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The Other Half
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
16 posts | 15 read | 11 to read
'An incredible crime debut.' ERIN KELLY 'As sharp, witty and energetic as it is bitingly satirical.' JANICE HALLETT The night before Rupert's 30th is a black tie dinner at the Kentish Town McDonald's - catered with cocaine and Veuve Clicquot. The morning after His girlfriend Clemmie is found murdered on Hampstead Heath. All the party-goers have alibis. Naturally. This investigation is going to be about Classics degrees and aristocrats, Instagram influencers and who knows who. Or is it whom? Detective Caius Beauchamp isn't sure. He's sharply dressed, smart, and as into self-improvement as Clemmie - but as he searches for the dark truth beneath the luxury, a wall of staggering wealth threatens to shut down his investigation before it's begun. Can he see through the tangled set of relationships in which the other half live, and die, before the case is taken out of his hands? Bitingly funny, full of twists, and all too close to reality, this is a stunning debut from your next favourite crime writer. 'Scintillating' HARRIET TYCE 'An incredibly accomplished debut. The writing is pin-sharp and skewers class and pretension with hilarious precision . . . Vassell is a unique and much-needed voice in crime fiction, and sure to be a new favourite for many!' CAILEAN STEED
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ICantImReading
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

A unique, witty murder mystery. I liked the punchy writing style and the colorful characters. I didn‘t see the ending coming. It sets itself up as the start of a new series; I would definitely check out the next one!

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Hooked_on_books
Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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Pickpick

The girlfriend of a wealthy Brit is murdered and he doesn‘t much seem to care. But does that mean he‘s guilty? Overall, I thought this was a well-constructed mystery and an interesting look at the lives of wealthy people. However, I was rather disappointed in the fact that the vast majority of the characters are male and it really doesn‘t pass the Bechdel test. That surprises me in a book written by a woman and published in 2023.

kspenmoll Thoughtful review-thanks. 3mo
44 likes1 comment
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Megabooks
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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Pickpick

I wouldn‘t quite call this #aardvark selection a cozy mystery, but these characters didn‘t take themselves or the plot too seriously, which made for a fun vibe.

The girlfriend of a wealthy playboy was found dead in a London park on the night of his party. Slowly you find out her instagram-worthy life isn‘t so charmed with lots of jealousies and infighting. Meanwhile, a group of imperfect but dedicated investigators try to solve the crime.

AardvarkBookClub 💚💚💚💚 3mo
75 likes1 comment
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MicheleinPhilly
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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Pickpick

This was great fun. Exactly the type of witty, twisty, satirical brain candy I needed to get through the slog this week. And now, freedom!

BarbaraBB This is one I would have loved to read this last week too 😂 3mo
63 likes6 stack adds1 comment
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Breanne1
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this whodunnit that takes a critical look at British aristocracy. It‘s definitely set up to be the start of a series so I hope to revisit these detectives on their new case soon. #aardvark pick

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AardvarkBookClub
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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“A scintillating debut which shifts effortlessly from the sacred to the profane by combining a cast of compulsively ghastly characters, a truly engaging cop, Ancient Greek, Instagram, a corpse on the Heath and a butler in McDonald‘s. Much of what I loved about The Secret History is to be found here, but with a thoroughly modern sensibility all of its own.”

– Harriet Tyce, author of Blood Orange

#aardvarkbookclub #darkcomedy #mystery

45 likes1 stack add
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AardvarkBookClub
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell

“I‘m going for the story. Something hideous will happen. I could write a bestselling novel off the back of it and never have to work again.”
- The Other Half

#aardvarkbookclub #darkcomedy #crime

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MicheleinPhilly
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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This seems like just the type of fun, snarky, “rich people behaving badly” novel I need in my life right now. #bookmail

vivastory I love Aardvark 4mo
LeahBergen It sounds good! 4mo
AardvarkBookClub Oh it‘s an “eat the rich” crime caper that spares no punches! 💸👊 4mo
See All 8 Comments
Prairiegirl_reading @AardvarkBookClub I had this on my list and I couldn‘t quite figure out why but now I know!! Thanks for this! 👍🏼 4mo
Caroline2 I‘ve just bought this in my kindle too. It sounds like fun! 🤩 3mo
TrishB I have this on the pile 👍🏻 one of our alumni! 3mo
53 likes8 comments
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JenReadsAlot
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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#aardvark bookmail

Megabooks I got this too! 4mo
JenReadsAlot @Megabooks I hope it's as good as it sounds! 4mo
BarbaraBB And it looks so good too! 4mo
36 likes3 comments
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robinb
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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Pickpick

Here we have wealthy, bored 30-somethings who attend a black-tie birthday dinner at the Kentish Town McDonald‘s for Rupert, a sociopathic spoiled aristocrat…cocaine, champagne and chicken nuggets on the menu. Clemmie, Rupert‘s decade-long influencer girlfriend, is found murdered in Hampstead Heath. DI Caius Beauchamp, who is struggling to get over a heartbreak and working to improve his diet, his literary knowledge, etc., finds the body and🔻

robinb takes over the case. As he investigates the affluent party-goers and Clemmie‘s background, he uncovers other sordid criminal activity (not just the murder).
This was a hoot of a satire poking fun at the British class system with a long list of unlikable characters, uppermost Rupert, who is a manipulative, unrepentant jerk of the first order. The denouement is a bit over-the-top and ridiculous, but other than that, 🔻
5mo
robinb I enjoyed this as a funny, escapist lark. 4/5⭐️ NOTE: Check this one for a trigger warning. (edited) 5mo
Librarybelle I‘ve been curious about this one. Great review! 5mo
robinb @Librarybelle It was different. At times very tongue-in-cheek with its humor, but it also had a bit of darkness in it as well. 5mo
Librarybelle Good to know!! 5mo
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ReadingOver50
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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A good mystery that was interesting to read. Involving the wealthy upper class of London. When Rupert's live in girl friend is found murdered, he becomes the main suspect. Rupert is a highly unlikable character. Most of his friend group are also unlikable.

The three featured detectives are a good group and I liked watching their investigation. Detective Caius Beauchamp would make a good character for a series.

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VanessaCW
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
Pickpick

I read this book via the #Pigeonhole app, a stave at a time. I wasn‘t convinced by the first stave as most of the characters are very unlikeable, but gradually I began to enjoy it and ultimately found it gripping. It‘s written with a sense of humour and the banter between the police officers is quite entertaining. A well written and compelling crime drama with a little bit of Greek mythology thrown in!

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VanessaCW
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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TheEllieMo
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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Pickpick

I enjoyed this debut crime novel, in which part-Jamaican DI Caius Beauchamp (pronounced Bo-shomp) investigates the death of the girlfriend of posh, titled rich boy Rupert Beauchamp (pronounced Beecham).

Mine was a proof copy from a Proof Party at the Cheltenham Literature Festival this year. The book is out - in the UK at least - on 19th January 2023.

My second finish for the #NovelNovember #Readathon @Andrew65

squirrelbrain Great review! have a proof copy of this too but I‘m saving it for #booked2023 next year. I can‘t remember which prompt it‘s for right now though….! 🤣 1y
Andrew65 Sounds good. Well done 👏👏👏 1y
TheEllieMo @squirrelbrain I wouldn‘t describe my review as great, more … minimalist?! It does sum up the culture clash that is a theme in the novel, though. Hope you enjoy it. I like Caius, I hope he‘ll feature in more novels (edited) 1y
37 likes3 comments
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TheEllieMo
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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My plans for the #NovelNovember #Readathon are:

30 pages of The Aeroplane - Technical
As much as I can get through of my paperback proof copy of The Other Half in my limited reading time
And with Caimh McDonnell‘s author‘s note doing the round on social media, I thought I‘d give one of his books a go on audio.

@Andrew65

Andrew65 Best of luck 😁 1y
27 likes1 comment
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TheEllieMo
The Other Half | Charlotte Vassell
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#BookReport finished Stone Blind and A Terrible Kindness, and started The Other Half.

#WeeklyForecast continue with The Other Half in paperback, and start The Shadows of Men on audio.

@Cinfhen

Cinfhen Im really drawn to all of your book covers 😍 1y
37 likes1 comment