How I have enjoyed this series and this author!
Electra McDonnell is one of my favorite heroines in a favorite genre - historical mysteries. The fact that it is set in one of my favorite cities (Lisbon Portugal ) made this read perfect!
This book made me so happy as I read but as I began to get near the end- I just did not want it to end. I will miss these characters and I can envision reading the series again start to finish - I enjoyed it so much!
The plot for this book was wonderfully clever and the ending soooo satisfying.
I learned a good bit of history from this book as well. The role of Portugal in World War 2 was very interesting. One also really gets a feel for the espionage going on at the time.
Although this is said to be the final book in the series I could read about these characters forever.
Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur books - cannot recommend this book and series highly enough.

I have loved every moment of this series and I’m sad this is the final book. This story like all the others was a fast read because it was difficult to stop reading. I plan to reread the entire series. This final book will satisfy the reader in all areas. It was action packed and also had some tender moments. There was even a mention of praying a few times. If you enjoy WWII historical fiction, spy craft, suspense, red herrings and light, sweet romance this is the book for you. Highly recommend.

I was blessed with an ARC, and this is my own, unbiased review.

Ashley Weaver, "One Final Turn," Minotaur, June 3, 2025

"One Final Turn" is the last volume in Ashley Weaver's Electra "Ellie" McDonnell series. Ellie comes from a long line of lock picks and safecrackers. Working with her Uncle Mick and her cousins Colm and Toby she has spent years being a legitimate lover and manipulator of locks by day and a criminal who opens doors and safes by night to remove valuables from their owners by night. Then, in 1941, she was approached by Maj. Gabriel Ramsey to work for British military intelligence on a case where the skills of a safe cracker were needed. Forswearing her criminal past, Ellie agreed to work with Maj. Ramsey then and on several cases that followed. Several things happened over the course of their cases together. First, Ellie found that she enjoyed working with the forces of good. Second, she introduced Uncle Mick Toby, Colm, and several friends of the family to the work as their skills became necessary. Third, she fell head over heels in love with Maj. Ramsey, and he seemed to have feelings for her as well. And finally, Maj. Ramsey fired her from his team for inability to follow orders and seemed to cut her out of his life.

It is at this point, with Ellie heartbroken and missing both Maj. Ramsey and her work for military intelligence, that our story begins. Quite unexpectedly, Maj. Ramsey pays a call on Ellie to inform her of a new POW escape route over the Pyrenees to Lisbon. A communication has been received that an escaped prisoner believed to be her cousin Toby, who has been missing since Dunkirk, is making use of this route. Ellie is later asked by Capt. Archie Blandings, also of military intelligence to travel with him to Lisbon to bring Toby home and to learn as much as possible about the new escape line. Maj. Ramsey will also be present in Lisbon, but nothing has changed between Ellie and him.

Following Ellie's first trip on an airplane and out of the country, she and Capt. B landings arrive in Lisbon. There they must contact with someone who can connect them with the escape line.What follows is a disappointing string of errors as one informant after another is killed or has gone underground and thus cannot point them toward the line. One of the bolder plans has Ellie affianced to first Capt. Blandings and then Maj. Ramsey, whom she ultimately marries, to gain access to the Civil Registrar, who performs marriages and is under tight Nazi surveillance. Unfortunately, the lead this produces turns up dead by his own hand having used a cyanide capsule rather than be interrogated by the Nazis.

Will the British group ever find a way into the escape line? If so, will they locate Toby? And what will become of Ellie and Gabriel's marriage once they return to England, assuming that they both do?

I have enjoyed the Ellie McDonnell series am fond of novels about plucky women during the Second World War, and "One Final Turn" is recommended for readers of the other books in the series. I cannot recommend it as a stand alone novel.

Thank you to Ashley Weaver, Minor and and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I will forever be sad that we won't get more books in this series, but since it had to end, I am glad the series went out on such a high note. The book did a great job wrapping up the series' central mysteries in a satisfying way. Still, there was likely enough of a story to have another book, especially concerning Ellie's parents.

While I've enjoyed the mysteries, the romance between Ellie and Ramsey has kept me so engaged in the series, and wow, did this book deliver on that front! The romantic tension and the will they or won't between them concluded so perfectly, with the addition of one of my favourite tropes! I was smiling and kicking my feet throughout the whole book.

I cannot recommend this series enough, and I am already planning a full reread in the fall.

Thank you to Minotaur Books and Netgalley for providing the ARC.

It is the journey that matters the most in the end.

And what a journey it has been through this Electra McDonnell Series. We've come to #5 and Ashley Weaver has decided to close the door on this delightful series with One Final Turn. Those of us dedicated fans shake our heads. The end can't be the end.

If you've read any books in this series, you know that Electra "Ellie" McDonnell comes from a family of talented locksmiths. Their so-called talents have taken them in many directions......some on the level and some maybe not so much. But these talents have drawn the attention of British Intelligence. It's World War II in London in 1941 now and the Germans are on the move. The bombings visit Londoners on a nightly basis.

Ellie's cousin, Toby, had been captured by the Germans. He's escaped from a prison camp and is thought to be enroute through the Pyrenees Mountains headed toward Lisbon. Captain Archie Blandings has recruited Ellie since she's done fine work in the past with Major Gabriel Ramsey. (She and Ramsey have had an on-again-off-again thing ever since.)

One Final Turn is filled with espionage and intrigue. Although Lisbon is deemed neutral, it is teeming with Germans and others infiltrating the locals. It is up to Ellie and Archie to filter through facts and bogus information on the prison escape. Ellie will find herself in danger around every corner much to Ramsey's distress level. Stay tuned to find out how this cat and mouse game will end.

It's my hope that Ashley Weaver is already working on a new series that will certainly replace this one......if that's even possible. Make it quick, Ashley Weaver. We stand with arms open.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Minotaur Books and to the talented Ashley Weaver for the opportunity.

5/5 stars: This is the fifth entry in Weaver's Electra McDonnell series which is a Historical Mystery set in 1941 England & Portugal and follows a former thief and safecraker as she travels to Lisbon with her estranged former government handler, a British military intelligence officer who's also the man she's fallen in love with, on her most perilous mission ever: rescue her beloved cousin and a group of escaped POWs and protect an essential escape route from falling into Nazi hands. With plenty of twists and turns, Weaver has crafted a mystery that balances the suspects and weaves in plenty of clues and red herrings that will leave you pondering the whodunit until the final reveal. I love seeing a different aspect of those who fought/spied for Britain in WWII and adore seeing Electra (Ellie) using all her thieving and safecracking skills. I also really appreciate the how Weaver concluded the overarching plot involving Ellie's parents. Weaver's heartfelt and humorous writing and character work are stellar; the characters are well-rounded and complex while remaining incredibly likable. Ellie's incredible and I love catching up with her, her family (especially her Uncle Mick and Nacy) and friends. It's also so lovely to see how her and (Gabriel) Ramsey's relationship resolves. They're so different but so perfect for each other! While you could read this as a stand-alone, you'll gain so much more by reading the series from the beginning; so be sure to pick up book one, A Peculiar Combination. Weaver's a favorite author and this finale to Electra's story doesn’t disappoint; highly recommend this series!

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

I was sorry to read that this is the last for this series, but it certainly was a very precipitous ride while it lasted. Ellie of the infamous family, the toff who is her spymaster, and a mixed bag of fellow British agents go down to Portugal on a very dangerous mission. There are betrayals, murders, rescues, revelations from the past and present, and a lot of tense situations in this unputdownable read.
I requested and received a free temporary uncorrected digital galley from St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books via NetGalley. Pub Date Jun 03, 2025 Final in series
#OneFinalTurn by @ashleyweaverauthor #ElectraMcDonnellBk5 @stmartinspress @minotaur_books #WW2 #historicalnovel #gieving #family #spies #romantic #portugal #truth #trust #tense #action

One Final Turn is the latest book in the Electra McDonnell series. Electra is part of a mission in Portugal to find her cousin Toby and others escaping the Nazis. She is no longer working for Major Ramsey but he will be part of the mission. He broke her heart so it won’t be easy working with him. This mission is personal for Ellie and it becomes even more so while in Lisbon.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book and series.

Fans of Ashley Weaver's Electra McDonnell series will love this final chapter! It includes all of the best characteristics of the series: intrigue and adventure mixed with the undeniable attraction/conflict between Ellie and Major Ramsey. In this finale, most of the action takes place in Portugal, which was a treat for Ellie, and offers novelty. I loved seeing everything coming together in this book. Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC and the opportunity to provide an honest review.

1941 London & Libson

Bom Trabalho (well done in Portuguese)! While I'm sad to see the series end, what a satisfying conclusion.

Ellie heads to Libson where she works with Captain Archie Blandings to ferret out what happened to her cousin Toby. Intelligence has indicated Toby escaped from a German Prisoner of War Camp. And of course Major Ramsey arrives in Libson as well, not at all pleased with the cozy cover used by Ellie and Archie.

Lots of action and some laughs as well on this wonderful final journey with Electra McDonnell. Love seeing her use her skills to find her cousin and help the war effort.

Archie was a wonderful character and he clearly enjoyed frustrating Major Ramsey.

Favorite quote comes from Archie "But you must acknowledge that while Ramsey is a capital fellow, he needs the starch taken out of him occasionally".

I look forward to what will be next by this talented author.

Warning - Possible Spoiler alerts
Ashley Weaver’s One Final Turn is the latest and final edition to the Electra McDonnell series. I have loved all of the books and this one did not disappoint, I couldn’t put it down. Ellie and the major head to out of England to find Toby, Ellie’s cousin, and bring him home. This story did a great job wrapping up loose ends and creating one more thrilling mystery.
I have really come to enjoy the characters of Electra and Major Ramsey, both their separate background and combined stories and was glad of their happily ever after ending. Similar to other Weaver series she is able to catch the romance of the story without it overpowering the mystery. Captain Archie Blanding was a wonderful addition to the series and as with the rest of the series I appreciated each of the secondary characters and how they added to the story line. I will admit that I wasn’t sure who the mole was going to turn out to be but am thankful it’s not who I originally suspected.
I appreciate that Weaver’s descriptions of the locations are vivid enough for the reader to create the scene and imagine Ellie in each location. I enjoyed the new setting of wartime Lisbon. It made me want to read more about Portugal during that time and learn more about the escape routes of POWs and refugees thru the Pyrenees mountain range to the Iberian peninsula. I liked the clubs and casino as well as the city and side neighborhoods settings. The description in the final thrilling scene had me squinting into the nighttime landscape and dodging bullets with the rest of the gang.
Overall, I was very happy that the story turned out the way it did. It might be considered trite to wrap everything up in a neat bow but in today’s world it’s nice to have resolution to all the story lines from the series. Ashley Weaver’s mysteries never disappoint, there is always intrigue, fascinating fun characters, a touch of romance, and laugh out loud dialogue.

I am sad to see Ellie (and Ramsey's) story end, but Weaver did a great job of wrapping everything up with ONE FINAL TURN. My one complaint is that the first few chapters were a little awkward with how much recapping of previous people/events was happening as the plot got going. I feel like a brief forward with "here's what's happened so far" would have helped with the flow. Otherwise once again, this was a book that I lost multiple nights of sleep by staying up way past my bedtime playing the "just one more chapter" game. There were some really good twists in this one and I got teary eyed more than once. The romantic tension was top level, and war effort exploits kept me on the edge of my seat.

This series could easily keep going and I'd gladly continue to read about what Ellie gets up to, and it's a series I will definitely go back and reread at some point. I'll have to check out Weaver's Armory Ames series, but really I just need more of Ellie and Gabriel.

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

what would you do for family? Spy, travel to another country, get married, risk your life??? During war all of this could happen and more. follow this adventure with intrigue at the turn of a page.

For the record, I am still utterly DISTRAUGHT that this is the final book in this series. But, if the series must end, I am very, very pleased with the outcome. Sure, I think that the stuff with Electra's parents could have used another book, but was I really in this for the overarching mystery plot? No, I was not.

What I was in this series for is the romance between Gabriel and Electra and reader, there were times I was biting my fist because Ashley Weaver was giving me exactly what I wanted. <spoiler>THEY GET FAKE REAL MARRIED AND GABRIEL CALLS HER DARLING A LOT AND THERE'S A GOOD GIRL AND IT WAS A LOT.</spoiler>

Eagerly awaiting the author's next series whenever that might be. Thank you so much for this one, I am very happy.

<i>Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.</i>

A very satisfying conclusion to a wonderful series! I've enjoyed Electra McDonnell's character and her safecracking family and friends over the course of five books. Major Ramsey gave off some strong Mr. Darcy vibes on this mission, much to my amusement. Lisbon is crawling with foreign agents and spies, and Ellie, Ramsey, and Capt. Blanding are there to find someone who can point them to the secret route escaped POWs are taking to flee the Nazis. And Ellie is hoping to find her cousin Toby who is rumored to be one of those POWs.

"The fifth and final installment in the Electra McDonnell series brings safecracker Ellie on a mission across World War II-era Europe to Lisbon, Portugal to rescue a key group of escaped POWs.

Ellie McDonnell is about to embark on her most perilous mission yet: go to Lisbon, Portugal to save her beloved cousin Toby who has reportedly escaped from a German prisoner of war camp. Toby has been missing since the Battle of Dunkirk and Ellie had all but lost hope in ever seeing him again until Major Ramsey, the British military intelligence officer she had been working closely with over the past few months, shared the news he'd intercepted.

Nothing will stop Ellie from finding her cousin, not even the awkward experience of having to travel to an unknown country with Ramsey after he'd dismissed her for being untrustworthy just as she'd realized she had fallen in love with him. Under the supervision of Captain Archie Blandings, a charming intelligence officer based in Lisbon, Ellie meets with undercover operatives to track down where Toby might be hiding from the Nazis and whether they are too late to safely recover him, all the while fighting her feelings for Ramsey and the incessant burden of war looming around her at every turn."

Perhaps she's cracked the secret to a happily ever after?

First time reading one of the titles in the series. Shall I write a charming romance set in early works war 2. Yep, that covers it. If you like a romance with unlikely people and settings this is for you

Excellent book carrying on Ellie’s life and love life during the war. Ashley has done a great job of writing, editing and I didn’t find any errors which were glaring or out of place. A read that is very much appreciated. Thanks

I have read all of the books in this series and I am disappointed that ths is the last one. I enjoyed them all and this one is no exception. Electra is a strong independent woman who just happens to be a safe cracker. From a family of safe crackers. She is a young woman whose heart is broken. And now needs to work closely with her former boss (and love interest) in Portugal to find her cousin who has escaped from a German POW camp..
This is an easy read of war, family, intrigue and love.I thought the ending was spot on. Well done.

Disclosure: A review copy of this book was sent to me by the author. All of the above opinions are my own.

"One Final Turn" was a fitting end to the series. Electra heads to Lisbon to try to find her cousin, Toby, who reportedly has escaped a German POW camp and is making his way to Portugal with other escapees. In addition to hopefully finding Toby, Electra (Ellie) and Captain Blandings (Archie), along with Major Ramsey, are hoping to learn more details about the routes escaped prisoners and refugees are utilizing to escape occupied countries so that British intelligence can help facilitate the efforts. This trip will prove quite the adventure and challenge for Ellie, especially with the tension existing between her and Ramsey.

The author ties up the loose ends in the series nicely. I was very pleased with what Electra learns about her parents and her past, as well as what the future holds for Electra, her family and her dearest friend.