Superb book, one of the best I have read in 2017. Nuanced, layered writing, with beautifully drawn characters. The storyline is very topical, draws the reader in, and doesn't let go. One of those books that you keep thinking about for days after. Don't hesitate, get it however you can.

This book focuses on a court case of a charming politician accused of rape and the different perspectives and view points. It sounds serious but is gripping and a great read!

This is one of the best books that I’ve ever read. It’s intelligent, well written and gripping.
You really feel for all the characters and it’s believable too.
I cannot wait for her next book!

What a book! This novel twists and turns through a multi-person narrative which layers the plot in a stylish and compelling way. Sarah Vaughan has approached a difficult subject matter with aplomb and hasn't shied away from tackling it head on. I really enjoyed the time jump between modern day and 1990s Oxford University and the nods to political deal makers and power players. The characters were expertly drawn and I loved that they were multi-faceted - it would have been easy to have created wholly villainous or angelic protagonists. I predict that this will be one of the books of 2018 and i'll be posting a review on my blog, Amazon and Goodreads on publication day. I'll also be shouting about it on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Thank you so much for the ARC, it was a gripping read.

I had high expectations for this book given the other reviews but unfortunately for me I felt this did not deliver. I found it quite confusing and muddled with too much unnecessary descriptive information. I did however think the main storyline was good and unique and it was well written

This book is not actually published until January, but such has been the success of the pre-publication promo and of word-of-mouth for it, I’ve no doubt that it will be a success. However, whilst I can clearly see its subject matter is timely and relevant, I found the writing itself more mixed.

The story is set around a rape. One of the government’s junior ministers (and a close friend of the PM), James Whitehouse, is accused of raping one of his researchers, Olivia. However, James is a married man with a history of infidelity and it transpires that he was having an affair with Olivia, which he was keeping from his wife, Sophie. And the accusation of rape only came after he had finished his affair.

So, is James lying? Did he rape his former lover? Or is this one of those rare cases of a woman alleging rape as a means of revenge?

Certainly, that is the challenge facing Kate, the talented barrister who is given this case to prosecute. She is a woman who has built her fearsome reputation on prosecuting men for rape and sexual assault, committed as she is to getting justice for women. She believes Olivia. But can she convince the jury too as there are holes in the prosecution?

So, as you can tell, hugely timely. Weaving in themes of rape, male privilege, believing women, and the corruption at the highest levels of power, so much here ties in with the news and current wider discussions in society. Add to that the author Sarah Vaughan blends in a subplot set in the past, where James and the PM were members of the Libertines (read, The Bullingdon Club) an exclusive all-male club at Oxford University with a fearsome reputation for indulgence, abuse, and boisterous rituals, and it’s all very much on the money.

What I really liked about this book was the decision to tell the story – both the present timeline and the subplot set in the past (two stories which, of course, converge) – from the point of view of the women. The story is told completely from Sophie and Kate’s point of view. We get to experience the agonies of the wife and the battles of the barrister up close and personal. And I loved that decision; an undeniable huge plus.

What I struggled with were parts of the writing. I’m rather surprised to see so many five-star reviews (though I’m always pleased to hear people enjoy books). The book is mostly internal monologues, the two central characters wrestling with their agonies – and these do go on. Every single thought or possible fear is examined out in immense detail, and that does slow the book down and you do find yourself glazing over a bit.

I also found the author’s desire to describe all details of a character and a setting in minute detail frustrating. Each character’s hair and eye colour are given – even peripheral characters – and settings are described extensively (there’s one particular stand out example of the sky being described as mango sorbet colour with raspberry ripple waves, shot through with caramel, which is a bit much.) This enthusiasm for too much detail actually pushes the reader out as it prevents us engaging through our imagination – we are not encouraged to think and be drawn in; everything is told to us.

But, like I said, I’ve no doubt this will be a success. It’s an engaging read on a timely subject. A strong piece of commercial fiction.

Gripping analysis of a rape trial, which is all the more devastating for its veracity. An occasionally pedantic focus on the legal process is offset by an engagingly vulnerable but unrelenting heroine.

Unfortunately I did not find this as exciting and thrilling as I expected, however, that said, I did enjoy the story being told from the different viewpoints which slowly revealed more information.

I found Anatomy of a Scandal a very well written book on a very difficult subject. I thought it was very current, realistic and believable. I did find some of the friendships and decision somewhat unlikely, but like I said it was still believable so it didn't bother me. I liked how the disappointment and hurt was conveyed, it really drew me in and made me feel all kinds of things for the characters and the story that was being told. Overall I enjoyed this book.

This was an entertaining and readable thriller that contained a lot of my favourite crime novel elements; courtroom scenes, Oxbridge, tangled secrets from young adulthood. But while I enjoyed reading it, I ultimately found it unsatisfying. Firstly, the structure is often quite awkward; there are five narrators and we're often introduced to each of them by a lengthy info-dump where they simply think about their life and choices for a long period of time. This is also used later in the novel when we haven't seen one character's perspective on events for a while, and it makes the characterisation very clunky, as well as slowing down the pace. Secondly, I actually guessed the central twist early in the novel, which is very unusual for me; I never guess twists. This wasn't a big deal, but it did make me feel that it was a bit cliched. Thirdly, I do think the book could have had more to say about the impact of rape and rape culture, although what was there was well done. Finally, the ending felt weak and rushed, and I would like to have heard a lot more about the aftermath of what happened. Most obviously, there are two central characters (I won't give details to avoid spoilers) that I felt really ought to have met near the end of the novel.

I did think that Anatomy of a Scandal was a good read, but it ended up reminding me more of better thrillers such as Louise Doughty's Apple Tree Yard and Erin Kelly's He Said/She Said then shining in its own right. And - this isn't the author's fault at all, of course - it already feels out of date, reminding us of David Cameron, the Bullingdon Club and a pre-Brexit, pre-Trump, pre #metoo time.

I received a free proof copy of this book through NetGalley for review. I will post a fuller review once the book is published in January 2018.

This is a tense and gripping psychological thriller with believable characters and a topical storyline. The writing is sharp and pacy. I found myself telling people, ‘I’m reading such a good book,’ and was keen to get back to it when I had to do other things. My mind kept drifting back to the story. Kate’s life is overshadowed by a terrible incident from her university days and she has the chance to achieve justice. The story moves seamlessly between the past and the present, each time zone equally interesting, and between Kate and Sophie, wife of politician James who is accused of raping a colleague with whom he has had an affair. An excellent read, full of tension.

Wow, this was close to the bone. Such a topical exercise in a scandal involving sex, infidelity, rape and politics. A heady mixture that usually fills the newspapers today.
I just loved the way that Sarah Vaughan put this story together giving us the candid views of each of the players in the scenario. There were no innuendos, twists, was he right, was she right. The plot unfolded as if in real time and was straight and true.
I do not doubt that this plot mirrors actuality involving the privileged set from Eton to Oxford and on to Westminster. The self-centred, haughty, selfish thinking portrayed in the James and his prime minister friend are closer to the truth than comfortable. We have seen the likes of these shenanigans repeatedly in the past 38 years, beginning with Thatcher's crew.
Well written and well researched. The two barristers played their role perfectly. Sarah described the court and the way QC's think and perform. She wrote" Adversarial advocacy is not really and inquiry into the truth.....Advocacy is about being more persuasive than your opponent. You can win even if the evidence is stacked against you provided that you argue better.And it's all about winning." Truth in court is difficult to establish. Spot on!

Elegant prose and a cast of divisive characters makes Anatomy of a Scandal a great read. Topical considering the current climate for allegations of sexual harassment and rape claims in our society today. Well written and thoroughly compelling. Loved it!

I'm sorry to say that this book failed to grab me, despite me wanting to like it. The start of the first chapter did not take me by the scruff of the neck reading about wigs and shoes and I was not drawn in as I hoped throughout. I just didn't get the longing to root for any one of the main characters that the story follows.
I would say that I like John Grisham court-case based books, which this is loosely simular to, so this sounded like something I would like but 3 stars from me.
In any case, thank you for letting me preview it.

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.

This book started off slowly and I couldn’t see how it would all pull together. But somehow … I was hooked. I loved the writing, the characters. In fact, I loved everything about this book. 5*

Westminster. Politicians indulging in sexual scandals. Past lives full of Eton, Oxford, privilege and deviant behaviour amongst ambitious young men. Sound familiar?
Well in recent months the sexual assault claims from women in Parliament against their powerful bosses running the country have been well reported and the transfer of these news reports to a fictionalised plot comes easily to author Sarah Vaughan as she was a political journalist at The Guardian amongst other writing roles.
The novel is broken into chapters from the perspective of the central characters: Kate Woodcroft a leading Barrister, single, determined and wary of men takes on the controversial case of James Wilkinson, MP and Government Minister whose affair becomes public and gains police attention when a sexual crime is alleged. MP's loyal wife Sophie has to face the humiliation of public gaze and also look to her past when she was a young student meeting James at Oxford.
The present time line is then passed back to the 1990s as young Holly Berry (really did the author think that was a good choice of name?) Northern girl but A grade English student starts her life amongst the dreaming spires of Oxford. How will all their lives collide and who will suffer as secrets are revealed?
I have worked at Westminster for 13 years so was as familiar with the corridors of power as the author and the sex and drink that is described was (and probably still is) a major part of life for those in power as it always was.
However many of the characters are stereotypes and bear striking resemblances to recent politicians and the academic and career paths we are all familiar with (the raucous Bullingdon Club of posh Tories is a blatant offering)
There is a twist in the tale but the narrative is somewhat plodding and predictable and I didn't find many of the leading characters very believable. The topic is serious and the legal court scenes are worthy of more description. It's a fair attempt at what has now become a very relevant story about male power against vulnerable women but does seem more like a documentary/newspaper feature than a novel. Perhaps the author might have more to reveal in her day job amongst the dodgy world of politics........

An enthralling read with plenty to keep you hooked.

Wow, wow, wow!!! This was amazing. What a plot - so many twists and turns. Telling the story from different character’s points of view and between the past and present really worked well. Also, it’s so relevant to what's happening in the news right now. Anatomy of a Scandal has got to be a bestseller when published.
Many, many thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and Sarah Vaughan for the opportunity to read this wonderful book.

This book tells the story from the view point of several characters, and we get to know them all very well. Part of the book goes back to the early nineties, and gives a good feel for that period. All the characters are believable. Part of the book is a courtroom drama, part goes back to when the characters were at university. The pace and tension are maintained for most of the book, until about the last 10%, (I don't want to say after which event for fear of spooling the book for new readers), hence only 4 stars. I will look out for more books by Sarah Vaughan.

The depth, the depth, the depth. A book that dives ever deeper and you just have to follow it, you can't turn away even though you know whats coming. This book will be a huge hit.