The third in the Electra McDonnell series from Edgar-nominated author Ashley Weaver, Playing It Safe is a delightful World War II mystery filled with spies, murder, romance, and wit.
As the Blitz continues to ravage London, Ellie McDonnell is approached by British Intelligence officer Major Ramsey with a new assignment. She is to travel under an assumed identity to the port city of Sunderland and there await further instructions. Ellie, ever-ready to aid her country, heads north, her safecracking tools in tow. But before she can rendezvous with the major, she witnesses an unnatural death. A man falls dead in the street in front of her, with a mysterious missive clutched in his hand. Ellie's instincts tell her that the man's death is connected in some way to her mission.
Reunited with Major Ramsey, the pair discovers that the dead man had ties to a counterfeiting operation, supplying German spies with fraudulent British currency to use in their operations. Even more troubling, it quickly becomes apparent someone high-up in the operation is helping to smuggle those spies into England across the North Sea. Soon, Ellie and the major are locked in a battle of wits and a race against time with an unknown and deadly adversary. With German bombs dropping on the city and a would-be assassin shadowing their every move, it will take all of Ellie's resourcefulness and Major Ramsey's fortitude to unmask the spymaster and avert disastrous consequences--for England and for their own lives.
Publisher: Macmillan
Original Binding: Hardcover with dust jacket
Pages: 272 pages
ISBN-10: 1250885876
Item Weight: 1.0 lbs
Dimensions: 6.6 x 1.0 x 9.6 inches
Customer Reviews: 4 out of 5 stars 1,001 to 10,000 ratings
Praise for The Key to Deceit:
One of New York Post's "Best New Books to Read"
"[A] fast-paced plot . . . Ellie is wonderfully resourceful and divinely funny. Let's hope this expertise-and-romance-filled series continues for a very long time."--Booklist (starred)
"Excellent... Weaver does a sensational job of evoking 1940 London and populates the story with endearing characters... Readers will hope to see a lot more of Ellie."--Publishers Weekly (starred) "As this is only the second in her series, Weaver opens the door to garnering many fans as she develops her characters and possible romances travel between Ellie and the major or Felix. It's easy to get wrapped up in Weaver's storytelling skills as she carefully unfolds her story."--New York Journal of Books
Praise for A Peculiar Combination:
A Publishers Weekly Pick of the Week! One of BuzzFeed's "21 Upcoming Historical Fiction Books You're Going to Love"
"A thorny relationship between Ellie and Ramsey, a cast of colorful characters, a brisk pace, and an ironic message about the identity of true patriots enthrall. Readers will look forward to the next mission for the smart, feisty Ellie and her circle."--Publishers Weekly (Starred)
"Exciting . . . Brave Ellie and her aristocratic love should appeal to fans of Susan Elia MacNeal and Tessa Arlen."--Kirkus Reviews "Louisiana librarian Weaver (Murder at Brightwell) launches an engaging new series that sparkles. Infused with witty romantic conflict, this historical mystery with convincing period details concludes with enticing story threads for future entries. For fans of Susan Elia MacNeal and Allison Montclair"--Library Journal
"An exciting yarn filled with narrow escapes, revised strategies and a snapshot of London in August 1940, a month before the Blitz began."--Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star
ASHLEY WEAVER (she/her) is the technical services coordinator at the Allen Parish Libraries in Oberlin, Louisiana. Weaver has worked in libraries since she was fourteen; she was a page and then a clerk before obtaining her MLIS from Louisiana State University. She is the author of the Amory Ames series and the Electra McDonell series.
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