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.

The eponymous ‘Girl in Cell A’, otherwise known as Orianna Negi, was convicted of the murder of Gideon Wyclerc at the age of just 17. Gideon’s daughter Grace disappeared the same day and has never been found.

However, Orianna can’t remember what actually happened the day of the murder, but nevertheless maintains her innocence. And so it falls to Forensic psychologist Annie Ledet to unlock the truth, because if Orianna is telling the truth, then there’s a murderer walking free.

Orianna grew up in Eden Falls, ruled by the insular Wyclerc dynasty and its ruthless patriarch, Amos. This is a town of secrets, a town with its fair share of scandals, sex, power, alleged incest and murder - and it’s not the first murder either! 18 years later Orianna is released and returns to Eden Falls determined to find out just who killed Gideon, and discover what happened to Grace.

This was a clever, well written psychological thriller which explores memory, truth, and lies in a small American mining town. The finger of suspicion had a real workout here, pointing out several suspects, but it turns out my finger was way off, pointing totally in the wrong direction!

Really enjoyed this book which get me on the edge on my seat

First time reading anything by this author

Would recommend

I absolutely loved this book . The writing was extremely good and the story unravels slowly , enough to keep you guessing . I certainly didn’t expect that ending at all . I’ve looked at the previous books this author has done and this is something completely different . I definitely would love to read more in this genre from this author . I think this book will be very successful and I’d definitely recommend this book to my friends. 5 stars from me , can’t wait to see if this author does another in this genre

Thanks to the publishers and net galley for my advanced ecopy in exchange for a review. I really got into this book, it is on the lengthy side but I feel it adds to the story and character building. Loved the short sharp chapters and the writing flow. Orianna has been convicted of murder and has spent the last 18 years locked up and we follow her as she is released and travels back to Eden Falls a small town where she has grown up. The book flicks between her POV and also her prison therapists Annie as we gradually learn about her past and her investigation to find out what happened and also missing girl Grace. This book also had one of the biggest twists I didn’t see coming and was done really well. I will be recommending to others and looking out for more from this author . 4.5 stars

Great writing! It kept me interested until the end, and the twists just kept coming! It's the type of book that you keep returning to because you need to know who killed whom!

I thought I knew who killed Gideon... then realized I was totally wrong... then the last few chapters just... what??? Mind-blowing twist!!!

Highly recommended, out on the 1st of May 2025! Thank you, @Netgalley, for the ARC ebook copy of this book. What a treat!

I really enjoyed this book. I felt the forensic side of the book had been very well researched and was an accurate account of the forensic mental health system.

The world building was great, I really felt that I was in the southern state.

The only downside for me was the length of the book. I felt this was a real slow burn up to say 350 pages. Then it picks up.

I absolutely loved this book! I couldn't put it down and read it in a day. If you're a fan of twisty thrillers this is for you. I love a good thriller that's unpredictable and keeps me guessing and this did the job for me. The twists totally took me off guard. Loved it and would love to read more from this author!

The writing just felt boring and drawn out and I ultimately DNF'd cause I really didnt care what happened or why it happened.

WHAT A READ!

The Girl in Cell A is an incredibly clever written psychological thriller, featuring multiple twists and turns that left me unable to from putting this book down.

As a convicted murder, 17 year old Orianna is 'the girl in cell A' and obtains some sort of 'celebrity status' of being a killer. Though, Orianna continues to argue that she is innocent, not having killed Gideon Wyclerc.

Working with Annie Ledet, a forensic psychologist, it is her task to find out what truly happened. Did Orianna kill Gideon? Or who is behind killing someone from the Wyclerc dynasty, who rules the small town Eden Falls? Going back and forth between what happened back then and revisiting the fact that Orianna is unable to remember what happened exactly when Gideon was killed, Annie continues to try and unlock Orianna's memory.

This book was absolutely gripping form the start until he very final page. With its twists and turns and psychological elements (something I particularly enjoy), I found myself coming up with multiple scenarios as to what happened. Being able to jump into the world of 'Eden Falls', this book was a brilliant yet rather chilling escape and would definitely recommend to anyone.

With the book being published in May 2025, I anticipate this to be THE summer psychological thriller you shouldn't be missing out on.

A decidedly different and intriguing crime novel from Vaseem Khan, with bucketloads of atmosphere. I liked the dual narrative and the challenge of working out whose voice I could trust. I had to read the ending a second time and I'm keen to discuss it with other readers once it's published!

I'm a short book person. I rarely read books over 400 pages so when I saw this was almost 600 pages I was a bit worried. However I enjoyed it so much I'm considering reading longer books more often!

Orianna was accused of murder when she was 17 and sent to prison. Orianna cannot remember anything from that afternoon but claims she didn't do it. This book follows her journey to try and recover her memory and prove her innocence. There is a dual timeline with a different POV from Annie a forensic psychotherapist as she tries to uncover Orianna’s memory.

I became so obsessed with this book! I loved Orianna and joining her in trying to figure out whether she killed Gideon Wyclerc or not. And the Wyclerc family, what a bunch! So many dark secrets, I am here for the drama!

More of a crime drama than a thriller, this story was engaging, interesting and the ending blew me away! Genuinely surprised me in such a good way!

I hope this book gets the love and attention it deserves when it comes out next year and I'll certainly be looking out for what Khan writes next

I was really excited to read The Girl in Cell A, While the book did hold my interest and had moments of intrigue, I ultimately found it a bit of a letdown.

The pacing felt overly drawn out, with many sections that could have been tightened to maintain momentum. At times, the narrative veered into excessive detail and waffling, which slowed the story and diluted the tension. The ending, while a twist, wasn’t overly surprising and left me feeling disappointed—it made much of the earlier plot feel somewhat pointless, which dampened my overall enjoyment.

That said, Khan’s ability to weave a story is undeniable, and despite its flaws, the book kept me reading. For those who enjoy a slow-burn mystery, this might be a better fit, but for me, it lacked the punch I was hoping for.

Thank you for giving me the chance to read this ARC.