Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishers for this Advanced Readers Copy of The Other Half by Charlotte Vassell!

My thanks to both NetGalley and the publish Vintage Anchor for an advance copy of this new mystery that is both a satire of the British class system and a very good police procedural with a detective I would like to see more of.

One of my favorite writers has always been P. G. Wodehouse. No other writer could turn a phrase, or make a situation with aunts arranging marriages, or missing cow creamers so perfect, and endlessly re-readble. What Wodehouse was very good at was puncturing the ballon of social class the British accepted as normal. Most of his character were well off, with titles and an allergy to real work, even if the name was the currency with little cash to back it up. Most of the social betters who appear in his short stories are to but is like Monty Python twits. The Black Shorts was Wodehouse take on fascism among the gentry, and is treated like the joke it is. They marry without carrying, carry on like the world isn't on fire, either at war, Depression what have you. And constantly make trouble for all those around. The Other Half a mystery and look at the British social class by author Charlotte Vassell features even larger group of twits, old money families, social media influencers, people that even the inimitable Jeeves wouldn't bother getting out of trouble. Also one of them is a murderer, and high society is always quick to pooh-pooh any sins that make the rich uncomfortable.

Rupert has just turned 30 and to celebrate this milestone has decided that a party must be held, a large one, filled with well not friends per se, but people like him, wealthy and incurious. The drinks are many, as are the drugs, with the beautiful people having the greatest of times. No one notices that Clemmie, Rupert's sort-of-girlfriend, sort of dating others has disappeared. And is not seen until the next day when her body is discovered by Detective Caius Beauchamp who comes across her body while jogging. The investigation is barely begun when the powers that be try to sideline Caius and his team, as power runs downhill, and no one it seems wants to upset a powerful family.

A thriller that plays fair and is a well-written and also a damning indictment on the upper classes who have made Britain the country that it is today. One expects on story or the other, but not both an Vassell has done a very good job in balancing everything and making the story work, as well as the barbs. What helps immensely are the characters who are all well written especially Caius who is going through lot and cares very little about who he upsets, though he knows that this could effect him in many ways. The book is mean, funny, annoying and also makes one wish for a whole lot more murdering of people, as these twits really grate on readers. A very successful debut for a character I would like to see more of.

I struggled reading this. In fact, I started and stopped four times. Sorry, but I guess it wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Anchor Books for an e-ARC of The Other Half, available everywhere in November 2023.

When you're wealthy, you can get away with saying or doing anything. Nobody questions your eccentricities, even when you decide to host a black-tie dinner for your 30th birthday at McDonald's. From the overflowing amounts of champagne and cocaine to swimming in everyone's adoration, things couldn't be going better for Rupert at his party. Nearly everyone important in his life is there to celebrate him. Everyone but Clemmie, his long-term girlfriend. Since he's planning on breaking up with her the following morning, he's not concerned about her absence. In fact, it's not until he's being investigated for her murder that he grows concerned at all. Could it be an act? Could he really have gone too far this time? Or could the murderer be her boss, the married gallery owner she was having an affair with? Is it Nell, the woman who's captured Rupert's heart? In a story filled with so many unlikable characters, who isn't a suspect?

I almost shelved the novel. In addition to getting off to a slow start, I was bored by the romantic relationships. We spent too much time on 1) Rupert's annoyance with two of his friends becoming involved, 2) DI Beauchamp's pining over his ex, and finally, what is up with everyone's obsession with Nell? However, once I got to Clemmie's murder, the novel picked up speed. The writing was sharp, almost to the point of scathing. Some might find the British terminology (and sometimes gratuitous!) off-putting but once I got used to it, I thought it was a great way to show how the "other half" are so different from the rest of us. The back and forth banter between DI Beauchamp and his squad was a nice break from some of the heavier aspects of the novel. I wish the author did more to tie up the loose ends in the novel. Because of the hanging threads, it felt like we had an unresolved ending.

I received a free copy from NetGalley. I struggled to even finish it. The characters are unlikable, so I would have been okay if any or all of them were guilty. Extremely slow moving plot.

The interesting part for me drawing to this one was British society and the way these rich entitled folks endure each other while treating others horribly. I seriously got irritated when the MC repeatedly puts up with the guy’s nuisance and pathetic behavior instead of going against him. The murder mystery started off great but then it became all about these unlikeable characters and their dynamics. It was supposed to be a satire on British aristocrats but there was some Greek mythology thrown in as well to the murder investigation. I liked the detective gang and would be interested in reading more of their cases in future.

So fun! I loved the twists and turns of this book while also enjoyed the character development of (some) of the characters. I did want to scream at a few of them throughout the book, but that's the beauty of great writing. Truly enjoyed this!

For every two or three murder-mystery or psychological-thriller novels you need one of these. The Other Half is utterly entertaining from beginning to end. I was surprised to see how low this novel was rated on Goodreads by others because to me this was simply flawless. Funny, witty, clever, and plain hilarious. Have I eaten goji berry, cinnamon, and chia seeds overnight oats? Why yes, yes I have and it's delicious!

Do not be daunted by the low ratings on this one. If you have any sense of humor at all - then please let yourself enjoy this unforgettable cast of characters.

I hope this crime trio becomes a series. I want more!

Positives:
Witty setting, characters, and social commentary-an upper class 30th birthday bash held at the local McDonalds for an obscenely wealthy Rupert Beauchamp
The detective combo (Caius and Matty) were delightful and I would read more books featuring them
clever and complex
murder mystery aspect

Negatives
The first stretch of the book was slow and made me almost want to give up before it picked up
There were so many characters to keep track of-and I don't usually say that about a book- and they were all connected
I really didn't care about the character who was murdered (Clemence, Clemmie Plegm)
Heavy British satire

What starts as a posh party at McDonald's ends in murder. The novel features a group of friends with complicated relationships all dealing with a very lackluster murder of one of the group. First off, I did not enjoy the characters, most of them came across annoying (especially Rupert, gosh he sucked). Second off, I wanted to actually get a preview of the murder, we got like two seconds of the murder scene & all of the rest ended up being the friend group gossiping/dealing with one another. This novel touched on the British societal system & the separation between the poor & rich lifestyle as well. I wanted to know who killed Clemmie so I finished it, but overall it was just okay.

Overall, I'm conflicted by this book. I enjoyed the satire at first, but after a while, the over the top characters started to grate on me. Caius, Matt and Amy were the bright spots for me - the police investigating the crime, which made it feel like a murder mystery I'd ordinarily love. The pacing of the plot is good and I enjoyed the gradual untangling of the mystery. 3.5 stars.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was an okay read about rich British people. The first half of the book was good but it went downhill in the second half and I was ready for it to end. Unfortunately, this was not for me however I would give the author another chance at a future book.

Thank you NetGalley and Charlotte Vassell for allowing me to read this Advanced Reader Copy. I’d
Like to find out the name of this “genre” if any since I would put it on my Do Not Read list.. it involves a group of thoroughly unlikeable Brits in various social classes. There are a couple of uninteresting murders and some quirky cops involved. I saw Charlotte Vassell used to sell high silk top hats. That’s the most interesting thing about the book to me.

First time reading this author, i enjoyed the book, but just felt like something was missing. The first portion of the book i liked, but as things begin to play out, i felt it to be a little draining. I felt a little fatigued with just words and not enough entertainment and engaging story line, some portions i loved, some portions I just wanted to get over and hop onto the main point. Its not perfect, but still finished it, it was good not great.

The Other Half was a juicy book about breaking through class systems and taking what you (think) is yours. For fans of You Season 4, this book continues the journey of spoiled British Aristocrats and how they manage when one of their chosen few are taken out.

It was a fun and fast read, I highly recommend!

I may need to come back and amend my review. It took me longer than it should have to read this. I liked the characters, I liked the story, but I feel as it was just so much and yet nothing feels done. I am not sure if it was that it didn't feel finished, or that there were too many things going on and on and on....

I voluntarily read and reviewed an eARC of this book via NetGalley and Vintage Anchor. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 2/5 Stars
Publishing: November 21, 2023
Series: Debut Novel
Pages: 368

This is a first time read by Charlotte Vassell, new author to this reader. This debut novel started off good but eventually crumbled about halfway. Based on the description, there was a bit of humor and satire with this whodunnit of aristocrats in London. I thought the writing mediocre, and predictable as I continued to read through the chapters. There is potential with this story, however the overkill in descriptive writing distracted me too much that I could not concentrate on the mystery or thrilling scenes in the book. A bit unhappy that I almost DNF this one but completed the book in spite of my disappointment.

This book reminds me of the best parts of some of my favorites - The Secret History, The Maidens, anything Agatha Christie. It could be difficult to keep up with the number of characters introduced in the beginning, but I felt the author did a good job of giving the needed context throughout the book. It’s a quick read that keeps you pulled in

It was good! A bit tough to follow at times, mostly because of references I didn’t quite relate to, not being from London. The characters were not likable which made it interesting the plot was well thought out and funny at times. I enjoyed it overall!

It's always fun to read about rich entitled people, especially in England, but it wasn't enough. The Other Half had moments when the dialogue crackled, but it's a very uneven book. I couldn't get a sense of the characters and the plot had some larger than normal plot holes.