I’m always looking forward to read a Court mystery story and this book was just perfection.
I found myself on the edge of my seat throughout the book and I finished it in one day because it’s addictive and interesting and the suspense and twists were so well done that I haven’t expected anything like that.
I read a few books by this duet authors and this one hit the marks for another must read and highly recommended novel.
The narrator was just amazing and her job was probably 50% of my enjoyment of this title and that’s something that never happened before for me.

I got an ARC of this on audiobook from NetGalley and I really enjoyed listening to it. The novel follows Tabitha who is in prison awaiting trial for murder but she can’t remember what happened when the murder occurred so is trying to work it all out. Tabitha is an unreliable narrator, and I always love this in books when you don’t know if you can trust the person telling the story! This was a really gripping read, and I loved that when Tabitha gets to trial she decides to defend herself and the plot becomes much faster paced. I really enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading more by Nicci French in the future.

House of Correction is a sort of closed in thriller where a man gets murdered and one woman sets out to discover who the murderer is amongst the group of people stuck in the village that day by a fallen tree blocking the road. The unique twist that I loved about this book is that the woman, Tabitha, trying to solve the mystery is currently in prison..... having been charged with the very same murder! I mean, if that doesn't get your thriller taste buds going then I don't know what will.
Tabitha is awaiting trial but is desperate to prove her innocence. However, she does have mental health issues which can impair her memory and unfortunately her memory of the day of the murder has been affected so she is quite an unreliable character. Now, there isn't much action in the book as a lot of it revolves around Tabitha speaking to people and collecting information but it was so well written that I was kept interested and engaged the whole time. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator did a wonderful job with capturing Tabitha's personality and sense of desperation. Throughout this book I could feel the tension building and the frustration of Tabitha trying to conduct an investigation from prison.
I really enjoyed listening to this book and would definitely listen to more from Nicci French.

This was an enjoyable story and the audiobook kept me entertained on the commute to work. To be honest I would not have finished this story had I been reading it in book format as it was long and laborious in parts. The fact that I was listening whilst driving meant that I kept going.

House Of Correction Nicci French
This is my first book by this author and I loved it.
The book is very well written and I loved the plot. I loved the character of Tabitha, who has been accused of murder and must clear her name. I have been struggling lately to focus on audiobooks, but this one hooked me in with its unique concept. I really enjoyed the courtroom scenes, which were very cleverly written.
The narrator for this book was brilliant and I would like to hear more books from her.
Overall a good solid read.

This is one of those wonderful Agatha Christie-like mysteries in which only a limited number of people could possibly have committed the murder. In House of Correction, a tree had fallen over, blocking access to the remote village where Stuart Rees is found murdered. Which of the handful of people trapped in the village could be guilty?
This is not a fast-paced, action-packed story. It builds tantalizingly slowly as Tabitha, imprisoned for the murder, tries to work out exactly what happened on that day.
We meet her in her cell, desperately wondering what she’s doing there, and convinced the police will soon realise their mistake and release her. That’s not to be, however.
After part one, which revolves around Tabitha’s experiences in prison, the action moves to the courtroom. But this courtroom drama is deliciously different. Tabitha fires her lawyer, and decides to defend herself with the help of her ex-call mate as her McKenzie friend.
It’s a recipe for disaster. She has no idea how to go about defending herself, which makes for a very interesting, sometimes funny and highly compelling read.
I really enjoyed Tabitha’s trial and error preparation for her trial as she tries to fit all the puzzle pieces together with the help of the library, CCTV footage and her witness interviews. I cringed, wanted to shout at her at times and give her a congratulatory slap on the back at others. All the time, however, I wasn’t quite sure that she hadn’t committed the crime herself. After all, there was plenty of circumstantial evidence against her – and she did have a strong motive.
All in all, this is a gripping and thoroughly enjoyable book that I’d recommend. I listened to the audio version and thought Gemma Whelan’s narration was great.

This isn't a traditional prison drama. It conveys the claustrophobia and menace of life behind bars but doesn't rely on overt abuse, or violence to make this point. It ensures you concentrate on Tabitha's desperate situation.

Tabitha is an unreliable protagonist she has mental health issues which may impair her memory recall and perception of events on that day. The supporting characters seen through Tabitha's eyes are relatable and demonstrate how villages are often prone to gossip and sidelining individuals who don't fit in. Tabitha engenders empathy. She is alone and initially confused, not knowing who to trust in a dangerous environment.

The story explores Tabitha's momentous journey towards her trial and its outcome, believably whilst parts may seem unlikely the reader wants her to find justice. The courtroom parts of the story are enthralling, and Tabitha's character development is most apparent here.

The outcome is a satisfying end to a suspenseful, often poignant story.

Listening to this story as an audiobook makes it easy to absorb and get to know the characters. The narration is clear, engaging, and the portrayal of the numerous characters excellent. This is an enjoyable, listening experience.

I received a copy of this audiobook from W.F.Howes Ltd via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

WOW! This was the first book by this author I have read/listened to. The House of Correction did not disappoint and I listened nonstop in one day as I was absolutely enthralled in the Tabitha the main character. Despite being a complete mess and remembering nothing of the day of the crime we are constantly asking did she or didn’t she commit the murder. Tabitha is an inspiring character as she deals with adversity, through the arrest, her time on remand and the court case. I will most definitely be looking at this authors back catalogue. Thank you for giving me another author to add to my list.

Thanks to #Netgalley for gifting me the audiobook of #houseofcorrection in return for an honest review.

Totally compulsive! This latest standalone from Nicci French is a mix of a thriller and a courtroom drama, which is a perfect combination for me. I’ve recently read several books on the similar scheme of a main character being in prison and wrongly accused of murder, and House of Correction is the best of them by far. Fast-paced, twisty and frighteningly believable, it kept my full attention from the beginning to the end. I listened to the audio version and narration was excellent.

I have read a few books by Nicci French but this was the first time I listened to the audio version of.one. All I can say is wow ! This was a totally and utterly fantastic book to listen to. A story that I just wanted to carry on listening to it was so good. I was holding my breath at times in anticipation of what was going to happen next. The narrator was superb and really helped the enjoyment of.the book also.

I loved this audiobook! The story hooked me right from the beginning and kept me gripped right until the end.
I liked Tabitha, she’s a bit of an oddball in her village, and in prison, especially when she sacks her lawyer and decides to defend herself. Just like her lawyer I wondered how on earth she was going to manage whilst in prison, and with absolutely no legal experience? How was she going to access the prosecution’s evidence and witnesses, and who could she ask to be a character witness when it seemed everyone thought she was a murderer?
As well as working out her defence she’s also had to adjust to being a prisoner, learning the dos and don’t s from the officers and the other inmates.
I loved the courtroom scenes when Tabitha presents her defence. I learnt a lot about how the court worked, especially when Tabitha got things very wrong, on numerous occasions.
There were lots of brilliant twists and turns in this story and so many suspects too! It seemed that everyone in Tabitha’s village had a reason to murder Stuart Rees. I was constantly looking at everyone’s motives when Tabitha had visitors from the village, instantly taking a dislike to certain people and being very wary of others.
Gemma Whelan is a new to me narrator and she has gone straight onto my favourite narrator’s list. Her performance was absolutely brilliant! I especially loved her portrayal of Tabitha, her cell mate Michaela and the Judge.
I thoroughly recommend this one on audio, especially if you enjoy crime, thrillers, murder mysteries or courtroom dramas.

Could not stop listening. After the first couple of chapters I just had to know the outcome of Tabatha‘s trial. This book is a real whodunit, there were times when I was absolutely sure that I knew who the murderer was and there were other times when I had absolutely no idea. After finishing the book I have realised I’m not quite as clever as I think I am as all of my attempts at guessing were completely wrong. A sign of truly great writing, This book is far from predictable.

I would recommend this book to those who love
crime writing and courtroom stories, but also to those (Like myself) who wouldn’t consider themselves as a fan of the genre but just love a good mystery.

I must also mention the wonderful narration of this audiobook. The characters where given a whole extra level to their personalities through the narrators voice. I found them believable, relatable and some of them not very likeable. A testimony to great narration.

I have read everything by Nicci French the fabulous writing duo, and thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook. I was just desperate to find out the conclusion to Tabitha's case. She is in prison awaiting trial for the murder of neighbour and former teacher who had sexually abused her at the age of 15. As with all of their books you instantly feel so engrossed with the main character. Bring on more from Nicci French!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to review this amazing title

My first Nicci french. Really, really good! The story, the way it is written, the characters... One of the best thriller/mistery I've read in a while. 100% recommended!

House of Correction– Audiobook version
Author: Nicci French
Narrated by: Gemma Whelan

4* from me…
The story:
There is a body found in Tabatha’s shed – its her neighbour. She must be guilty right? She never really fitted into the village, everyone has an opinion on the funny dressed girl, she must have done it.
Tabatha is in prison awaiting trial for Murder on a day that she is struggling to remember clearly. She has everything to lose and no one to help her. This is a fight for her life….
The story is very interesting as it follows Tabatha from prison to the court room. I found it to be a great read, it kept my interest and I will be looking for more by this author.

The narration:
The narration was excellent. A great tone of voice and read at a good pace.

My thanks to W.F. Howes Whole Story Audiobooks for a review copy via NetGalley of the unabridged audiobook of ‘House of Correction’ by Nicci French in exchange for an honest review. It is narrated by Gemma Whelan and has a running time of 11 hours 13 minutes at 1x.

Tabitha Hardy is in prison, awaiting trial for the murder of Stuart Rees, whose body was found in her shed. She had only recently returned to the remote coastal village of Okeham in Devon where she had grown up. She hadn’t fit in then or now. Yet the day of the murder is a blur, she can’t remember what happened. The police consider it an open and shut case and everyone in the village is convinced of her guilt.

Tabitha only knows that she’s not capable of murder. The only person she trusts to help her out of this situation is herself. I won’t say any more in order to avoid spoilers as I believe it’s best to approach thrillers ‘cold’.

This is the second novel that I have read by Nicci French and I now appreciate why she is so highly regarded.

I found this an outstanding legal thriller. Tabitha wasn’t a particularly likeable lead, often proving to be her own worse enemy. Still over the course of the novel my feelings shifted and I came to admire her honesty and tenacity. She was undoubtedly a fighter, determined to seek the truth about the events of that day even though in prison with few allies or resources. Her vulnerability was also evident and I was soon cheering her on.

I felt that this novel worked well in an audiobook format as it captured the immediacy of the courtroom scenes as well as the claustrophobic and often brutal environment of the prison where Tabitha was on remand.

Its narrator, Gemma Whelan, is a well known actor and comedian. She has narrated many audiobooks in a wide range of genres. I found her narration very crisp and smooth. Her voice carried me through all the novel’s moods and made me feel closely involved with the story. She also brought a great deal of energy to the tense courtroom scenes.

I listened to it over the course of a day, not wanting to stop.

Highly recommended.

So I'm not really talking to Nicci French - not since I listened to the final book in their Frieda Klein series and realised that was it - there were no more and my life with Frieda was over. I was reluctant to read another Nicci French book - they might be prepared to cheat on Frieda with new people, but I was taking the moral high ground. But dang it! The blurb was so tempting and whilst the spirit is willing the flesh is pathetically weak. One minute I'm reading the blurb and the next Gemma Whelan is whispering Nicci French's words in my ear, one thing led to another and before I knew it I was in bed with them. Tabitha is another prickly, outspoken, female and she is in big trouble. Most of the time she's her own worst enemy and every time she opens her mouth you worry at what exactly might come out. I loved her! This is obviously Nicci French's strength - strong women who refuse to be labelled or follow convention. I was rooting for her success and when Mr Melanie returned home from work when I only had 35 minutes left to listen, he incurred my wrath for attempting to make pleasant conversation. (Never mind, "Hello darling, how was your day?" - I was LISTENING!!). An exceptional book with an unique concept that I thought was absolutely brilliant and highly recommend.