The Girl In Cell A by Vaseem Khan is an excellent story!
The main character Orianna, is locked up for the murder of her biological father, after finding out from her mother that this was the case. They have lived on the Wyclerc Estate, her mother the.head housekeeper for many years. It’s all Orianna has ever known.
She is assessed by a forensic psychologist, Annie. They deep dive into Orianna’s life and that fateful day.
It is so well written, I dread to think how long it must have taken to write, and there are going to be some “mind blown” moments for you, but boy is it so worth a read!!! The characters are complex and take some working out!
If you like psychological thrillers, this book is most definitely for you!!!! I can’t believe that this is a debut novel for this author, on this subject!!!
Many thanks to Hodder & Stoughton for the opportunity to read this arc copy via Netgalley. My opinion is my own.
#Netgalley, #Hodder&Stoughton, #VaseemKhanWriter.

I devoured 'The Girl In Cell A'. Utterly devoured it in one day. Couldn't put it down.

I'm a huge fan of Vaseem Khan's historical crime fiction series, set in 1950s India, starring the brilliant Persis, so I was a little wary of reading a stroy set in the US, in a contemporary timeframe.

Could 'The Girl In Cell A' live upto my hopes?

Well, this multilayered tale, of psychology and murder is just brilliant, BRILLIANT.
'The Girl In Cell A' has two interweaving timelines: First we hear from Forensic psychologist Annie Ledet. Ledet has been assigned the task of assessing Orianna (past) to determine her comprehension and culpability for a horrific crime. Then we meet Orianna in the present day, when she is trying to uncover the truth.
Orianna Negi is from a small town, where the Wyclerc family rule supreme. And at the age of 17, Orianna was found guilty of the murder of Gideon Wyclerc and the disappearance of his daughter Grace.
She has always claimed her innocence and that she has no memory of the events of that terrible afternoon.
She has always claimed her innocence and that she has no memory of the events of that terrible afternoon.
The plot moves along at a swift pace, keeping the reader intrigued but always careful never too move to quickly, and give away any of the (totally shocking) twists.
Everything that I thought I had successfully guessed an element of the plot, there was a new and exciting twist. Even at the final paragraph, I was going, "OMG".
Go and get a copy now!

Thank you for allowing me to read this book before the pub date!

This is my first experience reading any of Khan’s work. Whilst I enjoyed the storyline and the plot this book was double c thicc I in reality I think we could’ve reached the plot twist earlier on.

I also felt the Annie’s chapters sometimes were irrelevant but I get it, story building. I never quite understood why we got snippets of her life outside of interviewing Ori.

Orianna’s persistence to find out the truth and in tandem uncovering all these lies and truths was well written. At some points I was wondering if I killed Gideon lol! But the concept of small town secrets was written so so well. And those who are perceived to have power being in control of all things - scary but happens in real life.

Overall, I enjoyed this and would definitely read more of Khan’s work.

The Girl In Cell A by Vaseem Khan is a rich, suspenseful, but slow-paced thriller about the unfairness of life, power and the justice system.
This is a deep and rich story, but a bit too long for me. You could easily cut 150-200 pages and not lose the main storyline and emotions. I believe it would be more intense and suspenseful. Talking about twist - yes, I didn't expect it, there were so many characters, so many potential suspects that when you find out who did it, it kind of not a wow moment - anyone could easily be the guilty one.
One more thing with many characters is - I always struggle to remember who is who, so they become just names for me.
I loved the overall emotion in this book! That sad and heartbreaking part. It always makes me think about real-life situations that are dictated by money and power.

Eighteen years ago, seventeen-year-old Orianna Negi was convicted of the murder of Gideon Wyclerc because she was found there. Her partial fingerprints were on the gun, but most importantly, she didn't have any memory of what happened.
Now she is back in Eden Falls, and she is on her mission to find what happened 18 years ago.

Thank you, NetGalley, and Hodder & Stoughton for this copy.

Hmm mixed feelings about this one. Clever. Yes. But I got to the end and I felt cheated. Like the big reveal was an easy answer to a complex solution. I expected more to be honest. I was invested in the plot but the whole ending ruined it for me.

Orianna Negi is The Girl in Cell A. A true crime celebrity, who has no memory of the event that she was convicted of. She has reached the point of her sentence where parole is to be considered. This is where Annie Ledet appears, it is her job to perform the psych evaluation, to see whether Ori is safe to be released. What follows, is Ori’s story, and that of the Wyclercs, the powerful old money family who founded Eden Falls.

Within the first few pages, I was hooked. The story slowly unfurled itself, revealing the residents of Eden Falls, a small southern town, and their long buried secrets.
I really enjoyed the style of writing, and the build up to learning of the case. Told in dual timeline, but not the timeline you would expect; It is not the time of the crime.
Rather that of her psych evaluation, in preparation for her release, and a second timeline, which I can’t mention for spoiler reasons.

In the author’s note, Vaseem mentions that he was eager to write a book set in the south, with all the small town secrets and simmering tensions, and to do it justice. Vaseem absolutely nails that charged undercurrent. It has that smouldering feeling, where all that is bubbling away beneath, might just ignite at a moment’s notice. The book has the scale and feel, of an on screen epic. I can visualise the sweeping shots of the Big House and the woods, the high sun beating down.

The saying, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” came to mind repeatedly while reading. There is so much murky behaviour, and bigoted opinions, that I’m sure most people would be grateful that the Wyclercs and Eden Falls are fictitious.

The Girl in Cell A is the author’s first foray in the psych thriller genre, and I thought it was fabulous. 5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ from me.

An intriguing puzzle but it jumped about in time and points of view far too much to feel the arc of the plot. Far too many characters and totally unnecessary details which added to the difficulty of following the plot. There is a good plot underneath.

Orianna is infamous due to her conviction of murder, however maintains her innocence. Suffering from amnesia it is down to psychologist Annie to try and unlock the truth about what really happened.

This is my first book by this author but I have heard good things about his other books so was interested to read. This was a clever, intriguing story with an entertaining mystery running throughout. The story remains well plotted and is told in duel timeframes that works well. Even though this was a decent story, I did find that it was overly long and repetitive. I think I would have enjoyed it more if it was slightly cut down. Saying that, this was a well written story overall and I would be interested to see what else the author comes up with. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Firstly thank you to Netgalley & The publishers for an early copy of this arc!

I didn’t know what to expect going into this one but it was an extremely twisty, edge of your seat thriller that had me hooked from the beginning, till the very last sentence.

The plot was extremely well thought out and the setting & characters were very descriptive allowing you to feel as if you were right there in the story watching it unfold. My only hang up, and why I rated 4 stars instead of 5 was I found it quite hard to read in places & it did feel like it went on forever and in certain aspects dragged quite a lot. However, the final plot twist was amazing and I did not see it coming at all! It had me questioning everything I thought I knew, and I’m still questioning what & who I believe. It gave me Verity vibes, in terms of the ending is up to the reader to decide, team manuscript or team vs team letter iykyk

Highly recommend for anyone looking for a great, hooking thriller that will give you a bit of a head spin and leave you questioning everything in the best way possible

The 'girl' orianna grew up in a small town that was ruled by the weird, cultish wyclerc dynasty, who has a patriarch amos. The family is shrouded in the usual rumours power, money, secrets andeven murder.
Orianna was convicted of the murder or gideon wyclerc when she was 17, but on the same day of gideon's murder, gideon's daughter grace disappeared. After 18 years, orianna was released from prison and is determined to find out who killed gideon and what happened to grace.
It's fantastic, you could imagine a small town, dominated by a large, powerful, corrupt family, intent on keeping their own secrets underwraps, then you have orianna, determined to find out the truth.
Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really struggled to get in to this book and found it hard going. I didn't connect with it and found it very drawn out.

A truly original psychological thriller that has the reader guessing throughout. Orianna is a convicted murderer, killing both her natural father and his daughter, Grace. Throughout her 18 year prison sentence she maintains her innocence but also agrees she has no definitive recollection of the tragic events. Annie is a psychologist who specialises in disasociative amnesia and is tasked with helping Orianna unlock her deeply locked memories. The story alternates between their sessions in prison and Orianna’s subsequent freedom and return to Eden Falls, the scene of the crimes. Attempting to prove her innocence once and for all she embarks on a dangerous mission to find the truth and finds that most people in this small town would prefer her to go away again, or preferably die. Undeterred she bravely continues and finds an ally in a most unexpected quarter. There is an enormous twist at the end of this brilliant book that has so many unsavory characters that it is impossible to decide who is guilty.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this eCopy to review

When I started reading The Girl In Cell A, I was immediately drawn into the world of Orianna Negi, a young woman convicted of murder at seventeen. The story begins with Orianna's life in prison, where she has become a true crime celebrity, yet she maintains her innocence.

As I followed Orianna's journey, I learned about her blind spot regarding the day of the murder. She can't remember what happened, and forensic psychologist Annie Ledet is brought in to help unlock the truth. The sessions between Orianna and Annie reveal a complex web of scandal, sex, power, race, and murder, all cantered around the insular Wyclerc dynasty and its ruthless patriarch, Amos.

The setting of Eden Falls, a small town ruled by the Wyclercs, adds a layer of tension and intrigue to the story. As Annie delves deeper into Orianna's past, shocking realisations come to light, challenging everything I thought I knew about guilt and innocence.

In The Girl in Cell A, Vaseem Khan delivers a tense, gripping standalone psychological thriller that marks a dramatic shift from his historical crime work—and it’s a risk that more than pays off.

The novel centres on Orianna Negi, who has spent 18 years imprisoned for a murder she may not have committed. Convicted at just 17, Orianna is now at the centre of a psychological re-investigation, led by forensic psychologist Annie Ledet. As Annie works to unravel Orianna’s traumatic memories, she must navigate the secrets of Eden Falls—a small town shaped by power, racism, and the shadowy legacy of the Wyclerc family.

Switching between two timelines—Orianna’s present-day prison sessions and flashbacks to the events leading to the murder—The Girl in Cell A delivers twist after twist with masterful pacing. Early readers compare Khan’s storytelling finesse to Tana French and Chris Whitaker, praising his ability to maintain suspense while deeply exploring character and setting.

Khan’s portrayal of small-town America is both vivid and unsettling, capturing the weight of systemic injustice and the psychological toll of buried truths. It’s an immersive and emotionally intense read, with complex, fully realised characters, particularly Orianna and Annie, who anchor the novel’s moral core.

Expect:
- A layered psychological mystery
- Unreliable memory and trauma as key themes
- Twists you won’t see coming
- Strong feminist undertones and racial dynamics

4.5 stars
Confession first... I have never read this author before this book. Although, after finishing it, I now have his series books, firmly in my sights. Even though, this book appears to be the polar opposite to them, I know when I gel with an author's style...
The titular "Girl in Cell A" is one Orianna Negi who has been incarcerated for 18 years for the murder of Gideon Wyclerc when she was only 17. Also that night, Gideon's daughter Grace disappeared, never to be seen again. Throughout her sentence Orianna has always maintained her innocence, even though she has no recollection of the events that occurred that fateful night. During her sentence, she was treated by Forensic Psychologist Annie Ledet, who was trying to break through Orianna's amnesia, to get to the truth, however shocking, so she can be released on parole. And we hear about this in her reports.
Due to the nature of what you will read herein, my advice to you is to go in as blind as you can. I will say a little about the book, trying to be careful. It is a dual timeline book, with the past injected into the present day narrative in exactly the right places for maximum impact and to progress the story. Within the two are various threads that start off independently but then eventually come together as we approach the end of the book, delivering quite a few shocks and surprises as they do.
In Eden Falls we have a setting that is almost a character in its own right, so integral it is to the story, but again, I will leave you to discover it, warts and all, for yourself.
The characters are well defined and there's a great eclectic mix of personalities. I took to Orianna right from the off and avidly followed her as she was trying to prove her innocence. I'd love to wax lyrical about them some more but spoilers prevent me. You'll get to meet them all for yourself soon enough, so.
If I had one criticism it is that the book is a wee bit on the long side and, on occasion, it was a bit long-winded and repetitive. That said, it didn't take me too long to get through it and the majority whizzed past.
All in all, a good solid read that will be going on my list of books I will revisit in Audible as soon as they are released. My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

I’m a big fan of Vaseem Khan’s Malabar House series, which are historical mysteries set in India, so I was intrigued to try The Girl in Cell A which is a contemporary thriller set in small town America. I had high hopes and it was… fine, but I really missed his Malabar House heroine Persis - Orianna wasn’t nearly as relatable!

A rattling read with a twist, but I prefer the Indian books, sorry.

This was the first book I've read by this author and it will certainly not be the last.

This was a story so well thought and developed, it made my mind spin trying to figure out what the truth behind everything that happened was. And never in a million years I could have predicted the ending. The twist was amazing, it took me completely unprepared and it took me a while to get my head around it, because all I'd read to that point needed to be reframed completely. However, I felt the last couple of chapters after the twist dragged a bit - things definitely needed an explanation, but I thought it was just a bit too long and detailed.

And I love an open(ish) ending... making you think not all has really been said.

All in all, a great book I recommend.

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The author, Vaseem Khan has written an incredibly creative and innovative book. I was totally blown away by the depth achieved.

I found it hard to cope with all of the many characters as the plot developed but I guess I managed, just.

I felt great empathy for the girl in Cell A and wondered how anyone could cope with the many life challenges that came here way. After an initial lukewarm feeling towards Amos (family patriarch) I did rather warm to the character, surprisingly!

The ending was unique, pretty sensational and rather clever. Overall an entertaining but challenging read.

Thank you for this ARC. I didn’t know what to expect having never read anything by this author before. I found it a bit slow at the beginning but the more I read I was hooked. It was tense, twisty and a great read. Would thoroughly recommend to others.

I’d heard such great things about this novel so was keen to read it. In all honesty, I did struggle with this book. It didn’t captivate me as expected and took me a while to get into the plot. I also found parts of it slow paced and thought the whole book could have been wrapped up quicker. Having said that, I’m glad I stuck with it as the ending was great. I would rate this 3.5 stars overall. Thank you to NetGalley, Hodder & Stoughton and the author for the chance to review.