A great read that I absolutely raced through. Well written for fans of Jodi picoult.

Really enjoyed this very clever and highly engaging thriller. Fascinating premise. Definitely one to discuss with friends after you get to THE END.

This was an interesting read, and one I would recommend, but it's overall rating just slips slightly as there were certain parts I felt weren't fully utilised.

It was well-written and captivated me throughout, but I felt the climax and ending were a little disjointed and not fully capitalised on.

Nevertheless this is an interesting review and analysis of a rape case, how it's dealt with by the authorities and justice system, and how it affects and reverberates onto all the people involved.

What happens on campus, stays on campus…but for how long?
James Whitehouse: Oxford graduate, privileged member of parliament, loving husband and dad of two beautiful children. Sophie: his wife, their relationship dating back to university days. She knows him better than anyone (doesn’t she?) and when the charges of rape are levelled at him she is reluctant to believe that he could possibly be capable of such an act. But as the trial goes on, the questions start to form in her mind and the doubts creep in.
I love the structure of this story, as the main storyline makes up only one part of the jigsaw as a whole. In the early stages of the book there is very little mention of the antics of James and his best friend, future prime minister Tom during their Oxford university days. The significance of the antics only comes into play in the latter stages - after the jury has made their decision and the trial is over.
The characters all have their strengths - and weaknesses - and are not always what they initially seem. Whilst reading I was surprised that the author did not focus more on the character of the mistress and alleged rape victim, parliamentary researcher Olivia but by the end of the book this kind of made sense.
This is a tale of the privileged middle classes who make up a large proportion of high profile politicians and such like, and how their ranks can close when times are troubled. However there are also people amongst those same ranks who are unwilling to let the events of times gone by go unpunished. The quiet ones, the ones who slip under the radar of “the Populars”, the ones who watch from the sidelines. They’re the ones who ultimately hold the power.
A great book, which admittedly made for uncomfortable reading in parts, it made me consider the sense of entitlement that seems to go hand in hand with the moneyed classes, and whether I would really want to be a part of it even by association.
This review will be posted nearer publication day on my blog www.sandiesbookshelves.blogspot.co.uk

Original. Clever. Addictive. This would make a fantastic TV drama

Really enjoyed this book, a great read, it kept me gripped from the start. The characters are well written and the tension keeps you turning the pages. Recommended for sure.

This is one of a number of books which are challenging old stereotypes of rape as something which only happens in dark alleys and between strangers. Vaughan is particularly concerned here with that slippery issue of where consent turns into non-consent.

Alongside this vexed topic is a depiction of how elitist social privilege is institutionally perpetuated (Eton, Oxbridge, House of Commons, government) and might engender a sense of invincibility and being above or beyond the law.

The first half of the book follows the high-profile case of a handsome Tory MP whose affair with his researcher turns toxic when she accuses him of rape. We're introduced to his wife who unquestioningly stands by her man, and the hard-line prosecutor who is determined to have him convicted. Not ground-breaking but a good set-up for a tense courtroom drama.

Only, at about halfway through, we're treated to a cheap 'twist' that a) readers of 'psychological thrillers' will have spotted a mile off, and b) cheapens the whole thing (view spoiler)

There is much that I enjoyed about this fly-on-the-wall book but the enticing set-up starts to collapse and drama turns to melodrama. All the same, I like Vaughan's attention to issues of class and inequality, the covert ways that privilege is passed on. A quick and snappy read.

Thanks to the publisher for an ARC via NetGalley

An absolutely first class read I enjoyed this so much it was a book i finished on the same day that I started it

I was really looking forward to reading this - while I didn't know a great deal about it, what I did know sounded right up my street. I love a good courtroom drama, and if there's a current political angle, so much the better. All that is certainly there, but we also have a nuanced portrait of a marriage and a thoughtful depiction of thorny issues of rape and consent.

In the present day, we follow dedicated barrister Kate, prosecuting sexual offenders but feeling increasingly frustrated at the difficulty in gaining convictions. Meanwhile, there's Conservative junior minister James Whitehouse, handsome, charming and tipped for success - a close personal friend of the Prime Minister (who's called "Tom" but is hard not to picture as David Cameron). Then there's James's adoring wife Sophie, in some ways a typical Tory wife but with much more depth in her portrayal than that might imply.

In a further strand, intelligent but under-confident Holly starts at Oxford in 1993, fresh from her Liverpool state school and feeling out of place among the mainly privately educated students who have no conception of life outside their privileged bubble. Among the most privileged of all is James, who belongs to a group of equally arrogant, entitled and frankly obnoxious young men called the Libertines: a not even thinly disguised Bullingdon Club, even down to that notorious photograph on the steps.

As the strands intertwine and sometimes collide, this is a fascinating, enthralling and often thought-provoking read.

Review will also be published on my blog: http://atickettoeverywhere.blogspot.com.

This book is a page turner that has you hooked from the start.
James, a politician,priveledge,a spoilt rich boy with charm and bluff. Attractive but is he honest?
We know he isn't as he has admitted an affair but what depths will he go to to stay current and keep his political job?
When James is charged the life he has led up to this point is examined and a maze of charachters who have been touched by this manipulative charmer come in to fucus,making you ask and question whether he is guilty or not.
As you take this ride through his life you see the effects on his wife Sophie and wonder why a woman who could attend Oxford can be the way she is.you want her to snap and take him on ,I will not say what she does. You pity this woman,shout at her and champion that she will be courageous.
Then there is Holly and Alison,no priveledge but a will to succeed and attain a place at Oxford,but do they belong? What are there struggles and how does this impact upon their lives then and now?
Kate the trip barrister- I have to be careful not to add spoilers here,a character that has your heart and you want her to succeed and whether she does may just not have anything to do with James but because of her crossing paths with him her self awareness and worth are explored and reflected upon.

I found this book to be so very accurate.I have been that juror on a rape case and the sad accuracy of what occurs is astounding. This book is well worth the read.
Thanks to Netgalley,the author and publisher for providing this ARC for an honest review.

I read his in two days despite many distractions occurring such was the quality of the writing.

A public school and Oxford University education that encourages James to believe he is invincible and can influence events.
A clever wife who decides to turn a blind eye in order to keep her husband and comfortable lifestyle.
A barrister prepared to risk her career to prosecute a case.

As the court case plays out the actions they took in the past are slowly unveiled.
A modern take on the age-old story of privilege versus right. The story is well written and flows well. The twist part way through is a obvious but doesn’t stop it being a good read.

I have heard so much hype about this book that I spent the whole book waiting for something amazing and before I knew it was finished and was left thinking is that it. Maybe if I hadn't heard so much about it I would have enjoyed it more. It was a good read which tried to be twisty but I could see each part coming. To begin with I found it hard to get into but then when I got used to the flashbacks and forwards I did immerse myself in it but just felt fairly underwhelmed.

Gripping and life-like. This could be true .A reaction of politicians who think they are above the law.The scandals of Oxford boys clubs mixed with sexpower and wealth. I felt I was walking alongside Kate throughout

3.5 stars.
I was very excited to read this book - a great title, beautiful cover, an intriguing blurb and courtroom thrillers are my preferred genre. It started well and generally was a solid read, well written, well researched, with well drawn characters. However, I found it quite slow and repetitive in places, the main twist wasn't that much of a surprise and by the time the final secret was revealed, it has been mentioned so many times that I just wasn't interested any more. I'd say it's more of legal/political/domestic drama rather than a thriller. Overall, it was just an okay read for me.
Many thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for the advanced copy.

This is a novel which will raise issues and a lot of discussion I think. What constitutes rape and a scandal? In the present day news bulletins where people in high places are being taken to the cleaners for one reason or another, this is an aptly drawn account of one potential case. It feels real, it sounds real and it could be - that’s the point. We all think we know how we’d react and judge but who do you believe and why?

the settings are the world of wealth and privilege from Oxford to London - the real journey here is through the court systems and the trial. This is no easy read but it’s a fascinating one. !0 people in a room asked a question about the same situation will give ten very different views. What is right and where is the line between right and wrong?

Uncomfortable reading at times but it’s very similar to Apple Tree Yard but with a twist. There’s plenty of scandal and you really do feel you’ve been to a autopsy and that scalpel cuts deep.

I've just finished this book and have to say what a tense roller-coaster ride it has been.

During the court case, I was reading and felt really tense. That is just how gripping it really was. The writing is so good and the author has clearly done her research that I was utterly gripped throughout it.

I enjoyed the different points of view and liked that you are never entirely sure who is telling the truth.

Great book - I can see this being a best seller!

An interesting peek into the lives of the privileged with scandal, rape allegations,politicians & drugs and there effect on the innocent people involved. The storyline starts in 1993 when the main characters are all students then fast forwards to the current time with frequent jumps to and fro which I have to say confused me at times. Most enjoyable was the different interpretations of the 'same' incidents given by victim and the suspect which were both extremely plausible. The final part of the book and the ending were equally disappointing I felt they were just added to complete the jigsaw with no real thought to the readers experience. Sorry just didn't do it for me.

My Review: Firstly, I need to say WOW what an incredible debut novel. This story centres around the elite, over-privileged and entitled students at Oxford university.

The Scandal in question involves a handsome, charismatic politician James, accused of rape and is told from alternating points of view; his wife Sophie who is desperate to believe and defend him and the prosecutor Kate who is determined to prove his guilt.

This is a slow burning, tense thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. If you like your stories simmering with tension, intelligent and well crafted characters and a plausible plot you will enjoy this.

Anatomy of a Scandal Sarah Vaughan


Just to deviate from my usual reading I was looking for a Political, or Court, Drama. Anatomy of a Scandal came up in the Amazon search engine when I put both categories in so I thought I’d give it ago, even if it did say “female fiction” as the main category.

Well either I’m in touch with my feminine side or they have the category wrong. I found this to be a thoroughly engrossing read.

The synopsis for the story reads like it should be from a tabloid news front page, but it is written with the panache of a broad sheet.

James Whitehouse is a high profile Conservative MP, a cabinet minister, and a very good friend of the Prime Minister. They have been friends from school and were members of the Libertines at Oxford University.

The story starts with Sophie Whitehouse, his wife, waiting at home for her husband who is uncharacteristically late and out of contact. When he walks through the door he looks worried; and he should be, he’s just about to tell his wife he has been having an affair with a pretty young researcher, and that the press has got hold of the story.

Could it get any worse?

Oh yes!

The researcher Olivia Lytton accuses James of rape and he is arrested, and the case goes to court in a high-profile media circus of a hearing.

Sophie decides to stand by her man; but does she believe him.

Kate Woodcroft QC the CPS prosecution Barrister is convinced James is guilty and is prepared to do almost anything, within the law, to see him found guilty.

The story concentrates on the Court hearing whilst flashing back to James and Sophie’s University days and the shenanigans of the Libertines. Will this history show why Sophie is so adamant that James is innocent, or explain why she wants to stand by him? Will it show why Kate is so determined get a guilty verdict.

There are places in this book, where Sarah Vaughan described places and people very deeply, that I have to admit to speed reading or skipping text as; but the story is outstanding.

Throughout the book I found myself taking sides, then changing my opinion. If I had been on the Jury I might have had a hard time reaching a verdict…..at times.

By the end of the book my allegiances were firmly on one side, but I dare say people will have different opinions.

I am so glad I decided to look at a different genre of book.

Pages: 400
Publishers: Simon & Schuster UK
Publishing date: 11 January 2018
Available to pre-order on Amazon

This book is definitely a page turner, very well researched and credible. Kate is a successful barrister who works as a prosecuting barrister mainly in sexually related cases. Hard working, ruthless and focussed she will stop at nothing to win her cases. The writer has clearly researched the role of a barrister and this comes across, thus making Kate extremely believable as a character. However saying that, the first chapter felt like a little bit of an information dump -as if the writer was trying to gain gravitas with the reader by proving the research and packing it all into one chapter. However, it picked up pace from then on and I really got taken up by the story and read it in two sittings.
The story soon introduces James Whitehouse who is a junior MP and best friend to the Prime Minister. As soon as he is accused of rape, the story gets interesting. Particularly seeing as though Kate, ( still reeling from losing her previous case) is about to prosecute him. This novel is told from multiple point of views and it works really well and gives a good and necessary varied perspective on the story. The back story revolves around Oxford university and the author does an excellent job of painting a picture of life at the university. We meet Kate, her best friend Ali, James and his wife Sophie, plus his accuser. The friendship between Kate and her friend Ali is written superbly well and I really bought into, and understood the dynamics in their relationship. At times it was also very touching and felt real.
The story is pacy, addictive and a real page turner and I am loathe to say much more because I would hate to spoil the plot line and the twists and turns, I did guess the twists and turns really early on but I think the way the writer chooses her reveals and the timing of those is entirely deliberate. I found the ending a little rushed ( again I don't wish to provide spoilers) but I would have liked to have seen a little more detail/ experienced more of an emotional reaction( conclusion for me the reader from some of the characters as the story reached its conclusion. I guess I would have liked some of the consequences of characters played out a little more, even if it was half a page.
Overall however, a really brilliant, entertaining read. In summary, it's a courtroom drama/ love and friendship story that grips you, reels you in and keeps you interested right until the last page. It's about the privilege of money, historical behaviour and class divides: all themes that are worked into the book really effectively. I can see this as a TV series or a film. For all the above reasons, I would thoroughly recommend this book.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.