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bananasreads's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
A fun, cozy mystery! Definitely a great palette cleanser between heavier reads.
elemee's review against another edition
adventurous
lighthearted
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
3.75
sunshineariel's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
mary00's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars.
This was a case of the right book at the right time for me. I immensely enjoyed this historical mystery on audio and can't wait to read the sequel next spring!
This was a case of the right book at the right time for me. I immensely enjoyed this historical mystery on audio and can't wait to read the sequel next spring!
ernis's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.25
A great, enthralling start to a series! While it was labeled as a mystery, I found it more like a heist/spy novel. Loved Ellie and can't wait to read the next one!
frasersimons's review
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
This was a pretty fun spy fiction meets will-they-won’t-they between a young woman burglar and her… handler? I guess. As a job goes south and she’s pressed into service, she begins to find reasons of her own to stick around and help the war effort in an unusual way.
It’s pretty good at knowing when to subvert tropes and when to use them. The writing moves along at a good pace. It’s not particularly evocative or interesting at a prose level, very much feeling like commercial fiction, but there’s nothing wrong with that. It clearly knows what it’s doing and executing on that.
There was a section that felt a bit clumsy in its choreography and I didn’t actually care about the final twist concerning the traitor. There’s a back and forth between them when they’re described as basically fighting for their lives, quite unconvincing. Pretty hard to have a conversation while you’re tangled up and being throttled.
Otherwise it was a good time. Better than expected.
It’s pretty good at knowing when to subvert tropes and when to use them. The writing moves along at a good pace. It’s not particularly evocative or interesting at a prose level, very much feeling like commercial fiction, but there’s nothing wrong with that. It clearly knows what it’s doing and executing on that.
There was a section that felt a bit clumsy in its choreography and I didn’t actually care about the final twist concerning the traitor. There’s a back and forth between them when they’re described as basically fighting for their lives, quite unconvincing. Pretty hard to have a conversation while you’re tangled up and being throttled.
Otherwise it was a good time. Better than expected.
yomuzo's review against another edition
adventurous
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
sarah_moynihan's review against another edition
5.0
'Electra McDonnell has always known that the way she and her family earn their living is slightly outside of the law. Breaking into the homes of the rich and picking the locks on their safes may not be condoned by British law enforcement, but World War II is in full swing, Ellie's cousins Colm and Toby are off fighting against Hitler, and Uncle Mick's more honorable business as a locksmith can't pay the bills any more.
So when Uncle Mick receives a tip about a safe full of jewels in the empty house of a wealthy family, he and Ellie can’t resist. All goes as planned—until the pair are caught redhanded. Ellie expects them to be taken straight to prison, but instead they are delivered to a large townhouse, where government official Major Ramsey is waiting with an offer: either Ellie agrees to help him break into a safe and retrieve blueprints that will be critical to the British war effort, before they can be delivered to a German spy, or he turns her over to the police.
Ellie doesn’t care for the Major's imperious manner, but she has no choice, and besides, she's eager to do her bit for king and country. She may be a thief, but she's no coward. When she and the Major break into the house in question, they find instead the purported German spy dead on the floor, the safe already open and empty. Soon, Ellie and Major Ramsey are forced to put aside their differences to unmask the double-agent, as they try to stop allied plans falling into German hands.'
____________________________________
A Peculiar Combination is the first book in Ashley Weaver's new historical mystery series, Electra McDonnell series, set during World War II.
I've been a fan of Ashley Weaver's writing from her Amory Ames Mystery series, I enjoy her style of blending danger and intrigue with a bit of romance. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this new series though, but A Peculiar Combination surpassed any expectations I had. The stakes are high and the danger paced well. The plot was really intruiging, I'm a sucker for a good spy mystery and I found Electra to be a more relatable main character than high society Amory and Milo.
Electra is a unique heroine, she has an interesting backstory that makes her character different from those of the many other WWII era mysteries out there. She's a safecracker and lock picker, her unique skills make her an asset to Major Ramsey and an important member of his team, even if he's would sometimes like to keep her out of the direct line of danger.
I have loved this first book of her new series and I'm excited to see where it will go. Based on this one book so far, I think this series is going to be even better than her oter series. The things that didn't quite work for me in that series seem to be really working so far in this one. I will be continuing with the series and will be keeping an eye out for the next book. If you've liked her other series or if you like spy mysteries, I think you'll enjoy this new series
_____
I would like to thank St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for sharing an eARC of A Peculiar Combination with me. This is my honest review.
So when Uncle Mick receives a tip about a safe full of jewels in the empty house of a wealthy family, he and Ellie can’t resist. All goes as planned—until the pair are caught redhanded. Ellie expects them to be taken straight to prison, but instead they are delivered to a large townhouse, where government official Major Ramsey is waiting with an offer: either Ellie agrees to help him break into a safe and retrieve blueprints that will be critical to the British war effort, before they can be delivered to a German spy, or he turns her over to the police.
Ellie doesn’t care for the Major's imperious manner, but she has no choice, and besides, she's eager to do her bit for king and country. She may be a thief, but she's no coward. When she and the Major break into the house in question, they find instead the purported German spy dead on the floor, the safe already open and empty. Soon, Ellie and Major Ramsey are forced to put aside their differences to unmask the double-agent, as they try to stop allied plans falling into German hands.'
____________________________________
A Peculiar Combination is the first book in Ashley Weaver's new historical mystery series, Electra McDonnell series, set during World War II.
I've been a fan of Ashley Weaver's writing from her Amory Ames Mystery series, I enjoy her style of blending danger and intrigue with a bit of romance. I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this new series though, but A Peculiar Combination surpassed any expectations I had. The stakes are high and the danger paced well. The plot was really intruiging, I'm a sucker for a good spy mystery and I found Electra to be a more relatable main character than high society Amory and Milo.
Electra is a unique heroine, she has an interesting backstory that makes her character different from those of the many other WWII era mysteries out there. She's a safecracker and lock picker, her unique skills make her an asset to Major Ramsey and an important member of his team, even if he's would sometimes like to keep her out of the direct line of danger.
I have loved this first book of her new series and I'm excited to see where it will go. Based on this one book so far, I think this series is going to be even better than her oter series. The things that didn't quite work for me in that series seem to be really working so far in this one. I will be continuing with the series and will be keeping an eye out for the next book. If you've liked her other series or if you like spy mysteries, I think you'll enjoy this new series
_____
I would like to thank St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for sharing an eARC of A Peculiar Combination with me. This is my honest review.