Electra (Ellie) learned the family craft of safe cracking and burglary very well but found herself in a lot of hot water when Major Gabriel Ramsey crosses her path. Her choices are go to prison for her crimes or join the war effort with him and fight the Germans in England. It turns out they make a great team and there is also some added romance between them that is pitch perfect.
In this, book #3, she is on her own, out of London so without her family and traveling to Sunderland. Gabriel has been stingy with the details and she basically only has a destination of a boarding house once she arrives. The goal is to stop a counterfeiting ring making fake documents. Toss in a Nazi spy, a murder and a large cast of characters and you have a very enjoyable read.
If you are just now discovering this wonderful series you probably want to know if it works as a standalone. Yes, there is enough backstory so you won't get lost. Just be prepared to get you hands on the rest of the books and binge read them.
My thanks to the publisher Minotaur and to NetGalley for giving me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

I received a copy from NetGalley, I supply a review. I like cozies, they’re like good friends. It’s fun spending time with them. Electra has become a friend even though she may have been a wee bit shady in the past, it’s given her the tools to help unravel enemy plots in the present. The present is WWII England. It appears there may be some enemy shenanigans going on in a port city but she isn’t given much information, so we’re also left in the dark, she’s just told to make friends. She’s been given her instructions by one of her love interests, Major Ramsey, and he’s also given her a bird watching book, she would have preferred a novel. I don’t want to spoil it for you but there’s murder, birds and uncovering and putting the kebosh to a Nazi scheme. Then we’re left hanging to wait for the next book to find out if the Major will score and also get more information about her Mother. Did she kill her Dad? Cliff hangers that keep us coming back for more.

If Nancy Drew had lived during WWII and had the skills of a safecracker, she might have grown up to be Ashley Weaver’s appealing Electra McDonnell. Electra, or Ellie, has been trained by her safecracking uncle and in the first book is recruited by the government to put her skills to a more patriotic use. While Ellie’s past is criminal, her present is in the service of her country, and as the book opens, she’s given an assignment with few details other than “get to know the locals.”

The assignment calls for her to take the train from London to Sunderland, a small town on the northeast coast of the U.K. Because it’s small, the bombings are far fewer than in middle-of-the-blitz London, and Ellie appreciates the break. She’s given an identity (one she’s used before), a place to stay, a cover story, and a book on birding. She studies the book but is no closer to finding out what it might mean, though she does learn a bit about birds.

Weaver has given Electra two possible suitors: Felix, who is practically family, and her “handler,” Major Ramsey. He’s the one who’s given Ellie her assignment and has told her he’ll turn up at some point. Meanwhile, Ellie is greeted on arrival by a mysterious traffic death of a young officer in the street in front of her rooming house. Accident – or murder? This is a mystery, so that bit is easy to figure, but the overall storyline which involves birding, the man’s mysterious death, the appearance of Major Ramsey and a printing company that seems to be in use for unknown purposes all turn into a well told, mysterious, and enjoyable tale.

The tension between the Major and Ellie is strong, and Felix is off canvas for this instalment, so their feelings are given somewhat free reign, albeit under wartime circumstances. Weaver is great with a brisk plot and she’s also great with character. Both Major Ramsey, and more importantly, Ellie herself are well drawn and interesting. While Ellie as a character is somewhat in the intrepid female heroine mould, but she has some differences that make her a standout.

For one thing, she’s been raised as a criminal, and for another, she has lock picking and safecracking skills. She’s interestingly uncertain about her future, and so is the reader. She’s found this undercover work during the war, but what happens next? She’s appealingly curious as well as intelligent, and she sticks up for herself (just like Nancy Drew!) She also has an intriguing backstory: her mother died in prison, accused of her father’s murder. This thread has been pulled through all the books.

There are several local characters that provide both a suspect pool and an insight into the life of a small town, and Weaver makes each of them different enough from one another to stay in the reader’s mind as they add complexity and interest to the plot. And much like a good Nancy Drew story, this book ends with a couple cliff-hangers: what’s next with the Major and Felix, and what’s the truth behind the death of Ellie’s mother. This juicy backstory is obviously the plot for the next novel, and I just can’t wait. This engaging and insanely enjoyable series has real reading sparkle.

A very enjoyable historical mystery set in Britain during WWII where Electra McDonnell, part of a safe-cracking family, is sent out to Sunderland by Major Ramsey on a mysterious mission that she doesn't even know the goal of. But things start off quickly when a man dies suddenly on a street by the boarding house she is staying in. Does this have anything to do with her mission? Well...

I really like Electra, a/k/a Ellie. She is smart, resourceful, but also very relatable. The war has turned everything on its ear and she is questioning some of the values she was brought up with. Particularly, as her partnership with Major Ramsey continues who is so opposite in many ways to her, at least in his outlook. Their banter is fun and reveals the romantic tension between them.

The mystery is interesting and filled with suspense. I look forward to more in the series.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

First off, thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this preview eGalley. This was an amazing story.

I rarely rate a book 5 stars; it really has to blow me away. This one did. So well written; Ashley Weaver can really pull a story together.

This is #3 in the series. Our series takes place during WWII. Electra is once again called upon to use her 'skills' in safecracking and lockpicking to help the British Government. Her sleuthing skills are excellent, and she has keen observation skills, which helps her read people and she can tell when they are avoiding or obfuscating. My kind of heroine; smart and savvy.

The story flows well and kept my attention (I finished it in 3 days). It was hard to put down. The characters were easy to connect to. This was an intelligent and well put-together story line. A good foray into historical fiction.

I admit to not having read the first two in the series. Having said that, while there were a few references to past events, this really read as a standalone. Having discovered this author, I do intend to go back and read the first two in the series. I feel like I've missed out.

Content warning: murder, poisoning, drugging

First of all, Ashley Weaver... HOW DARE YOU with how things ended in Sunderland AND with that bombshell of information you dropped at the end of the novel. RUDE. But I also love it and will now impatiently wait to find out what happens next.

Electra McDonnell has easily joined the ranks on my list of favorite literary characters, she's smart, she's spunky, and she's just such an interesting character. And well, Major Ramsey... we got a whole new side of him this time in PLAYING IT SAFE and I am here for it.

Overall I found the plot of PLAYING IT SAFE engaging and with enough unexpected twists to keep readers on their toes. The tension between Ellie and Major Ramsey is deliciously frustrating and I hope this gets explored even further in book 4 (sorry Felix). I'm hoping readers will see more of Nacy and Uncle Mick as this series continues.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review.

Playing It Safe is the third book in Ashley Weaver's fantastic Electra McDonnell historical mystery series, and I loved it!

Set during WWII, Electra "Ellie" McDonnell and her family are safe-cracking thieves who avoided jail by going straight and assisting the British government with the war effort. This mission sees her and Major Ramsey traveling to the port city of Sunderland, taking on assumed identities to investigate a dangerous German counterfeit operation and figure out an unexpected death.

This is one of my favorite historical mystery series! Exciting and fun to read, with tight plots, perfect pacing, and memorable characters. Ellie is a compelling MC, flawed but brave, headstrong, intelligent, and resourceful. It's interesting to see how a former thief, raised in a family of them, approaches certain aspects of an investigation and uses what she learned in her former life to inform her current one. Detailed enough to immerse you in the time and place but fast-paced enough to keep the story suspenseful, these books are very well-written!

If you want a thoroughly entertaining historical mystery with witty dialogue, a fabulous female sleuth, a touch of romance, and some WWII espionage, this is one to try!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press Minotaur Books for the opportunity to review this ARC.

I have been a fan of Ashley Weaver since the first Amory Ames mystery, Murder at the Brightwell. I was so sad when that series ended, I wasn’t sure if I could give the Ellie series an unbiased read. Electra MacDonnell has won my heart. This series has more action and suspense than the Amory Ames series.
Set during WWII in England, Ellie has been recruited for the war effort thanks to her unconventional background and skills. Ellie was raised by her uncle Mick, a renowned safe cracker and thief. He taught Ellie and her cousins almost everything he knows. A good thief always keeps something back of course. When Major Ramsey is in need of a lock picker who won’t raise suspicions, he asks Ellie for help.
The newest case is in Sunderland. An informant has found activity going on at a publishing plant when it should be closed because of rationing. Ramsey suspects counterfeiting money at first but he and Ellie find practice sheets of ID cards. One man is already dead from poison and the ID card plates are missing. Can Ellie find them before the German spies can?
This is the best book in the series yet! I won’t give away any spoilers but something I have been waiting for since book one finally happened and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.

Playing It Safe is the third installment in Ashley Weaver’s Electra McDonnell series. As with the first two books, this has a solid mystery/suspense, WWII-spy-related plot as the backdrop to the ongoing stories of Electra’s (or Ellie, to her friends and family) personal life.

The author tends to write her mysteries a bit over-complicated, but not enough to be seriously annoying. You just have to pay a little extra attention and not allow yourself to be distracted by the (more interesting, in my opinion) interpersonal relationships that play out.

I was especially pleased to see that in this latest book, Ms. Weaver dialed back on the heavy handed patriotism that was so dominate in book two. Yes, it was war time, but we don’t need a repeat of God Save the King on every other page. Glad she got the memo.

Each of the books in this series is better than the last; I highly recommend the first three books and look forward to future installments. If you love historical fiction and/or mysteries, but you have WWII story fatigue, this is the series for you. Four stars for Playing It Safe.

German infiltrators and counterfeiting and espionage, oh my! Lady locksmith, former thief, and current secret agent Electra McDonnell leaves London -- which is suffering the bombardment of the Blitz -- and travels to the seaside city of Sunderland on Major Ramsey's orders to insinuate herself into a group that may include German conspirators, in search of a plate being used to forge official paperwork.

Ellie gets to get her spy on, calling upon her old skills as a pickpocket and safecracker while she dodges danger and her growing chemistry with Ramsey. Moving our heroine out of her familiar setting, away from her safety net of family and friends, where her only truly trustworthy ally is the ever-infuriating, ever-handsome Ramsey, adds a nice layer of tension to the proceedings, and Weaver gives us several exciting sequences that propel the story to its breakneck, breathless conclusion. Of all of the Electra novels thus far, this one is definitely the most action-packed one.

The B-plot involving Ellie's quest for the truth re: her father's murder and mother's guilt or innocence also turns a dramatic corner, setting the stage for Book 4 -- which I'm already impatient for. Can't wait to see what Weaver has in store for our intrepid gal next!

I love this series! It captures the urgency and terror of living through a war on your doorstep. The premise of a safecracker and thief, and a woman adds so much interest to this series. The relationship between Ellie and the Major contribut3s a personal interest and urgency to the story. I can't wait for the next installment.

Another delightful novel with the safe cracking expert, Electra. Weaver’s books are so well written and the suspense builds until the very end. The reader is never quite sure who did what until it is revealed. Great book by an exceptionally talented author.

Weaver is a favorite author and this latest entry in the Electra McDonnell series doesn’t disappoint. Weaver not only writes complex and incredibly likable characters but I love reading a different POV of women helping with the war effort in WWII England. Most importantly, Weaver’s a pro at writing a mystery plot that’s well balanced with plenty of clues, red herrings and suspects that will have you scratching your head ‘til the last page. If you’re looking for a great story involving former thieves doing good, wartime espionage and tons of intrigue, run don’t walk and pick up this amazing series. A note: this is the third book in the series; if you’d like to read Ellie’s adventures from the beginning check out A Peculiar Combination, book one.


I received this eARC thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books in exchange for an honest review. Publishing dates are subject to change.

This is currently my favorite historical mystery series. In this third installment, Ellie is once again enlisted by Major Ramsey to help with London's war efforts. Weaver has created such a likable heroine in Ellie; she is smart, headstrong, and brave, but not without her flaws. Ellie's mission quickly proves to be quite dangerous when two of the people she has made contact with are murdered. The task is wrapped up with plenty of adrenaline, while the ongoing mystery of Ellie's dead parents slowly simmers in the background. Add in the very believable romantic entanglements and confusions, and this book has a little bit of everything without overdoing any one aspect. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press / Minotaur Books for a digital review copy.

I devoured this book just like I did with the others. The writing was quick and the romance had me breathless. The cliffhanger at the end was just mean but it's definitely something to think about; especially when it comes to Felix.

Ellie seems more confident in this book and I liked seeing her outside of London on her own. Her family is lovely and I love their love, but it was refreshing to see her think things through and come to her own conclusions. Some reviews mention that her inner dialogue about her feelings on Major Ramsey and Felix was distracting in the last book but not here, but I find that I like the pause in the action as she finds her center again. This book has twists and turns and...birds of all things. Make a strong cup of tea and let the postman ring twice because you will not want to put this down.

I love Electra McDonnell! I have had so much fun reading this series. This novel takes us to Sunderland where Ellie brings her tools of the trade to help the Major with a new assignment. As always, the Major keeps the assignment a secret and doesn't tell her much about it. She witnesses a man dying in the street and that starts all the mystery and mayhem. There are several key players in the book and it makes figuring out who done it even more fun. The romantic triangle is still going on. I have to say I was team Major this book. But who knows what team I will be on in the next installment. If you enjoy WW2 stories, romance and mystery, then this book is for you.
*I received this book from the publisher and this is my honest opinion.
4.5 stars

The Electra McDonnell series was one of my favorite finds last year. When I finished the first book I IMMEDIATELY ordered the second and read it right away. Having to wait for this third one has been excruciating and it's been one of my most anticipated for 2023.

The end of "The Key to Deceit" saw the beginnings of the Blitz and that's where we star in "Playing it Safe." Ellie, like the rest of England, is trying to continue as normal as the Germans drop bombs around them. This includes going to the movies with her beau (or not quite beau) Felix. However this attempt at normalcy is immediately ruined by the appearance of Major Ramsey and his new job for Ellie.

Having to watch Ellie and the major pretend to be two strangers who end up courting (and with a side hustle of pretending to be married) was absolutely lovely to watch. Elie doesn't shy away from having to do the hard and dangerous risks that come with helping the government fight Nazi's on home sole. She's never the damsel in distress and uses the skills and smart she has to get out of any trouble she (and the major) might bump into.

While I loved seeing more of Ramsey and his interactions with Ellie, I did greatly miss the other characters we came to love in the previous two novels. This job had to be done outside of London and only needed Elie so we didn't get to see much of Uncle Mick and Nacey. The little we did see of Mick, however, was very heartwarming as Electra continues to try and figure out what happened between her mother and father all those years ago and ended in such tragedy.

I also felt like the main mystery of this book didn't grab me as much as the previous two. The characters involved didn't pull me in as much. The star of this book was the building tension between Ellie and Ramsey. And the parents mystery. Just you wait for that!

In all this was another delightful addition to a comfort mystery series that continues to catch my attention and love.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC for my honest opinion.

4.5/5⭐️

This is 3rd in series, and I’m loving it more with each installment.

Set in WW2 England, Electra McDonnell, a feisty, intelligent former safecracking thief, is sent to Sunderland to help investigate a possible spy ring/counterfeiting operation. Her “boss”, British intelligence agent Major Ramsey, meets her there with more info as bodies begin to pile up. Who is the spy/murderer among her new acquaintances?

This one was especially good as the slow-burn attraction between Ellie and Ramsey begins to heat up a bit, setting the stage for a possible love triangle with Ellie’s childhood friend, sort-of-beau Felix.

Weaver does character development especially well in her books. I love Ellie for her fearlessness, her resourcefulness and her endearing love for her family. And Ramsey, who’s a bit of a stern mentor is starting to loosen up and grow on me as I learn more about him with each new book.

I always love to hear there’s a new adventure coming out, and I’m always up for it.

My sincere thanks to the author, NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing the free early arc of Playing It Safe for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Book 3 in an engaging WWII tale of a woman from a petty crime family who becomes involved with officers in the British war effort, due to her usefulness in safe cracking and petty thievery.

Spies and danger!

Whew! Well that ending has just opened the proverbial can of worms! 🪱🪱
But back to the main event! Electra McDonnell, our ex safe cracking thief, who’s had several missions now with British Intelligence, is contacted by Major Ramsey (be still mine and Ellie’s beating heart!) to go to the port of Sunderland, with a copy of Northern Birds of England under her arm, and await orders.
It’s 1940 and the game is afoot once more!
Ellies’s walking towards her accommodation when she’s jostled from behind into the path of a lorry.
Fortunately a man grabs her, just in time! Is this deliberate or accidental?
Ellie later sees that same man lying dead on the road near the rooming house she’s staying in. He’s collapsed, frozen in the moment, with a small amount of foam bubbling around his lips! A piece of paper is clasped in his fist. Ellie surreptitiously liberates it.
Now she’s in a strange town, a strange boarding house, a dead man, and with no idea about what’s going on.
Ellie’s new mission will be dangerous but that’s not going to stop her. A possible Nazi counterfeiting ring is operating. Ellie has a few surprises of her own, old contacts that will be revisited. New acquaintances made.
A deadly game of catchup and cat and mouse ensues that has Ellie and Major Ramsay on their toes.
Another electrifying Electra read from Weaver.

A St. Martin’s Press ARC via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)