Locked in Pursuit is the fourth book in the Electra McDonnell series about the safecracking spy and her family during World War II. Ellie has the opportunity to break some laws and pick some locks in her work for the handsome and inscrutable Major Ramsey. At the same time, she makes progress in deciphering her own mysterious background. Ellie’s smart, skillful character is engaging and endearing. I desperately want only happy endings for her, even though I realize that as a mystery’s protagonist, she’s destined to encounter one difficulty after another. I wish the talented Ashley Weaver speedy writing on Book 5 in this wonderful series! (I read an advance review copy)

Ashley Weaver’s series featuring safecracker-turned-spy Electra “Ellie” McDonnell was supposed to end as a trilogy; however, when Playing It Safe, the third novel in the series, ended on a cliffhanger, fans realized that there would have to be a fourth. What joy! (And there has to be a fifth, as well — I, for one, can’t wait — as Locked in Pursuit foreshadows the next book, to be set on the Continent.)

A ruthless gang — likely connected to Nazis — is desperately looking for something smuggled into England from Portugal. But what is it? Readers will enjoy every minute of the quest.

In this book, readers will also anticipate the will-they/won’t-they whisper of a romance between Ellie and tall, blond and handsome Major Gabriel Ramsey. Can independent, improvising Ellie and the by-the-book major make a go of it? You’ll be on the edge of your seat to the very last page finding out.

In the interest of full disclosure, I received this book from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Press in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first historical fiction read in quite some time so I wasn't sure how I would like it. I'm happy to say I was pleasantly surprised and will be giving it a 3.5.

Going into this read I realized that it was the fourth in a series so I wasn't entirely sure if that would be an issue - thankfully it wasn't. The author explained enough of the backstory to catch you up without disrupting the story. As a whole Electra was a decent character, but had some traits that I find less than enjoyable. The book was good enough that I will be looking for the next one in the series to see what's to come for Electra and Major Ramsey.

Thank you, Ashley Weaver, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the ARC. Darling Girls will be published on May 14, 2024.

How does this series keep on getting better? Ellie and Ramsey are once again working together to investigate some suspicious burglaries that lead back to Lisbon. The romantic tension is now at boiling point and the readers will get a tantalizing glimpse at what could be. I'm already counting down the days until the next installment!

Ashley Weaver has an incredible ability to solve the mystery at hand while simultaneously leaving you with an ongoing cliffhanger throughout the series!

Electra McDonnell is such a fascinating character—a supposedly reformed thief who comes face to face with the basis of love and trust in Locked in Pursuit. Major Ramsey is also quite multifaceted and I feel he may have yet more secrets hidden beneath his cool professional exterior.

Once again, I simultaneously can't wait for the next book and want to read the whole series over again to put together more of the clues to Electra's past.

This is the 4th installment of Ellie and Major Rasmey did not discourage.I have always been intrigued by spy novels and the fact this one is during WWII and also has a bit of romance, makes this more alluring.

With the twists and turns and the anticipation of more of a connection between Ellie and Major Rasmey, I finished this book in three days. Some of Ellie's antic’s left me wanting to throw the book in frustration, but I was giving her the benefit of the doubt due to the circumstances.

The next installment can not come fast enough.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from St. Martin’s Press through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I've read all 4 books in Ashley Weaver's Electra McDonnell series and enjoyed all the updates and events in this one! I think you could read this book as a stand alone, but would probably enjoy it more as part of the series so you have more of the back story and see how the character's relationships change and develop.

There is so much World War II fiction out there, but this series takes a different approach (or at least new and different to me) in the criminal turned spy route and it is refreshing. The main character, Ellie, seemed to be more reckless and simultaneously more fearful in this book, but that makes sense in light of the events in the last book and revelations around her family history.

I also appreciated the author bringing the romance and love triangle issues out in the open more instead of continuing to hint at intrigue for another book or two. It seemed more fitting as to how the characters and real people would actually act, while giving us all questions to be answered in the next book.

This is definitely worth a read, especially if you like historical fiction mysteries and want a new take on the World War II spy story.

I have enjoyed each installment in the Electra McDonnell series so far & this one did NOT disappoint! Ellie, and the Major and assorted other characters get embroiled in yet another spy mission, and all the main storylines carry on in intriguing ways!

The two quibbles I had were her 'finding' the coded note in a book that's been in a trunk that... has been in the house all along? and she just decided to look at it now? That felt a little like 'huh? she's been passionately hunting down this information about her parents for 3 books and NOW thought, hey let me look through that trunk of my parents' belongings that's been sitting there forever.
The conversation was sometimes a little too dumbed-down - Ellie was in a pub with Ramsay and one of his contacts who just finised describing how he has a network of informants he's cultivated over time, and she says in reply "spies?" Umm, yes, Ellie, spies. Obviously.

But anyway - those minor things out of the way - I am still LOVING, absolutely LOVING the slow burn romance betwen Ellie and Major Ramsay! And all the sneaky missions they go on! Also really enjoying some of our new characters that have been drawn into the story in this episode -- Major Ramsay's sister, Blandings.... Ellie attending the party with Dupere... so fun. And of course good ol' Felix is still rattling around... The story progresses on several fronts and I can't WAIT for book 5 - Weaver's set up a great scenario where the tension & forced proximity of Ellie & Ramsay will have to continue! How many books will this series be? I need to know.

Locked in Pursuit by Ashley Weaver
Pub date: May 14, 2024
Rating: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The only regret I have about reading an ARC of this book is that it means my wait for the next book is even longer since I read this 3 months before publication. I downloaded this after finishing another book at 2 am and this book kept me up the rest of the night. Could not put it down.

If you like a cozy period (WWII in this case) British mystery book with a spy/thriller component, this book is for you.
Ellie and Major Ramsey continue to have absolutely sizzling chemistry in what might be my favorite book of this series.
If you haven’t read books 1-3, I highly recommend reading those first before reading this phenomenal book. You’ll appreciate the will they/won’t they romance aspect of it more if you’ve experienced the excruciating slow burn of the first three books.

The thriller/spy aspect continues to deliver in this book, and I would go so far as to say it’s the most fast moving book of the series. Admittedly, I’ve been hooked from page one for each of the preceding books in the series, but this one really had me in its grip. I read this in one sitting.
Although the sort of cliff hanger end is killing me, I’m excited that it has set us readers up for another trip outside London for book 5.

Content-wise, I really loved meeting Noelle’s character and the Major Ramsey insights we got from her. I also liked how at least one aspect of the love triangle develops/resolves at the end of this one, even if the other part has me very impatiently waiting for the next book to find out what happens.

Ellie did make we want to yell at her a couple times in this. Her actions, even if justified sometimes, can prove so frustrating (to Major Ramsey most of all). But I could sense where some of her actions in this book were going to lead her and the subsequent confirmatory cliffhanger that resulted left me dying for more story. Ashley Weaver really knows what she’s doing with these books.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for honest review.

Mystery, intrigue, and a splash of romance are all locked up together in this latest Electra McDonnell book. I enjoyed the twists and turns of the story immensely. The ending, however, had me scream ever so slightly in frustration. This book hasn’t even been published yet and I need the next one!

#AshleyWeaver #ElectraMcDonnell #LockedInPursuit #historicalfiction

This series has only gotten better from the first installment! The characters get more complex and layered, and the stakes higher. I can't wait for the next one to come out!

Ashley Weaver sets just the right tone to keep me coming back again and again! The fourth book of this series did not disappoint. I always read her books in one sitting and this was no different, We get to learn a little bit more about the major, which made me love him even major. The hint of romance and mystery kept me on my toes. I cannot wait for the next book. Hoping we see Ellie and Gabriel move to a full fledged romance- I can’t handle the suspense any longer!

This series gets better and better.. Such a great historical mystery series. I can’t wait for the next one.

London, 1941: World War II rages on. Electra McDonnel (Ellie to her friends) and her uncle Mick are expert locksmiths by day and (former) safe crackers by night. In the first book in the series, they are recruited to work for the government as they needed people with their unique skills every now and then. When the book opens, it’s been a few months since her last assignment when their government contact (and one of Ellie’s potential romantic interests) Major Ramsey was shot. Everyone survived, but she still is dealing with the emotional trauma when she notices something odd in the paper; there was a recent burglary, but the items stolen didn’t make a lot of sense. Why take a vase when there other more easily transported and valuable items? And why haven’t they heard anything from their former criminal colleagues bragging about the job or fencing the spoils? She takes the article to the Major; he does a bit of digging and realizes there’s more to it than expected, getting Ellie and her uncle involved in another mission. Meanwhile, Ellie continues to investigate who really killed her father; her mother was convicted of it, dying in prison of influenza. It’s a touchy subject, meaning she doesn’t feel comfortable telling the Major about it even though he might be able to help.

I read the first book in this series and really enjoyed it; likewise, this one was entertaining as well. There are bits of history to give it some flavor (rationing, the joy of having a new pair of silk stockings – enough to make me want to tell Ellie the Allies win) without going overboard or her having too many modern sensibilities. I love how independent Ellie is, how comfortable she is with her talents breaking into safes. The romantic angle moves along nicely too, clearing up a couple of hurdles for Ellie but creating a few bigger ones - having her keeping her parents’ secrets from the Major is a clever way to maintain stress and lack of trust in their relationship. While reading previous books would increase some of the tension in this book, this one works as a standalone with some basic historical knowledge (for example, Ellie mentions Dunkirk a few times). The only unfortunate piece is that the next book sounds like it’s going to be more interesting than this one, resolving one of the ongoing issues with her missing cousin – I’m looking forward to it!

Highly recommended, especial for those who enjoy historical mysteries with strong female leads.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.com that I voluntarily chose to review.

In Ashley Weaver's enchanting fourth installment, "Locked in Pursuit," readers are once again thrust into the thrilling world of safecracker Electra McDonnell, navigating the treacherous landscape of espionage during World War II. Set against the looming backdrop of London during wartime, the story unfolds as Ellie reconnects with her enigmatic handler, Major Ramsey, to unravel a series of suspicious robberies. The duo's investigation takes them to the neutral city of Lisbon, Portugal, unveiling a network of spies and a mysterious object that has found its way to London through a shadowy courier.

Weaver skillfully blends historical intrigue, espionage, and a touch of romance as Ellie and Ramsey navigate the challenges of their mission. The escalating crimes and the palpable tension between the protagonists create a riveting narrative that keeps readers on the edge of their seats. "Locked in Pursuit" is a delightful addition to Weaver's series, offering a perfect blend of mystery, historical flavor, and the magnetic allure of characters entangled in a web of danger and mutual attraction. Fans of wartime thrillers will find this installment a compelling and engaging read.

I love this series. It just keeps getting better and better! This may be my favorite yet. I have avoided WWII books like the plague, but I love the setting of this series during the Blitz in London. The characters are interesting and feel like family by now . The mysteries are engaging, and the chemistry between the Major and Ellie is hot. I can't wait to see where this goes. My only complaint is that one per year is not nearly enough.

This jewel of a book continues the story of Electra McDonnell, a safecracker conscripted into spying for her country in WW2 London. Fans of this series will delight in new twists as Ellie’s story, as well as her family’s secrets, continue to unfold.

London 1941

Such a fun historical mystery series! Main character Electra McDonnell has a unique skill set (cracking safes and picking locks) that can be helpful to her country in the war effort.

Locked in Pursuit has a beautiful blend of action, humor and romantic avoidance. I continue to be Team Major. There is clearly electricity between Ellie and Major Ramsey. The major can't seem to decide whether he wants to call her Ellie or Miss McDonnell and the decision seems to depend on how frustrated he is with her.

The ending sets readers up nicely for the next in the series. Can't wait!

Ellie continues looking into her mother's death in jail for the murder of her father, but she is soon busy with helping Major Ramsey which only gets her into bigger trouble. Major Ramsey the disciplined military man with high society background has stayed away from Electra, but will he remain so stoic as they work together again? Felix Lacey is still in the picture but what is he involved in with travel he won't talk about? Uncle Mick gets enlisted to aid again and the housekeeper Nacy is the nurturing presence Electra needs in this uncertain, ever changing time.

This outing is just as thrilling as the others and doesn't disappoint. There is plenty going on beyond just the just spys around the mission, Electra "Ellie" manages to get herself indebted to a gangster plus another man for favors that could backfire on her. The pacing is brisk and even though I'm normally a slow reader, I flew through this book. Several heart-pounding and heart-wrenching scenes that make this a compelling read. This is a great addition to the Electra McDonnell series, kudos.

Rating: Near Perfect - Buy two copies: one for you and one for a friend.

“Locked in Pursuit” by Ashley Weaver was #4 in her Electra McDonnell mystery series and if possible this book was even better than the last one. There is absolutely nothing not to Love in this series,, but you could read this as a stand alone. The main character is a beautiful young safecracker from a family of thieves who is now working with British intelligence during WW II. This adventure has it all, suspense, espionages, family loyalty, family mystery and a heartwarming romance. It is an unputdownable riveting read. Not saying more as I don’t want to spoil it for you other than I cannot wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.