Book Review - Slander by Rhiannon Barnsley

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Title: Slander

Author: Rhiannon Barnsley

Format reviewed: Ebook

Source: Netgalley

Publisher: One More Chapter

Publication Date: 8th August 2025

Rating: 5 Stars

What happens when the whole world watches your life come crashing down…

When Hollywood actor Ethan Simmons sues his wife Tori for allegedly lying about his infidelity, the world is captivated. Once the darlings of the social scene, the case will tear apart their perfect exteriors.

For Riley Grey, a true crime influencer, the case might hold the key to the disappearance of her sister, Alice, after an anonymous source tips her off.

As the high-profile trial begins, it soon becomes clear that both parties are willing to air their dirty laundry in public. And when Tori hints at an even darker secret, Ethan’s reputation could be destroyed once and for all.

And as the media frenzy intensifies, and the courtroom holds their breath, who will win the defamation case of the century?

I had no idea who to believe at any point in this story. 

We have a big celebrity defamation trial, we have a true crime youtuber determined to find out the truth about her missing twin sister, and is encouraged to got to London for the trial.  And then we have Tori who is one of the celebrities involved in the trial that also goes missing during the trial. 

This is after Tori let's slip something that is meant to be as a warning to Ethan, and that has Riley, wondering if it's referring to her sister Alice too.  

There is so much going on, and its interspersed with social media comments and conspiracy theories.  

I was totally enthralled by all the various plotlines, and kept thinking one thing only to have that thought annihilated very soon afterwards.  I just had no idea what to believe. 

Which is why I loved this so much, I love hearing about celebrities going wrong, and the agents and lawyers were also interesting in this, As were subsequent police interviews.  It's the sort of thing I could believe could happen in real life, especially with this trial being the first live streamed celebrity trial which made the internet and social media utterly insane. 

This is another excellent story from this author and I can't wait to see what she may bamboozle me with next! 

Thank you to One More Chapter and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.