This started slow for me, and it took me a while to get interested in the characters, but about 20% through the story really started to absorb my attention.

This is a 2-person narrative. Orianna, the girl in Cell A, from a small town in America, has been imprisoned for murder of a local man, and for being involved in the disappearance (murder?) of Grace - her friend. Orianna does not remember killing, or what happened to her friend Grace, but the evidence seems clear that she was the murderer and was involved in the disappearance.

The other narrator is Anne, a prison psychologist tasked with helping the girl to uncover what really happened, with the aim of getting her to accept what she has done, and for the family and town to finally find out what happened to Grace. During her work, she begins to doubt whether Orianna is really guilty of the crimes.

There are several twists to this story, and it's like a good "whodunnit", where you're left pointing your finger at first one person, then another - if of course you believe that the girl is innocent.

I found this hard to put down, and enjoyed the twist at the end, which explained everything and pulled it all together so well.

It’s a source of some concern to me that several of my favourite writers of novels and mysteries set in India have decided to write books about completely different places. I was intrigued to see how Vaseem Khan would handle the challenge of writing a whodunnit from the point of view of not one but two female American characters.

Would it be a compliment to his flexibility that I kept having to remind myself that this very accomplished novel came from the man behind the Baby Ganesh and Persia Wadia/Malabar House novels?

Of course, Khan is actually a British author and I can understand his urge to break out of his Indian storytelling niche, but I did wonder why he chose small-town America over a UK setting. That said, I didn't notice any glaring errors in the setting - but then, I don't know that environment all that well either.

He did well. Aside from a rather improbable leap from a burning tower, everything seemed to knit together very well.

The tale is of a murder in a small town with a dominant family influencing everything that happens in Eden Falls. A young woman was found guilty of murder and sent to jail. But did she really do it?

I’m not going to give you any clues. Too many books are spoiled by hints and this plot requires protection.

If you also review it, please do the same.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC what an opportunity to read and discover and author that I was not familiar with but one which I will be recommending to people in my book groups online.
This book kept me hooked from start to finish it was one of those that I didn’t want to put down and devoured it on all my downtime over 2 days!
Kept on my toes with did she didn’t she thinking I had it figured when infact I didn’t ! Excellent twisty plot lines that kept me guessing until the end.

Thank you Net Gallery for the book. It was very enjoyable, very entertaining, lots of twists and turns. I loved the characters. The only bad thing I have to say about this book is that it kept me reading way past midnight, I couldn't put it down! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Absolutely loved this psychological thriller! I enjoyed the push & pull of did she or didn’t she. Highly recommended & can’t wait to read more from Vaseem Khan!

I read this across two days which is always a sign I'm invested and need to know how a book will turn out. Cleverly plotted with lots of secrets, twists and turns. About two thirds of the way through I was getting frustrated by returning to the THEN sections with Annie Ledet & Orianna's psychological assessments because I wanted to stick with the NOW, but the reason for these continuing timeshifts soon became clear. I'm a fan of books that leave the reader with scope to ponder the ending rather than spelling everything out in black and white and this delivered on that score. Tiny criticism - the repetitive allusion to the men having wolves eyes became jarring after the third or fourth description. Overall: gripping, dramatic, and enjoyable.

A very good thriller that you don't want to.put down! Even to go to the loo, The writing was very easy to get into and the story was chefs kiss.

orianna is charged with the murder of gideon the only flaw is she doesn’t remember committing the crime!

as the story flows through flashbacks of ori trying to regain her memories, the story instantly grips you in.

the book is filled with twists and turns and keeps the reader on their toes. the psychological elements of the book are also well researched.

this is a perfect small town, psychological murder mystery; thriller, where the fast pace keeps you guessing and on your toes.

A great psychological read. The writer keeps the reader on the edge of their seat. It was a really good page turner and the characters are believable. It was interesting to learn about dissociated amnesia and how the psychologist talked with The Girl in Cell A to try to get the truth as to whether or not she did what she was accused off.
I would highly recommend this book.

The girl in cell A follows Orianna and her journey on finding out the true killer of who killed Gideon. A murder that she has been convinced and done 18 years for, but with her disassociated amnesia, it is hard for her to remember.

This book court my interest from the start her nervousness going back to the village Eden falls where the Wyclercs astate is and the murder happend. To what happened to Grace Gideon's daughter, that has gone missing 18 years ago also. When I wasn't reading the book, I was thinking about it what could have happened and how it would turn out. Did oranna truly kill them ? Will she ever find out the truth? But reading though she finds her story and there is a massive plot twist at the end!!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the ARC of this book!

This book was so gripping! When I wasn't reading this book, I was thinking about it, and trying to figure out how it all might end!

The writing was excellent, and I really enjoyed meeting and getting to know the whole cast of complex characters.

The structure of the book, and the two separate POVs felt new and surprising, and I really liked the way that the story unfolded because of the structure.

Outstanding ! What a fantastic read. Insane

Beautifully written, with great characters almost coming to life when reading. Absolutely loved the 2 timelines which worked well together.

Orianna was locked up for 18yrs for a murder, and a missing woman, her friend Grace. Orianna doesn’t remember the killing or what happened to her friend but the evidence points at her

What a book - brilliant

Thank you to Netgalley and Hodder & Stoughton

I really liked this book. It was a good read and was interesting. Being convicted got a crime that she may or may not have done. The ending wasn’t great though. Not sure what the author was thinking. Still a good book to read.

I enjoyed this book but it was a little too much/depressing for reading at Christmas - my fault! I would try another book by this author. Thanks for the ARC.

The Girl In Cell A by Vaseem Khan is a gripping and intricately layered psychological thriller that delves into the complexities of guilt, memory, and justice. The story centres around Orianna Negi, a convicted murderer who has been imprisoned since the age of seventeen. Infamous for both her crime and the media attention surrounding it, Orianna has always maintained her innocence, though she has a blind spot when it comes to the night of Gideon Wyclerc’s murder. The mystery of what truly happened that night, compounded by Orianna’s lack of memory, becomes the focal point of the narrative.

The novel alternates between two narratives: that of Orianna, the convicted killer who insists she didn’t commit the crime, and Annie Ledet, a forensic psychologist assigned to work with her. Annie’s task is to help Orianna confront the truth — whether it’s her guilt or her innocence — and to unravel the mystery surrounding the murder of Gideon Wyclerc, as well as the disappearance of Orianna’s friend, Grace. As Annie delves deeper into Orianna's past, she uncovers a web of scandal, power, race, and betrayal that has plagued the Wyclerc family and their small-town community, Eden Falls.

The narrative tension builds as Annie begins to question the evidence and her own assumptions about Orianna’s guilt. As a reader, you are taken on a journey where you’re constantly led to doubt your conclusions. Each twist brings a new suspect into focus, and you’re kept on edge, trying to piece together the truth behind the complex relationships and buried secrets that govern the town.

Khan’s writing style is masterful in drawing you into this world of moral ambiguity and psychological complexity. The two-person narrative works well, offering contrasting perspectives that heighten the suspense. Orianna’s fragmented memory, coupled with her troubled past, makes her a compelling yet unreliable character, while Annie’s professional detachment gives a grounded perspective as she struggles with her growing doubt about Orianna’s guilt.

While the plot itself is rich with intrigue, it is the underlying themes of power dynamics, race, and the consequences of trauma that elevate the story. The exploration of Orianna’s past, particularly her relationship with the Wyclerc family and the toxic influence of their patriarch, Amos, is handled with sensitivity and depth.

The Girl In Cell A is a well-crafted whodunnit, with twists that keep you guessing until the final pages. It’s a fast-paced, thought-provoking read that explores themes of justice, memory, and the fine line between guilt and innocence. Khan does an excellent job of weaving a tale that is as much about uncovering the truth as it is about questioning who can truly be trusted to tell it. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers with complex characters and unpredictable plot twists, this is a book you won’t want to miss.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

In a nutshell: a teenage girl is convicted of the murder of a man, which she strenuously denies due to memory loss, and many years later is released, goes back to the small community she is from and tries to figure out what really happened.

Full disclosure: I am a total sucker for this kind of premise. Orianna herself is a compelling protagonist. Did she do it? If she did, why? Was she falsely convicted? If so, who actually did it?

This novel has something of a double climax due to the twists, which I certainly did not see coming. Without giving any spoilers, I suspect that it may not be everyone's cup of tea, but personally I think it was a ambitious move by Khan, and that he handled it very well. That ending certainly sent a chill down my spine and guaranteed that I have been thinking about it ever since.

Thank you so much to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the ARC!

A great novel as a psychologist works with a convicted killer with memory loss, in an effort to find the truth and assess for parole. Highly twisty thriller/mystery with pace, edge and hard turns.

Absolutely brilliant book!
I am a big fan of this author and love the writing style!
I cant wait to read more!

The dark, suspenseful atmosphere of this thriller drew me in immediately. The tension never let up, and the twists were absolutely brilliant, a true gem of a thriller.

This book. Was good. I enjoyed this.

Orianna was convicted of murder at 17 but claims she is innocent but can’t remember what happened . Annie Ledet a forensic psychologist is tasked with the job of finding who did do it if Orianna is innocent?

This is a mystery thriller with all the twists and turns you’d expect with this kind of story.. you’ll be pointing the finger at everyone reading this.