Georgia is accused of killing her sister and ends up in a psychiatric ward. She reaches out to her estranged twin sister Amanda to help her. As Amanda learns more about her sister and the case, she I snot sure if Georgia is the victim or if she is a manipulator. This story is told from the point of view of both Georgia and Amanda. I received both the print and audio version and enjoyed both! Thank you to Net Galley and St, Martin's press for the advance copies.

I loved The Locked Ward. This is a fantastic thriller that I didn't want to put down. There are lots of twists and turns, and one final twist that got me. My only regret....not reading it sooner! Pick it up and you won't be disappointed!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanen, and St. Martin's Press for the eARC. Wow—absolutely loved this psychological thriller! The storyline felt fresh and unique, with each chapter told from a different main character’s perspective. One character’s chapters were written in third person, adding an intriguing layer that tied the whole story together beautifully.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the E-ARC. I want to start off by saying that this was such a fast and easy read and I was down for the short chapters made it go so much faster in my opinion. The story is told in 2 POV Georgia who is in a psychiatric hospital because she is accused of killing her sister . Mandy is Georgia's twin but did not know they were sisters and is trying to help Georgia figure it out.....but things are not always what it seems and Mandy has doubts. This whole thing was cray cray and when I thought I had it figured out there was a twist and a turn and the ending was just chef's kiss.

The Locked Ward is a dual POV book, Georgia and Amanda, two twins who have just recently discovered they are twins. Georgia has been accused of killing her sister, Annabelle, who everyone claims Georgia has always been so jealous of and now to try and escape the death penalty Georgia is trying to plead insanity, hence why she is currently in a Locked Ward, and tries to get her sister Amanda to help prove her innocence.

I love multiple POV books, I liked seeing how different Georgia and Amanda were but with some similarities, which showed off their twin connection. The sisters connection was something I really enjoyed, I found each character chapter very unique and loved seeing their perspectives on things. Georgia overall, was a great character, at the beginning I assumed she would be a spoiled brat but I found her actually very level headed and that all she wanted was a real family.

Even though some of the twists were a bit predictable in my opinion I did really enjoy overall the book. I thought the book was a great fast gripping read and it was hard for me to put it down.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This author never disappoints! I was glued to my Kindle when reading this and could not wait to find out all of the secrets the mysterious and powerful Cartwright family were hiding.

This was so creepy and unsettling that it was hard to put down! However, I didn’t enjoy the pov changing from second to third person, and I felt all the “twists” were ones that are overdone.

3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

A fast-paced, twisty thriller set, partly, in a psychiatric ward. The alternating POVs between Georgia and Mandy keep the tension high, and make you question what the truth really in. Some of the twists were predictable, but well done. It is a fast paced book that was gripping.

Narrator January LaVoy does a fantastic job bringing urgency and clarity to the dual perspectives. Her performance adds depth, even when the plot falters. She is one of my favorite narrators, and this book is a prime example as to why!

Thank you NetGalley, and St. Martin's Press for an eARC, and Macmillan Audio for an ALC of this book.

4.5
I really enjoyed this book. It was a quick, entertaining, page-turner of a book. I did have my suspicion on the who done it part, but I could not have guessed the why of it all. Overall, I had a great time reading this book.

A huge thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I loved the premise of this book. It was twisty and suspenseful and kept me interested until the end. It had some parts where the book dragged on a bit but overall I really liked it.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Publishing for the eARC.

THE LOCKED WARD
BY: SARAH PEKKANEN

"PROTECT ME ALWAYS."

WOW! What an AMAZINGLY FAST PACED, reading experiences this newest Mystery & Thriller by one of my all time PSYCHOLOGICAL THRILLER FAVORITE AUTHOR, SARAH PEKKANEN has used her fertile imagination to craft such an UNPUTDOWNABLE & riveting tale. I would award her ONE HUNDRED STARS if I could for this newest, and most compelling novel, yet. I have read all of Sarah Pekkanen's prior work, since she is so talented at writing ADRENALINE, suspenseful plot driven narratives. I have LOVED them all, but this latest one just might be my FAVORITE one of all time. She really has strong writing that starts off with a bang, and doesn't let you go. I can guarantee you that this one is gripping, which hooks you in the very beginning, and doesn't let you go until you finish it. I have always loved the books that feature twins anyway, but these two grew up in two different families, as they were separated at birth, and adopted. GEORGIA CARTWRIGHT, a wealthy ant talented Wedding Planner. She might have been affluent in growing up in wealth, but compared to her twin sister, AMANDA RAVENAL, Mandy grew up with two adoptive parents that scraped by owning a bar, but Mandy grew up rich with two loving parents, which Georgia lacked. That above quote that says, "Protect Me Always," is one of the St. Michael, an ARCHANGEL, that is one of the many gifts that Amanda's parents provided both twins right after birth in the hospital before they were able to claim Amanda, who will be taken home with them, and showered with love. However, they never tell Amanda, that she was born a twin, during their lifetime as a family. Georgia gets adopted by the Wealthy, and powerfully connected Cartwright family, and she is treated poorly by her adoptive mother named, Honey. Honey couldn't conceive a child with her husband, and adopts Georgia. Then by surprise she has her own biologically miracle daughter named, Annabelle. She makes it clear to Georgia growing up that she is not one of them, and her behavior reflects that she favors Annabelle.

Georgia Cartwright is in a Mental Institution, or a Psychiatric Ward where there's a long list of things you're not allowed, and she is in a very scary one, since some of the other patients seem dangerous, and sadistic. She was brought here because of her wealthy family being associated with the Chief of Police. The Chief's son had been interested in her at one time in the past, and since he was in charge at her family home at the crime scene where the death of Annabelle's bloody body was discovered, with Georgia hovering over her. Georgia thinks that his past fondness for her is the reason why she's here in this Psychiatric facility, instead of him arresting her, she thinks because of their prior dating he did her a favor, and that's how she ends up in, "THE LOCKED WARD. She is being watched, and Annabelle was the biological daughter of the Cartwright family. Her adopted mother said that Georgia killed her sibling because she was always jealous of Annabelle. Overall, at this point the grieving Mrs. Cartwright said that she didn't just lose one daughter that day, she lost two. This fifth floor psychiatric ward, is how Chapter one begins with Georgia waking up in an eerie, menacing environment with cameras recording everywhere, with an Aide that has been assigned to constantly watch over Georgia. This is a fascinating thriller that I loved everything about it from the premise, to the descriptive, and realistic narrative, that unlike so many of this genre that are written today, this one is elevated since it's more organic, which in my opinion made so enjoyable. The writing is SPECTACULAR! I loved everything about this, down to the formatting, which have short chapters with cliffhangers at the end of each chapter that made this so intimately written, but propels the plot, making it move forward at a breathtaking speed.

This intrigue starts at the beginning since the reader has the privilege of reading Georgia's thoughts and we know that she was an Wedding Event Planner, and she is well educated in the subject of Psychiatry diagnoses, and she knows the differences between Disassociation, and Disassociated Identity Disorder, which she is pretending to have. Again, I have a strong background in Psychology from my education so I know the differences, also. Georgia is granting us access to her thoughts, and she says to herself it's a good thing that she studied those diagnosis differences since she's making use of their behavior now. Which sets the reader up right away to wonder about Georgia's reliability as a narrator since I wondered if it has to be one thing or the other. Either, she is faking her symptoms for safety. and self preservation in this dangerous place, or she is manipulating everyone including the Psychiatrist that after seeing Georgia Cartwright for the first time is tasked with her fate. His examination of Georgia is crucial, as Georgia needs to buy herself time, because her scheme involves only one person she's depending on to help her, since she is in fear that her life is in danger.
This Psychiatrist who comes to evaluate her, grants her extra time on hold which keeps her there instead of jail. To me both places seemed like bad options that I am happy I was reading, and the creep factor of both places were written so vividly it felt like I could just as well have been Georgia that's how powerful the writing is. There's only one person who she trusts to help her, and danger lurks everywhere while she awaits for her twin sister who doesn't know about the fact that Georgia is her biological twin. Amanda's life is about to change how much of a role she is about to enter, with not even a clue of awareness that she has a sister. Amanda's parents never told her that she had a sister, and her life is going to be forever altered with her own life being put in harms way by whether she decides to help Georgia, or not get involved when she learns that horrible tragedy she saw in the news is going to involve her.

Georgia knows that she has a twin named Amanda. she has her attorney contact her out of the blue summoning her to visit Georgia there. Imagine yourself being Amanda, who has inherited her adopted parents deceased business. One minute she's informed of the murder through the news, and the next she receives a phone call saying Georgia is asking for only her to come, and see her. Clandestinely Georgia whispers two sentences that are something like: You have to get me out of here, and something like: They are going to kill me. Amanda goes to Annabelle's church service, and then goes to the Cartwright Estate gathering after the service. She is trying to gather information about this family that she saw that Georgia Cartwright is accused of murdering her younger sister, Annabelle Cartwright by Georgia's mother Honey Cartwright.

Amanda looks around and she sees the luxurious home that sounds just like mine. Everything is Creme colored or White. With splashes of bouquets of flowers being everywhere in soft pastel colors. It reminds her of walking through Macy's with her mom telling her to never buy a White or Creme sofa, since stains show up easily. It's funny because I recently noticed a stain on our Ivory plush over sized plush armchair that has a stain. My husband sat in it after work, and it has been like brand new with my best girlfriends sitting in it, and others it never stained until he sat in it after work with his work clothes still on, and suddenly there's a stain which I can get out. What I can't fix are these little pin holes. since he works with chemicals. Amanda has attended Annabelle's funeral after visiting Georgia, and now she's at the Cartwright's home, observing the gatherers as they are mingling and interacting with one another. That she is wise to learn everything she can from those associated with the family. She's impressive since she is taking a risk by just showing up at the get together after the funeral. She runs a bar that her family owned by there being no other close family, or siblings, which Georgia, feels hopeful that since Amanda didn't sell it after Mandy's parents died, and chose to take over running it that shows Amanda is responsible. Amanda is reliable, and it shows her resourcefulness that she is trying to learn whatever she can by taking the initiative of having the courage to be here among the family's friends, and associates since Georgia didn't give her more information than her desperate pleas for help. As a reader I immediately liked Amanda's level head for first of all, how calmly she reacted to the news that she has a twin sister who is accused of murder. Additionally, how she is willing to act towards learning how she can help Georgia by herself getting right to work by hoping to learn what she can by appearing in the family's orbit.

Mandy sees a man named Mr. Reece DuPont approach her, and he asks her if she must be a friend, and she panics since she's an interloper there. I thought he said something like her sister's friend, which then he mentions Annabelle's name. Amanda feels relieved since she thought he was aware that she didn't belong there momentarily confused thinking he knows she's Georgia's sister. As there's a man that enters with a celebrity type "Wattage." She soon finds out he's a Senator of North Carolina who is a candidate for President. He says something to Annabelle's father like he understands words can't adequately comfort him at a time like this, but he can promise him one thing is there will be justice for Annabelle.

There are waiters roaming the gathering with trays serving the guests, when suddenly she hears a crash and sees that one dropped a tray of red wine that crashed to the floor. Amanda sure is clever because she takes this opportunity to go to the guestbook and pretends she's looking at her cellphone and takes a picture of the names written in the guestbook with the camera on her cellphone. Now she has a list of people she can try to locate so she can do some further digging. The chapters are very short and they alternate between her and Georgia. Georgia makes a phone call to her public defender asking him to call Amanda, and have her pick up her things which she knows that in the silver clutch purse there will be something that Amanda won't be able to resist. Georgia sits in the common area thinking of all the things she can do here. She can color. She can eat fruit all day. Suddenly she feels a click go off, and she realizes it's that phenomenon that tells her Amanda is on her way towards her. That sense of knowing that you feel when you're a twin, about that she can feel that invisible connection that twins have, Amanda is on her way towards the hospital, instead of turning her back on the whole mess.

Amanda is on her way to the hospital that she is most certainly driving there to get Georgia's things that when she arrives she is met by an aid who she asks if she can see Georgia. They exchange glances, and Amanda says she'll be back. When taken to the locker all there is to collect is a sparkling Silver clutch purse. She can't wait to get a chance to look inside it, since Georgia has already told us that among the five items, Amanda won't be able to turn her back on one of the items. After the aid escorts Amanda off of the Psychiatric ward and she gets inside her Honda, she opens the purse and Bingo there's the item. Georgia doesn't trust to give it to her Public Defender, and she thinks he's too busy to help her, or the Cartwright power will influence her demise, especially with a Senator whose running for President in their corner. Either way, she thought she was better where she's at than jail, temporarily where she knows she must avoid, then again where she's at isn't much better. They are both bad in different ways.

Georgia sure seems manipulative with how she tells us that it's her right to refuse medicine until she's declared incompetent, which she thinks it's a good thing that she'd devoted so much time to that Psychology project. She needs to stay as clear headed as she can right now. This is a thriller that will keep you on pins and needles the whole way through. As I said I never have failed to love all this Author's prior thrillers. There's something about this one that makes it my favorite. It is so gripping, and for me this genre doesn't thrill me as much anymore except for once in a while I read certain Authors because they never let me down, and although Literary Fiction is still my favorite, this one kept me rapt and invested, with an indescribable element that made me read it straight through. It's told from both Georgia, and Amanda's point of view in the first person. I connected with Amanda right away. She goes to Georgia's Pent House, and sees how opulently, gorgeous Georgia's home is even after it has been turned upside down by the investigators who searched it. That she notices that it's still Beautifully decorated. Amanda doesn't have the kind of money that Georgia has, but even in the disheveled mess, Georgia's belongings are exquisite. She notices the similarities such as the rug being the same two colors that Amanda has at her apartment. She goes looking from room by room, and she can't believe it when she sees that both of them are reading the exact same novel. She is looking through Georgia's walk in closet, and sees all expensive clothes of cashmere, and silk gowns and in the en suite bathroom everything is the finest money can buy. She tries to do some picking up of the place, and decides to spend the night.

The next day she brings Georgia some clothes, and meets the Senator's son at a charity event where she gives him her cellphone number on a napkin saying she'd like to see him again. He calls her and they go out to dinner. I already knew about how twins can feel what happens to one another even when they aren't in the same proximity. I learned more about how they are so attuned to one another by the phenomenal anecdotes that are described in depth. That the never before cases described in this novel, which I loved how much I learned. I hope those examples about them stated within how they were described are factual since that enhanced this novel. Since it's fiction I don't know if the healing infants bonded in a Massachusetts Neonatal unit how just amazing it was to learn how by last resort they were placed together, and it saved the dying infant's twin life. It made my heart soar by learning how their connection is so powerful when the two infants were placed side by side it saved the other's life. I know in Boston, Massachusetts which is about a 45 minute drive in the car from where I live are some of the best hospitals in the Country. I was transferred to one of them which saved my life after giving birth to my eldest son. I wanted another baby and how I had my second son in that same hospital, which I received all my Prenatal care, and my Obstetrician was the Director of High risk Fetal Medicine, and she saved my youngest son's life. So the case about those Infant twins healing properties makes this novel nostalgic for me, and inspirational enough for me to want to further research into the content. I also loved learning that only ten percent of the population is left- handed. Those extra details are what made this novel so SPECTACULAR! NOSTALGIC!

Publication Date: August 5, 2025! AVAILABLE NOW TO PURCHASE! THIS IS THE BEST THRILLER THAT I'VE READ BESIDES WALLY LAMB'S, "THE RIVER IS WAITING," & "FOX" BY JOYCE CAROL OATES. THIS ONE BEING NOT AS LITERARY! THOSE WERE MORE POWERFUL BUT TIED. THIS WAS LESS DEPRESSING & LESS DEPTH AND NOT IN THEIR LEAGUE, BUT THIS IS MY FAVORITE OF THIS AUTHOR'S! IT'S NOT FAIR FOR ME TO COMPARE IT THOSE WRITERS, SINCE LITERARY FICTION IS MY FAVORITE GENRE! BUT FOR PSYCHOLOGICAL FICTION, THIS IS THE BEST & COMES IN SECOND PLACE BELOW JOYCE CAROL OATES & WALLY LAMB! THAT'S A COMPLIMENT!

Thank you to Net Galley, Sarah Pekkanen, and St. Martin's Press for generously providing me with my ELECTRIFYING ARC, in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own, as always!

#TheLockedWard #SarahPekkanen StMartinsPress #NetGalley

A solid thriller that has plenty of uneasy tension but ultimately lacks surprise and credible jeopardy.

Georgia Cartwright has been arrested for the murder of her sister and, in fear for her life if she were in jail, is faking being in a dissociative state in the “locked ward”, a hospital’s psych unit. In desperation and not knowing who else to trust, she turns to her twin sister, Mandy, for help - but the twins were separated at birth and given to different families and Mandy has no idea she even has a sister.

So, in what is otherwise a somewhat generic mystery, this is one of the more intriguing strands: how does Mandy react and how did they come to be separated and then reunited? A second one, which didn’t work quite as well for me, is Georgia’s experience in the locked ward, which is narrated in the second person for a reason I can’t work out but I’m sure is very sensible.

Georgia’s family is, somewhat inevitably, very wealthy and well-connected and have always been cold to her compared to their birth child, Annabelle, who was born only 4 months after Georgia was adopted. Family lore is that Georgia has always hated Annabelle and has been physically threatening to her since they were very young. The contrast with the Cartwrights and Mandy’s loving but solidly working class (now dead) bar-owning parents is nicely done.

One of the problems for me with wealthy and connected people in mysteries is their apparent power to do anything: bug phones, cars, and apartments, kill off inconvenient people who stick their noses in, and subvert justice. This may or may not be how things work in real life but in mysteries I feel like it's a slightly lazy excuse for plot points that could be more interestingly worked out.

I’ve enjoyed the author’s collaborative works with Greer Hendricks and this one kept me swiping the Kindle pages happily for most of a summer’s day. So while not stellar, if you like this sort of thing it’s certainly not a waste of your time.

Thanks to St Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the digital review copy.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced reader's copy of The Locked Ward.

As a sister to a sister, I’m always drawn to stories that explore sibling relationships. Especially ones that dig into the emotional complexities and fierce bonds that define them. The Locked Ward absolutely hit that mark for me. Sarah Pekkanen has crafted a gripping and heartfelt story that pulled me in from the very beginning.

The tension and pacing kept me turning the pages, but what truly stood out was the emotional depth between the characters. Especially the way sisterhood was portrayed. It felt real, raw, and relatable at times. The setting of the psychiatric ward added an intense, unsettling layer that raised the stakes without overshadowing the human story at the center.

This book stayed with me long after I finished the last page. Highly recommended for anyone who loves emotional thrillers with a strong psychological element and even stronger character dynamics.

After reading ‘The House of Glass’… I was really excited for this one. It didn’t disappoint. Kept my interest from the get go and had twists I didn’t see coming! Overall great thriller read.

3.5/5
Once I saw it was written by Sarah Pekkanen, The Locked Ward was an immediate yes. This compelling page-turner tells the story of wealthy socialite Georgia Cartwright turned murderess. But then Mandy, small town bartender, receives a message from Georgia and a plea for help, and I was completely sucked in!

With every single chapter, new secrets were revealed. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I loved the mystery and intrigue!

Then about 80 percent in, when the big reveal happened, I wasn't really feeling it. It was a surprise, but the reveal just felt a little underwhelming.

Okay... I also didn't loooove the ending. There were some weird events that felt a little out of place, and some loose ends that weren't really discussed.

Obviously, I'm still gonna grab the next book she writes, but I wish the ending were a bit different for this one. It's still a good one to grab when you're wanting a quick read with some intrigue.

Read this if you like:
Short chapters
Alternating POVs
Sister drama
Wealthy families
So many secrets!

Many thanks to @stmartinspress for the complimentary copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own and provided voluntarily.

Spoiler alert... I have loved every one of Sarah Pekkanen's books. This one is a 'keeper' as well. Any book that includes a twin story (I have a set in my family), wealthy families, murder, and a good dose of secrets is my kind of story! The story is written in Pekkanen's signature style with plenty of well-placed twists and turns.

I enjoyed The Locked Ward more than some of the more recent suspense novels that I have read. It is a fast moving novel that keeps you guessing.

Mandy and Georgia are twins who were separated at birth and each was adopted by a different family and never knew of the other. Mandy went to a middle class family, where she remained an only child; Georgia was adopted by wealthy, high society parents who had a biological child only months after she was adopted and treated Georgia poorly. In a strange turn of events, Georgia is accused of murdering her adoptive sister on her 32nd birthday and is remanded to a locked psych ward. As the novel unfolds, we learn the back stories.

The novel will offer you a light and enjoyable read that will remind you of the power of sisterhood .

I tried, I really did but I was so bored. DNF at 69% because I couldn't care less. I'm sure some people will love this but I wasn't enjoying it. 

Thank you to NetGalley for a free E-ARC in exchange for an honest review

I just finished The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen and here are my musings.

Georgia is in a psychiatric unit… Charged with killing her sister.. The biological daughter of her rich adoptive parents. Their sibling rivalry is well documented in their family and friend circles so no one is surprised..

The only person she will see is her biological twin sister.. The sister that has no idea she has a twin. Amanda goes to visit but she doesn’t expect to hear Georgia whisper that she is innocent. Georgia leads Amanda on a chase to find the truth… but is Georgia innocent or is she the master of manipulation?

WOW WOW WOW! That was one heck of a trip!! I don’t even know what to unpack first!!

OK Amanda. She knew she was adopted but she didn’t know there was a twin out there. I could imagine how curious she would have been. There was also something a little dark about Amanda. She didn’t have any problems stepping into Georgia’s world to ask questions and it felt like she was a well seasoned liar. Georgia did know about Amanda but it was only for a few months. They were different but the same.. It was a really nice contrast to see them together and what they were up to apart.

I liked the plot. I thought it was clever and the ending was a big mindblowing conclusion! I didn’t work it out so that’s always a bonus for me with thrillers.

The pace was a touch slow but there was a lot to find out and I think the pace matched the way we found information in the right way. I loved the audiobook narration. I already ordered a copy to have on my shelf. The writing is incredible and I was hooked from the very beginning.

The storyline was like an onion, the more you peel back the harder it is to keep watching! It was intense!! The institution was absolutely terrifying so having the balance of the luxury life vs being on the ward… GAHHHH it was absolutely epic. It felt so real!

4.5 stars

I loved spending the book feeling wrong footed the whole time!!

Thank you to @netgalley @macmillanaudio and @stmartinspress for my gifted ALC and ARC!!!

DNF at 30%

I just could not get into this book. The chapters were choppy. I didn't care about the characters, and the mystery wasn't enough to hook me.