This book was everything that I wanted. It was suspenseful and well written. I thought it had some good characters as well.

I received this book from St. Martin's Press and Net Galley as an ARC, and I was THRILLED!! This is one of those must read authors for me, so I was super excited! I really enjoyed this one! There were bits and pieces that left me confused, and I feel they could have been tied up to eliminate confusion, but overall, it was great!

Special thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book. While, I wouldn't quite call this one a thriller, but it was a pretty good mystery. Just Ok.

This book. I had to sit for a moment and process it prior to writing this review. I was a huge fan of House of Glass by Pekkanen so I was expecting great things. She did not disappoint. The premise- two twins, initially unaware of each other, are separated at birth and raised in very different ways. Amanda was raised by loving parents who owned a local bar. Georgia grew up with privilege with a family who was continually disapproving.
Georgia is locked up in a hospital after all evidence points to her killing her sister, Annabelle. She, through her attorney, seeks out Amanda and asks her to visit.
This novel is full of twist and turns and “who should I trust” moments.
Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This book hooked me from the start and I needed to know what was going on. I got anxious and nervous for the main character locked up but then sometimes I was like wait should she be?!? Then discovering things along side the sister to figure out the story was a windy road I was all for. I did not see the ending coming!

3.75 Stars

I really enjoyed this book!
I did not want to put this book down, and every time I had a free second, I wanted to pick this book back up! It was a very quick read, with new things happening pretty frequently.

I enjoyed the dual POV from the two biological sisters. I think that it added a layer of confusion as well as being able to see both sides can help to figure out the mystery.

Georgia, who was adopted as a child, is in a psychiatric hospital while being investigated for the murder of her sister, Annabelle, who is the biological child of her parents. While in the ward, she says that she will only talk to her real biological sister, Amanda. Amanda has no clue who Georgia is, and how they are related. Well, they are twins. Georgia asks Amanda to look into the case because she is not guilty.

So......

The chapters are short, so you can read it pretty quickly. And the claustrophobic, trapped, creepy atmosphere in the ward is written very well.

I struggled with the characters. There wasn't a lot of depth to them. And Amanda just found out this is her sister- but immediately does what Georgia asks? Also- the story is told in 2 POV's, Amanda in first person and Georgia in second person. I did not understand this choice, and maybe that is why I struggled to connect with or understand the characters. I also felt the "twists" were quite predictable, and really was not surprised at that "twist" ending.

I see that this author has several thrillers with high reviews. Maybe I will try one of those!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I enjoyed this book. It drove me crazy in parts but I still enjoyed it. I figured out the twists so no big deal there. I also knew what Mandy had hidden.

Two sisters, twins, who never knew each other. Both adopted but by different couples. One grows in a luxurious home with all she needed. Except love. Her adoptive mother was mean. She was cruel. Georgia was adopted by the elite family. She also had a sister growing up. But they were not close. Not until much later in life.

Mandy was raised by a typical family. Not a lot of money but they did owe a bar that was left to her. She did good with it and made a nice living. Mandy knew she was adopted but not any details. She had no idea she had a twin sister. Not until she was in her thirties.

When Georgia is put in a mental ward for murdering her sister, Annabelle, who is the biological daughter of the Cartwright. She needs help proving she is innocent and there are a lot of powerful people involved.

I figured out the secrets that Georgia's mother was keeping and what she actually did. I knew the Senator's secret. There were no surprises for me in this story. Two women find out they are related, twins, and they just start having the twin things. They didn't before finding out so what was it? Magic. No it was ridiculous. Also two grown women who had all but hated each other their entire lives suddenly become the best of sisters/friends overnight. Doubtful. And waiting until you are in your thirties to find out who your real father is. I didn't buy that either. Not with things like they are now. DNA testing is way to easy.

While I did enjoy reading this book I found it to be so unbelievable and unrealistic. I didn't like any of the characters. Not one. The twins were childish. The mother was a witch. The father was a wimp. I just didn't like them. I did appreciate how the story played out in places. I enjoyed knowing true justice was going to prevail. And the atmosphere in The Locked Ward felt real. Though I honestly didn't know they let men and women share a ward. I learned something...

Thank you #StMartinsPress, #MacmillanAudio, for this ARC.

3.75 stars

4 out of 5 Stars!

Georgia is imprisoned in a psychiatric institution while she awaits trial. She has been charged with killing her sister, who is the biological daughter of her wealthy, Southern family. When her estranged twin sister Amanda visits, she tells her she didn’t do it. Even though Amanda can’t fully trust Georgia, she can’t abandon her in a place so eerie. Is Georgia the victim or the killer? And, is Amanda being led down a path by Georgia?

“The Locked Ward” by Sarah Pekkanen is a fast-paced, psychological thriller with a refreshing plot! Since reading “House of Glass” by Sarah Pekkanen last July with my book of the month subscription, I am now a religious follower of her books! “House of Glass” had multiple twists and turns, while keeping the reader wanting more throughout. And I can gladly say, “The Locked Ward” had those same features and more. I think “The Locked Ward” did an amazing job at hooking the reader with multiple POVs and short chapters that left you wanting more.

Every other chapter, the POV changes between Georgia and Amanda. I absolutely loved how Pekkanen did this, as it really moved the story along and created more mysterious questions about what was going on. I loved these characters equally. It was so interesting to see how they acted similarly yet differently in different situations. I liked leaning into their twin abilities. I thought it gave the book a little extra something.

I can say that I did not see the ending coming. In fact, I thought it was completely shocking. After reading the book, I just set it down and thought about all the little clues I had missed throughout the book. Again, I think Sarah Pekkanen did a great job at creating a psychological thriller that gave me goosebumps!

“The Locked Ward” by Sarah Pekkanen came out August 5th, 2025! So, go pick up your copy at your local bookstore!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Sarah Pekkanen, and Netgalley for a digital ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

This is my first Sarah Pekkanen book, and I might have to check out her other selections! Imagine you find out you have a twin sister you didn't know existed, the only catch is that she's in a mental institution accused of murder, and asking for your help to clear her name.

Seperated at birth, Georgia and Amanda are adopted by different families and don't even know about each others' existence. Georgia is a wedding planner with a busy lifestyle and has a rich family, while Amanda's family owns a local bar and coincidently, her dad used to work with Georgia's family.

Amanda is skeptical at first, but after a DNA test proves they are related, she's all in, and determined to help Georgia make her way out of the facility. However, as more and more evidence comes to light, she's not so sure about about Georgia's involvement, especially as the family's noose tightens around Amanda.

Great character development and some great twists kept me engaged until the very end. There is some foreshadowing as to the real killer that gives you some insight into the families relationships, especially with an up and coming Senator. Noone is who they seem, and noone can be trusted. Lot's of characters, but easy to keep track of, and the end is satisfying and leaves you guessing about a few things.

It reminded me of ''The Bad Sister" recent series on Netflix. I could definitely see this as a compelling series with multiple twists!

I flew through this one. I absolutely loved it. This was told in multiple POV, which is always a favorite of mine and the chapters were short and quick. Georgia is locked in the psychiatric ward accused of murdering her sister. Her only hope of getting out is Mandy, her newly discovered twin sister. Mandy immediately feels their twin connection and agrees to help uncover the truth. But is Georgia a victim or is she manipulating Mandy? I would recommend this entertaining and twisty thriller.
Thank you Netgally and St. Martin’s press for this ARC.

This is the first book I've read by Sarah Pekkanen, and I really enjoyed it. It was fast-paced and entertaining. With plenty of twists and turns and a slow build of suspense, I was hooked.
I read this in one sitting, and I'll definitely be checking out this author's other works.

The Locked Ward
A dual POV thriller full of mystery and edge of your seat suspense! I loved the twists this story took! I thought that the mental ward setting was perfect and very eerie! Anyone who likes psychological thrillers should give this one a chance!
Thank you Net Galley and St. Martins Press for this Arc!

I really struggled with this book. I had heard good things about it, but it missed the mark for me. There were too many scenes that just made me roll my eyes. Too many things were unrealistic, even for fiction. It was hard to believe that medical professionals would not have caught on to Georgia's playacting. It also bothered me with the different forms of POV, with one being in second person and one being in first person. Very jarring to switch between chapters. I expected there to be far more things about the locked ward then there were, particularly based on the title. I see that many of the positive reviews were by people who listened to the audiobook. Maybe I would've had a different opinion if I had done so, but I am unable to get the app to work. Since I have heard about this author in the past, I would be willing to give a future book a try.

I'm a big fan of Sarah Pekkanen so I was extremely excited to read this! Overall, I think it was pretty good. I wish it was a bit longer so I could really get to a point of character development where I was invested in the story more. I would recommend reading this if you're looking for a fun beach book or to relax. The story is interesting and I enjoyed reading it.

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen was a solid suspense story with dual POV narrators. Twins separated at birth reconnect after one is accused of murdering her other sister. My only wish was that Pekkanen had gone a little deeper and a little darker with some of her characters. There are some red herrings put in that could have been developed a little more but instead feel left hanging and open-ended by the time you finish and some twists at the end that could have been actually delved into instead of just throwing it out at the end as a ha, ha! moment to the reader.

All in all, you'll want to keep reading until the end to find out the truth(s) and be entertained by the long-lost twins trying to understand each other and finding the connections that "only twins could have."

3.5 stars rounded up | Long lost twins? Murder? Someone locked in a psych ward? Honestly sounds like a thrilling ride, but it wasn’t quite what I was hoping for. It started out interesting, got dull and drawn out in the middle and then piqued my interest again at the end. It was decently predictable, but not necessarily bad. It feels like a story that could have been consolidated into a shorter book and had a bigger impact.

✨My thoughts: standing ovation and a slow clap for one of my favorite authors writing yet another amazing thriller!

This starts with a great “Wtf??” moment that it made it hard to put this book down. Each chapter you feel like you’re getting closer to the truth but you’re not.
Georgia and Mandy were likable characters and I found myself really rooting for Mandy to get to the truth and be able to help Georgia!
This book was very atmospheric and pairing it with the audio just really made you feel like you were in Georgia’s shoes. The eerie institution scenes gave me chills a couple of times. The narrator was amazing in all roles but especially the creepy nurse!
If you want a unputdownable, suspense filled psychological thriller that will have you guessing til the very end… this is the book for you! There’s a reason I own all her books, she never disappoints! I highly recommend!

A psychological thriller set in a high-security psychiatric facility that was compelling and kept me wanting more. The short chapters made the story fly by, as I was racing to uncover more secrets about Georgia and Mandy’s connection. This offered short cliffhangers, tension, and unpredictable twists throughout. While the main focus of the story was proving Georgia’s innocence, I enjoyed the theme of sisterhood, complicated family dynamics and look into the mental health care system. Overall, a fast-paced, twisty thriller that delivered!

I was provided with a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Locked Ward is the story of a woman who has been placed in a psychiatric ward pending review of whether she is competent to stand trial for murdering her sister. The reader is drawn in with a dual perspective narration between the woman in the locked ward and her twin.

Interestingly, the story is told from two points of view. The POV for Georgia is second person and the POV for Mandy is first person. It was definitely a new style for me.

This book quickly drew me in and left me guessing at each turn. I was trying to piece together everything until the end. However, when everything was revealed, it felt underwhelming. I felt there were opportunities to simplify parts of the story - some details felt superfluous. As a thriller though, it was certainly a hit. Great turns and unreliability of storylines the reader has learned.

Certainly an “intro” thriller that I would recommend to those looking to explore the genre.