When does consensual sex cross the line into rape? This is the question at the heart of this breathtaking novel. When Sophie's husband, James is accused of rape by the aide with whom he was having an affair, she is confident he is innocent and vows to stand by him. The prosecuting barrister, Kate is determined to prove his guilt but what makes her so sure he actually committed the crime? Secrets from the past are slowly revealed as past and present come together. Raising several moral dilemmas, the novel will make you question what you know and believe about the people you love. Lovely prose with a raw and poignant tone made this a one-sitting read!

Thank you NetGalley for an advance copy in return for an honest opinion of Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan. I found it to be a book that I wanted to keep reading to know what came next. Finding out the motives of the characters changed how the story seemed to be playing out. It was easy to like most of the characters and at times I found myself rooting for those on opposite sides.

A fast and entertaining read. I will check out more by this author

*My rating would be somewhere between 4 and 5 stars if I could give such a graded rating but I'm going to be generous and give it 5 stars for being so well written!

A quote from the author's afterword: "Anatomy of a Scandal involved venturing into dark places most of us would prefer not to think about." The scandal involves a successful, handsome and charismatic member of parliament, married with two young children, whose affair with a young, beautiful woman is made public, followed by an accusation of rape being brought by the same young lady.

The story is told from alternating points of view: those of the MP's wife and the prosecuting attorney. This is a messy business--lives and reputations are at stake here. And such cases usually come down to 'he said-she said' and who should the jury believe? Is 'truth' an actual, concrete thing or is it what the rich and powerful say it is, what is most convenient for them? Are their lives more important than the hoi polloi because they are members of the elite class, so special?

But there are darker secrets here, long buried, that are threatening to come to light, that just may bring down the carefully-constructed house of cards.

Be careful what you say or it might come back to bite you: "The trouble with women is they lack the courage of their convictions."

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an arc of this terrific new book. Highly recommend.

2657711
Denise Crawford's review Jun 18, 2017 · edit

"This is my world -- archaic, anachronistic, privileged, exclusive...But hang around any court for a while and you will see just how precarious life can be. How your world can come tumbling down all too rapidly if you make the wrong call. If, just for one, fatal split second, you behave unlawfully."

James and Sophie Whitehouse are the elite. Happily married with two children and him with a prestigious government post -- he's even best friends with the PM. But when he is accused of the crime of rape, their world teeters. The trial is a "he said, she said" with a fierce prosecutor bent on conviction. What lies behind the QC's fervor? Life will never be the same for any involved.

OK, well, this was not my cup of tea as the British might say. I am a fan of courtroom drama, but perhaps it's the domestic trauma and all the secrets and lies that I can't wrap my head around. I prefer action to inner dialogue and angst. I really didn't care for any of the characters nor could I drum up the empathy necessary to understand their motivations. I thought it predictable and tiresome with the underlying theme that the powerful politicians hold incredible sway with their charisma and position. Yes -- rape is an awful crime and it should be punished. I think the issue herein, however, was the fact that the women did not make a stand when they needed to and that left scars and repressed emotions. No woman should be raped and men who do so should be punished. No excuses. Report. The fact is, however, that sometimes the cases get muddied. The prosecutor in this case was out of line. The woman having the affair with James was out of line (but should not have been raped) and the wife with her blinders did not know the man she had married.

I see a lot of 5 star reviews for this novel and it certainly could be written based on the current headlines. The problem is that men won't be reading this one (I could be wrong) and many will continue blithely along their selfish narcissistic ways just taking what they want if they have any power at all. Unfortunately there was nothing new in this novel unless you want to read about the privledged upper class in England and their lifestyles.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria/Emily Bestler Books for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Anatomy of a Scandal wasn't really my cup of tea - I'm not so much of a Law and Order fan, which is what this most reminded me of. If you do like courtroom drama, mixed with a statement about privilege, this is the book for you. The writing is precise and includes incredibly detailed story lines about life at Oxford and the British judicial system.

James is a public servant and family man accused of rape. He was having an affair with Olivia and ended it. Then they are in an elevator, just the two of them and there is sex involved but was it with permission or not. The jury has to decide who to believe. Olivia gives a believable account of the story as does James on the witness stand.
We look back to college days for all of the characters involved in the story and how their interaction was then. Justice may come in more than one form. A very interesting read.

Politics and privilege are the provocative ingredients in The Anatomy of a Scandal.

A confession of the affair. A man to his wife. But suddenly this prominent minister of parliament is accused of a more serious crime. Sophie has always known Jack to be a loving father and husband rallies behind his innocence. Kate, the prosecuting attorney is unwavering in seeing the minister pay for his crime. Sophie’s world and Kate’s world collide. Past confronts with present. The truth is played out In this high profile courtroom drama.

Sarah Vaughan’s novel is a clever portrayal of privilege in the setting of a sexual allegation. Although a familiar headline, the author cast a fresh spin of a politician’s life in the balance. Kate and Sophie are both raw, vibrant and human. The narrative is beautifully written with layers of imagery in a single thought. Specifically, Vaughan takes you through a tour of the halls of the Parliment in a way that you are engulfed in its splendor. A brilliant compelling read from the first page to the unexpected last. I highly recommend this book - A MUST READ to be out in December 2017.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

A well-plotted engaging story of arrogant privilege, youthful folly, gender and class expectations revolving around the timeless sexual assault issue.
The atmosphere, dialogue and setting all feel authentic as legal, moral and ethical issues smacks up against the high-stakes reality of the situational shades of grey of the situations.
The story became a page-turner for me as tension mounts as more layers are peeled from the secrets surrounding the truth.
While most of the actions will not be a surprised to many readers, especially if they have been following similar storylines in the news, this is a perfect book for book clubs as the authors builds the characters so that readers feel empathy for them so you want all involved to be made whole by the justice process. But as in most sexual assault cases, the effects past, present, and future have unexpected consequences.

I received an ARC through Netgalley to read and review.

Whoa this was an intense book.Kate is a hard nosed barrister with a painful past and Sophie is a politicians weathering a sexual scandal with her husband.A court case, an incident in the early 90s and a he said/she said trail.

Most of the book switches back and forth between 2016 and 1993.There are alternating POVS. This is not a light book by any means.I think this will be popular.

Who do you believe? A husband that you've known for many years and have invested your entire life with? Have had children with? Or an unfamiliar woman who's already hurt you in a million ways by making public the fact that's she's been intimate with your husband? 

Science suggests that the more attractive a person is, the more successful they will be. Is it true? Do you judge a person by their appearance? Think someone who's attractive is smarter? Not want to believe they've done something wrong? Perception plays such a large part in our world that's filled with 24/7 news. "We want to believe our charismatic leaders speak the truth? What happens, though, if a truth is revealed? If a beautiful person tells an ugly lie? Does a hideous thing?

Is it true?

Through a series of flashbacks and present-day accounts, Sarah Vaughan spins a chilling tale of appearance versus reality, lies versus the truth, and where we all fall in between. Where do we draw the line,  wanting to believe but also acknowledge the unpalatable truth? Follow the author's carefully laid bread crumbs and discover your own truth in this taut and mesmerizing tale that's sure to keep you reading late into the night! Thanks

I love books where good battles against evil but who is which changes back and forth as the story develops. I also love stories with unexpected endings. This is why I devour Jodi Picoult books like candy. And now I have a new author to add to that, "buy and read in one setting as soon as they release a new book".
Sarah Vaughan's book Anatomy of a Scandal grabbed my attention from the fist sentence and I didn't stop for breath until the last word. Told alternately between modern day and the 1990s, it tells the story of a rape case. But who raped whom? And what actually happened at Oxford back in the '90s? And why do the two things seem to be related? All is revealed, and obscured, and then revealed even more clearly, and then everything falls apart, but not really. A fantastic place to spend a few hours, in the pages of this story.

This book will be one I will think about long after today when I finished it. It will haunt me, and it will likely be something I hold all other court-based suspense novels up against.

I am a little bit at a loss for words, and don't really know what to say except bravo, to Sarah Vaughan for creating one of the best novels I have and will read in 2017.

The pain within this novel is agonizing, and the characters are sharp, and human. It is a brilliant work of fiction that seems all too real in the world we live in today. It is not light reading, but the subject matter within should not be something that one takes lightly.

Full review to come later, but holy crap was this a great book! I couldn't put it down. The cover hooked my interest, but the book delivered tons of suspense and made me ask myself how well you can really know anyone. No matter who it is or how long you've known them. An amazing story that was never boring! 5 stars.