Thank you to Orion Publishing, Kingsley Pearson and NetGalley for the advance copy to read and review.

Reading the blurb, I definitely had different expectations from what was actually in the book. I didn't mind the vibe this book was trying to convey but unfortunately, I still couldn't enjoy this read.
One of my biggest issues was with the writing style. The way the scenes were presented and described felt more like a "movie" than an actual book. It lacked that touch that makes a book a "book", if that makes any sense. The dialogue was also not my favorite either. It didn't flow as fluidly as it should have and there were several instances when it felt forced and almost "cringey".
The way the author chose for the story to flow was also quite confusing. The back and forth between timelines wasn't well executed and it made keeping up with the story much harder.
When it came to the multitude of POVs, I was definitely not a fan. In the blurb, we were promised to follow Jay's story and his alone, but suddenly, in the middle of the book, we find ourselves having to keep up with other stories too.
The slow pace of the book wasn't helping either as it gave the feeling that the book dragged on for so long without much actually happening. The twist at the end, unfortunately, also fell flat for me, as it didn't feel like a revelation big enough to actually consider it a "twist".

Thank you once again to Orion Publishing, Kingsley Pearson and NetGalley for the ARC.

Wow, 2025 is delivering some seriously strong debuts!

What I loved most about this novel is how grounded it felt in the everyday. I remember reading about the Timpson Foundation being one of the UK’s largest employers of ex-offenders. And that’s exactly where we begin, with Sri Lankan Jay, newly released on parole and trying to rebuild his life.

Jay is weighed down by guilt, both over what happened that night his neighbour died and over his sexuality. He's desperately trying to establish a new routine. But when an anonymous note appears, warning that someone knows what he really did, his fragile new normal begins to unravel.

There’s quite a large cast to get your head around and while I did spot one twist early on, the final third of 𝘍𝘭𝘢𝘵 401 is excellent. The resolution was great and I found myself caring deeply for the central characters. This is more than a story about a crime. It’s about identity, standing up for yourself and trying to move forward when the past won’t let go.

Also: any book that manages to work in a 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘺 𝘝𝘐𝘐 reference is a winner in my eyes!

Thank you to Orion and NetGalley for the ARC.

Fantastic book. I loved the storyline line, & the characters . Kept me up all night as I couldn't put it down ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc. What a creepy, intriguing book! It’s filled with guilt and secrets!

In Flat 401, Kingsley Pearson delivers a taut, emotionally charged thriller that grips you from the first page and refuses to let go. With a blend of small-town unease, unresolved trauma, and a protagonist desperate to escape his past, this novel weaves suspense and humanity into a compelling narrative.

At the heart of the story is Jay, a man trying to rebuild his life in obscurity after a prison sentence tied to a tragedy no one will let him forget—the mysterious death of a neighbour in Flat 401. Pearson handles Jay’s internal struggle with real sensitivity, painting him not just as a man with secrets, but as someone painfully aware of how brittle second chances can be.

The quiet tension in Jay’s new life is immediately broken by a chilling note: Everyone is going to know what you really did. What follows is a slow-burn unraveling of both the mystery and Jay’s sanity. Pearson masterfully builds paranoia through tight prose and carefully revealed flashbacks, all while keeping the reader unsure of exactly what Jay is hiding—or who might be after him.

The supporting cast is equally well-drawn, especially the inhabitants of the grim hostel that Jay now calls home. There’s an ever-present feeling that anyone might know more than they’re letting on, and Pearson uses this atmosphere of suspicion to full effect.

Where Flat 401 truly excels is in its exploration of guilt, identity, and redemption. While the thriller elements are strong, what stays with you are the quieter, more human moments—Jay’s kindness in the face of judgment, his desperate need for peace, and the haunting question: can we ever truly escape our past?

A minor critique might be that some twists feel slightly telegraphed, and the final reveal, while satisfying, isn’t entirely unpredictable. Still, the emotional weight behind the climax more than makes up for it.

Verdict:
Flat 401 is a gripping and atmospheric read that balances suspense with heart. It’s not just a story about what happened behind a closed door—it’s about what happens when your past walks back through it. Fans of Gillian Flynn, Tana French, or Paula Hawkins will find a lot to love here.

Highly recommended for readers who enjoy dark, character-driven thrillers with a conscience.

Jay is an ex-con who desperately wants to rebuild his life. Starting over in a small town where no one knows him, he is forced to call a hostel his home. Despite keeping to himself and laying low, a threatening note arrives one day stating " Everyone is going to know what you really did". Now that it seems like Jay's dark secret is about to be exposed, how far will Jay go to make sure his freedom stays intact?

This novel is much more than just an everyday thriller. Pearson absolutely nails the mental pitfalls that Jay is facing, his guilt, shame, and paranoia. As we progress through the story we get to unpack exactly how the trauma that Jay faced still affects him. Emotional and character driven, Flat 401 doesn't rely on jump scares to spook the reader, but rather masterfully uses emotional suspense and inner turmoil. With a twisty and creepy atmosphere the setting feels alive, almost claustrophobic at some points. One take away that I got from this is the question of can you ever really start again, or are you forever tied to your worst moment? Overall, Flat 401 doesn't jump out at you but rather instills a creeping sense of dread that continues to gnaw at you. And the fact that this is a debut makes it that much better!! Definitely recommend for fans of psychological suspense novels that are character driven and atmospheric!

Thank you to NetGalley, Kingsley Pearson, and Orion for this ARC! Publication date was July 3rd 2025.

Flat 401 by Kingsley Pearson offers a compelling premise rooted in ambiguity and shifting truths. What begins as a seemingly straightforward crime story quickly unravels into a layered narrative that questions guilt, perception, and what really happened on the day of the crime. As the story toggles between timelines and perspectives, the reader is pulled into a psychological puzzle where the supposed “killer” may not be guilty after all.

Pearson’s approach to storytelling—using nonlinear structure and gradual revelation—builds intrigue and invites the reader to constantly reassess what they believe to be true. The concept is strong, with the central mystery holding plenty of potential and a few well-executed twists that elevate the tension.

However, while the premise is engaging, the execution occasionally falls short. Some moments feel underdeveloped, and the emotional impact doesn’t always land as powerfully as it could. Still, the novel succeeds in maintaining suspense and keeping readers invested in the outcome.

Flat 401 is a solid psychological crime read with an interesting twist on the genre’s conventions. Though it may not fully deliver on its ambitious setup, it’s a worthwhile read for fans of unreliable narrators, layered timelines, and slow-burning mysteries.

Flat 401 by Kingsley Pearson is a well plotted psychological thriller that will keep you turning pages
A real page turner that really grabbed me tight and didn't let go.
The suspense kept building throughout the novel leading to an exciting reveal at the end. It was fast-paced, twisty, and entertaining.
Well thought out, with clever writing and it has great characters.

A compelling and convincing debut about the murky space between the truth and lies, innocence and guilt. Jay is a compelling and realistic protagonist, and the creeping dread of what will or won't happen - and what did - kept me hooked to the end. Five stars!

This is a tense, about guilt, reinvention, and the secrets that refuse to stay buried. It is a twisty and emotionally sharp read throughout.

I'm sorry, but this book just wasn't for me. It wasn't bad it just wasn't thrilling. It is a VERY slow burn.

You follow Jay as he tries to put his past behind him and make a new life for himself. The goal is to start afresh somewhere new just as soon as his probation period is over, but someone has other plans.

The story is told from several pov and skips between the past and present. I love this sort of format, but in this book, it was just confusing and very disjointed.

The impact of the crime on the victim's family and the perpetrators are a big theme in this book, and I think it's meant to be thought-provoking. That's not what I read thrillers for, though. I want edge of your seat cat and mouse games and a lot of tension. Sadly, this book didn't deliver that.

Please don't let my review put you off picking up this book as you may love it.

Thank you to Orion Publishing, Kingsley Pearson and Netgalley for the advance copy to read and review. My opinions are my

I unfortunately don’t think this one is for me. I wasn’t a fan of the writing style. It felt disjointed and I often couldn’t tell what was part of a memory vs when it switched back to present time. The twist fell flat to me.

Thank you, Orion Publishing Group and NetGalley, for the ARC!

Flat 401 is an incredibly thought-provoking thriller - written with such confidence and complex characterisation. It is arresting.

This is a book that is obsessed with the ideas of vengeance and justice. It asks difficult questions about what retribution is against revenge and where the justice system comes into play, as well as interrogating its failings. This is particularly concerned around survivors of crime and the bystander effect, asking at what point someone becomes culpable for harm inflicted upon others. We delve into offenders reentering society as well and the challenges of this. Ultimately, the system feels irreparably broken but with some good people working within it. It is desolate but there are sparks of hope and a chance to claim your life once again. Pearson eloquently explores the ongoing effects of trauma, how it shapes your worldview and the way you simply exist walking through it. I particularly enjoyed the throughline about guilt and how deeply that can affect a person. Overall, this book sits in its murky morality, puzzling over these topics in a way that really stays with you.

Reflecting that nuance is Jay, the core of this story. He is wracked with guilt and haunted by the choices he has made but also trying to rebuild his life. There are a lot of layers to Jay which he shares slowly through the two timelines the narrative follows. Immediately, there is a sense of pathos in the tragic end you know the past will eventually have, but you still root for it to end differently this time. He is caught up in this turbulent web and some of his actions will be polarising for readers. I really enjoyed spending time with him and his voice was so compelling. Around him are an equally fascinating cast of three-dimensional characters that Pearson infuses with heart and humour in some cases and the monstrous darkness humanity can have in others.

Flat 401 is a compulsively readable examination of grief, guilt and vengeance – particularly within a broken justice system. It is such a strong debut.

Flat 401 is a gorgeously written debut that really hits on such an essential perspective that I love to see more of in this genre. Stunningly captured, this book explores themes of race, sexuality, and absolution from the POVs of different characters, each so undeniably human with their hopes, backgrounds, regrets and faults. The author rendered each character with such authenticity and honesty, that I couldn't help but feel empathy and hope for every character, no matter how flawed. I thought I knew Woolwich, where this book was set, really well, and yet I found myself completely drawn into what felt like a vivid new setting, that is carved with as much care and thought as each of the characters. The setting lends the narrative a gritty, moody atmosphere that adds depth to the themes. Each store, street and market is brought to life with a keen eye for detail and a palpable sense of place. It's the kind of layered depth that invites you to lean in, trust the author and enjoy the ride. This would be perfect for fans of Abigail Dean.

I can't wait to see what he comes up with next.

this was certainly falling under a psychological thriller. it was a deep dive into this character who is trying to outrun his past. there is themes woven through this that really propels you into some important themes. the author has done his work to really to to grips with these themes so i felt like i was even more tense because of how real they felt coming off the pages. there were a few read type gasps along the way and was gripped to the finish line. i really enjoyed how the book explores more of the what happens next concerning a crime. and not just for the victim and their families but for those who are centred at the crime for different reasons.

A mood, slow-burn thriller about a man trying to outrun his past? even though he claims he is innocent. I liked the suspense and atmosphere, but the shifting perspectives and layout made it hard to follow at times. Still, a solid read for fans of layered, psychological thrillers.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is an accomplished character-driven debut, which drew me in from the first chapter. Many thrillers deal with the lead up to a tragedy - but Pearson flips that on its head, skilfully exploring the lasting impact of crime on not just the victim and their family, but the perpetrators. Dark and twisting - this novel sensitively tackles big themes. Flat 401's characters and thrilling conclusion will stay with me for a long time to come.

Thank you f0r the early copy.
I found the more i read the more i found myself interested in the creepiness of it all. There were times when i found myself lost.

Thanks for the early review Copy.

I enjoyed the story but found i had to keep going back cos i kept forgetting what was happening could of been bit more straightforward to read.

Well written and an original premise I hadn't come across before.e it kept me engaged throughout and I enjoyed how it all unfolded. It was well written and the characters were well fleshed out. I really enjoyed it