I could not put this book down. The book jumps between two POV’s. Of Georgia and Mandy. I ever got confused and they added mystery and intrigue be reveling things like breadcrumbs about who they are and what’s going on. The twists I didn’t some coming and to me that makes a really good thriller.

I have loved all of Sarah and Greer books but solo Sarah has been a struggle until now! This is what I was looking for from her! The twists, the misleading, could not put this one down! Loved it!

2.5 rounded down 🌟

really wasn’t a huge fan of this book. i enjoyed the twists and turns of it all but truly the storyline was all over the damn place. i couldn’t keep up with what was happening. there was about 3-4 storylines happening all at once. the second person narration was really not doing it for me either! every time one of the twins mentioned some telepathic communication i rolled my eyes, it was mentioned too much and didn’t add a thing to the story.
adding opal to the story did nothing, her incompetence as a psych mental health worker barely added anything to the story (except for maybe playing into the possible conviction of georgia).

i really wish i enjoyed this read more. the writing wasn’t really doing it for me or the multiple storylines. this book had so much potential because when we focused on the main story line (getting georgia out of the locked ward) it was interesting and twisty.

thank you netgalley and st. martins press for this arc.

I was lucky to receive an ARC ebook of The Locked Ward. I have been wanting a good thriller and this one did not disappoint. There was drama and twists and it really was a great thriller! Highly recommend!

Your next unputdownable thriller!

This thriller really has it all - engaging storytelling, a creepy mental institution setting, family secrets, lies, power and even twins separated at birth. I was not bored for a minute while reading this book. Each chapter seems to end with some type of cliffhanger which kept me frantically turning the pages. I loved the unreliability of the characters. Grab this one if you like unsettling and atmospheric thrillers.

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

This was a suspension thriller from the very start. So suspenseful and intriguing. I didn’t figure out the ending at all. It really kept me guessing.

Georgia Cartwright was adopted at birth. She is currently locked in a psych ward, accused of murdering the biological daughter of her affluent parents. Georgia isn’t talking except when she whispers to her newfound twin sister, Amanda, “I didn’t do it.” Georgia is desperate to prove her innocence. But can Amanda trust Georgia?

I am a huge fan of Sarah Pekkanen’s writing and jumped at the chance to read and review this one. I enjoyed the points of view of both Georgia and Amanda. The plot of the story was excellent. I enjoyed the twists and turns. I recommend this one to anyone that enjoys twisty thrillers! I give it 4 out of 5 stars.

I am just catching up on my NetGalley reviews, my health has not been fabulous this month so I havent felt like writing them.

This book was a total vibe that I got. Georgia and Amanda were two boss ass bitches and the story was all consuming. I ate this up in a day. There were many fabulous twists and turns, I genuinely had to put the book down as some points to get myself together. At times, I couldnt figure out who to root for because the characters were so compelling, The ending though, that was a masterpiece. Will definitely be picking up this authors work again.

Thank you NetGalley for a ARC copy of this book for an honest review.

The Locked Ward had me captivated from the very first page. Told in two point of views, Georgia finds herself in a mental ward for murdering her sister. She reaches out to a woman who she has just discovered is her twin sister. She pleads with her long lost twin to help her and prove her innocence. Mandy immerses herself in saving her twin. Also Mandy is trying to figure out how she even has a unknown twin in the first place.as she digs into her deceased adopted parents’ history.. The story had a lot of twists and turns for me and I really was not able to figure out what was going on. All my guesses were wrong ! I really liked the storyline. Thank you to NetGalley and St.Martin’s Press for advanced copy and exchange of an honest review . The Locked Ward publishes on August 5, 2025.

A totally addictive thriller with twists that keep you hooked! The Locked Ward delivers a fast-paced, gripping story filled with suspense, secrets, and plenty of unexpected turns. The characters are intriguing, and the tension builds steadily, making it hard to put down until the very end.

This book had a great pace for a mystery. Every time I thought I knew what would happen next there was another twist. Thrillers, especially those involving politicians, can very quickly become too unbelievable but Pekkanen made sure that everything happening could be believed.

All families are complicated in their own ways and I enjoyed having my own preconceived thoughts about who was the luckier daughter turned on their head.

DNF at 43%

I wish I liked this more. I liked Georgia’s POV, although I didn’t like that it was in second person. I hated Mandy and her constant “twinning” thoughts. They knew each other for 30 seconds. The constant “my sister this my sister that” drove me crazy. I wish I could have looked past it to find out what happens to Georgia but it was driving me up the wall.

Sarah Pekkanen is one of my favorite authors, so I knew I’d enjoy The Locked Ward. This thriller did not disappoint, it was a fast, engaging read with a great twist at the end. I’m always drawn to stories set in psych wards because of the naturally eerie and tense atmosphere, and this one really delivered on that front. Another solid read from an author I always trust to keep me hooked!

Pekkanen draws readers into a taut, unsettling atmosphere from the very first page. The story unfolds in a clinical, almost claustrophobic setting, but what really grips you is the emotional tension simmering beneath the surface. With sharp pacing and a unique narrative structure, the book keeps you questioning what's real, who to trust, and how deep the mind can bury the truth. It's a layered, absorbing read that lingers after the final chapter.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the digital ARC of “The Locked Ward” in exchange for my honest opinion. I had a hard time putting this one down. It had a good psychological thriller feel and I liked the attention to the connections twins often have. I thought the characters were well developed and the backdrop of a mental institution definitely created an uneasy vibe throughout. I thought the shorter chapters worked well to keep the plot moving as well as the multiple viewpoints. This was a good escape from reality, proving things can always be worse. Sarah Pekkanen will always be an author I come back to for new releases.

Interesting book. I had never read anything by this author before. It did seem to drag a bit. That is why I only gave it to stars. I will try another book by this author.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are mine.

What a twisty read and so unexpected. The book follows twin sisters (maybe or maybe not) Georgia Cartwright who is accused of killing the biological daughter of the wealthy family she was adopted into and Amanda the twin sister she asks to help prove her innocence. Family secrets get unravelled ,trust gets tested and true characters revealed. Great read for a lazy Saturday afternoon.

This thriller makes you trust no one. You don’t know who is telling the truth and who is lying.

We get 2 POVs from Mandy and Georgia and I loved how the author wrote the 2 POVs in different styles so it was easy to tell them apart.

I would say this is a medium paced thriller but I was hooked through out the entire time. I wanted to know if Georgia was guilty or not.

I do think the ending felt a bit rushed and I was left with questions, that’s the same feeling I had with another one of Sarah Pekkanen’s book.

Genre: Thriller
APK: Ebook
Pages: 312
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Series or Standalone: Stand-alone

Thank you St. Martins Press for a free copy of The Locked Ward for an honest review

This might not be the best Pekkanen book I've read, but it is still pretty amazing. As usual the main characters are well thought out and developed, and the twists keep you entertained.
A set of twin girls are separated at birth, and tragic circumstances reunite them. As they try to get to know each other, they both have to figure out how much is manipulation and if they can trust the only real family they have left.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read and review this ARC.

Twins separated at birth, with no knowledge of the other’s existence, until it’s nearly too late. One of them with a mysteriously dead non-biological sister. And a murder rap.

Sarah Pekkanen’s THE LOCKED WARD had me from the start. The story is well told, with alternating chapters by Georgia who is hiding out in a mental ward faking crazy and Amanda, her sister on the outside who has to decide if Georgia is really innocent and, if so, how to prove it. The final twist seemed gratuitous but still it was an engrossing story.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher St. Martin’s press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.