Book review: 3.75/5 ⭐️
Genre: historical mystery
Themes: WWII POWs, spy network, love in war
📖 Read if you like: The Alice Network

This is book 5 in the Electra McDonnell series, but because I can never say no to good historical spy novel I decided to read it as a standalone. There were definelty some undercurrents I didn’t fully understand, but they were easy enough to follow in the context on this story. I personally will never be fond of the smothering in a protective cocoon MMC archetype even if it comes from a place of love, especially with such a capable female lead, but I get why it worked in this story line. So I think fans of this series will be happy with this finale, though some parts of the ending felt rushed. When older characters made a brief appearance for their own happily ever after or the discovery of her parents alleged truths needed more time for development than they received.

In this installment Electra embarks on a dangerous mission to save her beloved cousin. Following the battle of Dunkirk, Toby was presumed dead, but intelligence presented by Major Ramsey indicates that he has been smuggled through a hidden pipeline and is heading towards Lisbon. This is where she will be stationed under the charming and charismatic Captain Archie Blandings. As they race against time and the deadly Nazis on their tail in this “neutral” territory, the mystery of where her cousin could be starts to unfold.

There was a fair amount of ogling and sightseeing in this novel, which I actually enjoyed as an avid traveller. The mystery and spy elements felt slower paced and almost cozy in nature, though there were several deadly interactions. If anything, the pace made the realness of this storyline all the more weighted. It was also interesting to be in a place that seemingly didn’t take sides in the war and so was full of operators.

I liked Electra/Ellie as a main character, and Archie was a bashful and flirtatious comrade. As I haven’t read the previous novels, I actually hoped for something to bloom between these characters, instead of the surprise function of him acting as a match maker. Instead we have Ellie realizing she is in love with Major Ramsey just as he has dismissed her as untrustworthy.

Their relationship was awkward and full of tension. I always lean towards the partner that supports your decisions and your capabilities, instead of trying to put your in a box for your own safety so I didn’t really feel invested in this love story, though it did grow on me by the end. Still the rescue mission and all the sleuthing and lock picking required along the way were a cracking good time. I liked the mystery and the characters, and there was a good twist.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for providing this eARC.

It has been a joyful pleasure following along with Electra McDonnell's journey for now 5 incredible reads. It is bittersweet the series has come to an end, but Weaver has masterfully tied up every loose end when it comes to both plot and characters, it gives the sense that everything does fall into place beautifully and naturally in the end.

Weaver upped the ante in her final installment in terms of espionage and readers should not be disappointed. She added more depth and dynamics to every main player, especially where Electra, Ramsey, and Blandings were concerned. There was also considerable development in the humor and banter between the characters - before it was cliche and predictable dialogue - but now we have a more fluid cheekiness to the lighter-side of the novel and it shows that the writing has vastly improved.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and St Martins Press/Minotaur Books for the digital ARC. One Final Turn has been my favorite read of 2025 so far!

Pulling the entirety of this series to a close, Electra, Ellie, McDonnell takes a trip with Capt. Blandings to Lisbon where there was intelligence that her cousin Toby, who has been a POW, might be trying to get across into Portugal. Though the war is different within Portugal than England, she, Blandings and Ramsey are now trying to walk the line between the networks working for the Spanish, the Riech, and the network saving POWs as they escape and try to get home.

I came into this series about midway through not knowing it was a series and I felt like this fully resolved all of the plotlines that arose in the books that I read and probably the ones that came before as well. There were the twists, the turns, the jealousy, the subterfuge, the secrecy and Ellie's kick-butt way of solving problems and standing up for herself. I was fully satisfied with this conclusion.

#arc
#netgalley
#onefinalturn

Rounded up to 4 stars. I always feel a bit wistful when a series I’ve enjoyed comes to an end, and One Final Turn is a fitting conclusion to the Electra McDonnell series. Set primarily in Portugal, this final installment wraps up the ongoing storylines while delivering the intrigue and light romance readers have come to expect.

This is definitely a series that needs to be read in order, so I’ll avoid major plot details. What began with Electra—a clever safecracker from a family of thieves—being recruited by British intelligence during WWII has developed into a layered mix of espionage, mystery, and personal drama, including a long-running subplot about the murder of her father.

While the ending felt a bit rushed as Weaver worked to tie up every loose end, the series has been thoroughly entertaining. No, it’s not heavy literature, and yes, some elements are predictable—but Weaver consistently delivers engaging historical fiction. I’m curious to see what new direction she takes next. Fans of her Amory Ames series will likely enjoy this one, too.

The only reason I didn't finish this sooner was because I was "saving" it. I enjoyed the change of setting with most of the book taking place in Portugal. I also appreciated how the action kept going through most of the book and I thought "how will they resolve these storylines in time" but it did so and provided the satisfying ending I wanted. I will be exploring the author's backlist and I hope she will create more stories with characters that I enjoy as much as these.

Wow!

Word is that’s Electra’s cousin Toby may have escaped from a German prison via an unknown route through the Pyrenees to Lisbon. The British Government wants to help maintain that trail but need to find out who’s running it. Ellie is off to Lisbon to investigate along with an unknown handler Captain Archie Blandings who’s based in Lisbon. Major Gabriel Ramsey the intelligence officer whom she’d become close to, both personally and work wise is apparently going too, but fortunately Ellie is not under his command. Difficult! The last Ellie saw of the Major was when he’d rejected, then dismissed her.
Portugal is neutral and as such Lisbon is a hotbed of spies, officers and opportunists from all sides of the war.
Each time Ellie and Archie have a lead someone is one step ahead and they find themselves tripping over the bodies of those who might’ve helped!
I found myself chocking up at times, particularly as the sundered relationship between Ellie and Gabriel is always running in the background.
A brilliant conclusion to this series, resolving all sorts of questions Ellie and we readers have had, with the right amount of drama and sympathy.

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

One Final Turn is the fifth book in the exciting historical mystery series "Electra McDonnell" by Ashley Weaver. I fell in love with this series with Book One. I am devastated - DEVASTATED, I tell you! - to discover this is the final book of the series! I swear I almost cried to find I was losing something I just adored. I know it's a series, not a person, but my fellow bookish friends will totally understand this feeling. However, I was thrilled with how perfectly Ms. Weaver concluded the series, tying up loose ends and giving her fans what they wanted.

Electra "Ellie" McDonnell is on her most dangerous mission ever. She is to go to Lisbon, Portugal to save her dear cousin Toby, who has allegedly escaped from a German POW camp. Toby has been missing since the Battle of Dunkirk, and the family thought they'd never see him again...until Major Gabriel Ramsey, the military intelligence officer she's been working closely with, shared the news he intercepted about Toby. Ellie will do everything she can to find her cousin, even if it means she has to travel to an unknown country with Ramsey after he dismissed her for being untrustworthy, just as she realized she had fallen in love with him. She is under the supervision of Captain Archie Blandings, a charming intelligence officer based in Lisbon. Elie meets with undercover operatives to determine where he is hiding from the Nazis, with the hope they aren't too late to retrieve him. Amidst all of this, Ellie is fighting her feelings for Ramsey. Can this end well for any of them?

Though I really am heartbroken there will no longer be further adventures with Ellie, Ramsey and all the rest, I am very grateful that I had the opportunity to read the entire series from the beginning. Though the rescue operation in this novel stands, alone, you will want to read the entire series from the beginning to understand the dynamics between the characters, especially Ellie and Ramsey. Of course, this book is my favorite of the five. The stories were all exciting, but the characters are what stand out here. Ellie McDonnell was an orphan. Her mother had been in prison for killing Ellie's father, but died of influenza before she could be hanged. Ellie was taken in by her fraternal Uncle Mick, where she was raised alongside her cousins Toby and Colm, under the supervision of housekeeper Nacy. Ellie excelled in the family business - safecracking - until Major Gabriel Ramsey put an end to that! Ramsey's world was totally different from Ellie's. His father was a Lord, and he was raised in an affluent home with this sisters and parents. He was a British intelligence officer, and he's dealt with some difficult issues...but not as difficult as Ellie! He is stern and appears to be cold, but don't judge a book by its cover. This man has hidden depths! After their last mission, Ramsey dismissed Ellie from working with him because he believed she could no longer be trusted. Ellie had just realized she loved him right before that occurred. However, there was no way she would be left out when Ramsey informed her that her missing cousin Toby was not dead, as believed, but was a POW. Captain Archie Blandings was in charge of the operation, and Ellie and Ramsey were under his supervision so they had to work together. They may have previously parted, but the sparks were still alive! I don't want to give any of the story away (besides "exciting", "tear inducing", "anger", "sorrow", "fear" and "happiness"), but all will be resolved neatly without any hanging threads. And I assure you, you will be happy with how Ms. Weaver has wrapped up this series. It was wonderful to be with Ellie, Ramsey, Uncle Mick, Nacy, Felix and all the others who appeared here once again. The consolation of this ending is that we are sure to having something exciting from this talented author on the horizon!

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.

Goodness, I loved this series so much!! So happy with how it ended. Ashley Weavers stories have been so entertaining and now I’m really looking forward to reading other stories of hers.

If you’re a fan of historical suspense with a side of romance, this is for you. Firstly, you HAVE to read the series in order to. And savor it because it’s too good.

That ending was so satisfying and now I’m just heartbroken over here that I won’t be able to read this series for the first time. Loved every second of it!

This series has literally everything I love about my three favorite genres in one book—a swoony MMC, a romance full of palpable attraction, a mystery to be solved, and a historical setting.

When I tell you I was BLOWN. AWAY. by the Electra McDonnell books, I mean that I literally could not put them down, and I haven’t stopped thinking about them since.

Major Ramsey is a major DREAMBOAT. He’s all things upright moral compass, dedication to duty, and capable intelligence.
Electra McDonnell is spirited, smart, and suave. She has such an interesting background, and her morally grey family is nonetheless charming!

I wish I could share my favorite quotes, but there are too many!

For being the final book in the series, I felt it gave proper resolution to everything: the relationship between Ellie and Major Ramsey, Ellie’s friendship with Felix, the mystery of her cousin’s disappearance, the search for the truth behind her father’s murder and mother’s imprisonment, and more.

There is a fade-to-black scene, which I thought was surprising since the other books had only kissing, if that.

My only issue is that I want more! This was only 1941! What about the rest of the war? Did they continue to do investigations together? What happens next??Unfortunately, I don’t think I’m going to get any answers 😭

I’ve become obsessed with both Emma M. Lion and Electra McDonnell this year! The difference, though, is that everyone is talking about Emma M. Lion, but NO ONE is talking about these books!

This is the most underrated series of all time, and I promise you, you will love it. Trust me on this one.

My only regret upon finishing One Final Turn is that I wish I could experience this series over again for the first time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to @netgalley and @StMartinsPress for this ARC. Book 5 of the Electra McDonnell as a safecracker. She has a chance to work a mission in Portugal to find her MIA cousin Toby. Another great read by Ashley Weaver and sad to see this series end. #OneFinalTurn #AshleyWeaver #StMartinsPress #June 2025

We're finally here. The last book in the much-loved Electra McDonnell series.

If, like me, you've followed safecracker Electra from her not entirely legal beginnings through her drafting into the British espionage team, this book is a lovely conclusion to the series. All those loose ends (and there are a fair number of them) get tied up in a very satisfying manner.

Electra heads off to Lisbon in this adventure, with a possibility of finding the fate of her beloved cousin Toby as a prime motivator. Ashley Weaver does an amazing job of immersing us in World War 2 Lisbon, and helping us see and navigate the contrast between its beauty and the destruction that is happening in Electra's London. The descriptions are fabulous and the food descriptions in particular had me wanting to run and book a ticket to Lisbon!

There are the usual adventures having you on the edge of your seat, and love interest Major Ramsay does manage to appear, despite the huge wedge that developed between him and Electra in book 4.

This is a terrific ending to a strong series. Questions answered, our favourite familiar characters making an appearance, and the biggest mystery that runs throughout the series gets a satisfying solution. If you've got students who are Maisie Dobbs fans, this is a terrific parallel series to send them to.
A solid 4 star read.

4.5

Don’t you dare read this if you haven’t read the first four Electra McDonnell books!

While there aren’t any real spoilers from“One Final Turn” in this review, this review (as well as the book itself) contains spoilers from the series leading up to book five, as well as my own general satisfaction levels with this final book.

Consider yourself warned.

I know things had to get bad before they became good, but the last book was such a letdown for those of us rooting for Electra and Ramsey. Obviously they could be written back together easily, but how could it be believable? The disappointment and lack of confidence he had in her and their completely different interpretations of the situation seemed unsurmountable. Then, something about Portugal and sending her to a place where there isn’t really even a war? And with a playboy like Archie?!

It was surprisingly easy to be swept up into this journey and the arrival someplace that, even those of us who have lived in or traveled Europe extensively, may be less likely to know well. I only ever heard of Portugal during the war as the hub for transatlantic flights and Edward and Wallace potentially meeting with representatives of the Nazi party.

There are so many layers. Then, Ramsey shows up and Archie, if not Electra, is ready for him. Archie knows exactly which buttons to push. It’s impossible to not give everything away and I really had no idea how this was going to all work out, even if I knew it had to somehow. I think there is enough intake, conflict, and outcome resolution at each step of the way that it is satisfying. Still, when I passed 70% and there was so much I hoped still to cover, I got a little nervous. Rest assured, things will happen until the very last page and, since I warned you, everything I wanted to be addressed was addressed to my satisfaction.

It was an excellent book end to this interesting series, however unlikely the concept was. I mean, Ramsey always had all the answers ahead of time so that she could just swoop in and open the safe and get it for them, even though it seemed like they already had that information in advance.

I am a happy reader if this had to be a goodbye. Amery Ames and Electra McDonnell were both quite different from each other so I can’t wait to see what Ashley Weaver comes up with for her next series. Who would have thought she’s a librarian from Louisiana!

Thank you to Ashley Weaver, NetGalley, and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with a free advanced copy of this book for my unbiased review.

#OneFinalTurn #NetGalley #bookreview #ADHDreader #mystery #historicmystery #historicalfiction #romance #ElectraMcDonnell #WWII #Portugal #stmartinspress

A fitting conclusion to a delightful World war II mystery series. Well researched, with a fascinating twist in that the heroine begins as a criminal, but ends up using her lock-picking and safe-cracking skills assisting British intelligence. While this book could be read as a standalone, the family relationships and personal dynamics are better developed in the earlier books. I found it hard to put down. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this book.

I've enjoyed this series. Sad to see it end but enjoyed the story. The mystery kept me guessing. I've enjoyed the characters and the different locations.

I look forward to the next series this author comes up with.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my eARC in exchange for an honest review.

My thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books/St. Martin's Publishing for the ARC of "One Final Turn" in exchange for an honest review.

Such a clash of conflicted feelings while reading this. I'm elated to delve into another adventure of Electra (Ellie) McDonnell, alluring beauty, safecracker and thief extraordinaire and unlikely spy for British Intelligence in the harrowing midst of London during World War II.. And this one, like the four previous entries is a corker of story, filled with intrigue, danger, twists and even a slow burn romance.

But I'm also plunged into a sad funk. The final entry? The last book in the series? Please, Ashley Weaver, say it isn't so. When I reached that last page, it was like having to say fond farewells to people who'd become best friends over the years.

Ellie, coming from a close, loving family of professional thieves, has been given a new mission - travel to Lisbon, Portugal to rescue her dear cousin Toby, a British POW who's escaped his Nazi captors in France. Toby and a few fellow prisoners have possibly made their way through an escape route to Lisbon, but murderous German agents are on the hunt for the prisoners and the path they took to freedom.

While Electra's now taking orders from genial Capt. Archie Blandings, also along on the mission is her taciturn former boss (and object of a long simmering mutual attraction).,Major Gabriel Ramsey. The strict, dour Ramsey has previously dismissed Ellie for her reckless plunges into dangerous situations, but there's no doubt of the unspoken, sexual combustion between them. Though they're determined to now keep their interactions professional and formal, the mission throws them together in ways neither could imagine......or cope with.

Once again this series tosses you into a captivating mix of wartime history, espionage and suspenseful action. I especially loved the ambitious finale of Ellie's final perilous undertaking, reminiscent of the wartime adventure novels of Alistair MacLean. And those wondering what's to become of the Ellie-Ramsey 'will-they-or-won't-they situation......your answers await.

I've never been more sorry to see the end of a 5 star series than this one. 'One Final Turn' can be read as a stand-alone, and I'm pretty certain readers who start out with this book will then want to catch up on all the others right away.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this well-written historical mystery series, and reading the final installment was bittersweet for me. While I'm sad to see the series come to an end, Weaver delivers an intriguing mystery, ties up loose ends, and gives the series a great send-off.

Electra "Ellie" and her family, locksmiths, turned to safecracking to make a living outside the law when World War II began, as they were unable to pay their bills. They got caught and presented with the choice of jail, or Ellie could use her unique skill set to work for British Military Intelligence. She's embarked on several dangerous missions with handsome Major Ramsey, and the latest one takes her to Portugal to rescue escaped POWs, including her cousin Toby.

The historical detail in this book is incredible, making it an atmospheric read. It is well-paced, packed with danger and action, and a high-stakes race to find the missing soldiers. The story also includes moments of humor and heart.

The characters have been wonderfully developed throughout the series, and I have grown very fond of Ellie. She is brave, smart, observant, and spunky. In this installment, she and Ramsey need to address some unresolved issues while Captain Archie Blandings accompanies them on the mission. This trio makes for compelling reading. There is more romance in this book than in previous installments, but it provides Ellie and Ramsey with a satisfying conclusion. I also enjoyed seeing an overarching mystery from the series resolved.

I will miss this series, but I can't wait to see what Weaver writes next! While this book could technically be read as a standalone, fans of historical mysteries will want to add the entire series to their TBRs, given how the series is structured.

Thank you to St, Martin's Press, MInotaur Books, and Netgally for the gifted eARC

This time the mission is personal

Ellie McDonnell's pedigree is unusual, to say the least, for someone working for British military intelligence during WWII. She was born in a prison to a mother convicted of murdering her husband (Ellie's father). When her mother died there of influenza, Ellie was taken in by her widower Uncle Mick who was already raising his sons alone. Uncle Mick was a locksmith by trade but was known to use his skills in some not-quite-legal endeavors when his workday was done...cracking safes a specialty...and Ellie learned the trades, legal and not, at his knee. It was a happy childhood despite the element of criminality...she loves and is loved in return by her uncle and cousins. It turns out that the family skills could be used to help the war effort, and Ellie in particular had come in quite useful to the government in several instances. She was supervised in those efforts by Major Gabriel Ramsey, who admired her contributions but was unnerved by her impulsiveness, and a strong attraction between them became the final straw. Let go from her official position within the military intelligence world and pushed away on a personal level by Ramsey, the man she loved despite the differences in their social levels, Ellie is nursing a broken heart when she is approached by Captain Archie Blandings to come to neutral Lisbon to help find and extricate three escaped POWs, one of whom is her cousin Toby. Ramsey, outmaneuvered and displeased, will work with Ellie and Archie in Lisbon....quite awkward all around, but Ellie will do whatever it takes to bring Toby back home. Things quickly go from bad to worse, with each lead they are given extinguished before they can pursue it and extreme measures need to be taken. As the bodies mount and the trio receive accounts that the POW's have been captured and Toby killed, Ellie is determined to rescue those who survive. She also decides to grab whatever moments of happiness she can, even if she risks heartbreak all over again.
In this, the fifth and final novel in the series, Ellie has seen and endured far more than she ever expected. She still loves the adrenaline of a mission, but realizes that this is no lark....it is dead serious business with lives on the line, including those of people she loves. Set in the beautiful city of Lisbon, the first place outside of England to which Ellie has ever travelled, there is intrigue around every corner and Ellie finds many uses for her lock picks. The friendly, slightly flirtatious relationship she develops with Archie infuriates Ramsey (a little jealousy might be just what he needs), but while Ellie enjoys seeing the sights of the city and visiting restaurants and casinos on Archie's arm, she knows that she is being watched at all times and that the clock is ticking for the escaped POWs. Blending a bit of historical mystery with espionage and the on-again off-again romance between Ellie and Ramsey, One Final Turn brings a successful conclusion to the different plot lines threaded into the series' narrative. Will the mission be a success? Will Ellie ever find out the truth about her father's death? And will Ellie and Ramsey get out of their own ways and find happiness with one another? A quick and enjoyable read, one which those who have enjoyed the preceding installments must read as should those who like Susan Elia MacNeal, Jacqueline Winspear and Kate Quinn. My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press/Minotaur Books for allowing me access to this satisfying finish to an entertaining series in exchange for my honest review.

My thoughts:
My first thought when finishing One Final Turn?
I am so very sad this is the last installment in the Electra McDonnell series!
I have loved each book in this series. But, I think One Final Turn was my favorite of all.
I don’t like to share too much about a book. I hate spoilers!
All I can say is, you will love main characters Electra and Ramsey. And, all the adventures they get into.
I do recommend reading the books in order….so much background to each character that is important to know.
Highly recommended series!
Thanks to all for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s for an ARC of this book.

As the 5th and last installment of the historical mystery series in which she stars, this is indeed the final turn for Electra (Ellie) McDonnell. For those who are not series followers, Ellie is a fierce, brave, sometimes foolhardy, clever pickpocket/lock-picker turned legitimate locksmith in her Uncle Mick’s family business. She is also beautiful, especially as concerns her frequently noted tousled hair. Raised by the loving Mick, her father’s brother, and his doting cousin Nacy, she grew up in London with her cousins Colm and Toby in a close and happy family. As she tells us in the book’s opening paragraph, she was born in prison. This is the central mystery of her life, and, as in previous volumes, she wants to find the truth about her parents. The bits she has discovered suggest a conspiracy to hide it.

Ellie is also a British secret agent, the setting is the Second World War, and her skill set is extremely useful in covert activity.

This is the backstory, conveniently reiterated for new readers in Book 5. These threads weave through the current novel, as does that of the testy relationship between Ellie and her immediate commander, Major Gabriel Ramsey. Their potential romance ended just as it was starting at the end of Book 4.

Ellie’s new mission is one very close, possibly too close, to her heart. Both her cousins enlisted but intelligence reports tell that Toby, the younger one, taken prisoner at Dunkirk, had escaped the Nazis and was heading through the treacherous Pyrenees route to Portugal. Naturally Ellie had to be involved in bringing him and two fellow prisoners home.

When she arrives in Lisbon with the mission commander, the charmingly slippery Captain Archie Blandings, his superior officer, guess who, joins them. What follows as they go about following leads while pretending to be tourists and lovers (yes, all three) is the classic romance novel trope, love you-hate you interaction. Underlying bitterness and guilt fuel some tense, often very funny, and always witty exchanges. Add to this the inadvertent (or not)antics of Blandings, whose complicated manoeuvres stoke the embers in more ways than one.

With three storylines—the truth of Ellie’s origins, the Ramsey matter, and bringing Toby home alive without also getting killed in a Lisbon swarming with Nazi agents, other foreign agents, the British, the Portuguese on both sides, and various double agents and traitors, there is a lot going on. The lead characters are all shot, knocked out, stabbed, etc. The damage seems substantial but is fixed with a hot cup of sweet tea and maybe brandy. Blandings comes up with a scheme to exchange intelligence with a Portuguese ‘helper,’ a civil servant under constant Nazi surveillance. He then pulls out of the crucial performance part and foists it all on the barely speaking couple.

Electra McDonnell fans will feel a certain pang at not being able to follow her antics anymore. But this finale does what it should do, which is some comfort. New readers should be enticed to find out exactly how things got here. The writing as usual is crisp and lively, though, as usual, there were too many references to Ellie’s tousled hair and the many provocative pins needed to confine (or loosen) it, and also to Ramsey’s eyes that shift colours to varying blue shades depending on his mood. The real action comes at the end, and then it’s fast and furious. But what a fun trip along the way!

If you haven’t had the pleasure of reading the Electra McDonnell series, do yourself a favor and procure book one, A Peculiar Combination. Now is the best time to start the series because the final installment, One Final Turn, publishes on June 3. Then you can join me in loving this WW2 mystery series featuring Ellie, an expert lock-picker and thief, who in exchange for no jail time, is brought in as an agent of the British government, working closely with the ever-so-serious Major Ramsey.

Our story is set in Lisbon, which I found to be a refreshing change of pace. Ellie and Captain Blandings are on assignment, attempting to figure out what happened to Ellie’s cousin Tobey. Ellie is none too thrilled when Major Ramsey arrives because of their falling out at the end of the last novel. For his part, he is less than enthusiastic about Ellie and Blandings’ cozy cover story.

Listen, this book gave me everything that I wanted. I got answers to burning questions I’ve had for years. I got closure in terms of all the unresolved relationships in this series.
There was murder. There was intrigue. Best of all, my favorite character got everything I ever wanted for her. Did I fully understand why the British government would allow Ellie to be on the mission to locate her own cousin? No. Was the ending rather rushed? Sure. Did I care? Not in the least. I adore these characters and had so much fun getting to dip into this world one last time.

This ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.