Written by Sarah Vaughan

 

 

You want to believe your husband. She wants to destroy him.

Part courtroom thriller; part portrait of a marriage; part exploration of how our memories still haunt us, Anatomy of a Scandal is a disarming and provocative psychological drama.

Sophie’s husband, James, is a loving father and a successful public figure. Yet he stands accused of a terrible crime. Sophie is convinced he is innocent and desperate to protect her precious family from the lies that threaten to engulf him. She’s kept his darkest secret ever since they were first lovers, at Oxford. And if she stood by him then, she can do it now.

Kate is the barrister prosecuting his case. She’s certain that James is guilty and determined he should pay. No stranger to suffering herself, she doesn’t flinch from posing the questions few want to hear. About what happens between a man a woman when they’re alone: alone in bed, alone in an embrace, alone in a lift . . .

Is James the victim of an unfortunate misunderstanding or the perpetrator of something sinister? Who is right: Sophie or Kate? This scandal – which forces Sophie to appraise her marriage and Kate her demons – will have far-reaching consequences for them all.

 

 

Spectacular!

My first thoughts on this novel are what a perfect title and a fitting cover for this superb read! I enjoy both legal and political thrillers as well as family dramas and Sarah Vaughan expertly fuses all these subjects.

I have a fondness for books where the chapters alternatively follow different characters. As I reached the halfway point, the thought – briefly – occurred of where the possible connection would be and then BAM! With perfect timing the author revealed everything I needed to know then and with slick writing continued to keep me hooked. The possible outcomes spread before the reader and I really think the story finished off in the only way it could to maintain our faith in the system whilst also pointing out the flaws.

What a read!  The action is continuous and just when you think you know it all and have it sorted out in your head, along comes another piece of the jigsaw which you didn’t realise was missing and you have to start moving bits around to fit them all in. Spectacular! I’m so happy to have discovered another author of this calibre and will be looking forward to reading more by Sarah Vaughan.

My thanks to publisher Simon & Schuster UK for approving my copy via NetGalley. This is my honest, original and unbiased review.

 

Tags: psychological thriller, courtroom thriller, the establishment, marriage

 

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 4243.0 KB
• Print Length: 400 pages
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Publication Date: 11 January 2018

 

 

About the Author

Sarah Vaughan read English at Oxford and went on to be a journalist. After training at the Press Assocation, she spent eleven years at the Guardian as a news reporter, health correspondent and political correspondent. It wasn’t until her second child was born, that she finally did what she’d always wanted to do and started writing fiction. The Art of Baking Blind is the result, and will also be published in the US (St Martin’s Press) and in nine translations. She lives near Cambridge and is working on her second novel.
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