Three women friends, Marisa, Claire and Elly may live in pampered luxury in the Hamptons, but each of them hold traumatic secrets that they have not shared with anyone.
Then a young woman arrives in town and their carefully controlled facades are blown away.
This is a stunning, emotional, dark, twisty and deeply engaging domestic suspense novel from an author on top of her game.
Prepare to stay up late turning the pages!

The Scandal was written by the wonderful Nicola Marsh and published by my Bookouture besties. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review. This book was released 07/25/19.

Marisa seems to have the perfect life-a brilliant husband, a giant mansion, and beautiful twin girls, but she has a secret. She tries to hold her life together by taking care of her best friends Claire and Elly, but they each have secrets of their own they're struggling to hide. When pregnant stranger Jodi magically shows up at Marisa's door, she is eager to help her with her "situation." The father of Jodi's child is someone all three ladies know, and the truth will turn everything upside down.

I couldn't put this book down. I would silently prop my kindle up in bed next to my sleeping fiance, so that if I fell asleep and dropped it there would be no damage. Marisa, Claire, and Elly are all so wonderfully flawed, each one of them so interesting in their own right. I found myself identifying with parts of each of them. I felt the stress on Jodi's shoulders being pregnant, poor, and floundering. As for the ending, it was truly perfect. It had me guessing until the very end. I would swear up and down I had it figured out, only to change to another view and swear that was the ending. This was a truly wonderful thriller. It was impossible to put down and the ending kept me guessing right up until the last page. Thank you to NetGalley and Bookouture for another brilliant 5 star thriller!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars

The Scandal was a wild ride and you’ll be there every step of the way because Nicola Marsh’s ability to create mystery within a small circle of people was fulfilling and well done.

Marsh cleverly plots small interconnected mysteries throughout the book that keep the bigger picture in the dark, therefore, building suspense for the reader. I loved the build up and was faced with many surprises along the way.

Every character, from Marisa the philanthropist, Claire the police investigator and Elly the instigator, had a pivotal and layered role to play. I flew through the last 150 pages of this book in an effort to sate my curiosity.

My issue was that the ending/big reveal felt a bit rushed. I also felt like there was a lot of missed opportunity for different representations that could have benefitted the diversity of the cast.

Overall, I really enjoyed The Scandal with all of its mind blowing plot twists and I thought the construction of the ties between the characters and the way it entangles into a murder was done really well.

The threads that run throughout this thriller are incredible - you’re always left second guessing which character is involved with who and what, and the different chapter perspectives really help facilitate that. I particularly enjoyed the last 20% of the book when the truth began to come out and unravel for the reader. The writing style of this book really reminds me of Jodi Picoult and Lianne Moriarty, so if your fans of them (as I am) then I would recommend this book for you.

My first book by this author and it hit bull's eye straight away!

From the very first moment I was intrigued by the storyline and it was nice to be able to get into the heads of the three women who are telling the story alternatively.

The author managed to feed us only small snippets of information. It resulted in my head spinning because everytime I thought I had figured out who was the perpetrator, she revealed something new and poof there went my theory.

And then when you think it's finally over it seems that it still isn't.

If you are looking for a story with a direct route from A to Z then you have another think coming. The author takes you through the whole alphabet before you are allowed to reach your destination. Wonderful!

If there would be an award for adding twists and turns to a book and keeping the reader entertained, the author totally deserves a nomination. 5 stars.

Thank you, Nicola Marsh, Bookouture and Netgalley.

Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for a Thrilling ride!!! WOW WHAT A GREAT BOOK! From the first chapter you were part of the lives of the characters. Every time I thought I knew who did what, there was another TWIST! Loved this book, sad it ended. Thank you Nicola Marsh for a Great read.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advanced copy...

Wow! That was lots of stuff going on...it’s really good!

Looking forward to read more book from this author soon..

Marisa, Clare and Elly have been best friends for the last couple of years. Everyone has secrets including their seemingly perfect husbands. This book had more twists and turns than a corkscrew and it kept me guessing until the very end. The characters were all pretty much flawed and I really did not like any of them but I think that is what makes it such a great read. If you want a thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat, this is it and I highly recommend it. Thank you NetGalley and Bookouture for the ARC of this fantastic read in exchange for an honest review.

Set in the center of the extravagance of` the Hamptons, three friends lives will collide with secrets, scandal, and greed. Marisa, the perfect housewife has a passion for helping others. Claire has been struggling with infertility and it is testing the bounds of her marriage. And then there is Elly who harbors a devastating past that overshadows her every move, especially in male relationships. These friends are close, but each holds secrets that they keep from their partners and each other.

When Jodi arrives at the small town of Glendale, she has only one agenda, to find the father of her unborn son. Suddenly her arrival unleashes a twisted web of the secrets and lies among this small circle. And it appears that this close-knit group of friends could not appear more distant.

The Scandal should be titled in the plural as there is duplicity among all lines of friendship. The story is written in three consecutive perspectives of Marisa, Elly, and Claire. The author treats each character thoughtfully sharing the perspectives cleanly. The story-building and the scintillating subject matter of betrayal carried me quickly through the novel. However, a major flaw of this story is that it is plot-driven. Although this story is along the lines of a tv soap opera (even one of the characters references this), a bit of poetry could have added to the mise en scene. After all, we are in the Hamptons!

Overall I would give this story a 3.5 rounded to 3.

Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Close friends and secrets, what could be more relatable? The Scandal by Nicola Marsh is a twisty ride of a thriller!

What you need to know:

Ever since her twin girls left home, Marisa has felt there’s something missing from her life. Her sprawling mansion is no longer filled with laughter and chaos, and she’s desperate to feel needed… and to be distracted from the secret she’s been hiding from her husband for all these years.

Coffee with her best friends might be the only thing holding Marisa together. But Claire and Elly have their own secrets. Like why Claire hasn’t been to work in weeks, or why Elly won’t tell anyone who’s buying her flowers.

When Jodi, a pregnant young girl, turns up at Marisa’s doorstep, Marisa is quick to come to her aid. She sees herself in Jodi and she knows how devoting yourself to looking after others can take up all your time in the most marvellous way.

But Jodi’s arrival quickly pushes everyone’s lies to the surface. The father of her unborn child is someone the women know very well, and Marisa starts to wonder if her obsession with helping Jodi might come at a devastating price…


Secrets, lies, and murder are just a few of the ingredients that make up this novel which readers will absolutely LOVE.

Due out on July 25, pre-order now.

This is my first Nicola Marsh book and I can't wait to read the next one! I loved this tangled web of friendship and lies, which kept teasing me into one line of thinking, only to make me realise I'd got it all wrong and something else entirely was happening. The writing style flows along at a brilliant pace and I stopped everything until I'd got to the end. Just one more chapter, I kept telling myself, then I had to read the next and the next. Phew! A cracking read :) Loved it.

Kinda Jackie Collins meets psychological thriller, ish!
Set in ‘The Hamptons’ a place I know
I have always wanted to see the book centres around 3 friends, 1 privileged but tries to give back in good deeds what she has in wealth, 1 a policewoman and 1 who is effortlessly glam and the envy of all other women....an unusual trio, but it works
But secrets abound, of course, from the past and from the present and every day the fragility of their lies threatens them and their friendship
All 3 have partners, all the partners are not as they seem
You see the emerging picture?
And then there’s Maggie, on the fringes with her detoxes and smarmy hubby
Things all start to come to a head when a single pregnant lady arrives and is determined to confront the father
There is actually some full on serious matters covered in the book inc date rape, drugs, murder and narcissism to name just a few
Every one and every lie, every secret and every brutality comes together in an unexpected gruesome ending that did surprise me
The characters it has to be said are not likeable, in the slightest, but you do empathise with some when the truth ‘is out’
A perfectly ample with intrigue told tale with good descriptive writing and different enough to hold ( mine at any rate ) attention
8/10 4 Stars

1.5 stars rounded up

Very mediocre read. The characters were unlikeable and stupid, the twists easy to spot, and the storyline repetitive and slow-paced. I think my biggest issue with this one was the characters. I wasn't able to connect with a single one, and the one whose chapters I did tolerate the best ended up dying before I could really get invested in her story! I skimmed about the last 3/4 just to see if I was right about the twist in the end--I was.

Not much good to say about this one...

Sometimes the title of perfection is hard to uphold, and that couldn't be truer for these three wealthy and elite women living in the Hamptons. Each have their own little secrets, appearances they are expected to maintain, and lies they tell themselves to keep themselves sane. Marisa is a bored empty-nester who craves attention of her ever-absent husband. Elly, a secretly divorced woman, that has a secret lover, and loads of secrets she hopes never come to light. And Claire, a woman struggling to keep her marriage afloat with hopes of having a child, only to discover that little dream may never come true. These ladies have a surplus of drama, but try their best to keep it under-wraps, it's all about the image of perfection in their world.

But their immaculate little worlds are all about to unravel around them with the arrival of a young pregnant woman who claims one of their husbands is the father to her child... this is a scandal no amount of little white lies can cover up!

The Scandal is a gripping story about three wealthy women who struggle to maintain the perfection expected in their glamorous worlds... and one pregnant woman who has the power to destroy them. This crafty little page-turner sucked me in from the first page and held me hostage until the last... it was like an episode of Desperate Housewives on crack! These ladies and all their little white lies were thoroughly entertaining, the levels they went to to keep their secrets were shocking and quite devious. I have read other books by this author, and loved them, but I must say this is my favorite from her by far, I loved this new suspenseful side of her work. Her words were absorbing, the characters were perfectly crafted. And the story line was riddle with twists and turns, jaw dropping drama and thrilling suspense! Highly recommend you get your hands on this one, it promises to thrill!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from NetGalley, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

Marisa,Elly & Claire are best friends. They all have secrets but they keep them close to there chest..
This story is told by the three friends and Jodie . A young woman who finds herself pregnant . She sets out to find the father of the child. This lead her to the Hamptons and into the three best friends lives in very different ways.
From Jodie turning up secrets begin to come out. With many twists & turns this book will keep you hooked.
A great book by Nicola Marsh first book I have read from this author but won’t be the last.
Thank you Netgalley

I enjoyed the writing, but there were several phrases that were distinctly not American, and since we have Americans talking, it was a little off putting. A kitchen counter top was always referred to as a bench. And, ..."I don't believe she should be "trialed" for murder." We would say "tried". I may be too picky and it may not bother anyone else. I have to also admit that, without going into spoiler details, I really didn't find the people and their lifestyles appealing or sympathetic, The end was very exciting and surprising though!
Thank you to NetGalley for the free book in turn for an honest review.

If there was ever such thing as a "beachy thriller", this would be it.
This book had a lot of twists and turns, and had a big twist in the last few pages that I definitely did not see coming. There was something really intriguing about put-together upper-echelon women dealing with some of the seediest people in society (and even being married to some of them). There were some great Big Little Lies vibes from this book. If you're a fan of that show/book, definitely check this one out.
My only gripe is that I wish the characters had been a bit more dynamic, The three leads, Marisa, Claire, and Elly, all felt a little one-dimensional to me. And there was too much repetition when it came to Claire's personal issues. They seldom evolved in the plot, but the same thing seemed to be said over and over. That wasn't needed.
Overall, a good read!

What an amazing novel! The character development was incredible, the story line flowed seamlessly and I was captivated the whole time. Highly recommended!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a really great story and was a fantastic read! It was an absolute page turner. The Scandal was a really good psychological thriller and a must-read book if that's your genre! It kept me guessing the entire time.

If you're in the mood for a fast-paced page turner, snag this one! It's a great summer read!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.
I did enjoy reading this, however the characters just weren't all totally believable. The 3 main women were each so totally different it didn't make sense for them to all be best friends. Close, yes I guess but not best. How could they all keep such secrets if they were in fact "best friends"? And the men...all sleaze bags, lol. The only one I thought might have been decent was Dane, yet towards the end he showed his violent side. I know it was probably to make the reader wonder about the "who done it" part...which by the way was pretty good. It definitely kept me wondering. But he could have stayed in the sainthood imo.
Overall The Scandal was a pretty decent read. Good story line and I did feel for the women once you got to know more of each or their histories.