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Thank you so much Faber and Faber for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I have had this on my radar for a while!

The book is basically very rich people behaving extremely badly (think Made in Chelsea) in a murder investigation with a Bridget Jones type love triangle thrown into the mix!

I did guess the murderer, and sometimes I found the book a little confusing as to who was being referred to. Apart from that, I really enjoyed it! I was thoroughly entertained by how awful the majority of the characters in the book are!

The book has ended nicely for a book 2, which I believe is out in April next year!

4.5 stars! Who killed Clemmie? This upper-class social media influencer is found dead in a behind a bush in a swank part of town when she is supposed to help host her titled boyfriend's 30th birthday party. There are a crack team of detective inspectors on the case and an even bigger conspiracy behind Clemmie's murder.
I loved this book from page 1. I even adored all the characters and that is something I rarely say about a novel. Hoping this will become something of a series featuring the intrepid detectives.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Anchor for this e-arc.*

This was hard to get through, I’m still confused after forcing myself to finish it.

Clemmie is dead. Of course the police suspect her boyfriend, Rupert, and rightfully so. Rupert is rich, he comes from family money, educated at Oxford, a real snob, and just not a nice person and even worse boyfriend. Now, the other mix of characters, many were also Oxford grads, rich, sons, and just unlikeable people. The storyline itself just dragged on, most of the time not making sense with a lot of different words. I still don’t understand the relationship between Rupert and Nell…what exactly is going on there?

The murder itself is only a little interesting because of the three police officers, they made this vaguely tolerable. But then there is another murder, is it connected to Clemmie…I honestly have no clue!

I would like to thank Netgalley, Anchor publishing and the author for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Unfortunately, I honestly didn’t like it.

The murder mystery aspect was the highlight of this novel, but as a whole it fell flat for me. This is set in the world of the uber-rich in England, and the characters in general were wildly unlikable. I think the author intended them to be this way as a part of the satire of the novel, but it was so true that I found myself taken away from the story happening.

Thank you the NetGalley and Vintage Anchor for my review copy of this novel.

Didn’t engaged me from the start. Very slow beginning, did get somewhat better once the police got involved. Just not my cup of tea. Thank you NetGalley for this eARC. I am voluntarily posting an honest review after reading an Advance Reader Copy of this story. #NetGalley #TheOtherHalf

I tried two different times to get into this one both reading and listening and just couldn't. The characters were just too unlikable for me and I didn't feel connected to any of them nor care about the murder. I will check out other books from Vassell as I like giving more than one chance!

I read 3/4 of this and just did not care to finish. While it got off to a great start I felt like it started to drag and I just was not invested enough in the crime to care who did it.

I never really got into this. The characters were hard for me to keep straight and I didnt care about any of them. The writing style was not my cup of tea.

The Other Half
by Charlotte Vassell
Pub DAte: Nov. 21, 2023
Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGAlley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.
This is a debut mystery but you would never know it! WEll done!
I enjoyed the taste of luxury and class all with British humor and satire.
4 stars

A hoot of a murder mystery that spends more time to be honest on satirizing a group of privileged 30-something Londoners. There's a birthday party with champagne and ahem, other intoxicants at a McDonalds, a dead influencer and a detective with the same last name as the prime suspect. Caius Beauchamp finds himself fascinated by Rupert Beauchamp, Nell, and the dead Clemmie and stymied a bit by the shimmer but he persists. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Will be most enjoyed by those at least a bit familiar with the milieu.

This novel feels like a jaunty stroll through the countryside. It’s a cheeky whodunnit with a darker undertone that gradually develops as the story progresses. The characters are well defined if not particularly complex and the plot moves along with several unexpected twists. It’s definitely a fun read!

After finishing a dud, I was looking forward to this book being a quick and exciting read, based on the fact that it is listed as a mystery/crime-based thriller. While the genre is correct, the novel was the opposite of fast-paced and engrossing. I had difficulty getting into the book, but persisted in the hope that it would turn around. Unfortunately, it never did, and I ended up wanting to DNF it several times. This is another example of me struggling with a novel in which I neither like nor relate to any of the characters, with the exception of the primary detective being adequate. All of the characters were written superficially, and I just could not muster a care about whether any of them lived or died in the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Vintage Anchor, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

I unfortunately had to dnf this one at about 20%. The plot was kind of all over the place and I had a hard time following along with the story. It sucks because I thought I would really enjoy this. Oh well if you like mystery give this one a try.

If you love to hate a novel's characters, enjoy a good investigation, and like getting a glimpse at the rich and titled, The Other Half is definitely for you!

I really enjoyed this book and it had so many elements I love. Personally, I could have done with a bit more of the rich people and a little less of the investigation, but that could have been related to my dislike of the male narrator.

I listened to this novel and typically love when each voice is narrated by a different individual, however, I really struggled with the male narrator in this instance. He was hard to understand and his voice was much lower in volume than the female. I felt like I was constantly adjusting the speed and volume and still never quite got it perfect.

Nell was a complex and interesting character. I didn't understand her love for Rupert, but did commend her for her loyalty and self-awareness. I also liked that she was part of the rich crowd but more relatable. I loved the setting, descriptions of the clothing and glamour, and the overall pretentiousness. The character names alone were pure gold!

All in all, this was a fun one but I'd be inclined to recommend reading rather than listening.

Thank you to PRH Audio, Libro.fm, Vintage Anchor, and NetGalley for the copy.

Bitingly funny satire on British elites. This book was both laugh out loud funny and thought provoking.

The premise of THE OTHER HALF drew me in, and I'm delighted to say that the story lives up to its promise. Fasten your seatbelts because this is a fast-paced and exhilarating ride.

The author's voice is sophisticated and edgy, perfect for this satirical take on the upper class and fabulously wealthy. Make no mistake, however, the commentary does not get in the way of the story - and thank goodness for that. The mystery kept me turning the pages late into the night as I eagerly anticipated how the sleuths would solve the case. I couldn't help but devise various theories, which is indicative of a good mystery. The characters themselves are superbly entertaining, and the ending provides a satisfying conclusion that feels well-earned.

I will look forward to more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-galley; all opinions in this review are 100% my own.

Satire and Snark rule the day in The Other Half. While out jogging, Detective Caius Beauchamp stumbles upon a body poking out from the shrubs. This kicks off an investigation not only into the murder but into the class divide as well.

The group of detectives which is comprised of non-white, gay, and female individuals wrestle with their own place on the social, romantic, and career ladder. I found their interactions just as snarky while being illuminating. This was a group of people I could see myself hanging out with. Pass me the biscuits!

While the body screams of a murder case, it quickly becomes more involved and other levels of law enforcement begin to encroach on the case. Are they there to protect the wealthy and titled or are they working on a bigger sting? Meanwhile, the bad acts of some without impunity have taken their toll on those closest to them. The self-absorption of some of the characters is pretty hard to take. Just as bad are those that continue to turn a blind eye to the behaviors and consequences.

The ending is left in such a way as to lead the reader to wonder if there may be a series on the way featuring Detective Caius Beauchamp and gang. And that is a good thing.

Thank you to Vintage Anchor for an early e-copy via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Ah, the upper classes-their's is not a world Det Beauchamp is familiar with. And as his case progresses and he has to try to figure out the complicated web of deceit and lies, while alternatingly liking and appalled by his list of suspects, and their privledged behavior. As he gets too close to the truth, it seems like the case gets more twisted and provides more questions than answers. Beauchamp offers the reader a witty, funny, everyman detective and this is a superb debut novel- I can't wait to read more twisty mysteries solved by Beauchamp!

Rupert is awful,a love to hate character bar none…..the rest are not overly likeable either!!
A good whodunit and good plot although the anti money/wealth angle did get a theme played too much ( imo )
Interesting read none the less

This book has a very unique voice. As such it's not a cozy easy read, but one in which you really think about what is happening and the nuances of the voice.