Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan

I am not sure about you, but I just love a political thriller. Many will have watched Apple Tree Yard the excellent TV drama that hit our screens in 2017. If you enjoyed that then you really will enjoy reading Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan. It is fast and pacey and a real page turner. One book that will have you cancelling your Sunday and will want to curl up and really get into this timely political drama.

James is a very successful public figure a man who has the perfect life. A wonderful wife in Sophie and a doting father. But for some, that is not enough, they want more. James Whitehouse is a Junior government minister and only the Prime Minister’s closest friend and one destined for great things but now his world is completely rocked by a sex allegation by his political researcher. James is pleading innocence and now his life is just beginning to fall apart. His marriage and family and his political aspirations all come under scrutiny in this thumping and gripping drama that is played out in a London courtroom. Will his close friend still stand by him now?

Enter Kate the prosecuting barrister is going to make James life extremely difficult and will do everything in her legal powers to find this man guilty of his crime. James is accused of raping his researcher Olivia Lytton and this was said to have happened after their affair came to an end. Now for Sophie her world has been torn apart by her husband’s secret life and her life with her husband James is now under the microscope of the media.

In the tense courtroom room Kate is neither holding back or afraid of confronting James and sordid details start to come to the surface. And will Olivia hold up in court while giving evidence in graphic detail. She has to hold her nerve or the defence will latch on to this and sense she could crack. There are some interesting questions being posed here as all the leading characters start to examine their own lives and that includes Kate. Has she let this case get to her and is this a case that is becoming ‘personal’. Anatomy of a Scandal is just a superbly written drama and brilliantly played out. Credit to Sarah Vaughan for the immense research and a gripping courtroom drama that you just cannot leave alone. You want to know what is coming next. What is it about the dark corridors of political power and some men who think that they can get away with whatever takes their fancy. Is this a case of sexual consent or something much more sinister? Then there are the secrets and lies in a marriage. This is just pure class. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

400 Pages.

Thank you Jessica Barratt for the review copy of Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan

Anatomy of a Scandal by Sarah Vaughan is published by Simon & Schuster and was published on 11^th January 2018 and is available through Waterstones, Amazon and all good bookshops