I was interested in the synopsis of this book with two very different women working together to solve a crime. I liked their different personalities, but didn't really warm to either of them and did find the book slow going. The explanations on different aspects of the law eg proceeds of crime were interesting, but did feel a bit like a lecture at times. This is the first of Ms Philby's books that I've read but I will be interested to read others with different protagonists
.Thank you to netgalley and John Murray press for an advance copy of this book.

The first book I have read by Charlotte Philby, it did take me a few chapters to get into the plot. Told by alternative women, who initially seem to be unrelated, you are plunged into a couple of different plotlines. Gradually the different strands of the plot come together and the relations between the characters start to emerge. a lot happens in this book, though it is not always fast paced and action packed, there is also a lot of undercover investigation which was very interesting.
I loved the descriptions here and the alternating points of view of the two main characters who are very different. The setting is mostly London and the descriptions of people and places give you a good picture of the scenes and events. Once I got into the book and started to understand Ramora and Madeleine, it became a real page turner and I enjoyed this unusual take on an investigation. The book touches on the emotions of both women which are portrayed in a sensitive and realistic manner.
Thanks to Net Galley for a great read, I hope to read more about these two women.

Sadly this one wasn’t for me. I couldn’t get engaged with the characters and nothing happened for ages. I found it to be a very slow burn.

Thank you to #NetGalley for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

A well-written story, with well-drawn characters. This is a real page-turner, and I would definitely recommend it.

Thanks to John Murray Press & NetGalley for ARC.

This well written, well paced thriller started well, introducing the reader to on-her-uppers twenty-something Ramona Chang, who left her vocation as investigative journalist after a particular story led to a price on her head. She's trying to make it as a private investigator, but cases are thin on the ground until a young woman contacts her about a mysterious and truly awful job interview she was subjected to.

At the same time DS Madeleine Farrow, from a privileged background and just turned a glamorous fifty, She is assigned a case involving crypto-bros, shady governments and a need for the utmost discretion.

The compare-and-contrast nature of the alternating narratives works incredibly well once it's bedded in, showing the cheek=by-jowl nature of the very rich and powerful and the ordinary people, the multitudes contained in London. Of course the two work together to slightly different ends, and there are very plausible obstacles in the way. I was gripped right till the end.

I love a crime mystery and this did not disappoint. The book opens with two different storylines and you know they will converge just not sure when. The two main characters interact well and are so different but likeable for different reasons.
The plot unfolds and does make you wonder what is happening in plain sight that most of us have no idea about!

Great read.

Another book I really enjoyed. The main characters, Madeleine Farrow and Ramona Chang could not be different, one with money, one without. Also Ramona Chang has a secret life which she left behind. Madeleine works for the Serious Crime Investigation Unit trying hard to bring down the mobsters and their “dirty money”. The Unit is investigation a family from Kazakhstan who are laundering vast amounts of money through the UK. Madeleine is high up in the hierarchy. Her brother is in Government, has been promoted which is a problem for her as they do not see eye to eye on many things and will be her boss. Romana started out in the book as an investigative journalist but had to change jobs and decided to become a private detective. She is finding this difficult but one case sets her on a path to meeting Madeleine and their lives intertwine. They both end up chasing the same links and because of Ramona’s help on her case Madeleine helps Ramona on her first real case as a private investigator. The age gap between them makes them almost mother and daughter and because they have the same values with right and wrong it works. The story at a good pace for me and I enjoyed the way they eventually closed their cases. Look forward to more from this duo

A fresh new female detectivevseries, set in London. Fast paced, interesting, great conversational style of writing, can't wait for more.

This kind of felt like a pilot episode where we introduced to the characters who are going to go on to do great things but we really need to get to know them first.

We met Ramona, an investigative reporter turned private investigator living under a new name and barely scraping by; and Madeline, also working undercover but at completely the other end of the spectrum- born into a life of wealth and privilege but now tracking down the worst types of humanity.

This book was a bit of a slow burn but the pace certainly picked up by the end and I’m really looking forward to reading more.

Lots to like here, including a huge roll call of characters who still mostly stayed individual and recognisable, and a vivid enough sense of the well-trodden path of spies and crooks and vigilantes moving around the grubby back streets and sparkling moneyed enclaves of London. I did want to find out what happened, and I did read to the end, but it's very very slow up until the final 25%. Lots of setting up of back stories and establishing of motivations, and a fairly convoluted double plotline that didn't really end up feeling that convincing. It might have been better to start a series with the first case the two main leads collaborated on, rather than needing to tell us about it here. Could be promising for the future, will probably make a great TV series one day.

Despite the great sounding synopsis, this book wasn't for me. I just couldn't get into it. It was slow with lots of characters. I haven't read any of Philby's other books but I would certainly try another as the plot was good.

It didn’t quite live up to expectations for me. The first quarter of the book felt more like a tour of London, with a long list of character names, possibly plots and locations thrown at the reader without much context or meaningful connection to the story. It was hard to get invested in the characters—Ramona and Madeleine didn’t resonate with me, and I struggled to form any attachment to them. The pacing felt slow and laboured, with plenty of words but not much substance to move the plot forward. I found it difficult to stay engaged, and by the time I reached 50%, I couldn’t continue.

The lack of real grit in the storyline left me feeling disconnected from the narrative, and it ultimately wasn’t the thriller I had hoped for.

Charlotte Philby writes so beautifully and her characters always feel really true to life and to themselves. I found the pace of this dropped a bit in the second half, but I will definitely read the next in the series.

I have a deep and genuine appreciation for stories that unfold through dual perspectives, and this particular narrative truly captivated my imagination. The way the characters' viewpoints intertwined was not only seamless but also incredibly engaging, drawing me deeper into their world. Each shift in perspective added layers of complexity and emotional richness to the storyline. As the first installment in what promises to be a compelling series, I find myself eagerly counting down the days until I can dive into the next book and continue this entrancing journey.

This one wasn't for me sadly!
I decided to not continue reading after 30% it's rather a slow burner, the premise is interesting but it's not engaging enough for me to attempt to keep up with all the various characters & it was beginning to feel like a slog for me.... And that's not what reading it about! So I'm off to find something that grips me.
Do go and check out reviews of readers who loved it before making your mind up.

This is the first book I've read by Charlotte Philby and it proved to be an interesting and engaging read. The story revolves around two main protagonists and two cases. The first is about money laundering involving the super wealthy living in London and the other involves a dating agency which isn't all it seems. Madeline Farrow of the serious crimes unit and Romana Chang are investigating these cases independently until they find the need to engage the help of the other. The pacing is good and the plot fairly rattles along, while the characters of the two main protagonists are well developed. Both of them carry 'baggage' which is partially explored, leaving openings for further novels in the series - which I would be happy to read.
With thanks to Netgalley and John Murray Press for an advanced copy in return for an honest review.

Engaging and entertaining police procedural - and a whole lot more!

I've not read any of this author's previous works but I certainly enjoyed this detective story. The plot revolves around two cases, one involving money laundering (thus the title) and another more sordid tale. Two main characters, Madeleine of the Serious Crimes Unit, and Ramona, a private investigator, team up and are the most important part of this novel. All characters are well-developed, especially the main protagonists and the plot moves along at a good pace. A couple of minor gripes : it's a bit of a love letter to London and non-Londoners may not appreciate all the street directions and London references. I'm not convinced that I need to know what everybody is wearing at any given time. Minor gripes which did not spoil the enjoyment of the engaging and highly entertaining thriller. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

This was an easy read, told from the perspectives of the two main characters. I love a dual POV in a book so this really reeled me in, and the POV’s came together perfectly. This book was the first in what is going to be a series so I’m looking forward to reading the next instalment.

Brilliant read a very unlikely duo Madeleine with the police force and ramonoa a private investigator. Both need each other working two seperate cases.

Another page turner that kept me wanting to read just one more chapter.

Hopefully we might see these two characters again 😊

This is a good story but, at points, it became a little long winded. It is worth persevering as it does become all worth while.