Reviews with content warning for Blood - The Institution

I was instantly taken in by the setting. This is probably one of the most perfect locations I’ve read in a thriller. I only wish I had been as taken in by the story and its presentation.

Along with the synopsis, the opening pages hooked me. We meet Dr. Connie Woolwine as she’s examining the body of a deceased woman who’s had her newborn baby taken from her. Connie is determined to find the culprit, believing that there is a chance the baby is still alive. To do so, she must stay amongst the inmates at a high-security prison.

First, I should say that a lot of what I didn’t like about this book boils down to personal preference. I found this to be too gory for my liking with a lot of medical detail, blood, etc. Readers with a stronger stomach will enjoy this a lot more. I also struggled to click with any of the characters and struggled for a while to keep the supporting roles straight, especially with how dialogue-heavy the book becomes as it goes on.

The high points for me surround, again, the setting of the book and the general atmosphere. I would have liked a little more time spent on descriptions even though the cover captures the vibe quite well.

A huge thanks to Harper360 for sending me a free ARC of the book!

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emma6544's review

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challenging dark mysterious sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I really enjoyed this thriller. I have read a few of Helen Fields standalone thrillers so I was looking forward to this one. However, unlike The Last Girl to Die and The Shadow Man, this book was not a fast paced thriller but a slower pace mystery. This threw me off at the start and it took awhile for me to get into the book but it is worth the read.

We follow the same characters from The Shadow Man and I enjoyed their return. I also enjoyed the plot of the book which is a set in a psychiatric prison on an island isolated by civilisation. I thought that this added extra suspense and risk to a common mystery plot trope.

I also enjoyed the use of weather at the end to heighten the tension

Connie and Barbba are separated. There is a huge storm raging meaning no police or emergency services can help until the stop is over. The generators are also not working, leaving Connie to navigate the dark to find the killers and save baby Aurora.

Content Warnings