The Other Half by Charlotte Vassell

I have to admit – I picked this book solely because of the cover. I love the pink dress on the body peeking out of the shrubs and the glimpse of the mansion in the background. I thought it would be a lighthearted mystery with fun characters. The tag line made me think this would be a wild, voyeuristic romp through the world of the ultra-rich. I expected DI Beauchamp to be caught off-guard, a fish out of water. None of that happened. Instead, the characters were vapid, disappointing, and boring. Other than a few mentions of mansions and marquees and homes with mazes on their grounds, there wasn’t much about how “the other half” lives or dies. Even the murder motive was banal. All in all, while I enjoyed the writing, I didn’t enjoy the story. So, I’m hopeful to see what Charlotte Vassell produces next time ’round, because the best character by far was DI Beauchamp.