My favorite book of the whole series.

Weaver left no stone unturned and wrapped everything up so well. It was everything I wanted out of the end of a series.

The new setting was a nice touch and I loved how things played out.



CONTENT WARNING COULD BE CONSIDERED A SPOILER. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

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Content: off page bedroom scenes, death, violence, war crimes

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CONTENT WARNING COULD BE CONSIDERED A SPOILER. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

One Final Turn by Ashley Weaver

I love the Electra McDonnell series, but I think we say goodbye to Ellie McDonnell in this one, in more ways than one. No, don’t worry, she’s fine. She leads us through another exciting chapter in her life as a lock picker.

Major Ramsey fired Ellie last book, but Captain Archie Blandings needs her expertise for a big job, which could lead to finding POWs in Portugal, including her captured cousin Toby. The Major will also be in on this caper. There are many surprises and twists in this book which will entertain the reader.

Ellie holds her own in her sleuthing and up against the men, both good and bad. She’s always sharp and paying attention, doing whatever the job calls for! Above and beyond in this adventure.

Always a fun read with author Ashley Weaver, I give this book five stars and recommend for any reader.

Electra finds herself headed to Lisbon to help find her cousin who has escaped from a German camp to freedom in Portugal. She is no longer working with Ramsey but he is in on the mission. Her conflicted feelings make for awkward moments, but they put aside the past to focus on the mission. A well written conclusion to this series with a satisfying ending. You don't want to put this book down! A great read!
I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review. #minatourpress, #ashleyweaver

Absolutely amazing! In every way! The twists and turns, the mystery, the action and adventure, the travel, THE ROMANCE!!!
And even though I'm sad this series is now over, this book was the perfect ending!! It was everything I was hoping for!
These characters have my whole heart and I enjoyed every second of this book!

“The last thing I am is indifferent to you, Electra. As hard as I have tried to be, you make it impossible.”

What a fantastic and perfectly satisfying ending to the Electra McDonnell series. It was action-packed but also had some sweet tender moments.

Ellie had some hard lessons to learn at the end of the last book. Those and her personal trials and heartbreak help her so much on this new mission. She’s still feisty and willing to do whatever it takes to complete her mission. It was fun to get little peeks at her family. I enjoyed Ellie’s interactions with Archie and him being in charge of the mission. He made a great addition to the team. Ramsey was his same self-assured, determined, and protective self. He may have kept his temper in check but his passions maybe not so much. Ramsey’s swoon level multiplied by 10, for sure. Ellie and Ramsey’s chemistry, teamwork, and dare I say personal relationship were fire!

A few quotes:
“What do you want from me, Electra?” “I don’t want anything from you, Major Ramsey.”

“I trust you, Gabriel. I should have trusted you before. I understand that now.”

“I felt disinclined to get into a brawl with your cousins before I’ve had my coffee.”

This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review, rating and opinions are my own.

One Final Turn is a clever title for the fifth and last in the Electra McDonnell series. Ellie grew up in a "loving criminal family" which is a fun premise. She and her beloved Uncle Mick were cunning locksmiths. Her family held many secrets and she discovered more than she bargained for in this novel. Her cousin Toby was allegedly an escapee from a POW camp and she was desperate to rescue him. Not only did she encounter adventures but also realized she was love with Major Ramsey. Captain Archie was on the scene as well. Romance is sprinkled throughout but it was the mystery and characters which grabbed me. Ellie was no stranger to danger and murder didn't much faze her.

Ashley Weaver's writing style is quick and witty, an auto-read author for me. I like the vivid descriptions and crime family aspect, loyal to the very end. Family secrets are revealed layer by layer and the unraveled threads are tidily gathered together in the conclusion. A tiny bit neat but that's just me. Questions and cliffhangers are my cup of tea. Still, this was a fabulous series, one to easily get immersed in. Wonder what the author has in store next?

This is the last instalment in Ashley Weaver’s series following safecracker turned intelligence agent Electra McDonnell. She lives in 1940’s London with her “locksmith” (and safecracker) uncle, as both her parents died when she was young. She feels as close to her two cousins Colm and Toby as she would to brothers. Since the start of the war, her cousin Toby has been missing, and in her secret heart, Electra is afraid he’s dead.

She has a real pall of gloom hanging over her in general – not just because of the war, but because her last assignment with one Major Ramsey had ended with his injury and her dismissal. She realized too late that she was actually in love with him and she’s trying mightily to get over it. When an assignment comes through with Archie Blandings, an underling of Ramsey’s, she’s off to Lisbon to hopefully locate her long lost cousin. As it turns out, Ramsey is a part of the operation as well, much to Electra’s discomfort.

Portugal was neutral during WWII but it didn’t stop an enormous amount of espionage operations from happening there, Lisbon being full of people from every country in Europe.

When she and Archie arrive, on the lookout for spies watching them as well as for the contacts they’ll need to locate Toby and any other refugees from Germany making their way to Portugal, a series of deaths and double crosses make things very tricky for the three of them as they attempt to find any contacts or clues that will lead them to Toby.

Weaver is wrapping up several storylines in this final book in the series. One is the search for the long lost Toby; one is the discovery of the guilt or innocence of Electra’s murder, who died in prison, accused of murdering her father; and most significantly in this book is the romantic destiny of Electra herself. While she’s sure things are finished with Ramsay, there’s also her old friend Felix back home (now working undercover himself) who is in the romance mix.

The story has a mix of espionage, a little bit of misdirection – who is leaking their whereabouts to the Germans? – and a lot of romance. This was not the strongest entry in this very enjoyable series, the best of which focused on Electra’s lock picking skills. She does get to use those skills some here, and she’s certainly brave and intrepid, but this book is in the main a romance.

Weaver does skilfully tie up all her loose threads, and she’s a wonderful storyteller – things move along, and by this point in the series, as a reader, you’re awfully fond of Electra and hope for the best for her. I enjoyed the read but I will say nothing in it was really a surprise. I compared it mentally to Susan Elia MacNeal’s masterful wrap up of her Maggie Hope series, The Last Hope, which also took place in Lisbon.

That said, I won’t say I didn’t shed a tear or two at the end, and I did enjoy the read, it’s just not my favorite in this wonderfully engaging series.

One Final Turn by Ashley Weaver

4 stars
288 Pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, Minotaur
Release Date: June 3, 2025

Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery, Thriller, Spies, WWII, England

Electra McDonnell has been recruited by Captain Blandings. The mission is to travel from England to Lisbon. There is a resistance group helping rescue and save downed soldiers and airmen. One of the men they are looking for is her cousin Toby. Electra and Blandings travel along with her former superior, Major Gabriel Ramsey. There is a twist. The only way to reach their contact is to get married since he performs the ceremonies. At the last minute, Blandings remembers he is already married. That means Electra must marry Ramsey if the mission has any chance of being successful

The story is fast paced, the characters are developed, and it is written in the third person point of view. The author uses a descriptive style. This is the final book in the series. I recommend reading the other books. If you like books about World War II or spies, you may enjoy this book.

This was a perfect ending to this series and tied everything so nicely with a pretty little bow.

The romance was upped immensely, which I adored, and the stakes were thrown sky-high, which gave me a great thrill.

I cannot WAIT to continue to sell this series at my bookstore <3

Electra McDonnell is preparing for what she hopes will be her final mission. There are reports of escaped POWs and one could potentially be her cousin Toby. She is accompanied by an intelligence officer, Captain Archie Blandings and Major Ramsey. Electra is willing to do anything to rescue her cousin and bring him home.

I have truly adored this series and am so sad to see it conclude. But what an incredible finish from Ashley Weaver. Electra is such an incredible character. She is smart and willing to do anything for the people she loves. It is truly hard to talk about the book plot for spoiler reasons. There was a bunch of twists and some truly squeal worthy moments. I laughed and cried reading this book. I can't wait for this to be released so I can do an audio reread. I can see myself coming back to this series frequently in the future. Ashley has solidified herself on my auto buy author list. Whatever she does next, I will be there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

One Final Turn
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“I would be traveling to Lisbon, Portugal, to try to find my cousin Toby, who had reportedly escaped from a German prisoner war camp.” And so our story begins!
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I want to start off my saying that I didn’t realize this was the fifth and last book in a series when I requested it (oops lol) so I do think I would have had a deeper connection and understanding of past relationships, history, and a better appreciation for all the character development if I would have read the rest of the series, so I wouldn’t necessarily read as a standalone, overall I enjoyed it though! I was interested right from the beginning. I loved all the beautiful descriptions of Lisbon and I loved the spy feel of the story and all their little mission along the way. There were moments in the middle that I was looking for a little more, but the last ten chapters or so were jam packed so I liked that! There’s a sprinkle of romance too! ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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Thank you Ashley Weaver, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this e-arc, it comes out June 3rd!

This is the last book in this series about Electra McDonnell, who has been brought up by her uncle’s family after her mother died in prison while accused of killing her father. From that unpromising and tragic beginning, she’s grown up learning her uncle’s business as a locksmith and occasional lockpicker. She’s been asked to help British intelligence during WWII. I’ve read the earlier books, but didn’t remember them all that deeply. I think you could read this without having read the earlier books, but I recommend that you do read them.

In this entry, she and her handler (and romantic interest) Major Ramsey have gone to Portugal because they think that her cousin has escaped from a German POW camp and is heading there. It’s a different setting than one I’ve read for a WWII novel, but it was very interesting to read about what it was like there as spies from both sides hung out in a neutral nation.

Ramsey, Electra, and another British officer, Captain Blandings follow up clues as the tension and occasional dead body mount up. It was very engrossing to read and I’m sorry that the series is coming to an end. I look forward to seeing what Weaver will do next.

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.

This book is the finale of the Electra McDonnell series and brings Ellie to Portugal to, hopefully, find her cousin Toby who was taken prisoner by the Germans.

Ellie has been fired from her post in intelligence by Major Gideon Ramsay for a failure to follow orders, but Captain Archie Blandings thinks she could be useful in Portugal. He's trying to make the escape route from occupied France safe from German intervention and help Ellie find out the fate of her cousin.

Ellie isn't pleased when she learns the Major Ramsey is also a part of the mission. She has fallen completely in love with him but doesn't see a future for them. But she throws herself into the investigation to learn about this route, meeting all sorts of agents and double agents, and stumbling onto a dead body or two along the way.

When they can't find a way to talk to a Portuguese official who might have information about the secret route, Archie comes up with a plan the involves getting married to each other. While Ellie is reluctant, she's willing to do anything to find out about her cousin. Through a variety of circumstances, Ellie finds herself married to Major Ramsey instead of Archie.

This was an excellent story. I thought it nicely wrapped up the threads of the previous books in the series and had a wonderful "happily ever after" ending too. Fans of the series will enjoy this satisfying finale.

What a fabulous way to end the series. All of the loose ends are resolved. Ellie McDonnell has traveled to Lisbon with Captain Archie Blandings to help rescue her cousin Tobin who escaped from the Nazi's. Adding to the suspense, the Germans are also trying to discover the escape route through the Pyrenees. I love seeing Ellie observe neutral Lisbon and compare it to wartime London. There is an awkward reconnecting with Major Ramsey in Lisbon, but they need to work together There is also lots of suspense, mystery, romance, and answers. I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntarily given review. I love this series and look forward to reading more from this author.

The final installment in the Electra McDonnell mysteries. Ellie goes to Lisbon to investigate and assist in the rescue of several escaped prisoners from Germany. Alongside of this, Ellie’s relationship with Major Ramsey came to a head in the previous book, and in this one everything is uncertain.
These books are both spy stories as well as a romance, but this one in particular tends to lean more on the romance. Over the course of the 5 books, we’ve gotten to know the characters and become invested in their story. The one thing I’m a bit unsure about is the romance trope that was thrown in there; I didn’t particularly care for the way the trope was used. But ultimately the story had a satisfying ending and everything wrapped up neatly. If you enjoy mysteries with not too much peril and a good portion of romance thrown in, then you should try this series. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

This is such a beautiful end to the Electra McDonnell series. As sad as I am that these books are ending, this final entry is everything I could hope for. It is suspenseful and romantic; readers get questions answered and can leave feeling satisfied. I can't wait to read it again!

The fifth and final installment in the Electra McDonnell series was a fitting end to the series and definitely did not disappoint! The author ties up all loose ends neatly, while her romance with Major Ramsey continues to sizzle. Although some may think Ellie has lost some of her spirit and is more subdued in this novel, this reader likes to think that she has, indeed, as she notes, "learned her lesson." I only found one typo, in Chapter 37, where Ramsey states he hasn't had time to "shift" (sic) through the information. The author continues to further develop these characters with honesty, intelligence, and humor, which has left me hoping for more adventures from Ellie and Major Ramsey. Highly recommended for all collections.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of this book! I was thrilled to read the last in the Electra McDonnell series to learn how things would turn out between Ellie and Major Ramsey. While Weaver does do some visiting to prior events, I would suggest reading the books preceding this one before diving into this one. The books offer a little bit of everything - mystery, history, and lots of not overly explicit romance.

At the end of the last book, Ellie and Major Ramsey have gone their separate ways. Ellie is heartbroken but trying to adjust by pursuing the mystery of the murder of her father - supposedly by her mother. Ellie doesn't believe this but she needs to uncover the truth if only to clear her long-deceased mother's name. She has, of course, gotten herself into a bit of trouble with her investigations. In this fifth and last book - Ellie is accompanying Captain Archie Blandings to Lisbon, Portugal in hopes of finding her cousin, Toby. Toby was part of the Dunkirk effort and has been missing throughout most of the series. The British have received intelligence that some of the POWs have escaped German captivity and are making their way through the mountains to Portugal. Archie believes Ellie's sleuthing skills and personal interest will help them track down information on the escape route before the Nazis. Of course, Major Ramsey is also going to Lisbon for a different reason - and Ellie is not working for him but must, of course, interact with him. Lots of tension!

I enjoyed taking a detour to Lisbon during World War 2! It was a nice change from the London bombings and provided the perfect location for Ellie and Major Ramsey's story to play out. There were a few surprises along the way but most of the story played out nicely. I will miss the characters in this series. As others have suggested, it would be nice to revisit them at some point. Maybe a cozy Christmas tale in a few years?

This was a fitting end to a great series. An immersive historical mystery that takes a fresh look at the WWII era.

Wow! One Final Turn had me turning the pages in the last book of the Electra McDonnell series. I wanted to take my time and savor each page, and at the same time, I wanted to hurry up and see how it all ended. I was not disappointed at all; in fact, I absolutely loved it. The romance was so sweet and swoony. I do not want to give anything away, but my favorite romance trope was used. The author did a great job of tying up all the loose ends and made this romantic mystery a wonderful happy conclusion to the series.