The Girl In Cell A 🚨

By Vaseem Khan.

Mare of Easttown meets Succession is an apt description for Vaseem Khan’s first foray into the thriller genre. The Girl in Cell A is a tense, layered and unsettling read that grips from the first page and refuses to let go.

Orianna Negi, branded by the media as the girl in cell A, has spent years in prison for the murder of Gideon Wyclerc. Convicted at just seventeen, she has always claimed her innocence.

The trouble is, she cannot remember what happened the night he died. Enter forensic psychotherapist Annie Ledet, who is tasked with determining whether Orianna can be released. As Annie begins to unravel Orianna’s fractured memories, what she discovers is a dark and twisted web of privilege, power and long buried secrets.

Set in the oppressive, secretive town of Eden Falls, the book unfolds in a dual timeline. The past is seen through Annie’s lens, while the present follows Orianna’s return to the scene of the crime, desperate to uncover the truth she has forgotten. The structure works brilliantly, keeping the suspense high as the story shifts between discovery and confrontation.

There is a rich cast of characters and the author does a great job of making each one memorable without overwhelming the reader. The Wyclerc dynasty, with its air of entitlement and hidden rot, is particularly chilling.

Khan’s writing is sharp and clever, managing to handle extremely heavy themes with nuance. This is not an easy book to read at times. It explores murder, sexual assault, racism, incest and the corrosive nature of power, yet none of it feels gratuitous.

The atmosphere is taut, the pacing relentless, and the final reveal is both shocking and entirely earned. This is the kind of book that stays with you long after you finish, making you question what you think you know about guilt, memory and justice.

A powerful, gripping read from start to finish. Vaseem Khan has delivered a standout psychological thriller that deserves every bit of attention it gets.

Thank you to Alainna and the team at Hodder & Stoughton for runnig this book-tour! The book is available for pre-order and will be released on the 1st of May 2025.

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