A Peculiar Combination

A Peculiar Combination - Weaver
Audio performance by Alison Larkin
4 stars

This one grabbed me from the first page. The young protagonist, Electra McDonnel is a thief. She is skilled with a lock pick and at safe cracking. It’s in her blood. It’s a family occupation. The book is her first person account of the time she and her uncle were caught in the act. Alison Larkin captures Electra’s perfectly in her audio rendition.

Electra and her uncle aren’t caught by the forces of law and order. They are conscripted into the clandestine services of British defense. It’s 1940 in London and even thieves are needed to fight the Germans. Electra has cousins serving in the armed forces. She is ready and willing to do her bit. It helps that show more the Major in charge of operations is a handsome, aristocratic, alpha male. The body count mounts as Electra and the Major pursue traitors and stolen secret documents. The tension of stealthy burglaries is equaled by the growing sexual tension of the protagonists.

The book certainly simplifies the complexities of the war and the training of undercover operatives. Electra’s speech patterns can be suspiciously 21st century. This is not serious historical fiction. The book is about the characters. Electra’s family provides a wonderful supporting cast. Clearly, the war would be lost without them.

This is book candy. Impossible to eat just one. show less

One of these days, I'll tire of reading historical mysteries set during World War II, but I don't show any signs of slowing down-- especially when books like Ashley Weaver's A Peculiar Combination are being published. If you're a fan of series like Susan Elia MacNeal's Maggie Hope or Allison Montclair's Sparks and Bainbridge, you're going to enjoy adding this new series to your reading list.

Ellie is smart, brave, and definitely a quick thinker. Her reasons for distrusting law enforcement give her character more depth and will definitely have readers on her side. Once Ellie begins working with Major Ramsey, she likes the feeling it gives her; she feels that, for the first time in a long time, she's doing something good. Ellie gets show more stubborn when anyone tries to intimidate her, and I really appreciated the fact that, although there are times she doesn't want to tell the irritating Major Ramsey everything she knows, she's smart enough to realize that keeping things from him will only cause her grief in the long run.

Naturally, the major with a titled background, Hollywood good looks, and ramrod down his back is there to provide a hint of impending romance as well as a source of annoyance. Normally, I don't care for romance in my mysteries, but Weaver has such a light touch with it that I enjoyed the sparks, and she makes the major's backstory so intriguing that I have to know more.

The mystery is a good one in A Peculiar Combination, the story flows smoothly, and with the main characters so skillfully introduced, I'm looking forward to more burgling, safecracking, and romantic sparks in the books to come.

(Review copy courtesy of the publisher and Net Galley) show less

I'm not usually a big fan of stories with a sympathetic protagonist on the shady side of the law, but this book, about a young British woman who is part of a family of safe crackers who is recruited by British intelligence to help retrieve stolen documents, is actually quite entertaining.

Although on the surface, the premise sounds absurd, I was actually reading not too long ago about "Gentle Johnny" Ramensky, a career safecracker and explosives expert who actually was recruited to work with British Commandos behind enemy lines (one of his commanders was Ian Fleming!). His exploits were far more hair-raising than Electra McDonnells.

The characters are interesting and engaging, and enough back story is revealed to make the reader want to show more come back learn more in subsequent books. The villain behind it all is a surprise, always a good thing. show less

I'm so excited to see this is a book 1! What a great start to a series!

I was completely sucked in to this. Enjoying it as an audio book, the narrator really brought the story to life. I enjoyed the espionage - it's fun to see how some skills that make you a good thief can also make you a great spy!

I really enjoyed Ellie - she's a fun main character. She's spunky and fiery and is okay running with the boys but can also enjoy a good pair of stockings. I love that she was so versatile - she could be attending a party in one moment and then picking a lock in another.

The mystery kept me guessing, the story was easy to follow along. I loved it!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not show more affect my opinion regarding the book. show less

After the death of her parents, Ellie (Electra) McDonnell was raised by her Uncle Mick and her two male cousins. She has been taught the family trade, safe cracking. In the past, it has been her uncle and cousins who have done most of the actual break-ins but it is WWII and they are gone so now she helps Uncle Mick to break into wealthy houses during the black-outs.

They have received some very reliable information about their latest target but Ellie senses something is off. Still, they go ahead with the plan. Only turns out out her instincts were right and they are caught. Only it's not by the police but a government agency led by Major Ramsey and she is given the choice - help them uncover a traitor or find themselves at the mercy of show more His Majesty.

I wasn't expecting much from A Peculiar Combination, the first in the Electra McDonnell series by Ashley Weaver - just a nice cozy historical mystery - but I gotta say I found it unputdownable. I really enjoyed the characters especially Ellie who makes for a smart, interesting protagonist. There's plenty of twists and turns and red herrings galore. The mystery of who dunnit is compelling and kept me guessing right up to the big reveal. If the next books in the series are as good as this one, it's definitely one to look forward to.

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review show less

Enjoyable read!

Thrilling new World War 2 spy/mystery series that frames itself well in the war years. Robbers, spies and an unlikely group populate this series. A female lead Electra (Ellie) McDonnell who’s grown up with her Uncle Mick and stalwart cousins breaking into wealthy homes and selling on the fruits of their illegal labours. From early on Ellie learnt to hold her own against the hulking Irish cousins. When Ellie, through a series of mishaps, finds herself working for the British government under the direction of the chiselled and determined Major Ramsey looking for a traitor, and planning to confuse the Nazis. The relationship between Ellie and the Major has a temptuous underlying frisson. In Ellie the cool Major may just show more well have met his match. I love the combination of these two.
There’s a further mystery developing—around Ellie’s mother. That’s obviously going to be a thread part of the ongoing series.
I find Electra to be my kind of gal. I did enjoy her quick wit and finely honed intelligence.
I’m looking forward to more!

A St. Martin's Press ARC via NetGalley show less

I loved this story! How often does a female professional safe cracker get to become an important assent to the British as she helps a rather stuffy British Major capture a double agent. Filled not only with suspense, but it is also at times humorous as Ellie McDonnell finds herself and her father’s rather dubious friends helpful to the survival of the British empire. And of course, there is a little romance, as Ellie finds herself unwillingly becoming enamored of the British Major. There are many cozy British spy mysteries, but author, Ashley Weaver, has found a heroine who stands out from the others. I look forward to more books in the series.