The Other Half | 
Pretty great month! I read two 5⭐️ books (All the Colors + Here One Moment), one #Nonfiction2024, two back-to-school titles, one quirky British police procedural, one reread, and completed my #bookspin and #doublespin #readingrecap #monthlyrecap #Septemberrecap
so-soOh I‘m really not sure about this one. A murder mystery amongst the wealthy elite of London, with a working class detective tasked to solve it. The blurb says it‘s a satire, but…I found it a little obvious, and more caricature than satire. And the daft character names drove me insane. I did finish it, and I did get drawn into the story, but overall there were too many loose ends and it‘s one I won‘t remember.
so-soA funny, rich people drama, murder mystery. Fast paced, and quite tongue-in-cheek this was the easy read I needed.
pick⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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!
pickThe 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.
pickI 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.
pickThis was great fun. Exactly the type of witty, twisty, satirical brain candy I needed to get through the slog this week. And now, freedom!
pickI 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
pick“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
“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
This seems like just the type of fun, snarky, “rich people behaving badly” novel I need in my life right now. #bookmail
pickHere 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🔻
pickA 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.
pickI 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!
pickI 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
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
#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
