I was thrilled to have the opportunity from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press to read another psychological thriller by Sarah Pekkanen. Although this one was not my favorite book she has written, it was a good read.
The Locked Ward is written from dual viewpoints: thirty-two-year-old twin sisters separated at birth who only recently learned of each other's existence. Mandy's story is told in first person, whereas Georgia's is in second person. This unusual POV was a bit disturbing, but it worked in an eerie sort of way, as Georgia is in a psychiatric ward after having been accused of murdering her adoptive sister, Annabelle.
The evidence against Georgia is overwhelming; she and Annabelle never got along. Their wealthy parents, especially their mother, Honey Cartwright, never hid the fact that they loved Annabelle more because she was their biological child, born shortly after they adopted Georgia.
Georgia was the last person to be seen with Annabelle on the night of her birthday party, just before Honey found her beloved daughter bludgeoned to death.
When Mandy is summoned to visit her newfound sister in the psych ward, she has to figure out whether she can really trust her when she claims to be innocent. And Georgia has challenges of her own as she navigates the ward, wondering how much of her mental state it is safe to reveal. The sisters put aside their distrust and work together to prove Georgia's innocence.
The pacing was great, with short chapters and cliffhangers that leave the reader dangling as we switch to the other POV. The reveal was a bit disappointing; I couldn't quite buy the villain's motives.
Mandy and Georgia are both well-developed, strong female characters, and the writing was compelling. Recommended!

This book takes you on a bit of a ride.
It was a little hard for me to suspend belief for some parts, but overall I enjoyed the twists.

I think it’s a tale as old as time wondering if you’ve hit a twin out there, separated at birth, and it always makes for good storytelling!
7/10 for me - some slow bits but I’d certainly recommend it, and I’m going to seek out more of her titles!!

Huge thanks to Net Galley for my ARC of this book! Sarah Pekkanen is one of my go to authors and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on this. This was definitely a page turner that kept me up past my bedtime wanting to know what was going to happen next.

Sarah Pekkanen has me hooked from the beginning with her description of Georgia being in the locked ward in the first chapter. The very next chapter, she pulls you in deeper with a twist. This book was so good, I read it in only a couple of hours. It is an easy read. It would make a great book club book with lots of room for discussion.

I actually really enjoyed this! The first half was a bit difficult to get into, but I definitely felt like the pacing picked up in the latter half. I couldn’t put it down since I just wanted to know what was going on.

I really liked how there was dual POV with Georgia in second person and Mandy in first person. I also feel like enough new info was dropped in each chapter to make the reader want to continue and be interested in the story.

I’m not typically a huge fan of red herrings, so the one that happened in this book was not my vibe. However, I did find the ending really well done. I think it was unique and not what I expected whatsoever. I also loved the epilogue as I like endings like that in general.

I was a little hesitant to try another Sarah Pekkanen since I didn’t like The Golden Couple, but I thoroughly enjoyed this and will try more books by Pekkanen in the future.

<i>Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!</i>

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen was a gripping read that had me hooked from the start. I’ve been in a bit of a reading slump lately, struggling to find anything that truly captures my interest—but I finished this book in just three days, and it completely broke that streak.

The pacing was great, with each chapter ending in a mini cliffhanger that kept me turning the pages. The plot flowed smoothly and felt grounded—something I often find lacking in thrillers that tend to go over the top. While the ending didn’t shock me, it was satisfying and wrapped things up well.

I’m usually a fan of Pekkanen’s work, and this book lived up to my expectations. I did knock off one star because I was hoping for a bit more of a “wow” moment at the end, but overall, it was a thoroughly enjoyable read—and I’m especially grateful it pulled me out of my reading rut.

Absolutely Gripping from Start to Finish!
I couldn’t put The Locked Ward down. Sarah Pekkanen has this amazing way of pulling you into the story from the very first page. The setting inside the psychiatric ward felt so real and intense that it gave me chills in the best way. I found myself completely invested in the characters, especially Dr. Ladd. The suspense kept building and just when I thought I had things figured out, another twist would hit.

What I loved most was how the book explored mental health without being cliché or over-the-top. It was emotional, thought-provoking, and at times heartbreaking.

If you enjoy psychological thrillers that are both smart and deeply human, this one is a must-read. Highly recommend!

Suspenseful and engaging, I spent the entire read trying to unravel the mystery. While perhaps predictable, I did find myself second guessing and wondering who did what.

Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen:
A twisty thriller set in the claustrophobic confines of a psychiatric facility. Pekkanen skillfully combines suspense, emotional depth, and sharp prose to create a story that’s as gripping as it is disturbing.

The novel centers around a young woman admitted to a locked psychiatric ward under mysterious circumstances — but as layers are peeled back, it becomes clear that nothing is as it seems. The setting is chilling and atmospheric, and the ward itself feels like another character: watching and unraveling those within it.

This book explores mental health, trauma, and the fine line between perception and reality. The narrative keeps you questioning what’s real, who to trust, and what the truth actually is. Just when you think you’ve figured it out — the author flips the script!

The pacing is tight, with short chapters that make it hard to put down. If you’re into thrillers with unreliable narrators, psychological tension, and a steady stream of twists, you will enjoy reading Locked Ward!

I've read a few books from this author and have enjoyed them all! This one hooked me from the beginning and it was a quick, twisty read. I enjoyed the mystery surrounding Georgia and her sisters. Although some twists were predictable, I liked all the drama and mystery leading up to the conclusion. Overall this was a great read and I would recommend it!

oddly enough, I’m currently reading in tandem this and a book titled “such a lovely family” and let me tell you, the storylines are interchangeable.

This one is alright. As far as thrillers go, there’s only like two thrilling parts. I appreciate the way it all came together at the end but it truly wasn’t that great.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

I thought this book was good. I liked the build up and figuring out who’s who and how they relate to the murder, although i did think it started off slow. I didn’t see the twist of Annabelle being the mayors daughter, i definitely thought they were having an affair but i liked that it didn’t end up being a nefarious affair.

Overall the book was good. It’s written well and easy to follow.

I gave this book three stars. At times it was slow moving and a lot of back and forth. I didn’t love the ending but I liked the characters in this book.

In THE LOCKED WARD, written by Sarah Pekkanen, Georgia, once a high-end wedding planner, finds herself strapped down on a bed in a locked ward. Mandy finds out Georgia is her twin sister from a public defender and is told Georgia has asked to see her. Mandy recognizes that Georgia is the person she read about online who is accused of committing the crime of the decade. I’m hooked and read on.

This book keeps me riveted to the plot. The chapters alternate between Georgia and Mandy, using a different verb tense for each one. The story of each sister is engrossing. I like that all the loose ends get tied up in the conclusion. I look forward to reading more thrillers written by Sarah Pekkanen. Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of THE LOCKED WARD.

"The Locked Ward" is a slow burn with an interesting exploration of two women leading seemingly separate lives that gradually reveal an unexpected connection. The character development is thoughtful and layered, with subtle tension building as the story unfolds. It’s the kind of psychological drama that lingers, pulling you deeper as each chapter peels back another layer.

Mandy and Georgia are twins. They’ve never met before today. Mandy owns a bar. Georgia has just been charged with murdering her half-sister, Annabelle. She is currently in a locked psychiatric ward.

The chapters alternate between Mandy and Georgia. Something I’ve never seen before: Mandy narrates in first person and Georgia in second person, as if she’s telling a story about herself.

Georgia proclaims her innocence to Mandy, and says that “they” will kill her unless Mandy helps. So Mandy, baffled and concerned, helps, making things up as she goes along. Mandy’s adoptive parents are dead and her adoption was a closed one, so she has no family to consult. I confess I did not trust Georgia’s motives. Was Mandy going to wind up accused of murdering the half-sister?

The plot grows increasingly menacing. Paranoia grows. Suddenly all the hate and anger explodes. The answers become clear.

I’ve read other books by Sarah Pekkanen and found them exciting and enjoyable.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advance reader’s copy. This is my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook arc. This is my first Sarah Pekkanen novel and I was hook from page one super invested in the story and character

“The Locked Ward” by Sarah Pekkanen

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC of “The Locked Ward” by Sarah Pekkanen.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book and to give my review.

Anytime I see a book by Sarah Pekkanen, I know it’s going to be a good read. This book was no exception.

This suspenseful story revolves around twin sisters, that have never met, and their differing perspectives. Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institution, accused of murder, while Amanda (Mandy) is running a bar that was owned by her parents. Georgia has her attorney locate Amanda to hopefully help her prove her innocence. Can Amanda trust Georgia? Is Georgia really innocent, as she claims?

This book was unputdownable for me and I finished it very quickly. I highly recommend this book if you enjoy psychological thrillers.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

This is my first book by Sarah Pekkanen and I look forward to reading more. This book doesn't have many twists as other thrillers I've read, but I still enjoyed it.