I really enjoy this author's books. This book was worth the read! Especially the second half which kept me completely engaged, it was page turning. I definitely look forward to more books by this author. Thank you to the author, publisher and netgalley for this opportunity!

This was the first book I've read by Pekkanen, despite having HOUSE OF GLASS on my TBR since it was released last August. I usually love thrillers, but I felt this one was just average.

I may have read it in two days, but I wasn't really engaged until around 40-50%. While the plot was moving, there wasn’t much suspense or chapter-ending cliffhangers that made me eager to continue. However, once I reallyyy started to enjoy it, I flew through the rest in one sitting. The pacing picked up, so much was uncovered, and I felt like it was getting harder to trust ANYONE. It was also giving LISTEN FOR THE LIE vibes, which I enjoyed as well.

This book is a prime example of what happens when people try to bury secrets and spread rumors and lies - because it only leads to misunderstandings. SO MUCH was revealed in the last parts of the book that, without spoiling anything, showed that certain events could have been prevented if people just didn’t try to bury secrets to secure their reputations!

There was a twist about 80% in that had me COMPLETELY shook. Unfortunately, I did guess part of the “big” plot twist towards the end, and I was also a bit disappointed by the ending. It seemed a bit random, but maybe that was the point?

Overall, this one won’t become one of my all-time favorites; I think if the author had upped the suspense earlier in the novel, this would have been a 4 or 4.5 star read for me! I certainly still enjoyed it, however, and I'd love to read more of Pekannen's backlist moving forward!

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is a raw, honest look at her time in a psychiatric hospital. With sharp writing and deep vulnerability, she breaks the stigma around mental illness and inpatient care. A powerful, eye-opening read that stays with you.

Was this one a teeny bit ridiculous? Yes. Did I devour it anyway? Absolutely. Delightfully twisty and fast-paced, the latest of Sarah Pekkanen's thrillers lives up to her stellar reputation as one of the genre's best.

The Locked Ward by Author Sarah Pekkanen was an enjoyable thriller mystery.

It is a well written book that weaved two stories into one.

A story of murder, sisters, and a mental Institution.

As I read along trying to find out who the killer was it kept my attention, and interest.

I did enjoy the writer’s style in this book of short chapters, which kept the book flowing well

Thank you to NetGalley, Author Sarah Pekkanen, and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy to read and review.

This gripping psychological thriller follows twin sisters Georgia and Mandy, whose lives collide in a shocking way—Georgia is institutionalized for allegedly murdering their stepsister, while Mandy, who never knew she had a twin, is drawn into unraveling the truth. As Georgia insists on her innocence and warns of a deadly conspiracy, Mandy dives into the secrets of the powerful Cartwright family, risking her own life to uncover the past. With fast-paced chapters, eerie twin connections, and a suspenseful mystery, this well-crafted novel keeps readers hooked, despite some predictable twists. A compelling read for thriller fans, earning a solid 4-star rating! Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed getting yo know Mandy and Georgia. I have some questions. Unfortunately, I can’t include them to avoid spoilers for future readers. It was a good book. I would encourage others to give a chance. My opinion is mine alone.

When you get approved to read a book by an author you have put on auto-buy, you drop everything and read it, and this one did not disappoint!

This was so suspenseful and the character development was so good with these twins. The Locked Ward is a fast paced thriller that I couldn't put down. The twists had me gasping and the ending was everything. Thank you NetGalley for the arc! You did it again Sarah!

Four Stars!!!

This was another book that I was eagerly anticipating. I loved the author’s previous book “House of Glass”, so I had high hopes for this book. While I did like this book, I didn’t love it unfortunately. I did love the short chapters, and the alternating POV’s between Georgia and Mandy. But the shock value just wasn’t there for me in this story, and I still feel like I have some questions/details that need to be addressed.

Georgia Cartwright, a wealthy woman wakes up in a locked ward accused of bludgeoning her younger sister to death. She is refusing to speak to anyone, but only wants to see one person and that is Amanda (Mandy) Ravenel.

Imagine Mandy’s surprise when she receives a call from Georgia’s public defender to go and meet his client- considering they have never met before. Due to curiosity and some sort of connection, Mandy goes to visit Georgia and she learns some deep secrets that turn her life upside down.

In this book you will learn about sibling rivalry, twin connections, wealth, what it’s like to be locked up in a psych ward, family relationships (or lack thereof), and then we get a little bit of suspense/shock value… I still feel like there were some missing details (which probably shouldn’t be that big of a deal), but it did bring my rating down a bit because of it.
All in all, it was still a decent read.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for a DRC of this book in which I had the pleasure of reading. All opinions are my own.
Publication date: August 5, 2025

If you love toxic family relationships ((that aren't yours)) with a side of "did she really kill her sister," then you need to add The Locked Ward to your TBR ASAP. This book is Sarah Pekkanen's latest reminder to us that not all psychological thrillers are created equally, as she delivers an intriguing storyline with characters that keep the reader guessing.

This book is a dream for the readers who like their chapters short, which is one of few things that I wasn't a fan of. Chapters that seemed they could have used some additional detail to fill them out felt unnecessarily abbreviated, leaving a few plot points rushed and less developed than they deserved to be. There were so many storylines going on so quickly rather than focusing on strengthening the larger elements. It makes for an entertaining read, but it was a bit of a miss for me on that respect.

While The Locked Ward isn't my favorite of Pekkanen's books, it's still one I recommend and one I may reread. ((And I will probably snag it if it ends up coming out as a Book of the Month option later this year.))

((While the viewpoints shared are my own, I want to thank NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sarah Pekkanen for this complimentary copy.))

I was graciously given an ARC of this title and WOW!! I read this book in one night. I'm a huge Psychological Thriller fan, and this one hit it right on the head. Loved the twists and turns!

Book Review: The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I was beyond excited to receive a NetGalley ARC of The Locked Ward from one of my favorite authors, and this thriller did not disappoint! Sarah Pekkanen delivers a book that will keep you reading all night! It is a twist-filled story told from the perspectives of long-lost twin sisters—one confined to a creepy psychiatric ward for murdering her sister at her own birthday party, and the other reeling from the revelation that she even has a twin, especially while morning the loss of parents and taking over their bar business.

From the very start, the tension is high, and Pekkanen keeps the reader guessing with dark, devious characters and shocking twists. The psychological depth and twists make for an addictive read, and I found myself questioning every character’s motives. It’s a wild, suspenseful ride that thriller fans will devour. Highly recommend! Sarah Pekkanen does it again! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I found Sarah Pekkanen's 'The Locked Ward' to be a thoroughly engaging psychological thriller. From the outset, I was immediately drawn into the protagonist, Georgia's, distressing circumstances. Accused of her sister's murder and confined to a psychiatric facility, her situation is undeniably compelling. The revelation of her previously unknown twin sister, Mandy, added a layer of intrigue that significantly heightened my interest.

What I particularly appreciated was Pekkanen's exploration of how wealth and influence can corrupt the integrity of the legal and medical systems. The narrative effectively demonstrates how these systems can fail individuals when compromised by such factors. The author's use of alternating perspectives between Georgia and Mandy was a masterful technique, creating a constant sense of suspense and requiring me to actively question the reliability of each character's viewpoint. I was genuinely kept guessing until the very end.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copy. All opinions are my own.

The fast paced chapters and alternating POV kept me really interested in this book! Characters were nicely developed as well. I didn’t find the ending as surprising as I expected to, which is why I rated 4 stars instead of 5

“The Locked Ward” by Sarah Pekkanen is an absolutely fantastic psychological suspense/thriller. From chapter one, you are pulled into this intriguing plot of how Georgia is accused of murder of her (adopted) sister and is sent to a 2 week hold in a psychiatric hospital. She is faced with impossible odds and must entrust help from her biological twin sister, Mandy, she never knew she had. Coming from a family of wealth and privilege, you see how these factors can easily influence the criminal and medical systems, and not in a good way. The author does a great job of sharing views from both twin sister’s that allow the mystery to unravel. I found myself guessing right up until the very end and I thought the ending was brilliant! 5 ⭐️

The story was a little far-fetched, not my style very unrealistic but I finished it I have liked her other books much more.

I highly recommend this well-crafted thriller to devoted fans like me and to any reader looking for a gripping, unputdownable read from the very first page. This book starts out strong with Georgia, our MFC, who was adopted, standing over her bloodied and dead sister holding a book end that she had bought her for her birthday. Georgia is sent to a Mehran mental hospital where she awaits on whether or not she'll be found competent to stand trial or not. Meanwhile, Mandy gets a call from the hospital advising her that her sister would like her to pick up her stuff. Mandy is shocked because, as far as she knows, she's an only child. When Mandy gets to the hospital, Georgia immediately claims that Mandy needs to help her out.
After meeting Georgia, Mandy immediately feels a connection and wants to uncover the truth. Is Mandy being played, or is there way more to this story then we think? Trust me read it and find out its worth it!

I knew as soon as I saw this book, I had to read it. Of course it didn’t disappoint. I loved it.
We follow twins Maddy and Georgia, who just found out the other existed. Georgia has just been arrested for murdering her other sister Annabelle. Instead of going to jail, she is placed in a pysch ward. When Mandy goes to visit Georgia, Georgia asks Mandy to get her out there as they are going to kill her.
After that line I was hooked. There was tons of twists and turns, some predictable some not. I needed to keep reading to find out what happened.

This book had me hooked and intrigued from the very beginning. It begins with Georgia being locked in a psychiatric ward for killing her sister Annabelle and the only person she wants to see is her estranged twin sister Mandy. The chapters alternate between Georgia and Mandy’s point of view, while unraveling two different storylines: did Georgia kill her sister Annabelle? And how did Georgia and Mandy become estranged?

I enjoyed the short chapters as they often ended in cliffhangers and made me want to keep reading. I also enjoyed the alternating chapters between Georgie and Mandy. There were a few twists and turns along the way that I didn’t see coming. However there were some characters and subplots that were underdeveloped which had me feeling less invested in some pieces of the story. A big theme of the story is the connection between sisters and twins, and the book ends with another twist I didn’t predict. While I enjoy a book that ends with a twist, I felt this particular ending was too random and the author could have done a better job of setting up the ending by developing more details throughout the book.

Overall it was a good thriller, it kept me on my toes and I found myself often saying “just one more chapter”.

I only made it to 20%. The writing felt rough—maybe because it’s in second person? The premise sounded intriguing, but it quickly became too ridiculous. She attended her twin sister’s sister's wake, and not a single person recognized her? There should be at least some resemblance, right? It’s disappointing because I really enjoyed House of Glass, but this one needed more work in the editing department.