ANATOMY OF A SCANDAL

By SARAH VAUGHAN Simon & Schuster James Whitehouse has always been the golden boy. Handsome, charming, privileged and well connected – he seems to have had all the good things in life handed to him on a silver platter.

He has a beautiful wife, Sophie, and is a member of parliament, climbing up the British political ladder rapidly thanks to his charisma and close friendship with the most powerful man in the country, the prime minister.

Everything is thrown into jeopardy when newspapers reveal that James has been having an affair with his 28-year-old aide, Olivia. His wife and the prime minister stick by him – but all hell breaks loose when Olivia accuses James of rape.

The case opens up a whole hornet’s nest of issues.

As it all plays out in court you’ll find yourself feeling torn. Was it really rape or is Olivia just trying to take revenge because James broke up with her?

There are so many levels of complexity to this story – nothing is black and white.

Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein’s recent fall from grace and the #MeToo social media movement, which cast the spotlight on the widespread prevalence of sexual harassment and assault, lend the book extra resonance.

It’s a clever, thoroughly absorbing and unforgettable read.