
Member Reviews

Thank you Minotaur Books for the gifted books
It’s never easy to say goodbye to a beloved series, so I did a full reread before picking up this final book. I enjoyed the first 4 books even more when revisiting them and although I wish more Electra books were still to come, this was such a satisfying end to the series!
This series has mystery, intrigue, great characters, romance, and a unique spin on a WWII backdrop. I will never tire of recommending these books and it’s been so fun seeing so many new fans pick them up recently!
I’m grateful for rereads, because I’ll definitely be picking these up again in the future. I’ll never be fully ready to say goodbye to Ellie, the Major, Uncle Mick, and the rest of this crew!

Thank you for the free book St Martin’s Press @stmartinspress Netgalley @netgalley and Ashley Weaver for this free ebook.
“One Final Turn” (Electra McDonnell #5) by Ashley Weaver⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Genre: Historical Mystery. Location: Across Europe. Time: World War II 1940s.
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 heads for Lisbon, Portugal to save her beloved cousin Toby who’s escaped from a German prisoner of war camp. He’s been missing since the Battle of Dunkirk. Ellie had lost hope of ever seeing him again until Major Ramsey shared the news he’d intercepted. Nothing will stop Ellie from finding Toby, not even the awkwardness of traveling with Ramsey after he’d dismissed her for being untrustworthy just as she fell in love with him. Under the supervision of charming intelligence officer Captain Archie Blandings, Ellie meets with undercover operatives to track down where Toby might be hiding and try to rescue him. Meanwhile, she’s still fighting her feelings for Ramsey.
Author Weaver has written another clever historical mystery full of red herrings. She creates colorful, believable characters with accurate and interesting period details. Weaver’s plot is tight and twisty, and it’s a page-turner. There’s 1940s-style romantic tension amidst the horrors of World War II Nazis. Although this is book 5 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!🌵📚👩🏼🦳 #ashleyweaver #electramcdonnellseries

A perfect ending to this series. Very sad to see it ending. Plot was a little predictable but that was part of the fun. Weaver has created engaging characters that the reader becomes very invested in. Recommend reading the other books in the series first.

ABSOLUTELY FANTASTIC! I CANNOT EVEN WITH THIS BOOK!!
Ellie (Electra) uses her skills as a safecracker in slightly less than legal ways, and when she is caught by government agent Major Ramsey, he offers her a deal: help him break into a safe and retrieve some documents critical to Britain’s war effort, or be turned over to the police.
Eager to avoid jail and to help her country, Ellie agrees, though she has no idea this is just the beginning of her adventures with Major Gabriel Ramsey as they work together to thwart German spies, and that even though she will earn her freedom, she will soon be in very real danger of losing her heart.
What you’ll love about the Electra McDonnell series:
WWII era
single pov🤍
stoic, dreamy MMC🔒
spunky, intelligent heroine🗝️
adventures and mystery
THE TENSION AND CHEMISTRY🔥
slow-burn romance❤️🔥
witty humor
5-book story arc
White Collar vibes🔒
engaging side characters
the most perfect ending to end all endings🫠
I completely binged all 5 books in this series back to back - I could not stop reading! The rich historical setting, the characters, the mystery and espionage, the romance - everything drew me in and kept me turning page after page. This is a standout in a sea of WWII fiction!
The romance between Ellie and Ramsey is a five book story arc but let me tell you, even though it is slow burn, it is the swooniest slow burn EVER and absolutely worth the wait. And whew, there were enough sparks between them to make the pages catch on fire! This book - and the entire series - has my heart and I don’t know if I will ever get over them.

This series has quickly become one of my very favorites and the final book did not disappoint! This was a perfect culmination with all the same aspects I loved from the other 4 books— a fun page-turning plot, well-developed characters, unexpected twists and turns, and great words and descriptions.
I usually steer clear of WWII book’s because often the setting can become trite, but these books show the history of the time without becoming dark or depressing.

One Final Turn if the fifth book in the Electra McDonnell Series by Ashley Weaver with me still not sure how I feel about Ramsey. That’s not really the whole truth but for Ellie book four ended badly so I felt badly towards him. This begins with a slow start, but I felt like Ellie was processing what had happened previously, so I needed to do so too. Then the plot speeds up with some twisty surprises and a fantastic conclusion.
A great book that is part of an addictive series that reading in order would enhance the enjoyment of the complete story. Trying not to give anything away, it is an incredible story of intrigue, heroism with an amazing setting in Lisbon. I highly recommend One Final Turn.

One Final Turn is the fifth and final book in Ashley Weaver’s Ellie McDonnell series about a talented lockpick from a family of thieves who uses her skills to support British intelligence missions in WWII England. When the book opens, Ellie is not in a good place emotionally/mentally. She has had a personal and professional falling out with her handler/potential love interest Major Ramsey but is trying to put it aside so she can help another army officer locate British POWs, including her MIA cousin Toby, in Libson. Ramsey is there too so of course things are super awkward and fraught for everyone. It’s hard to say too much without spoilers but suffice to say that all the major storylines of the series come to head in this page turning conclusion.
From start to finish, One Final Turn was a thrilling read. My favorite books of this series have been when Ellie and Ramsey are outside of London and I adored the Libson setting. I also really enjoyed getting to see Ellie work with another intelligence officer and all the delicious tension/jealousy from Ramsey that came as a result. The twist there was an excellent way to bring those two back together and force them to confront their feelings for one another and about the events of the previous book that drove them apart. Weaver did an excellent job of wrapping up the mystery of Ellie’s father as well. My one quibble—the way the Felix storyline was resolved felt a bit forced. But overall One Final Turn was a terrific end to a great series! I am sorry to see it end and can’t wait to see what’s next from Ashley Weaver. One Final Turn is out in June!
Thanks to Netgalley and Minotaur books for the e-ARC; all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was introduced to author Ashley Weaver's writing through the Electra McDonnell series, and I was hooked! I binged the first 4 books in 2 days, and then impatiently waited for the fifth installment, One Final Turn. The fourth book in the series, Locked In Pursuit, left us with a whopper of a cliff hanger, so I was anxious to see how the author would bring everything together while still keeping the tension we'd become accustomed to throughout the series.
I don't know if I've ever been more sad to see a series come to an end. One Final Turn was everything I wanted and more with regards to closure for the series. The mystery, the slow burn romance, the character development, not to mention the atmospheric World War II setting - everything about this series is perfection! This book is such a great, bing-worthy read. Highly recommend.

I've loved this series and am sad to see it end, but this was a very satisfying ending.
There were some parts that were very predictable, but nothing to detract from my enjoyment of the book.

One final adventure, where personal stakes are higher than ever, and everything is on the line.
This book sees Electra travel to Portugal in the hopes of discovering the fate of her cousin, a suspected escaped prisoner of war in World War II. Paired with Ramsey under a new supervisor, the delightfully incorrigible Archie, Electra must navigate a new terrain where nothing - and no one - is what it purports to be.
This book contained an eye opening glimpse of Lisbon during the War. While I thoroughly enjoyed it, I dreaded turning each page, knowing it is the last in the series. Highly recommended, especially to those who have read the earlier books.
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy of this book.

The only regret I have about this book is that it marks the end of an incredible series. Ashley Weaver is a brilliant author who masterfully tied up every loose end, leaving no detail overlooked. When I first picked up this book, I genuinely believed she couldn’t wrap up the story without another installment—but I couldn’t have been more mistaken! The chemistry between Major Ramsey and Electra was positively electrifying! You finally get to witness the evolution of their relationship, complete with several breathtaking swoon-worthy moments. The suspense and mystery kept me on the edge of my seat, too. I absolutely loved it! This installment is, without a doubt, the crowning jewel of the series. While I’m heartbroken to see it come to a close, I am eagerly anticipating Weaver's next book, as always!

This book doesn't come out until June, but I received an ARC from NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Minotaur Press and I had to start it immediately. I've been reading this series since book 1 was published and I couldn't wait 6 months to see how it ended. And guess what?
AMAZING. It ended amazingly. No spoilers, I might give an in-depth review as it gets closer to the release date and I re-read it (because I know I will) but man, this book took Ellie on A. JOURNEY. as she navigates Lisbon, the war effort, her lingering feelings for Ramsey, etc and I loved being with her along for the ride. The last 25% of this I was just beaming as everything started to ramp/wrap up. Utterly beaming.

I finished reading this book with a giant grin on my face. What a great ending to this series I love so much! While the mystery plot wasn't the strongest of the books, I didn't really care because it got all the characters I love to a satisfying and happy ending. That satisfaction and happiness with the ending is why this gets 5 stars. My only other qualm was that we didn't have much of Uncle Mick & Nacy. I would love some short stories with any of our characters, a la some of the Golden Age mystery writers. I'm so sad it's over, but I sure enjoyed the ride & the ending! I'm not sure what to do with myself now.
Huge thanks to NetGalley & Minotaur for the chance to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a great ending to a great series. Things really heated up in books 3 and 4, and I was very satisfied with the ending to Ellie and Major Ramsey's relationship. I'll admit the book was not as action-packed as the other books in the series, but all of the loose ends were tied up.
Well-written, but I'm only sad the series is over and we won't be hearing from these characters any longer.

I started reading this series 3 years ago when I blew through the first three books. I then jumped back into the fourth, and immediately started looking for information on the fifth.
This book concludes Electra’s story. Sent to Lisbon with Archie and Major Ramsey to find her missing cousin, the trio engage in espionage and intrigue against the backdrop of World War II.
The story was engaging, fast paced, and a very satisfying end to this series. My only complaint is I wish there was more about her parent’s past in this story. That story line is wrapped up rather hastily.
Overall, I throughly enjoyed this series and this final addition to the series. I’ll be on the look out for more books by Ashley Weaver.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

First of all, I learned this is the end of this series and I am crushed! I love Electra! She is smart, tough, warm and has contrinued to grow and evolve throughout the series. I am a big fan of the author's previous series featuring Amory Ames, and when this series I debuted I never dreamed she would fashion a heroine that I liked even more.
In this book, Ellie heads off to Lisbon, undercover as a soon-to-be bride. It's an exciting and romantic turn in the series and a fitting end. I am worried about giving too much away, but rest assured if you have read the series, you will love this final chapter. And if you haven't read the series, don't start with this book! Start at the beginning. You won't regret it!
I hope the author has another series coming!

Synopsis: Captain Archie Blandings approaches Electra and requests her assistance in a mission to go to Lisbon in order to rescue a group of three escaped prisoners, one of which has a personal connection to Ellie – her missing cousin Toby. With a mixture of excitement and trepidation, Ellie embarks on the mission under the guidance and supervision of Captain Blandings. Once established in Lisbon, Ellie inevitably encounters Major Ramsey, a much more awkward and uncomfortable experience ever since he dismissed her after their last adventure together. Ellie and Blandings try to discreetly track enemy operatives as they search for Toby, while Ellie and Gabriel Ramsey struggle with their feelings for each other.
Commentary: This is an exciting, romantic and satisfying conclusion to the series about Electra MacDonnell and her safe-cracking family. I loved the setting in Lisbon, where there are no blackouts or destroyed streets, and Ellie enjoys the night life while rubbing shoulders with the enemy. It is risky, glamourous and very sexy! Ellie has a new freedom in this last adventure, reporting to Blandings instead of Ramsey. This means she is more able to follow her instincts and take risks since Blandings is much more relaxed in his command. It also means that she is not beholden to Ramsey in any way and can relate to him as an equal rather than an underling. Not that Ellie is inclined to follow anyone’s orders, as she demonstrates repeatedly.
I appreciate the way in which Ashley Weaver has planned and executed the story arc for Electra and Gabriel, concluding their adventures in this fifth and final novel. It ends this excellent mystery series on a high note, and I can honestly say that I enjoyed every one in the series. Highly recommended for readers who enjoy historical fiction and a good British mystery.

My heart! I cannot believe this series is over! I have adored every single book and this book tied the series up so well! I loved it

The conclusion to the Ellie McDonnell series neatly wraps up all the plot threads from the preceding four novels but there is almost more sightseeing than mystery as Ellie is sent to neutral Lisbon to help locate her cousin, a German POW since Dunkirk, and learn more about the escape route he followed. Working again with Major Ramsey who fired her at the end of the last book for disobeying orders and also ended their personal relationship creates many awkward moments throughout the investigation as they navigate through Lisbon's array of German agents, double agents, and spies, many of whom end up as dead bodies.
Readers of the series will enjoy the conclusion but I don't think this would work well as a stand alone book or introduction to the series.

One Final Turn was my First Electra McDonell Novel and I was hooked. I now want to go back to the beginning and get the full background on all the characters. As I said I was hooked and could not put this book down. Ellie and Ramsey we so captivating and I just wanted more. I am so grateful to NetGalley and St. Martin Press for the ARC opportunity, and to fall in love with a new series and Author.