A complex, twisty, surprising, often funny procedural of sorts that I thoroughly enjoyed. Don't worry if you missed the first book- you'll be just fine as Vassell gives you enough info to appreciate DI Caius Beauchamp and his team Matt and Amy, who find themselves investigating two cases- one involving corporate theft and one involving a missing teenage girl. It's told by Caius and by Calliope (Calli) the milliner he meets during a very ill fated visit to the theater. Calli's got her own mystery and her own problems, most of them thanks to her sorta nasty BFF Harriett. This deserves to be read without any spoilers whatsoever as it unfolds in a way that I didn't expect. Caius and his quirks is a hoot but he's also really smart. He and the rest of the characters (even the heinous ones) are wonderful. The atmospherics (the theater! the club! the school! Cornwall!) are terrific. And there are just so many layers. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Can't recommend this more highly.

If you like mysteries with the rich behaving badly and the police investigating the murders to be a bit "odd" then you will enjoy the The In Crowd ( the follow-up to last year's fun The Other Half).

DI Caius Beauchamp and his fellow officers, Matt Chung and Amy Noakes, find themselves investigating three separate incidents, two which are cold cases.
A rowing team finds a body floating in the river, possible suicide? Beauchamp's investigation leads him to believe there could be a possible connection to the disappearance of a young girl from a boarding school and a pension fund manager who ran off with the money and was never seen again.

The story unfolds with different narrators in different time frames. There is humor and well drawn out characters. This can be read as a stand-alone, but there are some characters that appear from the first book and there are also a few mentions of things from that book. I am eagerly awaiting the next book with these characters!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Knopf Doubleday, for an ARC. The review is my own.

First things first, I love the covers of both <I>The In Crowd</I> and it's predecessor, <I>The Other Half</I>. The images are so engaging and intriguing!

Okay, on to the story. There are a lot of characters to keep track of and two deaths being investigated as well as a couple of disappearances, so...It's a lot of moving parts. The plots all pan out beautifully in the end, but I believe they really could've been shaken out into two separate novels and been more effective. Throw in the political character arc involving Caius Beauchamp and you might find your head spinning as you read.

Luckily, the pace is swift thanks to short chapters and Vassell's love for head hopping between characters. Honestly, this was a bit of a beast of a book to read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. The one real issue I had was not being able to fall easily back into the story if I had to break up my reading time.

Looking forward to reading what's next for Beauchamp, Amy, and Matt.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Doubleday for providing me with an advance e-galley of this book in exchange for an honest review. Look for it in your local and online bookstores and libraries on August 6, 2024.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the In Crowd more than the first book in the series, The Other Half. Don't get me wrong, I liked The Other Half a lot, but now that we've gotten to know the characters, their adventures are just a little more fun. I enjoyed the main mysteries that comprised the majority of the plot but even more than that, I liked the thread of something bigger that's going on almost in the background.

If we think of this series as a tv show, there's the up-front, mystery-of-the-week plot line - the body discovered by the early-morning rowing team and the cold case disappearance of a schoolgirl - and then there's the season-long (or series-long) mystery that's doled out in little pieces. The mysteries-of-the-week are great, but the longer-running one is what will keep me coming back to this series.

Whew. that was kind of a convoluted way to say that I'm so glad I requested this book. I hadn't read anything by Charlotte Vassell before now, but I will definitely be keeping an eye out for her books in the future. I can't wait to read the next installment in the DI Caius Beauchamp series.

Heart pounding thriller that left me on the edge of my seat. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this one. Definitely one of the best books this year.

I don’t remember how I came across Charlottes Vassell’s book The Other Half, book #1 involving DI Caius Beauchamp. All I know is that I found it to be full of everything British that I love. Mostly the dry wit and figuring out British terms I didn’t understand.

The In Crowd is book #2. DI Beauchamp and his team are tasked with solving 2 cold cases. They involve the disappearance of a young boarding school girl and a missing man thought to have stolen a corporate retirement fund.

I found the procedural aspect of crime solving to be well written. But it really is the time spent the funny and quirky team that I enjoyed the most.

I got a copy of this from the publisher via Netgalley.
Published date is August 6, 2024.

Look for this one on August 6th! Thank you @doubledaybooks for the e-galley.

This book is the second in a series about DI Caius Beauchamp. It gives more cozy mystery vibes and I just love the characters.

The team isn’t actually investigating any crimes as the book starts out. But someone in high places wants them to look into what has been deemed an accidental drowning. They also get assigned to a cold case that might just involve the same people. I didn’t guess the outcome of either crimes and I love that for me. This is definitely rich people doing absolutely ridiculous things.

I wouldn’t read these out of order. Some of the characters from the first book are in this book and you will want to know their background. I can’t wait for the next one.

The writing style is not my favorite, too wordy for me. The story line is fine but it gets lost, I kept just wanting to get to the point and move on.

Charlotte Vassell’s last book, “The Other Half,” skewered trendy, selfish, stupidly rich, amoral, young upper class London and presented us with a murder mystery. The very title “The In Crowd” tells us to expect more of the same.

Returning is earnest, hapless, and lovelorn Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp of the Met Police, who was just stood up by his Tinder date prior to attending an awful play (which concluded abruptly when an actor vomited over the audience). He meets fellow single play-goer, sweet, habitual hat-wearing Callie (a self advertising milliner) as a result but also discovers a dead body, who may have been an amateur sleuth investigating a long ago missing school girl. This is the second dead body in the novel, since in the prologue a corpse was found in the Thames. Unfortunately, Caius eventually finds out that Callie is acquainted with one of his suspects and well as the MP pulling the strings on his investigations. And the same-named-but-differently-pronounced other Beauchamp (“Beecham”), the scoundrel of “The Other Half,” has also returned. “The In Crowd” is a bit of a sequel, although it can be enjoyed as a delightful standalone.

DI Beauchamp is such a wonderful character (he was surrounded mostly by insufferable snobs in the last novel), and I’m thrilled he’s back and can potentially be part of a series. He is a sharp detective teamed with equally intelligent partners, DS Matt Yeung, and DC Amy Noakes. Caius gets some insider knowledge about the body in the river (not accidental, but a murder) and his reward, as he solves the circumstances of that case, will be to open the cold case of the missing girl simultaneously.

I liked this novel more than the first — mostly since I was now confident that DI Beauchamp was a competent and reliable character. Being so consistently charmng as he investigates a pair of mysteries has drawn me in again — 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): NO No green eyes, but lots of rolling eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO But Callie’s silk flowers for her straw hats are chosen according to their meanings in Kate Greenaway’s “The Language of Flowers.”

Thank you to Doubleday and NetGalley for a free advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review!

The In Crowd examines two cold cases as they are investigated by Caius and his fellow investigators. True to form for a mystery novel the cases become intertwined and quite involved making for a fantastic novel with a satisfying ending.

After hearing so much about Charlotte Vassell's first novel I jumped at the chance to read the second book in the series; even though I hadn't read the first novel I felt like could enjoy The In Crowd. The characters and relationships really drew me into the story and I wanted to finish the book as quickly as possible to unravel the story. I loved the twists and turns of the novel and the ending left me with questions which I wanted answers to which is always a good sign!

Much like the first, this novel could be titled Lifestyle of the Rich and Scandalous. Also like the first it can come off as a tad bit pretentious, but in a playful way that doesn’t take itself too seriously. Both of these elements are a big part of the reason I enjoy this series.

Despite enjoying the writing style, this book didn’t quite live up to my expectations. Mostly I was disappointed in his both cases wrapped up. There was a lot of build up, just to have everything wrapped up super quickly in a way that leaves you wanting.

I really feel like the whole point of this book was to set up the next in the series, and everything else was kind of neglected because it was just filler. That being said, I do plan to read the next in the series, and my fingers are crossed that it makes up for this one. Overall: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (Rounded up for NetGalley)

I soon became immersed in this latest addition to the Caius Beauchamp series. The characters are thoroughly three-dimensional, the storyline intricate, and the mystery absorbing. I enjoyed how some characters whom we met in the previous book (and their relationships) develop in this novel. I adore character-driven mysteries, and this is a great one. The two separate cases which Caius and his team, Matt, and Amy, are investigating naturally turn out to be linked, and the unraveling of the mystery happens in a twisty, satisfying fashion. This story also sees the beginning of a new romantic relationship for Caius with the charming Callie, whose past is revealed to be linked with Caius's own. The plotting is tight and the tension doesn't let up. I really didn't want the story to end even as I raced towards its conclusion, and now a revelation in the final chapter will make it hard to wait for the next installment in the series!

I knew as soon as I heard about this book that I needed to be one of the firsts to read and woah, it did not disappoint. It was the perfect balance of a great plot, absolutely delight able characters (Caius!) and gripping moments that had me read this in one sitting. There is nothing more that I love as when I see little pieces slowly fitting a larger puzzle and this book is exactly that. There were times where I was smiling and others where I had to stop, and assess if I thought I had solved the puzzle.

I read this book in a day and can honestly say it one of my top books read of 2024.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC of The In Crowd in exchange for my review.

The In Crowd again follows Detective Caius Beauchamp as he works to solve two cold cases. As he works with his colleagues on the force, connections are uncovered, secrets are revealed, and occasionally justice is served.

I like the way main characters in this book are written. In particular, Caius and Callie (a girl he starts seeing early in this story) are relatable and like-able.

The mysteries Caius is trying to solve are both interesting and I was invested in seeing how they would end.

If you haven’t read the first book in the series, I think you would still enjoy this one. As for me, I did read it but didn’t entirely remember the resolution. My only slight criticism is that, while the author clearly knows each character’s back story and connection to other characters, some of that was glossed over in ways that left me a little uncertain what I was supposed to know. More brief reminders throughout the text would be helpful, particularly if this series will continue.

Fun British mystery for the contemporary reader!

The In Crowd, written by Charlotte Vassell, is a captivating whodunit that delves into two intriguing cold cases involving a missing fourteen-year-old girl and a multi-million-dollar pension fund. This novel immerses readers in the world of the wealthy and influential, as well as those who yearn to be a part of that exclusive circle. Filled with themes of elitism, corruption, and suspense, The In Crowd follows the investigation led by DI Caius Beauchamp as he uncovers new evidence in a cold case and tackles a fresh mystery involving a body found in the Thames River, near a lavish Richmond Garden party. Vassell's skillful storytelling keep me on the edge of my seat as I unraveled the complex web of secrets and deceit within the high society.

One of my favorite books of the last couple of years. Charlotte Vassell does it again! I loved The Other Half so much that I was preparing myself to be at least a bit let down by The In Crowd but somehow it even one upped it. Can’t recommend enough!

Thank you to NetGalley for the early access copy.

Detective Inspector Caius Beauchamp and his team are back in their second mystery. This one has the team assigned to two cold cases at the urging of a Member of Parliament.

The first cold case has to do with the disappearance of a young girl named Eliza Chapel from St. Ursula's School for Young Ladies in Cornwall. The second cold case has to do with a missing chief executive, his secretary/lover, and a missing multi-millionaire pension fund.

The first case comes to the team when Caius attends the theater and winds up sitting next to the corpse of an amateur detective who was fascinated with the case of the missing girl. The second case finds him when a rowing crew discover the body of a woman while they are practicing. The woman turns out to be the missing secretary who has returned from Brazil.

Caius also meets a woman at the theater and begins a relationship. However, as the investigation continues, the team discovers that Callie has connections to both of the cold cases, and she believes that her new relationship with Caius is a set up.

This was a very twisty mystery with new secrets revealed as the story progresses. I enjoyed this one very much and am eager for more adventures.

This is a classic whodunit. Love the characters in this story and really love the locale. I felt like I had flown to England and was right there. Excellent mystery and a somewhat surprising ending. Very well done!