Thank you for the ARC. This was fine... but I was never super engaged in it. And I didn't love the ending that did a big reveal in the last paragraph but then went kind of no where.... I have enjoyed Pekkanen's other books way more than this one. 2.5 stars rounded up to 3.

“Test them.” 💇🏼‍♀️

“Protect me always. You. Did.”

In short this one was 𝐞𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞 & 𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐲. The paranoid, family drama, doubt and mistrust was real with this book. Trust no one.

I think my fav scenes were the conversations and clues between the sisters while Georgia was in the ward and Mandy came to visit her. The narrator did an excellent job of changing her voice during those visits which added to the creepy vibes.

In the end we get a nice dose of karmatic revenge and I’m here for it.

The sisterly bond is strong in this one.

I was so excited to read The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen. House of Glass from Pekkanen is sitting on my shelf waiting to be read, and she's an author whose name I've heard tossed around in the best mystery/thriller circles for years. I'll admit that thrillers aren't my primary genre, but every once in awhile, they can be such a fun read.

The Locked Ward follows Georgia Cartwright, a privileged ex-sorority sister from an affluent Charlotte, North Carolina family during her time confined to a mental hospital accused of killing her golden child younger sister Annabelle. The story features dual-perspectives of Georgia and Mandy (who we only meet after the story has started). The author uses first person on the chapters from Mandy's perspective and then switches on Georgia's chapters so that the story is being told to Georgia. The change of perspective took some getting used to, in the beginning, but I do feel like it provided clear emphasis that Mandy was going to be driving the story with Georgia playing an almost involuntarily confined and regulated role – not unlike the circumstances of her residence in the facility.

The story is full of player and secrets, and sometimes, I had trouble keeping up with the back story on all of the new characters being introduced throughout the entire story, but overall, I really enjoyed character development across the board. I feel like we dwelled too much on some facets of the story that later proved to be irrelevant, but I can understand that that was necessary to keep the reader (or listener, in my case) guessing.

As a Charlotte resident, I loved being able to resonate with the setting of the book, and Pekkanen did a great job at dropping little details about the area and local favorite restaurants like Stagioni's. I am also a Tri Delt alumni, and while sorority affiliation in this case was used to apply a stereotype, I didn't find it unflattering or vendictive.

I was lucky enough to receive the audiobook ARC from Netgalley and MacMillan Audio as narrated by January LaVoy. I'll admit as an Alabama-born, long-time Charlotte resident that I was very nervous when I realized there would be southern accents in the book. For the most part, I feel like the narrator did a good job on the female southern dialogue. At times, some of the characters were overly pronounced and unrealistic, but I've definitely heard worse. That said, I feel like all of the male voices were trying too hard and almost portrayed them as cliche, dopey and effiminate in a way that was a little offensive as a generalization for a group of men that greatly varied across different social circles and levels of society.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and did not see the end coming. Some areas of the story were a little predictable, but I was overall pleased with the story. I'll definitely have to move House of Glass up in my TBR, but as a Southerner, I do wish that I'd read The Locked Ward as opposed to listening to the audiobook as some of the accents left a bad taste in my mouth. Thank you, again, to Netgalley, MacMillan Audio, and Sarah Pekkanen for the audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Author Sarah Pekkanen became a quick favorite after reading "The Wife Between." Now, seeing her solo work her ability to make dark and mysterious women has only elevated. Absolutely a must-read author, her newest is a work of art.

I liked the Locked Ward by #SarahPekkanen , but it took me skittles bit to get into the audiobook because I had a hard time keeping track of which character was narrating the chapter. (It alternates.) I think it might have helped if the voices were a little more distinct for each character. Once the plot settled in, I was there for the ride of this twisty long-lost twin, murder mystery. There were several twists I wasn’t expecting, which is always what you want in a good psychological thriller. Thanks to #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for this advance audiobook copy.

I really enjoyed this book. The plot twists kept coming and the narration was great. 😊 I’ve enjoyed a few other books by this author so I wanted to check this one out and I’m glad I did.

This was a really good thriller. When a twin sister finds the twin she never knew she had it should be good news. But not when she is in a locked ward and being charged with murder.

This book had a great storyline with complex characters. It was fast paced, with quick chapters. I liked the two POVs, but it was really distracting to have Georgia in 2nd person. I really enjoyed the narrator.

I went into this with zero expectations, and I was happily impressed with the book! The writing (and narration) intrigued me right away, there were enough twists and turns to keep me interested without being overly confusing, and the conclusion was satisfying while also containing a twist that wasn't necessarily needed but gave some color to one of the characters. The POVs of Georgia and Mandy were distinct in their voices as well as their settings and plot. Top to bottom, I enjoyed this book.

Also, January LaVoy is becoming one of my favorite audiobook narrators! If there's something that I've been even kind of considering reading and she's the narrator, I'm definitely getting it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the ARC.

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen
Narrated by January LaVoy

I was fortunate enough to have both the ebook and the audiobook for The Locked Ward so could read the ebook when in a waiting room but could listen to the audiobook in the car and at home. January LaVoy is such a good narrator that she's become another narrator that will be a reason I'll grab an audiobook. She handled all the voices in this book very well.

Adopted daughter, Georgia, of the wealthy and socially prominent Cartwright family, has just bashed in the head of her slightly younger sister, the biological daughter of the parents who adopted Georgia. Now Georgia is locked up in a mental ward for violent patients, waiting to see if she is ruled not guilty by reason of insanity. Georgia's only hope is her biological sister, Amanda, raised in another city by middle class parents. Amanda's world is shattered when she finds out she has a twin sister and that her parents never told her this fact. Now Amanda has to decide if she can trust Georgia, a woman with a reputation of treating the Cartwright sister with cruelty from a very young age.

Amanda had always felt as if something was missing from her life. Now she realizes it was that SOMEONE was missing from her life. But how can she help Georgia when she can barely talk to her, barely communicate with her? And what if Georgia really did kill her Cartwright sister. Amanda has her own secrets and isn't willing to trust anyone. After all, her parents lied to her all her life.

The story had me captivated although I had a good idea of a few things that were going on. What a tangled web is woven by so many. The reader will be taken on twists and turns all the way to the end.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for this ebook and audiobook ARC.

This one is getting mixed reviews, but I enjoyed the ride of this audiobook. There are a few plot elements that are just ridiculous (it's not giving anything significant away, but seriously she randomly picks the correct restaurant based on liking the name of it), but overall I liked the directions that Pekkanen took the plot. I think the book could have ended before the epilogue, and the epilogue did take away from the whole book for me a little bit. I enjoyed both main characters, and I was rooting for them both throughout the book. The audiobook was well done, and I would definitely recommend this one in that format!

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is an intriguing psychological thriller with a twist that genuinely surprised me—something that doesn’t happen often. While the book started off a bit slow, it gradually picked up pace and delivered a satisfying and unexpected ending.

The story revolves around two sisters, one of whom is in a locked psychiatric ward for murder… but it turns out she isn’t the one who actually committed the crime. That revelation adds a compelling layer to the narrative and challenges the reader’s assumptions throughout.

Despite the slow start, the tension builds steadily, and the payoff is worth it. The book strikes a balance between emotional depth and suspense, with family dynamics and hidden truths driving much of the drama. The resolution, while dramatic, leans toward a happy ending—which might not be typical for the genre but feels earned here.

I listened to the audiobook, and the narrator did an excellent job. Her performance added to the atmosphere and helped bring the characters to life, especially during the more intense moments. She earned the book an extra star.

Overall, The Locked Ward is a solid choice for fans of twisty, character-driven thrillers. I’d recommend it to anyone who enjoys psychological suspense with a slightly slower build and a surprising conclusion.


Disclaimer: I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Thank you NetGallry for this audiobook ARC. All opinions expressed in this are my own.

I really wanted to like The Locked Ward, but unfortunately, it just didn’t work for me. The premise sounded intriguing, but the execution fell flat. The pacing was slow, and I found myself struggling to stay engaged. The characters felt one-dimensional and their motivations often didn’t make sense. Nothing felt real. I really couldn't understand why the characters would do what they were doing. I kept waiting for a twist or some emotional payoff, but it never came. It felt more like a drawn-out character study than a gripping psychological drama. Disappointing, especially since I’ve enjoyed Pekkanen’s previous work. This one just missed the mark.

A very fast paced psychological thriller. I really enjoyed the narrator and thought they brought a lot to the story

Dual POV can be really fun and add to the pacing of a thriller, but in this case it seemed like a crutch. This was good, not great. Good for an easy summer listen.

Book Review 📚
Title: The Locked Ward
Author: Sarah Pekkanen

This was my first time reading one of Sarah’s books, and unfortunately, it didn’t work for me. The story felt slow, and I never really felt drawn in. I found myself frequently pausing the audiobook, which made it hard to stay engaged. The narrator was decent, but overall, the book just didn’t hold my interest the way I’d hoped.

Thank you NetGalley, Sarah and Macmillan Audio for the ALC!

Publication Date: August 5 2025
Rating: ✨✨

The narrator did a fantastic job. The writer did a great job with this engaging, interesting, on the edge of your seat thriller. I’ve read several by this author and she never disappoints. I recommend it.

I really enjoyed this book! I read the digital copy while listening to the audiobook and it was quite the experience. I loved the short chapters. I did feel like that ending was heavily implied much earlier on in the book, so I wouldn't call it a twist per se, but it didn't take away from my enjoyment.

I've been a longtime fan of Sarah Pekkanen, and will jump at a chance to read her books! The Locked Ward brought another twisty, well paced thrill ride!

Georgia is locked away in a psychiatric ward, charged with the death of her sister Annabelle. Desperate to get help, she reaching out to the only person she knows can help her. Her long lost twin. Mandy, has no idea that she has a twin sister, and is skeptical when she is contacted by a lawyer telling her that Mandy is the only person Georgia is willing to talk to. Hesitant, Mandy meets Georgia and is chilled by her statement that is Mandy doesn't help get her out, she will be killed. Once Mandy confirms that Georgia is in fact her sister, she feels compelled to know more. This sets in motion the deep dive into the family, and secrets held close and finding out who is the real killer and what possible threats still exist?

I really enjoyed the pacing of this novel, and the small twists throughout. I also love a thriller that changes perspectives, giving readers the minds of both sisters as they navigate this mystery. The narrator was clear and concise. It was a great audiobook!

Georgia Cartwright, a daughter of a wealthy and well known family wakes up in a locked psychiatric ward after being accused of killing her sister.

Mandy Ravenel is running the bar she took over for her parents after they died. She gets a phone call from a public defender who says Georgia Cartwright is requesting her to come see her. But Why? Because Georgia needs help Mandy discovers not only are they sisters but they are twins.

Georgia needs Mandy’s help to help prove her innocence. As Mandy starts to dig and keeps digging deeper more secrets are revealed who can Mandy trust?

This audiobook kept me wanting more. I couldn’t wait to find out if Georgia really killed her sister. The use of the “twin connection” seemed exaggerated but overall I liked to story and I was not expecting the plot twist at all!

The narrator did a great job. I would listen to more by this narrator. All the different voices were done well.

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan Audio for allowing me this ARC of this audiobook

This is my own opinion.

To be released August 5th 2025