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

I was really looking forward to this one after loving House of Glass, but unfortunately, it didn’t fully land for me. I appreciated the short chapters and alternating POVs between Georgia and Mandy, but I just couldn’t get past the second person point of view. Every time it pulled me out of the story and made my brain hurt.

There are themes of sibling rivalry, hidden connections and mental health with a touch of suspense. Thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and the author for the DRC.

The Locked Ward is a great fast paced popcorn thriller that had me completely hooked. I went into it thinking I had a good idea of where things were headed, but I was wrong in the way I love being wrong with books! The twist caught me off guard and added a whole new layer to the story that I didn’t see coming.

If you’re in the mood for something twisty, unsettling, and completely addictive, this is a thriller worth picking up.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the e-arc and ALC in exchange for my honest review.

A new thriller by Sarah Pekkanen is always exciting. Il read this in a day because I just needed to know how it was going to end, and I wasn’t disappointed. Her books are always so twisty and dark.

Imagine discovering that you had a twin sister that you knew nothing about. Now imagine you find out about. When that sister is arrested for murdering her other sister. Wild right? Mandy gets a call from a lawyer requesting she go visit her long lost sister, Georgia, in the psychiatric hospital she has been put in after her arrest. Georgia claims innocence and Mandy feels a connection to her sister even though she doesn’t even know her. The 2 set out to prove Georgias innocence.

It is really strange to see your name in a book, especially as a main character! it was fun though. I really enjoyed this crazy story of family, wealth and so many secrets.

Thanks so so much to St Martin’s Press for my early copy to read. . Out on August 5th.

Another fast thriller. I enjoy her writing and her books. I rarely guess the final twists. This one didn’t feel memorable but I will still continue to always read what she writes. I was a little nervous with another asylum story but this one gave Pretty Little liar vibes

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is a gripping and atmospheric thriller that kept me turning pages late into the night. With its layered mystery and alternating character viewpoints, this book delivers a tense, thought-provoking narrative that keeps you guessing until the very end.

The shifting perspectives add depth and complexity, offering insight into each character’s motivations and secrets. Pekkanen masterfully peels back the layers of truth in a psychiatric hospital where no one is quite who they seem.

A great read that makes you think—and nearly impossible to put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I usually like to start writing my reviews as I’m reading, that way I can take out/add details once I finish the book.

But this one… this one surprised the heck out of me! I was originally prepared to blast Patty for giving away secrets with time left to pass info along. But I was quite surprised when Mandy confronted Honey and the truth came out!

Just goes to show that you never really know until the end!

Plot 4/5
Spice 0/5
Suspense 3/5

This book had all the makings of a good psychological thriller. It was easy to read and had fun twists that’s were not predictabl! There’s family drama galore!

Thank you to Sarah Pekkanen, NetGalley, and St Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!

This is a thriller based on twin sisters that didnt know the other existed, and how they navigate this information in the midst of everything going on with Georgia.

This was my first book by this author, and it didnt disappoint. It had great story building, and it kept my attention the entire time. There were a few things at the end that were left unanswered but nothing that ruined the story or anything like that.

I will definitely be looking into more of this author's books.

The Locked Ward immediately pulls you into a thrilling mystery about twin sisters who never knew each other existed until one of them, Georgia, finds herself locked up in a psych ward. She's been accused of murdering her sister, Annabelle, who seemingly "had it all." Georgia, who always felt unwanted and was scolded for her childhood tricks for attention, vehemently denies the murder.

Mandy, her newly discovered twin sister, becomes her only hope. We get both Georgia's and Mandy's points of view, which is fascinating as you see how incredibly similar these separated twins are, yet how they view the same intense situation through completely different lenses. Georgia struggles to communicate and connect with Mandy under constant surveillance, while Mandy dives headfirst into Georgia's life, searching her home and connecting with her friends, desperate for answers. Georgia even warns Mandy that people will come after her next, creating a chilling "why?" that drives much of the story.

This book was a fast-paced and engaging read, packed with unexpected twists, turns, and delicious family scandals. Themes of rich privilege, politics, and sibling rivalry are woven throughout, adding depth to the suspense. It was definitely a nice popcorn thriller that kept me hooked!

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Release date 8/5/25.

I was SO pumped to get this Sarah Pekkanen ARC and it didn't disappoint! This story follows a dual POV of two sisters as they navigate developing a relationship later in life after having two very different upbringingings.

Georgia is awaiting trial locked in a psych ward and feels the only person who can help is her twin sister who never knew she existed. While Amanda is hesitant to trust her estranged twin, she feels equally pulled to try to help her and uncover the truth.

I enjoyed the short chapters, character development and twists and turns along the way. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the chance to read this!

📚 The Locked Ward
✍ Sarah Pekkanen
📖 Mystery/Thriller
⭐4/5
📆 Out 6/5/2025!
➡ Wealthy Southern wedding planner Georgia Cartwright has been accused of murdering her sister. Locked in a psychiatric unit and unable to plead her case without risking her life, she must put all her trust into someone she's never met: her other sister.
◾
🙏 Thank you to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley and the author for an advanced digital copy of The Locked Ward. All opinions are my own.
◾
🎯 What I loved: I really enjoy Sarah Pekkanen's writing and found both main characters in this book both intriguing and likeable which was fun and different for a thriller. I was riveted the first three quarters of this book and thought the way things unfolded and relationships were revealed was propulsive. Though there were quite a few characters, it was easy to follow and the pacing kept me reading without giving me whiplash.

🙅‍♀️ What I didn't: This story developed so well until the very end when several pieces of it fell by the wayside. Characters who I thought had a deeper connection to the resolution just disappeared and subplots that I was invested in didn't get tied up. I was also really confused by the second person narration used for one of the characters- this is a dual POV book about two sisters but one is written in second person while the other is in first person and I'm not sure what function that served.
◾
Read if you love:
*secret twins
*wealthy southern families
*complicated family dynamics
*psych ward + selective mutism
◾
See also: Good Half Gone, The Silent Patient, The Senator's Wife

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!!

ARC REVIEW

Thank you netgally for letting me receive this arc, this book literally starts off with a bang when Georgia finds she is in the psych ward, This is a good quick thriller that you literally wont be able to put down until you can figure out what happens.


My only negative : i think it was laughable georgia and mandy had twin intuiation after only meeting 1-2 times lol

I usually love Sarah’s books but this was a huge miss for me. From the beginning I found it to be a bit far fetched and I just couldn’t connect with the characters

The Locked Ward
Sarah Pekkanen
Pub: 8/5
3.5☆

Was it...
Bitter, all-consuming jealousy?
Pathological sibling rivalry?
Pure insanity?

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?

My Thoughts:
This was a fun, fast paced thriller told in dual POV. I enjoyed the action packed story, the short chapters, and the level of suspense. I struggled with Georgia’s second person POV and felt the ending was slightly underwhelming so it ended up being a like vs love for me. I’ve really enjoyed other books by Pekkanen so I look forward to what is next.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A quick read with identified POV, short chapters and an original storyline. This was not my favourite by Sarah Pekkanen but it enjoyed it. It improved significantly in the last third of the story, after everything had been setup. At that point I couldn’t put it down until I knew how ever played out. (3.5/5)
Thank You to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sarah Pekkanen for the opportunity to read this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkahen tells the story of Georgia Cartwright a wealthy socialite who wakes up in a locked ward after allegedly murdering her sister. There are alternating chapters with Mandy, Georgia’s long lost twin, who gets involved with solving the murder.

I really enjoyed the dual POV aspect of this novel and seeing what lengths those will reach to in order to help family.

My one main issue was the writing style of the different chapters, with Georgia’s being in second person and Mandy’s in first person, made it a little confusing to get into, but all in all a quick read!

If you enjoy a story with a good twist, you will enjoy this book. Long-lost twins, a murder, and being locked in a mental asylum are but a few of the storylines that are covered in this one. I liked finding out the surprise ending as I never guessed it. A fun read!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

You have a twin you did not know existed? She’s in a psychiatric hospital for killing her sister and wants your help? Yes please!

This is a fast paced thriller with continuous suspense. There’s plenty of rich people behaving badly and some nicely done twists. Immensely enjoyable.