 historic, mystery and romance rolled in one, this series has all the elements to keep you wanting more. The pacing of the storyline through the books is spot on, the romance heating and cooling leaves you wanting more, and the plots are interesting. But the characters and how Weaver writes them is the main draw for me, especially Electra. All in all a great series and a great read. You can start with this book alone, but it’s more fun if you start at the beginning of the series. Her Amory Ames mystery series is wonderful as well, and I hope we see another in that soon as well.