The Girl in the Cellar

by Maryann Webb

Not all secrets stay behind closed doors . . .

Izzy Blake hasn't seen sunlight in almost a year. Or at least that's how long she thinks she's been down here.

She only eats when she's been good. She only gets to wash when he says so.

Every day is the same. Darkness. Pain. The fear when she hears the key turn in the lock and she knows he's come back.

Until . . .

One day the door opens and there's someone else coming down the steps.

It's not him. It's a woman. A woman who clearly has no idea that her husband has Izzy chained up in their wine cellar.

But, from the bruises on her arm, Izzy thinks this woman must have some idea what he's capable of.

Being the girl in the cellar is bad, but it can't be easy being the girl upstairs.

. . . Because the monster's not under your bed - he's in it.

An absolutely unputdownable psychological thriller perfect for fans of Freida McFadden, John Marrs, Steena Holmes, and Becca Day.

Readers can't get enough of Maryann Webb's twisty psychological thrillers!

'OMG!!! This is such an awesome read. I love psychological thrillers and this one was so good I could not put it down.' Reader review, 5

'This book was so full of OMG moments . . . Lies, deceit, murder, it was all there. There were so many twists I didn't see coming with an ending that blew me away.' Reader review, 5*

'Phenomenal! Oh my goodness, reading this book gave me such goosebumps and I was hooked from the very beginning! I couldn't put the book down!' Reader review, 5*

'Gobsmacked and speechless at the end of the book. Was not expecting the plot twist . . . I never saw it coming from a mile away!' Reader review, 5*

'The one that everyone will be talking about! It was addictive, binge-readable, and when I say drama-filled, oh I mean it!' Reader review, 5*

Genres: Audiobook, Thriller, Mystery, Crime, Adult, Fiction

343 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 14, 2025

About the author

Maryann Webb writes psychological thrillers and suspense novels, including the Oscar de la Nuit series. Her books have hit the Amazon best seller chart in the US. She studied psychology but prefers the fictional kind.

Not all secrets stay behind closed doors . . . The Girl in the Cellar is her latest psychological thriller.

Also writes under M.Q. Webb

Reviews

[౨ৎ emily ౨ৎ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75-4 (undecided) -- Solid audiobook. I listened to this audiobook with a quickness as soon as my Spotify hours renewed.

This is dark, twisty and so fast paced.
The podcast portion was so so good, and my fav part of this book.

Izzy was kidnapped, she's been down in the cellar for a year. She went through extreme torture, was malnourished and hasnt seen a speck of sunshine the entire time she's been down there. She's so strong and capable. Honestly if I was her, I'm not sure I would have survived.

Lucas was a deranged psychopath that got off on torture and different ways to make Izzy suffer. He was manipulative, sometimes had ME even questioning things. I hated that man something fierce.

Kady was a somewhat unreliable narrator in her POVS, and had me so mad sometimes, and honestly really well done. She had me crashing out at work, saying WTF the entire last half of th book.

Ending was slightly predictable, I had one ending that would have blown this out of the park but sadly I was wrong.

If you want something you can't put down read this!!

edit: OMG I FORGOT ABOUT THE PODCAST PORTION. no it really made this audiobook come alive, it had background effects, suspense noises, the narrator for it was kinda cheesy and made me laugh. it felt real, and just itched a spot in my brain!!

[Sheila · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received a free copy of, The Girl in the Cellar, by Maryann Webb, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Izzy Blake is missing and kept in a cellar, will she ever get freedom? This book was way to dark and disturbing for me.

[Kiana · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me hooked from the first page. Izzy Blake was kidnapped and held captive by a faceless, nameless man. Until her kidnapper’s wife, Kady finds Izzy chained in their wine cellar. The story does not stop there. The twists and suspense keeps going until the very end.

I enjoyed the multiple POV and the podcast element. This book is dark, twisty, and hard to out down.

Thank you NetGalley for this arc read in exchange for my honest review.

[Kat (Katlovesbooks) Dietrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Girl In the Cellar by Maryann Webb  is a psychological thriller about a woman who is kidnapped and tortured, before the man's wife finds her locked in the cellar. 


Let me thank NetGalley, the publisher Embla Books, and the author, for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.


First, I am going to watch for more by this author! 

The book is about kidnapping, and torture, and a lot of manipulation.  It was a dark tale of lies, deceit and coercion.   A man who is so sure of himself and his ability to sway others to his way of thinking.

OMG, this was good.  It was also somewhat horrific.  Sometimes the author just let the reader's mind imagine what had gone on in that cellar....and apparently I have a vivid imagination.  Often the author wrote about the wound that had been inflicted, but not as it was happening, thereby "just" letting the reader know why Izzy had such problems running.  I'm not saying that there weren't some vivid descriptions, because there were, but there were also those little nuances.   It was very well written.

There were a lot of twists in this book.  The author had us wondering where the minds of both Kady and Izzy were headed.  I loved both characters.  I also loved Theo.  Lucas was just ....

Overall, this was a rather horrific tale.  Very dark and very suspenseful.  An edge-of-your-seat thriller from start to finish.

Anyway, until next time.... 



For a more thorough review of this book and others (including the reason I chose to read/review this book, my own synopsis of the book, and its author information), please visit my blog: http://katlovesbooksblog.wordpress.com/

 

[Annie Strong · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a load of shite. Honestly had potential but it’s just absolute bullshit. Went on far too long. Honestly can’t believe how much of my life I wasted.

[Cassie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could’ve been good but the twist was too predictable and the main character was ridiculous.

[Mellisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was good. Kind of lost interest the last 20%....have a feeling I missed something big at the end🤣 Some books keep my attention and some I just force myself to finish. This was a forced finish.

[Jennifer Woods · Rating 2 out of 5]

Characters made dumb decisions. They are very one dimensional and don't feel like real people. The villain is ridiculous. There's not enough background or character building. It feels like this was written in the hopes of it being turned into a subpar movie.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title of this book tells you something bad is happening. Who is the girl in the cellar and why is she there? I can’t say much without giving away the plot but the story took me by surprise. I loved the multi media approach as between chapters there was a podcast dedicated to finding the missing girl, Izzy.

The writing had me in the cellar with Izzy. I can still picture the cellar and the house in my head. If you are looking for a thrilling read that will have you questioning what you would do to stay alive, this is a book to add to your TBR!

[E S · Rating 1 out of 5]

When you start off hard and fast into the drama and thrill, there’s nowhere to go but down.
Izzy Blake is kidnapped and kept in a cellar by someone who “has too normal of a name to be kidnapping girls” according to her. The repetition of “should we call the police” and “who do I believe” is tiresome.
Not to mention the amount of errors in the ebook.
The podcast scenarios were strange and out of place. They had nothing to further or benefit the story line. It was just a reminder and repetition of story lines already discussed through Izzy’s POV.
All in all a bit of communication between Kady and Izzy would have gone a long way.

[Nichole · Rating 2 out of 5]

Predictable and the end drew on way too long

[Courtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Invigorating. Compelling. I had to know EVERYTHING.

[Pearline · Rating 1 out of 5]

Sloppy review for myself: lucas took too long to die. The 2 FMCs were ridiculous. Neither psychological nor thriller. Thankfully the chapters were short and i had nothing better to do while waiting for my food.

[Kelly · Rating 2 out of 5]

My knowledge of the legal system and basic psychology had me feeling like the whole 2nd half main plot was way too far-fetched.
I listened to it on Spotify in 2 big chunks and the audiobook delivery was solid but if I had been reading, I would have skipped through all the “should we call the police” and the navel gazing about trust. One convo about it was enough.

[Maddie Fish · Rating 1 out of 5]

So boring, same stuff repeated over and over again

[Alison Bruce · Rating 1 out of 5]

I filed it under ‘don’t bother’ and am lamenting the wasted hours.

[Sue - Recos and Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I very much enjoyed the audiobook for this one, and the production quality was truly excellent. The format really suited a story built around different forms of media. The mix of perspectives, especially the podcast segments, added a layer of tension that worked beautifully.

Izzy, a young woman abducted and imprisoned in a cellar, endures extremely brutal conditions under her captor’s complete control. Everything shifts when the captor’s wife, discovers her existence, setting off a fragile and deeply uneasy partnership. From that point, the narrative drives ahead with constant tension, shifting allegiances, and a steady rise in pulse-tightening suspense.

Readers may want to look over the trigger warnings, as the author doesn’t hold back on themes of abuse and trauma. That said, the shifts in perspective throughout the chapters give you enough space to pause and steady yourself as the story unfolds.

This thriller held my attention from the first page to the last as there were so many questions to answer, not least, will she escape and why is she captive? If you enjoy psychological suspense told through multiple perspectives and a steady, engaging pace, this is a very strong choice.

Thank you to @MQWebbAuthor, @EmblaBooks, @BonnierBooks_UK, @LoveBooksTours for having me on this tour.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I did really enjoy this book but I will say there was almost too much information - way too much going into detail - this book could have been about 10 chapters shorter because of how much detail there was. It was a good read though and the twist at the end was good although not shocking

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girl in the Cellar was a quick, gripping read that pulled me in right from the start. The alternating POVs added depth and variety to the story, and I especially enjoyed the podcast element-it kept the pacing fresh and engaging.

This is one of those thrillers that’s hard to put down; I stayed invested from beginning to end. Fans of fast-paced psychological thrillers with multiple perspectives will definitely want to pick this one up.

[Meg Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, The Girl in the Cellar is a dark, gripping thriller that pulls you in from the very first page. Izzy, a young woman kidnapped and held captive in a cellar, faces unimaginable horrors at the hands of her abductor. Her life changes when Kady, the kidnapper’s wife, discovers her, sparking a tense and uneasy alliance. From that moment on, the story hurtles forward with relentless suspense, twisting loyalties, and heart stopping uncertainty.

Webb’s writing excels at creating an intense, claustrophobic atmosphere. The alternating POVs between Izzy, Kady, and a podcast reporting on a related case add depth and variety, keeping the pacing fresh and engaging. The psychological tension is high, and the twists, often unexpected, kept me turning pages well into the night. Izzy’s journey is harrowing but compelling; her resilience and determination make her a character readers will root for fiercely.

The narrative does not shy away from darkness. Themes of captivity, abuse, and trauma are handled with a raw intensity that makes the story feel disturbingly real. At the same time, the inclusion of Kady’s perspective and the podcast excerpts gives readers moments to breathe while adding layers to the plot and suspense. Some sections felt slightly abrupt or repetitive, but the overall story is tight and fast paced, a rollercoaster ride of tension and intrigue.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers that are dark, twisty, and impossible to put down, this book is for you. Fans of Freida McFadden, John Marrs, or Lisa Jewell will likely find themselves hooked from start to finish. Be warned, though, this is a story that lingers, and it comes with a strong trigger warning for psychological and physical abuse.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Rhianna Hensler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Izzy Blake is a young girl who was kidnapped and held captive in a cellar for a full year. Eventually, her captor's wife discovers her, which leads to an intense plot that has you questioning everything you think you know about each character. Where does the truth lie? What is each character hiding?

One of the most chilling stories I've ever read!! This book contains heavy themes, including multiple forms of trauma and abuse, self-harm, and domestic violence. Reader discretion is advised. The story built momentum as it progressed, but the pacing seemed a little slow at the beginning. There was a lot of going back and forth with each character in ways that, at times, seemed contradictory (examples: Izzy telling Kady not to call the police, then stating they should probably call the police. Lucas telling Izzy she won't kill him, then saying she has what it takes to kill him.) Some of the characters' thought processes seemed repetitive, and some points of the story seemed to require some suspension of disbelief (It took Kady a full year to go to the cellar? No one (friends or family) questioned Kady and Lucas's relationship? And the Katherine Dixon storyline: why didn't she contact her family once she was free? Why did Kady or Izzy not recognize her on the dartboard?)

Overall, I really enjoyed the book, and the ending chapters were particularly gripping. I appreciated the multiple perspectives from characters, as it was interesting to hear from both Kady and Izzy. The podcast viewpoint was also a great addition to the story, as it furthered the plot and added details away from the characters' direct perspectives. This is definitely a dark and twisted book that will have you guessing each person's true motives until the very end.

Thank you to Maryann Webb, the publisher, and NetGalley for an early copy of this story.

[janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you love a disturbing read, this is for you! The story opens straight into Izzy's world, a damp, dark cellar. Trapped, held captive, terrified, and losing the will to live.

Izzy has been missing for a year after seemingly disappearing without a trace after her shift at a local diner.

Held prisoner but a man who abuses her in unimaginable ways, Izzy doesn't see a way out until the day a woman appears. Her captors wife, Kady.

From that day, everything changes. They create a strange, sinister bond that left me with an uneasy feeling the whole time. Who can be trusted?

Told through 3 POVs of Izzy, Kady, and a podcast, we learn the backstorys of each character and how Izzy was herself investigating a missing girl before she was kidnapped. Kady's POV was a bit all over the place, showing a tortured soul and how fragile she was.

I found the twist at the end a bit implausible and flat, to be honest, and there was quite a lot of repetition, which was frustrating, but it didn't put me off the book overall.

This was a story that, to me, conveyed more by what wasn't said. Those missing parts that your own imagination fills in itself, which made it even more dark and disturbing.

Thanks to the Netgalley and Embla Books for the ARC.

[Sheila's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

🅷🅴 🅶🅸🆁🅻 🅸🅽 🆃🅷🅴 🅲🅴🅻🅻🅰🆁

By Maryanne Webb

Wow! This is a dark and twisted read about 19 year old Izzy who vanished one night after work and wakes in a cold, dark and damp cellar. Abused mentally and physically in unimaginable ways, Izzy still tries to hold on to hope but it's increasingly difficult. It's been close to year when instead of the monster coming down the stairs, it's a woman. She says she's his wife.
Is she friend or foe.....?

Told in multiple POV from Izzy, Kady ( the wife ) and a Podcast reporting about Izzy's abduction alongside a similar case, kept the narrative moving and I didn't know who to trust which kept me turning the pages late into the night.

Set mostly in the cellar , it's still compelling, claustrophobic and disturbingly raw and real. I read it in one sitting because I needed to know what happened to Izzy... How it all ends.

There are themes of abuse, trauma bonding and control, but there is also hope, determination, survival instinct and loyalty. I really enjoyed this book and intend to pick up all of Maryann's backlist.

If you enjoy dark and twisted thrillers this one is for you. The trigger warnings are not listed so please be aware that there are disturbing scenes.

[Susan Belman · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book wastes no time throwing you straight into the horror — Izzy’s trapped in a damp, dark cellar, held captive for over a year after vanishing without a trace. Her perspective is haunting and claustrophobic, and I could feel every bit of her desperation. Then we meet Kady, the captor’s wife, whose fragile, scattered chapters show a woman on the edge. When she discovers Izzy, the dynamic between them is twisted and uncomfortable in all the right ways. Who’s helping who? And who’s lying?
The story is told through three POVs — Izzy, Kady, and a true-crime podcast — which I thought was such a cool concept. The podcast segments added realism and tension, and I loved how they slowly connected the dots between the two women and a missing girl Izzy was investigating before she disappeared.
That said, it dragged a bit for me in the middle. There’s a lot of repetition, especially in Kady’s chapters, and while the final twist was unexpected, it didn’t quite feel believable. Still, I have to give credit where it’s due — the atmosphere is eerie, the writing is immersive, and it left me uneasy in the best way.
If you like dark psychological thrillers with a heavy, unsettling tone and don’t mind a slow build, The Girl in the Cellar might be your kind of disturbing.

[Suesyn Zellmer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Izzy has been trapped in a man’s basement for months, subjected to horrible abuse. She’s never seen anyone else until a woman appears one day. She can only hope this is a good thing; otherwise, her situation might become even worse, if that’s possible. And this is all I can say about the plot because anything else would be spoilers.

So, what followed after that didn’t keep my interest as I was hoping it would. There can only be a few outcomes from another person appearing in Izzy’s underground prison. It’s not a cut-and-dry better/worse situation, so that was appreciated. But it did take a bit for definitive action to occur. And there were a few moments that stretched credibility. Particularly at the very end, which made you question everything in the podcast excerpts that were sprinkled throughout the story.

I think it was hard to take the premise and stretch it into a full-length story, thus the podcast excerpts. The twists were not too surprising given the small number of characters in the book and the clues throughout. I didn’t dislike the story; it just wasn’t original enough to stick with me.

[Sarah Winney · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not all secrets stay behind closed doors . . .

Izzy Blake hasn’t seen sunlight in almost a year. Or at least that’s how long she thinks she’s been down here.

She only eats when she’s been good. She only gets to wash when he says so.

Every day is the same. Darkness. Pain. The fear when she hears the key turn in the lock and she knows he’s come back.

Until . . .

One day the door opens and there’s someone else coming down the steps.

It’s not him. It’s a woman. A woman who clearly has no idea that her husband has Izzy chained up in their wine cellar.

But, from the bruises on her arm, Izzy thinks this woman must have some idea what he’s capable of.

REVIEW:-

Wow what a read! This thriller of a story has some elements which are quite shocking. There were some parts which had me reading it with my hand over my mouth, knowing the lengths you would have go to, to survive this situation.

This book gripped me from the off and had me hoping for a positive outcome, it’s full of suspense from the start and it’s hard to put down as there are lots of twists and turns throughout the book, leaving you wanting to know more at the end of each chapter. For a situation which is primarily set within the one area from the offset being the cellar the story is told well and is fast paced but I also enjoyed the podcast interview element running through the books storyline.

This story will have you feeling many emotions from sadness to anger with the key characters experiencing doubt, betrayal, violence and wondering who can be trusted.

This story will leave an impression on you long after you have read it.

Appearances can be deceptive and all is not as it seems in this story, I would recommend this book if you are looking for a dark gripping thriller.

[The Chapter Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark, disturbing, and completely unputdownable! I devoured this one in just a couple of hours — it’s the kind of thriller that makes you forget about real life until you’ve reached the last page.

Told through dual POVs — Kady and Izzy — with chilling podcast transcripts woven throughout, The Girl in the Cellar follows the disappearance of 19-year-old Izzy, who vanishes one night after leaving work. She wakes up locked in a cellar by an unknown captor and remains there for a year, enduring psychological torment and emotional manipulation that felt all too real.

Maryann Webb does an incredible job exploring trauma bonds, survival instincts, and how easy it can be to confuse control for care. I didn’t know who to trust or how this story would end — and that uncertainty kept me glued to every chapter.

It’s not an easy read, and definitely one to check trigger warnings for, but if you enjoy dark psychological thrillers that dive into the human mind and the will to survive, this one will haunt you long after you finish!

[Lauren · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

Note: I received an advanced copy of this book from Embla Books via NetGalley.

Izzy Blake has been living in the dark—literally. Chained in a wine cellar, cut off from time, sunlight, and basic humanity, her world has shrunk to pain, obedience, and the terrifying sound of a key turning in the lock. Then one day, someone new comes down the stairs: a woman. The captor’s wife. And suddenly the horror doubles, because if being the girl in the cellar is hell, being the woman upstairs—sleeping beside the monster—might be its own kind of nightmare.

It’s a chilling premise with serious psychological-thriller potential, but unfortunately, the execution never quite lives up to it. Scenes loop, emotions recycle, and revelations feel less shocking and more inevitable. The characters don’t help matters. The protagonist makes bafflingly poor decisions, the villain borders on cartoonish, and everyone feels flattened into a single defining trait rather than fully realized people.

[ericas_bookreviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Girl In The Cellar was an absolutely addictive, thrilling and gripping read that I throughouly enjoyed. As with all audiobooks the narration is absolutely key and the multi narration here was perfect and so well done.

This was probably one of the most atmospheric reads I've ever come across with the author creating the perfect dark, eerie & truly uneasy atmosphere for the subject matter & plotline. Speaking of the plot, it is very dark with heavy elements, the details of abuse and trauma are intense & disturbing at times but pivotal to the storyline, the author wrote these elements so well with narrators doing a fantastic job of portraying.

I loved that the story was told from multiple POV's, always a fan of this and the extra addition of a podcast thrown into the mix added a little extra.

This was a well written & developed story packed full of suspense, uneasiness that I devoured, a must for fans of a darker thriller.

[Danielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIVE STARS!!!!!!!!

I loved the plot behind this book. Izzy has been taken by a strange man and locked in his basement. She endures continuous abuse at the hands of this stranger. I really connected with this character. She was able to keep her wits about her and sanity intact by memories of the past. You can't help the emotions reading this book! Then one day, another woman is locked in with Izzy. Can Kady be trusted? Will they escape? Is something more sinister going on?

Highly and enthusiastically, recommend this book to anyone. If you are fans of Freida McFadden or John Marrs, then this book is definitely right up your alley!

Thank you NetGalley, author, and publisher for the eArc. I couldn't put this one down!

Trigger Warning: Psychological and physical abuse, trauma, captivity.