House of Correction

Tabitha is rude, awkward, erratic, aggressive, stubborn and insecure. When a dead body is found in her garden shed, the police don’t waste much time deciding she’s the culprit. Mainly because she’s rude, awkward, erratic, aggressive, stubborn and insecure. Not to mention prone to fits of blistering depression that only exaggerate all those other qualities. She has to be guilty, doesn’t she?

But stuck in prison awaiting trial for murder, Tabitha decides to fight back. She knows she’s innocent, even if nobody else, including her lawyer, believes her for so much as a second. She fires the lawyer and decides to conduct her own defence. Which she does with next to no knowledge of the law and so much swearing she’s continually teetering on the edge of contempt of court.

She’s not a sympathetic character. She’s definitely not a loveable, misunderstood eccentric. In fact, there are times during the opening chapters when you want to pick her up and shake her. Or throw her back in her cell, lock the door and lose the key on purpose.

Yet as the book progresses, you get to understand her more, and to realise the forces in the village – and in the courtroom – that she’s up against. Everyone’s given up on her. Everyone wants to believe the easiest explanation. Nobody has the time to spare to understand who Tabitha is or, more importantly, what made her the Tabitha she is.

I think it’s to Nicci French’s credit that they take the time to explore all sides of her. That they’re not afraid to shy away from the more uncomfortable, unpleasant aspects of her behaviour. They’re not afraid to let Tabitha be a pain. But underneath all that is a bedrock sympathy for a mistreated, misunderstood young woman who’ll fight with every last breath to prove her innocence.

And it’s all wrapped up in a nicely satisfying murder mystery.

Great book.