The Locked Ward
3.75 ⭐️

This book FLEW by over the last 24 hours! Probably not my favorite thriller this year, but it was a quick enjoyable read!

Mandy gets a mysterious summons to a mental health hospital where she finds out she has a sister—twin sister—who is accused of murder.

Told via both of the twins’ perspectives, this story was slow to have a lot of the plot happen, but it all unraveled in the end!

Thanks to @netgalley for this ARC!

Wow! Sarah Pekkanen has written another great thriller! Action, suspense, and intrigue abound in this fast-paced, complex family story. Did not want to put this one down even to sleep.

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

Georgia wakes up in a psych ward, accused of killing her younger sister Annabelle. Unsure of the truth, she wisely chooses silence as she assesses her surroundings and plots a way out. Through Georgia’s perspective, we slowly uncover a history of emotional abuse and a deeply fractured relationship with Annabelle, all leading up to the tragedy that landed her in the hospital.

Meanwhile, Mandy is grappling with the recent death of her parents and trying to keep their bar afloat. She’s blindsided when a public defender calls to say that the defendant in a high-profile murder case—Georgia—will only speak to her. What could possibly connect them? Intrigued, Mandy visits Georgia and quickly realizes there’s far more to their shared past than she ever imagined. Her long-dormant protector instinct kicks in, pulling her deeper into Georgia’s orbit.

Told in alternating POVs, I found Georgia’s storyline far more compelling. Watching her navigate the psych ward and piece together the truth was exhilarating. Mandy’s chapters, while necessary, felt less grounded—her decision to get involved with a stranger felt like a bit of a stretch, and her own backstory didn’t carry the same emotional weight.

With short chapters and a twisty plot, The Locked Ward is a fast-paced thriller that doles out enough secrets and drama to keep you turning the pages. Both protagonists are just unreliable enough to make you question everything—right up until the final reveal.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and of course the author Sarah Pekkanen for the advanced copy of the book. The Locked Ward is out on August 5th. All opinions are my own.

Sarah Pekkanen has done it again with The Locked Ward! I’m always drawn to her books because she delivers gripping, page-turning thrillers without crossing the line into nightmare territory. This story kept me fully engaged from beginning to end, with just the right amount of suspense, emotion, and psychological intrigue. Pekkanen masterfully builds tension without relying on excessive violence or fear tactics, which I truly appreciate. If you’re looking for a fast-paced read that keeps you guessing but won’t leave you sleeping with the lights on, this one is a perfect choice.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

I enjoyed this book. I found it to be a fast paced, twisty read. Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

I always enjoy a book by Sarah Pekkanen. This is a twisty twin murder mystery. Also, there several wealthy adults behaving badly. Georgia has been accused of killing her sister. She also has found her twin from whom she was separated at birth. Amanda isn't sure what's going on but she agrees to help Georgia declare her innocence. Not my favorite by Ms. Pakkanen but a solid thriller that will be a favorite of many readers.

The Locked Ward

A mystery thriller about twins separated at birth. They find each other when one ends up in a locked mental health ward and reaches out for help.

The twin in the ward (Georgia) is accused of killing her sister. Mandy (her twin) has to decide if she wants to believe her long lost sister and try to find the person responsible.

This book is really well written, with a plot that takes hold and doesn’t let go! I was invested in both sisters.

And the TWIST at the end was crazy! I didn’t see it coming.

The author does an amazing job weaving in themes of family struggle, self worth and pursuing when against all odds.

Sarah Pekkanen is an incredible writer. Her books are so immersive and suck me right in every time.

The Locked Ward explores twin bonds, complicated family dynamics as well as jealousy and resentment. There’s also plenty of rich people behaving badly.

The connection between Amanda and Georgia was insane, despite having been separated at birth. They had shared mannerisms and tastes, and seemed to be so in tune with one another.

The beginning and end were really well done, but the middle felt sluggish. There wasn’t enough going on and I found myself losing interest.

As we got closer to the end, I found myself unsure who to trust. Everyone seemed to have a motive and their own agenda. I was so curious to discover who was responsible and why.

While this wasn’t my favorite book that I’ve read by the author, I’m looking forward to what she comes up with next [3.5 stars rounded down to 3].

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the e-ARC!

Sarah Pekkanen never disappoints and this book was one of her best. A domestic thriller filled with twists and turns. I couldn't put it down! I listened to the audio version as I read the e-book. The narrator was amazing and I am looking forward to more of her work.
#netgalley #TheLockedWard #SarahPekkanen

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Troublemaking socialite, Georgia, is locked in a psychiatric hospital after being found standing over her sister's lifeless body. She knows that some very important people want to see her behind bars and convicted of murdering Annabelle. She will not survive jail so she is faking her on temporary insanity to stay on the ward, but this might be a worse place than jail. There is only one person who can rescue her and that person doesn't know she exists.

Mandy took over her family bar after the death of both her parents and has been living a lonely life with no real connections. One day that all changes when a lawyer comes to her with an odd request, come to the hospital and meet with the woman on the news accused of killing her sister, by the way she's your long lost twin sister. Mandy immediately recognizes the connection they share and begins to unravel the truth of Georgia's world.

I am a huge fan of Sarah Pekkanen and her brilliant twisty stories so I was very excited to get my hands on the newest release. The mystery is told from the POV of both sisters. I struggled to really connect with either character and was hoping for more of a twist at the end. The pace was a little slow and a lot of the premise and setups didn't hold water as the story went forward. Its an okay novel just not one of my favorites from this very talented author.

I've been a fan of Sarah Pekkanen since her women's fiction days and have read everything she's written and will continue to read everything she writes. Unfortunately, The Locked Ward was not quite the winner for me that some of her other books have been - the story was a little too convoluted and the resolution left me disappointed.

I will chalk this up to a one-off and will eagerly anticipate her 2026 release!

Two women, Georgia and Mandy, who grew up with very different backgrounds, are thrown together when Georgia is arrested for murdering  W, her younger sister. She reaches out to her twin sister, whom she has never met. Mandy.  Through discussions and detective work, Mandy pieces together the missing parts of her and her sister's lives. And uncovers the secrets about Georgia's life. It's a good mystery that unfolds slowly, exploring family and the ties that bind us together.

Really enjoyed this. Didn’t expect the twists and kept me thinking about the story after reading!! Can’t wait to read more by her!

BINGEWORTHY 🙌 ARRESTING 🙌 JAW-DROPPING 😵

They are all asking why she did it. Georgia Cartwright has always been jealous of her sister Annabelle. That must be why. After all, she was adopted as a baby and raised as a debutante daughter of the wealthy Cartwright family in Charlotte, NC. She's never been the favorite. She had to know she'd be arrested after standing over the body of Annabelle with the bloody murder weapon in her hand. But Georgia is deathly afraid of going to prison, so she simulates a mental illness to go to the psych ward of a hospital. The world seems to be against her, so she turns to the only one who can help her, her estranged twin sister, Amanda. Up until Georgia's lawyer contacted her, Amanda never knew she had a twin sister. In some ways, though, she's always known. Georgia and Amanda share twin intuition, though they barely know one another. Is that bond strong enough to overcome the impossible?

Growing up in NC and having lived in Charlotte for a short time, the southern family dynasty trope hit pretty close to home. I understand the ripple effect of a wealthy family dynasty - not because I was raised that way, but because I have been in its wake. Sarah Pekkanen NAILED it. It's getting more difficult for writers to create original thrillers that captivate and hold their readers' attention. And the more wise the reader, the harder the task is for the thriller writer. So many thrillers are completely predictable and sometimes feel too borrowed from other authors. NOT THIS ONE. Told from the POVs of both twin sisters, the type and timing of information revealed throughout the novel were completely gripping and provocative. I have now been engrossed in two of Pekkanen's books and am finding myself wanting to be the president of her fan club. She's underrated, y'all. I hope this book soars off the shelves in August.

Thank you, NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanen, and St. Martin's Press for this incredible eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book is so brilliantly written that I literally couldn’t get enough of this one! I loved how the Author wrote the different POVs. One POV is from one character and the other character’s POV is written as if you are that character and you are experiencing what that character is experiencing! I absolutely enjoyed that! And it truly immersed me into this story!
The pacing was fast, the plot was impressive and the twist was executed brilliantly!
I also can appreciate the fact that the chapters are short and that just made me devour this one!

If you like psychological thrillers that will have you devouring the pages then this book is for you!

“We’re both the unreliable narrator and the gullible listener in our own life stories.”

I’ve always enjoyed Sarah Pekkanen’s books, including the ones she co-writes with Greer Hendricks. Her thrillers are well-written and compelling, and this one features estranged twins and a political angle that I didn’t see coming.

The story centers around Georgia and Mandy. They were separated at birth with Georgia growing up in a wealthy, powerful family and Many growing up in a blue collar household. When Georgia is arrested for her sister Annabelle’s murder, she has her lawyers contact Mandy who rightfully has her own suspicions. The pieces come together slowly, casting doubt about Georgia’s innocence and Mandy is the only person that can help her.

I liked how twisty this felt, especially with how the clues were sprinkled in. It didn’t feel obvious, but it’s clear that something is not right with Georgia’s family. There’s also a political angle which was interesting and adds to the stakes of the plot. For Georgia, being in a locked ward for a psych evaluation is terrifying, let alone the possibility of going to jail. Mandy is confused about everything, but in the end she’s determined to help her sister.

There are a few bits that feel just a bit far-fetched and gave me some House of Cards vibes in how cutthroat the political aspect gets. The chapters from Georgia perspective are written in second-person, which feels a bit weird since it is from her point-of-view. But overall, this is a really solid, fast-paced thriller.

A solid concept with some gripping moments, but it didn’t fully land for me.

The unreliable narrator angle had potential, and I liked the locked-ward setting, but the twists felt more expected than explosive. Georgia was compelling, but the dual POV slowed the pace.

Still, it kept me curious enough to finish.

⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC!

As a fan of Sarah Pekkanen's books, "The Locked Ward" did not disappoint. Discovering you have a twin who murdered her sister and is now locked in a psychiatric ward—what more could you ask for? Mandy, adopted and an only child, has her world turned upside down when contacted by a lawyer. Not only does she learn she has a twin sister, but that her twin, Georgia Cartwright, a socialite, is locked in a psych ward after murdering her younger sister Annabelle. Georgia reaches out to Mandy, asking for help to prove her innocence. Though hesitant, Mandy is intrigued by the chance to learn more about herself and whether her twin is truly deranged. The storyline is fascinating, filled with dark family secrets and the extreme lengths people go to hide them. While some areas could have been expanded, especially the psych ward details, it was a solid read.
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a gripping and fast-paced psychological thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish! The story follows Georgia, accused of killing her sister, locked away in a psychiatric hospital. She reaches out to Amanda, her long-lost twin sister, who had no idea Georgia even existed. From there, the mystery deepens as Amanda tries to figure out if Georgia is innocent—or a dangerous manipulator.
I loved the dual POV and especially the use of second person for Georgia’s chapters—it made her story feel even more intense and personal. The suspense was strong throughout, with plenty of twists I didn’t see coming. Some reveals were a bit over-the-top, but overall, I was entertained the whole way through.
If you enjoy psychological thrillers with dark family secrets, unexpected turns, and complicated sister dynamics, The Locked Ward is a great pick. Definitely worth reading for thriller fans!

Full of twists and turns throughout the entire book! I really enjoyed how believable this story is. Even with all the plot twists nothing was so far fetched that it couldn’t happen. I look forward to reading more by this author.