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!

Locked in Pursuit by Ashley Weaver is the fourth book in the Elektra McDonnell series. I have not read the previous books and it is still enjoyable to read this one. Yes, there are references to previous events but it doesn’t take away from this story.
The Battle of Britain is raging over London almost every night and Ellie is at loose ends. She notices an unusual robbery story in the paper and contacts Major Ramsey. Espionage is suspected. They start investigating and come across a brutal murder.
The author has an easy flowing writing style. I liked the characters and hope for more between Ellie and the Major.
Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

I have to confess that I get unreasonably excited whenever I see a new Electra McDonnell book is coming out. I was so happy to get to read an advance copy of this through NetGalley.

This new volume in Electra's story did not disappoint. What an absolute emotional rollercoaster!! The author does an impressive job of balancing the espionage/mystery with each character's storyline... I find myself caring about all the people in Ellie's life just as much as I care about her will-they-won't-they with Major Ramsey. And both Ellie and Ramsey do some excellent growing independently and together in this book 👏

AND THAT CLIFFHANGER. Please send help. I may not breathe until Ashley Weaver releases rhe next one...

The more of this series that I read, the more that I love them. This is a fabulous mystery set in England during WWII. Locksmith Electra 'Ellie' McDonnell is a former thief and currently working with Major Gabriel Ramsey in missions to keep information out of enemy hands. When Ellie realizes that something seems off about a robbery that she's read about in the newspaper, she brings it to the Major's attention. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntary given review. I love that while Ellie is working with the Major, she is also trying to unravel some mysteries about her parents. I also love the growing relationship between Ellie and the Major. This is a suspenseful book and I can't wait to read the next one.

This is a series long on my TBR list but that I had not started. Jumped on the NetGalley and Minotaur books offer of an ARC and I am so glad I did. While this is definitely well into the series, it was easily enjoyable as a stand alone.
Primarily I loved Electra McDonnell as a heroine. What a clever twist on a heroine- a woman who's family "business" is thievery working for the intelligence service during WW2.
I very much enjoy the author's style of writing. This book was not put downable!
Ellie works with her handler Major Ramsey who is also a very intriguing character. The relationship between the two is clearly something so interesting to follow in the series. Other characters that I enjoyed were Ellie's friend Felix, her uncle and Major Ramsey's sister. For me the characters and their quirks really make the series pop.
The plot was interesting and had lots of unexpected twists. The ending was epic and I cannot wait to read the next installment!. In the meantime I will move the other books to the top of my TBR!
Highly recommended for fans of historical mysteries- really a different twist on WW2 fiction.

This book fits between cozy mystery and thriller perfectly. It is just complex enough to keep the reader engaged, but not overly tense. The writer's style is very smooth, the characters are not only well-developed but likeable, and the story is quite original. There is just enough romance and sexual tension that the reader is left wanting more at the end of the book. I can't wait for the next installment! Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur books for providing me with an advanced readers copy. It was a very enjoyable read.

I’m a sucker for historical fiction, and I always enjoy those set amidst WWII. In LOCKED IN PURSUIT, which I learned is part of a series, is fast paced and kept my interest throughout. Set in London in 1941, Ellie is a safecracker and is working with British intelligence in the war effort. I always enjoy stories about strong women, and Ellie is definitely unique and interesting in this sense.

I enjoyed the romance and the mystery. I really wanted to see Ellie and Ramsey together but it looks like I’ll have to wait …I know this is part of a series, but wow did LOCKED IN PURSUIT end with a cliffhanger! Although I understand that building excitement for the next book is important, I’d still like things wrapped up a bit more.

Although this was a good enough book, it didn't capture my imagination the way I wanted it to. I think the ambiguous ending ruined it for me a bit.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the advanced digital copy of LOCKED IN PURSUIT in exchange for my honest feedback.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

Electra "Ellie" McDonnell hasn't seen Major Ramsey for a couple of months, but contacts him after she sees a story in the paper about multiple robberies in London. They work to solve these burglaries while also working through the spy network of London and their own relationship. In addition, Ellie tries to work through her family secrets.

I couldn't wait for this book to end. This is the fourth book in a series, and maybe I should have read one through three to get some context about the inner workings of this character. However, there was nothing intriguing that gauged my interest at all. I found myself thinking about every task that I had to do in my life instead of the story itself.

I also thought that there were way too many characters introduced and way too many storylines. It's as if the author had multiple storylines when she outlined the book and just put them together, trying to make them fit, but when they actually turned into this story, it ended up being a boring hodge-podge of story.

Unfortunately, I was hoping for suspicion, intrigue, and some interesting 20th century history (this is considered a historical fiction since it is set in the 1940s). I got a complete bore instead.

I really enjoyed this book, even though I've not read any of the others in the series. The concept of this woman being a safecracker and fighting the Nazis by doing some behind the scenes thievery was intriguing. I loved Electra - what a firecracker! She definitely has a mind of her own and puts herself into some sticky situations, which sure riles up Major Ramsey, but I am so rooting for the two of them to find their footing and just make out again. I enjoyed this book so much that I intend to go back and read the first 3. I appreciate that Weaver was able to summarize the relationship between Electra and Ramsey so that without that prior knowledge of their interactions you were able to catch on quickly.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this book.

This is book four in a series and it is best to read books 2-3 in order before reading book four as they do build on one another. I wish I knew that before I bagan reading book four as I was list at some points. I did quickly figure it out and was able to read and enjoy book for without to much trouble.

I will be reading books 1- 3 and look forward to the next in the series.

Recommend.

This is the first book in the series that I have read. I loved it! It might be book 4 but it completely stands alone. The characters are charismatic, funny and real. The story takes place in London during WW2, but as the background is gloomy, the story is not! Electra aka as Ellie, is a master safe cracker, but is also involved in espionage activities to protect the British Government. It is this role that takes the reader on a rollercoaster fun filled journey of love, spies and adventure. A page turner, that I hated to put down. The writing is sharp and crisp and there is no way you will not want to read more about Ellie and her hopeful love Major Ramsey.