This book HOOKED me in. I will say I liked the murderer sister more than the actual FMC, but I definitely devoured this book. I would’ve finished it in 2 days had i not worked after day 1. The dual POV was entertaining, the Georgia POV was especially enjoyable (when you read it, you’ll understand). I am already recommending this to friends! The Mandy POV….idk mandy annoyed me. The constant use of Georgias expensive things, “acting” like she fit the part, it felt very stalker-esq. I also found it annoying that she allowed all of these negative ideas to formulate about her parents, who, in her own words, only loved, cherished and supported her. When you find out the story of how the twins were separated it’s literally the most basic/logical explanation. Not loving mandy aside, i did really REALLY enjoy this book!

Not sure why it took me so long to pick this one up and read it. The premise drew me in when I requested it.

Took a bit off the start to get into it but then I got wrapped into the story and it kept me hooked. That for me that makes a good story.

This is my first book by this author but I’ll definitely be checking out more of their books.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press

Thanks to Netgalley & St. Martin's Press for the
E-ARC! Really enjoyed! Liked the twists throughout. Had me turning the pages. Another good thriller by this author.

Another engaging story by Sarah Pekkanen. I love her as an author because she DOESNT write shrinking violet female characters, who faint at the sight of a handsome man. Her women are strong smart and very brave. They rescued their own darn selves. I also knew going into it that she can turn a MC into an unreliable narrator- so this story kept me on the edge of my seat. I really love both of the women - Amanda and her twin sister Georgia. Separated at birth- one raised by humble and loving parents, the other relegated to the role of interloper when her parents have another child. The sisters never knew of one another’s existence .
Now Georgia is in a mental ward to determine her competency to be tried for murder-killing her sister. She reaches out to Mandy to help her.
I felt a constant state of peril ( necessarily for a thriller) on behalf of both women- was Mandy being followed? Or set up? Will she want to give up the luxe life, and go back to being a bar owner? And Georgia- did she really do it, and if not who set her up. What will happen to her when they begin drugging her? Time is running our for both women.

I also appreciate that she touched on the plight of the institutionalized mentally ill and how abuse could easily happen without proper staffing and oversight.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Satisfying ending. Recommend.

This kept my attention the entire time reading it. It came with short chapters and had twists that I didn’t see coming. I was taken a back a little with the first person POVs (some in second person). I'm use to most of my reads being in third person. I didn't hate reading this but it was also not one of my favorites. I would still recommend it though.

Having half the story take place in a psych ward made me worried this would be an unreliable narrator situation (someone compared it to The Silent Patient?? I guess there are similarities: she doesn’t speak and she’s saner than you think, but…it’s not the same kind of story). Instead, this turned out to be a straightforward thriller, almost a throwback. It reminded me of Mary Higgins Clark.

I might have called it a little light on plot, but I just saw A Comedy of Errors, which also involves twins separated at birth. Shakespeare, bless him, clearly did not anticipate how many twists a modern thriller reader expects! Compared to that, The Locked Room had plenty!

This just didn’t work for me. It seemed like some of the story wasn’t there and it also had me rolling my eyes right off the rip. Just so much not plausible. Thanks to the publisher and netgalley for this copy for read and review

This was a highly anticipated read for me and it did not disappoint!

Some vibes:
-dual POV
-fast-paced
-family secrets
-"Can you ever truly know someone?"

I hesitate to include too many descriptors or details, because I think this style of thriller is best to go into blind. I'll just say that this is a page turner that keeps you locked in (no pun intended...well, maybe a little) from start to finish. There is a cat and mouse feel for the majority of the book that ramps up the tension, especially given one of the main settings (a locked hospital psychiatric ward). With a backdrop of family secrets, the story feels at once realistic and cinematic. It would make a great thriller movie. My personal rating for The Locked Ward is 4.5 stars. The only reason for less than 5 stars is that I thought the final reveal in the epilogues was unnecessary.

Thriller fans - don't miss this one! Mark your calendars for August 5 and/or put in your Libby holds.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the eARC copy in exchange for my honest review!

[This review will publish on my platforms next week and I will add the links at that time.]

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the book #TheLockedWard by #SarahPekkanen. I really enjoyed this book filled with lies, deception and murder. Georgia Cartwright has just been locked up for the murder of her younger stepsister. Amanda has just found out she is the twin of Georgia’s and has been asked to visit her in the institution. Amanda is shocked to learn she has a twin but also it makes sense to her in that she feels something has always been missing. Georgia has asked Amanda to help prove she is innocent. Can Amanda prove this before Georgia is murdered in the institution?

The Locked Ward follows Georgia, who is admitted to a psychiatric facility for killing her sister. Georgia, who is adopted, discovers that she was separated from her twin at birth. Can her newfound sister, Amanda, save her? I really enjoyed this fun and twisty thriller.

I will read any psychological thriller that Sarah Pekkanen writes; either alone or with Greer! She is a master story teller! I devoured this book in two days. Highly entertaining! It took me a bit to get used to the second person narration she used for one of the characters, but once I did, I couldn’t put the book down. Highly recommend!

3.5⭐️

After enjoying Sarah Pekkanen’s previous works like The Golden Couple, House of Glass, and Gone Tonight, I went into The Locked Ward with high expectations. The premise certainly hooked me: twin sisters separated at birth and adopted into different families, unaware of each other’s existence until three decades later. That setup alone promises a gripping psychological ride—and for the most part, it delivers.

There’s plenty of drama layered in: murders, infidelities, secrets, and a large cast of suspicious characters that keeps the reader guessing. Pekkanen is skilled at weaving intrigue and tension, and that talent shines here. However, despite the strong pacing and dramatic elements, I found myself wishing for a bit more originality. While the story was entertaining and kept me coming back for answers, it didn’t quite deliver the big, mind-blowing twists I’ve come to expect from her.

Overall, The Locked Ward is a solid, enjoyable read, but not one that breaks new ground. If you enjoy psychological thrillers with complex characters and tangled secrets, it’s worth picking up—just don’t expect it to completely upend your expectations.

This psychological thriller started strong, immediately pulling me into the unsettling world of a psychiatric facility where the protagonist is pretending to be in a dissociative state of mind to achieve a hidden goal. It’s a tense premise, but after the initial hook, the pacing lagged for me.

The unknown twin sister trope seems to be popping up everywhere lately, and while it didn’t feel groundbreaking, it added some suspense. That said, the final twist—clearly setting up a potential sequel—was executed really well. Pekkanen knows how to end on a high note, even if the middle lost a bit of momentum.

If you like thrillers set in mental institutions with strategic narrators and a twisty final chapter, this one may be worth picking up.

This was an excellent audio! January LaVoy is always a star and she read this flawlessly. I even liked her male voices. The story left a bit to be desired though.

As an e-book- I am still somewhat confused on the author's use of second person narration with Georgia's character. It is an unusual choice and I kept thinking maybe this would take a psychological thriller turn where Georgia and Mandy were the same person, etc. I do wish the author had explored the mental illness/unreliable narrator trope. The story was meant to be twisty- and it was- but most fell a bit flat. I wasn't super satisfied with the ending. I wanted a different explanation for who was responsible for Annabelle's death. I wanted more- especially after Georgia saying- "you have no idea how deep this goes." I do love Sarah Pekkanen and will definitely continue to read her books but this one wasn't my absolute favorite by her: Thank you @macmillanaudio and @netgalley for a copy of this ALC of this title. All my reviews are unbiased.

The Locked Ward is a tense, engaging thriller told from the perspectives of two women, who are revealed early to be twin sisters, separated at birth. I found it interesting that Mandy’s narrative was from the first person while Georgia’s was from the second person, which personally I rarely see. Georgia is accused of murdering her younger sister, Annabelle, and enlists Mandy’s help while she is in the locked ward of a hospital.

The story is intriguing with more action in the second half. There were some unexpected reveals that added to the depth of the novel. I enjoyed getting to know each sister who had some surprising similarities despite being raised in very different circumstances. I found the message about perspective and perhaps judgement by appearances to be thoughtful. I look forward to reading more from this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read and review this digital ARC.

📚ARC Review 📚

The Locked Ward⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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. Now locked in a psychiatric institution where the most violent offenders are held while she awaits trial, the only people she will talk to her is lawyer and her twin, Mandy, who she recently found out about.
Amanda doesn't trust Georgia, but she can't abandon her in that place. 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 southern, psychological thriller had me hooked within the first few chapters. I loved how the chapters were short, fast-paced and each left you wanting more. The twist and suspense in this made it easy to binge. I grew up near Charlotte, NC and really enjoyed the narrator. Her accent was really good and just added the extra layer for the southern feel. I didn’t expect that twist at the end either. Overall, this was such an easy, binge-worthy read.

This book will publish on August 5, 2025. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced readers copy and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook. This is my honest and voluntary opinion.

This was not my favorite thriller from sarah penman pekkanen. I felt it was a little flat. I liked the ending but felt it was so far fetched. I was glad the sister didn't her own sister because that seemed dumb.

I really enjoyed The Glass House and Gone Tonight AND I usually love twin books but The Locked Ward was just not my vibe.

Georgia and Mandy are fraternal twins who were raised separately for reasons that weren't clear to me.. Now Georgia is in a locked psychiatric ward for reasons that also aren't clear.

There was a lot of murkiness about The Locked Ward, which I KNOW is part of psychological suspense, but it was just too much withholding of information for me to become invested. Why do the twins have telepathic powers if they are not identical? Why is Mandy wearing Georgia's clothes? What happened to Georgia's sister Annabelle?

I remain a fan of the author but this was not the book for me! Thanks to the publisher for providing an advance copy for review!

Giving this 3.5 stars and rounding up!

I received an advanced copy of this from Netgalley, I was excited about the description and was thrilled I was approved for the arc. I wasn’t disappointed, big family drama in this one with super short chapters and alternating points of view. There were something’s I didn’t see coming and there wasn’t a whole lot of fluff or unnecessary information. I’m now going to go back to this authors previous books and check em out. This entertained me, I looked forward to picking it up when I had reading time everyday.

Fast paced and twisted. I loved the dual perspectives in this one and all the steamy family secrets. Georgia is accused of murdering her sister and sent away to a locked psychiatric ward. Mandy js a bar owner who is living a simple life. That js until she gets a call stating that Georgia is her twin and requested to see her. What follows is a thrilling story of family, betrayal and deceit. A binge worth read that I couldn’t put down.