Emma Webster, a Labor MP, has a reputation for taking on moral issues. She is pushing a bill to make revenge porn illegal. Emma’s career has forced her to sacrifice her marriage, and it has troubled her relationship with her daughter Flora.
Being trolled on social media is the nightmare of politicians and Emma is no exception. Then her daughter becomes involved in a similar scandal. After being involved in a bullying incident, Flora takes to social media in a poorly chosen bid for revenge.
With her daughter’s situation becoming known, Emma’s life begins to fall apart. She finds herself under fire in the press. Then the journalist who threatens to expose her is found dead in her house. Now she must defend her reputation in the court of law.
If you like courtroom drama, which I do, this is a terrific book. The lead up to the trial is slow, but once the action starts this is a difficult book to put down. I found the use of the dangers of social media an excellent choice for the underlying action. Emma’s problems showed how public figures are constantly under the threat of having their reputation destroyed by an anonymous person hidden behind a computer screen. It’s a very timely plot.
The story is told through multiple narrators. Emma is the major voice, but other characters such as her husband’s new wife, also give their viewpoint. I can’t say I warmed up to Emma. She is a very strong character and hard to get close to, but I did admire her. Flora, however, was my favorite. She added a touch of the real life problems of teens growing up with famous parents.
I received this book from Atria Books for this review.
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