Fresh on the heels of watching The Ministry of UnGentlemanly Warfare, (I highly recommend it) I thought of the perfect book that would allow me to step into the shoes of an imaginary World War II heroine. Author Ashley Weaver based the development of her characters on real life heroes who helped changed the tides of the devastating time in world history. Her extraordinary cast creates the perfect British spy ring; in fact, her series would be absolutely phenomenal as a television series. (No joke, people) Her writing would easily translate to the screen and she’s always a joy to have in our Cozy Corner.
Kym: Welcome back to the Cozy Corner, Ashley!
Ashley: Thank you! So happy to be here again!
Kym: Congrats on another fabulous Electra McDonnell release, LOCKED IN PURSUIT. Set in England during WWII, the book opens with a line that grabs the readers’ attention with an accusation of treason by way of spying for the Germans. The suspect, unfortunately, is Electra’s father. That secret becomes brilliantly embroiled in the story arc despite it not being part of the actual mystery. If Ellie confessed everything to Major Ramsey from the start, how would Major Ramsey have been forced to react?
Ashley: Major Ramsey is a very by-the-book sort of person, so he would have been compelled to investigate the accusation. Ellie knows this, thus her reluctance to confide in him. She has grown to love her intelligence work and doesn’t want to jeopardize it by exposing any potential ties between her family and the enemy. The situation creates a lot of inner conflict for her, especially as she grows closer to Ramsey.
Kym: From early on in the series, your fans have known Ellie had a tragic start in life, yet no matter how bad things are, Ellie grabs hold of hope for the future. I love that about this series. Life delivers blow after blow, and Ellie stands on her own two feet. (With a little help from her lovable secondary cast of characters.) Was that an intentional British character trait you wanted her to have from the conceptualization of your leading lady, or did that strength grow with the storyline?
Ashley: Perhaps a little bit of both. I knew I wanted Ellie to be a strong, competent woman who was ready to meet the challenges thrown at her, both by her career and by the war. She has been raised to be confident in herself and her abilities. At the same time, her strength and resilience have been both tested and increased by the turmoil of wartime life and her work with military intelligence. She’s been forced to find ways to thrive in new and dangerous situations, and she’s learned a lot about herself and her capabilities in the process.
Kym: Electra grew up with a locksmith uncle who hasn’t always been on the right side of the law. Skilled as a safecracker, he’s done some questionable things to make ends meet (and for just the thrill of the heist) and has raised Ellie to do the same. Will she always straddle the line of respectability?
Ashley: The longer she works on the side of right, the more Ellie feels drawn to the idea of a different future. Before the war, she wouldn’t have imagined leaving her life of thievery behind, but working for the good guys has given her a new outlook. The elements of her personality that helped her thrive as a criminal may always stick with her, but the ways in which she chooses to harness those elements have undergone a shift. She realizes she’s a different person than she was at the start of the war.
Kym: It’s common for a mystery series to have a running subplot and to leave some of the storyline dangling, but you really left us on an enticing precipice this time! (No worries, dear readers, the main mystery is solved) Did you rub your hands together with evil satisfaction after typing the end or did you take a tip from Ellie’s handbook: shrug and say it had to be done?
Ashley: Ha! I didn’t do an evil laugh about this, though I’m sure I’ve done one here and there in the past. In this case, I knew that Ellie’s choices had led to certain consequences that had to be explored. But never fear; as with every other obstacle she’s encountered, she’ll work hard to figure out a solution!
Kym: I have no doubt the two of you will make it spectacular. As a librarian, you are the consummate researcher. Was there any part of your research for Locked in Pursuit that made you jump into the rabbit hole and get lost for a while?
Ashley: The entire series has been exciting to research because I get to figure out the inner workings of so many different criminal activities. I’ve learned—theoretically, at least—how to pick locks, crack safes, use nitroglycerine to blow open vaults, and a lot of other sketchy activities. I’m sure my internet search history looks pretty suspicious by now!
Kym: Law enforcement can thank me later for my techniques at obtaining confessions;) Your series has captured the hearts of mystery/spy thriller readers and could easily transcend into a Netflix series. If you had to choose a leading lady, who do you picture playing Ellie, and dare we ask for a peak into who would grace our television screens as Felix and Major Ramsey?
Ashley: Thank you! A Netflix series would be incredibly fun to see! But while I always love this question for authors, I don’t have a good answer for myself! I haven’t pictured anyone in particular in the roles. Ellie, Ramsey, and Felix are all so distinct in my head that it’s difficult for me to cast them. (Readers, let me know who you think would be good actors for the parts!)
Kym: Can I choose Alex Pettyfer for Ramsey? LOL. If you could be a spy in any time period, when would it be and who would you choose to be your partner in crime?
Ashley: In all honesty, I don’t feel like I would make a particularly good spy. I, alas, have a terrible poker face and am not good in risky situations. If I had to choose, though, I think being a spy during WWII like Ellie would be fascinating. There are so many books about all the incredible intelligence work done during the war. (Ben Macintyre’s excellent nonfiction books recount several of them, and his Agent Zigzag actually inspired the Electra McDonnell series!) As for a partner, I’d need someone with swagger and confidence to balance out my nervous energy! So maybe I’d go with real-life operative Ian Fleming—or, fictionally speaking, his master-spy creation, James Bond. They both seem like good bets!
Kym: That is awesome. Thank you for sharing your librarian skills and love of reading for that recommendation, along with a little insight to Ellie. Do you have a favorite cozy corner you choose to read and do your research in?
Ashley: I actually do a lot of writing in my bed! My room is comfy and cozy, and I love to sit with my laptop and a cup of coffee, with a tv show or movie playing in the background.
Kym: You revealed that Ellie and Major Ramsey will be off to Portugal on their next rescue mission. Do you have a working title for it yet?
Ashley: Yes! The working title is One Final Turn.
Kym: Can you tell our readers where they can find you on the web and social media?
Ashley: I love to hear from readers! Instagram, Facebook, X/Twitter, and my website. (Those are in the order of where you’re most likely to get in touch and find updates!)
Electra McDonnell #4
The fourth instalment in Ashley Weaver's delightful series, Locked in Pursuit follows safecracker Electra McDonnell fighting Nazis at every turn as World War II looms over London.
Safecracker Ellie McDonnell hasn’t seen Major Ramsey—her handsome but aloof handler in the British government—since their tumultuous mission together three months before, but when she hears about a suspicious robbery in London she feels compelled to contact him. Together they discover that a rash of burglaries leads back to a hotbed of spies in the neutral city Lisbon, Portugal, and an unknown object brought to London by a mysterious courier.
As the thieves become more desperate and their crimes escalate, it becomes imperative that Ellie and Ramsey must beat them at their own game. Fighting shadowy assailants, enemy agents, and the mutual attraction they’ve agreed not to acknowledge, Ellie and Ramsey work together to learn if it truly takes a thief to catch a thief.
Mystery Historical | Mystery Woman Sleuth [Minotaur Books, On Sale: May 14, 2024, Hardcover / e-Book, ISBN: 9781250885906 / eISBN: 9781250885913]
ASHLEY WEAVER is the Technical Services Coordinator for the Allen Parish Libraries in Louisiana. Weaver has worked in libraries since she was 14; she was a page and then a clerk before obtaining her MLIS from Louisiana State University. She lives in Oakdale, Louisiana.
Kym Roberts writes by day and is a pro-surfer in her dreams by night. Her humor is often raunchy, her jokes are often bad, but her hunger for a story keeps the adventures coming fast. Experience the thrill & catch the wave of passion, mystery, and suspense with her on her website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.
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