Would recommend for fans of…
💰 Glass Onion
💰 The White Lotus
💰 Saltburn

2023 has been the year of books about rich people behaving badly, and The Other Half is another stellar contribution to the genre. It follows Detective Caius Beauchamp as he investigates the death of a young socialite after stumbling upon her body on a morning jog.

It feels weird to describe a murder mystery as comical, but that’s exactly what The Other Half is. Vassell does a wonderful job of skewering the wealthy elite and pointing out the absurdity of their petty problems, while also laying out a complex and intriguing mystery. I found myself alternating between laughing and staring at my Kindle in shock over what I had just read.

Another thing I loved about The Other Half is Detective Caius Beauchamp. I’m not always a fan of books that make the detective and their personal life a central focus but Beauchamp is an exception to that rule. Getting to hear his thoughts and opinions added even more humor to the story, while also giving the reader someone to root for, given how unpleasant some of the other characters were. This is the first book in a series and I’m looking forward to spending more time with Detective Beauchamp when the second book comes out next summer.

The Other Half is out now. Thanks to Anchor and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I think I understand the author’s goal, and, for the most part, she was successful. Most Americans find these outdated British class attitudes and mannerisms both ridiculous and shameful. But the same very specific insider references that display the author’s understanding (and successful skewering) of the British class divide may result in much of the narrative being incomprehensible for most American readers.
Other than the three members of the detective team - who I’d happily read about again - few, if any, of the stereotypical characters were likeable, or even particularly interesting. An unsavory story with an unsatisfying ending.

The Other Half is brilliant, well-written and well-plotted, entertaining while forcing the reader to face the injustice which underlies social class, race and gender in matters of crime. Quite frankly, the book is so good that it is hard to believe that it is Charlotte Vassel’s first novel.

The book opens on Midsummer’s Night at a McDonald’s where aristocratic Rupert Beauchamp (pronounced “Beecham”) is celebrating his birthday, slumming it with his similarly-situated friends at a black tie, BYOC (“bring your own coke”) party. His girlfriend Clemmie never makes it as she is lying dead under some scrub in Hampstead Heath. Who killed her? And will they ever be brought to justice? That task falls to the Detective Superintendent Caius Beauchamp (pronounced “Beauchamp”) and his equally amusing underlings Matt and Amy, who lack the social privileges of Rupert and his ilk. I would love to see Charlotte Vassel continue the exploits of these police officers in a series, as Caius is irreverent, sharp, and serious about justice — everything Rupert and his crowd are not. 5.0 out of 5.0 stars. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a complimentary advanced copy of this book.

I was intrigued right away – I love a story about a group of friends with drama and secrets, especially when some (or all) the characters are on the wealthy side. I also love a story with the detective’s point of view. I enjoyed the British humor and wit, and the multiple point of views kept things interesting and me on my toes! The mystery was not super predictable, there were a few red herrings – and I did not predict the murderer until the author wanted it known.

There were a lot of moving parts besides the murder, but it was not hard to follow. I was equally invested in all the drama and it made for a very quick read – I didn’t want to put it down. I was a little shocked at the end because I wanted more closure – but then I realized this is a series, so now I can’t wait for the second book!

Thank you Netgalley and Vintage Anchor for this ARC!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of The Other Half by Charlotte Vassell.

I must admit I was out off by the editor’s comments that came with the arc. I found this to be a fun, light, mystery. Nothing that stood out although entertaining.

this solid mystery gives me big stepford vibes. if you're a fan of housewives or that sort of reality show where you want to know how the other half live, but also kind of want to see them get theirs, this is your book. i'm surprised that it hasn't been getting more hype. check it out for a winter read or beach read next summer.

************************Keeps You Guessing************************

I’ve already been deep in the holiday reading and needed a little strange, so I picked up The Other Half to get lost in a twisted mystery.

A large part of the novel focuses on the investigation, which I quite enjoyed. A lot of the mysteries I’ve read recently focus on the victims accounts and the myriad of suspicious suspects, which is great, but getting this different perspective felt fresh. It does tend to hop from narrator to narrator with no sense, so you have to pay attention to whose perspective you’re seeing the scene from. I did love feeling like I was apart of a murder investigation.

The difference in social classes is so glaring and is a decent commentary on what money and power can and cannot wield. There was one privileged character in particular that I was hoping would’ve gotten what was coming to him, but how his story line played out just goes to show what happens when someone has connections in high places.

Once I reached the end, I was expecting a much bigger twist than what I got, which was very disappointing. I had guessed early on who as behind the murder mystery but held out hope that there would be a twist that came out of nowhere. Despite the predictability, I still devoured this novel, having to see how everything played out. It is a fairly character heavy novel, as most good mysteries are, and it did keep me second guessing and held my interest until the end.

What’s new…me being obsesssed with another beautiful cover🤭 This story was just as wonderful as the cover was beautiful!

This story was simply magical and everything I like in a book!!! The satire, the unlikeable characters that almost swoop back around to being somewhat like able, rich posh snobs, a murder mystery that Agatha Christie herself would laugh at and get a kick out of! Truth be told it was just FUN and entertaining and just a solid way to spend a few hours…and I think that makes a perfect book!

4.75⭐️

Thank you to @vintageanchorbooks for the review copy!!!

The Other Half by Charlotte Vassell

Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp is at a crossroads in his life. Recently dumped by his elegantly French girlfriend Heloise, he’s taken up self-improvement, including long jogs on nearby Hampstead Heath. It’s while on one of these punishing attempts at fitness that he discovers the corpse of a socialite, dressed in finery and vomit, in the bushes. It might just be a case of death by misadventure except for the brutal and deliberate knife slash across the young woman’s throat.

The deceased turns out to be Clemmie O’Hara, an influencer and wannabe photographer who worked at an art gallery but whose lifestyle seemed to be primarily financed by her moneyed boyfriend Rupert. The lord-in-waiting stands to inherit both great wealth and a title, so of course decided to throw an excessive bash for his thirtieth birthday the night before in a Kentish Town McDonald’s. Clemmie had not deigned to show up, and Rupert had assumed that she was just making a point given his continued refusal to ask her to marry him. Turns out that she had been very dead instead.

Rupert’s friends and hangers on are all very quick to alibi him, but Caius suspects that he’s far more involved than anyone is letting on. Caius also knows that he has to work quickly, as the more he uncovers, the more likely the case will be taken away from him. Letting justice be snatched away again by the system was not, after all, why he joined the police force in the first place:

QUOTE
Every time Caius tried to ask his paternal grandfather about his childhood in Jamaica, the normally talkative man clammed up. He remembered telling his father and grandfather that he was joining the police and how disappointed they’d been with him. They didn’t seem to understand that after everything they’d been through, everything that had happened to his sister, Lydia, he felt compelled to. That if someone like him was doing the job then it wouldn’t happen again. His father said he could join his property company[,] while his grandfather had tried to insist that Caius use his degree to go into a more gentlemanly profession, not the thuggery of the police.
END QUOTE

Driven by his beliefs, Caius is determined to leave no stone unturned, leading him to cross paths with Nell Waddingham, a frenemy of both Rupert and Clemmie’s. Nell and Rupert have long had the unfortunate habit of being unable to stay out of each other’s romantic lives, to Clemmie’s prior poorly disguised jealousy. Nell wants to end things with Rupert for good, and feels encouraged to do so with the support and attention of another of their university friends, Alex. But Rupert is relentless in his pursuit, and Nell doesn’t know how to stay away from him. As she muses:

QUOTE
Men may appear, proverbially, to arrive all at once. However, the real question is: why aren’t men more like buses? By virtue of their scale and colour, buses are obvious. Unlike men who only make themselves obvious years later. The new buses even have multiple exit routes, unlike men. Bus shelters have little displays that tell you in real time when each bus arrives at your stop, and there are maps that tell you where each service terminates, unlike men. Who made men so careless that they afford you less consideration than [Transport for London]?
END QUOTE

Even as Nell attempts to unravel her tangled feelings, she finds herself drawn into the investigation into what really happened to Clemmie, and Rupert’s role in it all. Caius can’t help but find her fascinating, even as he knows he should keep his distance. But when Nell’s life is endangered, what uneasy alliances will Caius be forced to make in order to prevent more people from dying?

As steeped in the classics as it is in England’s colonial past, The Other Half is a witty and occasionally heartbreaking look at life among the very rich and the people who orbit around them in modern day London. Nell and especially Caius are refreshingly realistic characters struggling to reconcile the harsh inequalities of daily existence with what they believe to be true and what they desire to manifest in their own lives, primarily freedom and justice. Charlotte Vassell writes with keen observation and an excellent ear for banter, particularly between Caius and his hilarious team. While the narrative here wraps up beautifully, I’m definitely hooked on wanting to know more about Caius, whether it be his future with Heloise or what happened in his past with Lydia. I can’t wait to devour the next book in this series!

The Other Half by Charlotte Vassell was definitely not a right choice for me, although the premise sounded really intriguing and exciting.

I didn't care and couldn't connect to any of the characters. They all seems so superficial and pretentious.
I also didn't like the style of writing and the language, everything looked so fake and too much for my liking. I felt that it was trying too hard to be interesting, funny, cool and likeable.

The plot was well thought out and presented. The parts with investigation and mystery was solid.
Unfortunatelly the characters simply ruined it for me. I couldn't even love to hate them, they were too irritating.

I am sorry that it turned out like this because as I mentioned I was really looking forward to reading this book and enjoying it as it seems like my cup of tea.

I was excited for this as the cover is gorgeous but this fell flat for me, it was stilted and boring, lacking twists and thrills for me, i skimmed a majority of the book.

This book was a little too slow paced for me, and I found myself putting the book down and being okay not finishing the chapters. I found it hard to connect with any of the characters. Overall it was an interesting journey of a book.
Thank you Netgalley and Vintage Anchor for the ARC.

A quick read - mystery about some dreadful upperclass British University friends. When Rupert has his catered birthday party at a McDonalds his girlfriend Social media influencer Clemmie, is late to the party. The next morning, Clemmie's body is found in a London park - and the mystery begins. We learn of Rupert's scheming, womanizing, and his "love" (obsession?) with his college friend, Nell. A twisty mystery, and the detective, Caius Beauchamp was an interesting character. Thank you to Netgalley for the advance reader copy. I will continue to read the series!

This was a very interesting debut. There was a lot of twist and turns and a lot of things that seem to be left undone, maybe for another book? I would recommend this to anybody who enjoys mysteries and suspense. I will be looking forward to finding out more about this series. Great job, Ms. Vassell


I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley. This is my honest and voluntary review.

While this book is graced with a memorable cover, the story as a whole fell a bit flat.

The Other Half is a satire about how the other half live and die. Perhaps the satire was somewhat responsible for me not getting invested in any of the characters or the outcomes of the murder mystery.

I also found the writing style incredibly difficult to follow and the humor would have been better received as a play or movie under the expertise of trained actors who could pull out the nuances through voice and body language. I have a feeling that had I seen this as a film production, I would have liked it a lot more.

The one aspect of this story that had me curious about future books was DI Caius Beauchamp's character. He had the most depth and prospect for growth than any other character. I would check out the next book in the series just to see how he was getting along.

There were some highlights to this story, but overall, it was a challenge to keep picking up. If you are someone who likes satires about the London elite with a tad bit of crime solving on the side, you may be intrigued by this story. I think the author's writing style will work for some readers and not as well for others, so if you are interested in the story, give this a try and see if its your cup of tea.

2.5 ✨'s

Thank you to Vintage Anchor via NetGalley for allowing me to respond to this book with my honest opinions.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Vintage Anchor for gifting me a digital ARC of this wonderful book by Charlotte Vassell - 4 stars!

Rupert is the perfect example of "the other half" - he lives with no rules, , no job, no budget, no worries, no thoughts to his boorish behavior. He decides to hold his 30th birthday party at the local McDonald's - but burgers aren't really on the menu. Instead, it's champaign and cocaine. When his girlfriend, Clemmie, is found dead the next day, who could have killed her? Detective Caius Beauchamp just happened to be the one who found Clemmie, so he's in charge of her case, for now. Because the other half extend into every part of life. Can Caius find her killer before her case is turned over or forgotten?

I adored Caius and can't wait to read more of his story - because this is the first of hopefully more to come. He's pining for a woman who left him and moved to France, so he has decided to change. He tries to eat right, exercise, read the right books, but you know, life interferes. This was a good "who-dun-it" made even better by Caius and his coworkers.

*deep breath* Okay. So. I had a LOT of problems with this book and some of them were my fault but some of them were definitely the book. So this review is going to be a mess. I'm sorry in advance.

So. The first problem was a me problem. I did this one on audio and I listen to audiobooks exclusively while driving. Well. The male narrator had an ~extra deep voice (and a very thick accent), that I just could not understand, at all, while driving, no matter how loud I made it. So I definitely missed about half of the story that way. I should've switched to print but I was doing audio for ~convenience (and because I had several work drives) so I suffered through it and missed what probably made the mystery good?

The female narrator, on the other hand, I had no problems hearing and that character was, uh, terrible. Honestly *all* of the characters were terrible which was probably my biggest problem with this book. They weren't fun or interesting terrible. They were infuriating terrible and that just made me so uninterested in this story (which is why I didn't switch to print).

But there was one thing toward the end that made me truly HATE this book. It is revealed that Rupert raped Nell and Clemmie recorded the whole thing and Nell STILL AGREES TO MARRY RUPERT and is still in love with him even though he's a narcissistic asshole and she had a lot of trauma because of him. I didn't ~love either of them to begin with but I absolutely loathed them both after that revelation. And, of course, no one faced any consequences for their behavior which just made me absolutely loathe this book.

So. I just did not jive with this one. I probably would've enjoyed the mystery aspect if I would've done print but, frankly, I just did not care enough about these characters and lost interest about halfway through. I was mostly just glad to be done with this book and move on to better things. This, sadly, was just not for me. I truly wish I'd just skipped this one.

But thank you to Libro.fm, Penguin Random House Audio, NetGalley and Doubleday Books for allowing me to listen to this in exchange for an honest review!

Detective Caius Beauchamp is a character I would follow in another book, but the other characters in this mystery were repulsive. Caius, with his co workers Matt and Amy, had a great energy and relationship, but there was much I didn’t like about this mystery novel. I also did not get the humor that was described in other reviews. Rupert, Nell, Clemmie, Minty and the others were all spoiled brats, spouting Austen and Greek mythology. This one was not for me. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

3-4 stars. There is some nicely clever, biting wit in this one as it reveals and eviscerates aspects of wealth and society. It can drag a bit at times, though. Excellent, interesting, complex characters, however, make up for that and the cleverness of the mystery is intriguing.