Georgia is locked up on a psychiatric hold after she was found covered in blood, standing over her sister Annabelle's dead body. It's clear from the beginning that something is off, as disclosed in her inner monologue, but the reader isn't sure what to think about her guilt. We see from the perspective of her twin sister, Mandy, as she receives the news that she's been asked to visit Georgia, whom she's only heard about in the news. It's not until she receives a phone call from Georgia's lawyer that Mandy discovers that they are related, and they are twins. So her whole life is thrown into chaos with this news, especially because Georgia's family is one of the wealthiest in the South. Mandy can't help but visit her, and her curiosity is piqued when Georgia appears catatonic, then whispers her innocence.

The story proceeds in the dual perspectives as the reader follows Georgia's grim situation in the ward with interesting characters, some menacing, a few helpful. We see memories of her and Annabelle growing up, showing how highly her sister was favored over Georgia and how events were twisted to paint Georgia as the jealous and violent sister. We also watch as Mandy investigates Georgia's life and family, staying in her luxurious apartment, wearing her luxurious clothes, and attempting to infiltrate Georgia's world to uncover the truth.

So the sisterhood theme is really driven hard; it could have been a bit more subtle, but I suppose it's perfect for family drama. Readers will ponder over Georgia's motives and how innocent she really was. Mandy finds out more secrets about how she and Georgia were split apart, and they are juicy, all right. The ending probably won't be a surprise, but you won't be able to help racing through and seeing how it all comes together. I'm a fan of this author, and her stories are always page-turners. This is no exception, and if toxic families are your thing, you won't want to miss this one!

Welp. This one was so promising. I was immediately hooked into it. Loved the dual POVs and the back and forth with the timeline. I just felt like things got super duper weird. And too unbelievable

This one didn’t work for me. It started out pretty good and I was enjoying the short chapters, but about 40% in the book took a turn for the worse. I felt like the author didn’t know how to wrap things up because her premise was so thin. I didn’t care for the way Georgia’s chapters were written as it added nothing to the book. And the entire “twin” thing got really annoying quickly. I think it would have worked better had they been identical. A lot of authors today are stuck in what I call the Gone Girl Mentality. They must have a twist, the more the better, and the characters, and plot, and logic are given short shrift.

Sarah Pekkanen’s The Locked Ward is a twisty psychological thriller that delves into the dark secrets of a powerful family. When Georgia Cartwright is confined to a psychiatric institution after being accused of her sister’s murder, she reaches out to Amanda, the twin sister she never knew she had. Told through dual perspectives, the narrative keeps readers guessing as Amanda uncovers layers of deceit and hidden truths. While it wasn’t my favorite of Pekkanen’s works, the suspenseful plot and unexpected twists kept me hooked until the end. I would ultimately recommend.

(4.5/5 stars)
The Locked Ward is a gripping, claustrophobic psychological thriller that had me questioning every character’s motive until the very last page.

Sarah Pekkanen dives deep into the messy, often murky waters of sisterhood, identity, and inherited trauma. The dynamic between Amanda and Georgia is at the heart of the novel, and it’s both unsettling and oddly tender. You’re never quite sure who’s telling the truth—or if either of them is. That ambiguity is handled so well, it creates a constant undercurrent of tension that doesn’t let up.

The setting of the locked psychiatric ward adds another layer of unease. It’s oppressive, dreamlike, and haunting in a way that feels psychological rather than supernatural. I found myself as unsure as Amanda—unsure of what was real, who to trust, and whether Georgia was a victim, a monster, or something in between.

It leans into familiar tropes—twins, institutional horror, twisted family secrets—but does so with nuance and a clear sense of emotional stakes. Pekkanen doesn’t just deliver a fast-paced thriller; she explores what it means to be shaped (and scarred) by the people closest to you.

Chilling, immersive, and quietly devastating. I couldn’t put it down.

Georgia Cartwright killed her adopted sister.... or did she?

The scandal of the year opened more than the headlines of the evening news... a secret twin is found, and asked to investigate and help her sister. She finds a level of secrecy and deceit like no other, and an ending no one saw coming.

This book had a really interesting presence. Twins, separated at birth, are unaware of each other for most of their lives. They are brought together when one twin, Georgia, is accused of the high-profile murder of her sister and biological child of her adoptive parents. Georgia is locked in a psych ward that may not be as safe as she’d hoped, and it’s up to her twin Mandy to help her. Mandy is thrust into learning of a twin, questioning her whole life, and how her adoptive parents had been involved with this family… while deeply wanting to save her sister.

The execution of this book was just too far-fetched for me. The twins learn of the other amidst this murder investigation and feel quickly connected. Mandy sees the similarities and even calls out the subtle differences in their appearances and yet no one recognizes similarity between them despite thrusting herself into Georgias family, friends, and building. Even so much as going on a date with Georgia’s friend… and still no one calls out similarity to the supposed murderer. There were other plot holes for me as well - a coed psych ward with very loose security protocols, near instant DNA results, etc. I couldn’t get past this unfortunately.

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

This book seemed to struggle with being disjointed
in my eyes, but came to a great wrap up just in time.
I’m a fan of the Author, but this one was not the hype
I had been waiting for., though I felt more a part of
the organized mayhem by the end of the book. I
do not recall other suspense stories,or discovering
twins, one of whose might be a murder suspect,
and from a somewhat defective bloodline, but
that angle was my favorite. I am certain that
diehard fans will love the book.
My thanks to St Martin’s Press for the download
of the book for review purposes.

Mandy knows she was adopted, but she grew up with very loving parents who have passed away. She finds out she has a twin sister….one who is locked in a psych ward after killing her other sister-and she needs Mandy’s help.

I really enjoyed this one! Multiple mysteries, multiple POVs, pretty fast paced and short chapters. Highly recommend this one!

Georgia Cartwright's life as a premier wedding planner is turned upside down when she is accused of killing the daughter of a wealthy Southern family.
After she is locked up in a psychiatric ward of the local hospital to await her trial, her estranged twin sister Amanda visits her. Georgia desperately reaches out to her. She insists she didn’t’ kill anyone, and she is petrified by the dangerous criminals she is surrounded by on the ward.
Amanda isn’t entirely convinced that Georgia is telling the truth. Still, she is her sister, and she decides to conduct her own investigation into the circumstances surrounding the murder for which Georgia is being accused.
Amanda soon finds that there was a master plan against Georgia, and she has been wrongfully accused of a murder she didn’t commit. To prove her innocence and free her, she must now go against a local, politically motivated family.

Georgia is locked in a physch ward for killing her sister Annabelle. Did she do it? She gets the help of her long lost sister Amanda, to help her get out and prove her innocence. Will Amanda be able to navigate this new rich elite world that she's never been part of before to get answers and free her sister from the physch ward?

This book was riveting!! I loved reading it, definitely a great thrillers!! The moment it come out you should pick it up!!

Socialite and wedding planner Georgina is committed to a psych ward for allegedly killing her sister, Annabelle. At the same time she enlists her twin sister Mandy for help. This part was a bit disjointed, but towards the end it kinda comes together. Thanks to the publisher for a copy.

This did not end up working for me! What started as a fast paced thriller, that kept me engaged, lost me by about 45% in due to the pretentious nature of the characters, second-person POV, and the weak reasoning behind the crimes. Further supported by the lazy and poorly written ending, this book was a miss.

Ooooh this one had me hooked from the first chapter! I loved the premise - Mandy is minding her business one day when she gets a strange call. In an instant, her world was changed...not only was she being contacted by a social heiress after committing a crime, but she learns she's actually her long-list twin sister.

I've never read anything by Pekkanen prior to this but due to reviews of her other books, I was excited to be approved for this one! I really enjoyed the dual POV between Mandy and Georgia - Georgia's second person POV was a little hard to connect with at first, but I found that it created a more jarring, creepy atmosphere that was perfect to set the mood for this story. Hearing both sides of the story made me bounce back and forth between different ideas of what really happened and encourages readers to truly consider what makes for a "happy" or "perfect" life. Money doesn't always equate to happiness.

Was the ending a little predictable? Yeah - I had a pretty good idea about halfway through the book after a very specific character interaction. Did it make it any less suspenseful or fun? No way! This one was an easy read with snappy pacing that would make for a perfect book club convo. Thanks so much for this ARC and for introducing me to a new author I'll certainly be reading more of!

3.75⭐️

The Locked Ward was not my favorite by Sarah Pekkanen but still a very enjoyable read.

I love thrillers with shorter chapters. It keeps things moving and interesting. This was definitely a perk in this book. The Locked Ward is also told in dual POVs: Mandy and Georgia.
Georgia's POV was in second person which was a little strange, but it worked. A very engaging and suspenseful read. At no point did I think I had it figured out - there were some twists and turns that were very unexpected!

Georgia Cartwright was adopted into a wealthy, Southern family as an infant. Unfortunately, she never really felt that she belonged, she always came second to her sister, Annabelle.
Georgia and Annabelle didn't form that sisterly bond because from early childhood, Georgia was made out to be a villain by her mother, Honey Cartwright. Georgia as the villain seems to be proven true at the beginning of this story when Georgia is found standing over her sister's bloodied, dead body. This will be described as "The Crime of the Decade."

As Amanda Ravenel is scrolling through headlines of the latest murder, her phone rings with a call from "private caller." Mandy answers the call never expecting it to be Georgia's public defender. She just learned of the suspected murderer minutes ago while reading the headlines. It appears, however, that Georgia knows just who Mandy is as she is requesting her sister come see her in the locked ward.

Get ready for a novel full of deception, misconceptions and manipulation! This is definitely one you want to get on your TBR!

Thank you Sarh Pekkanen, NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

Solid 4 stars

I always enjoy a Pekkanen book, she never disappoints. This was the usual page turner, who really did it, good twist at the end type of book.
This is a great weekend read.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and honestly rate this book.

Thank you Sarah Pekkanen for another phenominal, edge of your seat psychological thriller. You will not be able to put this book down - she grabs you from page one, shakes you loose at the very end...but still ends the book with a "NO WAY"! Thanks for the ARC!

I was sent a copy of this ARC from Netgalley in return for an honest review. While this is my first book by Sarah Pekkanen, I have heard many great things and was super excited to get a chance to read The Locked Ward. From the start I was intrigued by the institution type setting and was completely invested within a chapter or two. I would have loved to hear more about Georgia being locked in the ward and Mandy owning the bar. The only reason I didn't give 5 stars is because it's not a story that will stick with me for months or years to come. There was nothing that really set it apart from other thrillers, but I would recommend it to my family and friends. I thought it was entertaining and loved the plot. The characters were very relatable too. The book was easy to get into and overall I thought it was a very good, enjoyable read.

I was very excited to get the opportunity to read this. I’ve been a huge fan since I met the author years ago at a book expo. I really enjoyed this dark, intense story. The characters were so well developed and I was never sure what was going to happen next, which is rare for me. I would highly recommend this!!!

4-1/2 stars (rounded up) for a compelling thriller that grabbed me from the start and didn't let go. This is my third Sarah Pekkanen book, and it definitely won't be my last. The Locked Ward introduces us to Georgia, who has been confined to a psychiatric ward in the hospital after being accused of killing her sister. Georgia is adopted, and her sister Annabelle was born only four months after the adoption was finalized. There's always been rivalry and animosity between the two, but who'd have expected it to go so far?!

From the hospital, Georgia reaches out to Amanda, the twin sister she only recently discovered, in hope that Amanda can help prove her innocence and solve the mystery of Annabelle's death. Meanwhile, she's coping with creepy and sometimes aggressive patients, along with some questionable hospital staff, while trying to maintain her sanity even as she's pretending to have lost it.

I read this novel almost straight through over two days, it was so engrossing. Thank you to St. Martin's Press and #NetGalley for providing a free digital download in exchange for an objective review.