This book examines the core paradox of why, in the past 40 years, we have seen an explosion of public accountability but at the same time have also witnessed a plummeting of public trust in politicians and governments. Few issues are as complicated as the relationship between technocratic policy-making and democratic politics. Schonhardt-Bailey does not only walk us through the challenges of monitoring the decisions of both elected and unelected public officials; she also provides a compelling analytical framework and a wealth of empirical evidence to explain patterns of "deliberative accountability". The book is undoubtedly a must-read for all those interested in democratic governance, the quality of accountability, and deliberation in contemporary societies.