Anatomy of a Scandal (by Sarah Vaughan)

This book came with many recommendations and headlines:

“Full of Twists and Turns”
“Sensational”
“Engrossing pysch-thriller-cum-courtroom-drama”

It was also recommended by the Richard and Judy book club. So with all this hype, I was looking to a good read! But how disappointing.

Anatomy of a Scandal (by Sarah Vaughan)The story-line is fine: Hi-jinks by the PM and best friend, James at University lead to a rape of a student by the young James. Later we learn that James is now an upcoming politician with a promising future. After having an affair with his researcher, he decides to break off the relationship. But one night, he relapses and has sex with the researcher in a lift at Westminster! Later she claims rape, and the scandal rocks Westminster. The court case is a highlight of the book and the prosecution barrister is none other than the girl James raped at Uni. Bizarre coincidence and he does not recognise her. It seems the Defence barrister/solicitor has not researched the background of the Prosecution barrister either!

Towards the end of the book, we learn about the full extent of the high jinx at Oxford. It has a significant impact on the final chapter.

A good story but for me, too many passages felt like unnecessary filler, and the high tension evaporated.

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