Overall, this book was okay but not my favorite from this author. The story of twins, separated at birth, who reunite after one of them is placed into a psychiatric unit after allegedly murdering someone. The ending felt too rushed for me!

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is an intense psychological thriller that weaves dark atmospheric moments into a gripping tale of family secrets, power, and corruption. Georgia Cartwright, accused of brutally murdering her sister, finds herself trapped in a locked psychiatric ward awaiting trial. But she knows she didn’t do it, and worse, she has no one she can trust. Adopted as a baby by a wealthy and powerful family, Georgia quickly realizes that their interests lie elsewhere, far from protecting her.

Meanwhile, Amanda (Mandy) is running her family's bar after her adoptive parents have passed. When she receives a shocking phone call, she learns that the woman accused of murdering her sister is in fact her twin sister, and Georgia is asking to see her. Drawn into the mystery, Amanda must navigate the tangled web of her past while uncovering a past that involves her parents.

Told from alternating points of view, the novel captures the psychological strain of Georgia’s time in the ward, where paranoia and uncertainty seep into every moment. Mandy, as a character, is compelling, and I liked her determination and emotional depth, which made her journey especially gripping. The short chapters keep the pacing brisk, making this an easy yet thrilling read. The epilogue, in particular, left a lasting impression, tying the story together in a way that lingers after the final page.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press, for the advanced reader copy. This is my honest review.

This is pretty typical in the realm of psychological thrillers that are popular right now, but it is more entertaining than others I've read.

Mandy is a good narrator, and Georgia is likable, even though she's in a psych ward for murdering her sister. There were some twists and turns that worked well, even if some were a little predictable. The red herrings were also a welcome invitation. It felt a little bit like there were some thrown in that didn't necessarily add to the plot, but I understand why there was no closure (Colby, Scott, etc).

If you want a quick read, then definitely pick this one up!

Thank you so much to Sarah Pekkanen, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for the ARC of The Locked Ward.

Georgia is accused of murdering her sister Annabelle in cold blood. She has been placed in a psychiatric ward on a mental hold and needs to be freed before she can be sent to prison. Her only hope remains in her long lost twin sister, Amanda. Georgia needs Amanda to unravel the truth behind what happened to Annabelle… quickly.

I loved the dual POVs in this story. It made the book read so quickly. I also loved the idea of long lost twins and the dichotomy of feeling connected to someone without knowing them and having no true allegiance to them.

At first I felt as if I didn’t know enough about Georgia or Mandy to truly be invested in this book. I primarily felt as if it took off rather quickly but as I got further into the book I now feel as if I had just enough information to start to build my knowledge base. What I did feel after I finished this book was that the time frame just felt off. All of the testing and visits feel like they would’ve taken weeks if not months to complete, not days. Even with that being the case I still thoroughly enjoyed this book, my first from Pekkanen, and I cannot wait to read more by this author! 4/5 stars!

This was ridiculously bad. The absurdity that a person would drop everything to help someone they’ve never met. The writing was mediocre.

Georgia is accused of killing her younger sister and sent to a psych ward due to her pleading. Amanda is Georgia twin sister separated at birth, and Amanda knows nothing about Georgia until she calls her from the ward asking for help and saying she is not guilty of murder.
This book is full of family and political drama, affairs, and other secrets as the truth is slowly unveiled. I loved the flow of this book—kept me engaged and eager to find out everyone’s role and who was guilty. The parts that took place in the psych ward were suspenseful and eerie. I liked the dual POV of Georgia and Amanda, but the writing in second person was weirddd and hard to get used to. I think I was also looking for a bit more thrill and creativity in the plot twist but still enjoyed this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Wow, what a ride! The Locked Ward kept me guessing throughout the entire book (which is very rare for me as I usually figure out the perp less than halfway through). Georgia and Mandy are twins, separated at birth, that do not find out about one another until their early 30's. Add in murder, secrets and lies and a cast of characters with secrets of their own and you have an absolutely un-put-downable book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Book Review: The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen

I’ve loved all of Sarah Pekkanen’s books, and this one absolutely delivered! I couldn’t put it down—the short chapters made it way too easy to say “just one more”.

From the beginning, I could feel a twist coming and kept trying to figure it out. The mix of murder mystery + family drama = the perfect storm. Suspenseful, emotional, and totally addictive.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced, satisfying read that keeps you guessing, this one’s worth picking up! 📚✨

Thank you, @netgalley and @sarahpekkanen, for the opportunity to read this!

#BookReview #TheLockedWard #SarahPekkanen #MysteryReads #ReadersOfInstagram #Booktok #arc

The Locked Ward was a fast paced thriller that kept me engaged and in suspense!

Georgia is a successful wedding planner that seems to live the life everyone dreams of: wealth, sophistication and glamour. When she stands accused of killing her sister Annabelle, Georgia reaches out in desperation to her biological twin, Mandy, of whose existence she had only recently learned of. Will Mandy risk everything for a woman she doesn’t know? Who really killed Annabelle? And how does Georgia get out of the locked ward alive?

Sarah Pekkanen’s writing style is so fluid and I find myself breezing through her books. Her syntax, her character development and the way she sets a scene allow my mind to drift off into these worlds she has created. This book would be a perfect beach read! And the ending of The Locked Ward kind of has me feeling that there might be a sequel? It’s not a cliffhanger by any means, but the set-up is there.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sarah Pekkanen for an advanced copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

As a big Sarah Pekkanen fan, I was thrilled to receive ARC copy of The Locked Ward. While many readers did not seem to love this book compared to her others, I thought it was a great read. With rotating viewpoints of Georgia and Mandy, the book drew me in right away. This book has it all - sibling rivalry, wealth, power, lust- and keeps you guessing almost the entire time. I will anxiously be awaiting Sarah’s next thriller!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

I was super intrigued by the book's plot synopsis. I enjoyed getting to know the characters as well as their storylines. The whole "twin" connection thing kind of felt forced. Then the story felt disconnected a little bit but found its way back. There were a few twists but none that made me clutch my pearls.

I did give it a 3 out of 5 stars, however. I would recommend the book. It was an enjoyable, easy read. Thank you for the opportunity!

The Locked Ward is the latest book from @sarahpekkanen. I was very excited to receive an advanced copy from @netgalley and @stmartinspress and it moved up to the top of my TBR list!

Georgia is accused of killing her little sister and is locked in a psych ward while waiting for her trial. She refuses to talk to anyone until she asks her lawyer to reach out to Mandy - a woman who Georgia claims is her twin sister who was separated at birth. The story flips back and forth between Georgia in the psych ward and Mandy who is trying to learn more about Georgia’s past and figure out who she can trust.

This was 4/5 for me! Had a slower start but then it really picks up at the end. It will be released on August 5th.

#bookstagram #bookreview #readersofinstagram #stlbookstagram #netgalley #thelockedward #sarahpekkanen

The Locked Ward throws you right into the twisty story of twin sisters separated at birth. One is locked up, accused of violent murder, believing the sister who doesn't even know she exists is her only hope. Her twin must unravel their story, leaving you wondering what is real and who is guilty?

Told from each sister's perspective, bouncing back and forth, made it an easy read with short chapters. Highly recommend this thriller from Sarah Pekkanen. While The Glass House was still my favorite story from her, this one is a strong follow up.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I loved how it started from the beginning with a surprise and the unraveling of the mystery. While there were some parts where I’d understand the placement of the characters I enjoyed Georgia and her sister very well. The writing was well paced and love a dual pov narrative. I definitely recommend
Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

A good thriller that hooks you and will keep you guessing! I loved the multiple perspectives and different settings. The twists were fun! I wanted a little bit more out of the characters and the action, at times it felt like weird pacing. Many of the characters didn't seem to have a purpose nor did they add anything to the story.

The story started with a plot that immediately drew me in, but the pace slowed a bit as we delved into Georgia and Mandy’s backstories and their connections. While this character development was important, it took a little time to get fully engaged. Once the groundwork was laid, the plot picked up and became much more intriguing. I do wish there had been more insight into some of the other characters in Mandy’s life, as a few relationships felt unexplored. The twists were well executed, though the major plot reveal was somewhat predictable. Overall, it was an enjoyable suspense read—not overly complex, but still satisfying.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and St. Martin Press for this opportunity to read the ARC for this book! Because I enjoyed House of Glass, I was very excited to read this, and it did not disappoint me! I couldn't put it down!

If Sarah writes it I’m going to read it. Everything she puts out is perfection and this is no exception. It was fast paced and kept me guessing the whole time

This one was a keeper. The two main players are Georgia and Amanda. Georgia has been accused of murdering her sister and has been committed to a mental institution for the time being, until a judge decides whether she is competent to stand trial. Amanda is shocked to discover that she has a twin sister, Georgia, and shocked that her twin is accused of bashing in her step-sister's head. Georgia has nowhere else to turn and has asked Amanda for help. There all some suspects here, of course, and both of these sisters are in grave danger, because someone is determined to hide the truth of what happened.

This one is only missing a star because there were some loose ends not quite tied up, some questions that I had remaining, and the last bits seemed a bit rushed while the first bits seemed to drag out unnecessarily. I really liked the book, however, and would definitely recommend it.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed reading The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkhanen. It was a bit slow going when learning about the characters Georgia & Mandy and getting their back stories and connections. Once we moved past a lot of that it started to pick up and become more intriguing. I was not expecting most of the twists and turns that occurred throughout the book. I do wish we got a little more info on some of the other connections with characters in Mandy's life. Overall it was a good suspense book and I enjoyed it. I was definitely not expecting the ending plot twist.
Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.