The Scandal

by Nicola Marsh

An " all-consuming, completely engrossing" novel about secrets, affairs and perfect small towns from USA Today bestseller Nicola Marsh that will be devoured by fans of Kerry Fisher ( Psycho-Thrilla Books).

Bustle Best Books of Fall 2020

Ever since her twin girls left home, Marisa has felt there's something missing from her life. Her sprawling mansion is no longer filled with laughter and chaos, and she's desperate to feel needed . . . and to be distracted from the secret she's been hiding from her husband for all these years.

Coffee with her best friends might be the only thing holding Marisa together. But Claire and Elly have their own secrets. Like why Claire hasn't been to work in weeks, or why Elly won't tell anyone who's buying her flowers.

When Jodi, a pregnant young girl, turns up at Marisa's doorstep, Marisa is quick to come to her aid. She sees herself in Jodi and she knows how devoting yourself to looking after others can take up all your time in the most marvellous way.

But Jodi's arrival quickly pushes everyone's lies to the surface. The father of her unborn child is someone the women know very well, and Marisa starts to wonder if her obsession with helping Jodi might come at a devastating price . . .

Genres: Thriller, Mystery, Fiction, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Book Club, Psychological

323 pages, Paperback

First published July 15, 2019

About the author

USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning Australian author Nicola Marsh writes page-turning fiction to keep you up all night.

She has published 86 books across genres, including contemporary romance, women's fiction, domestic suspense, and fantasy.

She's a Waldenbooks, Bookscan, Amazon, iBooks and Barnes & Noble bestseller, a 2013 RBY and National Readers' Choice Award winner, and a multiple finalist for many other awards.

She loves chatting on social media!

Reviews

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kinda Jackie Collins meets psychological thriller, ish!
Set in ‘The Hamptons’ a place I know
I have always wanted to see the book centres around 3 friends, 1 privileged but tries to give back in good deeds what she has in wealth, 1 a policewoman and 1 who is effortlessly glam and the envy of all other women....an unusual trio, but it works
But secrets abound, of course, from the past and from the present and every day the fragility of their lies threatens them and their friendship
All 3 have partners, all the partners are not as they seem
You see the emerging picture?
And then there’s Maggie, on the fringes with her detoxes and smarmy hubby
Things all start to come to a head when a single pregnant lady arrives and is determined to confront the father
There is actually some full on serious matters covered in the book inc date rape, drugs, murder and narcissism to name just a few
Every one and every lie, every secret and every brutality comes together in an unexpected gruesome ending that did surprise me
The characters it has to be said are not likeable, in the slightest, but you do empathise with some when the truth ‘is out’
A perfectly ample with intrigue told tale with good descriptive writing and different enough to hold ( mine at any rate ) attention
8/10. 4 Stars

[Sandysbookaday (on indefinite hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

EXCERPT: have you ever done something so terrible, so horrific, that it haunts you?A vile memory that clogs your throat and blurs your mind and sits like a heavy weight in your gut?

I have.

The memory of what I've recently done disturbs me. Every waking minute, every sleeping one too. The nightmares are bad; the kind that linger after I jolt awake, hands trembling, my breathing ragged and harsh in the silence.

ABOUT THIS BOOK: My life is like one of those cheap snow globes my twins collected when they were younger. Shiny and pretty on the outside, blurred beyond recognition when shaken.

Ever since her twin girls left home, Marisa has felt there’s something missing from her life. Her sprawling mansion is no longer filled with laughter and chaos, and she’s desperate to feel needed... and to be distracted from the secret she’s been hiding from her husband for all these years.

Coffee with her best friends might be the only thing holding Marisa together. But Claire and Elly have their own secrets. Like why Claire hasn’t been to work in weeks, or why Elly won’t tell anyone who’s buying her flowers.

When Jodi, a pregnant young girl, turns up at Marisa’s doorstep, Marisa is quick to come to her aid. She sees herself in Jodi and she knows how devoting yourself to looking after others can take up all your time in the most marvellous way.

But Jodi’s arrival quickly pushes everyone’s lies to the surface. The father of her unborn child is someone the women know very well, and Marisa starts to wonder if her obsession with helping Jodi might come at a devastating price…

MY THOUGHTS: I have very mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed the first half, where my suspicions were all over the place, accusing first one husband then another, and I really thought I was onto a winner. But after that, it all started to get very convoluted and faintly ridiculous.

There is not a lot of depth to the characters, which is a great pity, because they could do with some. The men were all stereotyped into sleazy, unreliable characters, and the women? - they were also fairly stereotyped - the brittle bitch out for revenge, the career woman, the rich woman devoting her life to charitable causes....

I did like their 'garden' club, although their 'meetings' all seemed a bit rushed, and not the nice relaxed gossip session I envisaged.....'Not the kind where Claire, Elly and I weed or prune or plant. It's more the kind of club that takes place in a garden; with wine and cheese.' Of course, there is a gardener to do the gardens....

And I love the cover!...though I don't think any of the characters did anything so mundane as have a cuppa!

I almost felt like I was reading a different book in the second half, it was so disappointing. This is a book that could have been much better than it was. It has a lot of potential. It is a book of two halves. The first is a gripping emotional page turner, unfortunately the second half spirals out of control.

***

THE AUTHOR: USA TODAY bestselling and award-winning author Nicola Marsh writes feel-good fiction…with a twist.

She has published 70 books and sold over 8 million copies worldwide.

She currently writes domestic suspense novels for Hachette UK's Bookouture, rural romance for Harper Collins Australia's Mira imprint, and contemporary romance for Harlequin Dare.

She's a Waldenbooks, Bookscan and Barnes & Noble bestseller, a 2013 RBY and National Readers' Choice Award winner, and a multiple finalist for awards including the Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice Award, HOLT Medallion, Booksellers' Best, Golden Quill, Laurel Wreath, More than Magic and has won several CataRomance Reviewers' Choice Awards.

She loves chatting on social media!

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Bookouture via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Scandal by Nicola Marsh. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

For an explanation of my rating system, please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the 'about' page on my webpage, sandysbookaday.wordpress.com

This, and other reviews, are also posted on Twitter, Amazon and my webpage https://wordpress.com/post/sandysbook...

[Louise Wilson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Marisa, Elly and Claire are best friends with seemingly perfect lives, but they all have secrets. Marisa is married to Avery. She's a trophy wife who's dedicated to raising her children. Claire's a local police detective who's desperate to start a family with her husband, Dale. Elly has a secret lover no one knows about, not even her best friends. Jodi is pregnant after a one night stand.

The story is well crafted, twisted and thrilling all rolled into one. The story is told by the four women's point of view. You have no idea who the father of Jodi's baby is until the big reveal. It's another one of those stories you can't say too much about. I do recommend this book.

I would like to thank NetGalley, Bookouture and the author Nicola Marsh for my ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Namita · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨✨✨ 1/2
Marisa, Elly & Claire are three best friends from different backgrounds and each one is keeping secrets from the other . When a fourth person, Jodi , pregnant after a one night stand arrives in their midst all chaos ensues and their secrets come tumbling out one after the other .

The Scandal by Nicola March is told in 4 different POV’s , Marisa, Elly, Claire and Jodi. Though a well told story there was a lack of depth to the characters. The ending was a surprise and had a few twists that I was not expecting . Overall 3 1/2 stars for me

I would like to thank Bookouture & NetGalley for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest and fair review.

[Bri · Rating 1 out of 5]

Women characters: annoying and shallow
Men: d/bags
Twist: flat and confusing
I don’t care for books with a lot of sex and usually don’t remark on it either way. This one didn’t have an abundance but what it did have was just cringy and felt a bit violent and incredibly uncomfortable. It was complete yuck. 🤢

[AnisaAnne · Rating 3 out of 5]

You can also read my reviews on WP: https://anisabookreviews.wordpress.co...

3.5 stars, rounded to 3 ***

Set in the center of the extravagance of` the Hamptons, three friends lives will collide with secrets, scandal, and greed. Marisa, the perfect housewife has a passion for helping others. Claire has been struggling with infertility and it is testing the bounds of her marriage. And then there is Elly who harbors a devastating past that overshadows her every move, especially in male relationships. These friends are close, but each holds secrets that they keep from their partners and each other.

When Jodi arrives at the small town of Glendale, she has only one agenda, to find the father of her unborn son. Suddenly her arrival unleashes a twisted web of the secrets and lies among this small circle. And it appears that this close-knit group of friends could not appear more distant.

The Scandal should be titled in the plural as there is duplicity among all lines of friendship. The story is written in three consecutive perspectives of Marisa, Elly, and Claire. The author treats each character thoughtfully sharing the perspectives cleanly. The story-building and the scintillating subject matter of betrayal carried me quickly through the novel. However, a major flaw of this story is that it is plot-driven. Although this story is along the lines of a tv soap opera (even one of the characters references this), a bit of poetry could have added to the mise en scene. After all, we are in the Hamptons!

Overall I would give this story a 3.5 rounded to 3.

Thank you Netgalley, Bookouture, and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Dipika · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was intrigued to read this book after seeing the high praise and rating on Goodreads. Thankfully I did not read any reviews because then my expectations would have been higher as would have been the disappointment.
I don't like giving long negative reviews so I will keep this short. I thought the story was average, the characters and twists quite predictable.
The narrative of the three women wasn't engaging enough for me and extremely repetitive. The latter being a problem for me because I felt the women were not evolving. None of their stories struck a chord.
I would rather not mention the men in the book because each was worse than the other with no redeeming qualities. Even the one who seemed the best of the lot by the end was made to be volatile probably to taint him with suspicion as well. Like really?
The twist, in the end, was hardly a revelation to me. I had already figured it out quite early in the book.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a digital ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a book that has lots of twists and has you guessing till the very end then this is a book you should pick up, oh my goodness the emotions that fly from the characters as secrets are unraveled and truths learned. Come along and mix with the rich people of The Hamptons and meet Marisa (Ris), Claire and Elly friends who are there for each other.

Ris is a phycologist and has her friends Claire and Elly over once a month for garden club or wine and cheese and lots of talk between friends at Ris’s beautiful home in The Hamptons, Ris is married to a CEO and has everything that the privileged normally have or has she? Ris keeps secrets buried deep in her thoughts and since her twin daughters have moved a way things are starting to change and unravel.

Claire is a police officer and has not been herself for many weeks now and that is not like her at all and Ris is determined to help however she can, helping people is what makes Ris happy. Claire is keeping secrets and is about to tell her friends.

Elly is beautiful and glamourous and needs to be in control she works managing a medical practice, her secrets would blow the lid of their friendship if it ever came out but maybe the time is coming.
When a young single pregnant girl, Jodi arrives in town looking for the baby’s father this sets the cat among the pigeons and the lies and secrets begin to unravel in a dangerous way.

This book had me turning the pages to get to the end, my heart was racing at times the emotions so real, trying hard to guess who had done what to who and getting to know Ris, Claire and Elly and the reason they do what they do and why they have secrets that do eventually come out and play a big part in some things that happen. So many great characters and some not so nice characters in the story and Nicola Marsh has bought them to life so well.

This story is about friendships affairs and secrets that can destroy and one I do highly recommend.

[Rhiannon Rabby | 31 · Rating 5 out of 5]

WHEN THE TWISTS HAVE TWISTS.
AND THOSE TWISTS HAVE TWISTS.
AND THAT TWIST IS DRIPPING IN THIS TWIST.
AND THIS TWIST IS DIPPED IN THAT TWIST.
BUT DID I MENTION THE TWISTS, THOUGH?
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Nila (digitalcreativepages) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friendship, murder, secrets, and betrayal are my favorite words while reading a book. Nicola Marsh's book is one such goodie which made me want to keep reading and not allow the story to end. But the book ended with goosebumps... Omg... Omg I have to shriek it out... OMG!!

Friendship between three ladies Elly, Marissa, Claire had its own ups and downs, but there was one who was hiding the biggest secret which could destroy their relationships. Enter a fourth one, Jodi, and the equation changed. One lone woman made someone so insecure and scared that they had to bring everything to status quo.

Nicola Marsh has done it, written a fabulous book. There were twists upon twists. Even the last chapter did not allow me to take a deep breath. It was just a massive rush of adrenaline, as if I was freefalling. What I thought to be a domestic thriller turned out to be so much more darker.

Initially the warmth and the secretive way the characters revealed their story caused a wicked emotion to bubble inside me, knowing I was on to something forbidden. But later, the secrets that rushed out were like the flames of fire, burning everything down its path.

This book was nothing but a twisted vine which gripped me from the beginning to the end. I was in a state of absolute euphoria after reading it. A rocking unputdownable thriller. What a rush!!

[Wendi Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ris, Claire, and Elly are close friends harboring secrets, some bigger than others. They live in a privileged world, enjoying the luxurious comforts of the Hamptons. But an arrival of a young, pregnant woman turns their existence upside down.

I enjoyed reading this book. The three women were very different, so it wasn’t hard to keep them apart, especially when their pasts were revealed. I had some difficulty believing that they were actually that close, because of those vast differences. Ris is the envied paragon of the community, for example. I had a hard time believing that her controlling husband would allow her to socialize with Claire, a police officer.

Oh yes, and the male characters. They were all consistently slimy, even the sole example of a “good husband.” He was also violent, sulky, and slightly unsavory.

The very very end of the book also had me asking more questions. The biggest is, why???

So I have mixed feelings about this one. I enjoyed it, but there were some issues.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an arc.

[Els · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first book by this author and it hit bull’s eye straight away!

From the very first moment I was intrigued by the storyline and it was nice to be able to get into the heads of the three women who are telling the story alternatively.

The author managed to feed us only small snippets of information. It resulted in my head spinning because everytime I thought I had figured out who was the perpetrator, she revealed something new and poof there went my theory.

And then when you think it’s finally over it seems that it still isn’t.

If you are looking for a story with a direct route from A to Z then you have another think coming. The author takes you through the whole alphabet before you are allowed to reach your destination. Wonderful!

If there would be an award for adding twists and turns to a book and keeping the reader entertained, the author totally deserves a nomination. 5 stars.

Thank you, Nicola Marsh, Bookouture and Netgalley.

https://bforbookreview.wordpress.com

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this ebook free via NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

I. Loved. This.

I won't be surprised if this novel goes the way of Big Little Lies. There is SO much going on, the set up was excellent, and the story came together so well at the end. There was no over-explaining, the three main women were morally grey, real, intriguing, and there was so many plot lines that hook you in and keep you guessing and second-guessing throughout.

I didn't see the ending coming until the moments that it was happening. So many characters were set up well to be the perpetrators of the few crimes involved, it was impossible to pick who it could be but I was very satisfied with the outcome.

I believe this is the first Nicola Marsh novel I've read and I would very happily go back for more like this. 

[Vanessa]

Gripping! I read this in two sittings, and couldn’t put it down. A fantastic read!

[Giulia · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book and I got off on the wrong foot from the beginning--the story is set in the Hamptons but it is written by a Brit. It put me off-I know I am picky.. Write what you know, right? Anyway, after that the story evolves in my opinion into a bad version of Big, Little, Lies. Unlikeable characters and a few bizarre twists did not make this book that redeemable to me. I would recommend to women who dont have alot of experience reading well written thrillers. I apologize to the author, I just don't agree with all the other readers reviews.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for a chance to read and review.

[Mus✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4.5

It definitely captured my interest.

[Jade Kovacs · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you for this advanced copy of "The Scandal" by Nicola Marsh.

This was an okay storyline, slow, not very fast paced, ungripping, the short chapters where it flicked between the 3 narratives of the women in this book were a good point at best.

Repetitive life stories. By 66% Elly had already mentioned her lifestyle for the 50th time.... Certain phrases are repeated throughout each women's story throughout the book.... By the end I felt like screaming, "I know, you've said a million times!!!"

Why had Elly not recalled the "Sandalwood" smell of her rapist right until the end of the book? - when she had been in contact with the guy numerous times over the 2 years? - his wife had already said earlier on in the story that he always wore the same fragrance. Surely it would trigger a memory way before the end of the book when everything is being wrapped up?!.

Not many of the plot twists come as a shock in this book, you can tell how they're going to pan out, the final chapter is and isn't a shock. I'd guessed this scenario a few times over the course of the book especially when a certain thing is mentioned twice, it was as if it was meant to stick in the back of our minds for a reason. I think it would of been better to have not mentioned it for the fill effect of shock thriller we would want from a Physcological Thriller.


All the characters aren't very likeable. Apart from Claire's Husband Dane.... But even he gets tainted with the suspicions that are implyed that playout throughout the story.

I'm not sure this book was for me, though I did manage to stick with it and finish it, I wasn't gripped like I usually am. Sorry I probably wouldn't read more by this author.

[Bridget · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fabulous read full of treachery and deceit.

The Scandal was incredibly well crafted, as well as being twisty and thrilling, I loved the writing style of Nicola Marsh and the plotline had a totally unique spin. The story was mesmerizing and so different to all of the other novels about domestic abuse and cheating partners. Each character had their own undisclosed secret which helped this completely enthralling story. The ending was remarkable and not what I had been expecting at all.

I can't wait to see what wonderful treat Nicola Marsh has in store for me, next!

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Bookouture via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

[Kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

A bog standard (psychological) thriller, with an awful amount of repetition from all the main charachters.
An ok read, however, not one with mind blowing didn't-see-that-one-coming twists. The whodunnit was quite obvious, from fairly early on.

The charachters were all lacking depth, really. I didn't feel like any of it was going anywhere. Perhaps it would have made a better short story, with most of the repetitive details left out.
What sounded/read odd, was the British English language used, when it's meant to be American characters in America. I'm nitpicking, I know, but somehow it just didn't sound right.
The story did keep me entertained enough, though, and there was something there that kept me reading.
2.5 stars rounded down to 2.

[Lindsay · Rating 4 out of 5]

A book set in the Hamptons and called “The Scandal!?” Um sign me up! This twisty thriller did not disappoint. While I hated pretty much all of the characters, I loved they felt real even with their flaws. I liked this book had a satisfying ending and some girl power to it! Def worth the read!!!

[Shelby · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marisa, Elly and Claire—3 best friends with seemingly perfect lives, but all of them are harboring some deep secrets.

Marisa has been married to Avery for 21-years. She escaped her terrible childhood only to be a trophy wife. She dedicated her life to raising her kids, but now that they’re in college, her life is lonelier by the day. So she has delved herself fully into being a social worker and helping others.

Claire, a local police detective, desperately wants to start a family with her husband Dale. She thinks a baby will absolve her of her previous sins and give their marriage a fresh start. But when she discovers her husband is infertile, she’s not sure their marriage can survive the years of secrets between them.

Elly moved to this small town after leaving her “perfect” life that turned out to be a lie. Now she has a secret lover that no one knows about, not even her best friends. And if they discover who she’s been sneaking around with, they won’t forgive her and she’ll have to start her life over yet again.

A young pregnant woman named Jodi arrives on Marisa’s doorstep unexpectedly and since Marisa has a thing for strays, she helps her. Jodi is there to find the father of her baby and her arrival sets in motions a series of crazy events...

The Scandal by Nicola Marsh is a stand-alone twisty women’s fiction meets mystery novel. I really enjoy dramas about various women who have secrets where there’s a central mystery driving the whole story. This book didn’t do anything wrong, but it didn’t do anything particularly new either. The twists were okay, if not a little predictable. 3/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookouture and Nicola Marsh for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Ivana · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great thriller, so, so exciting. Having more than one person being the storyteller can be tricky, but in this case it totally worked and made the book even more interesting. I especially liked reading about Elly's and Ris's thoughts and how they were very flawed but not afraid to admit that to themselves, even if they were trying to hide it from the rest of the world.

[Monique Boshant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow another amazing story. So many twists and turns. One minute you think discovered who is who and what is what. Then it goes in a total different direction. So exciting keeps you on your toes. So much fun trying to figure it out. Sad but lovely ending. Must read do enjoy. Thank you again for such a great story.

[⭒Christie ☽✯➳✯☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic thriller 🙌🏼

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!!!!! This novel was as good as Big little lies!!! So worth reading!!! Needs to be made into a TV series!! So worth reading!!!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like Freda McFaddens housemaid, you will enjoy this book.

[Angela Beck · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than I expected! This one keeps you guessing right until the last chapter. My mind was all over the place trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle together.

[Renita D'Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic, emotional, brilliantly written tale of friendship, secrets, life and love. Adored this amazing book. Will definitely be reading more from this wonderful author. Very highly recommend this book to everyone.

[Zoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tight, relentless, and tempestuous!

The Scandal is a suspenseful, edgy thriller that takes us to the affluent Sunnyside Drive, where deception is rampant, drama is high, marriages are in trouble, and lives are messily intertwined.

The prose is brisk and sharp. The characters are self-absorbed, deceptive, and intrusive. And the plot is a juicy tale filled with secrets, deception, scandal, infidelity, suspicions, revelations, mayhem, fractured relationships, inappropriate behaviours, abuse, jealousy, violence, and murder.

Overall, The Scandal is a dark, twisty, compelling page-turner by Marsh that delves into the intricate and dynamic bonds that can exist between tight-knit groups of friends and has just the right amount of pace, mood, atmosphere, and surprises to keep you guessing until the very last page.

[Bobbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome

I have enjoyed reading this book. I loved the twists not really knowing who done it. Thank you for the awesome read.