Tabitha is hard to like, but that doesn't mean she wasn't fascinating to follow in this sad, quirky story of murder and retribution. Even though the story was frustrating at times, I had to keep reading only to know how it would end. The trial was somewhat unrealistic. I know the story takes place in the UK, but in the USA, no one as disorganized and disruptive as Tabitha would have been allowed to defend themselves in a murder trial. However, it was entertaining to watch her muddle through and survive. ( )

Two and a half stars rounded down because I found this protagonist incredibly annoying. I think I was supposed to feel empathy for her - she has depression - but she just kept digging herself a deeper hole. Overly long and not a satisfying crime read. Disappointing. ( )

What an unlikeable character she is! Jailed for murder of the man who molested her at the age of 15, Tabitha is a touchy, stand-offish person. It was pretty hard to continue with the book until you understood the reason for her personality and then grief and anger took over. Child sex abuse is so damaging and it's hard for someone who hasn't lived it to understand the repercussions for the victim. Great book! ( )

When the dead body of Stuart Rees is found in her shed, Tabitha is declared a murderer by everyone in the village and thrown in prison.

Now, awaiting her trial., she is sure that she is not capable of murder. She knows that she is missing something important but can't figure out what. When her lawyer tells her to plead guilty, she realises that the only one she can trust to help her out of this situation is herself. So she fires her lawyer and decides to fight for herself.

I absolutely loved this one. I just loved Tabitha in spite of all her flaws. I admired her determination to go and fight the case even though the prosecution's case against her was strong and that she had no training whatsoever. Her cellmate, and later friend, Michaela was also an interesting character to read about.

It was so annoying that people didn't like her just because she kept to herself. I liked the way Tabitha started investigating the crime and once the trial began, I was totally hooked on to this book and just couldn't wait to reach the end.

This was my first book by Nicci French and I will be looking forward to read more of their books!

Thank You to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster UK for this ARC!! ( )

The setting is Okeham England, a little coastal village where Tabitha Hardy lived as a child. She returned to start life anew, buying a fixer upper and hoped to put her dreadful past behind her.

This starts out with Tabitha arrested and jailed for murder. She doesn't think she's done it but she has memory losses. The evidence points to her as a body was found in her shed and she is covered in blood.

The dead man is Stuart Rees and he sexually abused her when she was fifteen years old; he was her teacher. There is certainly motive but on further investigation there were quite a few people Stuart alienated and screwed over in the small village.

This is hard book to review. As I start to write my opinions, I stop and think....did I like this book? There was a question posted on Goodreads by someone who abandoned it yet wanted to know the ending because she was curious. I was never tempted to abandon it.

Tabitha is hard to like. She has a caustic personality yet I kept reading because you could understand why she was so closed off to people. She was bullied as a child and teen, she was taken advantage of by a trusted teacher, one who gave her some of the only positive attention in school and that turned out poorly. The descriptions of the correctional facilty will chill you as you read about the cells, the awful food and officers who can make your life a misery.

I'm really selling this book, huh?! LOL The story is divided by the prison life, the upcoming trial and defense then the epilogue. Tabitha represents herself as her court appointed attorney suggests she plead guilty to manslaughter to get a lesser sentence. Yes, the evidence is overwhelmimg but hang in and watch as Tabitha researchs the case and finds flaws in the investigation. Not loopholes, but a sloppy investigation and, in my opinion, flawed crime scene info. It was clear the authorities just felt it was a slam dunk conviction.

This was written by the English husband and wife team Sean French and Nicci Gerrard. I prefered the Frieda Klein series to this novel but I will read more by these authors in the future. ( )