Dark and atmospheric with some brilliantly horrific characters. Compelling and unputdownable.” - - Catherine Cooper In cases such as these, there is usually some type of motive and the suspect would presumably be an individual that was close to her or involved in Elaine’s life in some way. When she was living, Elaine Buxton had a respectable career as a lawyer and her peers thought highly of her. Could it be some type of disgruntled client or someone involved with a case that had a grudge? Helen Fields resides with her husband David in Hampshire. They have children together and two dogs. She has a deep love of licorice in addition to writing books and reading them. This book is intense, very atmospheric, and unlike nearly any other thriller I've read. The setting was so well described I could swear I've been there. The book is quite graphic as many of Helen Fields' books are. We get an in-depth description of the characters, both staff and inmates, including the reasons the patients/prisoners are in the Institution, some of which are hard to read. The cameo appearance by Ava Turner of the Luc Callanach series was neatly done. There are some scenes which require suspension of disbelief and a couple of occasions when Connie's actions were frustrating but overall it was an excellent book. I would rate this 4.5, rounded down to 4 because I actually didn't care much for Connie Woolwine as a character. She was like a chameleon. The ending was okay but I didn't much like the information dump as a way to tie up all the loose ends. It sounds like there'll be another book featuring some of the same characters and I'd definitely read it. Right from the beginning we have a seriously creepy story that will have you on edge from beginning to end. Combine this with a knowledge of writer Helen Fields and you know no-one is safe. The introduction unveils the despicable crime which has taken place. This then leads into the description of The Institution itself; set in the middle of nowhere, located next to a huge dam, all adds to the sense of isolation. Inside the building we get a sense of claustrophobia, despite the isolated location, as we read about the solidity of the walls and the numerous mechanisms in place as staff move from one building to the next, between floors and from one room to another. All designed to keep the patients and the staff safe.

This is a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat. You will want to read as much as possible, and be sad when the book is over, even if you felt very satisfied. I will definitely read more books by Helen Fields in the future Wow...what an absolutely pulse-pounding, stay-up-all-night read this was. Bravo, Helen Fields!' - Cass Green Helen self-published two fantasy books as a way of testing herself and her writing abilities. She enjoyed the creative process so much that she began writing in a much more disciplined way, and decided to move into the traditional publishing arena through an agent.

BookBliss

SO… this book was much anticipated… the publisher must have known, nope don’t give her a copy cause she is gonna hate it!!! I was denied on NetGalley and then went immediately out to get it once it had been released… jokes on me… I am unhappy to say the least. This book omg… the amount of plot holes and things that didn’t make sense… I get that it is fiction… but there is fiction and a logical storyline then there is THIS!!! I genuinely didn't see where this was going, when you are doubting each and every character and going around in circles, you know this is a whodunit with that extra bit of class! After the murder of a nurse and the kidnapping of her foetus within one of the world’s most secure prisons for the criminally insane, there is panic both to solve the case and keep it hushed. Enter Dr. Connie Woolwine, whose profiling abilities brought her from the United States over the Pond. Working undercover, Woolwine will try to determine what’s been going on and provide the police with much needed information. She’s brought her colleague, former Detective Brodie Baarda along, to serve as a new patient with a mysterious past. Joe Nuthin’s Guide to Life” by Helen Fisher – Book Review @RandomTTours #BlogTour #BookReview @simonschusterUK #JoeNuthinsGuideToLife @HFisherAuthor November 20, 2023

I only hope there is going to be a follow up, as the way it was left there certainly needs to be one, no spoilers, but someone is missing!!! It's also very different from The Last Girl to Die, the last book I read by Helen Fields. (You can find my review here). Where Last Girl to Die drew on myths and folklore, The Institution is very scientific. This gives it more of an analytical coldness where Last Girl to Die was all about emotions. Also, location played a huge part in Last Girl to Die, to the extent that it was hard to imagine it being set anywhere other than Mull. In contrast, by the end of the book I had no idea where in the world the Institution was. It's a building completely removed from the world around it.D.I. Callanach is working with his new partner, Ava Turner. The two inspectors don’t know who did it and are coming up short on the leads. They don’t even have a motive. Do the police ever come … well feel free to read it and find out the rest of the book I didn’t ruin. Helen’s novels just get better and better and she is not afraid to go where others fear to tread, yes at times you do wonder if things are believable but in the context of this story they certainly were.

Connie is described (at best) as ‘odd’. She’s undeniably brilliantly minded and very good at what she does but she has unusual methods to attain those results. Which is why she’s best working alone or alongside her good friend, Baards. This is dark even by Helen Fields' standards and it's very much a chewed fingernails read. There's' some very explicit violence and general nastiness with Woolwine not only finding herself in physical danger in some very disturbing scenes.If you're of a sensitive disposition this book is best avoided. Connie is identified as “odd” by her colleagues and friends, a title she doesn’t take offense too if it means she gets the job done. An eccentric but brilliant profiler, her character is charismatic without being arrogant and kind-hearted without being overly emotional. As the other characters in the novel are all, literally, criminally insane, it is Connie’s character alone that has to resonate with readers, and Fields’ is able to bring that to life in the psychologist with a broken past. If you're triggered by just about anything to do with indignities to a human body, you should probably think twice about reading this novel.

Publication Order of D.I. Callanach Books

The Institution is an emotional rollercoaster and I was certainly happy to go along for the ride; I will be keeping a look out for a sequel! Terrifyingly brilliant and an absolute must-read for those who enjoy dark psychological thrillers.’ A book of manipulative, psychotic minds, of brutal and graphic descriptions of crime, and of the altruistic and brave people who are willing to risk their own personal safety to solve a barbaric crime and save the life of an innocent.