Like many authors, I was an avid reader before I even dreamed of writing a novel, and I still have that passion for reading today. That’s why I’m always on the hunt for great books by talented authors to share with my readers!
Today I am very happy to launch the first in a series of author features called Ask an Author here on my Substack. Those of you who have been following me for a long time will remember that Ask an Author had a previous life as a Facebook Live series, and I could not be happier to bring it back in a brand-new format!
Today I am welcoming Ashley Weaver, author of the Amory Ames and Electra McDonnell historical mystery novels. Her latest book, Locked in Pursuit, is the fourth in the Electra McDonnell series, and I heartily enjoyed it! Here’s a quick look at the synopsis.
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.
Now, without further ado, here is my interview with Ashley!
1. Can you tell us a little bit about your heroine Electra McDonnell and what makes her tick?
Electra—or Ellie, as she’s known—has been raised in a family of locksmiths-by-day/safecrackers-by-night. She’s smart, canny, brave, and adaptable. She’s also fiercely loyal to her family. These qualities, which make her an excellent thief, have served her well working with military intelligence in World War II. Though her independent streak and her temper occasionally get her into trouble with her handler, Major Ramsey, she has enjoyed fighting alongside the good guys so much that she’s reconsidering whether she wants to continue her life of crime once the war is over.
2. Locked in Pursuit is the fourth book in this series, and at the beginning of it we find Ellie dealing with the aftermath of a previous mission. How is your approach to writing a book like this where you have already spent time with these characters and this world different than writing the first book in a series?
I think my approach is mainly different in that I know the characters better than I did at the start of a series; they’re like old friends. Knowing them better and understanding their motivations as the series progresses helps drive the plot to some extent, because the characters’ lives are evolving along with the plotlines!
3. I’m always fascinated by the research rabbit holes that writers fall down when they’re writing their books. Did you discover anything in particular that surprised you while working on Locked in Pursuit?
It wasn’t for this book in particular, but a series rabbit hole is the lockpicking/safecracking element. Safecracking in particular is a lot more complicated (and math adjacent!) than I realized going into this. I have a whole new appreciation for the skillset it takes to be a successful criminal!
4. Some readers will, of course, have read your well-loved Amory Ames series, featuring a wealthy young woman living in 1930s England. Electra’s books take place during World War 2. What were some of the things you did to set those two characters and their worlds apart?
Though only around a decade separates them, Ellie and Amory and their worlds are very different. I think that has made it easier to set them apart in my writing. They come from very distinct backgrounds. Ellie’s lower middle-class criminal upbringing and Amory’s wealthy society milieu inform the way they think, interact with others, and even speak.
They also travel in very different circles. So, while they may have an eye for mystery in common, their distinct characteristics differentiate them from each other in many ways.
5. I know that writers are often great readers as well. Do you have any recent reads that you would recommend? What is currently waiting for you on your TBR pile?
Oh, my TBR pile is about a mile high! Two books that are close to the top are advanced reader copies I’m eager to dive into: Assassins Anonymous by Rob Hart and Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid. I’m currently reading The Ministry of Time by Kaliane Bradley and also re-reading Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier and The Indifferent Stars Above by Daniel James Brown, a nonfiction book about the Donner Party. I also recently read and enjoyed Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack, which is about a mystery writer traveling in Italy who finds that her life is beginning to imitate her art! As a librarian, I’m constantly surrounded by books I want to read, so the list is never-ending!
ASHLEY WEAVER is the Technical Services Coordinator at the Allen Parish Libraries in Oberlin, 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 is the author of Murder at the Brightwell, Death Wears a Mask, and A Most Novel Revenge. Weaver lives in Oakdale, Louisiana.
You can find out more about Ashley’s books and where you can purchase them at https://www.ashley-weaver.com/.