I enjoyed the scientific exploration of twins and the in-depth look inside a psychiatric ward whose elements were fascinating and well-researched. However, I found the cast of characters confusing, perhaps intentionally so, but it made it difficult to stay engaged. I wasn't particularly invested in anyone's motives or emotional arcs. Despite a looming murder trial, the narrative lacked a sense of real consequence, which made the stakes feel surprisingly low. Overall, intriguing ideas, but the execution left me feeling detached.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC audio version of this book in exchange for an honest review!

The narrator was great!

This was a book I was so excited about, because House of Glass was such a good read. Sarah stays true to being an amazing thriller author.

What I loved about this book: This story grips you from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the very end. In true Sarah Pekkanen form, you don't see any of the twists that come throughout the book. There were many moments where I went back and forth between believing both of the narrators. I was suspicious of every single character and had a feeling of creepiness the whole way through.

As good as this book was, it wasn't perfect. I wish the POV wasn't 2nd person for only one of the narrators. It took until about halfway through the book to get used to it. The epilogue felt very out of left field as well.

Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for this ARC. A successful wedding planner from an affluent family ends up in a psych ward after being accused of killing her adopted sister. The only way she can prove her innocence is by enlisting the help of her biological twin sister who had no idea of her existence. There were lots of twists and turns in this compelling thriller and even though I was pretty convinced “who dunnit” (…I was right), I still throughly enjoyed this book and all the interconnected mysteries and plot lines. My second read by Pekkanen and definitely my favorite of the two.

I loved this thriller! So good. Fast paced, great plot twists and the story came together so nicely. Highly Recommend!!!

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is a tense, twist-filled psychological thriller that grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let go. With an eerie, claustrophobic setting and a plot that constantly keeps you second-guessing what’s real and who can be trusted, this is a book that demands to be read in one sitting—or, at the very least, will keep you up late into the night trying to piece everything together.

Pekkanen masterfully builds suspense, peeling back layers of mystery while diving deep into the psychological complexities of her characters. The pacing is sharp and relentless, and just when you think you have it figured out, another chilling twist turns everything upside down.

The narration (if you listened to the audiobook) deserves a special mention—it's excellent. The voice work enhances the creeping tension and emotional stakes, making it an even more immersive experience.

While there were a few small moments where the plot stretched plausibility, the overall atmosphere, smart writing, and compelling characters more than made up for it. A solid 4-star read for fans of psychological thrillers—dark, unsettling, and completely absorbing.

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen falls right into line with her other books for me which is to say, a middle of the road but generally enjoyable thriller. Here we have twin sisters Georgia and Mandy who were seemingly separated at birth. Georgia grew up in a wealthy family with a sister just 4 months younger who was conceived after the adoption was planned. Mandy grew up with two very loving parents who died recently and left her the family bar to run. In the present timeline, Georgia is an inpatient in a locked psychiatric ward after being accused of killing her sister Annabelle. Her only hope left is Mandy, the twin sister she recently found out about, but has yet to meet. Told in the dual viewpoints of Georgia and Mandy, the sisters must do all they can to make sure Georgia doesn't go to prison or stay in the psych ward for life. January LaVoy does an excellent narration job as always. I didn't love the southern accent for Mandy as it was slightly distracting.

I really enjoyed this book. Listened as an audiobook and liked the narrator. The book was a quick read and really liked the short chapters. Loved getting to witness the relationship that Georgia and Mandy were cultivating. Some really good twists in this book. Some I guessed, others I had no idea.

This wasn’t my favorite but I will keep reading this author as it’s usually a good read. This one just, idk. I didn’t love it or connect to the characters or really like anyone. Felt more dramatic than mysterious. Thank you for the ALC though!

Murder, twins separated as infants, a US Senator....sound familiar? Some of this murder mystery covers ground that's appeared in many other novels. Although some of the premises of The Locked Ward are not entirely believable, Pekkanen enhances the reader's experience, however, by her pace, by using chapters that alternate each of the twins as narrators, and by the final twist. January LaVoy is an excellent narrator. She doesn't try to give each character a distinctive voice - Pekkanen does that through her writing - she simply reads the book as I imagine Pekkanen heard it in her head. Pekkanen's fans will be eager to read The Locked Ward and readers who are encountering her work for the first time will be glad they did.

Okay, so this one totally pulled me in right away. A girl locked in a psych ward for murder? Her long-lost twin showing up out of nowhere? Family secrets that are, like, next-level shady? Yeah, I was hooked. The whole vibe was eerie and twisty in the best way, and I kept flipping pages like my life depended on it.

That said, some parts felt a little predictable, and I kinda wanted a more jaw-dropping ending. Still, the sister dynamic was chef’s kiss, and the whole "who’s really telling the truth" thing had me questioning everything. Definitely a solid read if you're into psychological thrillers with messy family drama.

Huge thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 | ALC Review
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced listening copy of The Locked Ward!

This psychological thriller lured me in with what felt like a familiar setup… and then pulled the rug out from under me in the best way. I was sure I knew where it was going by the third chapter. Spoiler: I absolutely did not.

The pace isn’t breakneck, but it moves with a steady, unsettling crawl that fits the story’s locked-ward setting perfectly. Claustrophobic, tense, and layered with just enough doubt to make you question what’s real and what’s imagined.

A few side characters had strong potential but faded into the background too quickly—if we’d spent more time with them, this likely would’ve been a solid five stars for me. Still, the twisty plot and eerie atmosphere kept me hooked.

A gripping, chilling read I’d recommend to fans of slow-burn psychological suspense—especially if you enjoy the kind of thriller that messes with your head more than your pulse. (Though it might do both.)

Would I read it again? Yes.
Would I trust anyone in a locked psych ward again? …Let’s not.

The cover of this book grabbed my attention from the get-go. I hadn't heard of Sarah Pekkanen before, but upon looking her up - I saw that she's quite a popular author! Also, when reading the synopsis I was drawn to it since I'm also a twin (identical). This story follows fraternal twin sisters who were adopted into different families. It gives slight parent trap vibes in the sense that they initially don't know about each other and one is part of a rich family while the other is more down-to-earth.

Georgia finds herself locked up in a mental institution as she fakes being withdrawn and insane after being convicted of murdering her sister, Annabelle. Mandy is approached by a private detective sharing some evidence that Georgia is her fraternal twin sister. Georgia had hired this man to find Mandy a month before Annabelle's murder occurred. Therefore, Mandy's first time meeting her sister is within the locked ward (hence the title).

Mandy feels a fierce loyalty towards her sister, Georgia. She poses as a past sorority sister and basically starts living in Georgia's house as she tries to collect evidence about the family and what was truly going on in that house. This story alternates between Georgia speaking on the ward and Mandy who is doing everything she can to figure out the truth of what happened. There are definitely some plot twists that show up as you question the different characters throughout the book, as there are in all psychological thrillers.

I gave it three stars for several reasons:
1) This wasn't a book I just HAD to keep listening to.
2) The whole "twin experience" phenomenon is a bit bogus to me - and I feel like I can say that since I AM an identical twin. These sisters were fraternal twins - meaning they are just siblings born at the same time. Too much of the story was spent on their twin connection.
3) I felt like the extra twist at the end (not mentioned here due to spoilers) was a bit over the top and unbelievable. I think the characters should have been developed a bit more with a stronger background. That would have invested me a bit more into the characters and their outcomes.
4) There was no great explanation as to how Georgia became so good at tuning out her emotions and pretending to be psychotic. I was hoping for more of a backstory on this point.
5) What was the point of Josh? I feel like he was kind of put into the story to make people suspect him as a problematic character....but they were on a locked ward, so what did he have to do with anything?

These are the questions I found myself asking as well as shaking my head a bit when thinking about as I listened to this book.

Therefore, while it was enjoyable to listen to, I wouldn't eagerly recommend it to others. That being said - it was an entertaining listen. The narrators did a wonderful job so you could easily transition between the characters and know who was talking. So if someone wanted to listen to a decent story to pass the time, I would recommend this!

📚ARC/ ALC BOOK REVIEW🎧

Thanks so much to @stmartinspress #partner for the #giveawaywin @sarahpekkanen for #gifted book and @netgalley and @macmillan.audio for the e-ARC/ ALC.

The Locked Ward
By @sarahpekkanen
📚Publiisher - @stmartinspress 8/5/25
🎧Publisher - @macmillan.audio 8/5/25
🎙️Narrorator - @januarylavoy
10 hours - 30 minutes

Before I say a word, @sarahpekkanen is one of the best thriller authors out there. I also had the pleasure of meeting her last year. If she has a book coming out, I’M DEFINITELY READING IT and so should you! 😍

Georgia Cartwright is being accused of murdering her sister, Annabelle, at a party. She’s been locked up in the looney bin. She refuses to talk to anyone other than her lawyer and one other person, her newly found twin, Amanda. Only thing is, Amanda didn’t even know she existed, only that Amanda herself was adopted.

Did Georgia k.ill Annabelle in a fit of rage? Is she really insane? And where exactly does Mandy fit in???

That’s all you need to know. I went into this one blind as a bat with no expectations. I FREAKING LOVED THIS BOOK! The constant changing of their POV combined with the psychological suspense was amazing!

🎧 Our narrator, @januarylavoy does an outstanding job with the story! I was gripped the whole way through! I think whether you do the physical or the audiobook, you can’t go wrong!!! I alternated between the ARC/ ALC.

5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ——

Thank you #NetGalley and #MacmillanAudio for the ALC of #TheLockedWard by Sarah Pekkanen. I was hooked from the premise: twins reunited under eerie circumstances, one locked away for murder, the other suddenly pulled into a high-stakes mystery. The Locked Ward delivers on suspense, pacing, and a satisfyingly twisty plot. I love a good dual POV, especially when it’s used to ramp up tension like it is here. But I found it odd that one point of view was written in first person and the other in third. It created a strange imbalance, like I was meant to feel more connected to one sister over the other, but I never fully bought into either.

The writing was solid, though not particularly standout. The plot was strong, layered with family secrets, class issues, and a nice dose of Southern gothic. I would’ve liked a bit more depth from the characters. They’re interesting, but not deeply explored. That said, the story definitely kept me engaged. I tore through it in just a couple of sittings.

A twisty, quick read that gets a lot right, even if the execution isn’t perfect. If you like unreliable narrators, long-buried secrets, and psych ward mind games, you’ll probably have a good time.

Writing: 3
Plot: 4
Characters: 3.5
Impact: 3
Kept Interest: 4.5

This audiobook took me on a thrill ride that had me gasping at its wild revelations and holding my breath in suspense for what might happen next. The chapters switch between two narrators: Georgia Cartwright - daughter of a wealthy family, wedding planner, and locked in a psychiatric ward after being accused of murdering her younger sister, Annabelle. Our second narrator is Amanda Ravenell, only child who inherits and runs her family's bar after her parents pass away. Mandy's world is quickly turned upside down when she is contacted by Georgia's lawyer. In alternating chapters (Georgia and Mandy) we learn the pasts of Georgia and Mandy and find out in what ways these two seemingly random women are linked. This novel is a race against the clock for Mandy, as we learn that nothing is as it seems and everyone is suspicious.

Georgia's chapters are voiced in the second person point of view which takes some getting used to, while Mandy's are in the first person. The narrator is engaging and is adept at switching between several southern accents for the novel's main characters. January LaVoy is gifted at knowing how to read this novel to deliver the maximum amount of suspense and her narration never sounds robotic as some narrators can be. This novel is one that is a bit on the shorter of side of full-length audio books - coming in at about 9 hours, but it passes quickly with such a suspenseful, fast paced story.

Thank you to NetGalley, MacMillan audio, and Sarah Pekkanen for the ALC of this novel for review.

🎧ALC REVIEW🎧

Pub Day Aug 5th

“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.”

First off @januarylavoy is such a phenomenal narrator! We had nice, quick chapters and alternating POV’s which I love. The story was maybe a little far fetched with the twin spidey senses but overall I enjoyed this Southern family drama.

Thank you for the advanced audio copy @netgalley @macmillan.audio

#netgalley #thelockedward #thrillerbooks #thrillerbooksaddict #thrillerreads #thrillerbookstagram #bookcommunity

Amanda and Georgia took me for a ride on their sister ship! I was immediately pulled in by their separation and watching their complicated stories begin to weave together in, of course, the most unconventional, thriller way.

Not surprisingly, there is a constant pull to keep reading not only the story but between the lines for answers and your theories will likely NOT get you to the correct answers but you’ll find them all out in time. A whodunit adventure.

A locked psychiatry ward, a rival sister murdered. Did she kill her own sister?

It starts with Georgia in a psychiatry ward on watch. She's suspected of murdering her sister, Annabelle, a rival sister everyone will swear Georgia has had it out for since Annabelle was born. Our other POV, Mandy, gets a phone call that she has a long lost twin and - surprise - that sister is in a psychiatry ward for murdering her other sister. Can you come pick up her things? That is the start of our mystery.

And I have to admit, I was pulled it from the start. I did this as an audio and I loved it. I found Mandy's POV compelling as she tried to sort how she felt about a long lost sister, as she sorted her feelings about her family and if she felt lied to. She investigated not only Georgia but also where they'd come from, how they were separated and how this all came to be.

I found Georgia's POV an eerie countdown. You could tell she was not in a safe place and every one of her chapters were pulse-pounding and scary. You could tell she was running out of time and she was frantic to get to Mandy.

I loved that this one kept me guessing. I never knew where the next turn was going to take me and I also never tried to anticipate it, I just let the story take me. There were a few parts that maybe I had to suspend disbelief but I was able to slide right past them without raising an eyebrow. Compelling, suspenseful - it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I loved this one!

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.

This was my first Sarah Pekkanen thriller and I was impressed. I started reading this one via digital ARC but found it a bit hard to get into so I switch over to the ALC and listened to the rest which was the best decision! The narration of this book was spot on! Perfect amounts of inflection and not too over the top that it took me out of the story.

I did feel like one of the big plot twists was given away right off the hop but after reflection it was a necessary piece of the story to make known right away in order to help lay out the narrative!

A bit slow overall but I did enjoy this and will give more of her thrillers a shot in the future!

The Locked Ward is out August 5th, 2025! Thank you NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanen, and Macmillan Audio for the ALC. This ALC was provided in exchange for an honest review.

I found it pretty annoying in the beginning - being an expert on disassociation because of a college paper she wrote, all the twin stuff. 🙄 But I actually liked it more toward the end. Can't say more without spoilers but I was sad the friendship between the two people didn't get to be explored more.