DC Beauchamp investigates two mysteries - the drowning of an elderly woman and the disappearance of a girl at a boarding school decades ago. I expected the cases to be linked and be perpetrated by the same individual or a key piece of evidence in one case unravels the other, but thankfully this wasn't the case. The mysteries unfold at a nice pace and the authors writing style make it easy to read. She writes the characters brilliantly, capturing the essence of modern Britain. The posh people aren't one dimensional caricatures that you'd think belonged in Downton Abbey.

I didn't realise that this was the second book featuring the DC and I will say that having not read the first book, I wasn't at a disadvantage. There were some bits I didn't understand, but they weren't significant. DC Beauchamp is a great character and is well-supported by his colleagues Amy and Matt.

A thoroughly enjoyable mystery that is well-crafted, well-written and well worth a read!

Meet the English in crowd, the wealthy and the very wealthy, who fill their time with idle gossip, expensive flowers, and cover-ups. Amidst all that glitzy glory, old crimes resurface and it is up to Detective Caius Beauchamp and his team to figure out the truth. Thanks to NetGalley and Faber and Faber for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Class differences are utter nonsense and yet they have an insane impact on the lives of many. I wasn't fully aware of this until we moved to the UK when I was a teenager, where class is a lot more obvious still. It is noticeable in everything: the way you dress, the way you talk, the way you spend money, the places where you spend money, etc. Class impacts the opportunities you have from birth and I think it is something more thrillers that engage with the high society of especially the UK should work with. So I really liked that The In Crowd did that. It could have been taken further and been sharper, absolutely, but I appreciated that the novel wasn't blind to it.

While Harriet is celebrating her recent engagement and making her best friend Callie's life miserable, the body of a woman is drug up from a river. Was it a suicide, as it appears, or is there more? This shouldn't really be Caius Beauchamp's problem, but he is dragged into the marble halls of government by a mysterious man who wants him to take a closer look. See, the woman, Lynne, was involved in a fraudulent scam decades back. In exchange for digging up the details on the scam, Caius and his team are also given the space to dig into another decades-old cold case, the disappearance of a young school girl from a fancy boarding school. As clues emerge and the connections become ever more complicated, Caius also finds himself falling in love with Callie, who may or may not be connected. What follows are twists and turns, intrigue and shock, and more. I absolutely adored Caius as a main character, who manages to be a smart and insightful detective, and also a kind and gentle man who overthinks his sock choices. There is no tortured and cruel genius here, akin to a Sherlock. His relationship to his colleagues

I somehow had not realised that this is the second in a series. About a third into the book I wondered what these references to a previous case meant, but nothing about the writing made me feel like I had missed something. And this is how it should be for these kind of thriller series. I think you should be able to step in at any point and still get a good introduction to the relevant main characters and setting. I really felt like I got to know Caius and the others without missing a beat. Also, there was something delightfully funny and wholesome about this book? I don't know how to explain this for a thriller that features some rather horrid crimes and addresses themes of racism and discrimination. It is not a cozy thriller, but there is an ease to how Vassell writes her characters that is delightful. The dialogues are funny, the internal monologues had me laughing, and the way characters chose to actually engage with one another, it was all excellent. What I'm meaning to say is that I will definitely read the first in the series and wait excitedly for the third to come out!

I very much enjoyed The In Crowd for its combination of thrilling suspense and comedic character-building. The DI Caius Beauchamp series will definitely be one I'll keep an eye on!

I believed the hype on this title, and although it began well enough, it failed to maintain my interest for very long.
I couldn’t warm to any of the rich, entitled people, or their lifestyle, as portrayed in this ‘cosy mystery’
Not really my kind of story, this was a DNF for me. However I’m sure it will be greatly enjoyed by others who enjoy this type of novel.
My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my advance copy of this book.

Felt like I was missing something. Really like.Caius at first but ended up dare I say. It… a little bit bored. At least if not exactly bored I was definitely underwhelmed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this second outing for DI Beauchamp just as much as the first. Interesting characters and story.

I very much enjoyed the first Caius Beauchamp novel, The Other Half, and was interested to see how the series progressed. Well, the good news is that The In Crowd is even better than its predecessor. Charlotte Vassel writes beautifully and her array of characters, especially her DI and his team, are very well drawn, and the plotting is excellent. The private lives of the principals are almost as interesting as the main plot, and here the two are entwined. A great read--more please!

Of course it's impossible not to like investigator Caius, suddenly caught up.in a murder among the "in' crowd .. his friends feel the same., but he plunges into scouring evidence just the same .. and through smarts and ruses figures out what's happened (apart from obviously being murdered) and why .... perhaps a bit lightweight for me .. and too sure of itself, like Caius. It fell off for me after first half.

This is the second book in Caius Beachamp series. If you like fun and humerous mystery/thrillers you’ll like this!

It was really well written and I loved the plot of this one. The cast of characters are amazing and I loved their witty dialogue!

Loved the mystery aspect of it and was very twisty and kept me guessing. A solid 4 star read. Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for the arc.

This is the second novel to feature detective Caius Beauchamp and it’s just as good as the first in the series.
Beauchamp and his team, Matt and Amy, are back investigating the upper classes, when an apparent suicide soon involves them in two cold cases.
I love the author’s original style of writing and she brings humour and insight into the standard police procedural. I love the character of Caius and the relationship he has with his team. This was a real page turner and the author cleverly brought all the strands of the many layered plot together satisfactorily.
Easily read as a stand-alone but I would recommend reading the first in the series.
Recommended. 4.5 stars
Many thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

This book is a cozy mystery with multiple points of view. The idea of the book makes it sound great, however, the execution was a let down. There were multiple and inconsistencies in grammar and the kindle version format broke up the flow of writing. As well as distracting me from reading.

This book needs work, and I currently would not recommend it to anyone.

My review in one sentence: I want to read the next one immediately.

When I read ‘The Other Half’ (the first in this series) last year, it was one of my stand outs and go-to recommendations. In these hard financial times there’s something comforting in the schadenfreude of Vassell’s super posh and rich and generally awful British upper crust having a terribly bad time of it.

Caius Beauchamp (that’s Bo Cham not Beecham) is back to investigate another murder at the bequest of shadowy MP aristocrat Arthur Hampton. Enter a whole new cast of Made In Chelsea characters and the return of some old faces. In the course of the investigation Caius finds himself embroiled in two old cold cases and the increasingly troubling question of what’s in this for Arthur Hampton?

Firstly, satire aside, this is a genuinely brilliant mystery. It’s three separate cases that twist around each other and the conclusion is immensely satisfying. I guessed some but not all and that makes me very happy.

I didn’t expect this to be a series of books but now I want it to go on forever. Please read ‘The Other Half’ first because they do follow on and if, like me, you read it at the start or 2023, it’s worth rereading the last few chapters for context.

In a sea of deeply unlikeable toffs, Vassell yet again creates a heroine worth cheering for in Caliope. She even humanises boarding school teenage girls, the most ferocious of creatures. Within the satire, there are amazing moments of warmth, humanity and thoughtfulness. It also made me laugh out loud in sections.

Caius is a great hero with such development between the two novels. I’ve also got a lot of time for his team: Matt and Amy. I’m very very excited about his story being taken further outside of his posh cases.

I could blather on endlessly about how much I love this book or you could take my word and read it (but do let me know if you’d like me to go on… ).

Thank you to the author, Netgalley and Faber and Faber for my arc

The second book for Detective Caius and it did not disappoint! I really enjoyed this read and great for any crime lover.
There’s plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes along with some fantastic characters!
Would 100% recommend as I flew through this so quickly

Another compelling gritty crime read in the Detective Caius Beauchamp series, in this instalment, the team are working on two cases; the drowning of a woman and the cold case of a missing school girl.
Whilst this book could probably be read as a stand alone, there are references the previous book - I would recommend you read The Other Half anyway, especially if you enjoy a good murder mystery.

I now eagerly await future books in the series where we can catch up with Beauchamp and his colleagues as they ensure the spoilt rich people are brought to justice 🦹‍♂️

The In Crowd by Charlotte Vassell is the second in the DI Caius Beauchamp series and a perfect advertisment to read the first in the series "The Other Half"

This novel centres on the rich and shameless and the people who desperately aspire to join that crowd. Dripping with elitism, corruption and intrigue, The In Crowd follows DI Caius Beauchamp as he investigates a cold case with new evidence and a new case that erupts with the discovery of a body in the Thames, just a short distance away from a high-end Richmond Garden party

The two key plus points were belting; a fantastic protagonist in the immensely likeable and relatable DI Caius Beauchamp and two powerful mystery plotlines that left my brain fizzing with delight as I was absolutely blindsided with the ending

Another plus point for me were Caius' colleagues DS Matt Cheung and DC Amy Noakes, what a great mixture of personalities to make a truly effective investigative team

Vassell is a master of the descriptive narrative, not just in setting a scene but building personalities and characters. This encourages the reader to understand characters on an intimate level for good or bad and this adds an extra dimension to their actions and inteeractions.

The In Crowd firmly establishes a new space in the mystery genre and I absolutely loved it. Vassells writing is witty, articulate and oh so deliciously quirky! I was thrilled to read this novel and look forward to following Caius and seeing where they take us next

Thank you very much to Netgalley, Faber and Faber Limited for this brilliant ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own

I absolutely adored Charlotte Vassell's first book., The Other Half and was delighted to receive an ARC of the sequel. Once again Caius Beauchamp is the detective, this time working on two cases simultaneously, the death of a woman suspected to have been involved in a pension fraud some time ago and a cold case, that of a school girl who went missing from her boarding school in the early noughties,

I'm afraid I struggled with this story. I found the plot quite convoluted and hard to follow. I think this was due to the number of characters. There seemed to be hundreds! I was also disappointed by a twist at the end, revealing something about Caius. For me, his appeal lay in his ordinariness and the revelation put another spin on it. I looked at my review of the previous book and see that I thought this would make an excellent TV series. Despite my reservations about The In Crowd this is still my opinion. Caius is an interesting character and there is a lot of wit in the book.. I would definitely read another in the series in the hope that it would live up to the first.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

The In Crowd is the second book featuring DI Caius Beauchamp. It could work as a standalone, but there are quite a few references to the first case, so I'd recommend reading the first book, The Other Half, before reading this one.

I do like Caius. He's a down-to-earth fella, but he also likes shopping at Waitrose and making his own sourdough. He has a great relationship with his team at work and tries to be fair and ethical, despite being pulled into political machinations. The two cases he has to investigate in this book are linked in unexpected ways, both to each other and to Caius' own private life.

A cracking read. I can't wait for book three and the next instalment of Beauchamp's life.

I really enjoyed Ms Vassell's first book, and it was great to return to the company of Caius, Matt and Amy and enjoy their team conversations as well as the acerbic wit of the author in her descriptions of the personality and lifestyles of many other characters. The only slight downside for me was that I found it difficult to remember the huge number of people involved in the two complex investigations, let alone their family connections!
Having said that I look forward to spending time with the team again soon.
Thank you to netgalley and Faber and Faber for an advance copy of this book

Now this is part two of a series but to be honest I couldn't tell and didn't know until I had finished it. A very quirky tongue in cheek look at the rich at a party in Richmond and what happens next. Fun and raw. What's true and what's not. It doesn't bear thinking about. Great writing style and quirky insights into lots of things.

The wonderful Charlotte Vassell writes a sequel in her charming DI Caius Beauchamp of the London Met series, it is witty and assured, as she once again stylishly skewers the rich, privileged, and entitled, with oodles of comic humour that made this such a delightfully exhilarating read with its familiar and new characters. Caius is trying to rebuild his life after the departure of the unfaithful Heloise, organising a tinder date who never turns up at the theatre, where he finds himself sitting next to the beautiful milliner, Callie, exclusive hatmaker to the rich and famous. The dire theatre show results in the vomiting over a audience member, who it becomes clear is dead, Caius springs into action, who later receives Callie's details on her card. The deceased man it turns out suffered a stroke, but interestingly had been investigating the unsolved disappearance of a missing schoolgirl from a Cornish girls boarding school many years ago.

Caius goes on to receive a curious invitation to a meeting at a gentleman's club from a powerful cabinet politician whom he has never met, who oddly sends him a expensive made to measure suit, which is how he finds himself in charge of 2 cases, the missing schoolgirl and that of a woman who drowned in the Thames and her links 30+ years ago to the theft of a pension scheme. He is aided by his tight knit team of DS Matt Cheung and the ambitious DC Amy Noakes, who unlike most bosses, he takes a keen interest in, particularly in his efforts to boost their health through his input in their diet. As he begins to date Callie, Caius is completely unaware of her connections to both his cases as he wonders how he came to be a puppet for the literal establishment.

There is plenty of drama with twists and turns galore, along with the uncovering of secrets and deceptions in Vassell's entertaining, fun, and compulsive book, as the truth eventually begins to emerge in both cases. Once again, the odious good looking Rupert reappears, at dinner parties and in reputation laundering schemes, still claiming to be an aspiring writer. Readers will probably be able to guess the secrets in Caius's family background. A brilliant series. I would strongly urge readers to read this, although I would recommend starting with the first in the series. I look forward with great anticipation to the next in this stellar series!! Many thanks to the publisher for an ARC.

I really loved this novel, it was so genuinely fresh, such gossipy fun, with some really relatable characters. The wit was sparkling, everything was so modern, and topical, an absolute hoot to read, most enjoyable!
Callie is a Milliner, and is soon to be a bridesmaid for Harriet, her best friend since schooldays. Callie struggles to make money, Harriet is filthy rich. For some reason, Harriet’s mother doesn’t like Callie, but all is revealed later. Both ladies are at a swanky party, enjoying the drink and gossip, whilst a little further down the river, a rowing eight have hit a body in the Thames, and the Police are called.
Detective Caius Beauchamp is called in to lead the investigation. This case appears to have links to an unresolved theft of pension fund monies some years ago, in which the suspect and money have disappeared.
Caius is a throughly modern detective, more interested in taking care of himself, he diets, usually smoothies of a revolting colour, and is extremely considerate towards his team, not what we expect from the Met Police today?! Caius receives a tip from a MP, that both cases are connected and if he can solve the case, then he will have in the future , Carte Blanche to pursue cases that he personally wants to investigate
Upper classes can be annoying with a braying sense of entitlement, but this novel manages to make a MP seem human. I love the character of Arthur Hampton, the Right Honourable, whose party trick is putting his foot in his mouth over a number of years, a very refreshing person.
There is a very light touch, and a hint of romance that creates characters that you really root for. I guessed the “ father” issue, but otherwise I was fully engaged with this novel.
I haven’t read the first book, but will make amends for this omission very soon. A five star read.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Faber and Faber Limited, for my advanced digital copy, freely given in exchange for my honest review. I will leave a review to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.