Sarah Pekkanen never disappoints! This is the PERFECT summer thriller. Five stars for her twistiest book yet!

This one grabs you from the first page. Georgia Cartwright is accused of murdering her sister Annabelle. She is transferred to the fifth floor of the hospital - the locked ward. This is where the violent criminals go. She knows her only way out is to get in touch with her newly found twin sister Mandy.

This story alternates between Georgia and Mandy’s POVs. The chapters are fast and short, and the twists and turns never stop coming. Mandy is trying to get answers to her own questions about her new sister, and Georgia weaves a tale that will eventually answer all of the reader’s questions. I had so many theories about this one, but I never saw the ending coming. And that epilogue - buckle up!

January LaVoy does an amazing job with the audiobook - as always. If you prefer audiobooks, this one is a winner!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for the digital and audiobook copies of this book! I was so excited to read/listen to this one early. It is out on August 5th - preorder it now!

4.25 stars
I enjoyed the latest thriller by Sarah Pekkanen. The narration of this thriller is unique. It alternates between twin sisters, Georgia Cartwright and Amanda Ravenel. Georgia is being held on the locked psychiatric floor of a hospital being accused of killing her younger sister. Her chapters are narrated in the second person, which takes a little getting used to. Mandy's chapters are told in the first person. Even though she doesn't think Georgia is telling her the whole truth about her situation, Mandy still wants to help her new-found twin, plus she's keeping a few secrets of her own.

We get to know both twins as Mandy ends up putting herself in danger as she tries to help Georgia and get answers about her own life. I was terrified for Georgia, at the mercy of both patients and staff who are dangerous while locked in the secure ward. I felt bad for what Mandy was going through as well, but didn't always connect with her character. I followed along with the sisters, trying to decide who really killed Annabelle. I guessed a few of the plot twists, but was wrong in my theory about the killer. I enjoyed the information about the bonds of twins as well. I thought a couple things could have been explained in more detail at the end, but overall this was a suspenseful, entertaining thriller.

I received an advance copy of this ebook for review consideration from St. Martin's Press and NetGalley. My review is voluntary and unbiased.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC. This book was told from two perspectives. It was easy to follow and keep track of the story lines. Family saga, wealth, sibling rivalry and secrets make up this story. I’ve read several books by this author and enjoy them.

A murder infiltrates a family, bringing with it a web of secrets, lies, and intrigue where nothing is as it seems. Pekkanen crafts characters that are detailed and layered, just as we all are in real life, and I found myself genuinely invested in each person's story.
Pekkanen's writing flows seamlessly, carrying the plot forward as she expertly uncovers truths, while simultaneously throwing up smokescreens, creating revelations that are both surprising and inevitable. The journey from beginning to end is masterfully constructed, transforming what initially appears straightforward into something far more complex and nuanced.
By the conclusion, the story looks nothing like it did at the beginning, but the resolution feels earned rather than manipulative. This is a satisfying read for anyone who enjoys psychological play alongside their murder mysteries.

“No one becomes the most powerful person in the free world without creating a scorched-earth path to the Oval Office. People can do—have done—just about everything imaginable to achieve that kind of power… Don’t ever think you can win. You can’t even imagine the forces that are lined up against you.”

The story is told in dual POV - and the more I learned about Georgia (told in third-person, omniscient or Mandy? I’m not sure) and Mandy (told in first person) - just increased the suspense.

Excellent character development, tons of twists, and an ending with a revelation I didn’t see coming!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Do you like twin stories? If the answer is no, then this may not be the book for you.

Georgia Cartwright has been brought up in the lofty circles of the elite and powerful. Adopted and shunned by her mother Honey who favored her natural born daughter Annabelle, she now stands accused of murdering this sister in a fit of jealousy and is placed in a locked ward until her mental competency for trial is determined.

Mandy (Amanda) Ravenel is a bartender raised as an only child by loving parents in more modest circumstances. Her life is stable and predictable until her phone rings one morning with news she could never have imagined:

Georgia is not only her twin, but she’s asking for her help to prove she didn’t murder Annabelle.

This is where my buy-in faltered. Long-lost twin or not, I struggled to believe Mandy would risk life and limb amongst powerful threats that would want to silence her for the sake of a woman she literally just met.

Don’t get me wrong, I kept turning those pages and listening along while January LaVoy expertly narrated the unfolding drama, so I was definitely invested in where the story was going. The short chapters flew by, creating the “just one more” effect that I love in books, and Pekkanen’s writing is very good, so no issues with that.

My main issue was simply that stories about twins or rich and powerful politically-connected people behaving badly or misusing their influence just don’t excite me much. I can turn on the news and see abuses of power every day that I WISH were just fiction.

The best part of the book for me was Georgia’s experience inside the locked ward. That part felt terribly menacing! If the whole book was about a character in those circumstances, I’d have been hooked. It felt genuinely threatening. Mandy’s efforts on the outside in trying to clear Georgia fell flat for me and had none of that nail-biting tension, nor did the ending reveal and the epilogue, both of which felt a bit predictable and anticlimactic.

The story is a decent, well-written story, so the issue is just one of what kind of plots I prefer. While I enjoyed the story to a point, this plot didn’t work as well for me, but there’s definitely an audience for these kinds of characters and their stories. I’d encourage you to read others' reviews before you decide. The audio is very good if you do try this!

★★★ ½

I was really looking forward to this book, and what an utter disappointment it was. I loved the titles You Are Not Alone , The Golden Couple and An Anonymous Girl that this author wrote with Greer Hendricks. I should have known this might not be a hit with me because the last book I read, which this author wrote alone, Gone Tonight, didn't appeal to me either.

This one is about Georgia (adopted), who is accused of murdering her sister (the parents' biological child). Georgia is sent to a psychiatric hospital for people who commit violent crimes while she waits for her trial to start. While there, she touches base with her twin sister, Amanda, whom she has never met. Amanda is then sucked into Georgia's dramarama.

What I did like about the book was the setting, which created a tense, claustrophobic atmosphere that is perfect for a thriller. The plot, however, was so frustrating to me because it was so damn predictable; the so-called twists had no impact on my reading experience whatsoever. I had a hard time connecting with Georgia or Mandy. Georgia didn't seem realistic; she was very one-dimensional, and I didn't sympathize with her grief or her fears.

While the premise is an intriguing one, the execution failed miserably. It didn't live up to the interesting setup, and it lacked the suspense needed to make it worthwhile. This was such a promising idea that just didn't deliver.

This book was enjoyable but the end felt rushed and unrealistic. There were some plot holes snd unnecessary parts to the story. Also the idea of twins being separated at birth felt really unoriginal to me.

In this new and addictive thriller by Sarah Pekkanen, two estranged sisters realize that the answers to the murder they're trying to solve while one is locked in a psychiatric ward are a lot closer than they think.

I've read several books by this author and have enjoyed most of them! This one, however, I feel a little torn about. On the one hand, I was obsessed with the storyline and had a hard time putting the book down. On the other hand, the ending honestly muddled all my thoughts and feelings, especially regarding Patty's character and how it tied with the senator and the epilogue with Mandy. It didn't seem like the senator was a shady character by any means in the end, so why were Patty's threats necessary? It added an eeriness to the second half of the book . . . until it didn't make sense to me. I'm also all for ambiguous endings in thrillers, but this one was a little unsatisfying for some reason. This book was such a quick read, and the chapters were so short that it was easy to make progress. I just ended the book feeling a little more confused than satisfied!

3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thanks so much to St. Martin's and NetGalley for the ARC of The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen.

This thriller begins big: wealthy socialite and wedding planner Georgia Cartwright wakes up in the locked ward of a hospital. She realizes that she is in danger, and the only person who might be able to help is her twin sister, Mandy.
The challenge is that Mandy has no idea that she has a twin sister, so convincing her to get involved to save Georgia will be hard.
The storyline switches between Mandy’s and Georgia’s perspectives and there is a deep sense of betrayal as you learn more about how politicians will do anything to keep a secret quiet. Both sisters have secrets and there are surprises all the way to the end. A fun summer thriller!
4.5/5 stars.

Mandy’s twin sister Georgia is placed in a mental institution for the murder of her younger sister Annabell.
Mandy and Georgia were separated at birth and now Georgia wants her to help prove she didn’t kill her sister.
This was a great thriller with interesting characters and an ending I didn’t see coming. Thanks NetGalley and St. Martins Press for this ARC that will be released August 5, 2025!

I enjoyed this thriller, but it felt more like a mystery than a thriller. I felt like the prologue really made it seem like this book was going to get very creepy and a little scary, but it never quite reached that point. I was not blown away by the twists either.

When the daughter of a wealthy Southern family is allegedly murdered by her adopted sister, everyone wants to know why. Georgia is placed in a psychiatric ward for allegedly murdering her sister, Annabelle. Georgia contacts her newly discovered twin sister, Amanda, for help. What follows is a sordid story of jealousy, betrayal, and secrets.

The Locked Ward was one of those novels that I kept thinking about when I wasn’t reading it. I really enjoyed the unique setting and plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

This is not a criticism of the author at all. I like her a lot. I just cannot read or listen to anything in second person. It is so unlike how we tell a story in the real world unless we are being insincere., like telling someone else how they experienced something. For example, if I said to my husband "you forgot to make the coffee again. You were playing a videogame and got distracted." Is feels off and rude. It also reminds me of the "love letters" men would send me in my 20s. Like no sir, that is not what happened and it is not how I would perceive this situation.
I read up on it and it is apparently a common enough writing style now, meant to make us feel more of a connection with the scene. It does not do that for me. It puts me in a defensive mode. I have also never woken up in grippy socks and sought a connection with a long lost twin, so what do I know?
I like the parts that are not written this way and I commend the author for trying new writing styles. I hope everyone else loves this.

After thoroughly enjoying Sarah Pekkanen’s House of Glass last year, I was quick to request an ARC of this book as soon as I saw it hit NetGalley. The premise intrigued me. We have twins, a murder, a psychiatric institution, and a web of family secrets. Sold. I’m always up for a tense, twisty psychological thriller, especially when it promises complex sister dynamics and a potentially unreliable narrator. Unfortunately, while this one had all the ingredients I usually love, the final result didn’t quite land for me.

The setup is compelling enough: Georgia Cartwright, the adopted daughter of a wealthy Southern family, is accused of murdering her sister. While she waits for trial, she’s being held in a psychiatric hospital reserved for the most violent offenders. Her estranged twin, Amanda, shows up for a visit and is quickly pulled into the swirling mystery of whether Georgia is a wrongfully accused pawn in a twisted family game, or something far more manipulative. It’s juicy. It’s atmospheric. It should work. And it mostly does. The plot moves at a decent pace, and there’s enough tension to keep the pages turning.

But where the book stumbled for me was in its execution, particularly the choice of narration style. Georgia's chapters are told in second-person. Now, I understand what Pekkanen was trying to do here. She wanted the reader to embody Georgia, to experience the psychological breakdown and claustrophobia of confinement firsthand. But second-person is a tough sell. It rarely works for me, and in this case, it created way too much distance between Georgia and I instead of bringing me closer. I kept stumbling over lines like “The smell of bleach fills your nose” or “Your arms and legs ache,” and thinking, "No, it doesn't", or "my arms and legs are fine, thanks". I know it's a weird personal quirk, but I think it comes from a pet peeve of being told how to feel, speak, or act. I always push back against that. If a book starts telling me what I should be feeling or thinking, it pulls me right out of the story. It totally breaks the spell.

This won't bother everyone. Some readers may find the second-person approach haunting and immersive. For me, it pulled me out of the story every time it showed up, and that made it hard to feel emotionally invested in Georgia. I never quite connected to Amanda either, which is disappointing since so much of the book relies on her shifting perceptions and unraveling sense of trust. I was more of a passive observer than an active participant in her story.

The mystery itself is fine. Solid, but not particularly shocking. I guessed most of the major beats well before they were revealed. There’s no real gut-punch twist, no gasp-worthy moment that resets your understanding of the plot. That’s not to say it’s poorly done, it just plays things pretty safe for a psychological thriller. The atmosphere is eerie, the pacing is steady, and there’s a few unsettling scenes, but it never fully grabbed me the way I wanted it to. If you’ve read widely in the genre, this one won’t surprise you.

Now, on a more positive note: the audiobook is fantastic. January LaVoy is one of my favorite narrators, and she does an outstanding job here. Her delivery is precise, emotionally nuanced, and she gives distinct voices to each character without making it feel performative. She brings energy to the narrative and smooths over some of the pacing dips in the middle. Honestly, her narration probably added an extra half-star to my reading experience. If you’re going to pick this one up, I’d recommend the audio format for that reason alone.

So where does that leave me? It’s not a bad book. Not by any stretch. It’s readable, well-paced, and competently written. It just didn’t click with me on a deeper level. Between the second-person narration and a plot that didn’t quite deliver on its dark promise, I walked away feeling lukewarm. That said, I’ll still read Pekkanen’s future work. She has a strong sense of mood and clearly knows how to structure a thriller. This one just wasn’t the hit I hoped for, but that doesn’t mean it won’t work for someone else.

Really enjoyed this psychological thriller. I enjoyed the dual POV and the unreliable narrator. This book took me on a rollercoaster ride and did not see the ending coming.

I have mixed thoughts on this one.

The story is told via two POV narrators. One is in first person, the other in the rarely used second person. I’m just not a fan of second person narration. It’s weird, and no matter how well executed, the constant “you” did this and “you” did that takes me out of the story.

The premise fascinated me. I wanted to know if Georgia was guilty of murder, and if not, who was.

But the execution didn’t work well for me. The wealthy family felt too superficial and stereotypical of this type of domestic thriller. And the second half of the story went off the rails a bit too much.

I listened to the audiobook, which is narrated by the fabulous January LaVoy. She truly makes every book a better experience.

Very much enjoyed this book. I really got sucked into the story. I figured out one or two things but there was a few twists I wasn’t expecting too.

This book gets off to a crazy start with the premise that a woman who is being held in a psychiatric ward accused of killing her sister asks her lawyer to contact another young woman and claim they are twins separated at birth and she needs her help to prove her innocence. I almost stopped there at 20% thinking this is nuts, but hung in and I'm glad I did. Pekkanen has penned another entertaining read with several surprising plot twists. This would be a good beach read for late summer.

Many thanks to the author and publisher for providing me with an arc of this new thriller via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and the opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to @stmartinspress and Netgalley for my #gifted copy.

Georgia finds herself in a locked ward after being accused of murdering her sister. The thing is she has another sister, a twin, Georgia knows Mandy will her help her figure out what really happened to her stepsister even though they had never meet. While I liked the plot and thought it was entertaining, I just didn't really care for any of the characters. That usually makes it hard for me to get invested in the story. It was almost a DNF for me but then I switched to the audiobook and that made me want to find out how it was all going to wrap up. I did have a good time listening to Mandy try to figure out a whole side of family and her trying to figure out why Georgia would murder her sister or if she even did!
2.5*