It is so much fun to discover a book by a new writer and know you want to read everything they'll write in the future. The Other Half is that book and Charlotte Vassell is that writer.

The book is smart and funny but it also deals with class structures and race with empathy. There's a lot going on in this story besides clever plot twists you don't see coming.

The characters are original as is the whole set up. I hope this is the first in a series of police procedurals because the police are not like any I've seen before—they're quirky and charming and full of surprises. The dialogue between them is hilarious. I really couldn't put it down.

The first few pages must about made me stop reading; however, I persisted and am glad that I did. The setting is London and the surrounding areas. The plot revolves around the murder of a young woman and her many friends, lovers and “frenemies”. The main female character, Nell, I found difficult to warm up to. Her involvement with a long time friend, Rupert, was hard to swallow She is an intelligent individual who makes perpetually poor choices. Alex, another friend trying for Nell’s affection, is not well developed nor is his motivation for a years long “crush” on Nell. Caius, the Inspector on the case, is well drawn. The ending seemed a bit rushed with plot lines resolved in the last several pages. Not a book that made me want to sit with it for an afternoon. I would give it 3.5 stars if I could.

Who killed Clemmie? That is the question that this book is focused around. There is a 30th birthday party for Clemmie's boyfriend, Rupert, that she never shows up to. It's okay, he was planning on breaking up with her the following day anyway. That is until she turns up dead. Everyone at the party has an alibi- or do they? No one at the party has a reason to murder Clemmie- or do they?

This is the typical book that I pick up- a thriller. That said, this one was a little bit difficult for me to get through for a few reasons. If you enjoy British satirical humor, then you will definitely enjoy this book. There were parts that were difficult for me to follow due to this. Also the author really delved into the British class system, which was another area that I am not totally familiar with. The book was well written, just not the book for me. That said I would recommend it to others because I think that they might enjoy it in a way that I did not.

I do not think I am the right audience for this one. I just had trouble following the cadence of the writing and the storyline.

Sharp, Witty and full of fun ! This was the perfect Beach read, it was full of great characters ( well , mostly). It was an easy read and I would definately read this author again.

his book was with very British terms and I would have to translate them into American English. The main characters in the book were both Jamaican and English and were Nell and the Detective Caius Beauchamp. But this was not known until the book was almost complete. We have Rupert Beauchamp (no relation to Caius), Alex, Clemmie, Heloise, Matt, Amy, and Minty. This book stems from Rupert Beauchamp having major feelings towards the females in his life where they would have many one nighters where Rupert wold keep their underwear. Clemmie and Nell and Minty were part of this female lust on Ruperts part. He had numerous female partners which were named. Clemmie was killed and this was part of the book that Caius and Matt and Amy were involved with in finding her killer. They were taken off this case, then they found the killers.

This had a Philip Marlowe vibe for me. I thought it was well conceived and well written but just meandered a bit too much for me. A lot of characters to keep up with. Fun read,

What a delightful murder mystery! Maybe delightful isn't the polite word to use when discussing murder, but The Other Half was definitely delightful. The characters were great, not all good people, but they do live on the page in more than two dimensions. The book begins with a death and Satan's birthday party. Both do not occur in the same place or exactly the same time.

The main characters, Nell and Alex, are both from wealth but not the nobility. They occupy a specific social circle that intersects with upper classes but tries not to socialize with the lower classes. They have been friends for years. Rupert is also a main character. He is minor nobility. His character slowly fills in from Chapter Two. The relationship between these three is complex and complicated and should have as asterisk indicating that it reaches new levels of both.

The story, starting with the murdered individual in Chapter One, dips in and out of several storylines but always meandering back to the murder. It is well written. It is also full of surprises. At certain points, it is difficult to read. I am sure there will be trigger warnings when it is published. It is really a good book. I am planning on buying a copy as a Christmas gift.

I received a advance review copy from Netgalley. After reading it, I have written a honest review.

#Netgalley #TheOtherHalf #CharolotteVassell

Gossip girl with a side of murder. I liked this book a lot it was very descriptive as well as fulfilling in the end. I will say I wish the characters were a bit more detailed but I do love the novel as a whole. I would also recommend this to all of my friends.

A fun, fast paced whodunnit with a dark look at the class system. Overall an enjoyable book! Thanks to Net galley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. 🙂

mystery, crime-fiction, british, situational-humor, verbal-humor, satire***

Cute satire of living and dying with the rich and entitled in England.
I requested and received an EARC from Vintage Anchor/Anchor via NetGalley.

I am really not sure how I feel about this one. I found it rather difficult to follow and keep up with. I also thought there were a lot of characters and I found myself getting confused. There was also a lot of story lines. I did like how everything came together but it seemed like a lot. Some parts seemed really hectic when other parts tended to linger on.

I liked the premise of the story just think that it could have been a little bit better done.

A slow start to this dark satire aimed at the posh parasites of London; to me the opening scene lets were a tad too self-aware of their own preciousness, reminding me of Evelyn Waugh's early work, whose satire didn't quite hide his longing to suck up to those at the top of the social hierarchy.

It does get better--what saved the novel for me was the banter between the three detectives, as they investigate the death of an influencer. I'm not sure I believed in Caius as a person--he seemed to be too consciously a collection of oxymoronic traits--but that might settle out, since this seems to be projected as a series.

The misogynistic whiff--the men predators, the women victims--overwhelmed what charm that Rupert (the possible villain) might have been intended to have. I sighed every time he turned up, as he was more predictable than intriguing, and the ending left me absolutely cold.

Maybe this series is not intended to depict a case per book, but an ongoing storyline? Did not work for me, though I'll keep an eye on this author, whose prose--the banter between the detectives especially--shows such promise.

The premise of this novel is fantastic. A self centered, pompous, upper crust twit, Rupert Beauchamp ironically rents out a McDonald's for his 30th birthday. His beautiful influencer girlfriend is late. But isn't that just like her? But Clemmie doesn't show at all and the next morning is found dead, coincidentally by Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp (no relation). What could have been a tightly plotted droll social commentary of a murder mystery quickly starts to unravel as too many threads are added. Racial and class tensions? check. Drug ring? check. International espionage? check. Obsessive stalker love parallelograms? check and check.
The character development and writing were well executed, but the plot was just too all over the place to make for an enjoyable read. Since this was a debut novel both potential and room for improvement, I'll try again if the series continues.

Firstly, change the title. After reading it, I tried to surmise how it applied. It did not. Secondly, although it is cleverly written and filled with quotable quips this did not qualify as true mystery. The addendum tells us the writer is an Agatha Christie aficionado … she always tied all the clues together and gave us the culprit at the end. This novel failed to accomplish that. True, some of the bad guys are apprehended but many were not.. left a reader wondering and unfulfilled. My advice, leave all the secondary drug plot, nail the culprits, let the guy get the girl and have Caio’s tell Helena adios.

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This was an enjoyable read. It alternated between perspectives of the police and the upper class socialites. It gave interesting perspectives into both and kept you guessing as to who committed the murder. Several people had reasons, but who actually did it and why? It reads quickly and the characters are all believable. At times it moved slowly and could have kept a better pace. That is my reason for giving 4 stars and not 5. I enjoyed the imagery the author created and could see the world that was created. If you are looking for a light murder mystery this is likely for you.

I wanted to love this book so much, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t connect with the characters, and the British lingo really threw me off. I may have enjoyed this book more, had I some prior knowledge of British slang and lingo, but I found it distracting. After struggling through the first several pages, looking to pick up an interest, I could not, and ended up skimming through the rest of the book.

The stakes of this book were incredibly confusing -- I didn't quite understand the main character's passivity. That said, it was incredibly engaging and entertaining to read -- I loved all the little character details, especially for the investigator. But sometimes that levity was dissonant given the subject material. Nonetheless, I'd still read the next book from this author.

This story was so quirky and unique in a lot of ways. If a story starts with a posh adult birthday party set in a London McDonald's, well, you know there is ... something there.

The story focuses on three college friends involved in a bit of a love triangle. D.I. Caius Beauchamp, who is dealing with heartbreak, is tasked with getting down to the nitty gritty of their relationship and those who surrounded their friend - a murdered influencer.

I LOVED the London setting and all of its eccentricities. The story tried to revolve around the "haves" and "have-nots" and that was really my only complaint. There were a few references that felt like the theme was a bit forced.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Vintage Anchor for providing me an e-copy of THE OTHER HALF.

I rate THE OTHER HALF four out of five stars.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of The Other Half in exchange for my review.

The Other Half follows a police investigator who is trying to solve the murder of a socialite influencer and traces the activities of her wealthy boyfriend and his friends along the way. Lots of strange behavior and twists and turns lead the reader through the investigation and give a glimpse into life among London’s elite.

This book was enjoyable and kept me interested throughout the story. The final conclusion could have been more, but is generally sufficient. A large cast of characters is well developed and the relationships between and among them are interesting. I recommend The Other Half.