The Locked Ward
Sarah Pekkanen
When Georgia is accused of killing her sister (the biological daughter of her adoptive family), she is locked in a psychiatric facility while awaiting trial. Georgia requests the presence of her estranged twin, Amanda, at the facility. Georgia basically tells Amanda she didn't kill her other sister and that she needs help. The story twists on from there.

One thing I enjoyed about this book was the short chapters. The book is written in dual POV (Georgia and Amanda). The pacing is medium to fast, so I was able to read it pretty quickly. The setting of the psychiatric ward (while certainly atmospheric for the story) was not very realistic (there were some pretty far-fetched things happening in there that don't occur in real-life psychiatric units). Also, the book became a little slow about halfway through. I still wanted to know what happened, so I'm giving it three stars. If you love family secrets, estranged siblings at birth, and psychological thrillers, you will love this book.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Georgia was adopted at birth by a wealthy Southern family—but this story begins with her being placed on psychiatric hold after being accused of killing the family’s biological daughter in a fit of rage.

When Amanda—Georgia’s biological twin, adopted by a different family at birth—gets a call about a sister she never knew existed, she’s pulled into a mystery that forces her to uncover the truth about Georgia's life… and their shared past.

This book was gripping and twisty! Lies on top of lies, secrets buried under more secrets. I especially loved the alternating POVs between Amanda and Georgia—it added so much depth and tension.

Sarah Pekkanen doesn’t disappoint. I’ve enjoyed her previous psychological thrillers, and this one definitely delivered.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)

Locked Ward 4 is an intense, claustrophobic read that pulls you straight into the unsettling reality of a psychiatric ward. The author does an excellent job capturing the tension, confusion, and vulnerability of the characters, making you feel like you’re right there with them—uncertain who to trust and what’s real.

The pacing is fast, almost relentless at times, which kept me turning pages late into the night. There are definitely moments where you need to suspend disbelief, but if you lean into the atmosphere rather than pick apart the details, it’s a gripping experience.

What stood out most to me is how unique the storyline felt compared to other thrillers I’ve read. The perspective is fresh, and while some of the plot twists stretch plausibility, they’re undeniably entertaining.

If you enjoy thrillers that blend psychological suspense with a locked-room feel, this one is worth picking up.

I had high expectations for this one after seeing some highly rated reviews… maybe my high expectations made this one even more disappointing?

Georgia was adopted when she was little and then soon after, her parents had a baby. Fast forward thirty ish years… Georgia is accused of murdering her sister. She appears to be in a dissociative state and is locked on a ward prior to trial.

Mandy receives a call from a lawyer saying her twin sister is requesting to see her. Intrigued, she visits her and soon finds out that they are in fact twins separated at birth. Mandy is quickly swept into Georgia’s world, trying to exonerate her sister.

The premise of this was very interesting and the atmosphere on the ward was well described. I found the characters boring and the storyline a half hearted attempt. There were so many little details that just didn’t amount to anything? And I found the level of commitment to Georgia and helping her just unbelievable. I know they talked about their “twin senses” matching up and syncing them but it just didn’t sit right with me. Overall, just expected more from the story.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was like being pulled into a hall of mirrors- every twist had me questioning who to trust. The sibling dynamics struck me as both familiar and strange, contributing to the unsettling aura of the story. I was on edge and yet could not put it down until I finished.

This unfortunately was so slow and boring for me and dragged. I almost DNF a few times but decided to hang tight and see it through and I am not necessarily sure if it was worth it.

A slow burn mystery that started promising but then it quickly turned into a messy soap opera. Unfortunately I could not get into it and I don't think it was for me.

thank you for the advanced copy!

Thank you #NetGalley and @stmartinspress for the free galley.

I have enjoyed the last couple of books that I’ve read by this author, and I love the books she’s co-written with Hendricks. That being said, this one just did not work for me.

Pros:
- fast paced
- short chapters
- multiple POV

What I didn’t like: there are twins who don’t learn of each other until they’re adults but then have an instant twin connection. That drove me crazy. It’s rushed and certain plot points seem to be out of convenience. It all just felt messy to me.

I really enjoyed this book. It is told through the eyes of Georgia who is accused of murder and Mandy who is going to help prove her innocence, in alternating chapters from each of their perspectives. The chapters are fairly short which gives this book faster pacing and as a lot of the chapters end with a cliffhanger/missing piece of information you want to keep reading to find out what happens. There was a small issue with timeline related to past events but it did not impact my enjoyment of the book. If you are looking for a fast paced book or a book to get you out of a reading slump this is a definite recommendation.

I loved the concept and psychological undertones, and Sarah Pekkanen created an atmospheric backdrop that pulled me in. However, the twists didn’t land with the impact I was hoping for, and much of the plot felt somewhat predictable. I was invested enough to see how it ended, but I didn’t get that edge-of-my-seat thrill I expect from a psychological thriller. A solid read, but not my favorite.

This was an interesting read, though it didn't completely grip me. I felt like the author tried pushing the twin aspect more then the mystery of the story. I needed more of a connection to the main characters and just didn't get it. I will say that I did not see the twist at the end but felt like it was kind of rushed.

A gripping psychological thriller, The Locked Ward explores secrets, sisterhood, and deception in a tense psychiatric ward setting. With vivid atmosphere, complex characters, and a twisty plot, Pekkanen keeps readers on edge until a shocking, unforgettable ending.

This book read a lot like the plot of a lifetime movie. Now why this isn't inherently bad, some parts of the story felt tropey, cheesey and a bit over the top.

The twin “telepathy” things were fun but also cringey? lol

I had a good time reading this book but I can't say that I was completely into it for the majority of it. There were a lot of strings involved in this and while the majority of them were resolved, there were quite a few plot holes that still left me with unanswered questions. This book spent a lot of time both not saying enough while also saying way to much. The last few chapters werent really needed in my opinion and I would've opted for one chaper to tie up all of the loose ends.

I'm not sure if I will find myself reading another one of this authors books but who knows.

Thank you to St. Martins Press (via netgalley) for providing me this eArc! (All opinions are my own)

When adopted twin Georgia is accused of murdering her wealthy family’s biological daughter, she’s locked in a psychiatric ward awaiting trial. Her estranged sister Amanda must decide whether Georgia is an innocent victim of a corrupt family—or a master manipulator dragging her into madness.
Unfortunately, this one didn’t work for me. I struggled to stay engaged and would likely have set it aside if not for receiving an ARC and having enjoyed the author’s previous books. The characters felt underdeveloped, the plot came across as forced, and the twist and ending lacked impact. The short, quick chapters were the one redeeming factor that kept me turning the pages.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for a copy of this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
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I have loved Sarah Pekkanen's work in the past. I enjoyed The Locked Ward, a lot. I primarily listened to the audiobook and enjoyed the narrators. I found myself instantly hooked on the plot and wanted to know what the outcome would be. I did not predict the twist at the end and thoroughly enjoyed it. I really liked the setting in the psych ward, as I found it interesting and spooky. Overall, this was a great mystery/thriller read.

I liked the overall storyline but I didn't care for the 2nd person writing decision and I didn't feel connected really to the story. I wanted to finish it eventually, but it took a while to get to that point while I was thinking of DNF'ing it a couple times. I did like the dual POV but at some points, it made it hard to follow some information for some reason. I think there was just a lot going on despite not a lot going on? I think there is an audience out there that would enjoy this more than I did but it just didn't hit for me.

Well, if Sarah Pekkanen writes it, I'm going to read it. The Locked Ward did not disappoint. Based on the cover you might anticipate you will be reading more about someone's time locked away, but actually you get a lot of background information and character development instead. That's just what I was looking for! The tale is weaved and we are allowed personal insight into the sisters making up the main characters. This story is multi-layered, full of twists and turns just as I'd expect from Pekkanen.
Recommended for those who seek after domestic thrillers and twisted tales without gore and horror.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. All opinions are mine.

I always love Sarah's book! They always keep me on the edge of my seat and when I finish the books I'm always left in awe! This one was no different than their others!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is a thriller by an author that I have read from previously and enjoy her writing style. This book follows Georgia, who was adopted, that is now accused of killing her sister. She is pleading that she is innocent, but is locked in an asylum while awaiting trial. There are twists and turns that I believe are best to go into blindly when reading this thriller.

Overall, this book had a pretty cool setting and the characters were interesting, but something didn't quite work for me. I honestly think it's a reading mood I am in. Thrillers just seem repetitive for me, so I feel I need to take a break from reading them. So please don't take this review that it's bad...I think it's me and not this book.

I am very thankful to have been given the opportunity to read this early copy.

Thank you for the chance to read this ARC! The Locked Ward is a twisty thriller that keeps you guessing until the final page. Some of the story did drag on a little bit, but I thought all of the loose ends were tied up by the end. I will definitely be checking out more Sarah Pekkanen books in the future!