Overall, I enjoyed this read. Buist kept me on my toes throughout the story and I couldn’t put it down towards the end. Although this is the first book I’ve read from the series, Natalie King’s narrative was immediately an adventure. I Recommend Locked Ward to those who enjoy suspenseful, well-written novels with strong characters.

A matter of the mind is the main focus in this rather than the crime committed. It's not often you find a book that is focused on mental illness and when you do it's always a eye opener. I love the fast pace of this book and the mental institution made it atmospheric.

Locked Ward is the fourth book in the Natalie King Forensic Psychiatrist series by Australian psychiatrist and author, Professor Anne Buist.

Natalie King may be a psychiatrist, but that doesn't mean she can persuade her baby to go to sleep. Sienna wants to party through the night—and lack of sleep is a major trigger for Natalie's bipolar disorder.

Sleep school at Southside private psych unit, however, turns out to have its own hazards. It's bad enough that Natalie doesn't really want to be there, that she wants to keep her professional status quiet and that she's seen enough group therapy to be quite sure it's not her thing. But then someone arrives who Natalie knows very well indeed—and not in a good way.

Luckily she's out of Southside by the time the murder happens. Unluckily, she knows everyone who's involved, including the cops. They think they have an open-and-shut case. Natalie's pretty sure they've locked the door on the wrong person.

I just reviewed Locked Ward by Anne Buist. #LockedWard #NetGalley
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Natalie and Sienna, her daughter, check into Southside for “sleep school”. Natalie is a psychiatrist with Bipolar and if she doesn’t get Sienna to start sleeping soon, she is likely to have a mental health crisis from the lack of sleep. Much to her dismay, her step-sister and nemesis, Madison, is checking in, too. This book contains a complicated cast of characters between all the women who are also patients on the sleep school unit, the nurses and the staff that Natalie works with at Yarra Bend, a forensic psychiatric hospital, along with all the patients partners.

While I really enjoyed this book, and the character of Natalie, and her attempts to solve the murder, I found it truly hard to follow. It took me at least half the book to get a handle on who was who in the book and following who did what and where, was equally challenging for me. Perhaps it was me. I feel like I need to read it through a second time to truly get it all straight.

Regardless, I did enjoy the setting for this book, as well as the characters and intrigue. I will have to read the other books with this main character. With the author being a psychiatrist, I really appreciated how well she depicted the behaviors and symptoms associated with the different mental health diagnoses that were depicted in this book. Also, the way the author tackled some hard issues about individuals who are looking to stay in a country that is 1000% better than the one they escaped from and the PTSD they experience from all they have been through.

This one is worth picking up... just pay very special attention to who is who!

I got a free copy from NetGalley and that's the only reason why I pushed myself to finish this book. It was tedious. Too many characters, not enough plot. It started out well but the forensic/psychiatric angle was minimal and I just didn't care whodunit.

The backdrop of a psychiatric facility coupled with a murder….this was a nail biting, tense read that kept me guessing and wanting to read and read right till the end. The protagonist’s voice and struggles sounded very convincing and my heartstrings were being pulled for her and her situation. A great psychological thriller!

First off, thanks so much to the publishers and to Netgalley for my copy of Locked Ward in exchange for my honest review.

While staying in a psychiatric unit for mothers and babies, forensic psychologist Natalie runs into someone she knows while she would rather keep her identity and job unknown to the other mothers. Shortly after leaving the unit, a murder occurs and Natalie is once again drawn back in determined to solve the night in question.

At first I found this book a tad bit confusing and maybe that's just because I need to read the previous books from this series. It was because of this I almost dropped this read. However, the further I read, the deeper the mystery became and I was thoroughly intrigued.

3.5 stars

A nurse is killed in the garden of a locked mother and baby unit. Forensic psychiatrist Natalie King had been in the unit until the morning of the murder so she knows all the people who were on the ward. Found with the murder victim is Jamillah, a refugee and she’s covered in blood slashing her wrists with a scalpel, so she is the most likely suspect.
There’s a multitude of characters with various personal and psychological issues not least Natalie. The author is a psychiatrist so she’s knows what she’s talking and it informs the plot and characters. For me the plot was a bit too convoluted and I got a bit bored with all the mothers lunches where they’d pretty much go over all the same stuff in their conversations. This was still an interesting murder mystery set with a great lead character, Natalie with special mention of her parrot, Bob who always seemed to have the perfect witty statement.

Not my type of book but I was pulled in and invested from the first chapters.

I think at one point I thought it was all of them which is what makes a good who done it book.

(3.5 stars)
While Locked Ward is the third book I have read in the Natalie King series by Anne Buist, it's actually book four. What keeps me coming back is the bipolar protagonist. Buist clearly has a goal of destigmatising mental illness, and it shows in the character of Natalie King. She's far from perfect, but manages to be a bit bad-ass and mentally ill at the same time. Sometimes this mental health myth-busting gets a bit overblown, but with mentally ill people regularly framed as violent, I can see why Buist takes that path.

"My task, aside from treating their illness, is to help the court decide whether they knew what they were doing at the time." Locked Ward is set in a mental health ward for mothers and babies: "Not many expectant mothers factored in a psychosis." There has been a murder in the ward, and a refugee woman with a traumatic past is being blamed: "We were eight new mothers, at various stages of fragility, in a situation where facing reality meant facing our own failures—and we'd been handed a scapegoat." The woman;s past experiences of trauma and her precarious visa status mean she may or may not be telling the truth about committing the crime. Natalie, who is in the ward as a patient with her newborn Sienna disrupting her sleep and impacting her mental health, is determined to find out the truth.

"The thought gave me an unaccustomed moment of anxiety; always there was the fear I might put Sienna in jeopardy if I became unwell." With book four of this series, Buist has really hit her stride. What I liked best about Locked Ward were the asides that showed how King manages her illness, while raising a child and holding down a relationship and a job. I also enjoyed some of the insights into mental ill-health: "Her life was so awful that the psychosis felt like a respite, so she hadn't been good at compliance." Buist's time working with women with lived expertise of mental illness has clearly provided a fertile ground for her books. I assume greater smoothness and softer integration of mental health themes will come with time. I guess I would rather read a book that handles mental illness well, than a book about mental illness.

This sounded like a different and interesting book and something I probably wouldn't read. And I am still up in the air as to whether I like it or not!

It is a murder mystery, it is about mothers and babies, it is about mental health. It is face paced, pretty easy to read and has all the thrills you would expect from a story like this one.

The characters are good, the writing made it flow well and was not confusing and the twist and thrills made it very readable. You could feel the tension on the pages and it kept the pages turning.

Good book, good read, good story.

3 1/2 stars from me.

Take one ward of fairly new mothers. The murder of a nurse. An immigrant who is in the wrong place at the wrong time. And the ensuing investigation.

Welcome to the modern face of psychiatric wards. The hustle and bustle of staff, patients and family members. And for an added bonus, add a handful of toddlers and babies that have sleep issues.

This is a tight knit story involving a limited number of characters. You can tell the authors backgroud, from how well it is all pulled together, and the inate understanding of the psychiatric system.

The story is well formed, the characters strong and the plot fast paced. It could have very easily have fell at the first hurdle.

There really is that much going on.

And it doesn’t just involve one or two characters, its the entire cast. All with their own issues and problems, add into the mix a group of youngsters with sleep issues. And, you get a real melting pot.

Did I mention there was a murder?

It is obvious that the authors original background is within psychiatric field, the depth of knowledge is too much to be just research. It offers a completly different perspective from which the stroy is approached. And it is not one that I have encounterd before.

Status: Completed.

Rating: 4.3/5.0

Thank You to NetGalley and publishers for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest and fair review.

Despite this being the 4th book in the Natalie King series, it was the first one I read. However this didn't matter as the author provides plenty of detail on the characters involved. There is brief discussion about the characters backgrounds and inter-relationships, this builds the picture and enhances the readers overall understanding. Although initially it is a lot of information to absorb, and at times overwhelming, it was soon easy to remember who the characters were.

The book is filled with pertinent topics, ones which are often heavily stigmatised and surrounded by stereotypes, including that of refugees and mental health. Great sensitivity is used to help contain societies negative assumptions and humanises the characters. The science behind various psychiatric illnesses and the socioeconomics of countries individuals seek refugee from, develops a realistic and true scenario to help see the characters as individuals opposed to seeing them as "a condition" or "a refugee".

Overall the author has written in a poignant way, utilising her knowledge and experiences gained from her career to enhance the authenticity and believability. With multiple plot twists along the way, it keeps you intrigued and guessing right until the end. 4/5 stars.

This was one of the best books I have read by an unknown author at least to me in a very very long time. The characters were great the story flowed nicely the twists were unexpected I loved Natalie and think this is just an all-around great book. I have recently broke my arm and so I will not make this a long review I would just say if you love great thrillers especially Lockrem mysteries you need to read this book. I received it from NetGalley and a publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

Fast paced and an easy read! I skipped a few in the series but will definitely be going back to read. Loved this one. Highly recommend even if you're never read the others!

Where do i begin? This book had good qualities but also some bad. The premise of the book, being locked on a hospital ward when a murder is committed, is interesting and had a lot of potential. However, the middle felt a little flat for me, and could've been 50 pages shorter.
Natalie King, the main character, wasn't to my taste, i thought she was quite abrupt and nosy, but i guess that what makes her detective skills so good.
I liked the diverse range of characters, each of them bringing something different to the book. Although, i found some character plots confusing, like Natalie and Liam's relationship..... thats relationships for you!
I enjoyed the plot twist at the end, as i didn't guess the murderer, or even the motive.
Overall, 3 stars. It could've been better if the layout was better on kindle ( i don't know if this is a publishing issue or a kindle issue) and if the book was overall shorter.

*Instagram post up soon*

It is great to reconnect with Dr Natalie King and in such an issues rich environment. Live in sleep schools for exhausted and challenged mums are perfect for the bundling of complex psychological issues and once there is a murder then just about the entire cast except the babies could have done it. Combine this with the sensitive and compelling story of a Sudanese mother with more horrors in her background than humanly possible to understand then there is a real need for Dr King’s professional skills as well as her sleuthing abilities. Add to this that she is a patient in the facility and the story unfolds..A great read covering important issues and a page turner as well. Thanks to @netgalley and to @textpublishing for making an advance copy available for review in return for an unbiased review.

‘The day started badly, but a pretty standard type of badly for a Monday.’

Natalie King reluctantly signs into the Mother-Baby Unit at the Southside Private Hospital. Her baby daughter, Sienna, does not sleep well at night and lack of sleep is a major trigger for Natalie’s bipolar disorder. Five days and nights at Sleep School may give Natalie and Sienna the nocturnal routine they need. Natalie is hoping to be just another patient in the unit, but the arrival of another patient who knows her puts paid to that.

There are eight beds in the unit, six of which are occupied by new mothers needing psychiatric help. The women come from a range of different backgrounds, have different issues and family situations. And one of the nurses seems to rub most of the patients the wrong way. Natalie doesn’t stay for the full five days: Sienna has established a good sleeping pattern, so they leave early.

Not long after Natalie leaves, the nurse that hardly anyone liked is murdered. The evidence seems to point to Jamilla al-Azari, a Sudanese woman transferred to Melbourne from Nauru. Jamilla is found at the scene with a bloody knife in her hands. Jamilla is transferred to the Yarra Bend hospital where Natalie works.

‘But I was in an unusual position for a forensic psychiatrist. I had seen her the day of the murder: before the
murder. I had seen that she wasn’t psychotic.’

Natalie is not convinced that Jamilla is the murderer: several aspects of the case do not make sense. In her quest for the truth, Natalie manages to clash with the police involved (whom she knows) as well as her boss at Yarra Bend. Add to this Natalie’s complicated domestic life: Sienna’s father, her former partner, is Detective Damian McBride, one of the police officers investigating the murder. Her current partner, Liam, has problems of his own with his ex-wife.

Natalie persists. The set up at the Mother-Baby Unit makes it highly likely that the murderer was one of the patients or a partner. As Parveen (the murdered nurse) clashed with most patients, almost everyone is a suspect.

‘So which of them had murdered Parveen—and why?’

I really enjoyed this novel. Ms Buist provides an intriguing set of characters and several twists in the story which kept me guessing until the end.

Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Text Publishing Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

Locked Ward
by Anne Buist
I did truly try to get into this book. I just could not figure out what the hell was going on. So, I did not finish, IT was just very difficult with the people, why this was so mixed and who were all the people. Sorry, but it just jumbled my brain after 3 attempts.

Locked Ward is the fourth book in the Natalie King Forensic Psychiatrist series by Australian psychiatrist and author, Professor Anne Buist. Natalie King is in the Mother-Baby Unit of the Southside Private Hospital with baby Sienna, whose nocturnal sleep hygiene is a problem. Natalie’s bipolar is triggered by sleep deprivation, so she hopes five days at Sleep School will be the answer.

Of the eight beds in the unit, six are taken by new mothers needing psychiatric treatment, and with a mix of personalities, mental disorders, racial and socio-economic backgrounds, there’s bound to be some friction between patients. Add in an agency nurse whose expertise does not lie psychiatry, whose ideas are a bit old-school, and who seems to be racist, and clashes are almost guaranteed. Natalie manages to remain (mostly) under the radar.

Sienna’s successful sleeping sends Natalie home early. Mere hours later, there’s a murder at the unit. Apparently, Sudanese refugee mother Jamilla al-Azari, recently ex-Nauru, is responsible, and is being held at Yarra Bend Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, where Natalie works.

Like most refugees, Jamilla has been traumatised and suffers from PTSD but, when she is found with a bloody knife in her hand, it seems to Detective Stavros Vitalis to be a straightforward case. Now living with prosecutor, Liam O’Shea, Natalie notes certain inconsistencies in the defence that Jamilla’s psychiatrist, refugee advocate Professor Joanna McGowan intends to present: she wonders if Jamilla’s actions are an attempt to stay in Australia which, even in custody, would have to be better than in Nauru or Sudan.

But Detective Damian McBride (Sienna’s dad) reveals some facts about the case, and after discussion with Liam, Natalie begins to see alternative scenarios. She also recognises that Joanna McGowan may well be pursuing her own agenda. Meanwhile, on the home front, Natalie is dealing with access demands from Damian, and Liam’s ex-wife is being difficult about their children.

If Jamilla is actually innocent, as opposed to not guilty by reason of mental impairment, that potentially means that one of six other women might have wielded the weapon. Natalie is, frankly, a little gob-smacked to find herself participating in mother-baby coffee mornings with the other mothers from the locked ward, in an effort to learn more. Just as unlikely is joining up with one of them to Nancy Drew the case.

It’s quickly clear that Buist has had quite a bit of fun throwing this disparate cast of characters together in a little pressure-cooker situation: an anxious, fragile woman who knows Tae Kwon Do, a combative drug user, an aggressive Chinese med student, a wealthy business woman, a traumatised refugee, a lesbian couple, an insensitive nurse, and young mother whom Natalie knows quite well. Buist also inserts several twists and red herrings to keep the reader guessing.

Even though motherhood has somewhat toned down our edgy, lusty protagonist, she still manages, for one night, to escape motherhood exhaustion, stepmother angst, and fears for her relationship, and just live fully in the moment singing with her band. She also breaks her arm, undergoes hypnosis, and she and Bob (who doesn’t get to say enough this instalment) narrowly escape death in a very dramatic climax. There’s plenty of dark humour in this (probably) Buist’s best Natalie King yet.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by NetGalley and Text Publishing.