Another thriller from Sarah Pekkanen! This unique story is about Georgia Cartwright, an adopted daughter of the the wealthy Cartwright family. Georgia was always the lesser-loved daughter in the family, so it came as no surprise when she was accused of murdering Annabel, her not-adopted sister. Georgia is being held in a locked ward while she awaits her future. There she contacts her twin sister who she recently discovered. She asks Mandy to help her and assures her of her innocence. As Mandy becomes involved, having never known she had a twin, she learns more about her own family situation. She also has to decide whether Georgia is telling the truth. This is a fast-paced, highly engaging novel. I highly recommend!

3.5✨ I always love a mental institution setting so that definitely bumped up my enjoyment of this one. But other than that, the overall story was just average for me personally. I would still recommend it for it a casual psychological suspense.

I was highly engaged in this roller coaster family drama from the first page to the last. Georgia is framed for her sister's murder and contacts her twin, who doesn't even know her. Amanda sets out to assist Georgia as the clues she finds lead her to believe someone else killed her sister. The wealthy family drama comes into view as Georgia reminisces about her childhood and being the daughter her mother never wanted. Amanda's life is so different living with a loving family. She and her twin are very different, yet brought together under unusual circumstances. One becomes very engaged with both of their lives. In the end, one questions what lines one will cross for love. The characters were wonderfully written, and the plot masterfully unfolded in each chapter. I would recommend this novel to anyone who likes a good thriller. This may be one of my favorite books by Pekkanen.

I just finished this book- I loved it!! I was guessing the whole time, it was very engaging. You need to read it! This was my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last. Thank you NetGalley for the advance copy.

In "The Locked Ward," a compelling psychological thriller, Georgia Cartwright, a sophisticated woman adopted at birth, finds herself confined in a psychiatric institution, accused of the murder of her biological sister, Annabelle. The narrative commences with Georgia in a secured ward, urgently communicating with her estranged twin sister, Amanda, entreating, "I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here." Amanda wasn’t even aware that she had a biological twin sister. The story unfolds through the alternating perspectives of Georgia and Amanda, illustrating their markedly different upbringings and the intricate emotional dynamics of their newly discovered connection. The narrative intensifies as Amanda races against time to unveil the truth and safeguard her sister, confronting ethical dilemmas throughout her journey. In this novel, the themes of sisterhood, identity, adoption, privilege, and family secrets are explored. The short, briskly paced chapters maintained my attention and engagement throughout the story. Additionally, as the story was told from the viewpoint of each sister, it really allowed one to get to know the characters. This thrilling novel underscores the complexities inherent in family dynamics and the lengths that an individual will go to in order to hide or uncover a truth.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advance review copy in exchange for my review.

3.5🌟 rounded up

ARC review- 08/05/2025 pub date

I found this book to be a little predictable. I had it pretty much figured out about halfway in. The thing that drove me absolutely crazy was that one main character was written in 2nd person and the other was written in 3rd person. I felt like the constant switching back and forth took away from the story. Overall, I liked the book and would read more by this author.

I've usually enjoyed Sarah Pekkanen's books and when I saw the opportunity to read this one, I jumped on it! It felt flat to me, and I started just waiting for the twist to come....and it never came. I did feel like for a long while that I was reading about one character and not two based on the split personality one character mentioned, but that wasn't the case. Neither of the main characters seemed very fleshed out and I didn't find myself really caring about what happened to either one. I wanted something more twisty and suspenseful and the book just never got there for me. Thank you for providing me this copy to read and review!

Such a great read! Sarah is fantastic when it comes to DPOV with characters. I was hooked from the start and truly loved every minute of this book.

I was a big fan of Sarah Pekkanen's book "House of Glass" which is what drew me in to this title. It did not disappoint! I found both main female characters to be likable, and was eager to finish the story. I enjoyed the dual perspective, and the twists were interesting and kept me hooked.

Review — Twisty, Dark, and Full of Family Secrets

Chilling, dramatic, a little messy — and I’m not mad about it.

The Locked Ward is one of those psychological thrillers that immediately pulls you in with its eerie setting and tangled web of family secrets. The premise is wild — a glamorous socialite accused of killing her biological sister, locked away in a psychiatric ward for the criminally insane, claiming innocence to the twin she barely knows. It’s dark, twisty, and full of “wait, WHAT?!” moments.

Sarah Pekkanen knows how to build atmosphere, and the Locked Ward setting is genuinely unsettling. The tension between Amanda and Georgia kept me guessing — is Georgia a victim, a monster, or something in between? And while some twists felt a little over-the-top, I couldn’t stop turning the

Still, it’s a fast, compulsively readable thriller perfect for fans of The Silent Patient and The Last Mrs. Parrish.

This was one of my favorite books I’ve read so far this year. It involves two things that absolutely fascinate me: twin bonds and mental institutions. I was hooked from the first page. The story was fast-paced and kept me coming back for more! I actually liked both the main female characters, Mandy and Georgia. I find most thrillers to be notoriously bad at writing likable female characters. Sarah Pekkanen can spin an interesting yarn and also write well-rounded characters, which I find to be a rarity in this particular genre. Don’t get me wrong! There’s plenty of characters to hate in this book if that’s your thing too. The ending was well executed. The twists played out nicely as well. I did not give the book 5 stars simply because I did figure out a couple of the twists ahead of time. The ending tied all the loose ends into a tidy bow quite nicely. I highly recommend this title to anyone who loves a good mystery-thriller that delves into the intricacies of family dynamics. Thank you NetGalley and to St. Martin’s Press for the advanced review copy.

Georgia is awaiting trail while locked in psychiatric institution where there are many violent offenders. She tells her sister when she visits that she didn't do it and she is desperate to get out.

This didn't work for me at all. It never seemed to flow smoothly and I didn't care much for either of the main characters. I usually read a book in one or two days. The fact that it took me almost four days to read this is a huge indicator of how I felt about it.

I could not put this book down!

Sarah Pekkanen is the queen of thrillers and she has done it again!

The Wife Between Us is an all-time hit and while the Locked Ward isn't as good, it is still great!

I loved all of the twists- they keep coming until the very end. This book had me guessing and then second guessing myself. What I love about this book (and all of Sarah Pekkanen's) is that with most psychological thrillers you can see the twist from a mile away- not so with this author.

Also not that this is important, but just something I appreciated- this book is set in the south. I don't know if Sarah Pekkanen is from the south or has family in the south but she definitely captured southern culture.....and this is coming from a fellow southerner who also doesn't eat grits :)

Thank you to the publisher for an ARC copy of this book.

Mandy & Georgia separated-at-birth twins.
One accused of murdering her sister while the other dives into the shoes her sister has left for her. The roller coaster this book sent you on. Corrupt politicians, rich southern folk and quite the whodunnit. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a fast-paced and suspenseful book.

This was an amazingly twisty thriller that had me gripped from the very first page and didn't let go!

Highly recommend this ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ read!

At the end of the first chapter, the fear felt palpable and I knew I was in for a good ride. True to form, Pekkanen delivered the goods.

It all begins with the talk of the town—Marjorie, a 32-year-old successful wedding planner and adopted daughter of a wealthy family, is accused of murdering her younger sister. The accusations are as shocking as they are scandalous, and soon Marjorie finds herself confined to a locked psychiatric ward while awaiting trial. But the plot thickens when she discovers she has a twin sister,Amanda, she never knew about, separated at birth. Now, this unexpected sibling may be her only hope of proving her innocence and escaping her dire situation.

Told in alternating chapters from the perspectives of the two sisters, Pekkanen masterfully weaves a psychological thriller that probes deep into identity, betrayal, and long-buried secrets. Each chapter peels back another layer of the past, expertly revealing the emotional and psychological landscapes that shaped these women—and ultimately, the murder accusation itself.

The pacing is relentless—in the best way possible. I read through it at breakneck speed, unable to put it down. Every chapter brought new revelations, and just when I thought I had it figured out, Pekkanen pulled the rug out from under me. No stone was left unturned; every subplot tied together neatly, every clue served a purpose, and every dangling participle was succinctly addressed.

The Locked Ward is a fast-paced, emotionally charged thriller, perfect for an absorbing beach read or a long plane ride. If you enjoy layered mysteries with compelling characters and plenty of twists, this one’s for you.

Book Title: The Locked Ward
Author: Sarah Pekkanen
Publisher: Saint Martin’s Press
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Pub Date: August 5, 2025
My Rating: 3.2 Stars
Pages: 320

The story is told from the POV of twin sisters Georgia and Amanda (Mandy).
Georgia was adopted by the Cartwright‘s a wealthy Southern Family when she was a newborn, and unaware she was a twin.

Story starts with Thirty-two years Georgia Cartwright, a much sought after wedding planner in Charlotte, NC who lives in the city in an apartment with a wall of windows however she is now the newest resident of the ‘locked ward.
She is accused of killing her sister Annabelle (the biological daughter of the Cartwright’s) a situation of sibling rivalry Georgia was found near her sister’s body with blood on her hands and clothes. The police office requests a psych evaluation. She is sent to Mehran a mental hospital where she awaits on whether or not she'll be found competent to stand trial. A jury finds Georgia not guilty by reason of insanity.

Amanda (Mandy) Ravened manages “Sweetbay’s’ her parents’ bar that she inherited following their deaths. She works nights so everyone knows not to call her early. She gets a call from a public defender asking if she would be willing to talk to his client Georgia Cartwright. She is confused as she doesn’t know her. He tells her she is her sister – in fact her twin and she is asking for her.
Mandy knows she was adopted but her birth mother wanted the records to be sealed. Neither she nor her parents were aware she was a twin.

Amanda, visits Georgia' and her first words are, "You've got to get me out of here. I didn't do it."

As the two get closer we find out more about the f

This is my eighth: Sarah Pekkanen story; I loved "The Glass House" additionally I read and loved the four thrillers she coauthored with Greer Hendricks -""An Anonymous Girl" was my first and I became a fan; then " The Wife Between us, You are not alone, and The Golden Couple]". - All were Great!
I was so excited when I found out about a new novel and was looking forward to reading it! Perhaps my expectations were too high as it was not as great as I hoped. I did like the characters and was sure Mandy and Georgia would end up close.
There were a few surprises and although I didn’t love this – I am looking forward to the next Sarah Pekkanen story!

I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this early eGalley.
Publishing Release Date scheduled for August 5, 2025.

This book was a good mystery read with a sound storyline. There was enough mystery and suspense to keep the reader interested. A few twists and turns near the end enhanced the story. This is a book which I would recommend to those who enjoy a good mystery.

I have read several books by this author. This one was just as great as the others. I was pulled into the story immediately and could not put it down. The plot had multiple twists and turns and kept me guessing until the end. Lots of drama. Definitely recommend it.