Heist meets history in this fast paced and enjoyable World War II mystery. Ellie McDonnell is doing the best she can to survive in 1940 London. Blackout curtains, air raids, rationing, and the constant fear for her cousins who are fighting on the Continent are at the forefront of her mind, not to mention helping her uncle to keep their locksmith business afloat. But times are tough, so they sometimes need to resort to the other family business: safecracking. Ellie and her uncle have always gotten away with it before, but suddenly their freedom is in the hands of the stoic Major Ramsey when they are caught red-handed at their latest break-in. He has a deal for them: help him break into the safe of a suspected German spy, and they won’t go to jail. But when the break-in doesn’t go as planned and Major Ramsey needs them for another job, Ellie finds herself wanting to continue with the mission to do her part for the war-effort. Along the way they will uncover betrayals and intrigue, and maybe just help win the war.
This enjoyable book is fast-paced and well-balanced, allowing for some good character development and quieter moments. Ellie is an admirable character who we will see more of in future installments of the series! To place a hold on a copy of “A Peculiar Combination,” click here.
