When I look at thriller reviews the first things I want to know are, is it twisty? and did other thriller readers guess the twists? and great news! This was certainly twisty and I did not see it coming. I can't help but guessing and revising as I was devouring and while the twist didn't come out of nowhere (also a pet peeve of mine) it was something I missed. This had a lot of things that I liked, the found family, the unreliable narration, sisterhood, institution setting, and exploring the vastly differently lives. I sat down and read it in a day.

Sarah Pekkanen has done it again!! She has the ability to do what most thriller writers lack - make you really care about the characters. Many books in this genre focus so much on plot twists and unexpected reveals, they don't carve out the types of characters that readers remember. This book, however, had fleshed out characters who I felt I understood. The writing was fast paced and enjoyable. The overall story was cohesive and kept my interest. It was also unique with an unusual setting. I thoroughly enjoyed it, especially the aspect of twins who didn't grow up together.

I'm a fan of Sarah Pekkanen's writing so I knew this was going to be another good thriller. The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is a psychological thriller about twins who have been separated since birth. Georgia, adopted by and born and raised in a wealthy, affluent family, is accused of murdering her sister, Annabelle. She is sent to a psych ward as she awaits her trial. The only person she believes can help her is her birth twin sister, Amanda.

Amanda grapples with the revelation that she is a twin and her family lied to her her whole life. While she don't trust Georgia, she can't help but dig deep into the mystery. As she gets closer to the truth, she discovers secrets that shouldn't be unlocked, and herself in greater danger.

There were twists I saw coming and some I did not. The characters have depth, the plot was fast paced, and the writing is always good as expected.

Another great thriller by Pekkanen! Thank you to Netgalley, publisher St. Martin's Press, and author Sarah Pekkanen for providing me with an ARC, in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Georgia is accused of murdering her adoptive sister Annabelle, and is convinced her only hope to save herself falls onto Mandy. Did she really murder her? And can Mandy help at all? This was such a fun book! Fast based and chockful of twists and turns! I thought I had it figured out but of course there was a LOT more to it! Not much for likeable characters, but I prefer it that way! Can't wait to read more!

This is a book I was looking forward to! It caught your attention right from the start! The twists, the suspense and the unknown of who to believe, a family of twisted lies and abandonment created a prefer story of jealousy and murder!

3.7. Right from the jump, I could not stop reading this book. Georgia Cartwright, who was adopted, is accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy family (her sissy poo Annabelle). She is locked in a ward and wants to plead insanity. She refuses to speak to anyone but someone named Mandy. Now, imagine Mandy’s surprise when she gets a call from Georgia’s public defender (she’s never met Georgia in her life) that says Georgia wants to speak to her. Out of curiosity, Mandy decides it’s worth it to see what this could be about and her life is changed and turned upside down forever. We get sibling rivalry, power dynamics, and what lengths people will go to, to cover something up. I really did enjoy this book but some details I felt like were missing. The short chapters made this a really easy and fast read though. As always, thank you St. Martin’s Press for the earc.

This novel was an excellent read! I found it incredibly compelling, with a gripping storyline and well-developed, complex characters. The premise started off strong and led to a satisfying, well-rounded ending. I especially appreciated the dual points of view, although it was a bit unconventional—one was written in first person and the other in second person. I personally would have preferred both perspectives to be in first person for consistency.

The story is dark, emotional, and intense. It moves at a fast pace and is both plot- and character-driven. Themes of family dynamics, life inside mental institutions, the unique bond between twins, the influence of wealth, and the criminal justice system are all explored in meaningful ways. I was completely immersed from start to finish, thanks in part to the short chapters and the unexpected twists throughout.

While I read a lot of thrillers and felt this leaned more heavily on mystery than true thriller elements, it was still a compelling and immersive read that kept me hooked.

A Masterfully Crafted Thriller
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review of The Locked Ward. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher, St. Martin’s Press, for this opportunity.

Sarah Pekkanen has done it again with The Locked Ward—a brilliantly written psychological thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. I'm a longtime fan of her work, and this latest novel is another brilliant addition to her impressive collection!

Once again, Pekkanen delivers a masterfully crafted, twist-filled story that is impossible to put down. The plot is incredibly clever, full of unexpected turns and psychological suspense. Just when you think you've figured it out—think again. The ending completely blindsided me (in the best way), proving once again that she is a true expert at weaving unpredictable narratives.

Pekkanen’s writing is sharp, the pacing is perfect, and the tension builds steadily throughout. Every chapter pulls you deeper into the mystery, and the atmosphere inside the locked psychiatric ward adds an extra layer of psychological intensity.

If you're a fan of smart, twisty thrillers that keep you guessing until the very end, I highly recommend The Locked Ward. It's a gripping, unputdownable read from a truly talented author.

This is such a good book! I have read many of the author’s novels including collaborations with Greer Hendricks. The Locked Ward features Georgia, who is being held in a locked psychiatric ward. She is accused of murdering her sister Annabelle. The book is told from two perspectives in short chapters. There are so many twists and turns in this compelling story and it kept me reading long into the night. Recommended this book and all of Pekkanen’s books!

Twisty and compulsively readable—but not all the twists landed.

Told in alternating first- and second-person POVs, The Locked Ward hooked me early with its unique structure—but I was left wanting more from that narrative choice. Some twists were genuinely gasp-worthy, while others felt a bit too convenient, especially the final reveal, which veered into shock-for-shock’s-sake territory. Still, the pacing was tight, and I found myself racing through to see how it all played out. I liked it, didn’t love it—but it kept me entertained.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book was excellently creepy, well thought-out, and had me racing through the pages to find out what happened. I was completely surprised by the twist! I loved the characters and their motives, and I think the mystery was crafted to perfection. I will definitely be recommending this book!

I appreciated getting an ARC of this book. While the concept was interesting the storyline at times I had felt the book to be drawn out for character development and was struggling to read. The ending made it worth the time to finish reading it.

I like Sarah Pekkanen's writing style, her novels always progress in a very compelling way. Even while switching POV's from chapter to chapter, the story stays cohesive and easy to follow. Identity plays a huge role in this story: who people appear to be and even who they believe themselves to be are drawn into the light for closer inspection. There were a couple of harder-to-believe plot points, but overall, this was a good read. As always, there were a couple of terrific twists.


Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Georgia Cartwright is adopted at birth, she is accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy family. she is locked in a psychiatric hospital until her trail.

This book was very fast-paced and exciting. Told in alternating perspectives of Georgia (who tells her story in the 2nd person perspective) and Amanda, the story was very interesting and I couldn't wait to see what happened to Georgia who was locked up in the psych ward. All was going well until the end and I was a little disappointed with the ending. I don't know how to describe it, but I was expecting a bigger twist (or maybe I just didn't understand the ending). Either way, the majority of the book was great and I would read others by Pekkanen.

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen
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I’ve read several of Sarah’s books now and at this point I go into them blind each and everytime!
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What I liked about The Locked Ward:
-A story about Twins! I don’t know what it is about twins that makes a story so compelling, but if you tell me twins are in a book I automatically want to read it.
-Georgia is accused of murdering her sister (no, not THAT sister, the other sister). Her only hope is that her twin can find the crumb trail clues she’s left her about what is REALLY going on here. I really loved this plot, it sucked me in really fast and kept me reading to discover everything.
-Lots of fun little twists as the story unraveled.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A very entertaining read that was fast and fun.

I finished another ARC book by an author I've never read, Sarah Pekkanen. This book was an easy read and I didn't want to out it down!! The storyline was great, character development fantastic and the twist!! 👌I would definitely recommend and now I've got more of her books on my forever long TBR. #thelockedward #netgalleyarc #netgalleyreviewer #psychologicalthriller #SarahPekkanen

“I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.”

Those seven words were all it took for my stomach to drop—and The Locked Ward never let me breathe easy again.
I couldn’t trust Georgia. I couldn’t trust Amanda. Hell, I couldn’t even trust myself at some points. Pekkanen weaves lies, trauma, and twisted family loyalty so tightly that you start wondering if the real crime was ever murder—or if it’s something far more sinister and far more intimate.

This isn’t just a thriller. It’s a slow suffocation. A locked room with no exit. A mirror that turns into a two-way window. And just when you think you’ve figured it out, the story yanks the floor out from under you—leaving you with nothing but goosebumps and questions.

Dark, disturbing, and completely unforgettable.
Some doors in the Locked Ward should never be opened—but damn, I’m glad I did.

I was thrilled to have the opportunity from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press to read another psychological thriller by Sarah Pekkanen. Although this one was not my favorite book she has written, it was a good read.
The Locked Ward is written from dual viewpoints: thirty-two-year-old twin sisters separated at birth who only recently learned of each other's existence. Mandy's story is told in first person, whereas Georgia's is in second person. This unusual POV was a bit disturbing, but it worked in an eerie sort of way, as Georgia is in a psychiatric ward after having been accused of murdering her adoptive sister, Annabelle.
The evidence against Georgia is overwhelming; she and Annabelle never got along. Their wealthy parents, especially their mother, Honey Cartwright, never hid the fact that they loved Annabelle more because she was their biological child, born shortly after they adopted Georgia.
Georgia was the last person to be seen with Annabelle on the night of her birthday party, just before Honey found her beloved daughter bludgeoned to death.
When Mandy is summoned to visit her newfound sister in the psych ward, she has to figure out whether she can really trust her when she claims to be innocent. And Georgia has challenges of her own as she navigates the ward, wondering how much of her mental state it is safe to reveal. The sisters put aside their distrust and work together to prove Georgia's innocence.
The pacing was great, with short chapters and cliffhangers that leave the reader dangling as we switch to the other POV. The reveal was a bit disappointing; I couldn't quite buy the villain's motives.
Mandy and Georgia are both well-developed, strong female characters, and the writing was compelling. Recommended!

This book takes you on a bit of a ride.
It was a little hard for me to suspend belief for some parts, but overall I enjoyed the twists.

I think it’s a tale as old as time wondering if you’ve hit a twin out there, separated at birth, and it always makes for good storytelling!
7/10 for me - some slow bits but I’d certainly recommend it, and I’m going to seek out more of her titles!!