This is perfect for fans of legal thrillers.
It’s a locked room thriller with a fantastic ending.
It is twisty and dramatic
An excellent read

I'm a HUGE Nicci French fan & was very excited to read this one but sadly I was disappointed it missed the mark & isn't a patch on their other books.

Great read as always from Nicci French, a good page turner that fully absorbs you into it.

Tabitha is in prison accused of murder of a dead man found in her garden shed. She doesn't remember the crime, nor does she understand why she is in jail and she struggles with the isolation of being there. The more we learn of her the more we learn why locals think she did it.

Greta read, highly recommend.

A crime mystery from the prolific writing duo Nicci French. I have read and enjoyed many off their previous novels but though this was well written, it was overlong and slightly unbelievable in places.

I have always enjoyed Nicci French’s thrillers, so was really looking forward to House of Correction. For the most part, I enjoyed this novel, but it fell slightly flat for me. The premise is interesting and the majority of the novel is well constructed, but I found the trial parts a bit “out there”. I was still turning pages quickly, but I wasn’t always completely gripped.

This won’t put me off reading more from the duo and it’s safe to say that not every book is for everyone.

I absolutely adored the early novels of Nicci French and think that the writing duo of Nicci Gerrard and Sean French are masters of the psychological novel. Sadly however, the House of Correction didn't grip me in the same way as their earlier work. I found it a difficult book to get into, I wasn't gripped by it and didn't believe in or warm to the character of Tabitha. The second half of the novel was more gripping but not particularly believable. I've hesitated for a while over writing this review as I'm loath to give anything but a five star review to a Nicci French novel. I would highly recommend the duos previous psychological novels however, and I look forward to their next.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a digital ARC.

I loved this book, it got me gripped from the start. Wonderfully written. I would now like to read more by this author.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. House of Correction was a nice middleground refresher of a legal thriller and very easy to blitz through the pages! I thought the setting was interesting and that Nicci French did a lot given the confined limitations the plot naturally demands, given Tabitha is solving her own case in prison. The story had a lot of humour to it actually which I enjoyed but I found the second half particularly absurd; the trial played out in a really odd way that made it hard for me to suspend belief and the ending was pretty random. These really detracted from the rating for me but this was still an easy crime read and a nice in-between book that didn’t require too much brainwork.

I really enjoyed the author’s previous novel, so I was really looking forward to this new one, but, for some reason, it took me a while to pick it up, and, once I did, it took me a while to really get into the story. First of all, I can’t say that I really liked the protagonist of the novel, Tabitha. I had a bit of a hard time to relate to her or to feel pity for her. It wouldn’t be the first time that I don’t like the protagonist, but I also had a bit of trouble getting into the story. It was a bit of a slow start for me, but, more or less halfway through the story, things picked up and I became completely immersed in the story. My feelings toward the protagonist didn’t change, but I was addicted to the plot, full of twists and suspense. I couldn’t wait what would happen next. So, all in all, I can say that this is a thrilling and engaging story, one that will keep entertained all crime fans, and I am looking forward to the author’s next project.

House of Correction by Nicki French feels like a book of two halves.
In the first half, which I found very slow, we get to know Tabitha. She is accused of murdering her neighbour Stuart Rees, whose body is found in her shed. She is on remand, desperately trying to navigate through through the claustrophobic, dehumanising, highly charged atmosphere of prison. All of this while suffering with the crippling darkness of severe depression, and very poor general mental health. We seem to spend so much time within her difficult, uneasy mind.
The second half of the book is based around court and the trial itself. At this point, the book picks up speed. The court is a language and environment completely alien to her.
Tabitha is tricky character to like, due to her hostile, openly aggressive nature, but I did find myself starting root for her during the trial. The description of her home in Okeham being “ramshackle, worn out .... neglected for decades”, I felt was a metaphor for her own self.
For me, the court scenes stretched plausibility too far, and the book didn’t hold my attention. The book as a whole didn’t work in my opinion, though I know many other have really enjoyed it.
Just 3* from me.

Tabitha Hardy returns to her childhood home in Okeham, Devon only to find herself charged with the murder of her former maths teacher, Stuart Rees. Tabitha has no recollection of what happened on the day that Rees was found on her property - 21st December - and denies murder. In prison and awaiting trial, she fires her solicitor, with the intention of defending herself.

Compulsive and highly addictive from the start, I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The claustrophobic settings of the prison and courtroom and the limited timescale really heightened the suspense. As Tabitha tried to make sense of the evidence and searched for witnesses, she was her own worst enemy. Nicci French has a great knack for devising complex characters, and Tabitha was a complicated person. She was a loner, instinctively aggressive but also very determined, and she grew on me as the story progressed. Tabitha wasn't sure of her own actions making the tale all the more compelling as I had no clue as to who was trustworthy or whose recollections were genuine. House of Correction was a novel that certainly got under my skin as everything was called into question, including Tabitha's own certainty that she was innocent.

This cleverly plotted story was executed brilliantly with some razor-sharp observations, plenty of nerve jittering suspense and, for me, the mystery was not easily guessed. House of Correction is an exceptional page-turner and a must for all crime aficionados.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from Simon & Schuster via NetGalley at my request and this review is my own unbiased opinion.

A highly entertaining and gripping thriller that kept me hooked till the last page.
The plot is tightly knitted and the characters are well developed. Tabitha is a strong character even if I didn't find her very likable.
The mystery is full of twists and turns and I appreciated the court part even if I'm not usually a fan of legal thriller.
I loved the humour and the quirky characters that made me smile.
It's the first book I read by this author and won't surely be the last.
It's strongly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Loved the concept of the book focusing on someone in prison for murder; Nicci French is really trying to come up with ideas not seen very often in the genre with this and their previous offering, The Lying Room, and they are doing it well..
Tabitha has been imprisoned for the murder of her former teacher in the village she had only recently returned to. Making it worse, the body is found in her back garden (by her friend and herself) which she can't explain and obviously led to her DNA being there and his blood covering her. She cannot really recall exactly what she did on the day which intensifies the belief she did the crime.
I felt an inkling of where the answer would come from but watching it play out still surprised me. None of the settings are pleasant places for Tabitha or the reader so don't read if you want a happy read but it worked fabulously with a cast of characters to keep you guessing.

Another absolutely thrilling read from the fab duo that make up Nicci French. As much as I enjoyed the Frieda Klien series it was lovely to be immersed in this standalone psycholgoical thriller of the original kind. A mystery that is bound up in events of the past and the personalities involved.

Tabitha is in prison, she's there because a murdered man was found in her outhouse. There are few suspects the man being killed on the one day when the village was blocked off from the surrounding area due to a fallen tree. Tabitha doesn't remember much of the day itself but then the evidence that it must have been her comes rolling in.

I love a courtroom drama, if you do too, then you will love this book as Tabitha is battling for her freedom, can she get it?

Outstanding casting lends brilliant colour to the intriguing, and clever plot. One of my favourite reads of 2020.

This is up there with the best of Nicci French. The story kept me engrossed from beginning to end..The main characters are well crafted and believable.Tabitha is a complex character and I am not sure whether I liked her or not, I admired her tenacity but some of the things she said and did made me cringe for her.
I would thoroughly recommend this book.
Thank you Netgalley and Simon and Suchester for giving me the opportunity to give my unbiased opinion.

I've heard so much about Nicci French from some of my favourite You Tubers Lauren and Jen that when I saw this on Netgalley I decided it was time to give their work a go. Nicci French is the pen name of married couple Nicci Gerrard and Sean French which I hadn't realised until the intro of this novel; I'm always intrigued by how two minds can come together to form a cohesive novel - more impressive if you're married and presumably therefore spend a lot of time together. House of Correction did not disappoint, this was a great introduction to the author and I've already picked up another of their books.

When we meet Tabitha she's spending her first night on remand in prison. Convinced she'll be out the next morning she initially doesn't worry about settling down or fitting in however after meeting with her solicitor she'll be stuck there for at least five weeks waiting for her initial hearing/ giving her plea. Tabitha has been charged with the murder of her neighbour and previous teacher who was found dead on her property, despite her own confidence in her innocence over the next few weeks more information emerges around Tabitha and her prior relationship with Simon Rees that isn't filling her solicitor with the same confidence.

I haven't read many court based fictions before but I really enjoyed this one. Tabitha is a really interesting character; she's not the most instantly likeable but over the novel she grew on me and I started to find myself behind her and willing her to be successful in her defence despite the building evidence against her.

The book is split into three main parts, the build up to the trial, the prosecution and the defence - I felt like the build up to the trial was a little slow at times but it really set the ground for big dramas once Tabitha's case gets to court. Once I hit the courtroom sections this book had me completely hooked much to my annoyance when I was trying to finish this in the car and had to stop because I was starting to feel quite travel sick.

This is an excellent and intriguing psychological thriller with a very interesting and well crafted plot. Set between a prison drama and a courtroom drama, this is bound to be a hit for the author. Tabitha is charged with a murder, when a body is discovered in her garden shed, and she decides to represent herself in court. It is filled with twists, plenty of humour, interesting characters and a quirky ending, Thanks to Net Galley for my ARC.

I’ve previously only read the Frieda Kline series, so was a little concerned that I wouldn’t be able to get into this book, I needn’t have been worried, this was a wonderfully written and fantastic book, which kept me gripped throughout.

She’s a murderer.

Everyone knows she killed Stuart Rees – why else would his dead body be found in her shed?
So now Tabitha is in prison, awaiting trial.

Coming back to the remote coastal village where she grew up was a mistake. She didn’t fit in then, and she doesn’t fit in now.

That day is such a blur, she can’t remember clearly what happened. There is something she is missing, something important… She only knows one thing. She is not capable of murder.

And the only one she can trust to help her out of this situation is herself.
So she must fight. Against the odds.

For her life.

Firstly, a huge thank you to the publishers for sending me a copy of this book.

Wow - this book was unputtadownable!

I read this book in one straight sitting and I had a book hangover after putting it down.

Tabitha is accused of murdering her neighbour, Stuart and is on remand, waiting to be sentenced. She fires her lawyer (which working in the legal profession, I am still gobsmacked at!) and takes on the case herself. For the most part, the book is set in the prison cell and library, where we learn, chapter by chapter, of Tabitha’s progress. The writer leaves most chapters on such cliff hangers, where “one more chapter” won’t hurt!

The book then goes to the trial of Tabitha where more clues are uncovered.

This book was truly amazing and is perfect for any legal thriller junkie. I would highly recommend for fans of Gillian McAllister, Jo Spain, Peter James and Kia Abdullah

Thanks Netgalley and the Publisher. I have liked everything this author has written and this was no exception, for me it is up there as one of her best. Great storyline, great characters. Loved it.