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Lost Girls: A Farrow & Chang Thriller
When the daughter of the Swedish Ambassador disappears from her prestigious London school in broad daylight, the authorities are on high alert. There are no witnesses and no ransom thirteen-year-old Freya Sjöberg has vanished into thin air.
With the Metropolitan Police out of their depth, specialist agent DS Madeleine Farrow is called in to handle the case. As a former pupil at Wimpole Girls, she knows the school's affluent corridors only too well. But even she can't anticipate the dark secrets held within its walls.
With the clock ticking since Freya's disappearance, Madeleine must return to a place that holds painful memories to find a girl who has left no trace. For help, she calls on dogged - and occasionally maverick - young private investigator Ramona Chang. Together the unlikely pair find themselves plunged into a world of extreme wealth and dangerous secrets.
The deeper they dig, the more they uncover - exposing a tangled web of conspiracy and lies that could change everything they thought they knew about the case, and each other.
With the Metropolitan Police out of their depth, specialist agent DS Madeleine Farrow is called in to handle the case. As a former pupil at Wimpole Girls, she knows the school's affluent corridors only too well. But even she can't anticipate the dark secrets held within its walls.
With the clock ticking since Freya's disappearance, Madeleine must return to a place that holds painful memories to find a girl who has left no trace. For help, she calls on dogged - and occasionally maverick - young private investigator Ramona Chang. Together the unlikely pair find themselves plunged into a world of extreme wealth and dangerous secrets.
The deeper they dig, the more they uncover - exposing a tangled web of conspiracy and lies that could change everything they thought they knew about the case, and each other.
319 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 12, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
November 5, 2025
Detective Madeleine Farrow has been assigned the case of a missing teenage girl, the daughter of the Swedish Ambassador.
The girl has gone missing from an elite school in London, the school that Detective Farrow was a former pupil.
I didn’t realise this was the second book in this series, I was confused about the characters and I would advise that you read the first book in the series before reading this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and John Murray Press for my e-book in exchange for an honest review.
The girl has gone missing from an elite school in London, the school that Detective Farrow was a former pupil.
I didn’t realise this was the second book in this series, I was confused about the characters and I would advise that you read the first book in the series before reading this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and John Murray Press for my e-book in exchange for an honest review.
November 18, 2025
This is a skilfully written story which weaves in and around several strands of plot. I took a while to get into it but some complexity made the reading more enjoyable. This is the first book of Philby’s I have read and the first of the Farrow and Chang series. The two protagonists, Madeleine Farrow, a DS in the serious crimes squad, and Ramona Chang, once a journalist before falling foul of some seriously bad people who now does the odd job helping Farrow, are opposites in methods and temperament. They are perfect foils for each other.
The central story is of Freya, the 13 year old child of a Swedish diplomat who vanishes without trace. There are no witnesses. No ransom demand. We all know that the first 24 hours after any kidnapping are crucial and so after three days of unsuccessful searching the anxiety for her safety is heightened. Her parents, especially her diplomat father seem strangely dismissive of any potential danger to their daughter. Can they be involved in her disappearance. Do they know what happened? If so what possible motive could there be? Around this central investigation are woven other strands of plot in which Ramona is also involved.
This is a cleverly plotted book with engaging central characters. I particularly like Ramona and hope to come across her again. This seems likely as there were a couple of issues that were left hanging by the end. I will certainly seek out other books by this author.
The central story is of Freya, the 13 year old child of a Swedish diplomat who vanishes without trace. There are no witnesses. No ransom demand. We all know that the first 24 hours after any kidnapping are crucial and so after three days of unsuccessful searching the anxiety for her safety is heightened. Her parents, especially her diplomat father seem strangely dismissive of any potential danger to their daughter. Can they be involved in her disappearance. Do they know what happened? If so what possible motive could there be? Around this central investigation are woven other strands of plot in which Ramona is also involved.
This is a cleverly plotted book with engaging central characters. I particularly like Ramona and hope to come across her again. This seems likely as there were a couple of issues that were left hanging by the end. I will certainly seek out other books by this author.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When a young girl disappears it is a routine priority for the Met. If the girl is from a prominent family does that make it more or less important? When Freya Sjöberg, 13, the daughter of the Swedish Ambassador goes missing from her expensive private school, this has to be escalated to Government level. DS Madeline Farrow of the Serious Crime Investigation Department is immediately called back from a sting operation in Dubai, and put in charge of the investigation. Madeline has unique qualities for this task, because she is from an upper middle class background with experience in the diplomatic service and connections to the Home Office, but, more pertinently, because she was a pupil at the same school, albeit thirty years earlier. There is no threat, no ransom demand, which is odd. Also odd is the apparent insouciance of Freya’s parents – could be diplomatic stiff-upper-lip – could be something more.
Ramona Chang, former journalist, sometime ‘colleague’ of Madeline’s, is currently working as a P.I. while waiting for the court to decide whether the manslaughter charge against her should be mitigated on grounds of self-defence. As it happens, the SCID is short of staff so Madeline decides to employ her, off the books, for surveillance and other minor tasks, paying her from her own pocket (Madeline is quite wealthy). Ramona is on edge because the man she killed was an enforcer for an organised crime boss. Coincidentally, he is hiding out in Dubai and the subject of the sting operation in which Madeline was involved.
This is the second book in a proposed series. It references events from the first book, but you don’t need to have read it to follow this one. It is told mainly from Madeline’s point of view, but Ramona’s runs in parallel and her activities actually engender most of the tension in the plot. Both of these characters are interesting in their own right but especially in the contrast. The plot is well constructed although I did think it was a bit stretched out through the middle section, and a bit too coincidental, perhaps. However, overall it’s a neat story and the ending clearly flags that there will be another one coming along soon, and I look forward to enjoying that as much as this one. It’s not really a 5 but it’s more than a 4 so I’ll err on the generous side.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
Ramona Chang, former journalist, sometime ‘colleague’ of Madeline’s, is currently working as a P.I. while waiting for the court to decide whether the manslaughter charge against her should be mitigated on grounds of self-defence. As it happens, the SCID is short of staff so Madeline decides to employ her, off the books, for surveillance and other minor tasks, paying her from her own pocket (Madeline is quite wealthy). Ramona is on edge because the man she killed was an enforcer for an organised crime boss. Coincidentally, he is hiding out in Dubai and the subject of the sting operation in which Madeline was involved.
This is the second book in a proposed series. It references events from the first book, but you don’t need to have read it to follow this one. It is told mainly from Madeline’s point of view, but Ramona’s runs in parallel and her activities actually engender most of the tension in the plot. Both of these characters are interesting in their own right but especially in the contrast. The plot is well constructed although I did think it was a bit stretched out through the middle section, and a bit too coincidental, perhaps. However, overall it’s a neat story and the ending clearly flags that there will be another one coming along soon, and I look forward to enjoying that as much as this one. It’s not really a 5 but it’s more than a 4 so I’ll err on the generous side.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
March 12, 2026
Lost Girls is the second book in Charlotte Philby’s Farrow & Chang series and sees Madeleine Farrow and Ramona Chang thrown into another high-stakes investigation as the daughter of the Swedish Ambassador disappears from her prestigious London school in broad daylight.
I enjoyed exploring another mystery with these two. One of the strengths of this series is the contrast between Madeleine and Ramona, who come from very different worlds and bring very different skills to the table. As in the first book, Philby takes time to build out the people and settings involved so this thriller feels grounded in the particular contrasts of London, between elite schools and those with money and power and the people who struggle to get by.
The plot takes a little while to gather speed, but once it does, it becomes a gripping read. I particularly liked the dynamic between Madeleine and Ramona and the feeling that almost everyone knows something they are not saying. As with the first book, this feels less like a conventional police procedural and more like a character-driven thriller. I’m really looking forward to book three, which seems set to focus on the mystery raised at the end of this one.
A recommended read for fans of Charlotte Philby and female-led investigative thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley and John Murray Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed exploring another mystery with these two. One of the strengths of this series is the contrast between Madeleine and Ramona, who come from very different worlds and bring very different skills to the table. As in the first book, Philby takes time to build out the people and settings involved so this thriller feels grounded in the particular contrasts of London, between elite schools and those with money and power and the people who struggle to get by.
The plot takes a little while to gather speed, but once it does, it becomes a gripping read. I particularly liked the dynamic between Madeleine and Ramona and the feeling that almost everyone knows something they are not saying. As with the first book, this feels less like a conventional police procedural and more like a character-driven thriller. I’m really looking forward to book three, which seems set to focus on the mystery raised at the end of this one.
A recommended read for fans of Charlotte Philby and female-led investigative thrillers.
Thank you to NetGalley and John Murray Press for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I liked the first book in the series with the investigative duo of DI Madeleine and reporter cum private investigator Ramona and I enjoyed this one even more. I felt that it was more evenly paced than Dirty Money and enjoyed the alternating POV from the outset. Madeleine with her upper middle class backgound and Ramona from her council scheme backround are again unofficially working together but still not really trusting each other and they are definitely not friends.
This time Madeleine has been drafted in to investigate the politically sensitive case of the missing daughter of the Swedish ambassador to the UK. Freya goes missing from the private school that Madeleine previously attended and that her neice attends so that there are plenty of plot overlaps. Ramona gets to do some of the plod work of watching and following and her unorthodox nature helps the investigation in ways that more rigid Madeleine would not be able to.
Ramona’s best friend also gets drawn into the complex intrigue with strands of the plot in Dirty Money still coming to the surface. But there are never too many coincidences to become ridiculous. I liked finding out more about the backgrounds of Madeleine and Ramona as the search for Freya steadily progresses with dramatic revelations near the end.
Thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for the ARC.
This time Madeleine has been drafted in to investigate the politically sensitive case of the missing daughter of the Swedish ambassador to the UK. Freya goes missing from the private school that Madeleine previously attended and that her neice attends so that there are plenty of plot overlaps. Ramona gets to do some of the plod work of watching and following and her unorthodox nature helps the investigation in ways that more rigid Madeleine would not be able to.
Ramona’s best friend also gets drawn into the complex intrigue with strands of the plot in Dirty Money still coming to the surface. But there are never too many coincidences to become ridiculous. I liked finding out more about the backgrounds of Madeleine and Ramona as the search for Freya steadily progresses with dramatic revelations near the end.
Thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had read and enjoyed the previous book in this series, but I had trouble getting into this book at first. The different viewpoints were confusing and the plot felt all over the place at first. As I got into the book more, I remembered the two main characters of the book better and the different strands of the plot started to come together and make more sense. A girl , the daughter of a Swedish diplomat, goes missing from a private school, has she been kidnapped? With few clues to go on and parents who are not forthcoming, there doesn't seem much to go on.
Madeleine is travelling around Europe and to Dubai , the latter of which didn't really mean much until later in the book. Ramona is investigating and observing the parents of Freya. She is awaiting closure of issues from the previous book. A couple of other issues add interest and complexity to the plot. By the time I was half way I was completely invested in the plot and enjoying all the different aspects of this book as well as getting to know the two main characters better. Glad I continued with it.
Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book before publication, I look forward to finding out more about these two women.
Madeleine is travelling around Europe and to Dubai , the latter of which didn't really mean much until later in the book. Ramona is investigating and observing the parents of Freya. She is awaiting closure of issues from the previous book. A couple of other issues add interest and complexity to the plot. By the time I was half way I was completely invested in the plot and enjoying all the different aspects of this book as well as getting to know the two main characters better. Glad I continued with it.
Thanks to Net Galley for the opportunity to read this book before publication, I look forward to finding out more about these two women.
October 22, 2025
Thanks to Charlotte and NetGalley for allowing me to read Lost Girls before the publication date.
This is the second book in the series and it does not disappoint.
DS Madeleine Farrow has reached the big 50 and all that entails. She has to decide whether to apply for promotion to D.I. which would mean a managerial role or remain in her role within the Serious Crime Investigation Department working in the field. The relationship between Madeleine and her bother Dominic is strained at the best of times and recent events have not helped.
Ramona Chang, a young woman who was an investigative journalist in a previous life, until she crossed the wrong gang. Now she is trying to scrape a living as a P.I. whilst awaiting trial for manslaughter.
Madeleine and Ramona met when a woman was alleged to have committed suicide, but more sinister bad actors were in play.
With Madeleine’s team depleted, she engages Ramona to help with the investigation into Freya’s disappearance.
Charlotte has written a well crafted story, taking the reader into the complex relationships between government departments.
This is the second book in the series and it does not disappoint.
DS Madeleine Farrow has reached the big 50 and all that entails. She has to decide whether to apply for promotion to D.I. which would mean a managerial role or remain in her role within the Serious Crime Investigation Department working in the field. The relationship between Madeleine and her bother Dominic is strained at the best of times and recent events have not helped.
Ramona Chang, a young woman who was an investigative journalist in a previous life, until she crossed the wrong gang. Now she is trying to scrape a living as a P.I. whilst awaiting trial for manslaughter.
Madeleine and Ramona met when a woman was alleged to have committed suicide, but more sinister bad actors were in play.
With Madeleine’s team depleted, she engages Ramona to help with the investigation into Freya’s disappearance.
Charlotte has written a well crafted story, taking the reader into the complex relationships between government departments.
March 8, 2026
This is the 2nd book featuring DS Madeline Farrow and Ramona Chang a former reporter/P Investigator.
Freya is the 13 year old daughter of a Swedish diplomat who has gone missing from her elite private school in London, there are no clues, there has been no ransom demand and her parents are not overly cooperative. Are her parents involved, do they know what happened to Freya?
The search for Freya makes slow progress, both Madeline and Romana have other cases running, they are both strong characters, Madeline with her upper middle class background, her flashy apartment and Ramona from a council estate and currently struggling to survive, waiting trial for manslaughter and about to be thrown out of her council flat. Madeline unofficially puts some surveillance work Ramona’s way, Ramona is able to get closer to Freya’s sister with her more streetwise skills.
A well crafted plot and it all comes together it’s a few twists and suspense throughout.
Many thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
Freya is the 13 year old daughter of a Swedish diplomat who has gone missing from her elite private school in London, there are no clues, there has been no ransom demand and her parents are not overly cooperative. Are her parents involved, do they know what happened to Freya?
The search for Freya makes slow progress, both Madeline and Romana have other cases running, they are both strong characters, Madeline with her upper middle class background, her flashy apartment and Ramona from a council estate and currently struggling to survive, waiting trial for manslaughter and about to be thrown out of her council flat. Madeline unofficially puts some surveillance work Ramona’s way, Ramona is able to get closer to Freya’s sister with her more streetwise skills.
A well crafted plot and it all comes together it’s a few twists and suspense throughout.
Many thanks to NetGalley and John Murray Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.
October 30, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Lost Girls by Charlotte Philby
I’ve read some of Philby’s previous books and always enjoyed her observant style of writing, but this is the first book in this series I’ve read and it works perfectly as a standalone. The story opens with the disappearance of thirteen year old Freya Sjöberg from an elite London school, drawing DS Madeleine Farrow back to her previous life.
I loved the unlikely pairing of Madeleine, a seemingly straight laced professional with a strong moral code, and Ramona, the gritty and impulsive investigator whose own demons make her more empathetic to the story’s most vulnerable characters. Their dynamic adds real depth to the investigation and balances the darker moments with heart and humour.
The setting feels authentic and tightly observed. The pacing is steady with well-timed twists and a sense of moral tension running throughout. A smart, layered thriller that blends emotional insight with genuine suspense.
I’ve read some of Philby’s previous books and always enjoyed her observant style of writing, but this is the first book in this series I’ve read and it works perfectly as a standalone. The story opens with the disappearance of thirteen year old Freya Sjöberg from an elite London school, drawing DS Madeleine Farrow back to her previous life.
I loved the unlikely pairing of Madeleine, a seemingly straight laced professional with a strong moral code, and Ramona, the gritty and impulsive investigator whose own demons make her more empathetic to the story’s most vulnerable characters. Their dynamic adds real depth to the investigation and balances the darker moments with heart and humour.
The setting feels authentic and tightly observed. The pacing is steady with well-timed twists and a sense of moral tension running throughout. A smart, layered thriller that blends emotional insight with genuine suspense.
March 16, 2026
The second book in the Farrow and Chang series begins with DS Madeline Farrow's recall to London to assist in the high-profile investigation into the disappearance of the Swedish Ambassador's daughter, Freya. The school she disappeared from is one Madeline attended, and her social connections give her leverage in this highly political arena. Whether girls or women, there are many lost souls in this emotional and poignant tale.
It's an authentic and intense story with many twists and some inevitable but not unsurprising connections. To fully appreciate the characters, relationship dynamics and the plot's nuances, reading the first book is recommended. I like the offbeat, quirky relationship between Madeline and Ramona; they don't live in each other's worlds, which adds to the story's realism.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
It's an authentic and intense story with many twists and some inevitable but not unsurprising connections. To fully appreciate the characters, relationship dynamics and the plot's nuances, reading the first book is recommended. I like the offbeat, quirky relationship between Madeline and Ramona; they don't live in each other's worlds, which adds to the story's realism.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.
November 24, 2025
4.25 stars rounded down. Started strong, it plateaued a bit for me in the middle, then picked up with a strong ending which nicely tied together all the various strands. The plot was good and you can tell the author has done research and has her own experience within journalism.
I did find it a little hard to really connect with Ramona or Madeleine as they are both flawed characters. Perhaps this might have been slightly easier if I’d read the previous book - something to bear in mind if you’re able to start at the beginning. I would look forward to filling in my gap though, and reading more books in the series.
I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased body.
I did find it a little hard to really connect with Ramona or Madeleine as they are both flawed characters. Perhaps this might have been slightly easier if I’d read the previous book - something to bear in mind if you’re able to start at the beginning. I would look forward to filling in my gap though, and reading more books in the series.
I received a free ARC copy of this via NetGalley and the publishers in return for an unbiased body.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This is such a good thriller featuring Farrow and Chang, the second in the series, and it is very skilfully woven and well written. It is told from two points of view, which worked very well, with Chang as a former journalist assisting Farrow with the investigation of a missing 13 year old diplomat's daughter. I liked the characterisation and the writing style, which felt very realistic and the ending left it open for a third in the series. A very enjoyable read. Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The second book in the series which I have read and it is another well written and well plotted story.Once again Madeleine a DS enlists the aid of ex reporter Ramona this time in the search for a missing girl, the daughter of the Swedish Ambassador in London. There is lot of reference to previous events and these books are best read in order. It is a very modern story with elements of money laundering and and low level drug crime in London.
I enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading future novels in this series.
I enjoyed reading this and look forward to reading future novels in this series.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I have read the first book in this series so it was great to meet Madeline Farrow and Ramona Chang again. Freya the 13 year old child of a Swedish Diplomat vanishes from her Private School without a trace .This is a cleverly plotted book with some great characters .I thoroughly enjoyed it and look forward to reading the next book in the series .Thank you to NetGalley for my ARC.
December 27, 2025
Masterfully written, but goddamnit, I couldn’t remember a thing about the first in the series (which I know I also thoroughly enjoyed). I’ll need to read the whole series in one big chunk one day, when it’s all released. Something to look forward to, init
March 24, 2026
The second book in the Farrie and Chang series. I enjoyed the first, and similar feelings over this episode. Charlotte Philby has a great way of joining words together...even if there's not much going on, it's addictive prose. Loving reading the further interactions between the main protagonists, and looking forward to more in the future.
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