Little Disasters: the compelling and thought-provoking new novel from the author of the Sunday Times bestseller Anatomy of a Scandal

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Jess suggests this must have caused the injury, which she hadn't noticed before bringing the baby to the ER. This story has an air of mystery and is somewhat emotional as it deals with the stresses of motherhood, family, mental illness and trauma. Overall: Even though the story’s pace would be better with some edited parts, I enjoyed the writing, character building and realistic, genuine, argumentative approach of the author. Because of their friendship and hospital protocol, the child’s care is quickly shifted to another pediatrician.

Here she moves on to another area in which everyone feels free to criticise any woman perceived as falling short… Painful and realistic, this is a novel that should be read by everyone planning to have a child.Liz knows that Jess is a good mother and wife, so why would she let her little girl slip so easily out of care? Then when I got home there was still washing to do - no disposable nappies then - and meals to prepare. However, the woman is not the same woman she knows outside of work – she’s cagey and she finds out her daughter had a fall, but the accident doesn’t account for the injury, so why is she lying? As Jess's life spirals out of control, the two women's friendship group begins to fracture as medical and criminal hell breaks loose. A late twist succeeded in throwing this reader a little off kilter and it managed to be the saving grace in terms of my enjoyment of the book, which seemed to dip a bit in the middle section of the novel.

It was the first time I’d interviewed someone with such a clear, relaxed attitude toward the truth,” she says. Sarah Vaughan, who hit the bestseller lists with Anatomy of a Scandal, is back with her fourth novel, the shocking, impossible-to-look-away Little Disasters.

However, a reader should never underestimate the lengths that an author will go to keep you muttering " Oh my!

It turns out baby Betsey has a fractured skull, and Jess's only explanation is that Betsey was trying to pull herself up on the refrigerator and fell. Overall, I think Little Disasters is an intriguing, character-driven mystery that’s also thought-provoking and timely. The twist itself was somewhat out of left field, but managed to work anyway, even though I think I would have preferred the ending without it. On top of that, Jess did all this with minimal help from her hard-working husband Ed, who was strictly a 'take kids to sports' dad.Kudos to Vaughn as I was sure I knew what had happened but she threw in a great twist I didn’t see coming. Liz is a pediatrician and has spent the last few years working long hours in the ER, seeing horrible tragedies befall children and their families. We learn that of late the friendship has suffered, which is down to the very busy lives both women lead. Liz has no choice but to bring Betsey’s injury to the attention of the authorities – and Liz and Jess are soon caught up in an unimaginable nightmare from which they hope all those involved will survive unscathed.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon and Schuster and Sarah Vaughn for the advance copy of this book, which was at times a tough read, but a good one. Moreover, Jess's sister Martha is asked to stay at the Curtis home, to watch over Jess and Ed's boys, until the case is resolved one way or another.I found this story very involving and the sensitive subject matter was handled with frankness and honesty as well as not a little sadness. This book looks to these women who try to balance everything, one being a single parent, another being unhappy in her marriage and unable to conceive and desiring another"s husband and Jess, not understanding why she is unable to function as she had done previously. And behind this main thread lie historical tales of parental neglect, and sometimes abuse, and the determination of those who suffered not to repeat those mistakes. I found both Liz and Jess to be a bit lean in regard to characterization - Jess is the seemingly perfect stay-at-home mom, Liz is the guilt-obsessed working mom, etc.