Sarah Pekkanen is the master of the twist, and The Locked Ward is no exception.

The basic plot of this character-driven mystery is simple. The main characters are Georgia and Mandy, twin sisters who were adopted by two different families at birth. At the opening of the book, Georgia, (who was adopted into a wealthy, well-connected family), is in a mental hospital awaiting a competency evaluation. She has been accused of killing Annabelle, her adoptive parents’ daughter by birth, presumably out of jealousy. Georgia has tracked down Mandy, her twin, in order to work on the case from the outside.

The question is whether Georgia killed Annabelle? Georgia and Mandy don’t really know each other so Mandy cannot vouch for Georgia’s innocence. And, there is ample evidence that Georgia and Annabelle frequently fought, and that Georgia had done physically harmful things to her in the past. Is Georgia simply manipulating Mandy from the inside of the hospital by questioning the motives of other suspects? Or is Georgia innocent, and incarcerated against her will by powerful suspects who also had motives to do Annabelle in?

What makes this novel so unique is the fact that the reader has no real insight into either Georgia or Mandy — or even what really happened — until the very end, as both sisters are unreliable narrators and unreliable listeners as well. And, as the epigraph to the novel states, “[d]eep vengeance is the daughter of deep silence.” 4 out of 5 stars. Highly recommended!

Thanks to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book.

A smart, engaging thriller that, once it grabs hold, it won't let you go. From a murder accusation to the discovery of a twin, it only gets better. Fast paced, well developed characters, and just long enough to give this story the treatment it deserves. A lot of threads that seem unrelated suddenly make sense. My only issue, although it is minor, is that there are several characters that took me forever to see how they fit in. And there's a scene in the second half that involves another patient, for which I'm not sure we saw a resolution. I would recommend this book to anyone and everyone! Clever story, solid characters.

This ARC was provided by NetGalley and the publisher, the opinions expressed herein are strictly my own.

The Locked Ward is a twisty read that grabbed my attention from the first chapter!

Georgia is accused of killing the biological daughter of her adoptive parents. She swears she didn't do it, and reaches out to her twin - WHO SHE DOESN'T EVEN KNOW and that doesn't know Georgia exists - to help her. Mandy is blown away by the news that she has not only a sister, but a twin, and decides to help Georgia clear her name. Oh - and Georgia is in a locked psychiatric ward until the courts decide what to do with her.

You do have to suspend reality quite a bit while reading this one. I was okay with that though, because I was invested in finding out what really happened to Annabelle. I liked the dual POV and especially liked Georgia's chapters.

This was a fun book to read while on a road trip, because it was a great distraction and made the time go by quickly!

“𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬: 𝐌𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧. 𝐄𝐯𝐢𝐥 𝐢𝐬 𝐚 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞. 𝐀𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭.“

𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: 8/5/25

Audiobook 🎧/ eBook 📖

𝗦𝘂𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗿𝘆: Mandy is living a good life, managing her bar and making ends meet. When she gets a call that her “twin sister” wants to meet her she’s shocked, Mandy doesn’t have a sister…or so she thought. Georgia is a southern belle, being held in a mental health facility for murdering her younger sister. Georgia has been in a catatonic state since the murder. So how could she be requesting to meet Mandy, and why?

𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
👗Dual POV
🍻Short chapters
👗Twin connection
🍻Southern politics
👗Twists and turns

𝗠𝘆 𝗧𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀:
Pekkanen just earned permanent “auto-read” status in my book (see what I did there?)—this woman played me like a fiddle. I thought I had the plot nailed. Nope. Then I thought, “Okay, solid but not earth-shattering.” Also nope. That epilogue? Had me smirking like I’d just overheard the best gossip at a Southern tea. This one has sisterhood, debutantes, and political corruption—an absolute toxic combination. January LaVoy’s narration was so good I’d believe she had a small army of actors hiding in her recording booth. 😆 She did a stellar job of making each character easy to differentiate and come to life.

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


*Thank you @NetGalley, @Macmillan.Audio, and @StMartinsPress for sending this audiobook and ebook for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

#TheLockedWard

The Locked Ward is my second book by Sarah Pekkanen. I like to go in books blind so the only reason I picked this book was because of the author. Since I did not know what it was about the only expectation I had was knowing the author.
The book was not as good as the other one but I did not see the twist coming either. It was a book full of drama and lies that you never knew were the turns were going to take you next. I do wish we had a bit more craziness in the ward though.

Thanks to NetGalley and St Martins Press for a gifted copy in exchange for a honest review.

When the biological daughter of a wealthy southern family is killed the police are looking at Georgia Cartwright, her adopted sister. She is says she didn't do it but they don't believe her and have locked up in a psychiatric ward. Georgia's estranged sister Amanda doesn't trust her but wants to help her all the same. Amanda begins to investigate and doesn't know who to trust and where the clues she does find will lead. Jump into this thrilling and suspenseful read, can you figure out who the killer is?

The Locked Ward follows adopted twin sisters who have just discovered each other's existence. Georgia has tracked down Mandy through a PI and needs her help - she has been convicted of murdering her younger sister. Meanwhile, Mandy is a loner who recently lost her adoptive parents and is eager to help prove her long-lost sister's innocence.

This thriller was a bit out there, but it had aspects that I enjoyed. The short chapters kept me intrigued, and Georgia had a ton of secrets that I was eager to learn about. However, the characters were a bit flat, so I wasn't all that invested in seeing justice served. Some of the side characters (mainly Mandy's love interests) felt like filler rather than a vital part of the story. The ending had me thinking "um..ok?" and was too far-fetched to make an unputdownable thriller. Still, it was a quick read and fairly interesting.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC.

Sarah Pekkanen writes such easy to read mystery/thrillers with short chapters that makes it even harder to put down. The Locked Ward started with such high potential and I loved it all the way up until the anti-climatic reveal. Just had way more potential!

This book kept me on my toes! Loved the plot and the build of the characters! Being in a locked ward is not something anyone wants to experience, but what happens in this locked ward is much different!

First and foremost thank you NetGalley & Harper Perennial for giving me the honor of reviewing this ARC. This is my opinion and only my opinion.

So… I had to force myself to put this down because I have kids. The need to know what exactly happened to Annabelle, Georgia & Mandy was addicting. Sarah definitely has a way of keeping the reader’s attention throughout the entire book & throwing in unexpected twists along the way. It’s not just one twist but multiple - leaving your mouth open for a while after. I expected none of the twists especially that last one!

I haven’t been this glued to a thriller in ages. Once I finally started The Locked Ward, I devoured it in a blur of “just one more chapter” until I realized hours had passed. The short, punchy chapters and alternating POVs make it impossible to stop, each ending with the perfect hook to pull you into the next.

Georgia Cartwright, the glamorous adopted daughter of a wealthy Southern family, is accused of murdering their biological daughter — instantly becoming the center of the crime of the decade. While she awaits trial, Georgia is locked inside a psychiatric hospital for violent offenders. When her twin sister, Mandy, visits, Georgia leans in and whispers: “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.”

The twist? Georgia and Mandy only just learned the other existed. Both knew they were adopted, but neither knew they were twins — or that they’d grown up in entirely different worlds. Now Mandy is grappling with the shock of their connection, the strange, almost telepathic pull between them, and the chilling possibility that her newfound sister might be a murderer. As she navigates the ward’s eerie, claustrophobic halls and unearths long-buried family secrets, she’s forced to question everything — and everyone.

The Locked Ward is a perfect storm of dark sisterhood, rich family dysfunction, and “trust no one” tension. Sarah Pekkanen keeps you second-guessing every character, every conversation, and every reveal right up to the final page. I tore through this and loved every minute.

⭐ 5 stars

Big thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Georgia is accused of killing her adopted parents’ biological daughter and is currently in a psychiatric
ward waiting for her day in court. To help prove her innocence, she contacts her twin Amanda who is
unaware that she has a sister. As more is learned about Georgia, the question arises as to whether or
not she is really innocent or is she playing with the justice system to her advantage,. Amanda has
mixed feelings as she learns more, but it becomes evident that the two sisters are up against a well
connected, rich and powerful family.
#TheLockedWard #StMartinsPress #NetGalley

The Locked Ward is a twisty thriller about twins separated as infants who collide in a fast-paced wild ride to uncover the truth about a murder 0ne is accused of. Who can you trust and how far will those in political power go to keep a secret? Filled with questionable childhood recall and an unreliable narrator, the truth is always in question.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

Georgia Cartwright is going through the most difficult fight of her life. She had been adopted by a wealthy family and is now being accused of killing their biological daughter. She is placed in a psychiatric hospital awaiting her trial.

She reaches out to her biological twin sister, Amanda. They don’t know each other but Georgia has no one else to turn to. Her adoptive family believes she’s a killer. She insists she’s innocent and begs Amanda to help her get out.

Amanda doesn’t know what to believe, but she’s intrigued by the situation and fears for her sister's life. She agrees to do a little investigating, but never expected the danger she found herself in.

This is a psychological thriller at its best. I read another book by this author and loved it. This one did not disappoint.

The author tosses in one twist after another. She definitely keeps readers on their toes. I was completely engrossed in reading this book and was up late into the night reading. I just couldn’t put it down.

I’m anxiously looking forward to more books by this author. In the meantime, I’ll be checking out her backlist.






FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.

When Georgia Cartwright, the glamorous adopted daughter of a powerful Southern family, is locked away in a psychiatric hospital for the brutal murder of her sister, she makes a chilling plea to a stranger; "I didn't do it. You've got to get me out of here". That stranger is Amanda, Georgia's identical twin sister separated at birth and completely unaware, until now. Haunted by questions and drawn into the shadows of the family she never knew, Amanda races to uncover the truth. But inside the locked ward, reality bends. Georgia's story begins to shift and her memories clash. And as Amanda digs deeper into the Cartwright secrets, she begins to wonder if Georgia is wrongly accused, or a master manipulator.

The Locked Ward is a gripping psychological thriller that pulls you in and refuses to release you. The psych ward as a setting is always a fun one and with an irresistible mystery at its heart, The Locked Ward explores the complexities of family, identity, and the truth. The alternating POVs, especially Georgia's second person narration, added layers of tension and uncertainty. Twisty, immersive, and emotionally charged, The Locked Ward is definitely a solid addition to your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanen, and St Martin's for this eARC! Publication date was August 5th 2025.

The Locked Ward
by Sarah Pekkanen
Pub Date: Aug 05 2025

This novel is fantastic! I enjoyed reading it and found it to be very compelling. It came with complex characters, a great storyline. There were many, many twists and turns, The premise started off really strong and it came with a well rounded ending. It was told in dual points of views. A quick read you will find hard to put down!

Synopsis: Whatever the cause—and everyone has a theory—it's the Crime of the Decade when glamorous Georgia Cartwright, who was adopted as a newborn, is accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy, Southern family. Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institution where the most violent offenders are held while she awaits trial. The only words she whispers when her estranged twin sister Amanda visits are, “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.”

Many thanks to #TheLockedWard #NetGalley & #StMartinsPress for providing me an E-ARC of this psychological thriller!

This book was fine, but not groundbreaking. It was a quick and easy ready but a little underwhelming. I do enjoy this author though, and will continue to read her works.

Sarah Pekkanen has her own style in writing mystery/thrillers that keep the reader guessing all the way to the end. Sometimes we think we have the ending all wrapped up --- and then we don't. Now that is what a reader wants! Take my rating as a 4.5!! Mandy finds out she has twin that she was separated from at birth.... but only when Georgia reaches out to her to help prove she is not guilty of murdering the sister she has in her adoptive family. The story is told by Mandy and Georgia chapters, where one time the thought is that Georgia is guilty and looking for a trick-way out, and the next you see Mandy going from being supportive to "what did I get myself into". A quick read for lovers of this genre and well worth it! Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #TheLockedWard

Well to do Georgia is accused of killing her sister at her sister’s birthday party and is currently being held in a locked ward to see if she is competent to stand trial. She reaches out to her twin, Mandy, who knows nothing about her. She didn’t even know she was a twin until Georgia contacted her. Mandy is the only one that can help…that is if she can stay alive long enough.

I enjoyed this book for the most part. I feel like it was similar to many stories I have heard before, but there was enough of a new twist in the epilogue that helped it stand out a little more. Definitely worth reading!

This started off slow for me, I even lost interest a few times, but the last 30ish% was so good, that I was locked in! I liked the short chapters and dual POV between Mandy and Georgia, twins separated at birth and adopted. Georgia is in the locked ward after being accused of murdering her sister (not her long lost twin), and reaches out to Mandy for help (she had a PD locate Mandy about a month beforehand). When everything starts wrapping up at the end, wow!! It was so good and not what I expected! Slow burn for sure, but overall ended up being a solid read.