I absolutely loved Anatomy of a Scandal, so I was really looking forward to this latest from Sarah Vaughn. It certainly lived up to my expectations! Emma Webster is an MP and single mother to 14 year old Flora. She is facing trial for the murder of journalist Mike, who she had a professional relationship with but more recently they had spent a night together. The story is told from different characters' perspectives and builds up to the alleged crime, and then details the court case. The book raises a number of issues, particularly that of online abuse and bullying, and is a great read which I thoroughly recommend. Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy.
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It all starts with MP Emma Websters interview in the Guardian Weekend especially the photograph which makes her appear defiant, brittle and sexy. It seems to ignite and incite the Internet trolls, the media and the critics in her own party who now just want to see her fall from grace and what a backlash it is. What makes things worse is a vociferous tirade from a male constituent which adds fuel to the fire.. The gripping story is told from several perspectives including Emma and her 14-year-old daughter Flora which are excellent in their contrasting and revealing narratives.

I absolutely loved Sarah Vaughn’s Anatomy of a Scandal and I find this novel is just as compelling. It’s examines very pertinent themes and explores them in such a way that it should trouble us all, it’s designed to make people uncomfortable especially the entrenched misogyny. Apparently even in 2021/22 it’s ok for a man to stand legs apart and look powerful but woe betide if a woman does so. If you’re an MP to boot then you are fair game it seems. I really like how Parliament is at the centre of much of the drama and here too there’s food for thought. It delves into how reputations can be destroyed in an instant, in parliament, in school, in court and via aggressive social media trolls attacking indiscriminately and horrifically and how this impacts on your physical and mental well-being. It’s utterly shocking in places and pulls no punches and you’d hope it would make people think twice – sadly I doubt it. In places it’s cruel, unbelievably sad, vicious and isolating as a consequence and it feels claustrophobic as walls closing on various characters as their reputations are under attack. The most tense of the scenes takes place in a law court and these are riveting as via the cut and thrust of the prosecution and defence, reputations are put into the shredder and left in tatters. The ending is very good and though I guess part there are some surprising twists which help to explain a great deal.

Overall, another outstanding novel from a hugely talented writer. It’s very well written, the characterisation is incisive, the pace and pitch of the novel I think is perfect. This is designed to make you think and it does just that. Highly recommended.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to Simon and Schuster for granting my wish to read the arc in return for an honest review.

This was a clever page turner that kept me hooked from start to finish.

A tense courtroom drama, I found this a hugely enjoyable, thought-provoking and compelling read.

Highly recommended.

I absolutely loved this story of scandal, politics with added courtroom thriller. Unlike others it doesn't end with the verdict which I enjoyed.

I suspect this will be a huge success!

What a book! What an eye opener with regard to female politicians, what a ‘grab you by the throat and won’t let go’ story.
The characters are believable and so well written, I was both glad and sorry when I came to the end of the book - glad because at last I knew exactly what had happened, and sorry because I was enjoying it so much

An excellent novel on what it can be like to live as a female MP in these turbulent times. Sadly, the real news stories of murder, attack and less obvious but insidious forms of abuse meted out to women who have something to say means that this narrative is not relegated to the realms of far-fetched thriller. As MP Emma Webster says about evidence shown at her trial for the murder of journalist Mike Stokes, political editor of the Chronicle:‘...I somehow accepted it as inevitable: the payback, the flipside to being an MP. Just like the water placed on my desk in case of an acid attack and the bag checks for knives before I met with constituents; just like the panic alarm carried within touching distance, and the extra locks suggested for the door.’ Another memorable moment in court is when Tory MP Gayle Parsons testifies for the defence. Politically the very antithesis of Emma, she challenges the jury with a wonderfully sardonic speech explaining that being a female politician ‘…wears you down. It makes you a hardened, calloused version of yourself. You stop trusting people. You become cynical; relationships become impossible, your marriage the first casualty.’ Along with those in court, the reader is confronted with some people’s horrid reality.
Sarah Vaughan writes superb court scenes and she is very good at enticing the reader with plenty of possible interpretations as the reader tries to work out what really happened between the MP and the journalist threatening to destroy her family’s life. Her depiction of the latter’s trade also feels authentic.
There is not one but several victims in this story: certainly, the journalist who dies and his grieving family and also Emma with her daily fears who also worries for her daughter, lonely and bullied. And, sadly, whilst Vaughan provides some resolution, the reader also knows that, one day, Emma may well face more public humiliation.
A story for our time and one that could also make a great TV drama.
My thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Michael Joseph UK for a copy of this novel in exchange for a fair review.

Reputation is such a compelling book. I loved it and was transfixed by the story of mother and MP Emma who is accused of murder. The writing is so good, I couldn’t wait to get back to reading every time I had to (reluctantly) put the book down to get on with daily life! It’s a superb, contemporary tale about the pressures on women in the public eye, a must-read for these times, very cleverly done. I loved the way the characters were depicted - they all had their strengths and weaknesses, their qualities and flaws, their truths and their lies. The book held my attention throughout and the ending - wow! I love Sarah Vaughan’s novels and this is my favourite so far. Excellent!

Well, I can't criticise the title as meaningless - it is perfect and that sums up the whole book. If you love a courtroom drama then you will surely love Reputation.
Nothing is really black or white with this book. There are no goodies and baddies - everyone is a delicate shade of grey with no-one nearing black. You understand and become involved with the characters especially Emma the lead character and accused.
As the reader you do not know the full story and all the 'hows', whats' and 'whys' until you reach the final chapters - after the verdict. For me this endgame would make the difference between 4 and 5 stars. Without intending to spoil anything I needed to know who sent the message and did Emma intend to kill? This is explained fully in the last few pages and it all begins to make sense. However the real 'why' is not revealed until the very end although with the usual hindsight we are all so good at there were clues earlier in the book.
So, a brilliant read and highly recommended.

Reputation is INTENSE. It’s so painfully current in its subject matter, that every circumstance that takes place feels all too realistic, from start to finish. All the characters are believable and nuanced, with no ‘baddies’ and ‘goodies’ which makes the read even more interesting. I found myself thinking about the dilemmas and situations a lot outside of the reading and was completely immersed in the story. If I had one criticism it would be that it was so intense I couldn’t sleep!

Like Sarah Vaughan's previous novels, Reputation is superb. It's the story of Labour MP Emma Webster, who becomes - only too believably - a target for trolls and worse, particularly when she campaigns on the subject of revenge porn after the suicide of a young constituent.

The theme of reputation is central to the story: Emma's, her young teenage daughter Flora's, and that of the women at the heart of Emma's campaign, victimised by vengeful former partners. It's an insight into the reality of a woman MP, and it's also an engaging courtroom drama. The vicious misogyny of some of the keyboard warriors who target Emma is never glossed over, nor the very real physical threat presented by some people. (A horrifying detail: when meeting the public during her regular surgeries, Emma keeps a large bottle of water on her desk, not to stave off dehydration but in case of an acid attack.)

I don't want to spoil the story by saying too much; but it's excellent and highly recommended. Many thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Well I’m speechless after finishing this superb book by the brilliant Sarah Vaughan I had read Anatomy of a Scandal and loved that one but this latest psychological thriller was even better in my opinion.
This book really has some oomph and kept me thinking hard throughout about what was happening, it has twists to spin you round and spit you out and I was gripped from the first pages. I loved the courtroom drama, I loved the characters but most of all I loved the fact it had an ending that I never in a million years would have seen coming!
The story raises a lot of issues and important ones especially about how women are treated especially those who are in the public eye and who are at times subjected to some horrific abuse and that really hits hard in this book. It was a tremendously powerful read and Sarah Vaughan did an amazing job at getting the balance right, all credit to her and writing.
So don’t miss this one it’s really is excellent superbly crafted, suspenseful and twisty it was a joy to read.
My thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Uk for giving me the chance to read the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I'm grateful to NetGalley for a pre-pub copy of this excellent novel by Sarah Vaughan. It's intelligently written and completely compelling. The characters are cleverly drawn and the narrative arc is formed beautifully in a surprising number of twists at the and. I think what Sarah Vaughan does very well - and particularly here - is to use a contemporary theme or issue and revolve her storyline around it. Here, it's all about the issue of revenge porn, and the power of online 'trolling'. Using these 21st century 'high in the mind' issues makes for a really compulsive read, and Vaughan does that really well. Highly recommended.

What an apt book for these times. This enjoyable read sheds a light on the abuse faced by female political figures, a subject that is in the press constantly at the moment. Other themes, such as revenge porn are also covered in this book. The female MP in our story ends up on trial for the murder of a journalist...... but is she telling the truth? A little drawn out but it certainly gave the impression of how our justice system can be. A fascinating thriller that does not disappoint.
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the advance copy of this book.

Firstly a big thank you to the publishers for my copy to review on netgalley.

Im a big fan of her books and am so excited for the Netflix adaption of anatomy of a scandal. So I was very excited to read this which I was hearing a lot of good things about .

I raced through this thought provoking and cleverly written thriller.

Complex and accurate in today’s society, I’m sure every reader can nod their head in agreement at some point or another.

It’s hard hitting, relatable and real.. these are issues happening right now. Sarah writes about them sensitivity but not shying away from the difficult topics.

The mother daughter relationship is explored here in regards to boundaries and with communicating with your kids.

This is gripping ,addictive and will get under your skin . It asks the question what would you do?

Another fantastic book from this author .

Published 2nd March

Sarah Vaughan is a master of modern thrillers, providing engrossing, topical scenarios that are gripping and easily relatable to today's society. This book is just spot on. It encompasses the reality of the external pressures being a female politician today, in a world of mysogyny; sexual abuse; and courtroom drama.
The story mirrors a raft of headline stories seen in the daily newspapers. She writes with great understanding of the machinations of Westminster, journalists and the Crown Court.
I was gripped by her account of the trial of a rising star of the political spectrum, the questioning, the dialogue, and the asides were all exactly how it feels in court. The devilish pronunciations by the prosecuting QC were realistic and demonstrated the theatre of the trial, in front of the audience, the jury. Its this adversarial prosecution that can swing a trial against a defendant.
A great book. Can't wait for the next one.

I really enjoyed this book.
It felt like a treat to read the story, full of details about an MP’s life and it’s difficulties plus details of the working of the court and the very modern issues surrounding social media.
The outcome was never obvious and the final chapters describe several excellent twists.
I couldn’t put it down.
Thoroughly recommended

Sarah Vaughan has done it again! Another terrific political and legal thriller, this time focusing on Emma Webster, an MP who has outspoken views on women's rights, as she tries to protect her teenage daughter from an investigative journalist. In doing so Emma finds herself on trial when a dead body is found in her home. Everything that Emma has worked for, and sacrificed, as a result, is under threat.

There is plenty of suspense in Reputation and it is a very topical theme, with social media and threats against female MPs very much at the forefront. The writing is great, as we've come to expect from Ms Vaughan, and I suspect Reputation will be as popular and successful as Anatomy Of A Scandal. Many thanks to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for the opportunity to read and review Reputation.

Wow!

A very topical character driven legal thriller following Emma Webster MP, as she tries to balance the strains of motherhood, constituency life and the Westminster political and media bubble.

Emma Webster is telegenic, the media's favourite 'MPILF' and an outspoken voice for women's issues. She gets more than her fair share of online abuse, threats and sometimes struggles to put on a brave face and keep it away from her family.

The prologue reveals something very bad happens. Emma will be a defendant in a very serious crime.

The character writing is absolutely superb. There is a real depth to the characters and their emotions, motivations and fears.

The court case is brilliant, with facts and evidence teased out and interwoven with what we already know. There is very real tension. I was completely transfixed by Emma and her life.

This is transcendent writing, nothing else matters when you are reading this book.

Many legal based thrillers effectively end with the verdict, not this one. No spoilers, but this books finishes brilliantly adding extra depth, layers and twists involving all the main characters.

I can only shower the very highest praise on this book, easily up there with very best of Gillian McAllister's and Kia Abdullah's legal thrillers.

A must, must, must read as soon you can.

A very real contender for my book of the year.

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK

This is a very good read from Sarah Vaughan, author of ‘Anatomy of a Scandal’. Full of suspense ad great characters make this an excellent read.

Emma Webster is a politician whose life is permanently in the spotlight, her personal life is far from perfect she is the talk of the town. Emma has sacrificed a lot for her career including her marriage and the relationship with her daughter Flora. She is not comfortable under the scrutiny of the media and the insults that follow her in work and public life. Her good reputation is a necessity in her role as a politician and one slip can be fatal to her career.

Emma’s fourteen-year-old Flora is struggling at school and having to deal with constant bullying from her classmates. When another teenager takes her own life, Emma lobbies for a new law to protect women and girls from the effects of online abuse causing Emma and Flora problems in their personal lives.

The dead body found at Emma’s home is a man she had every reason to be afraid of and to want gone. She now faces a fight to protect her reputation, and to protect her family and is willing to do it at all costs.

I really enjoyed this and expect it to be another best seller for this talented author.

I would like to thank both Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for supplying a copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

From the brilliant reviews here on netgalley I realise I'm very much in the minority but this book just wasn't for me.
I found the political sneaking around too infuriating, it stopped me being able to engage with the characters and I gave up reading a third of the way through the book....... Sorry!