🔑 The Locked Ward - Sarah Pekkanen

3 ⭐️ - I wanted this to be better than it was. It might have been me, maybe I wasn’t in the right space but I found it hard to connect with and get into. I liked the popcorn thriller aspect but I also felt confused? This one’s a miss for me from SP but i deff won’t stop reading her books. I’d recommend others before this. On to the next!

The Locked Ward - Sarah Pekkanen
Pub Date- Aug 5, 2025
Rating - 3.5/5
Thoughts - Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and St. Martin's Press for this gifted advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review. The Locked Ward is definitely a slump buster with it's short chapters, making the reader want to know more. The writing kept me hooked and I ended up finishing this book in 24 hours! Very unique plot with the introduction of twins into the storyline. The ending wasn't mind blowing and a little predictable, which is why I didn't rate this higher. Well done by the author and would recommend!

Just devoured The Locked Ward by @sarahpekkanen and WOW — this one pulled me in from page one and didn’t let go.
Meet Georgia Cartwright: gorgeous, glamorous, wealthy, and currently accused of murdering her sister. Locked in a psychiatric ward, she reaches out to the twin sister she never knew she had. Amanda is suddenly thrown into Georgia’s world and wants to believe she is innocent… but the deeper she digs, the more twisted the story becomes. Secrets, betrayal, and dark family power swirl behind the walls of the hospital and the truth might be more dangerous than either sister imagined. Sarah’s stories are always an automatic read for me! If you’re into psychological thrillers with a dark hospital setting, secrets behind every door, and a main character you’re not quite sure you can trust… run to read this one.
📖💥 Perfect for fans of The Silent Patient and The Last House Guest. Thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for the advanced e-arc in exchange for my review!

3.5 stars. This thriller was intriguing and captivating while reading, why are there so many coincidences? Or are they not coincidences? Why are they being drawn to each other? What is really the truth?

The premise pulled me in right away, and it was a book that kept me guessing and wondering the whole way through.

I did find that it seemed like there could have been a more detailed explanation of how they go to this point and some plot points were not as flushed out as I wanted them to be. But still a really enjoyable read!

I was able to go back and forth between the ebook and the audiobook and really enjoyed the audio narration. Sometimes with two FMCs, I worry that their voices will be too similar and hard to distinguish who is speaking. But I did not have this issue at all with this book with the distinct accent and inflection added to each character to make them completely different from each other.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan audio for providing me with copies of this book and audiobook. All opinions are my own.

**Thank you to @Netgalley, @sarahpekkanen, and @stmartinspress for a free ebook ARC copy in exchange for my unbiased review.

My Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

What would you do if you found out that you not only had a twin sister, but she was in a psych ward for killing her sister, the biological daughter of her adopted parents?

I really enjoyed House of Glass I read last year so when I saw who the author was and read the synopsis I was all in. I honestly was holding my breath a few times through this. The twists were very unexpected and hit hard.

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First, thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

When Georgia Cartwright is accused of murdering her sister, her only way to stay out of jail is to fake a dissociative state in order to be sent to a mental institution. A month before the murder, Georgia had found out that she had a twin. Although her twin, Amanda, doesn’t know Georgia exists, Georgia knows that Amanda is the only person she can trust. Will Amanda be able to help? Does Georgia have a plan that will ruin Amanda’s life?

This book was suspenseful and a real page-turner. Once I started reading, I had trouble putting it down. I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a bingeable thriller. You won’t be disappointed. The book was released on August 5, 2025.

📚 E-ARC BOOK REVIEW 📚

The Locked Ward By Sarah Pekkanen
Publication Date: August 5, 2025
Publisher: St. Martin's Press

📚MY RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨
(Rounded Up To 5⭐)

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, the SMP Early Readers program, and NetGalley for this #gifted e-copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

📚MY REVIEW:

Sarah Pekkanen's newest read, The Locked Ward, was a compelling psychological thriller that captivated my interest from start to finish. This fast read had alternating chapters with dual POVs, and I read it in one sitting because I just couldn't put it down!

Mandy and Georgia are twin sisters who never knew about one another, as each was adopted by a different family. However, they connect when Georgia is accused of murdering her younger adoptive sister, sent to a locked psychiatric ward of a hospital, and requests a visit from Mandy. It felt like there was constantly so much going on behind the scenes that the reader didn't know, and it was clear NOBODY in this story could be trusted. The more I read, the more I asked myself which one of these yahoos was going to turn out to be the most diabolical one - because it sure seemed like everybody was hiding something.

I will say, I didn't really understand the point of the storyline about Scott and thought it could've been left out of the book entirely because it seemed like unnecessary filler. And, I spent much of the time convinced there was a reason Mandy's POV was told in first person and Georgia's POV was told in third person. 🤷 But neither of these things detracted me from being buried in the pages of this one!

Overall, this was a gripping psychological thriller that immediately pulled me in and had me hooked with its intriguing characters, suspenseful mystery, and toxic family drama. Pekkanen, once again, was masterful in keeping me in suspense about the ending, as it was not at all what I suspected. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers steeped in family secrets and a cast of shady characters, you're really going to love The Locked Ward!

#TheLockedWard #SarahPekkanen #StMartinsPress #SMPEarlyReaders #NetGalley #NetGalleyReviews #eARC #thrilleraddict #thrillerlover #psychologicalthriller #booklover #bookreviews #bookrecommendations #bookrecs

This is a great read!! It was very well written with interesting characters! It was suspenseful and has a lot of twists and turns. I give this book a 10 out of 10!!! This is my first Sarah Pekkanen book but let me tell you, it will NOT be my last!! Run and get this book, you will not be disappointed!!!!

A fast-paced page turner filled with unreliable narrators, dual POVs, family secrets, twists and turns. The setting in a psychiatric ward was chilling and immersive, giving readers a glimpse into the lives of those inside and the short chapters with ending cliffhangers made for a gripping and hard to put down experience.
While I did enjoy this overall, I felt that some plot points were a little too convenient and I wanted more bonding between the sisters than what was given. The ending was satisfying, but I wouldn’t say it was super shocking; it was missing a little of the wow factor for me. I will say that the very last page had me still questioning things and really thinking back to the story after the fact, which is something I love in a thriller!
It was a solid read that I would recommend for a quick thriller binge.

First off, I would like to thank St. Martin's Press and author Sarah Pekkanen for allowing me to read this novel, The Locked Ward via Netgalley. All opinions following are my own.

This novel is told from a dual point of view by the two main characters. Georgia has been placed in a psychiatric facility for violent offenders while she awaits trial for the first-degree murder of her sister Annabelle. The rumors run rampant why she killed her sister in cold blood. It could be jealousy. It could be sibling rivalry that literally started the moment Annabelle was born. It could be insanity. Whatever the case may be, she was found standing over her bludgeoned sister, covered in blood, holding the murder weapon in a state of disassociation.

The second point of view is from Mandy. She has just found out she is Georgia's twin, separated at birth. Both were adopted into two very different families.

Georgia was brought up in high society where perceived looks are everything. When Georgia was just four months old, Annabelle had been born, a surprise to the couple who has tried unsuccessfully to have a child for years.

Mandy was brought up by two blue-collar, loving, and devoted parents. Since her parents' passing, she has quit her corporate job and taken over the family bar. Her life is completely turned upside down when a man claiming to be Georgia's attorney, contacts her to let her know she has a twin sister asking for her in a psychiatric facility.

Mandy, without any other family to call her own, decides to go visit Georgia. She definitely doesn't trust her, but she can't shake the bond she feels with her. When Georgia whispers into her ear, "I didn't do it. You have to get me out of here," she feels an obligation to her newfound sister and decides to investigate. What will she find, and will she regret ever walking through the locked ward?

I really enjoyed this story. I kept thinking I figured it out, and then I would go in a new direction. I gave this one ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and would definitely recommend it!

With THE LOCKED WARD by Sarah Pekkanen, you can expect short, action-packed chapters that end in cliffhangers and push you to keep going. Expect twists and turns, secrets and family lies uncovered.

Told through two POVs— Amanda and Georgia. Amanda or “Mandy” is notified that she has a twin sister she has never met. Her twin sister, Georgia, has been arrested for the murder of the sister she was raised with and brought to the “locked ward.” Can she fake insanity while also trying to convince Amanda to help her? Mandy’s chapters are told in first person while Georgia’s are in second person which took a little getting used to. It works well in this case as it differentiates the characters and puts us in the shoes of the twin who is locked up.

I had a hard time going to work today because that last quarter of the book was like unveiling secret after secret. After each chapter, I felt like I just need to read one more.

I mostly listened to this on audio because January LaVoy!!! I mean, she really is fantastic and I love that I can speed up her voice and she still sounds good. Forever one of my favorite narrators! Thanks Macmillan Audio for this audiobook. And many thanks to St Martins Press for an egalley!

Available as of yesterday! Add this to your list if you’re looking for a fast-paced, twisty thriller with quick chapters.

Sarah Pekkanen wrote another edge of your set thriller! The setting, a psychiatric institute, was so unique and the plot was cleaver, it hooks the reader and kept me fully engaged the whole time. I never guess the plot twist until it slapped me in the face.

****Many thanks to St Martins Press for my gifted copy!

4.5 stars rounding down to 4 stars

I was suckered in because of the premise but sadly this ending up feeling like a hot mess. I struggled with the different POV’s because it also had a dual timeline. Very far fetched and so slow. Predictable ending.

Thank you NetGalley! Another great book by this author. It drew me in right away. I’m always a sucker for the multiple POV.

Like a dark and twisted Parent Trap, two twins were separated at birth, and the girls live very different lives. The Locked Ward looks at the power of twins and how it is compounded by distrust.
Socialite Annabelle Cartwright is dead! Killed by her sister at her own birthday party! Oh, the shame! Or so they say… Georgia is immediately disowned by her wealthy Southern family and sent to the mental ward. She was found in shock over her Annabelle with blood on her dress, unable to speak. The only thing she is able to do is ask her public defender lawyer for her previously unknown sister, Mandy.
Mandy lives an hour and a half away and runs her parents’ bar after their passing. She doesn’t know she’s adopted, and she knows nothing about the Cartwrights other than what she reads in the gossip columns. While she doesn’t fully trust Georgia, this is her twin sister who needs help. Helping go against two powerful families that could either save Georgia or could be the end of Mandy’s life as she knows it.
Suspension of disbelief is key in Sarah Pekkanen’s novel, and that’s ok. The best fiction uses this tool often. It’s key to play on the irony that Georgia thinks she is safe in the mental ward. This is where the true terror lies. With Georgia being locked in a small area and her life being threatened is a true cat and mouse chase with true stakes. Mandy’s story is less scary just based on the amount of room she has to escape from any foe she might have. But Mandy’s tension isn’t really fueled by horror anyway. She is the solver of the mystery. And boy, does she have a mystery to solve. There are so many threads, and she doesn’t even know which one she can trust. That’s where her story has heat.
There is always a creepy twist in Pekkanen’s books. This one has a one-two punch. The first twist actually helps the story make more sense and the plot flow more smoothly. It’s not really that shocking. The shocking twist is left for the last chapter. But here’s the thing, it really wasn’t that shocking, and I really didn’t care. I didn’t think anything differently about the character, and I had no true emotional response to their admission. I was like the Loki meme. In this day and age, you need something more shocking with less justification to sway me (and I’m sure many other women and transwomen as well).
While I can’t give these five stars, I still recommend The Locked Ward as an entertaining and tense thriller.

Suspenseful, thrilling, twisty and unpredictable
This book had me on pins and needles almost immediately. So many clues but I needed to know what they led to. Enough red herrings to keep you picking virtual bones out of your psyche for a long time. Just when I thought I knew what was happening, Ms. Pekkanen would shift something which led me in another direction. Loved it! This book kept me on my toes throughout and reading way into the night. I think I only got three and a half hours of sleep last night. I had to force myself to put the book down. If you like great world building, haunting fiction with unpredictability and characters you were not quite sure of until the end, you must read this book.
Two women who meet under unique circumstances must come to terms with a lot; one in a locked ward and the other blindly trying to determine the truth for them both. Georgia Cartwright and Amanda Ravenel encounter revelations that will change their lives forever. I have only read two books by this author but after this one, she has become a must-read! I volunteered to review an ARC of this book.

Sisters Georgia and Amanda couldn’t have been raised more differently, from wealth to working class, loving parents or a mother’s abject disdain. The plot unfolds with alternating chapters about the sisters. It took me awhile to become interested in them. Their upbringing and background differences were well portrayed. I’ve read and enjoyed this author previously but struggled with this plot. I’m an avid reader of thrillers and have already read many featuring twins. The story was a little too reminiscent of countless others I’ve read. I didn’t dislike the plot at all, just didn’t find it new or containing fresh outcomes and twists that weren’t predictable. I appreciated the descriptive setting in North Carolina. I will look forward to what the author writes next. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press (via NetGalley) for providing an Advance Reader Copy of “The Locked Ward” by Sarah Pekkanen, publication date 08/05/2025. The thoughts expressed here are my own honest personal opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

I enjoyed this book. A wealthy woman was murdered, presumably by her adoptive sister. The sister fakes mental illness and is placed in a psychiatric hold while in the hospital, she contacted a woman that had never heard of her. She tries to convince her that she is her twin sister and that she is wrongly accused. The plot and character development was excellent. This was a great book.

In The Locked Ward, by Sarah Pekkanen, a high-end wedding planner has been committed to a psych ward for killing her sister. Raised among the elite and powerful, Georgia Cartwright was adopted into privilege but shunned by her mother, Honey, who favored her biological daughter, Annabelle. Now, accused of murdering her sister in a jealous rage, Georgia is confined to a locked psychiatric ward as the court determines her mental competency to stand trial.
She enlists the help of Amanda, who finds the shock of her life when she gets a call from Georgia, they are twins! And Georgia wants Amanda's help in proving her innocence. The twists don't stop twisting and turning in this psychological thriller. It takes a bit of suspending belief, but the story is delectable and a tasty summer treat! If you are looking for a tangled web to finish off your summer, this is it! I enjoyed it. 4 stars
Thank you to Pekkanen, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

👯‍♀️ What if your twin sister- one you didn’t even know existed- was accused of murder, locked in a psychiatric ward, and the only thing she said to you was: “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.”
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That’s the hook in Sarah Pekkanen’s newest psychological thriller, and let me tell you, I flew through this one.
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Told through dual POVs, this book was an eerie, fast-paced ride through twisted family secrets, political corruption, and a locked ward that feels as claustrophobic as it does dangerous. The short chapters and constant cliffhangers made it almost impossible to stop reading.
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I loved the way the twin dynamic was explored, especially how Mandy slowly unraveled her family’s buried past while questioning if Georgia was a victim… or a manipulative mastermind. Was it grief? Madness? Jealousy? Or something darker? You’ll be guessing all the way through.
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While I didn’t find all the twists shocking, the atmosphere and pacing more than made up for it- and that final page? It lingered.
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🎧 Bonus points for the audiobook, narrated by January LaVoy, who absolutely nails the tension and emotion. Thank you @stmartinspress @netgalley
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If you’re into twisty thrillers with the following, this belongs on your fall TBR:
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🏥 psych ward setting
🧠 unreliable narrators
📖 dual POVs
🚪 locked room vibes
👯‍♀️ sisterly bknds
📚 fast-paced reads
🧩 family secrets
👣 amateur sleuthing