I will read anything that Sarah Pekkanen writes! She is an auto-buy thriller author for me! I loved the concept of this book, and loved the psych-ward setting. This wasn't my fave of hers, but I will say it is a quick and binge-able thriller; would make for a good beach read! I will continue to read all of her books :)

THE LOCKED WARD BY SARAH PEKKANEN 3.5
Georgia is in a locked ward of a psychiatric hospital for killing her sister.. What money can cover is one thing in this story. But Georgia found she had a twin and was able to let her know about them and she is helping Georgia prove she did not kill her other sister. Story gets complicated and the things going on at the psych place - was a lot of things happening. The basic story was good but at times I had to backtrack to figure out the story and who was who. I have enjoyed Sarah Pekkanan's other books but this one not so much.

thank you to netgalley and the publishers for an arc in exchange of an honest review!

this was a perfect summer popcorn thriller - fast-paced, exciting and twisty. after really enjoying house of glass, i was looking forward to this, and it didn't disappoint! i think there are a few twists that are easy to guess, but still enough surprises and enough excitement to keep readers engaged. this will be a great one for the pool, imo.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the privilege of reading this book.

The book was very emotional at times and eye opening. The psychiatric ward and inner working were believable and revealing.. I loved the character development and the plot.

I was shocked by the twists and turns. The twin element added so much to the story line.

A fantastic read.

Highly recommend.

I always enjoy everything by this author and this book was no exception. It is told in a 2 narrator alternating point of view that kept me wanting to read just one more chapter. There was good character development without being too detailed and slow. Looking forward to her next book already.

This was a quick and engaging read that I overall enjoyed. It's not as well-crafted as the drama/suspense novels at the top of the genre, but it's a solid read that I was eager to finish and find out the ending.

I was a big fan of House of Glass, and found myself just as dialed in to this story! After a few pages of wondering if this would pull me in like the last story did, I couldn’t put it down. This book had me tearing through pages to figure out all the connections - a truly propulsive read! I hope fans of House of Glass pick this one up in August, and I look forward to her next book!

Georgia is locked up after being accused of murdering her younger sister. She requests to see her twin sister Amanda - a sister that neither of them knew existed due to being separated at birth. Amanda is shocked by the presence of Georgia, the accusations against her, and Georgia's whispered plea to help her.

Amanda is thrown into a world of secrets and mysteries as she tries to unravel who Georgia is, who can be trusted, and what really happened when these twins were born? This book has its share of spooky moments and twists and turns. Short chapters that alternate between Georgia and Amanda speed the pace of the reading.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen was a fast-paced and thought-provoking read that kept me turning the pages. I was especially drawn to the emotional connection between the sisters—despite being strangers by birth, their bond felt deeply real and powerful. This was my first time reading Pekkanen, and I’m definitely excited to explore more of her work. If you're looking for a compelling story with heart and suspense, this one is a great pick!

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Twin sisters who were separated shortly after their births are reunited when one sister is accused of a horrific crime.

Wow. It’s very rare that a book leaves me speechless and this one did just that. Being locked in a mental hospital? No thank you. I felt like I was following right alongside Georgia and felt for her so hard. I loved reading this and easily my favorite book of the summer. The pull between twin sisters was unbreakable in the story which also added another element of depth. Be prepared for a wild ride reading this! My Apple Watch did notify me that my heart rate was high at several points, too.

Thank you NetGalley and publishers for this advanced readers copy for my review!

This was a five star summer read right here! First of all twins split at birth, thats a good angsty start. I loved the juxtaposition of a sister that grew up with money and one without. Each thinking the other had it better. The story dives into why and how they were split up, eventually. But not before a slew of murders were committed. One sister locked in a psych ward while the other puts herself right in the middle of trouble to help her newfound twin. This book was so twisty it had me guessing what was going on till the end. I highly recommend you go out and get a copy of this book ASAP and add this author to your automatic preorder list!

Thank you to netgalley and publishers for this advanced copy of the book in exchange for my honest review. The words above are 100 percent honest and mine alone.

The Locked Ward is an intense psychological thriller that masterfully pulls readers into Georgia's harrowing experience within The Locked Ward. Pekkanen crafts a deeply unsettling atmosphere, making every page feel like a descent into madness alongside Georgia. The twists and turns are relentless, keeping the reader on edge and questioning reality at every moment. The twin characters are a standout element—both incredibly likable, their dynamic adds emotional depth to the story. Their relationship makes the tension even more gripping, as their struggles intertwine with the eerie mysteries of Annabelle's murder. Overall, The Locked Ward is a thrilling, mind-bending ride that will leave readers breathless. If you enjoy Frieda McFadden and psychological suspense with shocking revelations, this book is a must-read.

OOOOOH this was so good and twisty! Gorgeous and wealthy Georgia has been placed in a mental institution after she was found covered in blood and standing over her sister's dead body. No one believes her, and the fact that she's adopted leaves her feeling more alone than ever. Before this tragedy she had discovered she was a twin. With the help of a P.I. she finds her sister and asks her to come see her and help prove her innocence. This story is filled with lots of lies, drama, and gripping suspense! Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's for my ARC.

4.5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The novel begins as Georgia is found over her dead sister’s body, who happened to be killed with the birthday gift that Georgia bought. She’s sent to the Locked Ward, and Georgia stays silent.

Through an alternating point-of-view narration, we also meet Mandy. Mandy learns that she and Georgia are twins who were separated at birth. Mandy grew up in a modest life while Georgia enjoyed all the luxuries that her wealthy family could imagine. The novel moves back and forth between the two sisters, and I found myself reading more and more so I could return to one side of the story.

The Locked Ward explores the connections between sisters Georgia and Amanda, and how far Georgia’s family will go to protect secrets. There were some twists and turns, and I was engaged to the end. Sarah Pekkanen has become one of my go-to thriller authors, and The Locked Ward didn’t disappoint.

Locked Ward was a fast, twisty read that kept me hooked from the start. I really enjoyed the shifting perspectives—it added depth and kept the story moving. The relationship between the two sisters was especially compelling; seeing how differently they were raised but how similar they still were gave the story an emotional core. While I loved the suspense and turns throughout, the very end felt like one twist too many—almost like it didn’t need that final jolt. Still, a solid psychological thriller with plenty to chew on!

Another great book by Sarah Pekkanen! The writing style is so easy and I found myself in a good flow from beginning to end. This book was hard to put down. Lot's of twists and turns and a surprise ending! Great characters and a great story overall. I loved it!

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

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC opportunity!

This was a great book to read if you like drama, interesting family dynamics (who doesn’t love that), and other great factors - a claustrophobic feeling, twin connections, and a “whodunnit” vibe.

This had a lot of classic tropes psychological thriller readers love. I enjoyed it and felt it was well paced. I’ll definitely read another book by this author!

Georgia Cartwright finds herself on a psychiatric hold the night of her younger sister’s birthday after she was found standing over the body with blood on her dress. She’s not speaking, well except to one person.

Mandy has never met Georgia Cartwright but is surprised when she receives a call from her lawyer requesting a visit on Georgia’s behalf.

Vindictive characters, salacious relationships, what happened Annabelle Cartwright, and how does Mandy fit in to the mess?

Honestly, this would’ve made a great video game; it certainly read like one (think along the lines of Life is Strange). A bit twisty, but definitely following the thriller/mystery formula, this book was a quick read.

The beginning started off strong and had me hooked, but the middle dragged way too much for my taste. I kept waiting for the tension to ramp up, but the suspense just never hit. For a thriller, it really lacked that edge-of-your-seat feeling I was hoping for. And the ending? Not what I expected—and not in a good way. Just didn’t land for me.