I hadn't realised, when I started reading, that is actually the second book in the series. Having said that, I didn't need to have and this book can be read as a standalone.

I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions of the old asylum where most of the action takes place. There's nothing quite like a creepy abandoned building in the dark to ramp up the tension. Where I felt the book fell down was the characterisation. I didn't connect with any of the characters and many of their decisions felt odd to me.

I also wasn't convinced by the resolution at the end of the book, it felt a bit weak.

This is the second in the Lorraine Quick series and equally as good as the first. Set in 1980s Yorkshire, Lorraine is tasked with helping to turn a staff management team around. They've come from a run down mental asylum and are being moved across to the state of the art psychological hospital- but the staff aren't so keen for the move to take place, they like the status quo that existed previously and don't necessarily see the need for improvements to be made.

Then one of the old guard of managers is brutally murdered within the walls of the hospital, despite strict security - and there are clues that this was linked to a previous inmate's death. Lorraine is committed to try and help the team manage the devastating news and plan for the new hospital.

There's a second storyline where local teenagers hang out in the old asylum and tell each other spooky stories, trying to conjure up ghosts from the past. These were too spooky for me to read at night, Im so easily spooked!

One of the things that I have enjoyed about this series is the attention to detail that the author has given to life in the 80s, an era which seems so distant and different now. The boredom of evenings in remote villages with nothing to do and nowhere to go, its no wonder that the kids were trying to make horror films and summon ghosts!

Set in the 1980's, Lorraine Quick has the somewhat unenviable task of running a teambuilding course with the staff of a psychiatric hospital. The hospital is in the process of moving into a new building and the old 'Asylum' is to be demolished. It is not going to be a very easy task as the staff are a mixed assortment of characters who are not very keen on the idea. When one of the staff is found murdered in one of the old isolation rooms, in similar circumstances to one of the inmates many years ago.

The premise of the book sounded interesting. The description of the setting was very good. I could really imagine the claustrophobic corridors and tunnels. Where the book fell down for me was in the characterisation. I really didn't bond with any of them. I know that this is the second book in a series, but I don't think it would have made much difference if I'd read the first one. Overall it was a bit of a disappointing read.

Thanks to Netgalley & the publisher for letting me read & review this book.

An entertaining and interesting book, I was drawn to it for a number of reasons, but mainly for the setting which was in the 1980s, an era I’m familiar with that feels almost forgotten.

As much a mystery as a thriller, the protagonist Lorraine is sent to a top-security asylum to boost morale among the staff there. However, along with the main doctor, she discovers the dead body of the chief administrator. That’s just one out of a growing body count.

Rather than focusing on the dangerous patients, the story revolves around the staff which are somewhat of a motley crew. Also on the scene is a detective with whom Lorraine has one of her romantic interests. Lorraine does her best in her role despite the murders and murderers around her.

Interesting characters include Oona who calls herself a witch and is one of the clerks, her boyfriend Tomo, who is a nurse there and is the son of another member of staff, and Ella, who has run away from home (we don’t know why in the beginning) and who is staying with Oona.

Together Oona, Ella and their friend Krish plan to scare Tomo in the abandoned, apparently haunted area of the asylum, where a previous patient is reported to have died.

The story moves as quick as the protagonist’s surname (literally Quick), and I enjoyed learning about the side stories and characters that didn’t form the main story line.

I felt that the ending was the right one, but I was also left wondering what certain character’s motives may have been. I’ll give this one four stars.

I have not read the first book in the Lorraine Quick series however didn't feel that this held me back in reading and understanding this one with any relevant background being introduced when needed.

The story itself starts fairly slowly and there are no direct hints towards the identity of the person behind the first murder. I wasn't overly keen on the relationship between Lorraine and the police officer Diaz which is a continuation from the first book as far as I gathered and didn't seem particularly necessary other than padding out the story.

The description of the mental hospital where the story is set is excellent and I felt that I could picture where acts were taking place. I struggled to actually get behind any of the characters and this probably restricted my enjoyment of the story which otherwise was a decent enough thriller. Given this I'd probably not be too bothered about reading the first book or any others in this series as I don't particularly care one way or the other for our lead.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for my review copy.

I was intrigued by the premise of this book and couldn't wait to read it. Sadly I didn't connect with it and found it a very slow read.

I really wanted to like this book but it was a huge struggle for me. I found the plot very confusing and all over the place. The writing in general feels amateur-ish, I hate to say. The characters feel lackluster and I've never felt this disconnected in a third person novel before. Honestly I could not get into it and had to skim the last half or so just to be done with it.

This was a very slow read and really struggled with it. I did finish it and the concept of the story was there but I just couldn’t connect with the main protagonist. I would have liked it to be a bit more thrilling but it’s rather boring and foreseeable.

Thanks to Allison and Busby for the early ARC

This was a very slow read for me, it was a slow burner and a lot of information to take in. This is the second book written about Lorraine and it might have helped if you read the first book. Lorraine has a new job as a team leader in a high security asylum. She’s there to help the staff members after murders happening on the unit. It’s written in a timeline which I liked, the plot line was just too slow for me. A 3 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

This unsettling book offers both a great mystery and an interesting commentary on society. The setting is 1983, which I found fascinating as I was a child at that time - it made me reflect on how far we have, and have not, come since then. The information on psychometric testing and the approach taken by the protagonist as she tries to implement it at the facility is really interesting and adds a lot of depth and credibility to the story. At times a dark and grim read, this book is definitely one which will make you think.

Psychological thriller set during the eighties in Yorkshire. Lorraine is sent to team build on an asylum containing convicted killers. An interesting premise but slow to get going.

Isolation Ward is a psychological thriller with a unique premise set against the backdrop of a 1980s NHS hospital—something that initially drew me in. The concept of using psychometric testing to uncover hidden truths about potential hires was intriguing and gave the story a fresh angle.

Martine Bailey clearly has a deep understanding of the era and setting, and I appreciated the detail she brought to the NHS environment, particularly the workplace politics and day-to-day pressures. The psychometric questions at the beginning of each chapter were a clever touch and added an extra layer of tension and insight into the characters.

However, I did find the pacing quite slow at times, and it took a while to feel fully invested in Lorraine’s journey. While I admired her independence and intelligence, I struggled to connect with her emotionally, which made some of the story’s more dramatic moments feel less impactful.

Overall, Isolation Ward offers a distinctive blend of psychological intrigue and social commentary. It might resonate more with readers who enjoy a slow-burn mystery rooted in character study and period-specific detail. A solid read, but not quite the gripping thriller I expected.

It’s 1983, Mrs Thatcher is in power and the old lunatic asylums are in the throes of being closed or privatised as special hospitals. Lorraine Quick is about to start work at the notorious Windwell Asylum for the Criminally Insane. She is apprehensive about being sent far from home as her 8 year old daughter, Jasmine, is about to sit her exams for the local grammar school and Lorraine’s band, Electra Complex, will have to go out on tour with a substitute singer.
Lorraine is a team building expert who has been seconded to assist the admin team at Windwell. The asylum is about to shed its skin and become an up to date, modern maximum security unit and fully privatised. The old Victorian buildings will be demolished.
She has hardly begun work when she and the Medical Director, Dr Voss, find the body of Kevin Crossley, the Admin Director in a seclusion cell. He’s been stabbed several times and there is graffiti referring to a murder in another seclusion cell of a patient, Junior Campbell, three years earlier.
Kevin had an appointment in his diary for that day and was expecting visitors at home with the best china set out in expectation. But he had been lured away to a deserted, dark building. Lorraine soon realises that the rest of the admin team have their own problems and may be covering something up. Enid is an alcoholic and not up to the job of treasurer while her daughter, Oona, also works at Windwell as a ward clerk. There are rumours of the ghost of an ex-patient haunting the tunnels beneath Windwell but there is also a living ghost in the building. This is the scary patient in the infirmary, Rob Kessler, who Dr Voss describes as ‘attractive and charismatic’ which should ring alarm bells earlier than it does. Rob is a maximum security patient. When another body is discovered in the tunnels after an attempt By Oona to call up the hospital ghost, Lorraine realises that it’s not Windwell’s dead that she has to be frightened of but the living…
The changes that happened as the old asylums were closed leaving their patients to ‘care in the community’ and the buildings to either be demolished or converted into ‘luxury apartments’ is an interesting backdrop to the events in the book. Privatising care to some of the most dangerous people in the UK means indifferent, nasty staff and the rise of patients who can run things better. I felt that the author made good use of this as, in the afterword, she discusses her real life experiences in the area which enhanced the novel’s veracity.
I did wonder about the terrifying patient, Rob Kessler, making his appearance so late in the book and managing to escape so easily twice. But he didn’t come alive for me as a character despite the build-up to his appearance. The subplot featuring Ella seemed to fizzle out.
I haven’t read the previous book featuring Lorraine Quick, ‘Scratch Sharp’ so had to work out the confusing dynamics between her and Diaz. But I’m sure that they are almost fated to be together.
The location was very atmospheric and claustrophobic. I could hear keys locking and unlocking doors while I was reading.
‘Isolation Ward’ was overall a pacey thriller although it was slow going in some places. I also felt that there were too many characters.

My thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC.

I only found this out after reading the book; it is the second in the Lorraine Quick series, but it seemed to work fine as a standalone. Set in 1983, Windwell Asylum in Yorkshire has been a state run place of confinement for Britain’s worst murderers for years but is now being rebuilt as a privately run top-security unit. Lorraine Quick is a specialist in Organisational Change and whilst she had been planning to go on tour with her band, her boss has sent her to the prison to sort out issues the current Director is having with his team.

Briefly, Lorraine reluctantly accepts, she has no choice, only to find on arrival that one of the staff, Administration Director Kevin Crossley, has been brutally murdered and dumped in an old isolation cell. Coincidently (who believes that) it is the same cell number that a prisoner was found murdered in some years earlier. Into the investigation steps DI Diaz with whom Lorraine has history. But can she put that to one side, whilst leading the staff in team building exercises.

The author has used a mix of personal experience and detailed research to produce what is a taut and exciting thriller with interesting characters, most of whom are not particularly likeable. It felt authentic, I can believe that some inmates are violent and drugs are a problem. I can believe that some staff are uncaring and corrupt. I can believe that conditions are terrible and rehabilitation is non existent. I volunteered in a similar, but non criminal, asylum in the mid 1970’s, so I can believe a lot! A twisted and complex case. I liked the original setting and it was an entertaining read.

What stuck with me most was the unsettling truth underneath the fiction: we haven't come as far as we like to believe. I've seen echoes of these realities in my own life, and it’s disheartening to admit that meaningful change still feels so far off—not because solutions are out of reach, but because too many people simply don’t care to find them. At its core, this book is a sharp, thought-provoking read—layered with mystery, tension, and a grim sense of relevance that’s hard to shake.

Murder at a mental health facility for dangerous criminals. Lorraine Quick was meant to be team building but instead finds herself embroiled in the investigation alongside DS Diaz. This has good atmospherics and a few twists but best of all are Lorraine and Diaz. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

this book was a just a really good book. it felt real. it felt far to relatable to issues relevant to today and it made me think. it was unsettling for alot of it but still felt gripping and important.
i couldnt quite get over how the issues from all that long ago are somehow in places even worse today. the issues are even more hidden now or we just dont care. behind closed doors some of the most dangerous and vulnerable are still being both let free or harmed. and its sometimes the most powerful people doing the harming. either directly doing so or in not caring enough to stop the damage they are still causing said harms or dangers.
ive seen the consequence of some of the occurrences in this book and am quite sad that its nowhere near where it should be in being fixed. and again, i think this still falls down to people not caring to do the fixing.
a good thought provoking book with the added mystery and murder to boot.

Book 2 of Lorraine Quick

Yorkshire, 1983. Margaret Thatcher is in Number 10, "Thriller" is on the radio, and Lorraine Quick is having to put plans to tour on hold due to work. With her expertise in psychometric testing, she is being sent to the Yorkshire moors to build a PR-friendly team out of the ragtag staff of the infamous Windwell asylum as it transitions into a modern, top-security unit housing some of the most dangerous criminals in the country. And then Lorraine stumbles in a brutal murder that has taken place despite the fifteen-foot-high perimeter wall and the heavy-duty locks.

Lorraine and Medical 'Director Jan Voss stumble on the brutal murder of Administration Director Kevin Crossley. This murder was similar to a murder that has taken place three years ago/

There were a few characters to try and remember, most of them had something to hide. There was a creepy feel surrounding this story, probably because it's set on the site pf an old asylum. The pace is on the slow side, but stick with it, it's worth finishing. This book can be read as a standalone.

Published 17th April 2025

I woluld like to thank #NetGalley #AlisonandBusby and the author #MartineBailey for my ARC of #IsolationWard in exchange for an honest review.

Lorraine is sent to a new high security asylum to team build while they are closing down the old asylum, then a local teenager is found dead in the old asylum similar to a death years ago.
I found the book slow going with lots of characters and many times you did not know which character was talking.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC and I give my honest review.

"Not every danger can be contained"

Yorkshire, 1983. Margaret Thatcher is at Number 10, Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' is on the radio and Salford based single mum Lorraine Quick, with her leave having been summarily cancelled, is having to put plans to tour with her band on hold due to work. With her expertise in psychometric testing, Lorraine is being sent by a government minister, to the desolate Yorkshire moors, where she is expected to build a PR-friendly team out of the ragtag staff at the infamous Windwell Asylum For The Criminally Insane, as it transitions into a modern, top-security unit, housing some of the most dangerous criminals in the country.

Lorraine is offered accommodation in the local village, but she barely has time to unpack and make arrangements to meet and greet the small, four person asylum management team, before she and Medical Director Jan Voss, stumble upon the brutal murder of one of the other directors, Administration Director Kevin Crossley, which has taken place on the premises, despite the fifteen-foot-high perimeter wall and heavy-duty locks. The asylum is in the throes of transitioning from being a state run institution, to becoming a fully privatised business; however the inherent problems of drugs, psychopathic violence and staff who are uncaring at best and complicit in various crimes including misappropriation of funds on a regular basis, have not changed despite the new surroundings.

It appears that circumstances of the current murder, mirror those surrounding the death three years previously of Junior Campbell, one of the institution's more vulnerable inmates and as this complicated mix of relationships and rivalries unfolds, the similarities become even more frighteningly obvious, putting lives, including that of Lorraine herself, in danger.

…

I always enjoy reading books where an author has played completely to their strengths when forming the plotline of a story/series. Martine Bailey's experience within NHS personnel departments and her expertise in processing and analysing psychometric testing, really shines through, to provide the basis of this dark, dour, depressing, oppressive and wonderfully twisted thriller, which was broken down into well marked and headlined chapters, which made reading it so easy on the eye, if not on the mind, which it messed with totally!

Although a brand new publication, the book immediately took me back to the 1980s, which is where I needed to focus my mindset. Police profiling of victims and suspects was in its infancy. Pub food was generally a mass manufactured meat pie of indeterminate age, kept warm in a heated cabinet on the bar. A boxed 'Vesta' curry was a special home date-night treat and a battery operated 'Sony Walkman' which played cassettes, qualified as a personal entertainment system. It also seemed surreal that so many members of a community worked in the same institution, even from within the same family, all a bit incestuous, although I guess that the concept of people commuting many miles from home to work was still for early stage adopters, with multiple car households very much in the minority.

Some things however, no matter the passage of time, still remain as relevant now as they did then. The problems of illegal drugs (and these days mobile phones too) being smuggled into prison; the barely concealed unscrupulous behaviour of some prison officers; senior management who have little or no control over what happens in the establishment on a daily basis and who often care even less; and certain privileged inmates who are free to victimise and terrorise the masses.

I am hoping that my reaction to the many characters who occupied such a small physical space, was exactly as the author intended, as even though individually they were well defined and described, I found it almost impossible to relate to, connect with, or even begin to like, any of them, with the possible exception of Ella, who had definitely been dealt a difficult hand in life. Everyone was a victim of circumstance and fate, including Quick and Diaz themselves, who I believe solved the case more by good luck than sound judgement, as each was busy trying to juggle their rather messy and dysfunctional personal lives, alongside their respective professional duties.

A unique and interesting setting for a storyline and locations which, whilst based on real places, mixed half true names with some fictional. However the bleak and isolated nature of the area as described, is all too real, depending on the prevailing weather conditions, so on this occasion I was more than happy with my 'armchair traveller' status, reading from the comfort of my armchair in my cosy heated room.

This is book #2 in the 'Lorraine Quick' series and whilst the most pertinent points of the backstory were seamlessly woven into the fabric of the storyline, in hindsight, I believe I might have benefitted from starting with the first book, just to have got more insight into the previous history between Quick and Diaz, which seemed a bit haphazard to say the least. At one particular point, I began to think that they were both more interested in each others problems, rather than being in any rush to solve the case. I'm still not sure that the end of this book brought their future relationship to any final conclusions and I wouldn't be surprised to see them back together again soon!