Fascinating thriller combining an insight into parliamentary intrigue and the legal system. Thoroughly enjoyable and hard to put down.

First of all I want to say that this is an amazing debut novel, it is so well written. The story dips between present and past, and centres around Oxford and the elite of society at work and play. Oh how the past can come back to haunt you, those fingerprints in the sand never really disappear. This is about a court case, an alleged rape, and involves a prominent, rising politician, his wife, and someone from his past who really knows what happened. There is a delightful twist about half way through, which I had started to suspect. This story has a bit of everything from scandal, lies, half truths, moral dilemmas, betrayal, revenge and so much more. Very readable, I loved it!

If this is the standard of novel that we are to expect in 2018 then it’s going to be an amazing year! I tried to put this one off until much nearer to the publication date but it just proved to be too tempting especially in light of recent turns of events!

There’s probably no better time to immerse yourself in the scandalous affairs of the self righteous, formidable figures in positions of authority who think that they are unimpeachable. This is a relevant read in the current political atmosphere, which is thick with accusations and allegations of sexual harassment and assaults at the heart of our countries parliament. Sarah Vaughan handles her fictional account of this sensational legal case with an exceptional insight which made me wonder what sort of insider knowledge she actually had as this book cuts very close to the bone at times!

One of the first things that struck me about the way the narrative developed was that it was told from three different points of view. Nothing new about that you may say. But I personally would have expected the third POV, after those of James and his wife Sophie, to have been that of his accuser. But in a cleverly crafted convolution the third viewpoint is that of Kate, the barrister brought in to prosecute James and bring him to justice for the rape she is convinced he is guilty of. This element added an extra dimension to their characterisation allowing us to gradually peel back the layers of mistrust. The narrative flowed with an indecently compelling pace peppered with some rather shocking revelations along the way!

I don’t know why but I felt more uncomfortable and voyeuristic watching the relationship between husband and wife than any interactions between James and his accuser. It felt very raw, packed full of those very personal conversations that only exist between two people who think they know the other person almost as well as they know themselves. Sophie was determined to stand by her husband without hesitation but how well do we really know that person, the one who lays beside us, open and laid bare night after night?

Once started this book will prove impossible to put down. I found it to be a compelling and intuitive portrayal of a marriage in crisis, beautifully written and emotionally hard hitting. It was a brilliantly executed must read for fans of books such as Appletree Yard (a personal favourite of mine and Anatomy of a Scandal compares very favourably indeed!!) so be prepared to be gripped by the book that EVERYONE is going to be talking about in 2018!

Highly recommended by me!

This story failed to draw me in. I completed reading it, but found it overly reminiscent of an episode of legal drama TV and not really anything beyond that. I was disappointed because from the title I thought there would be a forensic science aspect but this was not the case - I hoped for a clever plot with subtle clues but it was much more focused on the effect of the case on various people. If you want an insight into the emotional aspects of a legal case on family members then this would be the book for you. There were a few too many coincidences for me and I wasn't excited by this story.

The novel is written in point of view chapters. We are introduced to a successful, single, very thin and driven female barrister who specialises in prosecuting sexual assault cases (in England). She loses a nasty case in the opening chapter but is given a case she has waited a lifetime for by her clerk. We meet further players in the drama. A high ranking politician with a beautiful, blonde wife and children who discovers her husband has been having an affair but the girl he has scorned is now claiming he raped her.The chapters weave back and forwards through time from when the main protagonists were at university. The accused a member of a thinly disguised Bullingdon Club and best friend with the now prime minister. The case is complex and could have far reaching effects for each of the P.O.V.

The narrative rolls along quite nicely although some information is repeated and the main characters are kind of 2D charicatures. There is a twist (that was easy to guess early on but which I hoped would not happen) about a third of the way through that I really disliked and found unbelievable (even within the parameters of the narrative) which led me to lose any credulity I still possessed. I finished the book in an afternoon but it lost any sparkle for me after this reveal.

Think of living a perfectly lovely married life when suddenly your husband is accused of a heinous crime. Set in Oxford moving through from college days up until ministerial work. Sophie and James have been married 12 years but with James past before marriage an affair is inevitable. Olivia the other woman is in love with him but when he breaks it off she is devastated, one last time in a lift in the house of commons sees Olivia crying rape and James brought to trial. Kate the prosecutor knows James because of a previous encounter at uni and knows he's guilty but can she prove it?
I liked the way this was told from the characters point of view jumping from one to the other and building the suspense. A really good read.
Thanks to netgalley and the author for a preview of this book.

An excellent, highly entertaining debut for Vaughan.
The characters are multilayered and well developed, and the plot uses a past/present, back-and-forth style to create tension and suspense as it unravels the personalities, motivations, and histories of all those within it.
Would definitely recommend.

I thought this book was brilliant and couldn't put it down! James Whitehouse, an MP and close personal friend of the Prime Minister, is being tried for rape. The story is told mainly from the perspective of James' wife, Sophie, James himself, and the prosecuting barrister, Kate. James and Sophie met at Oxford, and descriptions of that time form an important part of the plot. Consent, entitlement and revenge are at the heart of the story. I really recommend this as an excellent read. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.

Wow - I really enjoyed this book - it was a very satisfying read and bang up to date with current scandals in the news. I had a lot of sympathy for both the main female characters in the book and the way they dealt with events, but found James's belief in his entitlement to anything he wanted to be well portrayed and believable. Highly recommended read.

A really taut court-room drama that has a strong storyline and characters. A life of privilege leads some Oxford undergraduates to not understand the word "no", whatever they want they take and never mind the fall-out. And some never do learn. A very clear illustration of the difference between dangerous, risky but complicit sex and when the line is crossed. This is a real page-turner and very timely, a great read.

I was given an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest and independent review.
A fascinating insight into the elite world of the privileged set against a court room case of rape. The characters are excellent and the author deals with sensitive issues with great empathy.
I could not put the book down, it was thrilling and tense. Highly recommended read.

A topical subject at the moment in British Politics! This is a well written book with genuine well developed characters. It shows just how different men and women perceive the truth. The story moves from a privileged life at Oxford to a life within politics with all the 'old boy' networks in place. When he is charged with rape the whole system swings into action. You always feel that the suave politician will get his comeuppance. This will be a good book for discussion for a book club. Not a unique plot line but a good story non the less.

Very interesting thriller. Much of the book is centred on Kate, the prosecuting Q.C.
It also tells about student life at Oxford and how the privileged, rich students behave.
Also gives some insight into the House of Commons.
11 minutes ago

I have been reading this book whilst in the press various MPs have been accused of sexual harrassment and I started to wonder whether the author had some sort of insider knowledge! Real life appears to be stranger than fiction!
This is the story of James Whitehouse a privileged MP who is accused of a terrible crime. He is prosecuted by barrister Kate who is desperate to get a conviction. It is told by Kate in the first person as she prepares for the trial and by Sophie, James’s wife who believes in his innocence. There are also flashbacks to the 1990s when James was at university in Oxford and several secrets from this time frame are gradually revealed as the plot progresses.
All three main characters have their faults: James is arrogant, amoral and completely unsympathetic; Sophie is just gullible in my opinion. and Kate seems bitter but determined to get a conviction for her client whom she believes implicitly.
This is a dark novel which examines rape and the meaning of sexual consent as well as how wealth and power can sometimes make justice blind.
It was a compelling and gripping read made all the more interesting by the sexual scandals happening in Westminister at the moment. This is a well written novel with a clever plot and I would recommend it to people who enjoy psychological thrillers with excellent characterisation. I fully expect this to be the must-read of 2018 when it is published in January.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks for the advance copy!

I really enjoyed this, the plot was so well paced and the sections that switched between past and present were masterfully done. The plot was compelling and I was invested in the characters. I loved that it handles privilege and class in a very subtle but insightful way and felt that these views were clearly understandable without being preachy. The insight into the court system was fascinating, I think for any fans of Law and Order or other crime procedurals!

Overall I found this a slow building but compelling novel, and one that has stayed with me in the days since I finished it.

Thank you to Netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest opinion! I was delighted to finally get my hands on this book as I'd heard so much about 2018's next must read!

The book starts with Sophie's high ranking politician husband James, being late home for a dinner party at their neighbours. The cause of his delay: a newspaper story has broken, he was caught having an affair with a junior member of staff, on public property and public time. This scandal soon turns to an allegation of rape and a court case unravels. Kate a QC barrister is on the prosecution and she is out for blood.

The story is told from a number of different points of view and over two different time lines, the current court case and Oxford 1992.

I enjoyed this book and the overall plot, but I found that some parts were too drawn out. Some parts made for highly addictive reading and some parts I found myself skimming or daydreaming as I read.

I enjoyed the different POVs and piecing together the story. I think it's a very relevant book with all the historical allegations coming out against powerful and privileged people! It it's deffo worth the read!

This is a new author for me. I found her descriptive narrative easily readable and refreshing. The development of characters and timelines intermingled with sex scandals and the behaviour and power of a privileged background makes the novel addictive reading especially in today's environment.

Thoroughly enjoyable novel addressing some difficult and emotive topics such as rape, drugs, power, privilege and determination.

Kate is a forthright, determined barrister and takes on a case against a prominent politician, James, accused of raping a work colleague. The nuances of the encounter could leave doubt about the verdict until additional information is revealed. There are clever twists and turns and I enjoyed the manner in which the character of Sophie, James' wife, developed. Would recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book. The fact that it had its background in the murkier end of the UK political system is what immediately drew me to this book. Coupled with a picture of a privileged debauched existence at Oxford University in the era I myself was a student only added to the intrigue.

In light of the recent allegations of sexual harrassment and abuse within UK politics, this could not be a more timely novel. The court scenes are excellent and the whole book had me gripped, moving between past and present as well as flitting between "behind closed doors" and the public facade of a politician's life.

Highly recommend, and although it's a great thriller, to my mind its greatest strength is how it paints a picture of the lasting damage of the consequences of sexual assault and the hurdles faced by those making the accusations.

Anatomy of a Scandal is a compelling story about how we can never truly know someone else; how even after twelve years of marriage, a wife might not know everything about her husband.

Kate Woodcroft is a London barrister for the prosecution of crimes of violence and a sexual nature. When she is assigned the high-profile case of a charismatic member of Parliament and Tory Junior Minister, James Whitehouse, who is accused of raping his assistant, who he admits he had a short affair with. When does consensual sex cross the line into rape? This is the question at the heart of this breath-taking novel.

The story is told from alternating points of view: those of the MP, his wife and the prosecuting barrister, the story moves between 1993 and the present, when James and other characters were students at Oxford. We see why Kate is now the way she is. Meanwhile, James', faithful wife Sophie, must endure the agony of being a wife who stands by her man. Or will she, or does she? You'll feel her pain.

James is a loving father, and yet he stands accused of a terrible crime.

Sophie is convinced he is innocent.

Kate is certain James is guilty and is determined he will pay for his crimes.

Who is right? James Sophie or Kate?

Brilliant, shocking, and gripping, once I started, I couldn't stop reading. If you liked Apple Tree Yard you will love this.

This read like a novel written by a journalist, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, only it felt somewhat too closely-aligned with the whole Bullingdon Club, David Cameron's Tories and that took me away from the novelistic escapism I was looking for. That being said, it was a recognisable story and it made me consider the characters in a newspaper scandal that often get overlooked when we focus on the salacious details rather than the collateral damage they cause.

I liked the descriptions of Oxford especially, andf university life in the 90s; those chapters were more vivid and gripping to me than the rather cold courtroom scenes. I can't say that many of the characters were terribly sympathetic though, regardless of their victimhood, which suprised me, portrayed as they are by a clearly empathetic female writer. I found the women generally difficult to warm to - the harassed and not terribly supportive best friend, the vapid, loyal wife, the vengeful barrister - none made me want them to triumph as they should have.