The Accusation

Somebody is lying.

A bizarre abduction. A body of damning evidence. A world of betrayal.

A bizarre abduction. A body of damning evidence. A world of betrayal.

After eighteen-year-old Ellie Canning is found shivering and barely conscious on a country road, her bizarre story of kidnap and escape enthrals the nation. Who would do such a thing? And why?

Local drama teacher Suzannah Wells, once a minor celebrity, is new to town. Suddenly she’s in the spotlight again, accused of being the monster who drugged and bound a teenager in her basement. As stories about her past emerge, even those closest to her begin to doubt her innocence.

And Ellie? The media can’t get enough of her. She’s a girl-power icon, a social-media star. But is she telling the truth?

A powerful exploration of the fragility of trust and the loss of innocence, from the author of The Golden Child and The Mistake.

The way the book was structured really gave it an inventive feel … Highly recommended.

Katrina Ferguson and Kathryn Ryan

Radio New Zealand

The Accusation is Australian crime writing at its best, showcasing the great talent of Australian women writers out there today. It deserves all the hype! A brilliant book, very highly recommended.

But Books are Better blog

The Accusation will grip you from page one … Intelligent, suspenseful, and masterfully paced, with a killer twist in the tail, The Accusation is domestic noir at its best.

Better Reading

This satisfying novel perfectly captures our current world, saturated by social media, obsessed by beautiful victims and easily identified villains, and quick to judge and condemn … This is a gripping novel with plenty of twists, underpinned by acute observations about society.

Good Reading magazine

James brilliantly takes this historical true crime and updates it to the internet age.

Cameron Woodhead

Sydney Morning Herald

Both gripping and timely, An Accusation’s sharp narrative will demand your attention from page one. Wendy James spins a web of mystery that will leave you feeling upside down, in the very best way. Highly recommend!

Liz Fenton and Lisa Steinke

authors of The Two Lila Bennetts

Australia’s queen of the domestic thriller.

Angela Savage

on ABC Radio National