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Publication
SIMON & SCHUSTER
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Thriller. HTML: Named a New York Times Best Book to Give! "This house of correction is booby-trapped with twists, the floors paved with trapdoors, quicksand churning in the garden. Enter if you dare." �??A.J. Finn, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Woman in the Window "Full of unexpected turns . . . Immensely satisfying." �?? The New York Times Book Review In this heart-pounding standalone thriller from bestselling author Nicci French, a woman accused of murder attempts to solve her own case from the confines of prison�??but as she unravels the truth, everything is called into question, including her own certainty that she is innocent. Tabitha is not a murderer. When a body is discovered in Okeham, England, Tabitha is shocked to find herself being placed in handcuffs. It must be a mistake. She'd only recently moved back to her childhood hometown, not even getting a chance to reacquaint herself with the neighbors. How could she possibly be a murder suspect? She knows she's not. As Tabitha is shepherded through the system, her entire life is picked apart and scrutinized �??her history of depression and medications, her decision to move back to a town she supposedly hated . . . and of course, her past relationship with the victim, her former teacher. But most unsettling, Tabitha's own memories of that day are a complete blur. She thinks she's not. From the isolation of the correctional facility, Tabitha dissects every piece of evidence, every testimony she can get her hands on, matching them against her own recollections. But as dark, long-buried memories from her childhood come to light, Tabatha begins to question if she knows what kind of person she is after all. The world is convinced she's a killer. Tabatha needs to prove them all wrong. But what if she's only lying to herself?… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member juju2cat
What an unlikeable character she is! Jailed for murder of the man who molested her at the age of 15, Tabitha is a touchy, stand-offish person. It was pretty hard to continue with the book until you understood the reason for her personality and then grief and anger took over. Child sex abuse is so
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damaging and it's hard for someone who hasn't lived it to understand the repercussions for the victim. Great book! Show Less
LibraryThing member lostinalibrary
When a body is discovered in Tabitha’s shed, all the evidence points directly to her and she is arrested & charged with murder. She is sure she is innocent...well, almost sure but she suffers from depression and her medications cause memory lapses especially on bad days and this had been a
When I first began House of Correction by Nicci French, I didn't know what to make of Tabitha - she was unreasonable, stubborn, in many ways, her own worst enemy - and it was hard to like her. However, as the story progressed and we learn more of her past, she becomes a much more empathetic character. The story itself is full of twists and turns that kept me reading as did the rather unflattering portrait of life in a rural village. This is a real page turner, well-written with interesting storyline and characters and it held my interest throughout. This is the first novel I have read by French but it will definitely not be my last.
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particularly bad day. As a result, she remembers nothing about it. Her lawyer wants her to plead guilty to a lesser charge as a way to reduce any prison time but, even more than proving her innocence, Tabitha wants to know the truth. She decides the only way she can find it is to do her own investigation. She fires her lawyer and declares to the Court that she will defend herself. Pretty much everyone, from the Judge to the Prosecutor make it clear they think she's making a big mistake and it becomes pretty clear pretty fast, even to Tabitha that she has bitten off more than she can chew and it just may cost her dearly.When I first began House of Correction by Nicci French, I didn't know what to make of Tabitha - she was unreasonable, stubborn, in many ways, her own worst enemy - and it was hard to like her. However, as the story progressed and we learn more of her past, she becomes a much more empathetic character. The story itself is full of twists and turns that kept me reading as did the rather unflattering portrait of life in a rural village. This is a real page turner, well-written with interesting storyline and characters and it held my interest throughout. This is the first novel I have read by French but it will definitely not be my last.
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LibraryThing member nicx27
Last year, The Lying Room by super writing duo Nicci French was one of my top reads and so House of Correction was high on my list of must-reads this year. I can tell you that I was not at all disappointed as I absolutely loved it.
It's such a brilliant premise. As the book begins Tabitha Hardy has
Starting the story in this way immediately puts Tabitha on the back foot and I just loved watching this vulnerable little firecracker try and work out what actually happened that day. She's such an amazing character. I thought to myself after I finished reading that I miss her. I do, I miss Tabitha. I was willing her on all the way through, especially in her courtroom scenes which had me laughing out loud and shouting "go Tabitha"!
As always, the writing is seamless. You would never think that two people had been involved in it. The plotting is tight and I never had a clue as to what was going to happen next. What I liked most of all about it is what I liked about The Lying Room. It's the minutiae of people's lives, it's the everyday stuff, the little details. That's what draws me in, that and trying to piece events together alongside Tabitha.
I couldn't put this book down. There are quite a lot of chapters, some very short, and I was just compelled to keep reading. It's full of suspense, knee-deep in complications between the characters, and effectively it's a locked village mystery. If it wasn't Tabitha then who did kill Stuart? I cannot recommend this prison noir/courtroom drama highly enough.
It's such a brilliant premise. As the book begins Tabitha Hardy has
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just arrived in prison, accused of the murder of Stuart Rees in the village where she grew up and to which she has just returned. The evidence is pretty compelling. Stuart's body was found in her shed! But Tabitha knows she couldn't have killed him and the book follows her fight to try and regain her freedom.Starting the story in this way immediately puts Tabitha on the back foot and I just loved watching this vulnerable little firecracker try and work out what actually happened that day. She's such an amazing character. I thought to myself after I finished reading that I miss her. I do, I miss Tabitha. I was willing her on all the way through, especially in her courtroom scenes which had me laughing out loud and shouting "go Tabitha"!
As always, the writing is seamless. You would never think that two people had been involved in it. The plotting is tight and I never had a clue as to what was going to happen next. What I liked most of all about it is what I liked about The Lying Room. It's the minutiae of people's lives, it's the everyday stuff, the little details. That's what draws me in, that and trying to piece events together alongside Tabitha.
I couldn't put this book down. There are quite a lot of chapters, some very short, and I was just compelled to keep reading. It's full of suspense, knee-deep in complications between the characters, and effectively it's a locked village mystery. If it wasn't Tabitha then who did kill Stuart? I cannot recommend this prison noir/courtroom drama highly enough.
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LibraryThing member marykuhl
This book was given to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
When a body is discovered in Okeham, England, Tabitha is shocked to find herself being placed in handcuffs. It must be a mistake.
At first, I didn't really connect with Tabitha. She was rude, brisk and prone to shouting or being
When a body is discovered in Okeham, England, Tabitha is shocked to find herself being placed in handcuffs. It must be a mistake.
At first, I didn't really connect with Tabitha. She was rude, brisk and prone to shouting or being
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violent. As I read on though, she grew on me and I saw her as the underdog. Everything was stacked against her, everyone was out make her look guilty. She didn't have friends and the acquaintances she did have the village didn't really seem to care about her. I was really invested in the book. I wanted to know why Tabitha was in prison, what evidence was against and how she couldn't remember anything. In the end, I did feel sorry for her because she did suffer from depression and mental illness, and no one seemed to try to help her. I would recommend this book. This is the first one I have read by this author, although I have another on TBR. Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins Publishers, William Morrow Paperbacks and Nicci French. Show Less
LibraryThing member brangwinn
The husband and wife team who write under the name Nicci French have managed to make a very unlikeable character a believable protagonist in a story set in prison. Tabitha, who has been sent to prison to await her trial for the murder of a neighbor shares many hostile personality traits with
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autistic people. She is bright and doesn’t want to plead guilty so she takes on her own defense. While managing to irritate everyone around her, including jury members and the judge, Tabitha’s eye for detail, particularly in watching CCTV tapes, proves that she can handle her own defense. Not only is at a very well-crafted tale, but it is an interesting look at the prison and judicial systems in England. Show Less
LibraryThing member shelleyraec
House of Correction is the latest standalone thriller from husband and wife writing team, Nicci French.
“She wanted to say: this isn’t real. I’m not one of you. I don’t belong here.”
Accused of murder and remanded to prison when the body of a man is found in her garden shed, Tabitha Hardy
Proving her case seems impossible, Tabitha has a history with the dead man that ostensibly gives her a motive, and no real alibi, her memories of the day are indistinct, lost to the fog of her depression. Impulsive, with few interpersonal skills, Tabitha is her own worst enemy as she tries to make sense of the evidence, and search for witnesses to help her.
French has a talent for devising complex characters, and Tabitha is a complicated young woman. Not particularly likeable or trustworthy initially, she is the sort of character that grows on you. She’s a loner, not very self-aware, and instinctively aggressive but also determined, and forthright and I could not help but admire her by the end.
There in fact few likeable characters among the cast. Several of the villagers are wholly unpleasant, others are revealed as opportunistic or weak. Tabitha’s only real support comes from her monosyllabic cellmate, who is released before Tabitha’s trial begins, and plays a surprising role in court.
The mystery is certainly compelling, cleverly plotted this one is not easily guessed. The claustrophobic settings of the prison and courthouse, and the ‘ticking clock’ heighten the suspense, though the start is a little slow. The story is quite grim at times, but also darkly funny, especially during the latter half of the story.
I found House of Correction to be a gripping and entertaining read, though I think it will have both its fans and detractors,
“She wanted to say: this isn’t real. I’m not one of you. I don’t belong here.”
Accused of murder and remanded to prison when the body of a man is found in her garden shed, Tabitha Hardy
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is certain the authorities will quickly realise their mistake and let her go. When her court-appointed lawyer explains that the police believe they have the evidence to convict her and advises Tabitha to plead to manslaughter with diminished responsibility, Tabitha fires her, determined to prove her own innocence.Proving her case seems impossible, Tabitha has a history with the dead man that ostensibly gives her a motive, and no real alibi, her memories of the day are indistinct, lost to the fog of her depression. Impulsive, with few interpersonal skills, Tabitha is her own worst enemy as she tries to make sense of the evidence, and search for witnesses to help her.
French has a talent for devising complex characters, and Tabitha is a complicated young woman. Not particularly likeable or trustworthy initially, she is the sort of character that grows on you. She’s a loner, not very self-aware, and instinctively aggressive but also determined, and forthright and I could not help but admire her by the end.
There in fact few likeable characters among the cast. Several of the villagers are wholly unpleasant, others are revealed as opportunistic or weak. Tabitha’s only real support comes from her monosyllabic cellmate, who is released before Tabitha’s trial begins, and plays a surprising role in court.
The mystery is certainly compelling, cleverly plotted this one is not easily guessed. The claustrophobic settings of the prison and courthouse, and the ‘ticking clock’ heighten the suspense, though the start is a little slow. The story is quite grim at times, but also darkly funny, especially during the latter half of the story.
I found House of Correction to be a gripping and entertaining read, though I think it will have both its fans and detractors,
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LibraryThing member susan.h.schofield
This was just okay. It could have been much shorter and therefore a little more fast paced. It took awhile to get moving and there seemed to be a lot of superfluous information. But my biggest issue was that the main character, Tabitha, was so unlikeable. She needed more depth and a stronger
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background story. Thanks to Goodreads for the ARC. Show Less
LibraryThing member SquirrelHead
The setting is Okeham England, a little coastal village where Tabitha Hardy lived as a child. She returned to start life anew, buying a fixer upper and hoped to put her dreadful past behind her.
This starts out with Tabitha arrested and jailed for murder. She doesn't think she's done it but she has
The dead man is Stuart Rees and he sexually abused her when she was fifteen years old; he was her teacher. There is certainly motive but on further investigation there were quite a few people Stuart alienated and screwed over in the small village.
This is hard book to review. As I start to write my opinions, I stop and think....did I like this book? There was a question posted on Goodreads by someone who abandoned it yet wanted to know the ending because she was curious. I was never tempted to abandon it.
Tabitha is hard to like. She has a caustic personality yet I kept reading because you could understand why she was so closed off to people. She was bullied as a child and teen, she was taken advantage of by a trusted teacher, one who gave her some of the only positive attention in school and that turned out poorly. The descriptions of the correctional facilty will chill you as you read about the cells, the awful food and officers who can make your life a misery.
I'm really selling this book, huh?! LOL The story is divided by the prison life, the upcoming trial and defense then the epilogue. Tabitha represents herself as her court appointed attorney suggests she plead guilty to manslaughter to get a lesser sentence. Yes, the evidence is overwhelmimg but hang in and watch as Tabitha researchs the case and finds flaws in the investigation. Not loopholes, but a sloppy investigation and, in my opinion, flawed crime scene info. It was clear the authorities just felt it was a slam dunk conviction.
This was written by the English husband and wife team Sean French and Nicci Gerrard. I prefered the Frieda Klein series to this novel but I will read more by these authors in the future.
This starts out with Tabitha arrested and jailed for murder. She doesn't think she's done it but she has
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memory losses. The evidence points to her as a body was found in her shed and she is covered in blood. The dead man is Stuart Rees and he sexually abused her when she was fifteen years old; he was her teacher. There is certainly motive but on further investigation there were quite a few people Stuart alienated and screwed over in the small village.
This is hard book to review. As I start to write my opinions, I stop and think....did I like this book? There was a question posted on Goodreads by someone who abandoned it yet wanted to know the ending because she was curious. I was never tempted to abandon it.
Tabitha is hard to like. She has a caustic personality yet I kept reading because you could understand why she was so closed off to people. She was bullied as a child and teen, she was taken advantage of by a trusted teacher, one who gave her some of the only positive attention in school and that turned out poorly. The descriptions of the correctional facilty will chill you as you read about the cells, the awful food and officers who can make your life a misery.
I'm really selling this book, huh?! LOL The story is divided by the prison life, the upcoming trial and defense then the epilogue. Tabitha represents herself as her court appointed attorney suggests she plead guilty to manslaughter to get a lesser sentence. Yes, the evidence is overwhelmimg but hang in and watch as Tabitha researchs the case and finds flaws in the investigation. Not loopholes, but a sloppy investigation and, in my opinion, flawed crime scene info. It was clear the authorities just felt it was a slam dunk conviction.
This was written by the English husband and wife team Sean French and Nicci Gerrard. I prefered the Frieda Klein series to this novel but I will read more by these authors in the future.
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LibraryThing member Vanessa_Menezes
When the dead body of Stuart Rees is found in her shed, Tabitha is declared a murderer by everyone in the village and thrown in prison.
Now, awaiting her trial., she is sure that she is not capable of murder. She knows that she is missing something important but can't figure out what. When her
I absolutely loved this one. I just loved Tabitha in spite of all her flaws. I admired her determination to go and fight the case even though the prosecution's case against her was strong and that she had no training whatsoever. Her cellmate, and later friend, Michaela was also an interesting character to read about.
It was so annoying that people didn't like her just because she kept to herself. I liked the way Tabitha started investigating the crime and once the trial began, I was totally hooked on to this book and just couldn't wait to reach the end.
This was my first book by Nicci French and I will be looking forward to read more of their books!
Thank You to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for this ARC!!
Now, awaiting her trial., she is sure that she is not capable of murder. She knows that she is missing something important but can't figure out what. When her
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lawyer tells her to plead guilty, she realises that the only one she can trust to help her out of this situation is herself. So she fires her lawyer and decides to fight for herself.I absolutely loved this one. I just loved Tabitha in spite of all her flaws. I admired her determination to go and fight the case even though the prosecution's case against her was strong and that she had no training whatsoever. Her cellmate, and later friend, Michaela was also an interesting character to read about.
It was so annoying that people didn't like her just because she kept to herself. I liked the way Tabitha started investigating the crime and once the trial began, I was totally hooked on to this book and just couldn't wait to reach the end.
This was my first book by Nicci French and I will be looking forward to read more of their books!
Thank You to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for this ARC!!
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LibraryThing member Mercef
Two and a half stars rounded down because I found this protagonist incredibly annoying. I think I was supposed to feel empathy for her - she has depression - but she just kept digging herself a deeper hole. Overly long and not a satisfying crime read. Disappointing.
LibraryThing member PaulaGalvan
Tabitha is hard to like, but that doesn't mean she wasn't fascinating to follow in this sad, quirky story of murder and retribution. Even though the story was frustrating at times, I had to keep reading only to know how it would end. The trial was somewhat unrealistic. I know the story takes place
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in the UK, but in the USA, no one as disorganized and disruptive as Tabitha would have been allowed to defend themselves in a murder trial. However, it was entertaining to watch her muddle through and survive. Show Less
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
2020-09-03
Physical description
9.21 inches
ISBN
1471179281 / 9781471179280
Other editions
House of Correction by Nicci French (Paperback)