An entertaining read but it got to be outlandish towards the end. I feel like the author tried too hard to put twists in it

Thank you NetGalley for a digital copy of this book. The opinions expressed are my own and freely given.
This book is told in 2 different POV. 1st person is told from Mandy's POV and Georgia's POV is told in 2nd. Mandy receives a call telling her twin sister is in the "Locked Ward" of the hospital and has been charged with the murder of her other sister. The only problem is, Mandy doesn't have a twin sister. Georgia claims her innocence and swears that Mandy is the only one that can help her. Before she was taken she left clues to point Mandy to help her prove that she didn't kill her sister, Annabelle.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story . It was a very fast paced, held my interest and kept me wondering if Georgia really was innocent.

Sarah Pekkanen has been a must read author for me for years now and I absolutely love when NetGalley offers an ARC and I get to read her latest early!

The Locked Ward is a psychological thriller that had me guessing until the very end. The way the story unfolded, with alternate perspectives and moments from the past filling in one puzzle piece while introducing others was skillful.

This one comes out in early August and will be the perfect book to devour pool side or sitting on the beach!

Sarah Pekkanen’s The Locked Ward is a sharp, gripping psychological thriller that pulls you deep into the chaos of a locked psychiatric unit. The story is fast-paced and layered with tension, offering just enough twists to keep you guessing without feeling overdone. Pekkanen balances suspense with a raw, human look at mental health, trauma, and survival. It’s dark, smart, and hard to put down — a must-read for fans of intense, character-driven page turners

Fans of Frieda McFadden will enjoy this new thriller. I loved the use of dual pov and the setting of a well to do family. The twists were unexpected but believable which is a nice change from many thrillers I read. Overall, a quick palate cleanser book.

When Georgia Cartwright is put into the psych ward accused of the murder of her adopted sister, Annabelle Cartwright, she reaches out to her newly discovered long-lost twin. Mandy is shocked to learn of Georgia’s existence but works to unravel the mystery of events that led to Annabelle’s death.

I’ve enjoyed other books by Pekkanen and this was no exception. Very well written and very engaging. I liked the dual POVs and felt very invested in each girl. A book you could easily read in 2-3 sittings. My main criticism is the twists, though fun, weren’t anything crazy. Overall such an enjoyable thriller.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins for the ARC!

The Locked Ward is a tense psychological thriller about Georgia Cartwright, who, after being accused of murdering her biological sister, is locked in a psychiatric facility. Told through shifting perspectives, Sarah Pekkanen masterfully unravels secrets, family betrayals, and blurred realities. Dark, twisty, and impossible to put down.

I throughly enjoyed this book and would love to read more from this author. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC

Georgia's step-sister was murdered on the night of her birthday party and Georgia has been accused because everyone knows that Georgia, the adopted black sheep of their wealthy family has always had it out for the favored "miracle" daughter, Annabelle. She awaits to find out what will happen to her locked away in a psychiatric ward and the only person who she can trust and to help prove her innocence is her twin sister, Mandy, who doesn't even know that Georgia exists.

As Mandy struggles to deal with the shock of discovering she has a twin and help save her sister by uncovering the truth, she also has to put the pieces of her past together and make peace with the lies she's lived with her entire life.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC of The Locked Ward. From the beginning, Pekkanen draws you into the complicated relationship of twin sisters finding each other and all of the emotions that go along with that. Filled with surprises and twists just when you think you've figured it out, The Locked Ward was hard to put down.

Georgia is locked up on a psychiatric hold after she was found covered in blood, standing over her sister Annabelle's dead body. It's clear from the beginning that something is off, as disclosed in her inner monologue, but the reader isn't sure what to think about her guilt. We see from the perspective of her twin sister, Mandy, as she receives the news that she's been asked to visit Georgia, whom she's only heard about in the news. It's not until she receives a phone call from Georgia's lawyer that Mandy discovers that they are related, and they are twins. So her whole life is thrown into chaos with this news, especially because Georgia's family is one of the wealthiest in the South. Mandy can't help but visit her, and her curiosity is piqued when Georgia appears catatonic, then whispers her innocence.

The story proceeds in the dual perspectives as the reader follows Georgia's grim situation in the ward with interesting characters, some menacing, a few helpful. We see memories of her and Annabelle growing up, showing how highly her sister was favored over Georgia and how events were twisted to paint Georgia as the jealous and violent sister. We also watch as Mandy investigates Georgia's life and family, staying in her luxurious apartment, wearing her luxurious clothes, and attempting to infiltrate Georgia's world to uncover the truth.

So the sisterhood theme is really driven hard; it could have been a bit more subtle, but I suppose it's perfect for family drama. Readers will ponder over Georgia's motives and how innocent she really was. Mandy finds out more secrets about how she and Georgia were split apart, and they are juicy, all right. The ending probably won't be a surprise, but you won't be able to help racing through and seeing how it all comes together. I'm a fan of this author, and her stories are always page-turners. This is no exception, and if toxic families are your thing, you won't want to miss this one!

Welp. This one was so promising. I was immediately hooked into it. Loved the dual POVs and the back and forth with the timeline. I just felt like things got super duper weird. And too unbelievable

This one didn’t work for me. It started out pretty good and I was enjoying the short chapters, but about 40% in the book took a turn for the worse. I felt like the author didn’t know how to wrap things up because her premise was so thin. I didn’t care for the way Georgia’s chapters were written as it added nothing to the book. And the entire “twin” thing got really annoying quickly. I think it would have worked better had they been identical. A lot of authors today are stuck in what I call the Gone Girl Mentality. They must have a twist, the more the better, and the characters, and plot, and logic are given short shrift.

Sarah Pekkanen’s The Locked Ward is a twisty psychological thriller that delves into the dark secrets of a powerful family. When Georgia Cartwright is confined to a psychiatric institution after being accused of her sister’s murder, she reaches out to Amanda, the twin sister she never knew she had. Told through dual perspectives, the narrative keeps readers guessing as Amanda uncovers layers of deceit and hidden truths. While it wasn’t my favorite of Pekkanen’s works, the suspenseful plot and unexpected twists kept me hooked until the end. I would ultimately recommend.

(4.5/5 stars)
The Locked Ward is a gripping, claustrophobic psychological thriller that had me questioning every character’s motive until the very last page.

Sarah Pekkanen dives deep into the messy, often murky waters of sisterhood, identity, and inherited trauma. The dynamic between Amanda and Georgia is at the heart of the novel, and it’s both unsettling and oddly tender. You’re never quite sure who’s telling the truth—or if either of them is. That ambiguity is handled so well, it creates a constant undercurrent of tension that doesn’t let up.

The setting of the locked psychiatric ward adds another layer of unease. It’s oppressive, dreamlike, and haunting in a way that feels psychological rather than supernatural. I found myself as unsure as Amanda—unsure of what was real, who to trust, and whether Georgia was a victim, a monster, or something in between.

It leans into familiar tropes—twins, institutional horror, twisted family secrets—but does so with nuance and a clear sense of emotional stakes. Pekkanen doesn’t just deliver a fast-paced thriller; she explores what it means to be shaped (and scarred) by the people closest to you.

Chilling, immersive, and quietly devastating. I couldn’t put it down.

Georgia Cartwright killed her adopted sister.... or did she?

The scandal of the year opened more than the headlines of the evening news... a secret twin is found, and asked to investigate and help her sister. She finds a level of secrecy and deceit like no other, and an ending no one saw coming.

This book had a really interesting presence. Twins, separated at birth, are unaware of each other for most of their lives. They are brought together when one twin, Georgia, is accused of the high-profile murder of her sister and biological child of her adoptive parents. Georgia is locked in a psych ward that may not be as safe as she’d hoped, and it’s up to her twin Mandy to help her. Mandy is thrust into learning of a twin, questioning her whole life, and how her adoptive parents had been involved with this family… while deeply wanting to save her sister.

The execution of this book was just too far-fetched for me. The twins learn of the other amidst this murder investigation and feel quickly connected. Mandy sees the similarities and even calls out the subtle differences in their appearances and yet no one recognizes similarity between them despite thrusting herself into Georgias family, friends, and building. Even so much as going on a date with Georgia’s friend… and still no one calls out similarity to the supposed murderer. There were other plot holes for me as well - a coed psych ward with very loose security protocols, near instant DNA results, etc. I couldn’t get past this unfortunately.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book seemed to struggle with being disjointed
in my eyes, but came to a great wrap up just in time.
I’m a fan of the Author, but this one was not the hype
I had been waiting for., though I felt more a part of
the organized mayhem by the end of the book. I
do not recall other suspense stories,or discovering
twins, one of whose might be a murder suspect,
and from a somewhat defective bloodline, but
that angle was my favorite. I am certain that
diehard fans will love the book.
My thanks to St Martin’s Press for the download
of the book for review purposes.

Mandy knows she was adopted, but she grew up with very loving parents who have passed away. She finds out she has a twin sister….one who is locked in a psych ward after killing her other sister-and she needs Mandy’s help.

I really enjoyed this one! Multiple mysteries, multiple POVs, pretty fast paced and short chapters. Highly recommend this one!

Georgia Cartwright's life as a premier wedding planner is turned upside down when she is accused of killing the daughter of a wealthy Southern family.
After she is locked up in a psychiatric ward of the local hospital to await her trial, her estranged twin sister Amanda visits her. Georgia desperately reaches out to her. She insists she didn’t’ kill anyone, and she is petrified by the dangerous criminals she is surrounded by on the ward.
Amanda isn’t entirely convinced that Georgia is telling the truth. Still, she is her sister, and she decides to conduct her own investigation into the circumstances surrounding the murder for which Georgia is being accused.
Amanda soon finds that there was a master plan against Georgia, and she has been wrongfully accused of a murder she didn’t commit. To prove her innocence and free her, she must now go against a local, politically motivated family.

Georgia is locked in a physch ward for killing her sister Annabelle. Did she do it? She gets the help of her long lost sister Amanda, to help her get out and prove her innocence. Will Amanda be able to navigate this new rich elite world that she's never been part of before to get answers and free her sister from the physch ward?

This book was riveting!! I loved reading it, definitely a great thrillers!! The moment it come out you should pick it up!!