Great ending to a fun series. This fifth and final installment of the Electra McDonnell series wrapped things up nicely. This book had elements of romance, wittiness, action, and just enough unbelievability for it to be a good escapism read. Although the series takes place during WWII and includes missions in espionage, it remains pretty lighthearted and playful. I liked that, while the characters and stories in this series are formulaic (as can be expected and relied on in the cozy mystery genre), there’s still enough growth in the characters and the plot lines throughout the series for the ending to be meaningful. This book really builds on the romantic tension between Ellie and Major Ramsey (I won’t give any spoilers 🤭) while also centering around Ellie trying to find her cousin Toby who has been a missing POW since the first book. I will say that a couple of the storylines wrapped up more quickly than I’d have liked… but perhaps that’s because I would have liked the series to be longer.

Some nitpicky things: I found it a bit confusing/unclear when the characters are supposedly being watched/heard vs when they aren’t while in public throughout this book. Also, I personally could’ve done with less of hearing about how little Ellie is eating due to her heartbreak/stress.

Overall, I’d recommend the series for anyone who likes this type of playful historical fiction mystery, such as anyone who likes the Miss Fisher tv series. Definitely read the books in order as that will help you learn about the characters and the throughline of the plot!

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for giving me a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This final book in the series was every bit as good as the ones that came before. It had a stand alone mystery combined with tying up loose ends with the characters from the series. I loved every word. If there was a negative it is that this is the last book in this wonderful series. I will miss the characters terribly and would love the series to continue someday.

It's over. Say it ain't so! 😭

One Final Turn brings us the conclusion of the spirited Electra McDonnell series about a family of lockpicks who get tricked into helping the British government during the second World War. The youngest and feistiest of the bunch is Electra, technically the niece of the patriarch, but who has been raised like a daughter alongside her two cousins, who both are away fighting in the war - one of whom hasn't been heard from in quite some time.

Electra was raised by her widowed uncle because her mother gave birth to her in prison after being convicted of murdering Electra's father. Her mother died while incarcerated, leaving Electra an orphan, but her uncle Mick and his sons never left her wanting for family, even if she does still have a lingering curiosity about the truth behind her mother's nonsensical crime.

This becomes an ongoing slide plot in the series while our main focus is on how Electra (and sometimes Mick) provide their lock picking and detection services for various covert missions for the war effort under the watchful eye of the upright Major Gabriel Ramsey. He's Electra's opposite in basically every way and the two always succeed in vexing one another, but they can't deny the spark between them, even if it does complicate the will-they-won't-they situationship Electra has with her wily friend Felix.

I mention all of these plot points because, this being the last book in the series, we see them all conclude in this new book, in which Electra heads to neutral Lisbon, Portugal to investigate a lead on her missing cousin who seems to have been taken as a POW by the Germans. She's eager to help bring him home in whatever way she can, but it will mean working with Major Ramsey once again after the two of them had an ugly falling out at the end of the last book (Locked in Pursuit).

This book unquestionably had the weakest story in the series. But did I care much? Not really. I knew going in that this book's job was to give us answers to our lingering questions and give her dynamite heroine a good ending, whatever that ended up being. And that's precisely what Weaver did here. I wish the pacing had been a bit more elegant, especially at the end, but I was so invested in these characters that, again, I really didn't care.

If you're looking for a cracking (heh) mystery series, don't hesitate to binge your way through this one to get ready for this new installment, due out in June! The one you'll want to start with is A Peculiar Combination.

Many thanks to the publisher for supplying this copy via NetGalley - I'll leave out the disclaimer that this is an "honest" review because all my reviews are brutally honest, good or bad, so I think it goes without saying. 😂

I can see why readers have given this book 5 stars.the main characters are “good guys” and Electra (Ellie) is a wonderful gal! To me, it had some unbelievable moments. I have not read any prior books in the series. Perhaps that’s why. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for granting this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. #NetGalley, #OneFinalTurn.

I read book 1 of this series back in November and instantly went on to binge the rest of the series! There is something truly magical about the dynamic between Ramsey and Electra.

When it comes to this book, it technically gave me what I wanted, but the order of events wasn’t my favorite. There were a few things that I wish could have happened differently, and there were a couple of subplots that felt like an afterthought. It wasn’t a perfect book, but it didn’t change the fact that this is now one of my all-time favorite series and I will absolutely reread in the future.

I love this book! And I’m really thankful to see it wrapped up. Not because I don’t like the storyline…Because I get incredibly tired of series that run on and on and on forever and you never have resolution. I felt like everything was beautifully tied up. Also actually really appreciated the beginning where everything was reviewed because it had been a while since I read the previous book

This was the perfect ending to this series. I’m so sad to say goodbye to these characters but am excited to see what comes next from Ashley Weaver. Just a wonderful, cozy series and this book was STEAMY!

I have been eagerly awaiting the next installment in the Electra McDonnell series after I finished the last one, so I was thrilled to get the ARC. Thank you Netgalley!

Also, if you have not read the 4 prior books in the series, I believe you would still enjoy this book. The author does a great job in reminding the reader of past plot lines without being repetitive. However, this series has been an absolute joy to read, and you’d be missing out on some wonderful reads and the slow burn romance between safecracker turned spy, Electra McDonnell, and her upper class handler, Major Gabriel Ramsey.

The setting for this finale of the series takes place in 1940’s Lisbon. The author has always deftly described life during World War II in London, and she does a great job setting the scene in the supposedly neutral Portugal. Cafes and hotels are teeming with Nazi spies, watchers, and profiteers. There is smoldering sexual tension between Electra and the Major as they work along with colleague Archie to rescue Electra’s cousin and find information about a POW escape route. As other reviewers have mentioned, this book (and series) has it all: delicious romance, espionage, and some nail-biting action. I could not put this book down.

I am immensely grateful to the author for wrapping up the series so perfectly. I could not have wished for a better ending, and I am still smiling about it.

I've thoroughly enjoyed the adventures of Electra McDonnell and Gabriel Ramsey, so I was sad to crack open what has been termed the final installment of the series. This "final turn", however, did not disappoint. As Ellie tracks down information on Toby's whereabouts among Lisbon's underground, she also tries to navigate the complex emotions of the heart. The feelings between Ellie and Ramsey all came to head in this adventure--and the result may not be what you expect.

To our beloved authoress, Ms. Weaver: despite the intended finality of this series, I want more! But if not, I thank you for a wonderful tale all the same. It's been exhiliarating.

Truly a great finale to this WWII-setting mystery series! I'm sorry to see the end of the series, but the book nicely ties up Electra's character & and on-going story lines. I'm looking forward to seeing what Weaver comes up with next.

I couldn’t put this book down! Since the first book in this series, Ashley Weaver had me hooked. Electra is clever, independent, quit-witted, loyal, and kind. I love this character. It’s been fun to follow along with Electra as she has navigated her war-time work and relationships, both the ups and downs.

All the characters in this series have been a joy to follow, and each book has made me more invested. It’s hard to not be rooting for Ramsey. I can’t believe this was the last in the series, but what an ending! Although I’m sad there won’t be more to come, it’s been such a fun ride. What more could you ask for when a book has it all - romance, humor, espionage, mystery, heartbreak, action, family drama, and more.

Thank you to Ashley Weaver for bringing us on these adventure with Electra as well as #NetGalley, #StMartinsBooks and #MinotaurBooks for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

At the end of Locked in Pursuit, the fourth novel in the series, safecracker-turned-spy Electra “Ellie” McDonnell and her handler — tall, blonde, handsome and stern Major Gabriel Ramsey — had a serious falling out. Forget romance; they were no longer on speaking terms. Be that as it may, the pair of them were dispatched to Lisbon to follow up on the Nazi spy ring they’d uncovered in Locked in Pursuit. Thus begins book No. 5, One Final Turn.

As the title indicates, what was to have been a trilogy set during World War II will be ending with this fifth cozy mystery. Can these two adversaries even work together to foil the Nazis? And, as readers have been wondering for years now, can independent, improvising Ellie and the by-the-book, unbending major overcome their natures and find love? You’ll be on the edge of your seat to the last page as author Ashley Weaver ties up the loose ends. Highly, highly recommended.

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.

In the words of the author, intrigue with an under current of danger! That is a great way to describe this series!

A historical suspense set during WWII in Portugal, El is a brave lady in pursuit of saving her family. Everything you want in a good espionage book, spies, people watching from shadows, tossed flats, escapee POWs, double crossers and a little romance!

I started at the end, receiving this as an ARC, going in I didn’t know it was the series finale! What a great cast of characters! There was still great character development and retelling of past relationships that I wasn’t lost. I can’t wait to go back to book 1 to how it all began!

I have been delighted by the Electra McDonnell books, featuring amateur sleuth/spy Electra "Ellie" McDonnell and Major Gabriel Ramsey, and am sad that the series is ending with this book. For readers who haven't read any of these books yet, they are a perfect mix of cozy mystery, WWII historical fiction, and closed door romance. I think others who enjoy the "grumpy/sunshine trope" would enjoy these books. Ellie is spirited and sassy at times, while Ramsey is more aloof and disapproving at times. In general, these books are "light" reading and I found the fifth book particularly indulgent. As other reviewers have mentioned, this one felt like a bit of a gift for longtime readers.

As usual, the sexual/romantic tension is well drawn. There is a lot of jaw clenching (him) and blushing (her). I really appreciate the author's illustrating the character arc/growth: Ellie is a bit more unsure in this book due to the events at the end of book #4. Ramsey is also in less of a commanding officer role in this book due to the nature of the mission featured. A drawback of this is that there is less of the sparkling repartee and lighthearted banter between our two main characters. However, it was fun to spend some time with the secondary character Archie, who is mischievious and brings some of the lightheartedness of prior books. I appreciated the "easter eggs" in this book for longtime readers of the series, calling back to memories and characters from prior books. The setting in early 1940s Portugal is interesting and unusual.

While I absolutely loved this book, I have a few minor complaints. The mysteries didn't always make sense and I'm not sure the plot line would hold up to close scrutiny. Here's an example of what I mean: they do a lot of "acting" in the hotel to keep up appearances but then meet in the lobby in their "spy garb," seeming unconcerned that the enemy knows about the location. I was not sure why the book featured such a high body count... to show the harsh reality of war? To give the characters a chance to show their caring and protectiveness in a dangerous situation? It felt a bit unnecessary to me. The reconciliation felt a bit rushed and I would have enjoyed reading a longer denouement.

The story is ultimately a love story. This book finally capitalizes on the slow burn set up in earlier books and it was SO GOOD (albeit too short). I am very sad that the series is done and will be in withdrawal and thinking about this series for some time.

Thanks to Ashley Weaver, Netgalley, and Minotaur Books for the ARC.

Cannot say enough about this book. I have loved every book in this series but this story is a whole new level of love. I have reread my favorite parts too many times to count. I cannot get enough of Major Ramsey and Electra.

Thank you netgalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book. I am a huge fan of the author and was excited to be able to read the book. The book was filled with the same character development and plot development that I love from the author. The twist was interesting, and I enjoyed the story. I definitely will continue to read more by the author. The book did not disappoint.

Five stars to my highly anticipated book of the year! This swoon worthy WWII historical fiction novel is equal parts romance, danger, and espionage.

Following Ellie McDonnell’s dismissal from Major Ramsey, Ellie is heartbroken and sent off to Lisbon on a secret mission to find her missing cousin Tobey. Accompanied by agent Archie Blandings, who introduces her to the beauty of Lisbon, Ellie soon finds that the charming city is more dangerous than it seems. To complicate things more, her world comes to a halt when her ex-lover joins the operation. With tensions high between Electra and Gabriel Ramsey, can Ellie set aside her emotions to focus on the task at hand? As danger lurks around every corner, Ellie must work with a man she once loved in a harrowing mission to save her family.

After finishing the final installment in the series, I can honestly say that it is my most favorite book and will stay with me for a very long time. I instantly began reading this book again after finishing it. I loved the chemistry, the danger, and how Ashley Weaver tied up all loose ends. This was a beautiful series, but this book in particular was so unputdownable. I’m so sad that it is finished. What a wonderful series. Well done, Ashley Weaver!

Many thanks to NetGalley and the author for the ARC. This review is voluntary. All thoughts are my own.

Trigger warnings: violence, death, closed door romance, war.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy.

I will not re-write the synopsis as that is readily available. Overall, I enjoyed this final book in the series though I am disappointed that it will be the last one. The author wraps every storyline up very neatly by the end and that is my only complaint – two of the stories were wrapped up very quickly. The mystery surrounding Ellie’s parents was explained in just a few pages towards the end of the book. It made me wonder if there had originally been another book planned as I still have questions – mostly details as the larger picture was clear.

Felix’s story also had a rushed ending, I felt. I had forgotten that he was going to France, and he shows up at the end of the book to quickly recap that adventure (and outline his future).

The story takes place mostly in Portugal and that was fun. The descriptions and adventures there were interesting and not a usual setting for WWII mysteries. Ellie’s interest in her surroundings and excitement at being in a foreign place were enjoyable. There were a couple contrived situations to make Major Ramsey jealous which were a bit over the top but moved quickly. They were both quite angsty and there were, of course, some misunderstandings and miscommunications but it all works out. There were a couple of twists at the end that were unexpected but not too shocking. And there were happy endings all around.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! What a wonderful end to such a delightful series! You had to suspend your disbelief more so in this one than any of the others, but that allowed the story to take on a fun adventure with good humor. Electra continues to be one of my favorite FMCs, and the slow burn tension throughout the series had the best pay off. I'll miss everyone--Ellie, Ramsey, Uncle Mick, Nacy, Felix, etc. etc...maybe even Kimble!

Super excited to go back and read Ashley Weaver's first series now!

A very satisfying ending to what has been an excellent series. Weaver deftly blends drama, mystery and romance but never glosses over the cold realities of wartime Europe. Can't wait to see what she does next!