Sexual harassment.  #MeToo. Sexual misconduct. #Time'sUp. Sexual assault. Both Sarah Vaughan's Anatomy of a Scandal (Atria, e-galley) and Alafair Burke's The Wife (HarperCollins) are ripped-from-the-headlines domestic thrillers where secrets threaten seemingly picture-perfect marriages and careers. But whose secrets? In Vaughan's deft procedural, steely British barrister Kate Woodcroft is prosecuting rising political star James Whitehouse, who is accused of raping the young researcher with whom he recently ended an affair. The salacious details -- the encounter took place in an elevator at the House of Commons -- come as a shock to Sophie Whitehouse, who has known James since their days at Oxford. The courtroom dramatics are interspersed with flashbacks to that time, when James was friends with the future PM and Sophie's study partner Holly was trying to fit in with her posh, privileged classmates. It's a timely page-turner.
from On a Clear Day I Can Read Forever

Absolutely enjoyed reading this book! Top notch writing and unforgettable characters. Talk about a must-read!!

This story is about sex, power, relationships, and status. A chilling tale that seems expected but is anything but. I found myself drawn into the lives of James, Sophie, Kate, and Holly from the moment they graced the page. In seeking the truth, Kate takes the reader on a journey that twists and turns, taking an in-depth look at consent, intent, justice, and what motivates people to make the choices they do.

Anatomy of a Scandal is told from multiple points of view and moves forward and back in time which in the beginning took some getting used to but was well worth the effort in the end. I was fascinated by the relationships in this story. Seeing them develop, grow, fuse and fracture held me captive. I was shocked to learn that I felt for all the characters, even James seemed to be a victim of circumstance. The writing was detailed and engaging offering pages packed with history, lies, love, and deceit. I highly recommend reading Anatomy of a Scandal, and I look forward to reading what Sarah Vaughan publishes next.

Sarah Vaughan’s Anatomy of a Scandal certainly pulls no punches. The book delves deep into dark, uncomfortable places: infidelity, allegations of rape, and the justice system. Anatomy of a Scandal also feels eerily timely in a #MeToo world where the abuse of power has been rampant and unchecked for so long. Vaughan’s novel will no doubt strike a nerve in many of its readers, who will find themselves questioning the truth of the matter until it’s finally revealed. These characters are wealthy, privileged, seemingly without reproach; but ultimately, the truth will always come to light.

There are some books that manage to hit the pulse of current societal issues, and by that measure, Sarah Vaughan’s Anatomy of a Scandal comes just at the right time. With the recent Hollywood scandals, the subjects of consenting sex and acceptable sexual behaviour are in the headlines. I’m old enough to say that I had a employer who called women ‘broads,’ and I’ve lived long enough to see attitudes about rape shift. But in spite of attitude shifts, there’s always that underlying notion that saying ‘no’ can just be a coy way of playing hard-to-get.

So here we are in 2018 …

Anatomy of a Scandal is the story of a sex scandal–the type of sex scandal that makes headlines. Sophie is married to James, a junior Home Office minister in the government; they have two children and a beautiful home. James and Sophie met while attending university at Oxford and they dated for a while, broke up, and then reconnected years later in London. Sophie, who’d attended university primarily to snag a husband (and not build a career) was ready to settle down, and she was sure that James’s wilder days were behind him.

We all mature, right?
Anatomy of a scandal

Sophie’s world comes crashing down when James comes home one night, sits her down and explains that he’s accused of rape. The accuser is his parliamentary researcher, Olivia. Oh but wait… they had an affair, he broke off the relationship, but then they had one last hookup. And it’s this one last encounter that’s at issue: Olivia claims that she did NOT give consent and James says the incident was just the same as many others they had had before. …

The book follows the fallout from the accusation, and the story is told through 4 voices: Sophie, James, Kate (Olivia’s barrister, “an experienced specialist in prosecuting sexual crimes”) and Holly. Holly’s voice goes back to Sophie’s days at Oxford when Sophie was dating James. Part of the narrative is courtroom drama.

Anatomy of a Scandal is a page-turner. The author capture’s Sophie’s confusion as she is abruptly told about the affair by her husband. Then, with little time to absorb the information or assess her marriage, she’s groomed by the prime minster’s director of communications to stand-by-her-man. Sophie’s distress is shoved aside for political concerns, and there’s no room for any mourning, adjustment, or even time for the shock to be absorbed. At first Sophie cannot believe that the rape charge has any legitimacy, and her husband’s defense is that Olivia is a woman scorned. Of course, at the same time, she knows that he is a government minister and that he “dissembles, yes. That’s part of his job–a willingness to be economical with the truth.” She also has an intimate view of James’s attitudes towards women and sexuality.

The courtroom scenes are marvelously done, so we see Kate eyeing the juror’s reactions as she walks Olivia through her testimony. The jury is composed of 7 women and 5 men: “A jury that’s not ideal as women are more likely to acquit a personable man for rape.” James knows how to act the “penitent,” knows the pose to strike as a sensitive man who knows he shouldn’t have had an affair. James’s attractiveness pays off with even Kate’s friend admitting that he’s “the one Tory I wouldn’t kick out of bed.”

Wasn’t he having an affair with her, and didn’t she go to the papers when he called it off to be with his wife and kids? Doesn’t sound like she’s much of a victim to me. More of a woman getting her own back.

For this reader, by far the most interesting aspect of the book was the incident itself and whether or not rape had occurred. We slip into a grey area here as both sides are presented, and James is so smooth:

It pained him to say this, he said it more in sorrow than anger–he was now concerned for her mental health. It hadn’t been as robust as he’d assumed; a bout of anorexia in her teens; the rampant perfectionism that made her a superb researcher, but indicated a lack of balance; and now that her going to the paper hadn’t paid off–that he hadn’t left his wife as she’d wanted-this patent fantasy.

His blithe dismissals tumble from my mouth. Does he believe them? A politician who is so self-assured that his version of the truth is entirely subjective. His truth the one that he wants to believe? Or is this the smooth response of a liar who knows that he lies?

The book pivots on a central coincidence (which in all fairness, the author addresses), but for this reader, the coincidence distracted from the central moral questions of the case.

Anatomy of a Scandal is a great book club choice for not only does the plot center on the issue of rape and consent, but also there are underlying questions regarding male/female relationships. It would be interesting to sit in on post book club discussions. I could see readers coming to blows over this book.

To be fair, I sometimes wonder why so many of us women allow ourselves to wander so directly into the path of danger. Why return to a man who has made an unwanted advance or send a text with a kiss or a smiley face emoji? Why engage when it’s the last thing you feel?

review copy

2.5 - 3 stars

Pretty slow paced, I honestly didn’t get much out of this book until we were about halfway through. I found I didn’t really connect with the characters - this could have been because I only read this book when I had a bit of spare time, and read it in bits and pieces - but overall, it had the melodrama of a Jodi Picoult book, but I just didn’t love it. The twist in the middle surprised me, and I thought it added a bit of depth to some of the characters, and I was excited to see what was next - but then it just kept going in a really unsatisfying way. It didn’t end the way I wanted it to - which isn’t the biggest deal, but I was hoping the novel would redeem itself, but it was just kind of frustrating and slow. I didn’t hate it, or anything, I think I just had really high expectations set for me, and I put a bit too much pressure on this book.

It was slow moving and a really good book club pick, I just don’t think that was what I was looking for.

In Anatomy of a Scandal, a plodding pace and unsympathetic characters ruin a timely high-concept plot.

Anatomy of a Scandal details what happens to supporting players when someone is accused of a sexual assault that may or may not be consensual. It is set in the British government. The book includes point of view of the accused, the wife of the accused, the victim and the prosecutor.

Released in the middle of the #metoo movement, Anatomy of a Scandal has an extremely timely plot. If this was a true story, it would be fascinating. However, it is fiction so a certain level of plot speed and movement is expected. The story moves s-l-o-w-l-y especially in the first half. Everyone revisits every decision in the smallest detail. The accused and his wife’s back story are agonizingly described in flashback chapters.

Even though others are calling this a character driven novel, none of the characters are fully fleshed out or sympathetic. The accused is just a privileged jerk. The victim is young, drunk at times and naïve. The accused’s wife doesn’t want to lose her privileged life. The prosecutor is a workaholic witch. Everyone has secrets. There are several twists but they didn’t integrate well into the plot. The twist at the end was good but by that time this reviewer was already over this book. Anatomy of a Scandal is recommended only for those readers that like slow-burning reads. 3 stars.

Thanks to the publisher, Atria/Emily Bestler, and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I'm sad to say that I wanted to enjoy this more than I did. I loved that it was an incredibly timely story. It fits right into the narrative of #metoo and is a vivid example of how consent can be thrown into the grey areas that should not exist. The suspense builds right away and there was a decent amount of foreshadowing that piqued my interest. That said, this was not the thriller I expected. It started out strong and the ending was interesting, but the middle dragged a bit and I found my attention wandering. A part of it is that I'm not familiar with English law or education culture- I think that background might have helped. I found Sophie to be one of the more interesting (if frustrating) characters. Ultimately, I was satisfied with out everything unfolded, but to be honest, I'm not in the mode of finding stories about the behind the scenes of the privileged that interesting. I also enjoyed reading about the barrister, Kate. She is a fighter and I loved reading about her practice and own experience. I wouldn't mind seeing her try more cases in the future- the courtroom scenes were my favorite. Go into this knowing it is more character driven than plot driven, that it is nothing like the TV show Scandal, that the trial section is authentic and well-researched, and that the payoff takes awhile to build to. But if you can hang with that- you'll get there! 3.25/5 for me.

This is a story that could literally be about some of the scandalous news items we hear about everyday: a married politician or man in power who has an affair, and is then accused of rape. The story revolves around Kate, the prosecutor who is convinced that James is guilty of this crime, and Sophie, the wife who refuses to believe that her loving husband could do something like this. 

This is not really a thriller, in terms of pacing or plot. There is no real thrill. Yes, the reader wants to know if James was actually guilty or not. But the story is about more than just that. It is about the abuse of power that we see happening around us all the time. It is about privilege and whether that allows someone to be exempt from facing the consequences of their transgressions. And it is about the people who are affected by one person's selfishness. 

I'm really glad that the story did not focus on James's character. Apart from a few excerpts that are flashbacks to another incident in the past, James doesn't really get a voice. Kate and Sophie are the alternating narrators of this story, and they each have their unique struggles with this case. I really liked that the author used this method to tell the story because it shifted the focus to the people that mattered most; usually in stories like this, the novel is focused on the accused and tries to make the reader feel sympathy for them. The author does not do that here, and does not excuse James for his alleged behaviour at all. There was a lot of complexity behind the emotions that both of the women felt and I really connected with them. I could understand why they reacted the way they did. I preferred Kate's character to Sophie's because I generally like stronger, more powerful female roles, but both women were well developed. 

The pacing of this novel is slow, and that is something that readers should be aware of. In trying to explore these different issues, there is less time for a fast-paced story. There was also more of a focus on the British law and government, so if you are not familiar with the way things work there, this might be a bit confusing to read. While the pacing made sense in terms of helping the author achieve her goals with this story, I would have preferred a more high-intensity story.

To sum it all up, this was a very close examination of the effects that a high-profile affair and rape charge can have on people. I thought the author did a really great job of considering factors like preferential treatment, justice, and privilege - all of which are factors in real-life cases like these. I thought that the pacing was a bit slow and perhaps, not all of the details were needed. But it was a good read and I am happy to give it a 3/5 stars! I will definitely be keeping an eye out for this author!

I was given a free copy of this book from Simon and Schuster Canada for an honest review. I enjoyed this book but didn’t love it. We follow the story of James and Sophie. James is a member of the British Parliament and he is being put on trial for rape. He has always lived a charmed life. He’s personable, good looking, been to the best schools etc. He has a lovely wife and children. Sophie, his wife, is horrified by the charges but believes he is innocent. Unbeknownst to them the woman prosecuting James has a connection to them from college. There are a lot of flashbacks to their college years. As we learn more, Sophie begins to have doubts about James. The story was good but just didn’t engage me. I felt no real connection to the characters. I was hoping for a bit more. I’m giving it a 3.5 even though Goodreads won’t give me that extra half a mark.

What Worked For Me
Sophie – For the most part I really liked Sophie. Her life choices might not have been the same ones I would make, but in the situation, with her husband accused of rape, I could understand her fragile loyalty. In no way was Sophie fully behind her husband, yet she had a lifestyle she liked and children she needed to protect.

“Her insides have hollowed out and a potent bank of emotions presses up: horror, incredulity, revulsion, and above all a deep, all-encompassing shame. She clamps her lips tight. It frightens her, this intensity of feeling. Only once before has she experienced anything similar and then it was a shadow of this. She dabs at her eyes with a tissue. Letting her emotions overwhelm her isn’t an option. She has the children to think about and, of course, James.”

Standing behind James was far from easy and Sophie did it in her own way, yet stand she did.

A Timely Topic – I liked the opposing forces in Anatomy of a Scandal. Vaughan took a timely topic and through the women in her novel explored all sides. Kate, the prosecutor, loathed James, and not just for the crime he was accused of. Olivia, the young woman at the heart of the scandal, willingly entered into an affair that quickly disintegrated. Ali, the person who knows Kate best, just might be willing to look the other way for her friend. And of course, Sophie, who struggles, but who might also be willing to turn a blind eye. And such is the reality of scandals.

What Didn’t
James – I found James completely disgusting. I understand that this was what Vaughan was likely going for, but for me it was too much. Even after the scandal broke he still lusted for Olivia and made excuses for his poor behavior. His college history was so over the top, that surely, as a man who had run for a public office, someone would have let some his bacchanalian history slip. He was surrounded by women that enabled him to be the man he was and that might be the saddest statement of all.

Slow, Slow, Slow – The plot of Anatomy of a Scandal unfolded much to slowly for my taste. Kate, in particular, had way too much introspection that added little to the story. It was simply too wordy.

One-Dimensional Characters – With the exception of Sophie, I found all the characters to be serving a narrow role: the revengeful victim, the girlfriend scorned, the loyal friend, the creepy man. There was no one I wanted to know more about.

{The Final Assessment}
I think the idea for this book was great: both sides of a man accused of scandal. However, in trying to do so much more with this particular scandal, it seemed like the entire idea became diluted to the point where is just wasn’t real and because of that not very interesting. I’d take a pass on this one. Grade: C

Note: I received a copy of this book from the publisher (via NetGalley) in exchange for my honest review.

Anatomy of a Scandal follows several characters embroiled in a political scandal. Sophie’s husband James works closely with the prime minister, but he’s been accused of a crime. Kate, the lawyer assigned to prosecute him, is certain he is guilty. All of this also somehow links back to Holly, a young student at Oxford who was Sophie’s classmate. Through their interlocking viewpoints, the reader has to decide who is telling the truth and who is guilty.

This book had a slow start to it, but in the end I really appreciated it. The interlocking viewpoints really worked well together to give the whole picture of the story being told. From Sophie’s viewpoint as the wife of a supposed criminal, to Kate’s intensity about prosecuting particular kinds of crimes, it creates a picture of how crime can affect everyone involved. Like I said, though, you have to be willing to get through the slow-ish start of the book. It’s fine getting acquainted with the characters slowly, but I will admit I wasn’t as invested in the book’s outcome until a twist about halfway through. I had my suspicions before the twist popped, but once they were confirmed, I was much more invested in the outcome of the story and in seeing the decisions the characters would make based on what happened.

Some people on Goodreads have classified this as a thriller or suspense, but it’s a bit of a slow burn in that arena. I would definitely classify it as a literary mystery. There’s a sense of not knowing who to trust and not knowing which narrators are reliable, but there’s not a lot of intense action. There are some intense scenes, however, so be aware of that if rape is a trigger for you. In the end, I really appreciated this novel and feel like it’s an interesting take on a story we hear in real life all too often. I felt like the characters’ journeys were realistic and would spark great conversation for a book club.

When choosing a novel, I am typically drawn to anything involving courtroom drama or a he said/she said type storyline. When I discovered that Anatomy of a Scandal, the new novel by Sarah Vaughan, had these exact two things within its storyline, I was sold! Up to the top of my TBR pile, it went.

The novel opens with the introduction of James: loving father, Member of Parliament and accused rapist. His wife, Sophie, is shocked at the accusations and is desperate to protect her family. Kate, the lawyer hired to prosecute the case, is certain James is guilty and should pay for his crimes. As all three viewpoints collide, Vaughan weaves a tale of love, betrayal, deceit and revenge.

When I started reading, I was completely hooked from the first few pages. In fact, I flew through Anatomy of a Scandal within a couple of sittings. Vaughan’s narrative voice is completely addictive and I found myself loving the characters; I found Sophie and Kate to be extremely relatable. Vaughan did a spectacular job at making her characters jump off the pages; there was nothing superficial about them. Instead, Vaughan seemed to delve deep and I found myself completely engrossed as their stories developed. While I loved the female characters, James, on the other hand, I hated from the moment I was introduced to him. Conniving and powerful, I felt like I couldn’t trust him for a second. I loved this juxtaposition within the writing! Having characters I loved and characters I abhorred kept me on the edge of my seat!

As for twists, I felt as if the story was pretty surface. I was able to guess where it was going almost immediately but that didn’t disturb or affect my reading at all. In fact, it made me more curious to see exactly how the story was going to play out.

I think my favourite part of the novel was how relevant it was. With all that is going on in the world involving rape culture, women’s rights and Hollywood/political scandals, I felt as if Anatomy of a Scandal did an amazing job at portraying the system surrounding these issues and what needs to change.

Overall, I really enjoyed Anatomy of a Scandal. If you are looking for a character-centric, slow burn that will get you thinking and leave you feeling, then you will enjoy this one too! However, if you are looking for an extremely fast-paced, thrill ride type of novel this one will likely disappoint.

"The trouble with women is they don't know what they want." "The trouble with women is they lack courage of their convictions."

This isn't going to be the action packed, bite your nails, sit on the edge of your seat kind of thriller that most people fly toward. Instead, we get a little bit of a slow burn, where even though you probably know where the story is going and what is going to happen, it's more about the web the author weaved to get you there, getting you engaged with the characters. You hate some, feel bad for others, root for one, contemplate the other... you just FEEL. It also brings to light issues that are relevant to the past, to today and unfortunately for the future. It certainly brought a variety of emotions out in me as I was reading.

Anatomy of a Scandal touches on the all too importance of what rape actually consists of... how many times, as a woman, have you been in a position where you're either complicit in an act you may or may not have wanted but are confused as to which that may have been? How many times have you said no, and even if they complied with your resistance, made you feel bad about saying it. Why should any woman ever feel difficulty in facing her attacker.... and why does the public continue to shame the woman.... regardless if she made mistakes. I mean, at the end of the day, which one of us is perfect? NOBODY. It also touches on the fact that woman have a tendency to camouflage themselves to the men their dating. In a sense, they lose their own identity. His friends become her friends. His suggestions to stop working, to eat more vegetables, to not waste time on hobbies when children need to be taken care of... little sleights that seem like nothing but add up and can effectively slap you upside the head at the most inopportune time. And how much would you put up with as to not disrupt your children's' lives? They're probably way more perceptive than you give them credit for. It's not easy being a woman. It's not easy being a man. It's just NOT easy. And we all do what we can... don't we? Take all this for the average human, and then make them privileged... entitled... and in their head, they've done no wrong.

I think working in the law field made this especially interesting for me. I enjoyed that it wasn't cumbersome with legalese and too much courtroom drama - even though a majority of the book was about the trial. I found myself with my hands over my mouth as the verdict was being read. GASP! The only thing that stops me from giving this a full 5 stars is that the ending fell just a TEENY bit flat. I literally kept turning the page thinking the book was continuing..... where did my ending go?? Haha.. However, I did enjoy the full character building and was mostly satisfied with this story. I will certainly keep an eye out for more of Vaughan's work.

This really is well worth the read.

It's been said before, but I literally could not put my kindle down, from the moment I started Anatomy. I grudgingly fed myself and then went right back to the story. Yes, it's that involving. Part of the appeal was the did-he-or-didn't-he crime, but Vaughan's knowledge of the British legal system gave us Americans a little peek behind the Old Bailey curtain.

I knocked off a point because both Sophie and her husband, James, were unlikable characters. Sophie started as an over-entitled people user, and then turned into a doormat who made endless excuses for her husband. James was self-indulgent and underneath-where-you-can't-see nasty, all dressed up in a pretty exterior and a heavy dollop of charm. I also was hoping for better resolution for Kate at the end.

Still, I very much recommend this great story.

*ARC via netgalley*

Book Review: Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan

Kate Woodcroft, QC (41) is a barrister with an outstanding record. Kate has devoted herself entirely to her career at The Bar, to the exclusion of husband and children. She is a workhorse, whip-smart, detail-oriented, disciplined, canny, and nearly fanatical in her pursuit of justice. Her clerk brings her a high profile case on December 2, 2016 which literally is life-changing.

Sophie Whitehouse (42) is happily married to James Whitehouse, a politician, a junior Home Office minister, who is a very close friend of the Prime Minister Tom Southern. Sophie and James have two children, Emily (9) and Toby (6), and the family resides in tony North Kensington. Sophie feels fortunate to be married to James, who owes much of his success to his beauty and charisma. Their life is idyllic--until James is accused of a crime.

Sarah Vaughan's debut thriller is brilliant on every level. Vaughan's talented writing resounds on every page. The story is enthralling, both classic and timely as it hinges on politics and sexual misconduct, men and women, marriage, choices and privilege. The plot revelations occur at exactly the perfect points and not easily sussed out. The pace is perfection. With a vast gift for depicting both the fallibility and the strength of her characters, Vaughan brings them to life. The dialogue and the interior monologues are authentic. Characters experience trauma and behave in its aftermath in ways which are genuine and believable.

The book is written with multiple points of view with chapters from different characters' perspectives. Only Kate's are written in the first person. The story switches seamlessly back and forth from the present (2016/2017) and the past (1992/1993). The author offers us a look into the world of English privilege by following a few young students at Oxford. Some first year students are from generation after generation of upper class breeding and old money. Others are making their way to a better life obtaining that place at Oxford. No student is immune from the pleasures there, whether scholarly, social, athletic, sexual or bacchanalian. Youthful "indiscretions" sow the seeds for present-day impropriety, disgrace, and revenge.

Anatomy of a Scandal is the genuine article, a page-turner which will take you on an incredible, emotionally wrought, and satisfying journey. You will be entertained and you will think about your own suppositions about power, privilege, sexual abuse and justice. This novel already is a bestseller in the U.K., and certainly shall be in the U.S. (and worldwide). The question of a screen adaptation is a "when" not an "if." Kate, Sophie and James each are characters which would showcase actors to their best advantage. I look forward to reading Sarah Vaughan's next thriller with great excitement and anticipation.




Book Review: Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan



Kate Woodcroft, QC (41) is a barrister with an outstanding record. Kate has devoted herself entirely to her career at The Bar, to the exclusion of husband and children. She is a workhorse, whip-smart, detail-oriented, disciplined, canny, and nearly fanatical in her pursuit of justice. Her clerk brings her a high profile case on December 2, 2016 which literally is life-changing.



Sophie Whitehouse (42) is happily married to James Whitehouse, a politician, a junior Home Office minister, who is a very close friend of the Prime Minister Tom Southern. Sophie and James have two children, Emily (9) and Toby (6), and the family resides in tony North Kensington. Sophie feels fortunate to be married to James, who owes much of his success to his beauty and charisma. Their life is idyllic--until James is accused of a crime.



Sarah Vaughan's debut thriller is brilliant on every level. Vaughan's talented writing resounds on every page. The story is enthralling, both classic and timely as it hinges on politics and sexual misconduct, men and women, marriage, choices and privilege. The plot revelations occur at exactly the perfect points and not easily sussed out. The pace is perfection. With a vast gift for depicting both the fallibility and the strength of her characters, Vaughan brings them to life. The dialogue and the interior monologues are authentic. Characters experience trauma and behave in its aftermath in ways which are genuine and believable.



The book is written with multiple points of view with chapters from different characters' perspectives. Only Kate's are written in the first person. The story switches seamlessly back and forth from the present (2016/2017) and the past (1992/1993). The author offers us a look into the world of English privilege by following a few young students at Oxford. Some first year students are from generation after generation of upper class breeding and old money. Others are making their way to a better life obtaining that place at Oxford. No student is immune from the pleasures there, whether scholarly, social, athletic, sexual or bacchanalian. Youthful "indiscretions" sow the seeds for present-day impropriety, disgrace, and revenge.



Anatomy of a Scandal is the genuine article, a page-turner which will take you on an incredible, emotionally wrought, and satisfying journey. You will be entertained and you will think about your own suppositions about power, privilege, sexual abuse and justice. This novel already is a bestseller in the U.K., and certainly shall be in the U.S. (and worldwide). The question of a screen adaptation is a "when" not an "if." Kate, Sophie and James each are characters which would showcase actors to their best advantage. I look forward to reading Sarah Vaughan's next thriller with great excitement and anticipation.

Thanks to Atria Books for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

When a thriller novel starts to gain a lot of hype leading up to release day, you always have to try and go into it without having that high expectation. Well, ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL by Sarah Vaughan definitely earned that hype! A he said/she said thriller meets court room drama make for an engrossing read.

James is the perfect man - handsome, charismatic, and a respected and successful member of Parliament. However, he now stands accused of rape. Sophie, James' wife, is completely convinced that he is innocent of the allegations and is prepared to defend her family against everything. We are also introduced to Kate. She is the prosecutor for James' case and is sure that he is guilty and wants to make sure he pays for his crime.

I love how the he said/she said thrillers always unfold. Going from character to character and hearing their sides of the story. The reader never truly knows who to believe! In this book we get to see through James' eyes, Sophie's, and Kate's as the investigation and trial progress. We also get a glimpse into James and Sophie's past when they met at Oxford and suspicious events that occurred with Holly, Sophie's tutorial partner.

Both Kate and Sophie are very relatable and likeable characters. You felt for Sophie and the situation she was thrust in and then you can't wait to see what new information Kate uncovers. James is the complete opposite. If you like a character to hate in a novel, then this one won't disappoint! He definitely uses his influence, good looks, and charm to get his way.

Overall, if you want a good suspense read with some courtroom drama and a he said/she said theme, then you'll need to have this on your TBR. With such a relevant topic for today, I'm always curious how authors will approach rape and the events following such a crime. If you want a slow burn suspense that will keep you pulled in, then this is the book for you! If you're wanting more of an edge-of-your-seat thriller, then this might fall short.

I give this a solid 4/5 stars!

4.5 Stars !

Fascinating and dark and compelling.

Sarah Vaughan's story is a complex and utterly compelling tale of Britain's upper class and the interwoven lives of those touched by a violent crime. The book seamlessly alternates between the present and the past, and tells the story of Kate, James and Sophie.

Kate is the confident prosecutor of sex crimes and is in charge of prosecuting James, a renowned British politician. James is the Golden Boy: handsome, smart, with the perfect wife and family and a promising government career ahead of him. His alleged crime resonates throughout the country and involves the highest members of government. James' beautiful wife Sophie is at his side every step of the way, devoted and loyal to her gorgeous husband and young family.

"His blithe dismissals tumble from my mouth. Does he believe them? A politician who is so self-assured that his version of the truth is entirely subjective. His truth the one that he wants to believe? Or is this the smooth response of a liar who knows that he lies? We shall find out soon. "

James and Sophie seem the picture-perfect family. Sophie especially seems determined to weather this scandal, so that her husband can continue with his brilliant career and so that their family can remain intact.

The courtroom scenes are brilliant and tense and riveting. From the foreboding tone of the college flashbacks, we know that things are not as they seem and that this case will be a difficult one for Kate to win. James and the victim had a relationship - James is not the perfect husband, it seems - but there seems no doubt that a violent assault took place.

"And, though I know the law does not always punish the guilty—that a skilled barrister can win even if the evidence is stacked against her client; that advocacy is about being more persuasive than your opponent—I also know that, in the court of public opinion, things are rather different and more than one morally questionable act seems more than can—if uttered sufficiently often and loudly—completely ruin a man. "

What is the truth? Is Kate fulfilling a vendetta or is she a neutral party? And is Sophie really the perfect wife? How much can she overlook in her marriage? All is revealed in an intelligent and elegant way by the author. And the younger lives of the main characters are explored and revealed in a captivating exploration of Britain's fairly rigid class system.

"All those lives, all those stories being played out alongside each other in libraries, dining rooms and boat houses; bars and nightclubs; museums, gardens, even punts."

This book is especially compelling and timely in light of recent headlines and I think is required reading for anyone interested in the female-male power dynamic. The characters are all too human and are each unforgettable in their own way. Sophie battles with her conscience from the very beginning and it is fascinating to see how she evolves and finds an inner strength that even she did not know she had.

The courtroom scenes are engrossing and build to a gripping conclusion. What really happened between James and his victim? Will Kate finally get justice for her?

"For tomorrow, the press benches and the public gallery will be packed for the main event, and I will test these claims in my cross-examination. Tomorrow, James Whitehouse will give his evidence. And I shall face him at last."

I loved the glimpse into the world of Britain's privileged elite and the riveting legal scenes. There is a lot of British slang in this book and their university system is quite different from the US so that required a little extra research on my part. But overall this is an absolutely thrilling story that kept me on my toes the whole time. Highly recommend!

Anatomy of a Scandal was a crafty, scandalous, courtroom drama that I was completely engrossed in. I felt like I was watching Law & Order or something of the likes. Just when I thought I knew, the author always ends up making me doubt myself.

I started second-guessing all the characters including the ones I was rooting for from the first page. As we all know money, power, and the sense of losing control can turn people against or towards each other.

The plot was well thought out and the delivery was perfect. I don’t say this often when I read suspense but I was completely satisfied with how it all wrapped up.

Politics, power, control and a scandal that lead to a courtroom – what more can you ask for?

Based on the synopsis, Sarah Vaughan's latest novel should be a timely story punctuating the #metoo movement. In reality, Anatomy of a Scandal perpetuates the same attitudes that allow a sexual harassment culture to thrive. Even worse, it hints at the need for more dangerous measures in order for the guilty party to get their just desserts.

Anatomy of a Scandal is a true disappointment. One would think that any novel at the center of which is sexual harassment released these days would not pay tribute to the same old attitudes and lack of justice against which the #metoo movement is fighting. Granted, there is such a thing as realism in novels, and for centuries the reality was that sexual harassment victims were often impotent to obtain any sort of justice against their harasser. In that context, what unfolds in Ms. Vaughan's story makes sense as frustrating as it is.

The disappointment comes in to the picture because the #metoo movement is not fading. Women continue to speak out about their stories, and there is a growing awareness not only of what constitutes harassment but also that women do not lie when it comes to telling their stories. While it remains a very nuanced topic, one in which we are still trying to feel our way, there are some things which remain clear - those who harass should be punished, preferably by law. Yet that is not what Anatomy of a Scandal presents.

Instead, Kate is the stereotypical shrewish woman with a vendetta, the kind who will jeopardize her career in order to bring about the downfall of her enemy. She violates all sorts of ethical and legal considerations to take on James in court and regrets it not one whit. The reasons for her unflappable resolve and sense of righteousness is one of the many mysteries in the story, the answer to which becomes obvious shortly into the novel. While she is methodical in her court case and in her attempts to be unbiased in her presentation, those scenes in the courtroom have all the feel of an expedition doomed to fail, and indeed she does. Therein lies the biggest frustration of all. Wouldn't it be nice for once to show the victims of such crimes obtaining justice and not having their story doubted in court? Haven't we shown in the #metoo movement that good looks, fame, and fortune do not mean a perpetrator is innocent?

What makes Anatomy of a Scandal even worse is the vigilante justice that comes about at the end of the story. It is not even the victims who are the vigilantes. Rather, it is the press that brings about the perpetrator's doom and not for the reasons you would expect. The women at the heart of the story, once the court case is done, fade into the background as if their stories count not at all. It is such a demoralizing ending to what should have been a great story to show how the #metoo movement is changing society.