Locked in Purusit is book 4 of Ashley Weaver’s Electra McDonnell WW II-era historical mystery series which follows Electra “Ellie” McDonnell, a second generation London safecracker who has been recruited/blackmailed by the handsome (and very starchy) Major Gabriel Ramsey to use her skills to support the war effort. In previous books, we’ve seen Ellie use not only her skills as a thief but her keen observational skills and good looks in various plots/investigations to root out German spies in England, all while fighting her attraction to the often infuriating Major Ramsey and looking into the truth of her parents’ deaths, both of whom died before she was born.

In Locked in Pursuit, we find Ellie reeling both from what she’s learned about her father (I won’t say more here to avoid spoilers) and her last mission with Ramsey which resulted in both a potentially ill-advised kiss and his serious injury. When she spots a newspaper article about a suspicious robbery, she takes it to Ramsey who discovers a number of people searching for a critical piece of intel. Soon she and Ramsey are working together to find and steal the document first. In the meantime, Ellie is trying to learn more about her father’s mysterious past and edges back into her role as a thief in exchange for information, leading her to keeping secrets from pretty much everyone in her life (to arguably disastrous effect).

Locked in Pursuit was another great installment in this fantastic series! I couldn’t put it down. It was so fun to finally see the relationship between Ellie and Ramsey (and Ellie and her childhood friend and maybe beau Felix) evolve and I am glad we are starting to get more about her parents. Ashley Weaver excels at thorny relationships in her mystery series and it is going to be so interesting to see how Ellie and Ramsey interact with the secrets/distrust that remain between them. I cannot wait until book 5 which will take us out of England for the first time!

Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I thought this was really well written and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future. I think it will find readers at our library, so we will definitely be purchasing for the collection.

4.5 Out of 5 Stars

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! While it isn’t as action-packed and suspense-filled as the last book was, it is a pivotal book for the series and the characters. We see the introduction of some new characters – will they stay? We also see a resolution to the relationship triangle, but not in the way you thought it might go. Plus, we get some exciting news and a cliffhanger that sets up the next book. Nicely woven through all of that is a spy story that has to be resolved. Yes, a very satisfying read indeed!

It has been three long months since Major Ramsey was shot four times and nearly died during their last case at Sunderland. Electra (Ellie) hasn’t heard a word from the Major and she’s had no jobs with his intelligence agency. Boredom and fretfulness are creeping in when she notices an article in the paper. It details a robbery having taken place during a dinner party – but – something about it just doesn’t seem right. As a master thief, Ellie knows all the elements of a robbery being ‘right’, and this one just hits a wrong note. She’s not sure why it strikes her as wrong, but she thinks she should bring it to Major Ramsey’s attention.

Major Ramsey doesn’t seem particularly delighted to see her, nor does he think much of her ‘feelings’ about that robbery. However, it seems he did take her seriously as he has found two other robberies that fit that same ‘odd’ mold and they begin their investigation. They aren’t sure what they are looking for – if anything – but they are looking into all of the robberies and those who were robbed. Soon, they discover the reason for the robberies and what they should be looking for.

In the meantime, Ellie continues to look into the murder of her father. In the last book, she was told that he was a spy for the Germans. She’s found a small book with a coded letter inside – she just has to decode it – if she can. Getting it decoded causes her to owe a ‘favor’ to someone and repaying that favor causes her a great deal of pain and grief. It might also get her killed.

By the end of the book, Ellie is in a great deal of emotional pain and despair – when – out of the blue – comes the saving grace – a cliffhanger! Ellie has the opportunity to do something momentous for herself, her country, and her family. Whew! I’m betting that the next book is going to be a doozie!

This is a quick, interesting, well-told tale and I recommend it – especially if you like spy stories, romance, intrigue, danger – and a cliffhanger. I hope you will love it as much as I did. Happy Reading!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martins Publishing for the ARC of 'Locked in Pursuit' in exchange for an honest review.
While this thriller is fourth in a series, it's the first one of them I've read. First off, it works just fine as a stand-alone and author Ashely Weaver deftly brings a new reader up to speed about the characters and how the aftermath of their last harrowing adventure has affected them.
And most importantly, it succeeds in what authors of series novels hope to achieve with readers who've encountered a later book in the ongoing saga...........to make you want to immediately go back and start reading the other books from the beginning.
In that regard, mission accomplished. Upon finishing 'Locked In Pursuit', I can't wait to get my hands on the first three books and can't wait for the next one.....(which 'Locked In Pursuit' leaves you panting for....)
The book had me right away, dealing with one of the most fascinating historical periods - wartime London, bedeviled by the nightly onslaught of Nazi bombing raids. Fighting nefarious espionage on the homefront is an odd pairing of spy-busters.......stiff upper lip Major Ramsey of Military Intelligence and his unlikely recruit from a family of criminals, professional safecracker-thief Electra McDonnell.
When Ellie suspects there's more than meets the eye to a series of strange burglaries all over town, she and the Major waste no time tracing the crimes back to a Lisbon spy ring.. And before long, everyone involved is hunting down a stolen secret that could aid the Nazi war machine.......a secret that Ellie and the Major need to desperately keep from falling into the wrong hands.
Not only does danger lurk everywhere, there's another elephant-in-the-room. - the unspoken but unmistakable romantic tension between Ellie and her boss, especially touched off by their last near fatal mission.
Loved everything about this book as the pages flew by. Suspenseful espionage the romance struggling to make itself known, the evocation of England at war and Ellie's resourceful, fearless courage in dealing with spies, London criminals, and anyone who makes the mistake of underestimating her..
Now if you'll all please pardon me while I go find the first three books of Ellie's exploits.....and anxiously await the next one.
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The idea that a career female thief could become a British government asset, partnered with tall, handsome military man, is a bit far-fetched, right? So it’s a tribute to Ashley Weaver’s writing that she makes us accept the setup easily, as well as the series’ inevitable romantic tension between Ellie and Major Ramsey. I no longer blink an eye at how Ellie’s sensibility is so straight, despite her having spent her whole life as part of a criminal enterprise with her safecracker Uncle Mick.

In this fourth book in the series, the action cracks along, as Ellie and the Major work to track down a mysterious object that’s been brought into the country from Portugal, and that may be something the Germans are after as well. Between this job and having a couple of favors called in by old acquaintances, Ellie has several dangerous break-in jobs on her plate. The Major is with her for some of these jobs, and the danger of the work seems to increase the intensity of the attraction they’ve tried to repress.

If you like historical fiction series with a dollop of clean romance, this series could be just the ticket for you.

A fun historical, mystery thriller set in London in the 1940s. Electra is a lock picking criminal along with her uncle. After she is caught she joins up with the military as a spy.

Her latest case involves some break ins around London. She must work to figure out what the thieves are looking for and stop them. This had almost a Sherlock Holmes vibe to it. Bonus: a little love triangle as well.

Thank you Netgalley and MacMillan publishing for the ARC!

This is the fourth book of the Electra McDonnell WWII mystery series, and I continue to find the stories and characters compelling. Ellie is such a great heroine - she has a combination of bravery and naivety that comes across as both genuine and likable. She makes mistakes, she doesn't have all the answers, but she is always eager to do her part (and more!). Her confusion about her emotions and feelings rings true for her age, especially in a time of war and danger. In this novel, Major Ramsey has distanced himself from Ellie after the events of the previous novel, but Ellie forges forward and pushes her way back in to a mission when she brings an odd burglary to Ramsey's attention. The events at the end of this installment leave me eager for the next book! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for a digital review copy.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of Ashley Weaver's "Locked in Pursuit".

Locked in Pursuit is the fourth instalment of Weavers Electra McDonnell series. Electra is a safecracker whose skills have previously been of use to the British government in their fight against the Nazis. In this story Electra visits Major Ramsey - her handsome handler - to draw his attention to a recent burglary which she feels is unusually suspicious (as burglaries go). Recognising the importance of Electra's discovery Major Ramsey once again teams up with Electra to investigate. They find themselves embroiled in the murky world of espionage as they try to track down a map smuggled from Lisbon to London which, if left in the wrong hands, could prove extremely dangerous to Britain's war effort.

This series has a romantic subplot which propels the narrative but does not draw away from the central story. In this fourth book Electra reflects on the information she has so far learnt about her parents connection with Germany in WW1 - information which could potentially ruin her relationship/friendship with the Major and remove any future possibility to work alongside him.

Part of series with Major Ramsey a government agent and Ellie a safe cracker.
Great suspense,mystery,twists,drama and possible romance.
Really enjoy this story and all the characters.
Voluntarily reviewed.

"The fourth instalment in Ashley Weaver's delightful series, Locked in Pursuit follows safecracker Electra McDonnell fighting Nazis at every turn as World War II looms over London.

Safecracker Ellie McDonnell hasn't seen Major Ramsey - her handsome but aloof handler in the British government - since their tumultuous mission together three months before, but when she hears about a suspicious robbery in London she feels compelled to contact him. Together they discover that a rash of burglaries leads back to a hotbed of spies in the neutral city Lisbon, Portugal, and an unknown object brought to London by a mysterious courier.

As the thieves become more desperate and their crimes escalate, it becomes imperative that Ellie and Ramsey must beat them at their own game. Fighting shadowy assailants, enemy agents, and the mutual attraction they've agreed not to acknowledge, Ellie and Ramsey work together to learn if it truly takes a thief to catch a thief."

Yes, because it always works when you agree to not acknowledge chemistry...

Thank you Minotaur Books, NetGalley, and Ashley Weaver for the free book.
“Locked in Pursuit” (Electra McDonnell #4) by Ashley Weaver ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Historical Mystery. Location: London, England. Time: January, 1941.

THE SERIES: For years, smart and gutsy Electra McDonnell (Ellie) and family earned their living as thieves, breaking into the safes of the rich. When Electra is caught, the imperious Major Ramsey (with his tightly padlocked personality) makes her an offer-help the British war effort by breaking into safes and retrieving critical documents. She has help from sometimes beau Felix (an accomplished forger and disabled veteran), Uncle Mick’s wise words, and Nacy, who raised her.

THIS BOOK: Ellie hasn’t seen Major Ramsey since he was shot 4 times several months ago. In the middle of a cold, cold winter, she hears about a suspicious robbery at a diplomat’s home in London, and contacts him. They discover burglaries leading back to spies in the neutral city of Lisbon, Portugal, and an unknown object brought to London by a mysterious courier. Fighting shadowy assailants, enemy agents, and their secret mutual attraction, Ellie and Ramsey work together to learn if it takes a thief to catch a thief. Meanwhile, Ellie learns more about the secret lives of her late mother and father.

Author Weaver creates colorful, believable characters with accurate and interesting period details. The plot is tight and twisty, with enough red herrings to make Weaver’s book a page-turner. There’s 1940s-style romantic tension amidst the horrors of the Nazi Blitz. Although this is book 4 in the series, you can definitely read it as a standalone. It’s everything a clever, slightly snarky, historical mystery should be, and it’s 5 stars from me!🌵📚💁🏼‍♀️

Locked in Pursuit is my first book from Ashley Weaver, but it won't be my last. Full of suspense and those delicious "The Thin Man" vibes, I'm obsessed! Highly recommended.

This is the fourth book in the series, but it can be read as stand alone.
London 1941
Electra McDonnell is a safecracker who wants to find out the truth about her parents who died during the war. Meanwhile, she is hired to investigate robbery. She's the best one for this because she's a thief herself. Together with Major Ramsey from British Government, they will work to solve the mystery.
Ellie is complicated character. She shouldn't commit to any robbery while working under Ramsey, but Ellie is the one who never listens or obeys.
 
Fast-paced, witty, suspenseful, and fun. There is just enough humor and a pinch of romance for reader to enjoy this story. It's sort of lightweight, and not deeply elaborated on historical details. Overall, I liked the mystery behind this story and the main character's complicated love life.

Ellie McDonnell hasn't seen Major Ramsey for a while but then she reads of a robbery that seems wrong to her and goes to him to ask if it might be suspicious. He tells her that it is the third suspicious robbery though the other two didn't make the newspapers.

When they go to ask some questions, it becomes apparent that there is something very suspicious about the crimes. It seems the Nazis are looking for something that has made its way to London from Lisbon. And they are willing to kill to find it.

Meanwhile, Ellie is dealing with some information about her father that is concerning to her. She has some evidence that he was a spy for Germany in WWI. A coded letter leads her to make a bargain with a mathematician neighbor. She also owes a favor to a local gangster for some information he provides to help track down the unknown thieves.

Although she has promised not to commit any more robberies while working with British intelligence, she just has to do a favor for a friend and pay off a debt. Retrieving blackmail letters and getting a crook into an office to place a wiretap isn't really robbery - at least in her opinion. Major Ramsey disagrees.

This was an engaging episode in the series. It was packed with action. I liked that both Ramsey and Ellie are acknowledging their feeling for each other even if neither sees a future together. I can't wait for the next story in the series.

I am hooked on this series! Ellie and the major try to fight their attraction to one another as another intelligence job presents itself. Ellie nerves herself to seek information about her dead parents. Were they traitors? She finds herself considering the future after the war. She doesn't wish to pick up criminal activities again. Has her attitude changed that much? The pull between her old life and her current life gets her in trouble with Major Ramsey. Will they be able to get past it?

The Electra McDonnell series keeps me coming back for more and again, I am looking forward to the next book in the series. Locked in Pursuit picks up after the last book ends with Electra discovering more information about her parents and Electra struggling with the aftermath of the previous case. Told against the backdrop of WWII, we find our heroine and Major Ramsey investigating a series of burglaries and the possible link to espionage.

The historical detail, the character development, fascinating plot and fast pace makes this a read well worthwhile. I highly recommend this series and suggest checking out Ashley Weaver's Amory Ames series as well. I am grateful to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

This was so boring I didn't finish it because I didn't care about the mystery or the romance. I'll try the next in the series but I may just be done with this slow burn with a love interest who has been a total jerk.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really excited to be approved for this ARC. I read about this ARC initially about a month ago, saw that it was 4th in a series, and decided I shouldn't apply for it unless I'd read the rest. So I got the first book at my library, was immediately hooked, and blew through books 1-3. Went back, applied for the ARC, and got it! I think you could read this without having read the first 3, but I don't think it would be as enjoyable. This book wouldn't be the best start if you want to explore this series. I would recommend reading the others first.

This is another fun entry in this WW2 safecracking mystery series. Electra is back to working with military intelligence in another investigation. There is actually some progress on her relationships in her personal life this time, which is refreshing as that part of the story was starting to get old for me. She makes some poor decisions as well, but you can understand why, even if you know she's making mistakes. The ending promises another, more personal, adventure for Ellie in the next installment. Definitely worth reading if you've enjoyed the series up to this point. It's more of the same types of clandestine activities that make the series so fun.

What I love about this series is the "rollercoaster" ride you embark on in each story. The beginning drama builds slowly & then BOOM, the action hits, you get over that hill, & the book becomes un-put-down-able. The tension between the Major & Ellie is some of the best that I've ever read & I am impatiently waiting for book 5. I have such an emotional pull towards these stories & I love these characters so much. Thank you Mrs. Weaver for such a fun ride!

Ashley Weaver's Electra McDonnell series is such a fun read! In this story, several months have passed since the end of the last books and Electra hasn't seen Major Ramsey since. I love this unique take on WWII fiction with a slightly criminal family helping the war effort. This time, Electra is able to use her safecracking skills to help solve a series of murder and robberies throughout London tied to Lisbon. We also got lots of time with Electra and Major Ramsey and curious to see what happens next! This a fun, page-turner and another excellent entry in the series!