It's 2am again but here we go. First off, if anyone is uncomfortable with rape and/or sexual assault or it is triggering for you, this book is not for you I would not recommend you read this.
This book... was not a thriller, was not a mystery and I really really dislike that is how it is advertised. It was a courtroom drama. Like this book was if we sat in court for like a week and heard every nitty gritty detail about EVERYTHING. And boy, did they ever go into detail about the rape. It was uncomfortable. Which is good! Because rape is not a pretty subject, it's not something that is easy to hear about. BUT, I feel like since the book description never really mentions rape, this whole arc can throw someone way off. The book itself was very dry and definitely did have a hard hitting moment but really? I didn't like the characters. I didn't like the overall plot of the book because it was not AT ALL what I thought it was going to be.
Let's talk about the characters shall we?
James? Whole ass dick. He had no personality other than the huge neon lights flashing "I'm an Asshole" burning over his head the whole time.
Sophie? Again no personality. She was so freaking wishy-washy and the way her arc in the story ended was possibly the most enabling thing I have ever read.
Kate? I understand that Kate was raped when she was younger and that's why she felt such passion for Olivia but fucking hell, you do not stake your whole career on that. Especially because (view spoiler) . And trauma can strip your personality away so at least I understood her lack of a personality.
If this book was labeled as a drama or just fiction, that would make more sense. But the mere fact that this book was labeled a mystery/thriller makes me so freaking frustrated. I apologize if you really love this book, I just did not enjoy it at all.

ANATOMY of a SCANDAL by Sarah Vaughan is a slow-burning, legal thriller, a courtroom drama that explores a scandal amongst the fortunate and privileged and the women involved. It involves a trial for a man accused of rape. The story follows the perspectives of a few different women.

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

Sophie’s husband James, a loving father, and successful public figure, and confidant of Prime Minister, had an affair with his parliamentary researcher, and 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 rip them apart.

Kate is a criminal barrister hired to prosecute the case: an experienced professional who knows that the law is all about winning the argument. And yet Kate seeks the truth at all times. She is certain James is guilty and is determined he will pay for his crimes.

Who is right about James? Sophie or Kate? She has known it since she and James were first lovers, at Oxford, and she witnessed how easily pleasure could tip into tragedy.

The book is told from multiple POV's -Sophie, his wife, Kate, the prosecutor, James, the accused, as well as Holly and Ali, from their days at Oxford. The intriguing characters come alive on the pages. I really enjoyed this book and was caught up in the story.

For fans of legal fiction and courtroom drama, don’t miss out on this absorbing legal drama.

Many thanks to Simon & Schuster Canada via netgalley for my digital copy.

This is an interesting procedural thriller, but surprisingly lacking in emotion. I found it difficult to feel any sort of empathy for any of the characters, and the overall tone of the novel is quite cold. The author is a capable writer, but I found myself wishing for more depth of feeling.

RATING: 3.5 STARS
​(I received an ARC from the NETGALLEY​)​
(Review Not on Blog)

I liked that this one was set in Britain and we got to see the British law at work. I initially rated this book 3.5 stars rounded up, but then changed my mind as I started to write this review. I finished this book without forcing myself so I wanted to give it a higher rating. Then when I think about what I liked about it (only the sound of crickets...just kidding, mostly) I don't really come up with many reasons. I found that the alternating storyline gave away a lot of the story, and the predictability of the ending left me frustrated. I did like the plot and the what the author was going for. I would try another novel by Vaughn.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sarah Vaughan for allowing me to read and review Anatomy of a Scandal. I thought that this book was fairly enjoyable and well written, but it middle of the pack for me. 3/5

Great story, especially after the 50% mark when it really got going. Very exciting g after that.

Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan is a solid tale that feels like it is taken from a headline that feels very common today. James Whitehouse is a young and charismatic politician who has been accused of rape. The novel is oriented around the viewpoints of various women who are linked to Whitehouse, including his wife, Sophie, and the prosecuting barrister, Kate.

I especially enjoyed the early build up of the case and learning more about those related to the case. There was a moment when a new viewpoint (Holly) was introduced that I felt a bit lost, but this all comes together eventually when these different lines of the story begin to come together. Once some key details are revealed, I found that I wanted the book to move a bit more quickly--overall, the first half of the book was a 4, whereas the second half was a 3. I'm rounding it up to a 4. I think that many will enjoy this timely story.

Tagline: “You want to believe your husband. She wants to destroy him.”

I REALLY enjoyed this gripping … domestic drama?? psychological suspense novel?? savvy courtroom drama?? I don’t know what genre this impressive debut fits into but I do know it’s a great read!!!

“Skillfully interweaving the story of the unfolding scandal, Vaughan gradually reveals just how shockingly high the stakes are…Sinewy…engrossing, twist-filled.” Publishers Weekly

PW got it right! This one kept my interest throughout, the two female protagonists were both sympathetic … and it ended in an unexpected but surprisingly satisfying conclusion. Kudos to Sarah Vaughan on a great debut. I’m excited to see what she does next.

I was so excited to read this book, I had heard so many amazing things about it from so many people, fellow bloggers and larger publication's reviews alike. Naturally, I went in with pretty high expectations of being blown away. Unfortunately, I'm left feeling like this book had so much unrealized potential.

Thanks so much to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book for an honest review, as always, all opinions are my own.

The story primarily follows the court case proceedings of James, a British politician who stands accused of rape by his one of his subordinate colleagues. Naturally, the case garners a lot of public interest. The story is told in multiple perspectives, including James, his wife Sophie, the prosecutor of the defendant Kate, and Holly, a girl who went to college with Sophie and James back in the day. Through these perspectives and a past and present timeline, James's case is brought to court and everything about himself and his family come into question.

I think my major issue with this book stems from the writing style and way the story is told. When I initially started, I thought the writing was quite different from what I am used to.I don't quite know how to describe the writing, I don't want to say pretentious, but I think it felt a little bit forced. The narration switched abruptly and inconsistently, instead of continuously alternating chapters, some instances had 4 chapters in a row in the same narration and then we wouldn't get that perspective again for quite some time. There was also switching between first- and third-person narration which, while helpful to signal a change in narrator, kept jerking me out of the story.

I also felt like Holly's POV was not very well done. I understand why she is important to the story, but I think she was introduced way too early and added little to the storyline in her chapters themselves. Once we figured out why she was important, I appreciated her side of things better, but I felt like most of her parts could be removed with little consequence.

Obviously, this book touches on the very serious and timely issue of rape and sexual assault. However, I don't think that this book used this element properly. Last year, I read a similar book, The Best Kind of People by Zoe Whittall, and I think she did a much better job integrating and describing the feelings of family members of those accused of rape. I think Vaughn had a great opportunity to explore that here with Sophie but her attempt fell flat for me.

Often times, these types of books will also work to create sympathy for both sides of the argument, show the 'innocence' of the accused, but I felt like I couldn't even see a storyline where James was innocent (not a spoiler, I won't say what the jury's verdict was). I'm glad that Vaughn set the story up for readers to believe the survivor brave enough to stand up against their abuser, as we should, but I felt like the synopsis leads us to believe it will be much more ambiguous and if this is so, it failed.

I'm really quite sad I didn't like this book more, I know so many people have been raving about it. I think, ultimately, it was too slowly paced and Vaughn didn't use the storyline to the fullest abilities of its abilities to make this one a hit for me.

Overall, a disappointing legal thriller that just didn't thrill me.

I was given a free ecopy of this book from Simon and Schuster Canada and #Netgalley for an honest review. I enjoyed this book but didn’t love it. We follow the story of James and Sophie. James is a member of the British Parliament and he is being put on trial for rape. He has always lived a charmed life. He’s personable, good looking, been to the best schools etc. He has a lovely wife and children. Sophie, his wife, is horrified by the charges but believes he is innocent. Unbeknownst to them the woman prosecuting James has a connection to them from college. There are a lot of flashbacks to their college years. As we learn more, Sophie begins to have doubts about James. The story was good but just didn’t engage me. I felt no real connection to the characters. I was hoping for a bit more. I’m giving it a 3.5 even though Goodreads won’t give me that extra half a mark

I couldn't get into this book. The description sounded fantastic and I couldn't wait to dive into this book but after attempting to read it multiple times I just couldn't get into the story line. I found the characters a little lackluster. I can definitely see the appeal of this book but I just don't think it was for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for my copy.
James and Sophie are the dream couple, he is a member of parliament and becomes embroiled in an affair with a female researcher Olivia. When the affair becomes public knowledge James finds himself accused of a terrible crime.

The story unfolds from different viewpoints, Sophie the dutiful heartbroken wife and Kate the prosecuting barrister who has her own secrets. It is also told in flashbacks to when James and Sophie are in university and lived a totally different existence.


I love courtroom dramas and police procedurals. Having said that I wanted to like this book much more than I actually did. With the subject matter of rape and sexual harassment being in the forefront of the media presently this book could have been so much more. The trouble for me was that I found it difficult to think this case would ever get passed by the Crown Prosecution service and actually get to court. I also didn't connect with any of the characters and whilst I felt empathy with Sophie she was still not a person I could like.

Overall a slow burner which kept me engaged but not enthralled.

Anatomy of a Scandal is a superbly written novel that immediately pulled me into the story and the characters’ lives. I chose the busiest time of the year to decide to read this book, which probably wasn’t the best decision I could have made because as soon as I began reading it I was hooked. I would tell myself that I would just read one more chapter…then I would read another…and another. It is fast-paced, intriguing, and kept me completely captivated as I witnessed the story unfold.

To outsiders looking in, James and Sophie Whitehouse would appear to have a picture perfect life and marriage. James and Sophie met back in their university days at Oxford. James is a successful, handsome politician who exudes self-confidence and charm, while Sophie is the beautiful, doting wife and mother to their two children. Their lives are turned upside down when James is accused of a shocking crime, one that seems far out of James’s character, social status, and elite upbringing. Sophie is certain that her husband is innocent. How could the man that she has known all these years, the father of her children, have done such a thing? But how well does Sophie really know her husband?

To Kate Woodcroft, the prosecuting attorney, James is a guilty man. It’s her job to try to convince the jury of his guilt, but that’s not an easy feat. A man of James’s stature, who is recognizable to the citizens, and who is a strikingly charismatic family man, is not the usual profile of a criminal.

Anatomy of a Scandal is a timely and relevant book. With all of the allegations that have surfaced in the entertainment industry and in the political landscape over the past year, this book is even more topical than ever. When individuals use their power, prestige, and influence to push the boundaries of what is considered acceptable in society and then expect no repercussions for their actions, it brings to mind the old boys’ club mentality, sticking up and defending your own, to the detriment of an innocent, violated victim. The power players who have the firm belief that they are made of rubber and everything will just bounce right off of them.

The book is told from the perspectives of the main characters, from the past to the present day. This allows the reader to get a glimpse into the lives of the characters, to become better acquainted with them, and to have a better understanding of the events that have shaped their lives. I had very strong feelings toward the characters, which exactly what I want from a novel. Good or bad, I want and need to feel something for the characters and their situations.

Sarah Vaughan has written an addictive story that is filled with marital issues, lies, betrayals, courtroom drama, and suspense. It begs the question: how well do you really know your spouse? I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough to discover what was going to happen next. This was my first time reading a novel by Sarah Vaughan, but it certainly won’t be my last. Anatomy of a Scandal was a riveting read that won’t soon be forgotten.

*4.5 Stars

SUCH POTENTIAL.

2.5 star read.

Ok - so this book read like an entire "House of Cards" season (and you could mix the original British version with the American version to really hit what this book was like) and an episode of "Silk" - basically, it read like it should be on television and not so much a novel.

So many little subplots, which were all really really well developed and described ... but overly so. Sarah Vaughan described everything to the point that I felt like I was being ambushed with words. Her editor should have cut out paragraphs and pages - we still would have gotten the same meaning, but not as drawn out or repetitive.

Kate - the barrister who reminded me of the main character from "Silk" - is prosecuting a young, handsome, charismatic Minister of the Crown, James, of raping his assistant ... a claim that is further complicated by the fact that they (James and his assistant) did have an affair, and the claim of rape was once he had called off their relationship. Kate specializes in rape and sexual assault cases, and you have to wonder, what happened to her to make her take on such difficult and emotionally trying cases?

James - the young Minister, best friend to the Prime Minister, who never has to answer for his actions and assumes that everything he touches will turn to gold. Has he met his match? Or will he be able to convince a jury of his peers that what happened in the elevator between him and the victim was nothing more than an aggressive sexual encounter, consented by both parties?

Sophie - James' wife and keeper of his secrets. This trial brings up memories of their past at Oxford, while also forcing her to question if her life is really what it appears to be, if her husband and their relationship really is as solid and loving as she believed it to be.

And then we have the subplot of Holly - Sophie's English literature partner at Oxford, who has a mild crush on the handsome James, but is far too shy and inexperienced to ever approach him. Holly is the character that helps move along the past story-line (that implicate Sophie and James as well).

All of the characters were well developed, they all had unique perspectives, were able to bring a depth to the plot - my issue is really with the fact that this novel should have been paired down. With a little more restraint it could have been a really solid mystery. Instead it just got lost in its own words.

Wow.. touchy subject but so well done. Pulled me in and wouldn't let me go till i finished!
Great book!

Thanks to Netgalley for a ARC

I was looking forward to reading this one and was excited to get an early copy. Unfortunately, I hated everything about this book. I didn't like it from the very beginning, but I figured it would turn into something really good later on. I was wrong. I found it very boring and repetitious. I didn't like the characters or the writing. Even the twist didn't do anything for me. Around the halfway mark I started skimming. This one was a big disappointment.

Anatomy of a scandal is a good thriller. The story kept me on the edge, a real page-turner. I loved that it's written from different perspective. I recommend.

Thank you Net Galley and Simon and Schuster Canada for sharing this ARC.

James, a junior government minister, confesses to his wife Sophie that he has been having an affair with Olivia, a parliamentary aide. Then Olivia accuses James of rape.

The narrative is split between the present day (where we hear about the trial from the perspectives of Sophie and of Kate, the prosecution barrister), and the academic year 1992/3 when James and Sophie first met at Oxford (told from the perspectives of Holly, Sophie's tutorial partner and of James himself). Events that occurred that year throw light on James' personality and on the motivations of one other character.

I was at Oxford myself just before the year these fictional events occur and I found the sense of place and of the unique vocabulary to be very well done. The story as a whole was well-structured and suspenseful. It was also very thought-provoking, raising questions about consent and perception versus truth. It would make a good book club choice.

SPOILERS

Kate/Holly's decisions were interesting to me; I wonder if a different barrister might have been able to get a guilty verdict. Should she not have gone to the police herself? (Although once she had read the brief, she would not have been convincing as a corroborative witness...)

Minor quibbles: the Oxford Sophie was pretty unlikeable and hard to relate to present day Sophie, who was far more sympathetic. Also, Holly seemed to flip from finally having found her place at Oxford to then still feeling like an outsider in the next chapter from her perspective.

Overall highly recommended. I read it in one sitting.