Book Review: The Key to Deceit by Ashley Weaver

The Key to Deceit (Electra McDonnell #2). Ashley Weaver. Minotaur Books (2022). 272 pages. Genre: Historical Mystery.

First Line:  "London. 31 August 1940. It's often a man's mouth that breaks his nose, my uncle Mick was fond of saying."

Summary:  Electra McDonnell has been getting used to her new life on the right side of the law.  She has been spending her time working as a locksmith and knitting socks for soldiers.  Frankly, she is getting restless.  Her uncle Mick is out of town on a job leaving her and their  longtime housekeeper, Nacy, to keep the home fires burning.  When returning home from a job one day, she finds Major Ramsey waiting for her. 

He has a job for her.  A woman was found floating in the Thames with an unusual bracelet on her arm.  It is locked in two places and the Major would like Electra to use her skills to remove it.  Its clear that the woman was involved in espionage. In order to break the spy ring, the Major will need Electra and Uncle Mick's skills.  It becomes a race against the clock as they attempt to thwart the enemy's plans. 

My thoughts:  This second book in the Electra McDonnell series drew me in immediately.  The writing is crisp and witty.  Electra continues to be a strong character.  She was raised by her uncle along with his two boys and their housekeeper, Nacy Dean.   She is an expert locksmith, knows her way around a garage and won't shy away from a fight.  But, she is also feminine, tender-hearted and knows how to knit socks.  She is fiercely loyal to her family and country and is willing to do what she can to help the war effort.  

Uncle Mick's part in this story is smaller than it was in the first book.  However, he returns from his travels in time to help out.  Felix and Major Ramsey have large parts this time around.  There is a bit of a love triangle forming.  Electra's feelings for Felix are growing, but she has known him since she was a girl.  Are her feelings something more?  As far as the Major goes, it could never work.  They are from different worlds.  But he does seem to be fiercely protective of her.  As I have mentioned before, I don't always like romance in my mysteries.  But, I didn't find this distracting.  Instead, it is just charming and helps the reader like both Felix and the Major and get to know them better.  

The story begins just before the Germans bombed London.  The bombing is part of the story and the author did a good job of giving the reader a feel for what this must have been like.  When Electra hears the planes she hears, "the whine of Heinkel and Dornier engines".  This was very appropriate for her.  I would have heard the engines of planes, but Electra is familiar with engines of all kinds.   The McDonnell family lives far from the East End which is where most of the damage occurred.  Their feelings of fear and uncertainty are very real. 

Unraveling a spy ring is no easy task.  As the Major follows the clues along with the help of Electra and Uncle Mick, it gets more complicated before it is sorted out.  

There is a secondary story line that started in the first book having to do with Electra's mother. She never knew her and the family doesn't talk about her.  Electra only knows what she has been told, which isn't much. She would love to know more about her.  With the help of Felix, Electra makes some progress on that front.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable read.  All this is left to do now is wait for the next book in the series. 

Quotes: 

"It had felt good, I realized, having virtue backing us up.  It had changed the way I looked at myself, whether I wanted to admit it or not.  I felt different, better, knowing I was working for the people of my country rather than against them."

"I ran a brush through my hair, realized it was going to be one of those days when it wasn't going to behave, and rolled it into a chignon, viciously shoving pins into it until it realized who was boss."

"The bank was one of those impressive buildings with pillared chambers and echoing vaulted ceilings.  People talked in whispers, as though it were a hospital.  Or maybe a church was more accurate; people do tend to worship money."

"One thing I had come to learn over the years was that you could never judge a book by its cover. People were seldom what they seemed on the outside."