Family Drama, thriller, and psych wards oh my! The author does an amazing job of developing both the characters and storyline! I loved the dynamic explored between twin connections and the classic whodunit mystery twist the book read quite quickly with well a balanced chapters. I did wish some scenes were given more detail. I cannot wait to read more thrillers to come from this author.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this piece of work
Thank you Net Galley, Sarah Pekkanen and St. Martins Press for allowing me to review this advanced copy of The Locked Ward. I was not influenced or paid in exchange for this honest review.

Absolutely loved this one! Definitely a 5 star read!
Told from the perspectives of Georgia and Mandy, this story pulled me in right away. Georgia is locked in a psychiatric facility for violent offenders and reaches out to her twin sister for help, only problem is, Mandy doesn’t even know she exists.

Packed with family drama, suspense, and secrets, this book had me hooked from the first page. The short chapters made it so easy to fly through and always left me needing just one more. I couldn’t put it down.

Highly recommend if you love a twisty family thriller.
Big thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

This novel was a great one! I enjoyed reading this book and found it to be very compelling. It came with complex characters and a great storyline. The premise started off really strong and it came with a well rounded ending. While I liked the dual point of views in the book, I found it to be different, because one was written in first person, while the other point of view was in second person. I would have loved both point of views to be written in first person. This is dark, emotional and tense. It is a fast paced read that is both plot and character driven. It explores family dynamics, the reality inside mental institutions, a twin connection, the power of wealth and the criminal justice system. This kept me fully immersed the entire time reading it, came with short chapters and had twists that I didn’t see coming! I do read a lot of thriller books and I do feel like it did lack in the thriller aspect, but it did come with a lot of mystery! I do see this becoming a best seller book!

“The Locked Ward” is about a girl named Georgia, who gets accused of murdering her wealthy adoptive family's biological daughter and ends up in a psych ward. Georgia claims that she is innocent. Then there is her twin sister named Mandy that just finds out that she has a biological twin sister and it so happens to be Georgia. There’s a lot of guessing and twists as to how this book will play out! Overall, I give this book a 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I think readers who like Freida McFadden books would enjoy this one! Content warnings include murder, mental illness, death, rape, child abuse, sexual assault, violence, self harm and grief.

Thank you to NetGalley, author Sarah Pekkanen and St. Martin's Press for this digital advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

3.5/5. A decent thriller, but not one of the author’s best works. I found the use of second person perspective distracting, even though it became clear why she chose to use it to switch between to differentiate the twins.

The beginning of the book was interesting and I have read almost all of Sarah Pekkanen’s books but this one did not really do anything for me. I wanted to read this book because I was intrigued by the description and I have liked most of her other books.

I wasn’t a fan of the second person narration when reading from Georgia’s point of view. I also wasn’t a huge fan of Mandy. I thought I would like this more because it’s about characters who are adopted and so am I ( I am an international adoptee though) so I thought I would be able to relate partially to it but I really didn’t. I liked the concept but wasn’t a fan of how it was executed.

The ending wasn’t that great. Thanks to St.Martins Press via Netgalley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC of The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen. Long lost twins are thrown together when one of them is arrested and sent to a psychiatric hospital for murder. This was a very good story with great character development. I have read other books by Sarah Pekkanen, I think this is my favorite. This psychological thriller has lots of twists and turns.

This was more of a suspense than a true thriller for me, but I did enjoy it!

I didn’t fly through it, but I caught myself wanting to return back to this story to find out what happened next several times.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this book. All opinions are my own.

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is a psychological thriller about two twins who were separated at birth. Mandy was contacted by an attorney, who said her sister Georgia, who she didn’t even know existed, wanted Mandy to come visit her. Mandy is shocked to find out that Georgia is accused of murdering her adopted parents biological daughter. This was a great read that I couldn’t put down . Thanks to Netgalley for this arc.

Georgia has found her sister, but she is not Annabelle (with whom she’s shared a home since both girls were babies). Now Annabelle is dead and Georgia has been accused of her murder. Georgia enters the psych ward and plays like she needs a psychiatric evaluation. In the mean time, Mandy, learns that she has a twin sister (Georgia) and promises to help her find the real killer. Although skeptical at first, Mandy finds what she needs and in doing so unveils many secrets, including why Senator Dawson (who is hoping to run for president) is so keenly interested in the whole situation. Really enjoyed this well written novel!

This was my first Sarah Pekkanen book—and definitely not my last. I’m a sucker for any thriller set in a psych ward, and The Locked Ward delivers all the eerie, twisty vibes I hoped for.

The story centers around Georgia, adopted into a wealthy Southern family and now accused of murdering her biological sister. She’s locked away in a psychiatric facility for the most violent offenders, and the only person she can turn to is her estranged twin, Amanda. When Georgia says, “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here,” Amanda’s not sure what to believe. Is Georgia the victim of a powerful, toxic family? Or is she playing Amanda into a dangerous game?

Packed with psychological tension, secrets, and family dysfunction, this thriller keeps you guessing until the end. The atmosphere of the ward was unsettling in the best way, and the twists just kept coming. Highly recommended for fans of dark, layered suspense with a dash of Southern Gothic edge.

What if you discovered you had a twin you never knew existed-and the first time you met her was inside the walls of a high-security psychiatric hospital where she's being held for murder?

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen delivers that electrifying premise with gripping intensity and emotional depth. After devouring this novel in record time, I'm now fully invested in the fantasy of discovering a long-lost sibling and feeling that instant, inexplicable connection-just like Georgia and Mandy experience in this twisty thriller.

Told in alternating perspectives, the story follows Georgia, institutionalized and accused of murdering her adoptive sister, and Mandy, a bar owner with no clue about her secret past-until she gets a call that changes everything. Georgia claims she's innocent. Mandy isn't sure what to believe. But when they meet, there's no denying the physical and emotional bond between them. As Mandy begins to dig into Georgia's life-and the powerful Cartwright family who raised her—she starts uncovering a web of secrets that could cost them both everything.

I loved the dual POV format, which added layers of tension and perspective. Georgia's chapters, written in second person, made her psychological unraveling feel intimate and raw. Meanwhile, Mandy's chapters injected a fierce sense of determination and curiosity, especially as she stepped into the murky waters of her sister's past. The contrast between their environments-Mandy's gritty bar life and Georgia's eerie confinement-heightened the suspense beautifully.

One of the standout elements for me was how well Pekkanen crafted both protagonists. I was rooting for them equally, even when doubt crept in. Every character connected to the mystery surrounding Annabelle's death had a motive, and the narrative constantly had me second-guessing my suspicions.

This novel is more than a murder mystery-it's about identity, sisterhood, and how the past can twist its way into the present. Mandy's transformation from skeptical outsider to determined investigator gave the story its emotional core. And as the tension mounted, I found myself questioning everything, especially Georgia's cryptic plea: "You've got to get me out of here."

The writing is fast-paced yet thoughtful, balancing high-stakes drama with emotional nuance. Short chapters and cliffhanger endings made this impossible to put down— flew through it in a day.

Final Verdict:
If you're a fan of psychological thrillers with rich character dynamics, morally gray choices, and spine-tingling suspense, The Locked Ward belongs on your 2025 TBR. It's a smart, emotionally charged, and utterly absorbing read.

What to Expect:
* Hidden family secrets
* Psychological mind games
* Dual POVs (including second-person narration)
* A locked-ward setting brimming with tension
* Themes of sisterhood, identity, and trust

Perfect for readers who enjoy:
✔️ Twisty psychological thrillers
✔️ Found family stories
✔️ Women-led investigations
✔️ Dark, atmospheric settings

I received an ARC of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley in exchange for my honest feedback. I found it to be a pretty quick read, definitely fast-paced and not dragged out. There were at least two surprising twists, which I always enjoy.

I did feel there were a few loose threads/ unexplored plot areas - or perhaps they were meant to be red herrings. I thought the author was going in a different direction with the character of Colby. I would have liked more excerpts from the past before Annabelle was killed.

The author did a good job with contrasting Mandy's lifestyle vs. Georgia's vs. Georgia's current situation. The locked ward seemed properly terrifying.

3.7
Outside of the characters being about as emotionally developed as forth graders, this is solidly constructed and wrapped up without any annoying loose ends. I just hate loose ends.

I love this author but this book wasn’t my favorite (but still good!) I saw the twist at the end coming about 20% into the book. Overall though still a good easy read!

Wow this was an amazing book. I loved all of the twists. I thought I knew what was going to happen but I was completely wrong! Fantastic read and an easy five stars!

I really enjoyed House of Glass so I was excited to get a copy of her new book thanks to @netgalley. I read this in a day because the story was so interesting. Imagine finding out you have a twin and not only that, she’s in a psych ward for killing her sister. I gave this book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and I totally recommend it.

Literally incredible. Finished it in 2 days, didn’t want to put it down. So many good twists and turns to keep you on your toes and always second guessing who really is the murderer. Also love the twist at the end!! 10/10 hands down

{3.5 stars} This book kept me engaged the whole time and I felt like I couldn't stop reading because I just had to find out the truth behind everything! I loved both main characters and how their lives intertwined. However, I felt like it just fell a little flat for me. The ending was just a tad underwhelming for my liking. It was missing something and I just can't put my finger on what it was.

Despite that, I did still enjoy it and read it fairly quickly, because as I mentioned, I literally could not put it down. I would definitely recommend it to someone who is newer to the thriller genre or is just looking for a quick binge worthy thriller!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Georgia Cartwright is in a locked psychiatric ward, after being arrested for killing her sister. Her twin sister, Amanda, was separated from Georgia as a baby, but now she's begging Amanda to get her out. Can Georgia be trusted?
This was a fun book. it was a quick read, and kept my attention. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

It goes without saying that Sarah Pekkanen is the queen of domestic thrillers, and The Locked Ward was no exception. I love a good family drama/murder mystery, and a psychiatric ward is high on the list of creepiest settings for a book. In other words, The Locked Ward really pulled out all the stops.

I love Pekkanen's ability to flip the narrative at a moment's notice, and somehow -- even when the narrative is on its head -- everything makes perfect sense. In addition, Pekkanen did a fantastic job of creating complex characters, especially Georgia and Amanda. As with her other books, I could not put this one down. A must read for 2025!