𝑾𝒆'𝒓𝒆 𝒃𝒐𝒕𝒉 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒖𝒏𝒓𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒏𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒈𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒐𝒘𝒏 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒔.

One sister is locked in a psych ward, accused of murdering the other. Why did this case make headlines when jealous siblings spiral out of control every day? Georgia Worthington was adopted as a newborn by a wealthy, prominent couple, and the media spun the narrative that she was insane with jealousy over her younger sister, the couple's biological child. Accounts of Georgia's outbursts and violent attacks upon her sibling were everywhere, and a jury has found her not guilty by reason of insanity, hence her confinement to a psych ward.

Georgia wants to talk to just one person--her biological twin sister Mandy, who had no idea of Georgia's existence. Before you roll your eyes at the familiar trope, let me tell you that it absolutely worked for this plot! Is Mandy uncovering the true mastermind behind this murder, or is she playing a dangerous game with someone who is a master of deception?

The older I get, the longer my list of irrational fears becomes, and being wrongfully committed to a psych ward has made my list within the last few years. The research the author did was evident, and she does not rely on stereotypes of mental illness to further her plot. This was a meticulous, well-crafted thriller that I thoroughly enjoyed. Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the early copy. At the time this review was written, this title was expected to publish on August 5, 2025.

I have been a long time fan of Sarah’s writing and The Locked Ward was no exception. I love the dual POV between the two sisters: Georgia, who is accused of murder and Mandy, who tries to find out who’s responsible while also learning secrets from her past. With high society players involved and the stakes being even higher, can Mandy figure out what really happened or is Georgia spinning a twisty tale of deceit? I was hooked from the start and couldn’t stop myself from flying through the short chapters. The Locked Ward comes out on Aug 5 2025 - mark your calendars!!

Another twisty mystery from Sarah Pekkanen. I always enjoy her books, and I think any fan of this genre will agree. While not necessarily my favorite of hers, it was still entertaining with some shocking moments.

Thank you to Netgally and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy

3.5 stars.

This had me hooked from the very beginning. The second I read the synopsis I had to start reading right away. And while this is great, going between the twins and showing us each of their lives, - the mystery at the end fell a little flat and anti-climatic. Overall it was a good, fast paced, fun read.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, SMP Early Readers, NetGalley and Sarah Pekkanen for access to this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book was so interesting and it didn’t disappoint. This is not the first book I’ve read by this author and I’ve really become a fan! I loved the psychological aspect of this as someone who works in mental health and thought it was well written with lots of great twists and turns! Overall, another fantastic read from Sarah Pekkanen.

Thank you so much for this ARC! Sarah Pekkanen is an auto request author for me. This premise was SO good and totally caught my attention.

I loved the story told between the two sisters - one fighting for her life and the other assisting in the unraveling of the murder and her past. Mandy's story was so enjoyable to read and I really felt for her as she learned about her parents and the history of how her and Georgia were separated. Georgia was an interesting person and had to play it smart in the hospital.

The big reveal fell a bit flat for me. It was fairly obvious throughout. The killer was also a disappointment to me.

While this was not my favorite Pekkanen book, I am still a forever fan!

Oh. My. Freaking. GOSH!!! Pekkanen has outdone herself, which I didn’t think was possible after House of Glass! I have loved her for years and years but my goodness she just keeps writing better and better novels! I loved the alternating POV between Georgia and Mandy and I loved the unique twist of her using second person perspective on Georgia’s chapters to highlight her state of mind. Absolutely brilliant! I was so caught up in trying to get ahead of one massive twist that I totally missed the big whammy! (Don’t even bother trying to guess what it is…)
This book is definitely going on my list of books to recommend! Beyond brilliance!

“The Locked Ward” by Sarah Pekkanen delves into the psychological complexities of Georgia Worthington, a young woman confined to a mental institution after being accused of murdering her sister. Adopted into a prominent and wealthy family at birth, Georgia finds herself entangled in a web of suspicion as the biological daughter of the family is found dead, and she is at the scene covered in her blood. Her desperate plea for assistance leads her to reconnect with her twin sister, Amanda, whom she was separated from at birth. Amanda doesn’t even know she had a twin, let along one accused of murder. She feels strangely drawn to her new sister, but are Georgia’s intentions as pure as she claims they are?

I worked in a psych unit and I really appreciated how accurate this novel is. It can be really frustrating to read an inaccurate novel but this book really delivered and Sarah Pekkanen definitely did her research! I devoured this book within 24 hours of starting it. I recommend this novel for fans of Sarah Pekkanen’s previous works and enthusiasts of psychological thrillers in general.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this novel. “The Locked Ward” by Sarah Pekkanen will be published on 8/5/2025.

Sarah Pekkanen writes such good thrillers. I like her slow burn style. This was pretty good, I enjoyed it for the most part! 3.5 stars!

All in all, the plot of this one was entertaining. I have a few stylistic questions, like why each characters story was told from a different storytelling perspective, but I still enjoyed this story. I’m a bit burnt out on thrillers constantly including twins as a twist so it was refreshing to see them used in a different way. The reveal was definitely not something I had considered so I think the author pulled those strings effectively and didn’t leave too many loose threads.

This reminded me of a Frieda McFadden book and I enjoyed it! I thought it was fast paced and there were times when I didn't want to put it down. I did feel like parts of it were predictable, but I did enjoy it overall! Thank you NetGalley! 4 stars!

I was INTO this one. Omg. I thought the storyline was so good and I couldn’t put it down!! Very eager to keep reading- the ending was so good!

A fast paced exciting thriller!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This book was just okay for me. A little less than okay if I'm being honest. I had to beg myself to finish it and read 5 books in between starting this one and finally finishing it. I didn't like how the chapters read for the sister who was in the hospital. I thought the book was dragged out much longer than it should have been and I kept wishing for it to end. The one thing I'll say is that I certainly did not guess the ending so I suppose that was a plus. I also liked the chapters were fairly short, even if the book itself dragged on.

Not sure how to describe this one. Twins separated at birth only to be reunited when one of them is accused of killing her other sister and desperately needs her newly discovered twin’s help. Rich and powerful people who can make anyone disappear and make evidence appear out of nowhere. Secrets and scandals and dirty deals and innocent people being hurt.

This one was a little all over the place in some ways but an interesting glimpse into the fact that you never really know a person and you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Thanks for the review copy NetGalley. I enjoyed the twists and turns and after finishing the book I have more questions

•Anything written by Sarah Pekkanen is an automatic must read in my opinion.

•The Locked Ward begins by flip-flopping between Georgia and Mandy’s accounts. Georgia grew up attending fancy dinner parties, wearing expensive clothing, and hanging out with the senator and his family. Mandy grew up with middle class parents working at their family bar.

•Georgia is currently spending time in a hospital awaiting a trial date for the murder of her sister. While in the hospital, she calls on Mandy for assistance with proving her innocence. As the story unfolds, you find out how these two women are really linked.

•Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley and Sarah Pekkanen for this ARC. It will become available on August 5, 2025.

The Locked Ward presents two intertwined narratives. The first follows Georgia Cartwright, a wealthy socialite who has been institutionalized after being accused of brutally murdering her younger sister. The crime captivated the nation, dominating headlines. Georgia, who comes from a powerful family, maintains her innocence despite the mounting evidence against her. Though she has her secrets—gradually revealed through the work of her private investigator—she insists that she did not kill her sister.

The second narrator, Amanda, is a young woman leading an ordinary life until she is approached by Georgia's investigator with a shocking revelation: Amanda is Georgia's fraternal twin. This unexpected twist sends Amanda into a tailspin, forcing her to confront a family history she never knew existed. As she processes this discovery, Amanda visits Georgia, who enlists her help in an effort to prove her innocence. Amanda begins carrying out tasks that could potentially reveal the truth about what really happened the night of the murder.

While the plot occasionally requires a suspension of disbelief, the complex characters and unexpected twists make for a gripping read. The Locked Ward is a thrilling, page-turning story that will appeal to fans of Freida McFadden and anyone who enjoys suspenseful psychological drama.

#stmartinspress #thelockedward #sarahpekkanen