Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for this sample read.
This seems interesting and will be added to my wishlist.

Interesting and topical story about trolling female MPs. Good exploration of social media and all it can do against women. Great writing.

Reputation by Sarah Vaughan is a thriller which tells the story of Labour MP Emma Webster, a divorced former teacher whose life starts to unravel when a body is discovered at the bottom of her stairs and her teenage daughter is involved in a bullying scandal at school. The novel is an up-to-the minute examination of a whole host of topical issues including social media trolling, revenge porn and how female politicians have to navigate their portrayal in the media and work-life balance in ways that their male colleagues are less likely to consider. The courtroom scenes in the second half are tense if a little repetitive, but overall, ‘Reputation’ is stylishly written and offers a realistic portrayal of life in the Westminster bubble thanks to Vaughan’s background in journalism. Many thanks to Simon & Schuster for sending me a review copy via NetGalley.

I was fortunate to receive a copy of this ARC from Pigeonhole and Simon and Schuster.

Having recently read Anatomy of a Scandal in preparation for the Netflix series, I was looking forward to reading this one as it sounded just as powerful. And it was! Particularly given the current climate around UK politics, the murders of Jo Cox and David Ames (whether you agree with their politics or not) while doing their jobs, the right of women to be able to get on with their lives safely without fear of harassment and of course the age old issues of women running a home full time and working full time.

There were lots I could relate to in this book - walking with keys in hand, unlocking my car just as I get to the door (whereas my husband will fumble about with the keys when we're already ready to get in) and locking the doors immediately, walking in the road rather than on the path when in dark areas.

I enjoyed the courtroom scenes in the novel and it is interesting how the author creates the narrative so you keep changing your mind about what has happened!

My favourite quote:
"Then the colour drains from her face completely like a blackcurrant lolly with the juice sucked from it."

Sarah Vaughan must be the queen of the courtroom drama. I was enthralled, gripped, hooked and all the other words that have that sort of meaning.

I was never quite sure what the truth of the matter was, I had my own theory that I was only a sliver correct with, but thoroughly enjoyed seeing how this all played out.

In fact I reckon it would work well on TV as a series, there are enough mini cliff-hangers, or stopping points for the next episodes to build suspense, drama and intrigue.

In multiple parts we discover the lead up to the journalist's death, Emma's frame of mind at all times, the great causes she was campaigning for as an MP, but the flipside too as to how much abuse and vitriol can be directed at someone in the public eye.

I could at times feel Emma's fear alongside her, and although the majority of the book is from her point of view, we also get chapters from Flora's, her daughter, as well as various other key people. Flora is an interesting character, she's a teen that has one lapse of judgment that has rippling consequences. We also see how she deals being a teen with a mother accused of murder.

Sarah Vaughan has such a way with words, that I felt as though I was a fly on the wall at all times, watching everything so clearly. It's superb writing, and she's an author that is clearly going from strength to strength.

I utterly loved this!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Joan Jett might've sang she didn't give a damn about her bad reputation, but in Sarah Vaughan's 'Reputation', its everything for politician Emma Webster.

After sacrificing her marriage for her political career - because of course her initially supportive husband can't handle his wife in the power position, Emma battles her own parliamentary party colleagues as well as those on the opposite side of the bench in order to lobby for a bill to protect women and girls from online abuse. All while receiving online abuse.

Meanwhile her 14 year old daughter Flora encounters her own bullying, but decides on fighting back in a way that would leave her mum embarassed.

Throw in a man dead in her home and Emma's life is turned upside down as she fights to protect her reptuation in court.

Vaughan weaves a slow burn thriller about women in public life and the misogynistic attacks on their reputation, particularly online where its easy to publish near-threats from behind a screen. It cleverly tackles online abuse from a generational divide, along with the ways men and women - specifically white men and women experience online abuse.

Hadn't realised this was only the prologue and first chapter of the book but my goodness it has made me want to rush off and buy myself the full thing!

In the prologue, we find out that someone has died violently. In the first chapter we hear of a photo shoot for The Guardian magazine that MP Emma Webster regrets. Why? Because, as we are tantalising told, the photos will be used when she is arrested and charged...

I now need to find out the full story!

Reputation is a gripping, timely thriller that shines a light on the realities of being a female in the public eye. The main character, Emma Webster, is a successful MP who balances her political life with the challenges of raising her teenage daughter, Flora. Emma takes her job seriously and wants to make a difference, even though her dedication to the role leads to difficult choices and sacrifices. Splitting her life between the family home and shared flat with two other MPs in London put a strain on her marriage and ultimately led to its breakdown. Now 14-year-old Flora lives with Emma’s ex-husband and his new partner during the week and stays with Emma at weekends.

Emma is passionate about campaigning for stricter laws on revenge porn and collaborates with a local journalist to further her cause. However, a lapse in her judgement sets off a disastrous chain of events. When the person that was helping her turns against her, Emma finds herself in a position which could lead to the loss of everything: her family, her career and even her freedom.

The author effectively shows us the dangers of being a woman in a prominent public role. Emma holds meetings with her constituents, some of whom are aggressive and blame her for certain issues. She has bottles of water on her desk in case of an acid attack and faces daily messages of abuse on social media. Even when she is photographed for a magazine interview, she still finds misogynistic comments being made online about her appearance.

I particularly liked the theme of reputation that runs through this novel. Every character seems to have something to lose and the plot shows how a lifetime of good character can be thrown away in an instant. The female characters were depicted very well, particularly Emma’s daughter Flora who deals with bullying at school and Emma’s former friend Caroline, who has to negotiate a tricky new role in the family.

This was a tense, enjoyable read which dealt with many current themes. It felt extremely realistic at times and reflective of many political issues in the UK over the last few years. The strong plot and detailed characterisation make this an unforgettable thriller.

Reputation is an absorbing, authentic, contemporary courtroom thriller. A crusading backbench M P is accused of murdering a tabloid journalist. Set in a modern world where lives and reputations are monitored on social media, this is a well written and compelling novel.

Powerful, visceral and pertinent thriller that is a 2022 must read!

This was the first book by Sarah Vaughan that I have read and I can safely say that it won’t be my last. I was absolutely blown away by how timely, visceral, believable and powerful this novel is. This book is so much more than a thriller about a disgraced politician and the tattered remains of her public image, it’s a book about the importance of reputation for us all (and particularly for females in the public eye) and the lengths we will go to retain it. Throughout the narrative it’s not only Emma Webster who is forced to fight for her reputation, but a whole host of characters and it’s clear that it’s far too easy for women’s reputations to be tarnished by others in our society. This novel is also a stark social commentary that tackles gender inequality (even in the wake of the #metoo movement), the dangers of public life, mother-daughter relationships, sexual abuse, mental health, cancel culture and male privilege. It’s a complicated web or problematic social issues that are expertly woven into a heart-pounding plot that is fraught with layer upon layer of tension. I was totally drawn into Emma Webster’s world and felt like I was reading about a real-life politician and her plight. The plausibility of the narrative and the visceral emotions evoked made it feel like I was reading a true crime story and I couldn’t get enough!

As well as being a compelling social critique, Reputation is a flawless thriller. It spans multiple sub genres - crime, political, courtroom drama - and each of these aspects are crafted with a precision that makes it hard to put the book down. Told in four distinct parts, I really enjoyed the gradual development of Emma’s plight and the evolving stories of her family, colleagues, contacts and constituents. The whole narrative swells like a continuous crescendo, building to a powerful finale that sends shockwaves through the reader. I’m still feeling the reverberations now and I can genuinely say that I haven’t read a more affecting and painfully contemporary novel before. Vaughan builds suspense and tension masterfully and keeps the reader guessing throughout. I continually flipped between thinking Emma was innocent or guilty of her charges and the courtroom scenes were written fantastically, with both barristers being entirely convincing (I would have struggled to decide Emma’s guilt if I was on that jury!). However, despite my varying feelings on Emma’s guilt, I never stopped rooting for her and I always liked her. Vaughan paints a vividly rounded picture of a woman who desperately wants to help and make a difference, but who is also a mother who wishes to do more for her daughter, a woman who is lonely but not aloof and a woman who is determined to achieve her goals (not least as she was encouraged so passionately by her father). She’s a complicated character who is strikingly realistic and woefully human and she deserves to go down in literary history as one of the greatest! Similarly, Vaughan deserves all of the accolades for this astounding novel.

If you enjoy a thriller that tackles real life issues through a tense plot and incredible characters, Reputation should be top of your TBR!

A skilfully written novel dealing with current topics and behaviour that could ruin one’s reputation. I really enjoy the way Sarah Vaughan writes. Her observations of people’s behaviour are perceptive and honest and her storylines are well thought out and executed. The characters are all very credible.
A political thriller/legal drama which had me hooked and reading compulsively to see where the story would go.
One of my favourite books of 2022 to date. Would make an excellent tv series, like her previous novel.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to read this ARC.

A very impressive and thought provoking book about being a working mother in the modern world where social media trolls (or keyboard warriors) take delight in being cruel and the internet can often more harm than good. Why do women have to fight to protect themselves and their families? I must admit that this would put me off a career as a MP

Emma Webster is an MP for Portsmouth, she had always wanted to do this, to make a difference. Before becoming an MP she was a teacher, married to David and they had a daughter Flora. But her dream of being an MP and becoming one had ended her marriage. Being in London in a shared house with two other MP’s for most of her week and being in her home town of Portsmouth at the weekends had taken it’s toll on her marriage. Along with her friend Caroline having a relationship with David. Now Caroline and David are married and look after 14 year old Flora in the week and Emma has her at the weekends.

When she became an MP Emma hadn’t realised how dangerous it could be, having to have bottles of water at her desk in case of an acid attack, the abuse on social media, strategically placed furniture in her constituency surgery. The misogyny. She comes across as a strong woman. Which is made even worse by the interview and photographs that have just been published in the Guardian newspaper, as she is dressed in a smart suit and wearing red lipstick non of these are items she would have chosen for herself, but the image it portrays doesn’t sit well with everyone.

She has been collaborating on a high profile campaign with a local newspaper journalist trying to get tighter online abuse laws to protect victims of revenge porn. This along with the Guardian article has led to more threats and abuse. But when her daughter does something at school Emma is there to protect her daughter, even when the same reporter she has been collaborating with hounds her for the story she refuses.

When a body is found at the bottom of the stairs in the shared house, Emma is the only one home. When another housemate comes home and finds Emma just standing over the body she quickly dials 999. As Emma hadn’t done that. When questioned she claims she came home and found him there. She doesn’t know who it is. But it’s not long before the police know she has lied, because the dead body is the reporter she has worked with, she has also slept with him. Could Emma have killed him? But why?

This is a well plotted, well written novel, with some great characters, my mind went back and forth as to whether I liked Emma or not. Mainly because she was not there all the time for her teenage daughter who was struggling with things and didn’t want to burden her mum, as she worried about the threats she knows her mum was receiving. But then I considered if her father had been the MP and was away most of the week I wouldn’t have even considered that factor. Emma did everything she could to protect her daughter. Now she is on trial for murder. Is she innocent or guilty?

I enjoyed how the trial went, I really wasn’t sure whether she was guilty or not and it’s not until the end of the book that you find out the truth as to what happened, but I hadn’t expected any of the twists and turns that tied up everything perfectly.

I would like to thank #netgalley and #Simon&Schuster for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest, fair and unbiased review.

The first chapter was interesting enough. Made me think of my local MP Jess Phillips and her magazine shoots - although as far as I'm aware she's never been involved in a murder trial. Difficult to give a full review based on one chapter!! Feel a bit short changed as looks like lots of others got the full book - but hey ho!

A compelling read. I couldn't decide whether I liked MP Emma Webster or not , but it in no way spoiled my enjoyment of this book .I also couldnt decide if she was guilty or innocent 9f murder, which is why I raced through the book to discover the outcome. I enjoy this authors work as I loved Anatomy of a Scandal. A very apt title .

Thanks to net galley for my free taster chapter

Even though this was just one chapter, its done its job. Its got me intrigued enough to read the whole book,

In only a small number of pages (around 10) we find out that someone had been found dead and prior to tat that a 44 year old Labour MP takes part in an interview and photo shoot where a photo seems to come back to haunt her and we see that she is arrested and charged with something which she later goes on trial for....very intriguing

Seems Sarah Vaughan does thriller very well and certainly knows how to get the reader hooked from the start

Quite misleading as I have read just an interesting prologue and one chapter only. I have not finished the book, barely started it but the publisher, Simon & Schuster UK have allowed me just the briefest of tasters.

I know Sarah Vaughan by reputation only. I have not previously read anything of hers and this is her fifth novel. My loss l realise now, as the writing was inviting like a warm fire and this political thriller had me wanting more. It seems that failure trumps success every time perhaps more so when a woman can be taken down for trying to compete in a “male” dominated environment.

With her journalistic beginnings this author is well placed to address the rise and fall of a back bench MP. Hopefully it will also address our eagerness to see hero turn to zero. From celebrity, sporting role models and parliamentarians.

Based on the title and the opening brief lines this seems like a theme park ride about one’s reputation. Where balanced reporting is often lost in the rush for ‘a good story’. I am pleased it seems to be told from a woman’s point of view. Female MPs are often marginalised and I hope in the course of this novel this is addressed and reflected back on the reader.

I look forward to reading this book, being entertained and informed at the same time. I hope this good story gets in the way of fake news, unsubstantiated facts and the hunger for trolling, gossiping and shaming.

Emma wants to use her position as an MP to give back to the community, especially to help women’s causes. This means she doesn’t always have enough time for her teenage daughter, Flora, and her marriage broke down after husband left her for her former friend. Her high profile means she is viciously targeted on social media, receiving abuse and threats of rape and even death. She needs to constantly be prepared for danger, including having water bottles on her constituency desk in case of acid attack, and the pressure accelerates when she successfully works with a tabloid journalist to change the law regarding revenge porn. When her daughter gets involved with something similar, Emma’s world begins to fall apart as she determines to protect Flora at any cost. This is a shocking and timely thriller, especially considering two murders of MPs in recent years and the surge of trolling, hate mail and online porn. The reader is kept guessing about what really happened and the tension mounts as things to continue to unravel for Emma and her family. The subject is an important one, but the characters remain relateable and sympathetic and the story is engaging. Essential reading.

This review is based on the taster first chapter I was sent which was about 7 or 8 pages.
It’s whetted my appetite and I think I will definitely be down loading the whole book.

This is only the first chapter but I am definitely hooked and want to read the whole book! Grabs you right away.