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.

This was my first Sarah Pekkanen book and I will surely be reading more. I felt invested in the characters and the storyline. It definitely left me with some questions on why they even went through with the adoption in the first place considering the birth of Annabel, I am grateful to have been able to read this as an ARC

I was really looking forward to this book, but it didn’t live up to expectations.

The premise was intriguing—Georgia, accused of killing her sister, ends up in a psychiatric facility and reaches out to a twin she’s never met—but the execution fell flat. The alternating perspectives between Georgia and Mandy made the narrative feel choppy and confusing.

While the short chapters made for a quick read, the writing lacked depth. There were too many mundane details—whole scenes about cooking eggs—that felt like filler. The sudden, unearned bond between the twins seemed unrealistic for adults meeting for the first time. As someone with healthcare experience, the portrayal of the psych ward felt inaccurate and overly dramatized.

The story had a few twists, but most felt melodramatic and hard to believe. I’ve enjoyed Pekkanen’s previous books, but this one missed the mark for me. I’m giving it 3 stars—readable with some redeemable qualities, but ultimately forgettable.

Thank you to Net Galley for my advanced copy.

I am very thankful for this arc. Unfortunately Ive had a hard time getting into it. It just isnt catching my attention. But im sure many will enjoy it

Suspenseful with twists I didn’t see coming. I liked the characters and the decisions they made. I especially liked the chapters from the locked ward. There were a few red herrings that made things interesting. I liked the relationship that developed between the sisters.

This wasn't exactly what I was expecting it to be but it was good! The tiny "twist" at the end really makes you rethink the entire story!

Short gripping chapters is what propelled this book forward, the ending sadly did not pack the punch I was truly hoping for. I breezed through this book, it was easy to digest and had a great premise. I honestly felt like a blind fly on the wall that could hear everything that was going on but didn't quite have enough information to put the story together. The book bounced back and forth between two women Georgia and Mandy. Georgia is currently in a Psyche ward as she is being accused of killing her sister Annabelle. Plot twist: Georgia reaches out to Mandy and informs her that they are actually twins that were separated at birth, Mandy feels that twin pull to visit her sister and find out how she can get her out, all while not being killed herself. This book is cloaked in mystery and as the reader you are left in the dark. As the story unfolds I kept wanting to find out more and more, and when the big reveal comes its kinda like a marshmellow.
I really enjoy Sarah Pekkanen's books , but they don't end as well as I would like. I think she could benefit from a little bit of a more twisted mind, maybe she should grab coffee with Jennifer Hilliard to get some ideas.....

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read this advanced copy. I was not influenced or paid in exchange for my honest and original thoughts.

This was a fun read & easy to breeze through with the short chapters. I loved the dual POV but did find it strange that one was in second person. The ending didn’t feel crazy shocking but I was content with the extra twist we got. I would suggest this one if you love thrillers with quick chapters and lots of interesting family dynamics!

I gave this 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I always enjoy a Sarah Pekkanen book, and this one was no different. It's full of characters that make you question your insights, just like most of her books. It follows Georgia, a socialite accused of murdering her adoptive sister/residing in a mental institution, and Amanda, Georgia's biological sister...whom Amanda didn't know existed. Georgia has asked for Amanda's help, all while hoping she can stay in the mental institution and avoid being murdered herself.
I enjoyed the twists and turns in this novel, and I think it's an enjoyable read if you're in the mood for this type of book!

The Locked Ward is the latest psychological thriller by Sarah Pekkanen.
The story is told from two perspectives: Georgia, a socialite wedding planner accused of murdering her younger sister Annabelle, and Mandy, her newly discovered twin sister who runs a bar 90 miles away.
Georgia is currently locked in a mental hospital after being arrested and is trying to prove her innocence through the freedom of her twin.

What I Loved:
The twin connection (i.e. one twin getting a nose bleed at the same time the other twin gets a broken nose miles away) was intriguing.
The chapters alternated between Georgia and Mandy, keeping me engaged.
The chapters were also short and quick, making it very hard to put the book down. It was fast-paced and action packed.

What I Didn't Love:
There weren't as many surprise twists as I hoped there would be. However, even though the shock factor was lacking, I still really enjoyed winding my way through the story and felt invested in the characters.
The ending didn't really shake the earth, but everything tied up fairly neatly and I put the book down very satisfied.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Sarah Pekkanen for an advance reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.
ARC copy, ebook
Book: 4 stars

I am a huge fan of Sarah Pekkanen's books and have read or owned most of her published works. This latest novel is no exception; I thoroughly enjoyed it. The plot revolves around two very different twins who were raised separately under contrasting circumstances. When one twin is accused of a crime, the other becomes embroiled in a web of lies and murder while trying to help. Despite my extensive experience with thrillers, I thought I had the story figured out, but Pekkanen's skillful twists caught me off guard. I won’t delve into the details that you can find in the synopsis, but if you enjoy thrillers with unexpected turns, this book is a must-read. Sarah Pekkanen will always be an auto-buy author for me, and I appreciate NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing me with an ARC, my views are my own.

I will read anything Sarah Pekkanen writes. This book was gripping and thrilling and I absolutely loved it!

I loved this story! It’s filled with suspense, mystery, danger, and intrigue.

Georgia is locked in an insane asylum. She’s being accused of murdering her sister, Annabelle. I love her character and the part she plays.
Mandy is pulled into the saga by Georgia’s lawyer. That starts a whole other mystery.

I loved the writing and especially the narrative for Georgia. It kept me intrigued being written as if she was talking to herself. It flows perfectly back and forth between Georgia and Mandy, dropping little nuggets of what’s happened between different family and friends in the past, as we try to figure out who really killed Annabelle. Is Georgia playing a part and someone else is a killer, or is Georgia truly guilty?

This story keeps you guessing. I had an inkling of some things, but never 100% certain. There are some fantastic twists. As revelations unfold, things get dangerous and sinister. I could see this as a movie, the story was so great. A gripping thriller that keeps you anticipating to the very end.

“We’re both the unreliable narrator and the gullible listener in our own life stories.”