The Electra McDonnell series should NOT be ending this soon, and that is a hill I will forever die on.

Last fall I binged the first four books in the span of a few days, resulting in my most severe book hangover of the decade. For weeks I drank sugary tea, listened to 1940s playlists, and read WWII nonfiction because I wanted to immerse myself in Ellie’s world. After a lifetime of avoiding social media, I joined Instagram solely to follow Ashley Weaver for updates about this book. Even so, I debated for several months about requesting the ARC - I love these characters so much and I wasn't ready to say goodbye yet. I would've gladly read another book or three in this series. But June is so far away, and eventually I was ready to face the disappointment I'd feel at its (premature!) conclusion. So here goes...

As expected, this was a fever dream of a reading experience. I devoured it for the first time in one sitting, then read it again a week later to savor it even further. Lisbon was well-drawn and an almost joyful escape from the darkness and devastation of Blitz-era London. Despite the stakes, the mission played a smaller role in this story - most of Ellie's time was spent gallivanting around the city with Archie and waging some light emotional warfare on Ramsey (not entirely undeserved and very enjoyable!). All of my favorite characters made an appearance at some point, however briefly. And as much as I don't want this series to be over, it was definitely time for a *Major* development in Ellie's deliciously angsty relationship with Ramsey.

The pacing felt a bit uneven towards the end, with multiple long-running storylines wrapping up quickly, and it was missing a couple things that I would’ve loved to see in the final installment (spoilers below). But those are minor complaints compared to how much I love the series as a whole, and merely a testament to how very real these characters became to me. I was never going to give this book any less than five stars and overall it was a highly satisfying conclusion.

(1) I was surprised to realize that Ellie didn’t crack any safes this time around - that was her marquee skill throughout the series and it felt conspicuously absent here, leaving her without much to do on this mission besides pick some locks.

(2) I wish that a little more page space had been devoted to the resolution of Ellie's relationship with Ramsey, particularly their decision to stay married and plans/expectations for the future. I also could’ve done with more on Ramsey’s perspective and backstory (e.g., a bit more finality on what happened with Jocelyn), since he’s been such an enigma thus far. And what will Ellie do now that her government work is (presumably?) behind her, and so much of the war is still ahead? I don’t believe she’ll be happy without some kind of purpose beyond being Ramsey’s wife, and knowing that she had found a path forward would've left me with a better sense of closure for her. Fingers crossed that she’ll make an appearance in a future character's book or (dare I hope) another book or novella of her own so we can see what she’s up to. I’d be first in line to read it!

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and NetGalley for providing an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

But above all, I'm so grateful to Ashley Weaver for writing this series. For me, it was one of those magical experiences where the exact right book found me at the exact right time. Ellie's spirit and resilience spoke to me during a difficult period in my life when I often struggled to find those things in myself. These books gave me so much joy when I most needed it, and I'll return to them again and again. Thank you, always.

Thank you to Minotaur and NetGalley for the ARC in return for an honest review. ... I love this book series!!!! I am so sad to see it end, but it is a wonderful conclusion to the series. In this story, we find Ellie traveling to Lisbon to look for her cousin Toby. She is working under the direction of Captain Archie Blandings after being dismissed by Ramsey. However, Ramsey also travels to Lisbon and the three work together in a undercover operation. The secret operation does not go as planned, however, and many unexpected twists and turns later, we find out what has happened to all of our favorite characters both in Lisbon and in London. Since this is part of a series, the less I say the better. But I will say, please read ALL of the books in this lovely series. You will not regret it one bit. I have recommended this series to several friends and they have loved it as well.

This was a nice wrap up to the series. I absolutely loved this series, and I am sad to see it end, but it ended in a satisfying way. This one seemed to be a bit more romance heavy, which wasn't all bad, just not exactly what I was expecting. There were times I laughed out loud at the banter between Electra & Archie. Also, times of frustration at the lack of communication between Ramsey & Electra. Needless to say, I felt all the feels throughout the book. It completely drew me in, and I wanted to keep reading it.

This was the first series of books that I read by Ashley Weaver, so now I am intrigued to delve into her other series and see if I like it as well. What I appreciated about the series was that it was free of foul language and the bedroom scenes were for the most part closed door. I am always looking for clean books without too much spice and this complete series fit that bill.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Publishing Group for the complimentary copy. This is my honest review.

The time spent with One Final Turn was a bittersweet pleasure. Sweet because I am an absolute fan of the Electra McDonnell series, and bitter because the adventure with the characters of this series has come to an end.
This series is a perfect blend of essential elements, in the right proportions, to create successful book.
We have fabulous characters, chemistry between the two main protagonists, an interesting historical backdrop, and spies in action.
This series stole my heart. It is hard to say goodbye to Electra and Major Ramsey, so hard that I will soon read all the books in the series again.
A big thank you to the Publisher and NetGalley for the copy of One Final Turn.

What would you get if you mixed WWII espionage and Pride and Prejudice into one?
This series!! Which has brought about a range of emotions from me over the course of five books read in roughly a week (which included me frantically trying to obtain copies from Barnes and Noble or the library fast enough to keep up with my binge read.) I adore this series, and I absolutely love Ellie and Major Ramsey! They are the perfect balance to the other, fire and ice as another reviewer described.
What I loved about this last book was the character growth from our two main characters and of course the want-to-strangle-these-two-idiots-who-refuse-to-admit-they-love-each-other tension that was nearly nail biting at times. There were one or two curves that I was concerned they might not overcome but they pulled it off in the end. One chapter towards the end I must have read at least six times I loved it so much.
The plot was weaker in this book, though still a good spy romp. I guessed the main villain, it was too obvious, but I had not guessed or even suspected the traitor. There were two characters who I think needed a slightly better farewell but I guess there was a word count limitation in the end. Which brings me to my next point.
I really wish this book was longer! (Can we get a bonus chapter when it prints that was originally cut? No such thing as too much Major Ramsey!)
Ellie’s personal storyline wrapped up a bit fast for my liking, but damn if that wasn’t skillful writing in those pages!
I read this twice before reviewing, and then random passages here and there multiple times that I loved.
Ellie and Gabriel have become one of my top favorite literary couples. SOMEONE HAD BETTER MAKE THIS INTO A MINISERIES BECAUSE I HAVE A BOOK HANGOVER!!!
I love these two, and the whole cast and I will dearly miss this series.
Thanks to Net Galley and Minotaur Books for an advanced read digital copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC of this book. Writing this review makes me a little sad since this is the final book of the series and I will miss Electra. I feel this was a fitting end to her story and wrapped up the loose ends, albeit somewhat conveniently. I enjoyed the Lisbon setting and the twists that came along with these characters being "out of their element" in another country. Cheers to Electra, Ramsey, and the ither characters and I hope that Ashley Weaver soon begins another historical mystery series that I can enjoy in their place.

While I felt this series did not end as strongly as it started it was a nice conclusion and marriage of convenience is one of my favorite. Overall I would recommend that someone read the whole series and that they will be happy with how everything wraps up

Now that’s an ending 👏🏻

When I was a kid, we’d get a Christmas newsletter from an old friend of my mother’s every year. I’d never met the woman, didn’t know her family at all, and still haven’t met any of them to this day. But one year they stopped coming. AND IT DROVE ME NUTS! What happened to these people? I was invested in their story, and now it just...stopped? I needed some closure!

Needless to say, I absolutely hate ambiguous endings. 😆

This book, the last in the Electra McDonnell series, was perfect. All plot lines were neatly wrapped up, all questions were answered, and while it can feel a bit unrealistic to have everything end happily ever after, it’s MUCH better than ambiguity.

If you haven’t started this series (and you should, it’s a great #cozymystery series), you’ve got plenty of time before June to catch up. And if you’re already a fan, you’ll love this ending.

And so we reach the end of this series which makes me sad and happy all at once. I'll certainly miss these characters, but I can't say enough good things about how it ended. I was completely thrilled with the outcomes for all of our characters and the journey that we went on in this book to get there. I'm sad to leave this story, but I'll be checking out other writing from this author for sure.

Simply amazing! This book was everything I need it to be. I even squealed half way through when a certain plot twist happened! This series is now a favorite of mine and the ending was perfect.

Thank you for the ARC

Electra McDonnell is back. Major Ramsey fired her in the previous book in this series. His collogue, however, needs her skills for a mission in Lisbon. So she returns to action. This is a risky mission but she may be able to help her cousin, Toby, who is MIA. Major Ramsey makes sure to join the team. And there is still the mystery of Electra's father's murder to solve.

This is a great series! Love the cover art to each book as well - best read in order. I don't read many series but when I do, they're mostly historical mysteries. This has been such a good one to escape into with the WII theme and Ellie is a very likable character. Thank you for the read and Ms. Weaver, hope you write another fun series.

Great ending to a fun series. This fifth and final installment of the Electra McDonnell series wrapped things up nicely. This book had elements of romance, wittiness, action, and just enough unbelievability for it to be a good escapism read. Although the series takes place during WWII and includes missions in espionage, it remains pretty lighthearted and playful. I liked that, while the characters and stories in this series are formulaic (as can be expected and relied on in the cozy mystery genre), there’s still enough growth in the characters and the plot lines throughout the series for the ending to be meaningful. This book really builds on the romantic tension between Ellie and Major Ramsey (I won’t give any spoilers 🤭) while also centering around Ellie trying to find her cousin Toby who has been a missing POW since the first book. I will say that a couple of the storylines wrapped up more quickly than I’d have liked… but perhaps that’s because I would have liked the series to be longer.

Some nitpicky things: I found it a bit confusing/unclear when the characters are supposedly being watched/heard vs when they aren’t while in public throughout this book. Also, I personally could’ve done with less of hearing about how little Ellie is eating due to her heartbreak/stress.

Overall, I’d recommend the series for anyone who likes this type of playful historical fiction mystery, such as anyone who likes the Miss Fisher tv series. Definitely read the books in order as that will help you learn about the characters and the throughline of the plot!

Thanks to Netgalley and St Martin’s Press/Minotaur Books for giving me a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This final book in the series was every bit as good as the ones that came before. It had a stand alone mystery combined with tying up loose ends with the characters from the series. I loved every word. If there was a negative it is that this is the last book in this wonderful series. I will miss the characters terribly and would love the series to continue someday.

It's over. Say it ain't so! 😭

One Final Turn brings us the conclusion of the spirited Electra McDonnell series about a family of lockpicks who get tricked into helping the British government during the second World War. The youngest and feistiest of the bunch is Electra, technically the niece of the patriarch, but who has been raised like a daughter alongside her two cousins, who both are away fighting in the war - one of whom hasn't been heard from in quite some time.

Electra was raised by her widowed uncle because her mother gave birth to her in prison after being convicted of murdering Electra's father. Her mother died while incarcerated, leaving Electra an orphan, but her uncle Mick and his sons never left her wanting for family, even if she does still have a lingering curiosity about the truth behind her mother's nonsensical crime.

This becomes an ongoing slide plot in the series while our main focus is on how Electra (and sometimes Mick) provide their lock picking and detection services for various covert missions for the war effort under the watchful eye of the upright Major Gabriel Ramsey. He's Electra's opposite in basically every way and the two always succeed in vexing one another, but they can't deny the spark between them, even if it does complicate the will-they-won't-they situationship Electra has with her wily friend Felix.

I mention all of these plot points because, this being the last book in the series, we see them all conclude in this new book, in which Electra heads to neutral Lisbon, Portugal to investigate a lead on her missing cousin who seems to have been taken as a POW by the Germans. She's eager to help bring him home in whatever way she can, but it will mean working with Major Ramsey once again after the two of them had an ugly falling out at the end of the last book (Locked in Pursuit).

This book unquestionably had the weakest story in the series. But did I care much? Not really. I knew going in that this book's job was to give us answers to our lingering questions and give her dynamite heroine a good ending, whatever that ended up being. And that's precisely what Weaver did here. I wish the pacing had been a bit more elegant, especially at the end, but I was so invested in these characters that, again, I really didn't care.

If you're looking for a cracking (heh) mystery series, don't hesitate to binge your way through this one to get ready for this new installment, due out in June! The one you'll want to start with is A Peculiar Combination.

Many thanks to the publisher for supplying this copy via NetGalley - I'll leave out the disclaimer that this is an "honest" review because all my reviews are brutally honest, good or bad, so I think it goes without saying. 😂

I can see why readers have given this book 5 stars.the main characters are “good guys” and Electra (Ellie) is a wonderful gal! To me, it had some unbelievable moments. I have not read any prior books in the series. Perhaps that’s why. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for granting this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. #NetGalley, #OneFinalTurn.

I read book 1 of this series back in November and instantly went on to binge the rest of the series! There is something truly magical about the dynamic between Ramsey and Electra.

When it comes to this book, it technically gave me what I wanted, but the order of events wasn’t my favorite. There were a few things that I wish could have happened differently, and there were a couple of subplots that felt like an afterthought. It wasn’t a perfect book, but it didn’t change the fact that this is now one of my all-time favorite series and I will absolutely reread in the future.

I love this book! And I’m really thankful to see it wrapped up. Not because I don’t like the storyline…Because I get incredibly tired of series that run on and on and on forever and you never have resolution. I felt like everything was beautifully tied up. Also actually really appreciated the beginning where everything was reviewed because it had been a while since I read the previous book

This was the perfect ending to this series. I’m so sad to say goodbye to these characters but am excited to see what comes next from Ashley Weaver. Just a wonderful, cozy series and this book was STEAMY!

I have been eagerly awaiting the next installment in the Electra McDonnell series after I finished the last one, so I was thrilled to get the ARC. Thank you Netgalley!

Also, if you have not read the 4 prior books in the series, I believe you would still enjoy this book. The author does a great job in reminding the reader of past plot lines without being repetitive. However, this series has been an absolute joy to read, and you’d be missing out on some wonderful reads and the slow burn romance between safecracker turned spy, Electra McDonnell, and her upper class handler, Major Gabriel Ramsey.

The setting for this finale of the series takes place in 1940’s Lisbon. The author has always deftly described life during World War II in London, and she does a great job setting the scene in the supposedly neutral Portugal. Cafes and hotels are teeming with Nazi spies, watchers, and profiteers. There is smoldering sexual tension between Electra and the Major as they work along with colleague Archie to rescue Electra’s cousin and find information about a POW escape route. As other reviewers have mentioned, this book (and series) has it all: delicious romance, espionage, and some nail-biting action. I could not put this book down.

I am immensely grateful to the author for wrapping up the series so perfectly. I could not have wished for a better ending, and I am still smiling about it.