This was a page turner.
This is the fictional account of a true story. It was a compelling mystery.
This is well written with complex characters

"An Accusation" by Wendy James is a suspenseful and emotionally charged novel that delves into the harrowing aftermath of a shocking crime. The story revolves around Ellie Canning, who claims to have been abducted and held captive, and Suzannah Wells, the high school teacher accused of being her tormentor. Wendy James skillfully navigates the complexities of the case, leaving readers questioning the truth until the very end.

The strength of "An Accusation" lies in its exploration of the blurred lines between victim and perpetrator, truth and deception. The narrative is gripping, and the author effectively keeps the suspense alive as she reveals disturbing details about Suzannah's past. The themes of public opinion, media frenzy, and the court of public opinion add depth to the story.

However, the book's pacing can be uneven at times, with some sections dragging on while others rush through crucial developments. Additionally, the characters, including Ellie and Suzannah, are not always fully fleshed out, making it challenging to fully connect with their motivations and actions.

While "An Accusation" offers an engaging and thought-provoking examination of the complexities of crime and accusation, it falls short of a higher rating due to its uneven pacing and underdeveloped characters. It earns a solid three-star review for its compelling premise and exploration of moral ambiguity.

The book is based on a true life story that happened in the 1800s and that has never been solved. That saying that real life is stranger than fiction holds true, because its upsetting to think crimes like this still happen today. Thrilling read, recommended.

An Accusation by Wendy James was a real page turner for me! Ellie is an 18 year old woman discovered on the side of the road and when found she tells the story of being held captive until she was able to escape. She accuses Susannah Wells, a local drama teacher, and her mother of kidnapping her and keeping her in their basement. Susannah denies everything but somehow Ellie's DNA shows up all over her house. Who is telling the truth and who is lying? You have to check out this novel to find out!

Suzannah is a teacher who finds herself living a nightmare after Ellie is found half-naked and half-conscious then accuses Suzannah and her mother of kidnapping her and holding her hostage.
Ellie is adamant about what has happened to her and Suzannah vehemently denies this, despite the overwhelming evidence and a media circus surrounds the case digging up past dirt.

I really enjoyed not knowing what had happened or who is telling the truth until the story unfolds. Not reading from the victim or investigators side is unique and refreshing.

Whilst the mystery hooks you in and keeps you reading, there are some really interesting undertones too, such as seeing how the media can influence peoples opinions and seeing how quickly "friends" can turn their backs.

For me the star character of the novel is Suzannahs mother. She brings some real lighthearted moments into the story.

I did have a suspicion what was happening before it was revealed but up until then changed my mind several times.

An Accusation is fast paced, gripping and keeps you turning the pages.

this was a great suspense novel, the characters were interesting. The story itself was well done and had me guessing from start to finish.

This story was quite the page turner. Being a true crime buff myself I must admit I wasn’t familiar with The Canning Affair before. Highly recommend this one!

Thank you to the Publisher and Netgalley for the advanced e-reader copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

This book was a page turner from beginning to end. Very captivating with amazing character development. A ex teacher lives in a remote home with her mom who has dementia taking care of her. Then a woman accuses her of kidnapping her and some other horrible things and now the whole town is after her. There are just some facts that cannot be unrefuted. But what is the actual truth? And will people believe it? I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was quite the page turner. Lots of serious topics were covered, with some unexpected twists turned in. The character development was great, especially with the heavy plot line.

I was in the mood for a mystery novel and came across The Accusation by Wendy James. This book I learned after reading the author's note was based on a case that took place in the 18th Century in the UK called The Canning Affair, which later was developed into a novel set in the post-war by Josephine Tey called The Franchise Affair. Wendy James took both accounts and then added her twist to create The Accusation set in modern times in a small Australian town. The book starts with a young teacher who loves her work and wants to make a difference in the world, after her break-up and her mother's break. She moves with her mother to a small town and gets a job at the school. During this time, she meets her neighbors, including one who used to be a big-time TV Star and is now a Social Media and Agent for celebrities. After a failed relationship, Susannah - our main character also starts to form a relationship with her landlord, Chip. In the town, she also is befriended by Honor - our Celebrity Agent. Soon the community is rocked when a young teenaged girl is found wandering the rural backwoods with claims she was kidnapped and tortured. The young girl Ellie Canning at first can't recall anything but soon becomes a celebrity when Honor takes her under her wings and makes her into a TV star and inspirational model to all. As the story goes along, Ellie starts recalling things, and all the evidence points to newcomer Susannah. How can this be if Susannah has never met her in her life? Soon it will become the world against Susannah as Ellie's story, and the evidence becomes damning? Who is setting Susannah up and why? Will the real truth ever be revealed or by the time it does - what will be left of Susannah's reputation and life? Find out in this Australian hit - The Accusation by Wendy James.

Ellie is found in a shepherd's hut, barely conscious. She tells an unlikely tale - she had been held captive by a madwoman and her mother in their basement and been given liquids from a baby bottle.

The madwoman in question is Suzannah Wells. Except that she isn't mad. She is, in fact, a teacher caring for her ailing mother.

But then there is evidence - the baby bottle and Ellie's DNA all over the place. In Suzannah's house.

Suzannah loses her job and her privacy as everyone pries her life open with a vengeance. She is a monster. Meanwhile, Ellie is the woman of the hour. A survivor.

But what if someone is lying?

This book was unexpectedly good. I couldn't put it down. A real page-turner I have come across in recent times.

Note: Do not start reading this book at night.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

5 resounding stars.

An Accusation pulled me immediately into the fast paced plot. Well written plot with many twists and turns. I highly recommend this book.

I very much enjoyed this mystery novel focusing on a young woman making a very serious accusation. The book definitely makes one think!

This story was certainly an intriguing read!.
Although I have to admit that I did have an inkling as to who the suspect could be from roughly the midway point in this book, it certainly did not take away any enjoyment for me.
The characters were fascinating and well developed with them all possessing different qualities which also added a lot of depth to this compelling read.
The storyline itself was perfectly structured and had plenty going on throughout to keep the reader engrossed to the very last page. Full of twists and turns, one of which I can honestly say I did not expect in the slightest!.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that had me invested to the end. A definite must read!.

There was a lot of intrigue in this story. I had very strong suspicions halfway through the book about the suspect. However, I felt there was a very interesting twist toward the end of the book that I hadn’t expected. It was certainly a book worth reading to the end to find out the conclusion, because it was compelling. The characters were very believable, and I found the descriptions and characterization of the people in the book allowed the reader to visualize them. The author had a good writing style. The characters’ backstories were woven in well to the plot.

This story was a page turner and gripping thriller for sure.
From the beginning to the last, I knew I was in for a ride and what a ride it was. Some predictable twists but mostly intriguing turns that kept me on the edge and I was wondering how everything will unfold because it all started as a game of cat and mouse but it becomes much more that than.
Addictive and great story overall.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
When eighteen year old Ellie Canning is found wandering the countryside, she immediately captures the rapt attention of the media and gets the whole country on her side when she tells her story of being kidnapped and held captive for days. School teacher and former actress, Suzannah Wells, is flabbergasted when Ellie identifies her as her captor. Soon, Suzannah has been arrested and charged with kidnapping, as Ellie’s community support continues to grow, turning her into a national icon. Suzannah’s pleas her innocence, but all the evidence points to her as the captor. Who is telling the truth?
Australian author Wendy James is new to me (for the record, she has at least eight novels under her belt, I just haven’t read them!) and I can definitely see the intrigue, as she can spin quite the addictive tale!
Suzannah generates quite the empathy and support, as she struggles to leave her fame behind and take care of her ailing mother in a new home in the Australian countryside. When the accusations are hurled at her, however, I was left immediately questioning her innocence. Her mother, Mary, is spunky and absolutely hilarious, and she adds even more speculation to the building “did she or didn’t she?” plot. James definitely leaves you second guessing your initial opinions, and taking a hard look at all the players.
The story is told from the perspective of Suzannah and her former friend, Honor (who represents Ellie on a public relations level), and takes place in the months before the alleged kidnapping, to the time directly after (although not necessarily in time order). The dates are listed at the beginning of each chapter, which is a good thing as the plot can easily get confusing if you aren’t paying close enough attention to the timeline.
Although I had a hard time initially getting into this story, once it pulled me into its web, I was hooked. The ending is (not entirely) predictable, and although I had a vague idea of how the story would play out, I was invested enough to need to know the exact ins-and-outs. In this case, the ending both satisfied me and provided me with inner validation (specifically around the character of Ellie, who I felt was “off” right from the get-go).

Very well developed characters and an extremely engaging story. Well thought out and very suspenseful story line that keeps the reader guessing until the final twist! This is the book to read this year! Highly recommended!

Thank you Lake Union Publishing, Netgalley, and Wendy James for this book in exchange for an honest review. Easy read, enjoyed thoroughly. 🌟🌟🌟1/2 rounded up to four for Goodreads.

A easy read. An Interesting concept of taking an ancient mystery and updating it in modern Australia.A mother and her mid aged daughter move to a coastal town north of Sydney. A girl appears nearby claiming to have escaped from captivity. Not from a man but from a mid aged women who also has a dementia afflicted mother. Is it true? Lots of twists and turns and one cannot help but enjoy the character of Mary, the mother with Dementia.