The Lost Girl of Astor Street is a historical mystery romance series starter set in Chicago in the 1920s by Stephanie Morrill. Originally released in 2017, this reformat and re-release from HarperCollins on their Blink imprint is out 5th Aug 2025. It's 352 pages and is available in paperback, audio, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free. The second book in the series (released concurrently, 5th Aug) is also currently available on KU.

The author is adept at characterization and plot, and the action moves the story along at a good pace. Full of prohibition era scenery and populated by secondary characters from the entire spectrum from law enforcement to organized crime, society girl on the cusp of young adulthood, Piper, just wants to find her best friend Lydia and get back to her life where the worst thing on her horizon is another rapped knuckle from her disgruntled home economics teacher.

She's soon drawn in to more than she really bargained for, but loyal and brave, she's not about to give up without finding out where Lydia is.

It's full of jazz age ambience and the author does a good job or making the content age appropriate (it's cozy and there's no extreme on-page violence). Although aimed at a YA audience, it's certainly engaging enough for adult readers as well.

The unabridged audiobook has a run time of 9 hours 59 minutes and is capably narrated by Megan Trout. She has a well modulated, neutral Midwestern accent for this read, and does a good job with all the disparate characters' range of ages and both sexes. Sound and production quality are high throughout.

Four stars. Well written and engaging. With two volumes out in the series, it would be a good choice for a short binge/buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I stumbled across this audio book by mistake. It just happened to be available when I was looking for something to listen to, and I am so glad I did. Full of spunk and grit, Piper is a character you cheer for and laugh with. She is one of those women you want to be but at the same time, just don’t understand the trouble she gets herself into. Megan Trout does a great job as narrator, distinguishing the voices enough to engage the listener. I couldn’t wait for my next opportunity to listen and find out how Piper might solve the mystery.

I picked up The Lost Girl of Astor Street with some serious doubts—mostly because I'm not a huge fan of YA, and the whole "teenage girl drama" thing, even set in the 1920s, isn't usually my preference.
It was a slow burn at first. Piper's constant whining about her stepmother-to-be was a little much, but I stuck with it for the setting and the promise of a mafia mystery. And it was a good decision!
The second half of the book really picks up the pace. I got super invested in Piper's mission to find her friend's killer but wasn't thrilled with how the killer was finally revealed, but the ride to get there was great. The 1920s Chicago setting was fantastic, and the characters were interesting, for the most part.
Even though it's a standalone book, it felt like some of the side characters deserved more time in the spotlight. But that's a small issue. The audiobook's narrator was excellent and really added to the enjoyment.
Despite the initial hesitation with the genre, I really did enjoy this book. It's a solid, compelling read that successfully blends historical fiction with a gripping mystery. I'd like to thank NetGalley, Blink publishing and the author for the opportunity to "read" this YA mystery.

Piper and Lydia, both 18 years old, have been friends since childhood despite being very different. Lydia is sweet, welcoming, and kind. Piper, on the other hand, is curious, adventurous, and stubbornly independent, qualities that will aid her when Lydia goes missing and Piper is determined to find out what has happened to her regardless of any danger she has to put herself in to do so.

Set in Chicago in 1924, a time of prohibition and gangsters, The Lost Girl of Astor Street by Stephanie Morrill is an interesting historical YA mystery with plenty of action. Piper, despite her tendency to foolhardiness in her efforts to find her friend, is a likeable protagonist and the mystery has plenty of twists and red herrings, enough to keep me guessing throughout. I listened to the audiobook of this novel narrated by Megan Trout who does an excellent job.

I received an audiobook of this novel from Netgalley and Harper Collins in exchange for an honest review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! What it instantly reminds me of is the Enola Holmes series, which is a spinoff of the iconic Sherlock Holmes series, set during the same time, but written and published in the last decade. Piper Sail reads very similar to that in terms of personality and setting. What is very different is the fact that Piper is a lot older than Enola hence the story is more nuanced with elements of romance too. Similar to the Enola Holmes movies, honestly.

Back to this book. I wasn't expecting it to go the way it did. I feel like the plot was a little wonky. The reveal in the end wasn't unbelievable or anything, just not very satisfying to me. Also, the way the story goes made me raise a brow because how the book is categorized as Teens and YA, and I think it should come with a good deal of trigger warnings. I absolutely love the angle this took with Mariano's background and where that took the story. I also very much appreciated the conversations with side characters like Nick (Piper's brother) and Walter (Piper's close friends). I think both characters were very important, and it was amazing to see their interactions with Piper shape her day. I'm not very fond of Lydia, didn't really feel a draw towards her in the little the readers get to see of her. The narration was absolutely brilliant with all the diverse cast and each character having their independent voice.

Oh. My. Goodness. Once I started listening to this book I could NOT put it down. Well, I guess that should be I couldn't stand hitting the pause button. I was SO enthralled by the story that I didn't want to stop even for just a minute. That is how I listened to this entire book in one day and got a lot of chores done around my house.

I'll let you read the synopsis to understand the premise of the book, but man! It was well written and well narrated. I was so invested in the story, and am excited to see that it is listed as #1 in a series. I can't wait to read the next!

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus, and the author Stephanie Morrill for this audio copy of the Lost Girl of Astor Street. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Lost Girl of Astor Street sweeps readers into the glamour and grit of 1920s Chicago, where Piper Sail’s best friend, Lydia, suddenly goes missing. Refusing to sit quietly on the sidelines, Piper sets out to uncover the truth, and along the way finds herself drawn to a handsome young detective.

I absolutely loved this story. The mystery kept me intrigued from beginning to end, with just the right mix of suspense, cheekiness, and fun. Piper is a witty, determined heroine, and her interactions with the other characters sparkle with energy and charm. The blend of romance and intrigue is woven seamlessly, making it both heartwarming and gripping.

This book has everything I enjoy: a strong female lead, an engaging historical setting, and a plot that balances danger with lighthearted moments. Fans of historical fiction, cozy mysteries, or sweet romances will find themselves thoroughly entertained.

A big thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Focus, and the author Stephanie Morrill for this audio copy of the Lost Girl of Astor Street. The narrator Megan Trout did an amazing job!

We follow piper and Lydia best friends but Lydia goes missing. The year is 1924 in the underbelly of Chicago, Piper takes it upon her self to do her own investigation into Lydia’s disappearance because she thinks there is more that can be done then what is already done but how does Matthew end up in all of this? During Pipers investigation she meets a handsome police officer with a backstory she cannot ignore. Who can she trust? What happened to Lydia?

This was so fun to follow! Can’t wait for the next one!!

I was hoping I would really enjoy this book. Unfortunately, I had a hard time staying in the time period the story took place. I dialogue amongst the characters kept bringing me to a more present time. Without giving any spoilers, certain romantic events in the story seemed out of place. As if, trying to force a slow burn romance.

This was a cute but intriguing mystery novel. Piper Sail our heroine is going through a lot, her best friend Lydia is sick and goes missing, her father is getting married to someone old enough to be his daughter, her bets friend Walther has moved on to SanFrancisco to pursue his dream as a baseball player and has a new girl and she has not been on a date. To top it all shes unclear about her plans for her future. As she relentlessly pursues the truth behind Lydia's disappearance, new romantic interests come into play, secrets are revealed and she puts herself in the crossfire of the notorious up and coming Irish mob.

Will she survive her quest for the truth.

I liked this book. Yes it read young adult, but the writing style itself worked for me and I put it on par with other historical writers. The plotline was good with enough suspects and I look forward to reading thr next book.

#netgalley #TheLostGirlofAstorStreet

I read a lot of mysteries set in the 1920s, but mostly in England, so I was excited to find one set in the US. The setting in Chicago was fun and I through the mystery was decent, but I just wasn't riveted by the characters or the story. It's probably just not for me, as I don't read a lot of YA and it's definitely aimed at a younger audience.

Eighteen-year-old Piper Sail finds herself in the midst of a missing person's mystery, when her best friend Lydia disappears. It is 1924 Chicago, gangsters and prohibition add to the tale, as she and her male investigator friend, Mariano, attempt to solve the case. Piper has a strong intuitive sense about her, which proves correct on many occasion, but doesn't make the ending any less of a surprise. I was surprised on more than one occasion in this book, which made for a fun read. It did take a little bit to get into, so this one gets 3.5 stars from me.

I did the audio version of this title & stayed up far too late listening when I should have been sleeping as I wanted to know who the guilty party was!

The Lost Girl of Astor Street is a historical mystery novel set in 1920's Chicago & Piper Sail is a high school senior trying to figure out who is responsible for the death of her best friend Lydia.
Piper & Lydia have been best friends & neighbors since childhood & when Lydia doesn't return home after stopping by to let Piper know her parents are sending her away for her health to the Mayo Clinic lots of people appear to be suspects in Lydia's disappearance. The author does a wonderful job of throwing all sorts of red herrings at you throughout the entire story-leaving you guessing all the way to the very end as to who is the responsible party.
Throw in a little bit of romance along the way for Piper & some troubles between father & daughter (of course) & you have a very fun story you won't want to miss.
Blink appears to be under Zondervan umbrella of “clean” YA, but that doesn’t mean they’re looking for innocence or avoiding tough topics & I'd say this fit that bill. This book did handle some tough topics but handled them very well.
I have the second volume in the series (a print copy) & am looking forward to starting it right away

Thanks to Blink & NetGalley for the advance audio book.

I'm a sucker for cozy mysteries. Couple that with historical fiction, and you pretty much have me sold. Our FMC, Piper, is trying to find out what happened to her friend after said friend was found murdered. Piper's character does have some character development. I feel like, at the beginning, she is a bit feisty but also stereotypical of the 1920s.

I did like the turn involving the mafia, especially with it being the Chicago mafia. I'm a sucker for that too. Not too heavy on the romance, just sprinkled in. It did leave me wanting more, and I'm excited that I also have the opportunity to read book 2 soon.

This was a great amateur sleuth story. I liked that the main character was an 18-year-old girl, and the setting - Chicago in the 1920s - was also really nice.
The story was very cozy, and I especially liked how the characters interacted with each other. Bonus points for the cute sidekick "Sidekick".

I don't know how I missed this one when it was first published, but I'm glad I got to it now! Lovely little mystery series set in 1920s Chicago. Compelling protagonist. I liked it!

I listened to the audiobook version of The Lost Girl of Astor Street written by Stephanie Morrill and narrated by Megan Trout. I chose this audiobook because although I love historical fiction, I've listened to very little set during the Prohibition Era in Chicago. This book did not disappoint! It is well-written and filled with details about the 1920s Chicago mafia world. More importantly, however, I really enjoyed getting to know all the characters, who were well-rounded and likable. The main character is high school senior Piper Sail who is from a well to do family and who is headstrong, stubborn and opinionated, while also being sweet, compassionate and loyal. I really appreciated how the writer developed the relationship between Piper and her best friend and neighbor Lydia before Lydia suddenly disappears out of thin air. Because of this character development, you fully understand how Piper becomes so determined to find her friend, and later despondent when news of what happened to Lydia surfaces. Then Piper will stop at nothing until she discovers who is responsible for upending her life so dramatically. As a bonus, there is a pinch of romance between Piper and a police detective who is assigned to Lydia's case. In short, this is a wonderful beginning to a new mystery series and I look forward to the next adventure that Piper investigates!

I'm in the minority here but I could not get into this one at all. It was supposed to be set in the 1920s, but felt sort of oddly ageless and not really like historical fiction. I also didn't find the mystery all that compelling, nor the characters. This one wasn't a good fit for me. I just felt like I was constantly waiting for more to happen, to draw me in and make me feel compelled to see it all through, and it never really did... I went to law school and lived in Chicago for 3 years and even the Chicago Connection wasn't enough to keep me engaged in this one. It was not a good fit for me.

The Lost Girl of Astor Street was a strong first book in a series. Set in Prohibition Chicago, our spunky and determined main character, Piper, investigates the shocking disappearance of her best friend. Setting details and historical facts are interwoven into the story without feeling heavy or distracting from the plot. While Piper may not get the perfect outcome she wants, her story left me wanting to read the next book in the series. The characters and their relationships felt realistic. Light romance and cozy mystery make this book perfect for middle grades and YA audiences alike.

The audiobook's narrator sets a great tone for the characters and was very enjoyable to listen to.

The Lost Girl of Astor Street is a gripping historical mystery that immerses readers in the intrigue and glamour of 1920s Chicago. Stephanie Morrill crafts a smart, determined heroine in Piper, whose search for her missing friend keeps the suspense high. The richly detailed Jazz Age setting adds depth and atmosphere to every twist and turn. Tense, engaging, and impossible to put down, this is a must-read for fans of historical whodunits.