Playing it Safe is the third book in Ashley Weaver's Electra McDonnell series. This series is one of the best I've ever read, and that is NOT hyperbole! This book is my favorite in the series so far, so that is saying a lot. This particular episode of the World War II mystery series stands alone. However, I highly recommend starting from the beginning; you won't want to miss the progression of the relationship of Ellie and Major Ramsey, or how Ellie and her safecracking family come to work for British intelligence.

Electra "Ellie" McDonnell was a safecracking thief, but now she's doing her part in the war effort with occasional jobs for Crown and country. British Intelligence officer Major Gabriel Ramsey shows up with a new assignment for her - she is to go to the port city of Sunderland under an assumed name and await Ramsey's further orders. Of course, the maddening man gives her as little information as possible, so she has no idea what she's in for. Before she meets up with Ramsey again, Ellie witnesses a man dying in the street, mouth foaming, with a note clutched in his hand (which she deftly liberates without anyone noticing). Soon Ellie and Ramsey are investigating more seemingly connected deaths, and find clues that point to a Nazi counterfeiting operation. Will they discover the spymaster before it's too late for them...and perhaps even Britain?

This was such an exciting book that I resented it when real life kept interfering with my reading! Ellie is such a phenomenal character. She learned safecracking and other crimes from her Uncle Mick and two cousins after her mother died while Ellie was terribly young. After being caught by Major Ramsey during a job, she and her family were forced to work for him occasionally. Ellie still gets to use her particular skill set, but now it's for the benefit of her country. Major Ramsey is a straight-arrow British Intelligence man who keeps all information close to his chest, which totally infuriates Ellie. He's also very protective of his safecracking asset when necessary. The two mainly seem to irritate the other, but their relationship really progresses in this story. Be still my beating heart! It seems that when the major lets great anger escape, something is released along with it. Even though they agree that they must remain professional, I'm thinking things have irrevocably changed. Ellie has a sort-of romance with her forger friend Felix, but I'm thinking (and hoping!) that things change now, as Major Ramsey is my man! There are other supporting characters here that really accelerated the suspense, most notably the mysterious Rafe Beaumont, whom Ellie distrusted a bit. I hope we see more of him in future books. The counterfeiting story was exciting... I was totally blown away when the spymaster was revealed. I wasn't even close with my guess! I was also extremely worried about the well-being of our heroine and hero near the conclusion of the book. The biggest surprise, however, was the last sentence in the book. A cliffhanger was revealed that almost dropped me to the floor. Nooooooooooo! Don't make us wait an entire year before we find out more!!! Dive right into this exciting series; I promise you won't regret it.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Ellie is a locksmith, aka safecracker, who occasionally helps out the British Intelligence in their cases during World War II. Major Ramsey recruits Ellie to go undercover in Sunderland and await further instructions from him. Only problem is Ellie appears to keep finding dead bodies and ends up in the wrong places at the wrong time. Will Ellie be able to stay safe and find the killer before more people end up dead? A great spy novel set in World War II. Highly recommend for lovers of mysteries. Even though this is the third book in the series, I was able to read it without reading the first two.

I received an eARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Playing it Safe by Ashley Weaver
There is a pun in the title because the main characters definitely are not safe in this one. This is book three in the Electra MacDonald series. As usual, Ellie is there to use her breaking and entering skills along with some spying.
The major sends her out of London to Sunderland and they meet up later. And boy, do they ever meet up. Wink, wink.
But it’s just a heated tease, maybe more will happen in the next book.
Also a bit of a cliffhanger about Ellie’s mother and father. Felix plays a small part. I see the appeal of Major Ramsay but I still like the larcenous but plucky and charming Felix.
I liked the bird references in the story, especially the little tidbit about the bald eagle.
Looking forward to the next installment.

I received this ARC from Netgalley and the publishers in exchange for an honest review. This is the third in the Electra McDonnell Series. Once again, Weaver draws you into Ellie’s world and the fighting going on during WWII. A great series that you won’t want to put down. Ellie, who comes from a family of safe crackers and thieves, has been approached by British Intelligence officer Major Ramsey with a new assignment. Ellie needs to travel to Sunderland under another identity and say she is down there to clear up her aunt’s cottage. As soon as Ellie arrives in Sunderland, she is pushed into an oncoming lorry but manages to be saved by Hal Jenkins, who later is found murdered. Ellie believes that Hal is connected to the reasons why she has been sent to Sunderland, so she sneaks into his apartment to find any information that she can. While she is in the apartment, she hears someone else enter, and they jump on her, only to find out that it is Major Ramsey also checking out Hal’s apartment. This begins the mystery of the Nazi counterfeiting operation. Read and find out if Ellie and the Major find the counterfeiters, if they survive their assignment, and if they find romance along the way.

Ellie McDonnell is back, and this time her skills see her transported to Sunderland on the North East coast. Away from the constant bombings in London and with only Major Ramsey for company, she quickly finds herself looking into a Nazi counter fitting operation on her own shores. With spies around every corner, it will take all of Ellie's skills and resourcefulness if she and the Major are able to solve this and get out alive.

I think Ellie grows on me more and more with every book. She's a woman ahead of her time, someone who never lets her sex, or how people portray her because of it stop her from doing what she wants and whats needed. She does have a slight tendency to get herself into trouble, something that annoys the Major to no end, but she is also the person I would want helping me out of a tight spot. With each book she grows in confidence and skill and I just adore seeing her stand up to the Major, making him realise that she is so much more than a pretty face.

Though we do see some of the side characters from previous books, thanks to being sent to Sunderland, Ellie spends most of her time with Major Ramsey and the people she meets up there. I thoroughly enjoyed this because it allowed Ellie and the Major to air some much needed grievances out without doing it under the prying eyes of her Uncle Mick, or sweetheart Felix. Though we may not get to spend much time with our usual cast of side characters, Weaver certainly doesn't skimp on the front. Through Ellie's undercover alias we meet a boat load of people who live in Sunderland, all of whom add to the mystery of the story because we're never quite sure who we can trust.

As with the previous two books, Weaver's writing style means that this story moves at a breakneck pace, there are no let ups, nothing added to the story that isn't relevant to the mystery and it just makes for an entertaining and incredibly quick and easy read. Though the mystery from this novel is tied up by the end, we do get to delve a little more into the side plot of Ellie's mother, and her determination that she was innocent of killing her father. This has been the plot point that has been woven through all three books so far, and boy does Weaver end this book on one hell of a cliffhanger relating to it. Though it generally plays a small part in the overall stories, I do love this plot point and hope it gets more page time in future books.

Ashley Weaver is a tease! While there are two love interests, in my eyes there is only one (Susan and I disagree on who) and she made us wait three books, THREE BOOKS for one bloody kiss and then the inevitable - 'it wouldn't work' 'it was a mistake' 'we should get back to work!' Now don't get me wrong, the kiss was steamy as hell, but it just left me wanting more and I am desperately hoping they will just give in to each other in the next book or I might implode from all the tension. Allowing our two characters to be almost segregated from everyone else in this book was genius and the addition of them pretending to be lovers/married added to the humour and tension of the story.

These books are just so much fun and never fail to entertain me. I think Weaver get's the balance between the danger and horror of living in 'blitz' London, with the typical British sense of just getting on with it. She doesn't shy away from the horrors of war, rather paints a rather realistic picture for those involved and I especially loved how she mentioned that cities other than London got bombed, something that's generally forgotten about. Safe to say I will be picking up book four whenever I can get my hands on it and I'm desperately hoping for more romance and more information about Ellie's mum.

A light, historical, cozy with likable characters, this is just what I needed to cleanse the palate from all the dystopic SciFi I’m in the middle of.

Book 2 in the Electra McDonnell series taking place in England (London and Sunderland in this episode) in late 1940. Electra (Ellie) is the (young, pretty) safe cracker / thief who has turned her skill to serve King and country, working with the tough-as-nails (but also handsome with undertones of patrician) Major Ramsey. A possible Nazi counterfeiting ring, a few unnatural deaths, and a focus on bird watching pepper this episode.

Intelligent, stubborn, and delightfully non-conformist, Ellie is fun to accompany on this adventure. Major Ramsey is a bit of a stereotype, but a very enjoyable one: heroic and competent with “an aristocratic heritage underneath the military bearing.” Weaver includes just the right amount of romancy bits between the two (how could you not?) but doesn’t overdo it (need to leave something for future installments!).

My favorite part: Ellie goes to the movies in chapter one and sees “Bachelor Mother” with Ginger Rogers — one of my favorite movies and not very well-known. I got a real kick out of that. If you’ve never seen it, stream it!

In Playing it Safe, Ashley Weaver has served up yet another delectable creation in the Electra McDonnell series! Centered on an all-too-plausible wartime mystery, Playing it Safe has Ellie definitely not playing it safe in the company of Major Ramsey as they investigate a forgery ring in a seaside village. Filled with great banter, action, atmospheric setting, and an escalation of their relationship.. Extra points for the startling conclusion!
Highly recommend.

Playing it Safe is the third book in Ashley Weaver's Electra McDonnell mystery series. Set in Britain during WWII, Ellie has been recruited due to her safe cracking abilities to aid in various missions investigating war related criminal activities.

Major Ramsey is Ellie's very serious handler who sends Ellie undercover to the Port city of Sunderland to discreetly make friends with the locals. A suspicious death after her arrival quickly puts Ellie in the middle of the mystery and things quickly heat up when the Major arrives and they race to find answers together.

Felix, Ellie's sometimes beau is mostly out of the picture during the events of this story, leaving Ellie plenty of time to compare her comfortable feelings of affection for him and the complicated and growing attraction she feels for Major Ramsey.
We also spend less time with Ellie's family in this story but possible new revelations about the mystery surrounding her late mother promises more time on her family relationships in future stories.

I loved all of the vivid locations in this book! From the seats of a dark London movie theatre beneath the flickering images of Ginger Rogers and David Niven, to a train ride to Sunderland. A shared garden at a small lodging house, birdwatching in seaside fields, dance clubs, and smugglers caves on the shore.
The writing was both immersive and exciting and I couldn't put it down.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press, Ashley Weaver and NetGalley for the digital review copy of this book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book.

I enjoyed revisiting Electra (Ellie) and Major Ramsey in book 3 of the Electra McDonnell series for an action packed adventure.

I felt in some areas the pacing was a little slow and most of the action happened closer to the end of the story.

There was definite chemistry between the two and it was approached very appropriately. I enjoy these stories because they are clean, both in language and in closed door romance.

The ending proves to be a cliffhanger of sorts, so now I have to wait to see what happens next.

I received an advanced readers e-book copy of this book. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book. All opinions are my own.

Thank you, Ashley Weaver, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the gifted copy of Playing It Safe, the third novel in Weaver’s Electra McDonnell series. I am leaving this review voluntarily and enthusiastically, as I really liked this novel. I give it 4.5/5 stars.

Ellie McDonnell is once again summoned by Major Ramsey, this time to take a trip to the countryside to enjoy some birdwatching and make friends – and pick locks, crack safes, and foil plots while she’s at it. She’s not long into the town of Sunderland when a young man literally drops dead outside of her boarding house. With no word from Ramsey, she decides to gather information while she waits to be contacted. Soon, she’s reunited with the Major, and their suspicions – and feelings – lead to more complexity than they wanted to deal with.

Whew, is what I can say after reading Playing It Safe. I am all aflutter. Weaver is fast-paced with her plots, something I noticed in her Amory Ames series, and the Electra McDonnell series is no different. I’d rather be moved along than have things really drag out (this is something I’ve noted in my reviews of the Verity Kent series as well). The trouble with this is that I’d like the next five books to already be written so I can speed through them! Weaver has left us with a massive cliffhanger at the end of this novel, so I’ll have to wait as patiently as I can until the next installment.

We see some major (pun intended) progression in Ellie and the Major’s semi-cordial working relationship in Playing It Safe. Felix is off in Scotland but we get a feeling that relationship has deepened. Finally, we get a new, but startling, nugget about what really happened to Ellie’s mother. All three of these progressions are unresolved and are To Be Continued in the next book (you’re killing me, Weaver!).

A personal note: you all know that I read historical romance, as well, so all of me is 100% rooting for Ellie and the Major. I will be sorely disappointed if they do not get married by the end of this series. However, this is first and foremost a mystery/suspense series, so that may not be the direction we’re headed. But, I’m still hoping.

If you’re liking what you’re hearing about Playing it Safe but haven’t read the first two books in the series, I highly recommend going back and reading those first. This series is more of a builder than the Amory Ames series and there’s some relevant information and relationship-building in the beginning. You could read this on its own, but you won’t be as invested!

I’d like to comment on the differences between the Amory Ames series and the Electra McDonnell series. These two are nothing alike. Amory was posh, Electra common, Amory upstanding, Electra a thief, etc. The voices of the two characters are not remotely similar. I like the Electra McDonnell series more. The Ames are fantastic, and they’re one of the few series that my Cozy Mystery Readers group all loved. But, the difference for me is that because Electra is common, she has freedom. Amory had an image to maintain for the society pages, as do all posh sleuths. Electra can just come and go and be free to be her own person.

However – however – I don’t want to sound disparaging about the Ames because they are really well-written and are great mysteries. It’s really well done. Electra is just a personal preference (and who doesn’t love a good love triangle?). If you’re in the market for more of Ashley Weaver, try her Amory Ames series!

I do want to give Weaver mad props for Amory Ames because she is a married lady sleuth. Granted, her marriage isn’t the most stable, but you see her with her husband all the time. I think she’s one of the few ladies that started out her series already married. A lot of the lady sleuths I’ve read are either widowed (Lady Emily [Tasha Alexander]), or unmarried (Maisie Dobbs [Jacqueline Winspear]) at the start of their series. I appreciate that Amory busted the mold of the unmarried lady detective.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Playing It Safe is the third title in the series featuring safe cracker Electra/Ellie. Set in England during WWII, this title sees Ellie leaving London to travel to Sunderland to go undercover to at the direction of Major Ramsey. Unsure of exactly what her mission is, Ellie arrives in Sunderland and witnesses a apparent murder in front of her boarding house. Major Ramsey soon makes an appearance and poses as Ellie's new beau to explain their interactions. A traitor is creating false identity papers and intelligence suggests that a group of German spies are soon to arrive and get one of these false cards. What follows is a well crafted mystery that keeps the reader guessing on who exactly is behind the plot. There is some development on the romantic front as well for readers that are impatient to see if Ellie ends up with Ramsey or Felix. Talk about a cliff hanger; I didn't see the ending coming at all. I can't wait for the next title in the series.

What's not to love? Historical mystery full of intrigue, suspense, a witty safe cracking heroine, a budding romance and adventure over the top!

I need to go back and read the prior books in this series, but have to say this grabbed me from the start!! I hope to listen on audible!

Loved every page!

The story here is exciting and interesting, and I love how Electra's personality is starting to grow and mature. She learned a lot about herself in this one, and I'm pleased to see that even though this wishy-washy love triangle appears to be continuing, she's finally realizing that she can't lead both men on.

Major Ramsey continues to be my favorite character, and though my heart was in my throat a few times, I really felt like his character developed really smoothly here.

Part of the reason that I liked this book better than the last was the conspicuous lack of Felix. I dislike Felix so intensely at this point, mostly because he only serves as a plot device. He doesn't feel like a real character, just a prop to use to create conflict. I think Weaver would have been better off removing the love triangle element and using something else (maybe very recent criminal vs. good guy??) to create conflict and keep the romance moving more slowly.

The plot was the best aspect, and without spoilers, I'll say that the climax was the best in the series. High stakes, lots of action and drama, though it all wrapped up pretty quickly. Despite my dislike for the very lopsided triangle, I'll keep an eye out at the next one because these are fast and generally easy reads.

Playing it Safe tells the story of young and beautiful Electra McDonnell's safe-cracking adventures in England during the war. When she is commissioned by the handsome Major Ramsey to leave London and go to Sunderland for a few weeks, she's excited to to take on the job, though she doesn't know exactly what to expect. She moves into a boarding house there, witnesses a murder, meets some of the local folk, and begins her dangerous mission with the Major.

This is an easy story to read, very straightforward. I felt it was a little lackluster (a good 3 stars) up until things really started to happen toward the end of the book, so I'm glad I stayed with it, as it earned an extra star. The ending was somewhat satisfying and somewhat disturbing at the same time.

Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Playing it Safe.

This might be the first love triangle I don't completely hate!

The third book in the Electra McDonnell series from @ashleyweaverauthor is a fun #historicalmystery set during WWII. Ellie, the main character, is gutsy, independent, and a bit impulsive, with a fascinating backstory (WHAT A CLIFFHANGER!!).

And like I said, this might be the first series where the love triangle doesn't just make me roll my eyes. I usually get annoyed with all the back-and-forth emoting pretty quickly. IMO, if you can't decide, neither one is "the one." But something about the wartime atmosphere makes it work. Dramatic emotions seem a bit more realistic when you aren't sure if you're going to live through tonight's bombing 🤷🏻‍♀️

I can't wait for the fourth book in the series. I hope we get to see a bit more of Felix, and find out more about Ellie's family.

As bombs rained down on London. Electra McDonnell was sent on an assignment for which she received little preparation. Ellie was a thief and a safecracker. When a job went wrong she was given the option of jail or using her talents for British Intelligence. Now she finds herself on a train with a new identity, the address of a boarding house and a book on birdwatching. Intelligence had been watching suspicious activity in Sunderland but shortly after her arrival the subject of her investigation is murdered. Introducing herself to his friends, she hopes to discover what he was involved in.

Ellie works with and receives her orders from Major Ramsey. When he arrives in Sunderland, more details of the investigation are revealed, including the relevance of the book on birds. The investigation leads to the discovery of German sympathizers, counterfeit identity cards and murder. As Ellie and Ramsey spend time together and face danger there is an obvious attraction between them. Ramsey needs her skills as a safecracker, but the body count is rising.

Ellie is a resourceful character who was raised in a family of thieves. She is not averse to taking risks, but is always aware of the dangers. Ramsey works on a need to know basis, often frustrating her. However, she knows the importance of the work they do and that he will do his best to keep her safe. This is the third book in Ashley Weaver’s delightful series. With the war heating up, there should be many more opportunities for Weaver to put Ellie’s talents to use. I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press - Minotaur for providing this book for my review.

I’m so glad to see Ellie & the Major more in this installment. The worked very closely in this book, that they couldn’t help start recognizing their feelings. Will anything happen? That’s still up in the air. I like their chemistry though. The mystery was decent but this was more about the characters for me, & I enjoyed it.

Interesting story of a woman who can jimmy any lock being asked to help a Major during the War. They are trying to find a plate used to produce counterfeit identification.

Ellie's off to Sunderland at the request of Major Ramsey with a book about birds and a lot of questions but it's the Blitz and she's eager to help the UK. And then, just as she arrives, she's saved by a mysterious man when someone tries to push her into the street- and then she finds him dying. This latest in the series Ellie spread her wings a bit (there's an Air Force base in Sunderland) to work without her family but with Ramsey. They find themselves chasing counterfeiters as well as the murderer. And Ellie's still looking for answers about her mother and father. This is a good addition to the series which will be fine, I think, as a standalone. She's a good character as is Ramsay and in this installment, she meets some intriguing people (I was fond of the sisters). Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read - a historical cozy with a bit of bite.

I’m really enjoying this series from Ashley Weaver about a woman, Ellie McDonnell, who belongs to a family of locksmiths who also have used their skills on the wrong side of the law at times. But it’s WWII during the Blitz and she’s joined with hunky Major Ramsey to fight spies whenever her skills at breaking into locked places are needed.

This is the third book in the series and the slow burn attraction between Ellie and the rather uptight Major continues while they pretend to be dating while trying to crack a spy ring in a northern coastal town. There’s the right amount of thrills, action, historical ambiance, and sexual tension.

I couldn’t put it down. And the book ends with a hint at the plot twists for the next book and I can’t wait!

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.