I feel like this book is getting quite a few "meh" reviews, but I actually really liked it! I liked the premise, setting, and (most) of the characters. Some of the little twists at the end were pretty fun, too. I really liked House of Glass so I think Sarah Pekkanen might be one of my new go-to authors. 4 solid stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC of this novel.

The story follow Georgia who is locked in a psych ward for killing her adopted sister Annabelle. A woman named Mandy who owns a bar receives a call from Georgia’s lawyer telling her that she is Georgia’s sister. Mandy goes to see Georgia where she is asked to help exonerate Georgia. Mandy gets thrown into the life of the wealthy as she tries to find out who killed Annabelle and everyone is hiding something. Overall a good story with a lot of twists and turns.

Another twisty read by Sarah Pekkanen! Although I suspected things weren't as they seemed, I did not see any of the twists coming I. The way they did. The story kept me entertained and interested throughout! Highly recommend!

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is a dark and gripping psychological thriller about estranged twin sisters caught in a nightmare of secrets, lies, and murder. When Georgia Cartwright is accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy adoptive family, she’s sent to a high security psychiatric hospital. Her only visitor? Amanda, her twin, who barely knows her. Georgia claims she’s innocent and begs Amanda to get her out, but Amanda doesn’t know what or who to believe.

This story had me hooked from the very beginning. I loved the short chapters and the fast pace, which made it incredibly hard to put down. The eerie setting of the psychiatric ward added an extra layer of tension, and the mystery kept me turning the pages. I was convinced I had it figured out but my prediction was totally wrong and that’s what made it so fun.

If you enjoy thrillers full of shocking twists and complicated family dynamics, I definitely recommend this one.

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

A twisted psychological thriller where nothing is as it seems...

After being accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy, Southern family, Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institution while she awaits trial. The only words she whispers when her estranged twin sister Amanda visits are, “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.” Amanda doesn't want to abandon her sister but is Georgia a master manipulator, or worse, a murderer?

This story is so well-paced that I was engaged the entire time. The unique take on the perspectives from each sister was clever and in a way, added to the suspense. The psychiatric institution as the setting gave off sinister vibes which makes the atmosphere even more eerie. I was questioning each character's morals and motives. I love a story involving sisters and Pekkanen delivers a relationship so divided and delicate that I just couldn't get enough. The end comes with twists and shocking revelations that I've come to expect from her writing. Definitely recommend!

It's no secret that I love locked room mysteries and love any book with a ward setting, and I definitely got the chills I wanted from this novel.

I didn't expect to also get a tale of family complexity.

However, not a fan of the POV. Really took me out of the book.

This was a solid thriller and read like a psychological game of cat and mouse. It's told from dual POV's and the story unfurls little by little which created a good level of suspense. I wasn't satisfied but the ending but did like some of the twists and turns.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc and alc.

This was a really good thriller, but not my favorite of Sarah Pekkanen's books. Still, I would stick with this book till the end, as the ending was amazing. I would say that this book picks up around the 60% mark for sure. Furthermore, January LaVoy does an excellent job with the audiobook narration, and she definitely keeps the reader/listener entertained through the very end. Overall, even though this book has some "hard" moments, it is definitely a worthwhile read, and one you should stick with till the very end!!

To be honest, I really struggled getting into this novel. Georgia’s perspective is second person point-of-view is such an uncommon writing style that I’m just not used to reading it. However, I think that really added to the unease of being in the psych ward. Is she really dissociating or is it all an act?

This book was full of suspense and intrigue from the first page. The characters where well written and each and their own motives. The twist at then end was shocking. This books is a thrilling page turner. Highly recommend!!

I absolutely loved this book! It was such an easy, engaging read that gave me all the Frieda feels. If you’re stuck in a reading slump, this one will pull you out of it effortlessly—it hooked me from the very first page. Fast-paced, addictive, and emotionally gripping. Definitely a 5-star read for me!

Mandy has been quietly living her life running the bar she inherited when her parents died. Out of the blue, a woman named Georgia contacts her with the bombshell news that she is Mandy's twin. Accused of killing the sister she grew up with, Georgia is in a locked mental ward being evaluated for her fitness to stand trial. What happened to Annabelle? Told from dual perspectives, complex family ties and ratcheting suspense make this great for fans of domestic suspense.

Oooh what a good thriller! The premise drew me in and the locked ward setting was so creepy. The twists were good and even though I figured one out, it took me awhile to get there.

Loved the dual POV of Georgia and Mandy though the second person narration for Georgia was tough for me to read at first.

The family drama aspect was also so good and kept me turning the pages quick.

Thank you netgalley and St Martins for a copy in exchange for an honest review!

There are writers and there are storytellers. This author is definitely in the second category. The storyline of this books is creative pulling you into the story and holding you captive. I was lulled into believing the story was heading in one direction and without warning going in another. My interest never waned and I was disappointed when I realized I had finished the book. The characters were engaging and multifaceted. Looking forward to reading more by this author!

Thank you for the advance copy of the locked ward
This book definitely grabbed me from the beginning and the twist at end was so good … but I felt it was lacking that ‘I need to finish/can’t out down’ that a reader’s always on the search for.

I really enjoyed Sarah Pekkanen’s thrillers when she teamed up with Greer Hendricks. House of Glass was my first solo book from the author and I very much enjoyed it. Gone Tonight was a bit of a disappointment for me, so I tampered my expectations for The Locked Ward.

The book was better than Gone Tonight, but not quite as good as House of Glass. In the Locked Ward, wealthy socialite Georgia Cartwright is locked in a psychiatric hospital while she awaits trial for murder. Her twin sister, Amanda, will stop at nothing to prove that Georgia is innocent.

While The Locked Ward has lots of good twists and turns, it’s a bit of a bland read. I actually was surprised by the ending, but the journey to get there wasn’t so thrilling. The story is told from two POVs - Amanda in the first person and Georgia from the second person. I am not sure why the author decided to share a POV told in the second person. It was a bold choice, but one that doesn’t make any sense in the grand scheme of the book.

Overall, this was a three-star read for me up until the ending. And because the ending was a satisfying surprise, I am bumping the book up to 3-½ stars.

My Sarah Pekkanen Reads:

House of Glass - ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Gone Tonight - ⭐⭐⭐
The Locked Ward ⭐⭐⭐1/2

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook arc. This one pulls you in quickly and the chapters are so super short that you can easily fly through this one. It was entertaining enough but the writing wasn’t amazing and the characters lacked any depth or personality. I wouldn’t say it’s a bad book. Again it was entertaining enough if you need a quick read. But I wouldn’t go out of my way to recommend it.

I was engrossed in this for the majority of the book. The ending felt a little…convenient. That said, the epilogue brought it back around for me. This book was giving Gone Girl, which is a high I’ve been chasing ever since I first read that. Enjoyable read!

For fans of sibling back and forth, this is a must. Can't relate since I'm an only child. Some of the book feels like a fever-dream and perhaps that's what Pekkanen wanted us to think.

A great back and forth from separate points of view (I'm a fan of that kind of work and flow).

I did receive an ARC of this book. Thanks to NetGalley and the author!

Thank you @stmartinspress @macmillan.audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

“Don’t trust anyone,” she whispers.

SUMMARY: In this gripping tale, Georgia Cartwright, the adopted daughter of a powerful North Carolina family, faces shocking accusations of murdering her wealthy family's biological daughter. As she awaits trial in a psychiatric institution, Georgia maintains her innocence and desperately seeks help from her twin sister, Amanda, who was separated at birth. Although Amanda initially struggles with distrust, she feels compelled to support Georgia in the eerie atmosphere of the locked ward.

MY THOUGHTS: This narrative weaves together themes of sibling rivalry, jealousy, family secrets, and political intrigue, creating a captivating story that hooks you from the very start! Tension builds steadily throughout, leading to a stunning conclusion. While I had my suspicions about the killer, I was taken aback by the intricacies of this fascinating storyline. I enjoyed my digital print copy, but upon discovering that the audio version was narrated by January LaVoy, I made the switch! I literally couldn’t stop listening! I love a complex thriller that keeps me guessing, and this one checks all the boxes! A solid 5 stars from me!