THE IN CROWD

DI Caius Beauchamp of London’s Metropolitan Police tackles two cold cases in Vassell’s second novel—which, like The Other Half (2023), blends crime solving with a skewering of Britain’s class system.

In this smart, provocative novel, we’re again privy to Beauchamp’s detecting skills as well as his personal life as a biracial Londoner who can’t seem to avoid the snobby, sometimes racist, members of Britain’s aristocracy. Thirty years ago, a multimillion-pound pension fund was stolen and the culprits were never found. Now, a woman tied to the case is found drowned in the Thames, and the case is reopened. Meanwhile, Caius is reexamining the disappearance of a teenager from a boarding school 15 years before. There are no clues to work with, but the abuse the students endured there is coming to light. Vassell perfectly constructs a classic crime procedural against a backdrop of racism, sexism, and classism. Beauchamp is a winning character readers will adore. Equally charming is Callie Foster, a bespoke milliner for whom Beauchamp is falling hard. She’s sweet and naïve, in stark contrast to the variety of bitter and selfish characters. In a nod to The Other Half, Vassell brings back the sexual predator whom Beauchamp pursued in that novel, a man who, because of his upper-crust connections, was able to avoid consequences. Now he’s pursuing Callie, and this plot thread adds a satisfying bit of suspense. Readers don’t need to have read The Other Half to enjoy this intriguing novel, but reading both is as satisfying as pairing a cup of Earl Grey and a lavender biscuit. In the final pages, Vassell lays the groundwork for a third installment that promises to be as enjoyable as the ones that preceded it.

A stellar sophomore outing for an intriguing detective.