Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's press for the digital ARC!

Adopted at birth, Georgia has always hated Annabelle, her parents miracle biological daughter. So no one is surprised when Georgia finally snaps, brutally murdering Annabelle on the night of her 32nd birthday. Georgia, however, insists she didn't do it. And the only person she'll speak to... is the sister who doesn't know she exists. Can Mandy prove Georgia's innocence? Does Mandy even believe her? Because if Georgia didn't kill Annabelle... who did?

This one was really hard to put down. Fast, nice short chapters, some nice red herrings. However, there were some ends tied up in ways I didn't really understand, and essentially I had to suspend disbelief in order to enjoy the book. However, if you can overlook the more questionable aspects (shallow characters/relationships, cliches), Pekkanen gives some serious creep factor here.

This was a really engaging and entertaining book! I was on the edge of my seat the whole time I read the book. The multiple POV helped keep the book suspenseful but there were also some twists that I never saw coming! Georgia and Amanda’s experiences throughout the story were so vastly different from each other but they were both going through so many harrowing situations. I alternated between the book and audiobook and I’ve got to say, the audiobook was phenomenal. Narrator @saskiaaudio is one of my favorites so I was thrilled to hear her narrate all the characters!

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I've read Pekkanen alone and with Greer Hendricks, and I'm kind of thrilled that this book was a return to a sole effort of Sarah's brilliance. No offense to the writing team with Greer Hendricks, but I thoroughly enjoyed The Locked Ward.

We get two points of view, Georgia and Amanda, twins who were separated at birth and adopted by vastly different sets of parents. Sometimes, having wealthy parents isn't necessarily a better option.

Georgia has been put on an involuntary psych hold after being found with her murdered sister Annabelle's body. She's presumed the only suspect and is in a locked ward. Who can she trust? Can she survive a psych ward or prison?

Amanda has a strong, distinct voice. Mandy inherited her parents' bar and left her marketing job to run the business 90 minutes from Charlotte, NC, where Georgia grew up ignored by her "mother" Honey. Mandy was well loved by her parents. Her resilience is admirable, particularly as she recalls a friend in college who was assaulted.

Georgia has to make a connection with her sister and get her to save her while risking her life. The twin connection is incredible, but Georgia has to pretend that she's in a practically catatonic state. Threats in the form of creepy male patients, horrible nurses aid, and the less obvious one which I didn't see coming.

Sure, part of the story is a little convoluted, and the ending was a little anticlimactic in terms of shockers, but I enjoyed this book. Well worth buying or borrowing, available August 5, 2025. 4.5/5☆

This book gave me Freida McFadden vibes. It was a great popcorn thriller with an interesting plot. Twin sisters separated at birth now come together to save one of them. Add in a psych ward and I was hooked!

I really enjoyed the dual POV. The switch from first person to third person took some getting used to but it made the story work. I couldn't put this book down.

I will say, the ending went a little bit left, but it kept my attention. I didn't see that twist coming. Thank you to Netgalley, and the publisher for my ARC.

I read this book both with audiobook and ebook, and both were excellent formats that I highly recommend. Thank you to both St. Martin’s Press for the arc and Macmillan Audio for the alc!

In this thriller, two narrators set the scene for the reader. One is Georgia, who wakes up alone, locked up in an institution after being accused of murdering her sister. The other is Mandy, who is contacted by Georgia and told that she is her estranged twin sister. Mandy is Georgia’s only hope of proving her innocence and finding what really happened that day, but there are powerful people involved, and Mandy doesn’t know who she can trust. Is Georgia lying?

I am a big fan of Sarah Pekkanen, both as a solo author and as part of her duo with Greer Hendricks. This book is a bit more far fetched than others and requires a bit of suspension of disbelief. If you can set aside some of the unlikeliness of events, I think it’s a very enjoyable popcorn-type of thriller. It’s attention-grabbing right from the start, fast paced, and ends with a couple of good twists. As a twin mom, a few aspects of their fraternal twin bond had me chuckling, but that’s where the suspension of disbelief might be required (along with a few other areas). That said, it was absolutely entertaining and a fun thriller that I think many readers will enjoy.

OMG - one of the best books I have read this year. This book is filled with twists and truly feels like a roller coaster ride in the best way. The author did a great job of having a lot of suspects, making you constantly change your mind about who did the murder. If you like stories that include sisters and their drama, this book is for you. I read this in one night because thats how good it is!

Read Completed 6/28/25 | 2.5 stars | Book #95 of 2025
Thank you to the publisher for approval of the review copy via Netgalley.

I think Sarah Pekkanen & Greer Hendricks need each other. I haven't felt the magic from either one of them being on their own.

THE LOCKED WARD started out okay, but it had a lot of odd choices to me that didn't make sense. The book is about two twin sisters who only just find out about each other, but one has been sequestered in a psychiatric hospital after being accused of murdering her adopted sister.

SPOILERS -- I wanted the twin thing to mean something. It really didn't at all. They weren't identical, so the author wasn't using that as some sort of confusion or plot device. They were separated at birth, but the reason for it was just dumb and also kind of didn't make sense when it came down to it. [ There was a LOT going on with this in the conclusion. Georgia's mom was going to adopt when they found out that it was twins. She said "technology wasn't as advanced in that time so they didn't know it was twins." In what I'm assuming was like 1993, if they're 32? They couldn't tell someone was having twins in 1992???? No. She said "I only wanted one baby" and that's why the twins were split up, but she ended up getting pregnant with her own... so now she has.... two babies anyway. Why would she then adopt both daughters and then hire someone to take the other one away? Why didn't she just say that she didn't want to adopt twins? I don't know much about the adoption process, but I'm pretty sure if there are twins and you're surprised by it, like... I think you can chance your mind. That's a big step. The adoption process is also not quick and easy like, Yeah I'll just take a baby. It's a rigorous process. For this to be just totally glossed over and then one baby to basically be sold off -- This was stupid and annoying. (hide spoiler)]
Mandy and Georgia also started having the whole twin telepathy thing only after they meet (though I guess you can't know you have it before if there's no twin to talk to), but that also felt like a huge stretch and also wasn't used enough for anything. One would know the other was going to call or needed them. Okay. And? It was too much and not used well enough to matter, so it just irritated me.

The plot was a little tired. It's not anything new and the journey getting there wasn't very exciting. I will admit, the time in the locked ward was very tense, but it was also in a way that focused on abuse so I truly hated it. I can't stand reading about abuse so while it was very atmospheric and made me feel things, it wasn't enjoyable.

The characters themselves were pretty boring. Mandy pretty much only existed to help Georgia and there was nothing interesting about her. She didn't really have a personality, and with Georgia intentionally shutting down, she also ended up lacking personality.

Lastly, Georgia's POV was written in second person for literally no reason at all. To dissociate? Maybe? I was hoping there would be some twist to make it all worth while but it was not.

The ending was supposed to floor me but it didn't. It had nothing to do with anything else and it was just added in for shock value.

Overall, this was a miss for me, and the more I think about the plot, the less impressed I am.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review

I've read most of the books by this author. They are all very engaging and often thrilling reads. This one was no different, however, lacked some more of the thrill of the secret behind what actually happened for me. It was still a solid thriller for me at 3 stars.

Okay—imagine finding out out of nowhere that you have a twin? It’s the kind of premise that immediately screams psychological thriller, and Sarah Pekkanen pulls you in fast with that hook.

The concept is fantastic and really delivers on the suspense. I loved the contrast between the sisters, and the way the POVs are written differently makes that even more effective. The voices feel distinct, especially as the tension ramps up and you start to question who’s telling the truth—or how much of it.

The writing itself was a little rough in spots, which I expected since this is an ARC. It didn’t take away from the story, but I do hope the final version gets a round or two of edits to smooth out the flow and tighten the pacing. Some scenes felt just slightly off rhythm or too on-the-nose.

Georgia is such a strong character. I loved how smart and strategic she is—she’s never just reacting, she’s always calculating. On the flip side, Josh’s obsession with her was a bit much at times. It served its purpose, but it started to feel repetitive and heavy-handed.

That said, I liked the way things unfolded in the end. It wasn’t jaw-dropping or shocking for shock’s sake, but it was satisfying. The ending tied together the plot without overstaying its welcome or trying too hard to force a twist.

If you’re into layered psychological thrillers with unreliable narrators, fractured family dynamics, and high-stakes secrets, this one’s absolutely worth a read. I’ll be curious to see how the final release shapes up—because the bones of this are really solid.

What a book! This is a dual storyline, told by Georgia and Mandy. They are twins. Georgia’s other sister is killed and she is put in a psych ward waiting on being charged with her murder. Mandy is the only one who can help try and save her. This story has everything.. from murder, betrayal, family secrets and revenge!

This was actually my first Sarah Pekkanen book & I'm pleasantly surprised. This book was very fast-paced, so it held my interest, and I truly enjoyed the setting. I finished another book previously about dual narratives between sisters, so I do think that made me a little more bias toward this, but I would still recommend it regardless of that. Some parts were a little cheesy for me, but I still found that I couldn't put it down.

Thank you Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the digital ARC for reviewing.
Honestly I really loved this book. I was a bit skeptical when I saw that the Geo gia chapters were written in second person pov but I found it rather refreshing by the end. This is a sort of who dunnit amateur detective novel with twists and turns all along the way. Plenty of red herrings and reveals. I loved the surprise you're a twin and your twin has been accused of murder opening.

Mandy is the 'poor' twin who is now Georgia's only hope for proving her innocence. Georgia is trapped in a mental facility trying to pretend she's essentially catatonic after being accused of killing her sister. Mandy is incredibly smart for the most part and manages to weave herself into Georgia's former life and conduct a proper investigation that connects to her own backstory far more than she could ever have guessed.

My only small complaint was that it threw in a slightly weird twist about Mandy's backstory right at the end without time to properly process. I think it might be hinting at a sequel but we shall see.

This is a perfect book to read in one or two sittings especially on a vacation. To me it read a bit like a Riley Sager novel which I always enjoy. If you love a good mystery/cover up, you'll enjoy this book.

Although it took me a while to get started, this book blew me away. This is my first Sarah Pekkanen book but definitely won't be my last. Lots of little twists and turns that I wasn't expecting.

We have a story here about twins separated at birth, that's not the main plot, but it is an important piece of the story. Georgia grew up in an affluent house with her adoptive parents and their biological child, Annabelle. Annabelle is murdered one day, and Georgia is found over her body, covered in blood. She is placed in a locked ward under a psych hold. While in the ward, she has her lawyer reach out to her bio sister, Mandy, to try and help her get out of this mess. The thing is, Mandy has no idea Georgia exists outside the newspaper headlines. So, needless to say, she is very surprised by the call from the lawyer. Mandy grew up outside the big city, and she took over her parents' bar once they passed away. Though not affluent, Mandy grew up with a loving set of parents and an overall happy life, except she has a hard time connecting with people. As Mandy tries to help Georgia, she digs into her life, trying to learn everything about her, finding the secrets buried with their adoptions and why they were split up. Along the way, she digs up more than she bargains for and finds that she is no longer safe.

This was a good premise overall. Georgia is faking a dissociative state to try and buy time for Mandy to help her, but while in the ward, she not only has to face her past, but also the cruelties of her fellow wardmates and healthcare workers. Not everyone is cruel; most are there to help, but she becomes helpless where she was once powerful. We alternate from Mandy to Georgia in each chapter, and the chapters themselves are fairly short, giving you brief glimpses into each of the sisters' lives and where they are in the story. I think I felt more compelled by Georgia's story than Mandy's, mostly because Georgia grew up with everything but had no real love, and Mandy grew up with all the love and turned out mostly ok, but overall detached. That could be because she knew part of herself was missing, but had no idea what that part was. We also explore a little of that twin connection, even though the twins only met after they were 32 years old, they still have a bond. It feels like we explore the theme that the rich and powerful have these secret lives and get away with anything. Anyway, if you enjoyed "House of Glass" by the same author, you'll enjoy this story as well.

Here’s a solid mystery thriller about twin sisters separated at birth, recently reunited because one is in the psychiatric ward, accused of murder. We also get a Senator, an extremely wealthy Southern family, a creeper, and some sinister shadowy characters. Everyone has secrets and the plot twists keep coming.

Even though the book lacked that sparkle that would make me rate it five stars, I enjoyed it and was in suspense to learn what would happen next. The pacing was swift and the plot unfolded quickly enough that I stayed interested. The two main characters were engaging and dynamic. I recommended this book to anyone who likes contemporary thrillers.


Thank you Netgalley for giving me both the eARC and the audio book ARC, for free, for review consideration. Reading and listening is my favorite way to experience a book.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a complimentary early release copy of The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen.

The Locked Ward was a fun intriguing read with lots of interesting elements, theres the new strange relationship forming between twin sisters who were separated at birth plus all of the rich socialite drama and family dynamics. I liked both of our main characters, Amanda was a nice character to read from, she was the type of character that I could really route for because I felt that she played things out smartly. It’s been a while since I’ve read from a character that can hold their own and it was refreshing. Georgia’s perspective was written in a strange (at least to me) but unique way that I found myself enjoying. During her perspective the book really emphasizes placing yourself in Georgia’s shoes, it’s written like you are going through what she is. I found myself being able to connect more with her character because of this choice!

Overall there is quite a bit I liked about The Locked Ward, mainly the sister’s relationships, Georgia’s perspective, and the socialite backgrounds. Theres just something about fancy characters that I find intriguing to read about. This was a fun read but after sitting with things for a while I’m landing on a 3.5 rating. I wasn’t particularly impressed with some of the reveals.

Good writing. Confusing when theres a flashback to a previous moment because it doesn't tell you. Other than that really good book!

Who is Georgia Cartwright and why did she ask her twin sister Amanda to help her when they were separated at birth and have never met?

Georgia has been put into a psychiatric hospital after being accused of murdering her sister Annabelle.

Annabelle is the surprise biological daughter of her adopted family and Georgia’s sister.

Does Georgia need a psychiatric hospital or does she truly know what she is doing? She seems pretty aware.

Actually, how did Georgia find Amanda, and what has she planned as the help she hopes to get from her?

Georgia seems to have some plan and that plan is not to get convicted or stay in this hospital for the rest of her life.

Then Georgia meets Patty - was Patty planted in the hospital?

So many unsavory characters with secrets and one big secret a few are keeping that is causing all that's going on.

THE LOCKED WARD has the main character Georgia speaking in second person which is a bit confusing at first, but you become accustomed to it and focus more on if she really killed her sister Annabelle and what she is up to as well as what the other characters are up to.

It's a good one that will keep you glued to the pages. 4/5

Thank you to the publisher for a copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

When I tell you this book was a crazy ride I mean it was a CRAZY RIDE! It’s the story of Georgia, a woman accused sister’s murder, who is locked up in the psych ward while the authorities assess her mental competence to stand trial.

I’m not gonna lie though, I was hesitant at first and I didn’t think I was going to like it because it was written in a style I’m not used to. The narrative is presented from two perspectives: Mandy, recently discovered long-lost twin sister, and Georgia. However, Georgia’s POV is written in the second person aiming to make you, the reader, be her. I don’t normally read that type of story so that threw me off.

Once I got past that I was caught up in the story and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to keep up with the plot twists. It has everything I love about a psychological thriller…. Political scandal, high society secrets, intrigue, mystery, multiple suspects, strong characters, etc.

I highly recommend putting this on your list of anticipated Coming Soon to a Store Near You on August 5, 2025! I promise it won’t disappoint you!

For fans of Freida McFadden comes a new bingeable psychological thriller.

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.”
Amanda doesn't trust Georgia, but she can't abandon her in a place so eerie and menacing that it seems to exist in another dimension. Is Georgia the victim of a powerful family that's so depraved murder is the least of their crimes? Or is Amanda being led down a path of madness into the web of a master manipulator?

This is one of the best thrillers I’ve read in a while and yes I did so in one sitting. The action starts on page one and not once does it slow down. In this multi pov we get the story told by both sisters, each being filled with twists and turns around every corner.
I absolutely loved this book and highly recommend