The Locked Ward is a end-of-summer thriller from Sarah Pekkanen.

"Everyone is shocked when glamorous Georgia Cartwright is accused of killing her sister. Maybe it's the fact that she was found standing over her sister's body and covered in her blood. She is locked away in a psych ward for vicious killers. Georgia was adopted and only one she'll talk to is her twin, Amanda. Amanda didn't even know she had a twin. All that Georgia will say is 'I didn't do it - get me out of here.' Amanda doesn't trust Georgis but can't leave her. Is Georgia the victim of a powerful family or is Amanda being led astray by a master manipulator?"

Pekkanen keeps you guessing in this story of two sisters. Georgia is already manipulating the system - what else is she doing? Amanda struggles to find her footing after discovering a twin. And that her family has secrets. (It's always secrets)

January Lavoy is superb again with the audio. She makes the twins similar but different. Plenty of emotion at the surprise ending. I did not guess the killer or the motive.

It was interesting to watch Amanda adapt to changes in her world-view. Not sure how I would react if I found out I had a twin.

Another good story from Pekkanen.

I think this was a good book but I was waiting for it to be great. I wasn’t able to guess who the actual murderer was until it was revealed. There was a lot of family drama that I did enjoy. I also appreciated the different points of view from each sister. The thing that didn’t really do it for me was the “locked ward” aspect of this book. Frankly, the psychiatric institution aspect of this book probably could’ve been a different setting and wouldn’t have made a different to the actual storyline. Also, as a mental health clinician, I didn’t appreciate that the main character pretends to have a mental illness to avoid going to jail. It felt insensitive toward people who do suffer from mental health.

Overall I don’t think this was a bad book but it was a one and done read for me.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this early release copy!

This was fast-paced and well-written, but also forgettable. I found much of the twists to be predictable and feel like the long-lost twin trope is overplayed.

January LaVoy does an excellent job narrating the dual POVs so if you’re going to check this one out, go with audio for sure!

I started & finished this book tonight. It kept me intrigued all the way to the end. I kept trying to figure out the who and didn’t guess till over half way into listening and even then I wasn’t sure till the end. There was also the little extra twist at the end I wasn’t expecting!

Great book! It hooked me right from the start. Did she do it… or didn’t she? You’ll have to listen to find out. I really enjoyed how the author wove the two lives together—it was both interesting and captivating. There were plenty of twists along the way that kept things moving. Definitely a must-read!

The narrator was fantastic, too. She gave each character a distinct voice and really brought the story to life. I stayed hooked the whole time.

I struggle with writing reviews for thrillers because I hate giving away even the most minor of plot points. Sarah Pekkanen is an auto read author for me. Her books are always well paced and twisty enough to hold my interest.

THE LOCKED WARD features a wealthy socialite confined to a psychiatric hospital after being accused of murdering her sister. She maintains her innocence, but no one believes her. She enlists the help of a local tavern owner with whom she shares an unexpected connection. Facing threats from both inside and outside the ward, time is running out.

This started strong, veered into areas that were a bit far fetched, and ended abruptly. It was a perfectly fine thriller that kept me listening, but likely won’t stay in my head for too long.

Once again, the remarkable January LaVoy delivers a stellar performance in the narration of this book. She is able to convey every possible emotion to keep the listener hooked.

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for the advance copies. All opinions are my own.

Wow! This book kept me guessing until the very end and I didn't even see it coming! When Amanda is blindsided by the fact she has a twin, she is hit again with the knowledge that her twin, Georgia, is in a psych ward waiting to find out if she is competent to stand trial or not for killing her biological sister..

Amanda is thrown into a mystery of figuring out her own pass and seeing if she can save her newfound twin. As she digs deeper and deeper, her life becomes more endangered. Amanda starts to reconsider everything she has known in her life, including who the parents who raised her are.

There were so many twists. Every time I felt there was a lead I could hang on to, it was gone. The ending was something that I never even had a thought of. I love the stories that blow my mind!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC for this one!
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Sarah is an auto-buy author for me after LOVING both Gone Tonight and House of Glass, so I was super excited to get an early copy of The Locked Ward!
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It did not disappoint! This was a really good, twisty thriller. It gave me the creepy, “WTF is going on” feeling that I’ve been looking for in a thriller. I had absolutely no idea where this one was going, which I love! And that epilogue!
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Dual POV, murder, LOADS of family drama, and secrets. Extra points for being way in North Carolina, which is where I’m from!
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Def recommend this one!

Thanks to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the advance listening copy.
I’ve read Sarah Pekkanen before, but The Locked Ward feels like her strongest work yet. I listened to this in just two days—completely hooked from start to finish.
The premise is instantly gripping: Georgia Cartwright, accused of murdering her biological sister, is locked away in a psychiatric ward for violent offenders. When her estranged twin Amanda visits, Georgia insists she’s innocent and begs for help. What follows is a tense psychological puzzle—part family drama, part locked‑room thriller—as Amanda is pulled deeper into her sister’s web. Is Georgia a victim of a corrupt Southern dynasty…or a master manipulator?
The pacing is fantastic—sharp, twisty, and filled with red herrings—and the atmosphere of the ward is claustrophobic and eerie in the best way. January LaVoy’s narration elevates the story even more, perfectly capturing the tension and emotional stakes.
A must for anyone who loves psychological thrillers with family secrets, unreliable narrators, and plenty of jaw‑dropping turns.

Sarah Pekkanen and I have a tumultuous relationship. I liked some of her stuff and have not liked others. And this falls into the later unfortunately. I wanted to like this but I was bored and uninterested. Everytime I wanted to pick it up i couldn't bring myself to do it.

I was hooked on this audiobook—Pekkanen delivered on every level. The twists kept me guessing right up to the very end and the dysfunctional family drama added delicious layers of tension. I was completely invested in the complicated dynamics between Georgia and Amanda; both POVs are so distinct and emotionally charged. The pacing felt electric—short, sharp chapters had me pressing play again and again. If you’re looking for a dark, twisty ride packed with psychological suspense and complex sisterly bonds, this one’s for you!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is a chilling, twist-filled psychological thriller that dives deep into the complexities of sisterhood, identity, and the thin line between truth and delusion. From the first page, the story pulls you into the eerie, high-stakes world of Georgia Cartwright—a woman accused of murdering her adopted family’s biological daughter—and her reluctant twin sister Amanda, who must decide whether to trust the one person she’s spent her life avoiding.

The setting of the psychiatric institution is deeply atmospheric, adding an extra layer of unease to the already high-tension plot. Pekkanen does a fantastic job keeping you off balance, constantly second-guessing what’s real, who’s telling the truth, and how far people are willing to go to protect secrets. Georgia and Amanda’s dynamic is fraught, messy, and totally compelling.

There were a few moments where the pacing dipped or the plot got a little tangled, but the suspense and emotional stakes more than made up for it. If you love a thriller that leans into unreliable narrators, dark family secrets, and mind-bending twists, this one’s for you.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

“The most dangerous animal on earth isn’t the great white shark or a hungry crocodile or a mama bear. It’s the human being.”

I couldn’t read this fast enough! The creepy and claustrophobic atmosphere of the psychiatric ward bled through the pages leaving me slightly uncomfortable, even as I wanted more. Georgia’s POV is written in second person, which cleverly adds to the isolated and dissociative feeling, especially when juxtaposed with Mandy’s first person narrative. I could literally put myself in Georgia’s shoes and they were scary and desperate! Did she kill her other sister? If she didn’t, who did?! Will Mandy help her or leave her to face a dire fate?

Mandy isn’t sure WHAT to think of the situation and knows nothing about Georgia, but naturally she’s intrigued about having a twin. Can she trust Georgia? As the story progresses, the distinct personalities of the sisters becomes evident, providing an extra layer of complexity. Sarah Pekkanen’s writing is taut and immersive and is sure to keep you on your toes guessing!

I did a combo read with the audiobook and January LaVoy’s performance was STELLAR which is NO surprise! January is always BEYOND fantabulous, using different accents, as well as perfectly exuding the emotions of any given situation, increasing the tension, excitement and danger! I will ALWAYS recommend the audiobook of a superb novel when January is narrating.

THE LOCKED WARD is not only a tense psychological thriller, but an exploration of what it means to be family and how far some will go to protect themselves and the ones they love. Do you enjoy juicy family drama, secrets and lies, an amateur sleuth vibe and surprising moments? Then look no further!
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Thank you Sarah Pekkanen and Macmillan Audio for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio ARC!

3.5 stars - the writing was good, the plot pacing was steady throughout. I was happy with the twist and the family drama. I think the narrator absolutely crushed this book. I feel like there wasn’t a huge mental health = evil trope which I greatly appreciated. The family dynamics were a huge part of this story, and I appreciated the constant POV changes to keep the storyline moving. I LOVED the epilogue, I was not surprised but thrilled to have been confirmed in my thoughts. 😈 a pretty standard thriller including sinister family dynamics, twins, psychological tension - if you like thrillers you’ll like this.

It takes a lot for a thriller to really suck me in but this one got me! I was enraptured by the entire premise and was dying to know what was going on. Mandy and Georgia were both so captivating and the unraveling of both of them was fantastic. I definitely recommend!

Thank you so much to @macmillan.audio @stmartinspress for the ALC/ARC!#MacAudio2025

𝗧𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲: The Locked Ward
𝗔𝘂𝘁𝗵𝗼𝗿: Sarah Pekkanen
𝗡𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿: January LaVoy
𝗣𝘂𝗯 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗲: August 5, 2025
4⭐️

🔹 𝙈𝙮 𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 🔹
I was looking forward to reading this new one and it was a bingeable story! Georgia has been committed to a psych ward after being accused of killing her sister at her birthday party. Georgia is the adopted sister of the family. She reaches out to her estranged twin sister, Mandy, asking for help because she didn’t do it.

Mandy is skeptical of course. She didn’t even know she had a twin out there! She isn’t sure what to think. I would be as wary of her locked up sister too because everything seems sketchy.

Georgia’s POV was in second person, which was a little odd to get used to be lent to a different feel of her being the one locked up during the story.

The chapters were short and seemed to leave off on just enough of a cliffhanger that you couldn’t wait to get back to that sisters next chapter (every other one), so you had to keep reading!

There were a few unexpected twists and answers thrown in near the end and overall it was a fun story to read. The twin connection was a theme woven throughout as well, so if you love twin stories, definitely pick this up!

🎧 𝙉𝙖𝙧𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 🎧
January LaVoy always makes audiobooks enjoyable to listen to! She delivers this story with smooth ease, as she goes back and forth between Georgia and Mandy’s POVs. I was happy the author has the girls name at the beginning of each chapter, so you know the POV switch each time. I could speed up listening with January’s voice easily too!

🎧 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚:
🔹 Suspense Thriller
🔹 Twin Connections
🔹 Complex Family Drama
🔹 Psych Wards

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Sarah Pekkanen, for this ARC of "The Locked Ward" out August 5, 2025!

Accused of murdering the biological daughter of her wealthy Southern adoptive family, Georgia Cartwright becomes the center of a scandal dubbed the "Crime of the Decade." Now locked in a high-security psychiatric facility, she pleads her innocence to her estranged twin sister Amanda with a chilling whisper: “I didn’t do it. You have to get me out of here.”

If you are looking for a fast paced thriller, dual POV, shocking twists, and quick read/listen, "The Locked Ward" is the book to read!

⭐️Overall Rating: 4 Stars

This novel was provided by the publisher, via Net Galley, in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoy Sarah Pekkanen's books (with or without Greer Hendricks) so I was excited to get this ARC. There wasn't anything special about this, but it was a good read. If you like the mystery/thriller genre a la Gillian Flynn with less trauma, you'll like this. Some people didn't like the alternating POV with the use of second person voice, but it was a good tool to distinguish which character was narrating.

Solid 4 stars for me. I really enjoyed this jaw-dropping psychological thriller. Inside this dark and twisted whodunnit we have secrets, accusations, schemes and scandal, parental toxicity.. and estranged twins. It’s such an addictive ride. You’ll be shaking your head wondering which way is up! Even better on audio with January LaVoy narrating. 📖🎧 Pub. 8/5/25

Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced reading copy and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

twisted, eerie, and completely addictive. This book had me questioning everything and everyone. The atmosphere? Creepy as hell. The sister dynamic? Messed up in the best way. I love a psychological thriller that keeps me on edge, and The Locked Ward delivered. The pacing dragged just a little in some spots, but once things picked up, it was impossible to put down. I was second-guessing myself the whole time is Georgia innocent or a master manipulator? That ending?? Whew.