I absolutely loved The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen on audiobook! This psychological thriller is a masterclass in suspense, with a twisty plot that kept me guessing until the very end. The story of Georgia, accused of murder and confined to a psychiatric ward, and her twin sister Amanda’s quest to uncover the truth was utterly gripping. The narration was fantastic, bringing out the tension and emotional depth of the characters perfectly. The audio production was top-notch, making every moment immersive and intense. A must-listen for thriller fans! Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio, for the opportunity to review this ALC.

I've read a handful of Sarah Pekkanen novels and enjoyed them all enough that when I saw this one available on NetGalley I jumped at the chance to read it. The Locked Ward is the story of two sisters, long separated, racing against the clock to solve a murder that might end with one of them locked away for life, or dead. This book alternated POV between the twins, though one was told in first person perspective and one was told in second. There were a lot of elements of this book I liked and a lot that I didn't, which over all left this just a middle of the road read for me.

Although this book had a lot of great potential, I felt like it wasn't as engaging as I wanted it to be. None of the characters really stuck with me and nothing felt all that well rounded. I knew details about characters but not necessarily who the characters really were. I also didn't care much for some of the side quests that the non-incarcerated twin went through in order to try and find more information that might exonerate her sister.

This book is very readable, though. Enough so that if you're a fan of thrillers and want a good popcorn novel to read over a weekend this might be for you. It was interesting enough to keep me going through the end, it's just not one I'd actively recommend to anyone looking for something to read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for sharing this book with me.

Told through the tense dual POVs of Georgia Cartwright, who’s been confined to a psychiatric ward after being accused of killing her adopted sister, and Amanda, who is thrust into Georgia’s world of secrets. Being called the “Crime of the Decade,” Georgia insists she didn’t kill her sister, but chronic family dysfunction, questions of adoption, privilege, and manipulation swirl around her as Amanda races to uncover the truth.

I really enjoyed the story! The structure kept me hooked. The alternating viewpoints added depth, and the short chapters created fast-paced momentum that made the book feel unputdownable. Plus, the audiobook narration is superb. I was particularly intrigued by the subplot involving Georgia’s roommate and it adds another creepy layer to the already charged atmosphere. The mystery of Georgia’s innocence and the hidden traumas of the Cartwright clan are solidly executed, though a few twists felt a little predictable, and I wish the last chapter or two had been trimmed down.

Still, the character development especially the eerie, magnetic bond forming between the Amanda and Georgia was compelling enough to bump my rating from 3.5 to ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. The suspense is strong, and the pacing is fast which always lends itself to making a gripping thriller. If you’re a fan of well-crafted psychological thrillers, this is one to bookmark.

The Locked Ward comes out August 5, 2025. Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copies in exchange for my review. If you liked this review, please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my Instagram @speakingof.books.
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I am a fan of Sarah Pekkanen and was thrilled to read THE LOCKED WARD! I like her latest, but I did not love it. I enjoyed the storyline and the in-depth look at twins. Although I was hooked early on, I was left with questions.
In THE LOCKED WARD, Pekkanen explores sibling rivalry, twins, and the scary reality of a psych ward. She added wealthy characters and a politician, so it was a great recipe for a thriller.
Proving Georgia’s innocence and Amanda's connection to the Cartwright family were well thought out, while the detective and Patty's roles were a little too convenient or rushed. All in all, it was a good read!

4.5 stars rounded up to 5, Anytime a book has to do with a therapist or with a mental health unit. I immediately want to read it. This book delivered!

Georgia finds herself in quite a predicament after she is found standing over the body of her dead sister. With all of the pulls that her family has, she ends up on a psychiatric hold instead of waiting in jail. But did she really do it? Did she really kill her sister?

Cue Mandy, who is clueless as to who Georgia is. However, Georgia knew exactly who Mandy was. Can Mandy trust a stranger enough to help her with her innocence?

I absolutely ate this book up. The twists were phenomenal. I love a good thriller with rich people behaving badly, it never gets old. The power struggles that you see at play in those dynamics.

This twisty thriller comes out August 5, 2025 and I absolutely recommend it to wrap up your summary reading.

Huge thank you to MacMillian Audio for this ALC!

ALC 🎧📖 Review: The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 stars)
Pub date: August 5, 2025.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. The pacing was well done and kept me engaged, but I felt it was missing that extra kick to take it to the next level. I do love a spooky twin element, I just needed a little more for it to be a 4-star read for me.

Thank you to @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

⛓️⛓️‍💥

Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institution where the most violent offenders are held while she awaits trial. The only words she whispers when her estranged twin sister Amanda visits are, “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.”

#netgalley #thelockedward #booksbooksbooks #read #bookish #reading #audiobookreview #booknerd #readmorethrillers #books #reader #bookworm #book

3.5 stars rounded up!

Calling fans of Freida McFadden, Jeneva Rose, and Lisa Jewel!!

This was a fast paced, easy read. Quick reading, short chapters. Alternating points of view. One odd thing that kind of threw me was one side was written in 1st person while the other in 2nd person. I've seen 2nd person used for maybe a prologue or short parts but this point of view remained 2nd person throughout the books entirety.

Georgia has just been accused of murdering her own sister. But instead of prison she's currently locked in a psychiatric ward undergoing evaluation to see if she is mentally stable enough to stand trial. She swears she didn't do it but how can she prove that? She will need help undoubtedly.

Enter Mandy, Georgia's . . .sister?? Not only a sister but her TWIN. They were adopted out to separate families and did not even know of each others existence. Can Georgia build a relationship and trust quick enough with Mandy to get her help?

Not a lot of character or setting building. Very surface level but I dont mind that as it does make for a very fast read. The plot was interesting and moved along at a great pace. A nice little twist at the end.

I was honored enough to get an audio copy. The narrator was fantastic. Her voice is smooth, easy to understand and easy to listen to. She has a good pace and volume also.

Thanks to NetGalley, MacMillan audio, and Sarah Pekkanen for the advanced Listener's copy and chance to give my honest opinion.

This was a really good book. I was hooked almost instantly. This is a thriller that involves sisters, murder, and secrets. One sister is in a locked ward in a hospital being held for murder. She is perfectly sane (or is she?) but is faking insanity for certain reasons. She knows she has a twin sister but since they were separated when they were born, the other sister has no clue. Until now. She wants to see her sister and get her to help her out.
I won't tell you more about it because I don't want to ruin it for you. It's really good with twists you just won't see coming. When you think you know what's going to happen, you may find that you absolutely do not.
This book is well written and highly recommended!

I had the chance to listen to the audio book version of this book and it was brilliant! The narrator was January LaVoy is the narrator and she is one of my all time favorites. She's amazing. Highly, highly, recommend.

This was a book that hooked me from the beginning and I had to just finish it in one day. The book had suspense, family dysfunction, family secrets, sisters that didn't even know each other, and an eerie psychiatric ward setting...which the author did such a good job bringing the spookiness vibes out with it. There were many twists in the book, and it kept me guessing to the end....which really caught me off guard. I loved the short chapters, the alternating chapters between past and present, and the sister bond. I rated this a 4 star book on my Goodreads and will be recommending on my socials.

I had access to both the Kindle and audiobook formats, but I found the audiobook to be addictive! The story follows twin sisters, separated at birth, who are reunited when one is in a mental hospital. The plot drew me in, especially with the dual viewpoints of Mandy and Georgia, which offered fresh insights. Each perspective uses a unique narrative style—one in third person, the other in first person—adding depth to the psychological themes. Filled with suspense and intrigue, the story kept me engaged until the very end. The audiobook narrator, January LaVoy, did an excellent job of bringing the characters and story to life.

Thank you to NetGallery and to both Macmillan Audio
and St. Martin's Press for my copy.

Really enjoyed this one. It was not what I expected. I was afraid it would be more of a political thriller and it wasn't. Loved the twists at the end. Keep them coming Sarah Pekkanen.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance listening copy of The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen.

As a teacher and avid reader, I’m always drawn to stories that offer complex structure and layered character perspectives—especially those I can recommend to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers. While The Locked Ward presents an intriguing concept, the audiobook experience didn’t fully connect for me, largely due to narrative style and production choices.

The novel alternates between two characters: Georgia, a patient in a locked psychiatric ward, and Mandy, a woman on the outside trying to uncover the truth. The dual perspective had potential, but the use of a single narrator for both voices made it difficult to differentiate between the characters—particularly since the perspective shifts only occurred at the start of chapters. More puzzling was the fact that a male character was given a distinct voice, suggesting multiple narrators could have been used more effectively.

Adding to the challenge, Georgia’s chapters are told in second person—a stylistic choice that felt emotionally distancing. Lines like “you don’t recognize yourself in the mirror” or “you wonder what’s real” created a disconnect. Rather than drawing me into Georgia’s experience, the second-person narration made it harder to empathize with her and disrupted my engagement.

That said, the story does deliver some solid twists, and the ending genuinely surprised me. I believe this novel might be better suited to print, where readers can more easily track the shifts in perspective and adapt to the experimental voice.

Narrator January LaVoy does a commendable job with the material she’s given, bringing warmth and clarity to the text. Still, stronger production decisions—particularly assigning distinct narrators to each POV—could have greatly improved the listening experience.

I could see this book sparking interesting discussions about narrative structure and point of view. But as an audiobook, The Locked Ward didn’t quite meet its potential.

Thank you Netgalley for the advance audiobook copy of The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for an honest review. I loved the sister dynamic in this book and the exploration of nature vs nurture. One twin was raised with complete financial security, a cold mother, weak father and a younger sister being used as a pawn by the mother. The other twin grew up rich in love and support
When one is accused of murder, will the other be able to clear her name?

From the first page, The Locked Ward grabbed my entire attention. The short chapters made it easy to keep reading “just one more,” and before I knew it, I was fully invested in reading the dual POV’s of Georgia and Amanda and how they were brough together. Sarah Pekkanen does a fantastic job building strong characters and the complicated new relationship between the sisters.

The storyline held my attention throughout, even though I found the buildup a little long before the real suspense kicked in. Still, the wait was worth it. The tension built with every chapter, and the eerie setting of the psychiatric hospital added to the setting. I couldn’t stop reading because I needed to know how it would all play out!

I thought the story wrapped up perfectly with a twist that I didn’t quite see coming. It was a great read overall, and despite the slow burn at the beginning, I truly enjoyed the ride.

The narration was well done and was easy to differentiate between characters. I love this author’s work and definitely recommend for anyone wanting a psychological suspense read.

This was a fun campy thriller that was fast paced with high entertainment value! I definitely guessed some of the reveals…but also still gasped and was completely locked in! I have to say I absolutely love a little twin trope in any kind of book so this one really was the perfect book for me!

Thank you to MACMILLIAN AUDIO for the gifted copy of this audiobook!

4.5⭐️

Mandy and Georgia are twins separated at birth. Both grew up not knowing about the other. Georgia is in a psychiatric facility for killing her non-biological sister and she knows about Mandy so she reaches out to her for help. She is adamant that she did not kill her sister, that she found her dead but no one believes her. Mandy steps into Georgia's life and tries to find out what really happened and what kind of person her sister is..

This book examines twin connections and how they are similar even though they were not raised together. Georgia is convinced that someone will kill her if her name is not cleared. This author takes you on a wild ride as Mandy does what she can to help her sister. Even lying and deceiving people about who she really is. The twists this one has all the way to the end will keep you guessing. Thank you to #NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the ARC audiobook for this one. I love the narrator would listen to her recite a grocery list.

I really enjoyed House of Glass in 2024 so I immediately requested The Locked Ward. Unfortunately, this book didn't live up to my expectations. My first dislike was that half of the book was written in second person POV. I also found the plot to be boring and not thrilling enough to get me really invested. I won't turn down another book from Sarah Pekkanen in the future, but I will not remember The Locked Ward beyond writing this review.

Adding a star to my overall 2 star review of the novel for the audiobook because I thought the narrator was decent.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy. The Locked Ward is available on August 5, 2025.

I was excited for this e-ARC because I absolutely loved House of Glass and was looking forward to another page-turner by this author. Twins who didn't know they were sisters until adulthood, one accused of a crime she claims she didn't commit and locked up in a psych ward, recruiting her long-lost sister to help prove her innocence--all this seemed intriguing to me. Unfortunately, I was a bit underwhelmed by this one. The chapters were short and alternated between the sisters, which moved the story along quickly. However, the characters were a little flat and just not particularly interesting. Some of the side characters seemed completely unnecessary, adding little to the story. The plot twists were somewhat predictable, and the ending a bit anticlimactic. The narrator of the audio version did a fair job bringing the story to life.

This was definitely one of my most anticipated 2025 books as Sarah is one of my favs ,so it pains me to say this one was less than my favorite by her so far.

I'll start with the good: it was a quick hook, easy to fly through for the most part, and a unique plotline! Also the cover is SICK!!

What didn't work for me were the chapters in second person point of view talking to one of the characters. Almost every sentence began with "you did this" or "you said that" and it felt so off-kilter with the rest of the book that flowed so well in first person, I can kind of understand why it was written this was, but wish it wasn't so it could have been consistently readable throughout the whole story.

I also thought the ending fell short and even slightly confused me. Overall, it just didn't hit like her books usually do, but I'll still be first in line for her next release!

This audiobook had a good narrator who kept the characters well voiced. I was hooked fir the first half but found myself getting bored after that. The ending was just meh for me.

Thank you netgalley for the prerelease audiobook.