I enjoy Sarah Pekkanen’s novels, so I looked forward to her latest release. The story was well planned out, and there were some plot twists by the end that I wasn't totally expecting. The short chapters read quickly between Mandy and Georgia. Although this wasn’t my favourite thriller I’ve read recently, I am glad I read it.
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

3.5 stars

I have read several of Sarah Pekkanen’s books and this won’t be my last. This wasn’t my favorite one of her book, but the twists were a great surprise.

This is told with two different POVs, once being Mandy told in the first POV and then Georgia told in a second POV. I’m not sure I liked this method. I typically can follow along with dual POVs, but this took some time to process.

The mystery elements were pretty good, but this wasn’t too much of a thriller. It was kind of slow throughout the book.

I feel like there were a few too many loose ends at the end. They are not that big of a deal, but that kind of bothers me.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

When Georgia finds herself locked in a psychiatric ward after her younger sister is murdered, her only hope for release is to have the truth of that night revealed to the world. Mandy learns of a previously undisclosed connection to Georgia and reluctantly agrees to help bring the real killer to justice. Set in the world of high society and political intrigue, Mandy has only days to set the record straight and save Georgia.

thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

like a 2.5? I do think the promo around this book is wrong, as it's much less like a thriller and much more like a psychological novel. even by those standards, not much happens in this book. it's quite slow-paced and there isn't really payoff on a lot of the things brought up to warrant that slow pace; in fact, I felt like a lot of characters were left hanging by the end, and not in an interesting way. (there are also several characters, like Opal, where I wonder what the point of them even was.)

that said, it's not a painful read or anything, and the revelations a little past the 80% mark really did get to me. they were done well and made the whole book pretty tragic. like I finally had some Emotions, yanno?

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you to Netgalley & the publisher for an early review copy in exchange for my honest review.

I was SO excited for this, solely by the title alone. After working in the mental health field and spending some time on a psych ward, I couldn’t wait to see what this author came up with. It was unfortunately just meh and un rememberable to me, so maybe my expectations were too high.

The chapters were short and the writing was easy to follow, however, the characters felt very one-dimensional to me. I didn’t really like them, which I think was the purpose of them being written the way they were, and if so, then the author did a great job with that.

The twist wasn’t super surprising either. I was picking up on the hints so when it came to reveal time, I wasn’t shocked or anything. The ending was a little weird to me and made the story feel unfinished, which I don’t always enjoy when it comes to thrillers.

It’s not a bad book by any means. It just was okay, and my expectations were too high. It’s definitely an easy read if that’s what you’re looking for!

Murder, money, and messy family mayhem converge in this gripping thriller.

Georgia Cartwright, a glamorous Southern socialite adopted as a newborn, now finds herself accused of murdering the biological daughter of her wealthy adoptive family. Held in a high-security psychiatric ward, Georgia’s only hope is her twin sister, Amanda. The twist: Mandy, who was adopted by a different family, doesn't even know she has a twin until after Georgia's arrest, and is reluctantly pulled into a world of secrets, deception, and danger - questioning whether the sister she never knew existed is truly a victim or an expert manipulator.

"The Locked Ward" is a tightly-wound psychological thriller that grabs you from the first chapter and doesn’t let go. In this chilling and fast-paced novel, author Sarah Pekkanen explores the dark undercurrents of sisterhood, privilege, and perception with her trademark suspense. Told in alternating perspectives between Georgia and Mandy, the novel keeps the tension high with short, punchy chapters, many ending on gripping cliffhangers that make it nearly impossible to put down, but never at the cost of the overall story. Pekkanen is a master of psychological suspense, and while the ending veers toward the soapy and somewhat predictable (I couldn’t help but think of "Dallas" at times), the journey there is absolutely riveting.

Georgia and Amanda are both complex, intelligent, and capable women, and watching their relationship evolve against the backdrop of institutional paranoia and family dysfunction was one of the novel’s great strengths. Though "The Locked Ward" may not be my personal favorite among Pekkanen’s works - that honor still goes to "The Golden Couple", one of the books she co-authored with Greer Hendricks -, it’s still a compelling, binge-worthy read that showcases what she does best: keep you turning the pages.

Perfect for a summer day when you want to disappear into a twisty, atmospheric story, "The Locked Ward" is thoroughly enjoyable psychological suspense at its finest. I flew through it in one day.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

"The Locked Ward" is slated to be released on August 5, 2025.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press for the digital ARC, Macmillan Audio for the ALC, and NetGalley.

I’ve read a few Sarah Pekkanen books now, and I’ve enjoyed them. For this one, I really liked the short chapters and dual POV. I liked the narrator, and I was able to easily keep track between the two POVs, although having the digital copy of the book helped with that as well. I liked that it moved quickly.

That said, this wasn’t my favorite of her books because it almost felt as if there wasn’t enough going on. It felt more mystery than thriller, and even the mystery was not all that surprising. I wasn’t really shocked by the twist.

Overall, it was entertaining, but some of her other books are better. I’ll still continue to read her books. 3.5 stars rounded up.

Wow, The Locked Ward was a crazy, psychological page turner. I was hooked from the very beginning. Georgia is accused of murdering her sister, Annabelle because she was caught with her blood on her dress. Her own mother, Honey despises her and always has. Georgia is adopted and goes to a PI to find out more of her biological parents, but finds out she’s in fact a twin. Amanda, never knew she was a twin at all until the morning after Georgia’s arrest when she receives a phone call from her lawyer saying Georgia wants to see her and claims she’s her sister. All in all, Amanda has about 72 hours to find Georgia’s innocence in her sisters’ murder, or be sentenced to death. There’s so many twists and turns (some predictable), but I throughly enjoyed this story and couldn’t put it down.

Thank you St. Martin's Press for an early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This book deserves a very high 4-star rating. Imagine living your life as a child, feeling like an outsider due to circumstances beyond your control. Then, you discover you have a twin you were separated at birth. Tragically, you’re framed for your sister’s murder and committed to a psychiatric ward. The only way to get help is to reach out to the one sister you never knew existed.

Despite knowing the twists were coming, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. The author’s descriptive writing allows you to vividly imagine yourself in the story. The characters were well-developed, and the plot was engaging and easy to follow. It’s the perfect beach read that you won’t want to put down.

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is a page turning thriller. One sister accused of killing another, and then a secret twin makes an appearance. Perfect for anyone looking for a propulsive read!

𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬:
Twisty psychological thrillers are my favorite! Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institute for killing her adopted sister, who happens to be the biological daughter to a very wealthy family. But not everything is as it seems. Her estranged twin sister, Amanda, comes to visit her in the institution, and at every visit the only thing that Georgia ever tells Amanda is that “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.” Amanda begins to question if her sister is actually innocent of the crime she was accused of, or is she a master manipulator? This was such a fun and twisty read that kept my attention throughout. I enjoyed the different POVs from the sisters, as well as the setting of the psychiatric institution that created a claustrophobic and eerie feeling. This book is full of secrets and rich people behaving badly (which is always fun🙌🏻). The short chapters are a plus, and the ending is wrapped up with some fun twists and shocking revelations that left me feeling utterly satisfied & exactly what Pekkanen is known for.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗜𝗳 𝗬𝗼𝘂 𝗘𝗻𝗷𝗼𝘆:
✦Psychological thrillers
✦Books full of secrets & wealthy people behaving badly
✦Claustrophobic and eerie settings
✦Dual POVs
✦Plenty of twists, short chapters, and a shocking conclusion🙌🏻

𝐌𝐲 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4/5

3.5 rounding up to 4. I ended up liking this much more than I thought I would. The first few chapters just didn't pull me in. But once the story got established it was very good. It turned into a very quick read with surprising twists. Thanks to NetGalley for the digital ARC.

I definitely enjoyed my first Sarah Pekkanen book and it definitely won’t be my last. The twists and turns kept me guessing all the way through the story and I absolutely loved the bond of “sisters” that was created through the story. The twist at the end was great and something I didn’t see coming at all! Highly recommend!

Thank you Netgalley and Storm Publishing for the opportunity to read this eARC.
Twins are separated shortly after birth with family dynamics that are quite different. When a murder occurs one twin is locked in a psychiatric ward. The other twin is tasked with proving her sister’s innocence. Family drama, secrets, lies and machinations held my interest in this enjoyable suspenseful thriller.

4⭐️

I love stories featuring asylums and at the same time I'm always leery of how things will be portrayed. I think The Locked Ward was exactly what I was looking for in that aspect! This ended up being fast paced and action packed while being filled with family drama and scandals. I loved the storyline of Georgia and Mandy being twins separated at birth and the weird connections and similarities they had with each other even if they've never met. I loved how quickly Mandy stepped up to help Georgia prove her innocence even when she's suspicious of her. Georgia's relationship with her adoptive family was also interesting and I like the twist involved in it.

I wasn't a fan of most of Georgia's POV being from 2nd person. It kind of took me out of the story and felt a bit stilted. I'm intrigued by the way the ending felt so open and that that scandal could continue.

Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC to me!

I picked up The Lock Door on a whim after not being able to concentrate on the fantasy book I was reading—and thank god I did. This thriller pulled me in instantly and didn’t let go.

I’m usually pretty good at predicting twists, but this one had me second-guessing myself the entire time. Every time I thought I had it figured out, something threw me off. And that ending? I did not see it coming. The epilogue? Perfection. Total chef’s kiss.

The character development was also on point—I actually felt like I was in the story, which doesn’t happen often. Definitely one of the strongest thrillers I’ve read in a while, and one I’ll be recommending for sure.

Thank you to MacMillan Audio, Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC/ALC!

“We are both the unreliable narrator and the gullible listener in our own life stories…”

Mandy is shocked to find out she has a twin she never knew about - and she finds out when that twin reaches out to her from a locked psychiatric facility. Her twin, Georgia, was adopted by a wealthy family and she is now accused of murdering their biological daughter. Mandy is her only hope to be set free. Reeling from shock, Mandy must work to uncover the truth: is her long lost twin innocent, or is she being led down an even darker path?

What caught my attention the most about this story was its unique plot. Told from alternating points of view, Georgia’s point of view is especially intriguing because it's told in the second person. I don’t encounter many books that use that voice so that was refreshing. The story was fast-paced and kept me on the edge of my seat throughout. Part psychological thriller, part domestic suspense, the tension never let up. I felt like I was getting to the bottom of things right with Mandy - I truly couldn’t guess how this was going to play out!

“The Locked Ward” releases August 5, 2025. This review will be shared to my instagram blog (@books_by_the_bottle) shortly :)

3.75 for me !

thanks to NetGalley and St.
Martin's Press for providing me with an
ARC in exchange for my honest review !

This follows 2 girls that find out they’re twins due to one being put up for trial for the accused murder of her sister.

This was definitely interesting, I enjoyed the pace of the story line. I wasn’t a fan of how Georgia the twin in the ward for murder had chapters with information that repeated themselves about how she was placed as the bad guy against the deceased sister Annabelle. We got that her parents would favor Annabelle more at times but it was just repeated a lot so for me I found it alittle redundant

Mandy the other twin who’s trying to help figure out what happened she’s just trying to do her best as she was just sucked into this life. She has many secrets of her own that she hasn’t told Georgia about. Which is so fair. They have people going against them and it’s All such a crazy scheme

It was very drama filled, pretty neutral with the story line ! I’d definitely recommend if you want a quick read !

A suspense/thriller from a new to me author. Georgia Cartwright is being held in a psychiatric institution after being found standing over the body of her younger sister. The prosecutor is planning to go for the death penalty. The story is making national news as the family is wealthy and well connected. Amanda is surprised when Georgia’s lawyer contacts her claiming that Georgia is her twin sister and wants to see her. When she does, Georgia claims she is innocent and asks for help.

The story alternates chapters between Amanda trying to figure out what happened and who had motives to kill Annabelle. The more chilling chapters are Georgia’s experiences in the psychiatric facility. She is suspicious of everyone around her. I thought the story was compelling and moved along quickly. There are some red herrings and physical threats. I wasn’t sure I could believe all the twin energy they seem to share, but I have heard of it before. I would absolutely read more from the author. (3.5 Stars)

Book review: The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my gifted ARC.

From the very first page, The Locked Ward threw me headfirst into a world I didn’t want to leave—and honestly, I wasn’t sure I was ever supposed to feel comfortable in it. That’s what Sarah Pekkanen does best. She doesn’t just tell you a story; she traps you in it, locking you into the minds of characters you can’t fully trust, in settings that feel just a little too real. And here, the core setting—a high-security psychiatric facility—feels like a character in itself: oppressive, secretive, and humming with unspoken danger.

The story begins with Georgia Cartwright, glamorous, magnetic, and sitting in a locked psych ward for the murder of her adopted sister, Annabelle. The public is fascinated by the scandal. She’s a rich Southern debutante, after all. The crime is violent, shocking, and she doesn’t deny being there. What she does do is refuse to speak—except to her lawyer and one other person: a woman named Amanda. The kicker? Amanda, a bar owner living a modest life far outside the glitz of Georgia’s world, is Georgia’s twin sister. Separated at birth. Raised by different families. Unaware of each other’s existence.

Mandy, as she prefers to be called, is thrust into a psychological puzzle that challenges everything she knows about herself, her identity, and her late parents. When Georgia finally speaks to her, it’s with a chilling urgency: “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.” What follows is a twisted, emotionally charged thriller that explores what it means to trust someone you barely know—especially when that someone may or may not be a killer.

What worked for me right away was the structure. Pekkanen gives us alternating POVs between Georgia and Mandy, and while Mandy’s is told in first person, Georgia’s is written in second person. It’s jarring, intimate, and a bit surreal—which is exactly the point. Georgia’s mental state, her isolation, and the institutional control pressing down on her come through with terrifying clarity in this voice. It was a bold narrative risk, but one that made her story stand out. It made me feel her detachment, her desperation, and her control—or loss of it.

Mandy’s chapters are more grounded, but no less intense. She’s the outsider trying to piece together a version of events that keeps changing with every person she interviews. Her journey is emotional, too. She has to grieve the life she thought she knew, question her loyalty to her adoptive parents, and face the brutal possibility that her biological sister might not be a victim—but a master manipulator. The stakes aren’t just high—they’re personal, and Pekkanen writes that internal unraveling with sharp precision.

There’s a lot going on under the surface of this novel. Themes of identity, trauma, generational secrets, and power dynamics in both institutions and families pulse through every chapter. The Cartwright family is horrifying in that quiet, believable way—the kind of moneyed evil that hides behind polished smiles and country-club reputations. I found myself genuinely chilled by Honey, the family matriarch, whose cruelty is camouflaged by charm. These aren’t cartoon villains. They’re insidious, calculated, and eerily plausible.

The pacing is tight, with short chapters and constant movement. I never once felt bored. Even the quieter moments felt heavy with tension, and as the mystery unraveled, I kept second-guessing what I thought I knew. Was Georgia mentally ill or lucid? Was Mandy being manipulated or finally seeing the truth? The suspense isn’t built on cheap jump scares or outlandish plot twists. It’s grounded in character, slowly pulling the reader into the psychological quicksand right alongside the sisters.

If I had to nitpick, I’d say a few subplots felt slightly undercooked—particularly some romantic entanglements and side characters who faded without much resolution. And while the final twist didn’t blow me away, it still delivered a satisfying emotional payoff. The reveal made sense in retrospect, and even more importantly, it landed with weight. It made me think. It made me uncomfortable in all the right ways.

What lingered most for me wasn’t the murder mystery or even the whodunit element—it was the emotional cost of discovering who you really are, and what you’re capable of when your world is ripped apart. It’s about sisterhood, yes, but also survival. The Locked Ward becomes a metaphor for every kind of confinement: institutional, familial, psychological. And Pekkanen never lets you forget that.

This is a novel that demands you pay attention—not just to the characters, but to your own instincts. It makes you ask yourself what you would do if your life suddenly cracked open and someone you didn’t know claimed to be your other half. Would you help them? Or would you run?

In the end, The Locked Ward is more than a thriller. It’s a story about trust, legacy, and the dangerous cost of silence. If you love a tightly woven psychological ride that doesn’t pull punches and doesn’t talk down to you, this one is worth your time.