This was a fun and original read. A locksmith and his niece/apprentice have a sideline in safe cracking. They are pretty good, so good that the intelligence service in WW2 London wants them. The story flows from there - the ]criminals with their own code working with the upright British officers to thwart Nazi spies. What fun! The characters are delightful.

What a wonderful, evocative start to what will surely be an exciting series! I enjoyed this book and it's intriguing cast of characters as well as the way the author painted the setting. Definitely one for fans of historical mysteries!

Parnassus Books Staff Recommendation (June): Weaver has written a pitch-perfect opener for a new historical mystery series set in WWII London. When Ellie and her uncle get picked up after a little late-night larceny, they’re offered a choice: go to prison, or help stop a traitor working with the Germans. I’m already looking forward to the next adventure of Ellie, her family of patriotic crooks, and the upright (and uptight) Major Ramsey.

The first-person narrative is told by Ellie McDonnell, an attractive young woman living in London in the early days of WW2. Ellie’s uncle Mick is a locksmith, and when times are tough they do a bit of nighttime safecracking and burglary. She gets a bad feeling one night when they are on a burglary job, and she’s right. It’s a setup and the duo are quickly arrested by the secret intelligence service, which gives them the choice of jail or putting their skills to use in a burglary job intended to expose a traitor.

They choose use their criminal skills in service of their country but, instead of the goods, Ellie and her new boss, Major Ramsey, find a murder victim. The safe they were to crack is open, and the plans they were to recover before they could be turned over to the Nazis are missing. The quest to recover the plans now becomes urgent and Ellie remains part of the team, despite the handsome but stern Major’s reluctance to put her in harm’s way.

This tale is a mix of adventure, espionage and a dash of romance. The characters are well-drawn and mostly likable. It’s easier than it should be to figure out who the traitor is, so I wouldn’t say this is a great choice if you’re looking primarily for an espionage tale. But if you’re looking for a quick read of escapist fiction, this should fit the bill.

I loved this book so much! A Peculiar Combination is an historical fiction mystery set during WWII. The writing in this book just flows. It's truly flawless. The story is well-crafted and fun to read, and this book starts out the new series very well. I loved the characters so much, but more than that, I love the plot and the story! It's rare for me to fall in love with the story, but there you have it. This book has it all- spies, murder, and some romance too! The twists were well-written and entertaining, and I enjoyed the main character's gutsy determination. I thought the skills that Ellie brought to the table were truly unique and so so cool! Thank you so much for the ARC of this book because it was delightful!

London, 1940
When Electra "Ellie" McDonnell and her Uncle Mick get caught stealing from an unoccupied house, they are not taken to the police station but to a government agent, Major Ramsey. He has a proposition for them. He needs a safe opened and if they do, they will not be charged. But when the Major and Ellie arrive at the location, they find a man dead and the safe and papers, gone. So other plans were needed to find out who was the traitor or traitors, out to sell government intelligence to the Germans.
A quick and enjoyable spy thriller. A lively cast of characters, a possible romance or two and maybe further adventures for Ellie McDonnell and Major Ramsey.
Thank you Minotaur Books and NetGalley for this e-galley of "A Peculiar Combination".

"'Don't scream,' he said in a low voice. It was a stupid thing to say. If I was going to scream, I would have jolly well done it already."

What a fun read! A Peculiar Combination is actually the perfect combination (please pardon the pun) of mystery, history, romance, and humor.

Near the beginning of World War II, Ellie and her locksmith uncle make ends meet by breaking into upperclass homes in London. When they're caught in a sting operation by government agents, they're offered freedom in exchange for breaking into the safe of a man selling secrets to the Germans. It seems like a simple job: swap the real documents with fake replacements, but the plot thickens when the man is found murdered in his home. Against her better judgment, Ellie is drawn into a web of secrets, spies, and intrigue. Simultaneously, she finds herself drawn to Major Ramsey, a stern, infuriating yet attractive government officer managing the operation.

Unlike the safes that Ellie cracks, the central mystery here isn't terribly complex. There's a murder and a list of likely culprits, but the plot is more of an adventurous romp. The book opens somewhat slowly in order to introduce us to Ellie's family and friends and to set up her involvement in Major Ramsey's war work. Once the murder is discovered, things get rolling and it's all fun from there. Without giving too much away, there's a sequence when Ellie engages with the various suspects to extract information from them, and it's funny and witty in all the right ways.

In fact, there's plenty of wit to be found throughout the book. As someone who is always up for a well-done "hate to love" arc, I especially enjoyed the interactions between the gregarious Ellie and the serious, uptight Ramsey as sparks start to fly. Their dialogue as well as Ellie's frustrated internal monologue often made me smile while reading. Intriguing details of both characters' pasts are hinted at (especially in regards to Ellie's parents) and will no doubt be increasingly brought to light in future installments.

While A Peculiar Combination is not a detailed historical novel nor a complicated mystery, it is a very entertaining lighter read for those who like fiction set during wartime London and cozy mysteries. Though set in earlier time periods, the Bess Crawford mysteries by Charles Todd or The Secret Adversary by Agatha Christie would be good pairings.

ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley

A Peculiar Combination is, in fact, a Perfect Combination!

A Peculiar Combination perfectly combines intrigue, romance, and suspense. Intrepid Ellie and her irascible uncle Mick are locksmiths by day and burglars by night. The book is set in London in the early days of the second world war as London is bracing for the blitz. Mick and Ellie set out to rob a home but something seems off to Ellie. Her instincts prove spot on and, for the first time in their careers, they are caught. But, instead of being taken to jail, they are delivered to the office of handsome, but abrasive, intelligence officer Major Randall. They are offered a proposition: Ellie must break in to the home of a suspected spy and swap important military documents and they will both go free. Ellie actually welcomes the opportunity to do her part for the war effort but things don’t go as planned. An exciting adventure ensues and, of course, an interesting relationship between Ellie and Major Randall develops as well.

I hope this is not the last we will see of these characters. It seems as though they are destined to have many exciting adventures together.

This was a very good book! I love al things WW2 and this book brought a different aspect to it. So many covert operations during the war, why not safecracking? Can’t wait to read more about Electra.

This is a very good WWII spy novel. The characters were well developed and interesting. The story line takes the characters and intertwines them not only with each other but with the sinister plot of espionage.

A Peculiar Combination by Ashley Weaver

A perfectly delightful tale of a young safe cracker, Ellie, and her mismatched “boss,” Major Ramsey. Caught mid-heist, Ellie and her Uncle Mick must agree to help the major and British army or go to jail. What choice was there, really? It was war time after all.

A series of successes, mishaps and subterfuge have Ellie and the Major butting heads, yet accomplishing a great deal in the end. A peculiar combination indeed!

Humorous and well written, this romp will have you begging for more from writer Ashley Weaver. The characters are well crafted, the story is believable and the ending is sound. What more could a reader want?

A nod and thanks to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley.

I was given a free review copy of this book by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

First in a series set in World War II . Interesting well-drawn characters with a particularly likeable heroine, Ellie McDonnell, who was sensible and brave. Exciting plot that raced to its end with no unnecessary threads. There is a developing love triangle, which is a plot device I don't really like, so hoping it will be quickly resolved. I am already looking forward to the next book .

Thank you to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the opportunity to read and review the Uncorrected Proof copy of "A Peculiar Combination", the first in a series by Ashley Weaver featuring Electra McDonnell.

Set in WWII England, "A Peculiar Combination" features Electra McDonnell and her uncle Mick - two petty thieves whose specialty is housebreaking and safecracking; when they are apprehended one night, a new adventure begins as they are co-opted by the British Government to help stop state secrets from being smuggled out to the Germans.

Major Gabriel Ramsey has uncovered a plot to hand secret documents regarding British armaments over to Nazi spies by person or persons sympathetic to the German regime - right in the heart of England! Although they are forced at first to work for Major Ramsey or end up in jail, it doesn't take long for Ellie (short for Electra!) and her uncle Mick to agree that they should do their duty for King and Country and work whole-heartedly to uncover and foil the plot.

This is an expertly crafted story, with the prerequisite twists and turns, and a bit of romance thrown in to boot. It was an easy read, very well written and plotted, with very little extraneous information. The cast of characters is likeable and easily identified with.

I look forward to the continuation of the series, and to see if there is any follow through in the budding romance(s). Highly recommended.

This book is a work of historical fiction that falls into the sub genre of a cozy mystery. I really like this style of story and I had a difficult time putting this book down!

Ellie and her Uncle are living in London during WW2. Times are tough and they are having a hard time making ends meet through their locksmith business, so they turn to theft to help make enough money to live on. They break into vacant houses, open the safes and take the things that were left behind by people who left London during the war. Everything is going well for them until one day they are caught by a government official!

They are then recruited by their captor, Major Ramsey, to help the British government get important documents from a safe that are believed to be delivered to a German spy. If they choose to help, they will be doing a much more dangerous job than their previous endeavors, but if they decline they will be sent to jail for theft. Since they aren’t really left with much of a choice, they decide to help Major Ramsey with the safe cracking mission. The mission doesn’t quite go as planned and they are all left with more questions than answers. They decide to continue working with Major Ramsey and do their part for the war effort.

I was actually told by someone else who happened to see this book on Goodreads and that I had to read it since it sounded like my cup of tea! Thank you to my friend because I was so pleasantly surprised by how much I loved it! I love World War Two books especially about the women who shaped history. While this book is obviously fiction I was hanging on to every word and couldn't wait to see what happened. I am a champion of Electra and I can't wait to read more of her adventures!

I have found a new series!! A Peculiar Combination has British Intelligence using the skills of a safe cracking family to help thwart German spies in WWII. Electra "Ellie" and her Uncle Mick have been cracking safes for years when they stumble into a trap set by British Intelligence to find safe crackers. They are needed to find some weapons plans that are being passed to the Germans. This book is witty and intelligent. The characters are well written, relatable and fun to spend time with. The relationship between Ellie, her Uncle Mick, Felix, and Major Ramsey are all deep and relatable. Thank you #NetGalley and Minotaur Books for allowing me to give my voluntary and honest opinion of #APeculiarCombination, I will be waiting for the next book in the series!!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Will look for more from this author, since this was the first book I read from here. Was a little bit surprised on the ending, but glad it ended well.

Thanks to NetGally for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This was a FABULOUSLY fun book. Ellie is a gal I admire, through grit, determination, cleverness and determination. I love that she doesn't simper over the men who pay her attention. She's determined to make a better life for herself, get through the war, and survive. I really enjoyed the partnership that developed between her and the Major. She was gutsy and she didn't back down from a challenge. There was a great blend of her rough and soft sides and learning about her past makes me all the more impatient to see more of this series! I loved all the characters and can't wait for the next installment.

(The following review will run on CriminalElement.com the week of publication.)

Like they always say: desperate times call for desperate measures.

Electra McDonnell and her Uncle Mick know it’s not exactly the fair thing, cracking the safes of folks who have left London to escape the threat of bombing from the Luftwaffe. But with the Second World War raging, the McDonnells’ legitimate business as locksmiths is struggling, and the pair have been forced to rely on their less legal hobby to make ends meet.

Their light-fingered larceny comes to a rather dramatic end, however, when Electra and Uncle Mick are snagged by shadowy men just after emptying a safe of sparkly jewelry. But to Electra’s surprise, they haven’t been apprehended by the police — and their captors have an intriguing proposition for them.


“What sort of proposition?” I asked.
“An exchange of favors,” he said. “If you choose to help me, this matter will be forgotten, and you and your uncle will go free.”
As much as I hated to admit it, he had my interest now. I waited for him to continue.
“There is, in this city, a gentleman in possession of several papers that we have need of. Those papers are being held in a safe.”
I realized then what he was telling me, and everything began to make sense. If I hadn’t been awake so long, my nerves all in a jangle from sitting alone in this cold room, I might have worked it out sooner.
He needed a safecracker.
Suddenly, the absurdity of it all hit me. I couldn’t help but laugh.
…He took a slip of paper and a pen from his pocket and scrawled something on the paper before sliding it across the desk toward me. His handwriting was like his personality: bold yet precise.
“Ring this number tomorrow afternoon, and I’ll tell you where you might meet me to discuss the details.”
“This is rather cloak-and-dagger stuff, isn’t it?” I asked sarcastically.
“I’m afraid the enemy’s moved beyond cloaks and daggers to swastikas and tanks, Miss McDonnell. We’re just trying to keep up.”


Upright military man Major Ramsey clearly looks down on Electra and her family for their criminal background, and just as clearly dislikes that he’s forced to collaborate with them for the good of the war effort.

But, as they say, these are indeed desperate times.

As for Electra, she hardly enjoys being bossed around be a supercilious soldier, no matter how handsome he might be. She has plenty of reasons to resent authority and any group dedicated to law and order. But for all of her long-held anger and resentment, she still cares about her country. Her beloved cousins Colm and Toby are away doing their part, the one working on airplanes for the RAF and the other currently MIA following Dunkirk, and she hardly wants to see Nazis marching down Piccadilly.


I sighed. “You think we should do it, then.”
“I don’t see that there’s much choice,” Uncle Mick said. “He’s got us dead to rights. It’s in with them or to prison we go.”
“Yes, but…”
“Think of Colm and Toby,” he said gently. “They’ll need someone to come home to.”
He was right. Prison had taken enough from our family.
“Besides, Ellie.” Now he placed his hand over mine. “It’ll do us good to do our part. We’ll all have to if we want to win this war. We’ve our own outlook on the matter of law and order, but this is something different altogether.”
I nodded, knowing it was true. In all honesty, I had been feeling rather helpless where the war was concerned. There are only so many gardens a woman can plant and socks she can knit for soldiers before she begins to feel useless as she watches the men march off to battle. This was my turn to do something that could matter, that would make a significant difference.
I drew in a deep breath. “All right. Then we’ll do it.”


Electra knows her new job will be a dangerous one, maneuvering around Nazi sympathizers, spies, and brutal men who will kill for classified information. But as it turns out, her criminal background makes her a natural for espionage work, as she dons a fake name and accompanies Major Ramsey from murder scenes to swanky parties, using all of her skills and pluck to secure secret plans and flush out traitors.

Ashley Weaver has already proven herself in the historical mystery genre with her Amory Ames novels, a slightly sharper pastiche of Nick and Nora Charles. With A Peculiar Combination, she launches a brand new series that shows she’s got quite the flair for espionage tales, too.

There are hundreds — thousands — of WWII mysteries out there, and some readers may be hitting the over-saturation point by now. But A Peculiar Combination is absolutely one worth picking up, thanks in large part to its solid heroine, Electra. Ellie is a compelling narrator with a tragic background that is sure to lend itself to exciting developments in future installments, and her sizzling dynamic with Major Ramsey adds a little heat to the chilly spy scenes.

(Speaking of, Ramsey sure is a stone cold babe, emphasis on the cold — at least for now. I’m sure Electra will thaw him in no time. When handled with finesse, the “opposites attracting” trope can be a delicious one, and Weaver is already thoroughly spicing and seasoning this particular pairing. Very much looking forward to seeing how she develops them in the future.)

I, for one, always love a well-done criminal-doing-good story, and this one’s a real corker. Watching Electra indulge her talent for pickpocketing to secure a clue and think fast in the face of capture is great fun. This is a lady who can keep her wits about her in a crisis and make the men around her shut up and take notice.


“But if you hadn’t been in a strop,” I went on, “I would have had time to tell you that I had a very good reason for talking to Matthew Winthrop.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. I was watching him from across the room, and I saw one of the waiters pass him a note. He read it surreptitiously and put it in the pocket of his jacket.”
He let out an irritated breath. “And you’re just telling me this now.”
“You didn’t give me much of a chance before,” I retorted.
“And that’s why you decided to approach him,” he said, his voice having lost the conciliatory tone of a moment ago. “What? Did you suppose that if you talked with him for a while, took an interest in his poetry, that he would take the note out and show it to you?”
He really was an insufferable prig at times.
“No,” I replied, holding up the folded piece of paper that had been clutched in my left hand throughout all of this. “I thought I could take it from his pocket.”


Weaver lays a solid framework in this series debut, dropping plenty of enticing details that will no doubt pay off big in the next book(s). We’re quickly drawn into Electra’s world and colorful family, and are left wanting more: about her parents, about Major Ramsey’s background, about what the next mission will bring and how Ellie and Ramsey will, no doubt, pull closer to one another. This particular adventure is wrapped up nicely, but readers will certainly find themselves longing for the next chapter, sooner rather than later.

It’s still the early days of the war in A Peculiar Combination, with the bombing of London and the full horrors of the conflict on the horizon, and Weaver is sure to pack in plenty of thrilling story around the upcoming significant events. Considering how evocatively she describes the changes the war has already brought to England, it will be very interesting to see how she covers even more dramatic societal shifts and emotional upheaval with this promising, very enjoyable series.

theft, espionage, London, romance, family-dynamics, family, WW2, murder, historical-fiction****

Perhaps it takes a thief to catch a --spy?
Ellie usually works the safes and locks with her uncle but gets blackmailed by a supercilious army major apparently working in espionage. They get along like flint and steel but he needs her peculiar skills to plant false documents to out another agent and give false information to the Germans. There's a murder or two and some interesting adventures complete with suspense. Nice start to a new series!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook copy from St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books via NetGalley.