Book Review: The Institution by Helen Fields

“On a locked ward in the world’s highest-security prison hospital for the criminally insane, a nurse has been murdered and her newborn baby kidnapped. A ransom must be paid, and the clock is ticking…”

Goodreads blurb for The Institution

Review:

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!

Likes & Dislikes:

What I liked:

• The eerie setting.
• Jumps straight into the action.

What I didn’t like:

• Graphic medical depictions.
• In general an upsetting concept with the baby.
• Bland characters.
• I personally found in a lot of passages the book handles themes of PTSD in a strange, very surface-level way.

Afterthoughts:

Again, very much a case where this didn’t suit my taste. I’m more of a psychological thriller person.

Where to buy the book: