The Institution: Scare yourself silly this Halloween with the new gasp-inducing killer crime thriller from the million-copy bestselling author
£0.90
‘Deliciously dark and utterly compelling – I couldn’t put it down.’ – CLARE MACKINTOSH
They’re locked up for your safety.
Now, you’re locked in with them.
How do you find a murderer in a prison full of killers?
On a locked ward in the world’s highest-security prison hospital, a scream shatters the night.
A nurse has been murdered and her daughter has been taken.
And with only five days to find the girl, the clock is ticking for Dr Connie Woolwine to find a killer hiding in plain sight…
Welcome to The Institution. The locked room thriller readers don’t want to leave.
‘This is the best book I’ve read in years!’ 
‘I don’t think I have ever read anything that gripped me quite so intensely.’
‘An absolutely mind-blowing suspense thriller.’
‘Terrifyingly brilliant. An absolute must-read.’
‘A book that evolves at break-neck speed, taking the reader on a spine-chilling journey.’
‘If this book isn’t a smash hit I’ll claw my own eyes out!’
‘Tense, exciting, heart-thumping action’
‘Deliciously creepy, unflinching and addictive.’
‘A first-class locked room thriller.’
‘Gobsmackingly good!’
‘Helen Fields’ talent for creating atmospheric thrillers knows no bounds.’
‘A real page-turner; what a ride straight from the outset. I felt physically chilled.’
‘Chilling, claustrophobic and packed with twists and turns.’
‘Original and innovative…a crackingly scary thriller.’
‘Dark, atmospheric, creepy and hauntingly good. Kept me guessing until the end – I loved it.’
‘Amazing is all I can say – I loved it!’
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Additional information
| Publisher | Avon (2 Mar. 2023) |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| File size | 3028 KB |
| Text-to-Speech | Enabled |
| Screen Reader | Supported |
| Enhanced typesetting | Enabled |
| X-Ray | Enabled |
| Word Wise | Enabled |
| Sticky notes | On Kindle Scribe |
| Print length | 422 pages |
by Lape
I am fascinated by mental health conditions and treatments, so I was really intrigued by the premise of The Institution. I loved the way that Helen Fields created the setting, even providing a map at the front of the book, and built an atmosphere that kept me, as a reader, on edge the whole way through, wondering what the characters were capable of and what would happen next. The Institutional environment felt as though it was well researched and authentic.
The protagonist of The Institution is Connie Woolwine, and I enjoyed getting to know her. I warmed to her quite quickly: she’s obviously very brave and determined to place herself in the situation presented by the novel. There are also elements of her past which are explored in this novel and this adds an interesting dimension to her character.
Throughout The Institution, we are also given insight into the patients at the facility through Connie’s assessments of them. I loved this way of presenting the characters as it helps the reader to form opinions of them to help them guess who the perpetrator might be, whilst still giving us enough scope to be surprised.
As the novel reaches its climax, the tension and sense of danger increases and I could not turn myself away from what was happening. I was desperate to find out who was responsible for what throughout the course of the novel and discover what would become of all the characters.
The ending sets us up for another novel featuring Connie Woolwine and I really hope this is the case!
by DeeDee
Good fun and a good plot. Thoroughly enjoyable with some fabulous characters. I would recommend this book for those thriller, mystery type genre lovers
by Bluecashmere.
What an amazing story, gruesome yet compelling reading, so hard to put down. Many twists and turns, frightening at times yet one has to keep going, but everything becomes clear in the end. I love Helen Fields’ books, always something different and completely engrossing – a superb writer. Highly recommended.
by Tracy CompulsiveReaders
My Review:
I read and adored Degrees of Guilt written by Helen Fields under HS Chandler so when I saw her at Harrogate’s Theakston Crime Festival discussing The Institution I immediately downloaded it (currently 99p on Kindle).
I read this book with my fellow buddy readers over the course of a week and we all loved it. Fast paced, gripping, atmospheric and very disturbing… exactly what I love in a crime thriller.
The story is set in a high security prison hospital for the criminally insane which is located in the middle of nowhere with limited access and extreme weather conditions. A pregnant nurse has been found murdered and her unborn baby has been removed and abducted for ransom.
Forensic profiler Dr Connie Woolwine (who appears in Helen’s previous book The Shadow Man) is sent undercover as a nurse to try to find out who the murderer is and find the baby before it’s too late.
I will warn you now, this is really gory in places, highly disturbing in others and really not for the faint-hearted. It’s creepy and shocking, dark and chilling and kept me glued to my kindle throughout.
If you follow my reviews you will know that I never, ever, ever, read a book out of order if it is part of a series and I didn’t realise this was Dr Connie’s second book.. however I can promise you that this book can absolutely 100% be read as a standalone. I did however, download The Shadow Man and fully intend to read it soon to get more of Connie’s backstory which is fascinating.
by Tracy CompulsiveReaders
A pregnant nurse at a high security prison hospital housing serial killers who have been deemed criminally insane has been found dead and her preterm baby cut from her womb and abducted.
Dr Connie Woolwine, a forensic profiler is sent in undercover with her partner Patient B, to try to identify the killer, as they race against time to save the baby.
First off, the setting was giving creepily eerie vibes. Isolated, surrounded by mountains and a lake, home to some of the most depraved and dangerous serial killers.
Throw in members of staff who acting suspiciously, you get the feeling that it would be difficult to guess the perpetrators. No one is to be trusted.
I liked that this was a well plotted and multi layered thriller. Connie as a protangonist was a well developed and intriguing character with her own backstory. Her interactions with some of the “guests” provided more insights into their backstories and we get to see just how depraved they were, which further heightened the sense of danger and isolation.
I didn’t like that the first 200 or so pages were lacking in action and kinda dragged, but the pacing towards the last chapters and the twists kind of made up up for that.
by Lape
I found this a genuinely absorbing and gripping novel. For so many current thrillers these terms are thrown freely around. Few come up to expectations. This one certainly does. The setting is ptentially disastrous, but here lays a fine foundation for this well-written novel. The characters, not least, the heroine, are cleverly presented and the institution has force and authenticity. It will be a pleasure to read more of Helen Field’s work.
by Kindle Customer
I found this book at times disturbing, however I couldn’t put it down.
Profiler Connie Woolwine and ex policeman Broodie Baarda infiltrates the infamous Institution as a doctor and patient to investigate on the mystery around the murder of resident nurse Tara and the abduction of her baby, taken from her womb while she was still alive.
Baby Aurora is destined to perish if not found in time , so they start this run against time investigating the patients and the staff, hoping to bring the baby back to Tara’s family.
But nothing is as it seems and although it was easy to get in, getting out will be a completely different matter.
by Kate
Very interesting plot that twists and turns. The characters are varied and interesting. The institution description and staff personalities show human failures of character are realistic. A good read.