Reviewed by annieb123 on
A Peculiar Combination is the first book in the Electra McDonnell WW2 period mystery by Ashley Weaver. Released 25th May 2021 by Macmillan on their Minotaur imprint, it's 304 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.
This is such a well written and immediately engaging book. The protagonists are understandable and sympathetic (despite being firmly on the wrong side of the law) that the reader is instantly drawn to their side. The hook was firmly embedded within the first few pages of setup and I found the entire read satisfyingly action filled and fast paced.
The resolution and denouement were exciting with espionage and skullduggery aplenty, whilst foreshadowing the possibility of future adventures for Electra and her compatriots.
Four stars. This would be a good choice for fans of historical spy thrillers and general historical mysteries who don't mind a touch of romance in their reads. I found the characters especially well rendered and the dialogue flowed well and believably. The author is adept at her craft.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Reading updates
- Started reading
- 7 November, 2021: Finished reading
- 7 November, 2021: Reviewed