A stellar addition to the Inspector Beauchamp series. The Inspector has two cold cases to solve and the mystery is intriguing. The writing is sharp and engaging and I love the character of Inspector Beauchamp. He is very compelling as he engages with the snobby members of aristocracy. Overall, it is an entertaining and thought provoking mystery that will leave the reader eagerly anticipating the next installment.
Many thanks to Doubleday Books and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I so enjoyed the second book in the Caius Beauchamp series! I also really enjoyed following Caius’s storyline further in this second novel in the series, and I can't wait for the next book!

Such a fun read. I love the quirkiness of DI Beauchamp and his team. This time around, there are two mysteries to solve, one being a cold case that Caius has been selected to delve into. The twists and surprises make this a quick read with fun characters and good storylines.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series, The Other Half, but The In Crowd was more enjoyable. I sincerely appreciate the author and NetGalley for the review copy.

The In Crowd checked all the right boxes for an exciting, funny mystery. Filled with dead bodies, shocking twists and surprises, and even romance, this second book in the series is as good if not better than the first called The Other Half. But don't worry if you did not read the first, this book could be stand-alone.

When Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp goes to the theatre, not only does someone die, but he meets a mysteriously adorable milliner (hat maker). But unfortunately, it's what occurs AFTER finding the dead body that the amazing cat and mouse game begins among the wealthy, egotistical upper elite suspects. Was this a murder or a heart attack? Also, the person who dead seems to be connected with another mystery from years ago.

As the clues start to come in, Beauchamp and his band of adept funny detectives notice the possibility that some of the cast of characters could have been involved with a 16-year-old girl who went missing from the boarding school she attended years ago and was never again seen, and foul play was certainly suspected. To add to the intrigue, they are also investigating a possible drowning by suicide which unbelievably coincides with the mysterious disappearance of man who allegedly stole all the pension money from a corporation never to be seen again!

Are you exhausted yet? Well don't be because as the team searches for answers from some of the wealthiest and important people in English politics, it seems that not only is no one talking, but they have enough power to perhaps shut down the whole investigation.

But, as the team begins to dissect all the information and put the pieces of this puzzle together and as Beauchamp begins to totally fall for the milliner, which in itself is another story...even the wealthiest men and women who try to stop the investigation will be shocked and in awe as to the outcomes of the investigations. It shows, even if you have money and power, sometime the in crowd can humiliatingly fall just as quickly as a regular bloke. And honestly, it's as good as it gets to read!

The In Crowd will not disappoint! The plot is innovative, the characters are droll and amusing as is our heroic group of police who amazingly walk the reader through the first-class ending! When your brain finishes digesting this read, don't be afraid to pick up the first. It too will not disappoint.

Thank you #NetGalley #Doubleday #TheInCrowd #CharlotteVassell for the advanced copy.

I enjoyed this second book in the Caius Beauchamp series! It wasn’t nearly as funny as the first book and took a little longer for me to get sucked in, but I loved the two separate mysteries and how everyone came together in the end, I also really enjoyed following Caius’s storyline further and I can’t wait for future books!

Thank you Doubleday and NetGalley for this advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I didn't read the first DI Beauchamp novel, but I'd gotten an advance copy of this one. Did most of it on audio and loved the two narrators.

I loved the police characters - Caius, Amy, and Matt - and thought their dynamic was so fun. I was much more compelled by the Eliza case than the Robert Symmington case, though, as I kept getting confused between Peter, Robert, Rupert, etc. I still don't fully understand what happened there.

But, it was entertaining, so I'll give it 4 stars for that. Loved the character dynamics, London setting, and detective work.

This is the second book in a series, but you don't necessarily need to read the first one. There are some mentions of different characters in the first book, but you are easily able to understand the entirety of the book without that knowledge.

To me, "The In Crowd" is a comfy mystery book that you don't want to put down. I really like how the chapter are shorter and keeps the story flowing. I highly recommend this book and can't wait to read the next book in the series!

I loved returning to this world with Caius and his team. This one might have been even better than the first. Vassell does an amazing job of weaving an intricate mystery. There were so many moving parts. It was interesting following the connections between the characters and learning their histories.

Just like in The Other Half, we are treated to the world of the British elite. The oh so handsome Rupert makes an appearance again as well as his slightly shady uncle Arthur Hampton. With his addition, Caius delves into some political intrigue.

The In Crowd is a top-tier murder mystery, and this series is a must-read!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I loved Charlotte's previous book and I'm sad to say I just couldn't get into THE IN CROWD.

I'm not sure exactly what the problem was - I enjoy the D.I. Caius Beauchamp character, but I think I wasn't invested in Callie's character.

Some of the plot became confusing for me.

I enjoy reading police procedurals, and while this wasn't one of my favorites, I think it's quirky enough for those who like a step above cozy mysteries.

Thank you NetGalley and Double Day Books for an e-copy of THE IN CROWD to review.

I rate THE IN CROWD three out of five stars.

I really enjoyed The Other Half and was very excited for this book. However, it was quite slow and the exciting parts are too far apart from the dragging parts. The characters themselves are interesting and bring a lot to the story so it's disappointing that the storyline drags. I'd read another book by Charlotte Vassell because I loved The Other Half so much. All this book needs is to move faster!

DI Beauchamp moves forward in the world, working through and testing new personal identities and attributes - right clothes? right foods? right exercise regimen? right attitude - while quietly investigating crime with his colleagues. This book begins shortly after the earlier one ends and some of the characters are the same. I'm beginning to suspect that this series will turn out to be a modern comedy of manners more than mysteries, but we need to see how the unexpected twist at the end of this book plays out.

There are three deaths in this book: one in the theater, one in a river, and one long time ago in a boarding school. What was an accident? What is related? This book is a real who done it and I really enjoyed it. it’s all about the elite and super wealthy in London and I love getting a sneak peek into that life even if it’s fiction.

The In Crowd by Charlotte Vassell is the second in her series about Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp. In this installment, Caius is mysteriously asked by a wealthy politician to investigate what appeared to be an accidental drowning as a murder. In doing so, he ends up investigating two cold cases as well. I have not read the first book in the series and felt I was adequately able to follow the storyline here. I enjoyed the mystery and am interested to read future books by the author as well as going back to read the first book about DI Beauchamp.

Ah, I get to enjoy some of my favorite characters again! This is another good mystery featuring DIs Beauchamp, Matt & Amy. The In Crowd has a number of questions that need answered and they all interconnect and even tie in some characters from the first book. Some of the back and forth was a little confusing, but it all still rolls together nicely. While immersed in the case, you get to see a little more of the personal lives and personalities of Caius's team and how they work together. Another good read by Charlotte Vassell and I look forward to #3.

The In Crowd - Charlotte Vassell
Pub Date - Aug 6, 2024
Rating - 3.5/5

Thoughts - Thank you Netgalley and Doubleday for this advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. I really enjoy a good detective story and this one does it justice! I started with The In Crowd a few months ago, where detective Caius was introduced. He is a funny, smart, and quick witted detective who gets crimes solved, while also having a sense of humor. This book was no different in that Vassell actually expanded on Caius' character, making him even more lovable to the audience.

The only thing about this book was the length, which is why I didn't give it a 4. It took me days to finish, so I wish it was a little succinct. Also, you should read the first book if before you dive into this one to get the full context of the story. As a reader it helps. Overall, funny, entertaining, and great mystery to dive into!

Alright, 4.5 stars rounded up. I loved this one! I can’t wait for the next in the series.
I loved Caius and Callie and the team with Amy and Matt.
I was not a fan of The Other Half because I hated all the characters and didn’t care about their horrible lives. But I wanted to read the In Crowd because I wanted to know what would happen next with Caius. I was not disappointed. I liked and cared about these characters! Amidst a mystery, I really enjoyed the bits of romance. This was a complex multi mystery story with a LOT of characters and names to remember. (Felt like Lisa Jewel in this way.) It was overall a little too long. But I really liked it anyway.
The main focus was Detective Caius, and that really helped the plot move along for me. There were multiple mysteries-2 unsolved cold cases and one new case. There were characters and Easter eggs from The Other Half. It’s good to have the context, but I believe this one could be read as a stand-alone and enjoyed as much.

The In Crowd is out now, I recommend it!
Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced eARC.

Lots to unpack in this book: two cold cases to be unraveled, a 14 year old girl and a multi million dollar pension fund. A rowing team discovers a body floating face down in the Thames, Years earlier the CEO of a clothing manufacturer disappeared with the pension fund. Detective Beauchamp goes to the theater only to discover a dead body just a few seats away. Mix this all together and you get a great mystery.

Early one morning, a men’s rowing team discovers a body floating face down in the Thames. Many years before, the chief executive of a clothing manufacturer walked off with a multi-million dollar corporate retirement fund and disappeared without a trace. Now, the discovery of this body has reopened that cold case. Meanwhile, Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp has his own evening at the theater upended by the discovery of a dead body just a few seats away. Two decades ago, Eliza Chapel, a fourteen-year-old student at a girls boarding school in Cornwall, disappeared in the middle of the night under dubious circumstances. A second body and a second cold case reopened. As DI Caius Beauchamp investigates these parallel missing persons cases, he finds himself ensnared in the unexpected political machinations of a duke-in-waiting.

Thank you @netgalley for the ARC! This book is the second in the DI Caius Beauchamp series. I read the first book last year and really enjoyed it, so I was excited for this! These books are so fun because they are the quintessential British mystery. I love the sarcastic humor that they are packed it, as well as the variety of characters from different walks of British life. Vassell has such a clever writing style in these stories, and I love how she is able to attack societal norms and the upper class in her undertones. There were a lot of separate story lines in this book, but they were all equally interesting and came together nicely. Some characters reappear from the first book, but not in a way that makes it necessary to ready the first book before this one to understand what’s going on. The In Crowd is out now!

This book made me so happy! I was already a fan with The Other Half and this sequel was everything I had loved in the first book with a bit more.

This time focusing on two crimes instead of one, we are once again following DI Deauchamp and his team as they try to unravel them both. Society differences once again play a big role as the cases revolve around high society. I do love rich people behaving badly - and boy do they in this book. The mysteries themselves are clever and the twists were smart and well written. The writing itself is clever and all the characters have a distinct voice that makes you immediately know who they are - you either love them or hate them so venomously that you are secretly hoping they end up being the dead body. If you know you know....

The characters (the detectives especially) are extremely lovable and I can't wait to see whats in store for them in the next book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this earc in exchange for my honest review.

The In Crowd by Charlotte Vassell is the second excellent entry in her Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp series.
In this novel, Caius is tasked with investigating the case of a woman found floating in the Thames. In a complex, intricately plotted story, the dead woman and the discovery of a dead politician open up a new look at a cold case involving a missing pension fund.
The recurring thread in both Book 1 and this volume is the premise (and probable reality) that the “posh” people—wealthy businessmen, aristocrats, and powerful politicians—get away with indiscretions and crimes fare more than the ordinary citizen. As Caius observes after dinner with a wealthy manipulator: as he rode home, “the roads were quiet, his head felt light and his morals weighed heavily upon him.”
Caius is a fascinating character, and his Met police sidekicks Matt and Amy are welcome returnees from Book 1. Their witty repartee is clever, and there is an easy camaraderie among the officers.
The story expertly weaves the characters’ personal lives with the compelling investigation of murder and fraud among the powerful. It culminates with a stunning revelation at the end!
The prose is wry, witty and sophisticated with clever turns of phrase.
I recommend this novel to readers who enjoy a well-written, well-plotted police procedural with an appealing central character: DI Caius, a charming and flawed hero, who is relentless in his investigation and who exhibits an admirable moral compass. I look forward to more novels in this series.

Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest review.