As a big fan of Rumoured, I was very excited to read Scandal and it did not disappoint.

A must read for thriller fans who enjoy the WAGs tabloid gossip with some surprising twists.

I was hooked if you like WAGs and celeb gossip this book is definitely for you! I'm so jealous of people reading this book for the first time. I wish I could unread it, just to feel that ending again what a shocker! Some of the twists in this book left my jaw on the floor.

One more chapter became the whole night. It was one hell of a rollercoaster twists, turns at full-throttle speed! It just kept going and going and then going some more. It never slowed down and I absolutely loved.

This is a definite FIVE STAR read! Do not miss this book. Grab it, devour it and tell everyone about it!

This book had me on the edge of my seat the whole time.

There were so many questions throughout the book, and the twists and turns were well developed and thought out. For fans of "Rumoured" there were a few mentions to Harlow Hayes which brought a smile.

As someone who lives very close to where the book was set, it was great to see a well written book set in the UK. Special mention for the accuracy of the football (or soccer) matches and players.

Great use of mixed media with internet forums, and articles well used throughout. I had so many what the hell moments throughout and the last 40% of the book was genuinely unputdownable. Even the cliffhanger at the end had a huge sense of foreboding.

I adored "Rumoured" and "Scandal" is an amazing sophomore novel from these talented sisters,

If you are a fan of Ted Lasso, or Footballers Wives then this is the perfect book for you.

This book is a juicy, fast‑paced drama full of secrets, ambition, and bad decisions. Pure binge‑read energy.

Okay I’m absolutely obsessed with this! I loved the story I thought I knew what has happened and then everything flipped, i absolutely loved the end, it left me jaw dropped!! Would absolutely recommend- no notes except please keep writing more books

Scandal reads exactly like its title: messy, addictive, and impossible to look away from. I was hooked from page one all the way to the final reveal. I went in thinking it would be a light, dramatic ride, but it turned out to be a full-on roller coaster with wild twists, sharp turns, and characters who keep you on guessing. The story leans heavily into Kaleigh’s glamorous-but-fragile world as a former beauty queen married to a famous footballer, all while carrying the weight of surviving the brutal attack that killed her two best friends. Every chapter pulled me in deeper and I found myself guessing (and second-guessing) right until the end. It’s fun, fast, and absolutely delivers all the right amount of drama.

What I Enjoyed
* Survivor trope
* First-person narrative
* Fast-paced

What Felt Off
* Brutal attack scenes
* Trashy, toxic female friendships
* Kaleigh’s naivety

Breakdown
* Setting: 4⭐️
* Characters: 4⭐️
* Writing: 5⭐️
* Message: 4⭐️
* Overall: 5⭐️

Final Verdict
A highly entertaining thriller with a juicy twist I genuinely did not see coming. I’m still a bit stunned but in the best way. Perfect for readers who love messy secrets, high-gloss drama, and a survivor at the center of it all. Huge thanks to NetGalley, Aria & Aries, and authors Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso for my advance copy.

~ JaNnA ~

Superb..
Utterly and completely addictive. A dark and unexpected suspense with a cast of well drawn, credible and colourful characters and a swiftly moving plot. Certainly will not disappoint, wholly entertaining and a worthy addition to the authors’ canon. Superb,

Let me start by saying if you read this book, make sure you have a buddy to read it with because there are so many OMG moments!!!

Scandal is the new thriller novel written by Kelly and Kristina Mancaruso, authors of the brilliant ‘Rumoured.’
After enjoying Rumoured immensely, I was desperate to read Scandal, and was over the moon when I was offered an ARC copy from the authors and publishers!

England hopeful footballing ace Harry and his wife Kaleigh have a seemingly perfect life 5 years after moving on from a horrific attack that left Kaleigh’s 2 best friends Emma (Harry’s ex) and Leila murdered in the forest during a girls trip, while Kaleigh luckily escaped. When Emma suddenly appears back from the dead, accusations fly, the media smell a story, and the guilt, lies and secrets all start to emerge.

The story has me hooked right from the very first page, the drama starts punching from chapter 1 and doesn’t stop until the very final line, and even then, keeps you guessing long after you’ve finished reading. Every single chapter ends with a twist, a suspicion, or a line that means you just HAVE to read on…

I particularly loved the references to Harlow Hayes from Rumoured dotted throughout the story. Short chapters with multiple POV’s are always a win for me.

A clever and thrilling mix of celebrity, scandal, tension and murder - this book is a masterclass in suspense.

If you like twists and turns in your thrillers, or are a fan of celebrity gossip - this book is for you!
This book would make an EPIC tv adaptation…..

Happy to report that if it’s binge-worthy celeb-fueled murder you’re after, the Mancaruso sisters have done it again.

Scandal centres on the Turner family - owners of a luxury car dealership catapulted into the headlines when Harry Turner becomes an England striker, and, less happily, when his girlfriend Emma and her friends Leila and Kayleigh are viciously attacked on Emma’s 24th birthday.

5 years later, Harry is happily married to the one who got away, Kayleigh, with a little boy, Alfie, and a little girl on the way. Life feels perfect until an emaciated and injured Emma staggers out of a pub cellar having killed the landlord.

The Turners are in the headlines for all the wrong reasons again. Can Kayleigh and clinical psychiatrist Charlie get to the bottom of what’s happening before someone else is killed?

Un-put-downable, so only pick it up when you have the whole day to spare …

🙏 Head of Zeus

Another fabulous novel by the authors.
In 2020, during a friend's birthday trip, Kaleigh's life changed forever. She and two friends, Emma and Leila, were violently attacked and Kaleigh was the only one that escaped.
Now, in 2025, she is married to a famous footballer and has a family. Those days are far behind her. That is, until Emma is found alive. And her version of events does not match Kaleigh's.

Another fabulous novel by the authors! The duo really know how to keep you in suspense and this certainly did that. As I went along, there were so many twists and secrets uncovered that I could never have anticipated. There were hints of deceit from all different characters which made me question everyone. We get a glimpse of the way the three girls friendships were back then and as the truth unfolded, I still could not guess who was to blame for chaos that changed their lives. Such an enjoyable one. 4.5*

Scandal is a gripping and drama-filled thriller that kept me hooked with its mix of mystery and media frenzy. I was immediately drawn in by the premise, especially the shift between the traumatic past and Kaleigh’s seemingly perfect present. The idea that a survivor’s story can suddenly be challenged years later creates a strong sense of tension, and I found myself constantly questioning what really happened that night.

Kaleigh is an interesting character to follow, especially as her carefully rebuilt life starts to fall apart under public scrutiny. I liked how the novel explores the pressure of image and reputation, particularly in the world of celebrities and tabloids. The reappearance of Emma adds a compelling layer of doubt and conflict, and I enjoyed trying to piece together the truth as the story unfolded.

Overall, Scandal is an engaging and twisty read that leans into suspense and emotional drama. It plays well with themes of truth, perception, and the cost of keeping secrets. I finished it eager to know who to believe, which is exactly what I want from this kind of thriller.

I loved the sisters' first book and so I was really excited to read Scandal - and I was not disappointed!
Twisty and pacy and perfect - I was gripped from the start and just when I thought I'd worked it out - wham - another twist!
I also loved the Harlow Hayes references!
I can't wait for the next one - please write it soon!

Scandal is one of those thrillers that pulls you in right from the start. we are once again proving how there is very much a dark side or a darker consequence of celeb and social media culture. its only hums more for me because of how much it represents so many lines we have crossed in real life too in regards to the online life and platforms that are currently swirling around.
we follow Kaleigh who has tried to rebuild and move on and away from what happened a few years ago. it was one of the worst things you could imagine that could happen to a group of friends. it was an attack that only she survived and her 2 friends presumed dead.
she has picked her way back up to standing and is now married to a footballer. and of course this comes with a image, a brand and that icky kind of online movement and fake positioning for there world and audience.
but her life is about to be shaken...
Emma is back. Emma is not dead? and for Kaleigh this causes both shocks and shaking because Emma doesn't seem to be telling the events of what happened to them in the same way. her story is widely different. and this could change everything. Cracks begin to show and put pressure on Kaleigh and with the world watching this only adds to the pressure.
as a reader i was tense and trying to figure out whats real and whats real from the "real". Kaleigh had this image and self she had built for the public. was this ever real. and was it one step further and an actual dangerous lie?
the authors do a fab job of making you want to re-think, then re-think and then swerve our heads this way and that between those telling their story in order to try and figure out what is going on.
there would be an unsettled nature to these woman's story to begin with. what happened to them shocking enough. but now its so much more complicated. and you cant help but be drawn to them, drawn to needing to know now the answers and exactly what happened. its brilliant in how compelled i ended up feeling to just keep reading. i had to know how this would all play out!
having this all then play out in the public in this story only adds to the tension and feeling of uncertainty. because in today world the public watching the online theorists and sleuths has gone somewhere quite uncomfortable and they themselves have the ability to change a story of believe one way and than push reason or truth out the window and spiralling only what the public or platforms choose to show and believe.
this story would have been exciting enough. a few friends go away together and then are attacked would have been enough. so what comes next is just a bonus and a brilliance for a thriller read.
there is that uneasy thread woven through this book. but in the best way and exactly the kind of love in my thrillers reads.
i think that cover does such a brilliant job too. i really liked that touch.

Another fantastic thriller book by Kelly and kristina mancaruso! Had me on the edge of my seat the entire time

A celebrity couple. A twisted crime.

I had the chance to read an early copy of Scandal by Kelly & Kristina Mancaruso and it definitely kept me guessing. Secrets, lies, and the truth behind one night that changed everything…

If you love twisty thrillers with messy secrets and shocking reveals, this one should be on your radar.

These women have easily become one of my favourite authors 🖤

This is packed with messy relationships, betrayal, ambition, and the kind of drama that makes you say “just one more chapter”. The story throws you into a world where appearances matter more than honesty and every character seems to be hiding something explosive beneath the surface. It’s fast, addictive, and full of tension from beginning to end.

. I enjoyed how morally complicated the characters were nobody is completely innocent, which made the story even more gripping.

I have loved the books by the Mancarusos and this proves why! This is absolutely unputdownable. Binged this in a day until late in the night. The ending was something I didn't see coming at all.

Loved the WAG and tabloid depiction. The cancel culture and trolls are done really well. Told in multiple perspectives and timelines, this is packed with multiple twists that keep coming. As a reader, I was left guessing, unsure of what I thought I knew. Especially when some of the little things I had brushed through turned to be the key threads as we progressed. Love when a thriller does that, changing routine to build a reveal. Especially love how it ends. There are themes of love, betrayal, family, jealousy, grief, loss and insecurities. Go in blind for some major twists that will keep you hooked and reading until the very end.

Thank you Aria & Aries and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

What if the only survivor was not telling the full story?

Scandal is full of secrets, twists, and drama from the very beginning.

Five years after a brutal attack, a woman thought dead returns… and everything starts to unravel.

👀 Twists that keep you guessing

📰 Celebrity drama and media pressure

🔥 Fast paced and binge worthy

💭 A story where you trust no one

📖 Easy to get completely hooked

This is one of those books you cannot put down. Every time I thought I had it figured out, something changed!

Read more at The Secret Book Review!