Based on a True Story

by Sarah Vaughan

Based on a True Story has descriptive copy which is not yet available from the Publisher.

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Audiobook, Adult

Audible Audio

First published June 9, 2026

About the author

Sarah Vaughan read English at Oxford and went on to be a journalist. After training with the Press Association, she worked for The Guardian for 11 years as a news reporter, health correspondent and political correspondent before leaving to freelance and write fiction. Her 3rd novel, Anatomy of a Scandal, was an instant international bestseller, a Sunday Times top five bestseller, a kindle number 1 bestseller, a Richard & Judy pick, and was longlisted for the Theakson's Old Peculier Crime Novel and shortlisted for awards in France, Sweden and the UK. It has been translated into 22 languages and is being adapted for TV. Her 4th novel, Little Disasters, will be published in France, Spain, Portugal, Sweden, the UK on April 2 and the US on August 18. She lives in Cambridge with her husband and two young children.

Reviews

[Sandy Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A slow burn family based urder mystery based around an authors 70th birthday party, Eleanor who is very wealthy. There are lots of points of view, mainly from her three daughters and their relationships. None of the characters are remotely likeable and all have secrets which gradually unravel. Eleanor is being sent threatening emails which threaten to expose her at her birthday party. The plot builds to the climax of the second half of the book. The Cornish setting is a character in its own right providing a moody setting for the plot to play out. Overall a good read if a little slow to begin with.

[GG · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely not thrilling, rather more a cozy mystery. Too many points of view, without much organising to their placement, so I felt thrown around with the sub-plots. Then it felt like not much happened towards the main plot for most of the story, creating a frustratingly slow burn. It had all the tropes to intrigue, but the twists fell flat. Not for me.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s Eleanor’s 70 birthday party and she is throwing a lavish party to celebrate this and her literary success. In the run up to the party she has been receiving threatening emails that hint at a secret she has been keeping from her pasts. There’s no shortage of suspects, from her children to her ex husband and by throwing a party Eleanor is hoping to weed the culprit out, but as hinted in the very first chapter things go horribly wrong, will Eleanor survive this party or will this birthday be her last??

It did take a little bit of time to settle into this one but once I got all of the characters straight in my head I really began to enjoy this one. Unlike her previous books I’d described this one less of a thriller and more it’s a family drama that’s brimming with tension, sibling rivalry and secrets. I really rate Sarah Vaughan as a writer, (Anatomy Of A Scandal is one of my all time favourite books) and I hope there’s many more books from her to come.

[Judy Collins]

A masterfully constructed, slow-burn psychological drama of power, legacy, and toxic family secrets.

In Sarah Vaughan’s razor-sharp thriller Based on a True Story, famed children's author Dame Eleanor Kingman gathers her family at her cliffside manor to celebrate her 70th birthday. But on the eve of the party, a threatening email arrives, promising to unearth a lethal lie she has hidden for over half a century. As a documentary crew rolls and tension peaks, a body is discovered on the storm-lashed beach below—proving that someone in Eleanor's inner circle will kill to ensure the truth stays buried.

The Family Dynamics
The Legend Is Built On Lies.
Three fractured sisters, one toxic legacy, and a body on the beach.

"Vaughan expertly peels back the layers of an affluent family's history, revealing the devastating price of childhood trauma and parental favoritism."

Elevator Pitch
A lavish clifftop birthday party turns into a crime scene when a legendary author's 50-year-old lie is threatened with exposure, forcing her three fractured daughters and bitter ex-associates into a pressure cooker of suspicion.

Intro
Dame Eleanor Kingman built a multi-million-pound publishing empire on her beloved children's books. Yet, her greatest story is the falsehood she has lived for fifty years. When an anonymous blackmailer threatens her legacy right as a television crew arrives to film her life, a dark, multigenerational web of resentment, greed, and sibling rivalry unravels.

Setting
The dramatic, isolated coastal beauty of a magnificent manor house perched on the windswept cliffs of Cornwall, England.

Vibe
Intoxicating, tense, and deeply atmospheric. It carries the elite family-dynasty dread of Succession blended with the classic, claustrophobic mystery of an Agatha Christie whodunit.

Genre
Psychological Drama / Suspense Thriller.

Themes
~The danger of the narratives we tell ourselves to survive
~The heavy burden of childhood trauma
~Parental favoritism
~How the pursuit of public adulation can destroy private lives.

Standout Characters
Eleanor, a fierce, intensely flawed matriarch desperately trying to protect her legacy, and her daughter Delia, the tragic real-life inspiration for her mother's famous fictional child sleuth, who feels perpetually trapped by her mother’s shadow.

Author Writing Standout
Sarah Vaughan (author of Anatomy of a Scandal) is an absolute genius at building simmering, slow-burn tension, expertly weaving intricate timelines together while delivering beautifully evocative descriptions of the Cornish coastline.

Takeaway
All families keep secrets, but it is the stories built entirely on structural lies that eventually collapse and kill.

Title Significance
Based on a True Story plays brilliantly on multiple levels. It highlights Eleanor's career of taking real life and commercializing it into fiction, while pointing to the terrifying reality that the darkest "fiction" in her life is actually the truth.

Metaphor
The storm-lashed beach below the cliffside manor symbolizes the inevitability of the past—no matter how high you build your fortress, the tide will eventually wash up what you tried to bury.

Why You Should Read
A brilliantly sophisticated and character-driven mystery that values deep psychological nuance, complicated sisterly dynamics, and ethical dilemmas just as much as it values a shocking plot twist.

My Thoughts
The pacing is a brilliant, gradual turn of the screw. Watching this deeply dysfunctional family circle each other under the glare of documentary cameras is deliciously addictive. Vaughan peels back the layers of Eleanor's past so deliberately that when the ultimate reveal crashes over you, it hits with the force of a tidal wave.

Verdict: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
A masterclass in domestic suspense that will make you look at family memoirs and biographies in a whole new light.

Recs
Read this if you devoured The Club by Ellery Lloyd, Daisy Darker by Alice Feeney, The Guest List by Lucy Foley, or Sarah Vaughan’s previous masterpiece, Anatomy of a Scandal.

Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: June 9, 2026
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June 2026 Must-Read Books

[Alice · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really really struggled with how to rate this. This book did not hurt me nor did I ‘hate’ it. However, I have to be honest: I’ve never read a ‘mystery’ book that had so little mystery or suspense and as a huge fan of the genre, I feel quite let down. I’m kind of stunned to be honest. It feels like the author had a deadline to meet, rushed a very basic plot with no twists, reveals or even differing perspectives of characters. It’s all so bland. And yet I finished it, hoping that the author behind the excellent ‘Anatomy of a Scandal’ (although I’ll admit I only watched the tv adaption) would pull something clever in the end. Really disappointed.

[Trisha]

ooh Pub Date: June 2026. Great author, can't wait to read this!

[Diane OLeary · Rating 3 out of 5]

Eleanor, a wealthy celebrated childrens book author, is throwing a blow out party for her 70th birthday. 100 guests are invited and a film crew will be at the event filming a documentary on Eleanor's life. Before the party begins Eleanor receives threatening e mails hinting about secrets in her past that could harm her reputation. Eleanor isn't the only one in her family being blackmailed. There are numerous suspects and a trail of secrets and lies involving just about every character. This was a clever and suspenseful story but Anatomy of a Scandal remains my favorite of Sarah Vaughan's works.

[Gloria (Ms. G's Bookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Based on a True Story by Sarah Vaughan is a page turning suspense tale that had me hooked.

When famous children’s author Dame Eleanor Kingman holds a lavish birthday party to celebrate her 70th at her beautiful Cornwall clifftop manor all is not perfect as it seems.

Despicable characters, lies and more lies and then there’s an email that threatens to expose the secret Eleanor’s kept for over fifty years. There is a television crew also attending the birthday party to film a documentary of her life and some unexpected guests arrive.

The story centres around Eleanor and her daughters and is character driven.

A dead body is found on the beach……

The last part of the book really heats up and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough!

There’s plenty of tension, resentment and a long list of suspects. Eleanor’s dog is a loveable character but most of the humans were questionable. An engrossing dysfunctional family drama with a great atmospheric setting.

Publication Date 31 March 2026
Publisher Simon & Schuster UK

Thank you to the wonderful team Simon & Schuster Australia for a copy of the book.

[chris pike · Rating 2 out of 5]

A boring book. No likable or frankly identifiable characters. Self absorbed writers rubbish who's run out of ideas. It's a farcical story. The attempt at tension starts on the first page and the same level of 'tension just repeats itself page after page with the same issues confronting the characters. Even the dog is under threat. Their all under threat .on we go wading through their worried thoughts . Until the final pages. The reveal. Its not even unpredictable and everyone lives happy ever after.

[MRS C J DENBY · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was looking to reading this book as I had heard a very good review of it by Andrew Marr on LBC. However, I was so bored, waiting for something to happen. Dame Eleanor, the main character, is so domineering and dislikeable. After reading about two-thirds, I just skipped forward to the end. Cannot recommend it.

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Based on a True Story by Sarah Vaughan

This was a smart, unsettling and very readable psychological thriller centred on a death at a lavish 70th birthday celebration. What should have been a joyful family gathering becomes something far darker, and Vaughan is excellent at exposing the tensions, secrets and half truths that sit beneath a polished surface.

I enjoyed how the story examines memory, perception and the stories people tell themselves and others to protect their version of events. As perspectives shift, it becomes increasingly unclear who can be trusted and what really happened, which kept me fully engaged. The confined setting and family dynamics add to the claustrophobic tension, making the emotional stakes feel high.

The pacing is steady rather than frenetic, but the psychological depth and gradual unravelling of the truth more than compensate. A clever, character driven thriller that lingers after the final page. A solid four star read.

[Deborah (debbishdotcom) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Based on a True Story by Sarah Vaughan is the fourth book I've read by Vaughan, best known for Anatomy of a Scandal which was made into a series on Netflix. This centres around a family gathered for the 70th birthday of a renowned children’s author amid threats to that author–promising to reveal long-buried secrets–and her three adult daughters all grappling with secrets of their own.

We spend time with Eleanor and all three of her daughters but this is preceded by a prologue culminating in the discovery of a body during Eleanor’s 70th birthday celebrations. We then return to the days in the lead-up to the party, as family and guests start to arrive

Vaughan poses some moral or ethical (what-would-you-do?) dilemmas here and there's a lot of 'unpack' in the relationships between the sisters and with their mother, so I think this would be an excellent bookclub read offering much to debate and discuss.

Read my review here: https://www.debbish.com/books-literat...

[Sheri Vasconcellos Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book. Filled with family drama,alot of twists. Heartfelt and suspenseful.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

The pacing was super slow, but building interest and then we got a rushed job at the end.

[Olga · Rating 3 out of 5]

Based on a True Story didn’t quite match the impact of the author’s first book, Anatomy of a Scandal, and left me disappointed.
The pacing was quite slow and at times the plot felt a little forced and repetitive, which made it harder to stay fully engaged. I enjoyed the atmospheric setting but the characters were cliche, their actions didn’t always ring true and many things were over-explained and repeated several times. It wasn’t a bad read, but it didn’t quite live up to what I’d hoped.

[Kagan Goodliff · Rating 1 out of 5]

I loved anatomy of a scandal and have read reputation more than once. But this one had me checking it was the same author. This was completely different and not in a good way. There was far too much going on and little of it was believable. Ridiculous gambling / loan sharks, patricide, denied siblings, illegitimate children, not one but two cancers, embezzling, affairs, addiction, plagiarism…. Probably more but this list alone is exhausting. I assume the chapter about the illustrator was there to provide a different suspect? But although the identity of the corpse at the start may have been a mystery, nothing else was. The characters were all hideous and, because of the twelve different plots, were cardboard cutouts rather than characters with depth. The worst part is, they all lived happily ever after even though they literally killed someone.

[Amanda Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

There were lots of characters in this one so I found it difficult to work out who was who and what part they played in the book. Unfortunately the characters were unlikeable but the mystery of the story kept me reading on. By the half way mark the story picked up pace and it also had some great imagery of the Cornish settings.

Thank you to the Publisher and the Author for the opportunity to read and review this ebook.

[Mrs Moa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An atmospheric, suspenseful and with plot twists I wasn’t expecting.

Best selling author Eleanor Kingman is celebrating her 70th birthday at her remote Cornish manor with her nearest and dearest in attendance, plus a couple of extras. With anonymous emails threatening to derail not only her party, but ultimately her career, and a film crew dogging her steps as they document Eleanor’s life, she’s feeling the pressure to determine who is willing to expose her long hidden secrets before her well constructed life crumbles.

With a large range of characters and their POVs slowly revealing their personal “beef” with Eleanor, the suspects are mounting.

I was sent this book by the publisher and all opinions are my own.

[Kiirstyannee.reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Simon & Schuster Australia for this book!

This book is perfect for those people who love a slow burn mystery with plenty of family secrets. I found that the first chapter hooked me in but then it took quite a while for the action to start. It is heavy on family drama and dynamics and heavily character focused. While I was craving more deception and a creepier reveal, I still found this a solid read.

Overall, Based on A True Story is perfect for mystery and thriller readers that want to sink their teeth into a slow-burn that centres on family secrets. While it wasn't what I expected - and I found myself wanting more action and something more sinister - it still was a solid read.

3.5/5

[Karen Cuddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on a True Story is a compelling and addictive read that I absolutely loved.

The novel centres on Dame Eleanor Kingman, a hugely successful and beloved children’s author, celebrating her 70th birthday at her stunning clifftop mansion. Surrounded by her three daughters — Gilly, Rachel, and Delia (the troubled one) — along with collaborators, publishers, and even a film crew documenting her life story, everything should be perfect.

But beneath the surface, tensions are already building. On the eve of the celebrations, Eleanor has received a series of malicious emails — six in total — clearly from someone intent on damaging her reputation and everything she’s built.

As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that this is far more than just a glamorous celebration. Secrets begin to surface, and Delia isn’t the only one with a troubled past. The novel explores themes of money, greed, loyalty, and the cracks that can form within even the most successful families.

I loved how the tension built throughout, constantly making me question who could be behind it all and why. It’s one of those stories where everyone seems to have something to hide.

A gripping, character-driven read full of intrigue and family drama — highly recommended.

[Leah Czlapinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good thing reading subjective and I didn’t listen to the reviews.
I was in need of a good twisty book and this one delivered.
Told from multiple points of view, it was paced absolutely perfectly and the story came full circle in the end. I couldn’t put this book down.
The characters are written in way that you can’t help but want to know more about them. Twists I didn’t see coming. My favorite suspense of 2026

[EmG ReadsDaily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Secrets. Devious intentions. Lies. Drama.

[stefan · Rating 1 out of 5]

The book is boring and definitely not a thriller. It’s the author’s worst book so far.

[Victoria Donelda · Rating 2 out of 5]

A very boring domestic thriller. I disliked every character, it was slow paced, and there was no wow or shock factor. I would skip it.

[Jocelyn Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

A family of absolutely horrid people, each having a secret and almost all of whom are shady and lie to one another constantly. With a side of guilt-tripping and a hefty dose of matriarchal snobbery. I was into it!

[Emilie (emiliesbookshelf) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Celebrated children’s author Dame Eleanor Kingman has planned to celebrate her 70th birthday with her family and friends at her luxurious estate located on an idealistic cliff with glorious views.

With a television crew filming a documentary to celebrate her life, the party is the perfect backdrop, plus her whole family is on hand to paint a perfect picture of the perfect mother and author she is

Perfectionist Eleanor is in control of all the finer details, ensuring everything goes to plan. However in the lead up to the party she receives a shocking anonymous email from someone threatening to expose her darkest secret

Now on high alert with her reputation and millions at stake, Eleanor tries to figure out who is after her.. could it be her children, her agent or her ex-husband?

While it took a while to get into this drama mystery, as soon as the untrustworthy characters started to appear I was all in. Trying to piece together who is out to expose Eleanor and who has the most to gain.

With many plot twists even Eleanor wouldn’t seen coming, I was turning page after page until the final conclusion

Thank you Simon & Schuster for my gifted review copy

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed this book. Good story.

[Lisa (Insta: serenity.of.books) · Rating 4 out of 5]

**MINI REVIEW**
A bestselling children’s author is preparing for her exclusive 70th birthday party at her Cornwall mansion when an email arrives threatening to expose her biggest secret. I loved the atmospheric coastal setting and the storyline kept me guessing. It felt a little different from other Sarah Vaughan books I’ve read, but still an enjoyable, twisty read.

[Johnette · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book fell flat for me. A lot of characters to keep up with. I found myself thinking wait-who is this guy, several times. Based on a true story would never be a true story from where I’m at in my life. I powered through the book although I was never invested in the outcome. The description of the landscape was nice. That was my favorite part. The main characters were bland and stereotypical - oldest child, middle child, and the baby. I’m sure many people will enjoy this book but it just didn’t resonate with me.

[Gemma Conway · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was okay but I feel like the ending was revealed or made obvious a bit too soon? It made all the “twists” at the end fall a bit flat.

I liked all the characters and their own stories but again they seemed a bit underdeveloped. Sub-plots that took centre stage in the beginning fell by the wayside towards the end. They were only touched on again to wrap them up nicely in the epilogue which just seems lazy.