The Locked Ward is a thriller, but it is also a story about sisterhood and the deep bond that sisters share. Georgia is locked away for a crime. Mandy discovers that she has a long-lost sister who is enmeshed in a complicated web of dark family secrets. Mandy must unravel the complexities of Georgia's imprisonment while navigating the reasons why she and her sister were separated at a young age. This book has a little bit of everything from political intrigue to familial ties to a multi-pronged mystery. I enjoyed it from start to finish!

The only thing I didn't like was the 2nd person POV, which took me out of the story a little. I think it was done to help distinguish the characters and the way that they think, but I think the chapter titles with the names on it was enough for that. Nevertheless, it was a fun read, and all of the questions were resolved in the end. What I did like were the twists with some of the other characters and how well Pekkanen writes villains. I think the author writes her villains in a realistic way without being too ridiculous or over-the-top. This is a solid thriller that has many enjoyable elements, especially if you enjoy stories that are relationally based and heartwarming in the end.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and the publishers on NetGalley who sent me an e-ARC! This book was well worth my time, and I'm so glad I was able to read it early.

Sarah Pekkanen is one of my favorite authors and once again she has another hit. I was hooked from the first few pages and couldnt put this down. Highly recommend this book.

This story unfolds in dual timelines of the 2 main characters. One knows they are sisters, the other does not. Or at least not until we get a little way into the story. It quickly gets interesting from there. One sister is locked in an institution after being accused of murder and she summons her sister to see her and dig to the bottom of what happened, using carefully selected clues that she feeds to her. This is so full of twists and turns that leave you asking what really happened. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Thanks to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for the ARC.

The Locked Ward follows two twin sisters, separated for the last 32-years. One into a wealthy, prominent family and the other to a middle-class, bar owning family. One is an only child while the other has a sister, born 4 months after the adoption. Believing that she is the unwanted child, Georgia Cartwright fears she is hated by her adoptive family while Mandy Ravenel is welcomed into the arms of a loving mother and father.
It isn’t until Annabelle Cartwright, Georgia’s adoptive sister, is found murdered on her own 32nd birthday that Mandy is made aware that she has a twin sister. Georgia has been transferred to a psychiatric ward to await the next steps in what would become the trial of the year and the two of them begin meeting when Georgia requests Mandy’s help.

What ensues is a wild ride of deception, infidelity and the bond between two sisters separated by years and different families. Sarah Pekkanen embodies the voices of two women desperate for answers to the different things they have faced in their lives: for Mandy, who her parents knew of her twin sister and told her nothing about it and for Georgia, who really killed Annabelle when they had just begun to rekindle their own sisterly bond after years of jealousy and resentment of each other.

I never truly saw the twist coming, and thought I had it figured out more times than I could count. With this in mind, I’d say this was a particularly successful thriller. Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press and author Sarah Pekkanen for the wonderful opportunity and ability to receive this ARC copy of The Locked Ward.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley but opinions are my own.

This is my second book by this author as an ARC participant and I enjoyed this one as much as the first. Hooked from the get go and eager to see what was going to happen next. Good twists and turns throughout, and really good writing. This book also had great character development.

This book has short chapters with alternating POVs between Georgia and Mandy, both of which I really enjoy in books. It was really interesting to see their connection throughout the book as well.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read and review.

I thoroughly enjoyed this thriller. It did take me a little bit to get into it, but overall, it had amazing plot twists! I highly recommend this smscn

After enjoying House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen and some of her books written with Greer Hendricks, I requested The Locked Ward when I saw it hit NetGalley.

📖: The wealthy and glamorous wedding planner, Georgia Cartwright, has been accused of murder and is locked in a high security institution. After learning she has a twin, Georgia believes her sister, Mandy, may be the only person she can trust. Through short chapters and alternating perspectives, details of Georgia and Mandy's histories are revealed.

🤝: This may be a good fit if you enjoy:
- thrillers involving twins
- rich people problems
- wondering who to trust

💭: As a thriller lover, it's hard to resist a book set in a psych ward. Let the "who can we trust" games begin! I found The Locked Ward entertaining throughout, and I appreciated the short chapters with cliffhanger endings to keep things rolling. I would consider this a good thriller for readers dipping their toes into the genre.

I've seen some reviews critiquing how Georgia's chapters are written in second person. After the first few chapters I barely noticed, but I will say it makes the couple uncomfy moments in the ward more intense (IMO).

Rating: I liked it! (3.5 rounded up)

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ebook early in exchange for an honest review.

The Locked Ward
Georgia Cartwright was raised in a wealthy family but always in her younger sister, Annabelle’s shadow. Annabelle was the golden child and her parents never hid it. Then Annabelle is found dead and everyone says Georgia did it. Georgia winds up in a psychiatric hospital and she knows she’s only got one chance for help and it’s not from the family that raised her.
Mandy was raised as an only child and in a completely different atmosphere. Maybe they weren’t rich but she always felt loved and cherished. After Mandy’s folks pass away she takes over their small town bar and is living a seemingly quiet and content life. That is until Georgias lawyer calls Mandy requesting she visit his client at the psychiatric hospital. Someone Mandy has never even met but the lawyer says they’re sisters… twin sisters.
Sarah Pekkanen has a way of always grabbing your attention right from the first chapter as you keep trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy of The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for an honest review. It publishes August 5, 2025.

Sarah Pekkanen does it again! This book had me gripped in the best possible way. I was looking for any chance to read it. I stayed up late, I woke up early, anything I could do to keep turning the pages!
The two POV’s were done exceptionally well, and definitely had me on edge. I enjoyed both perspectives, and was fully invested.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my copy of The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for an honest review. It publishes August 5, 2025.
Wow, just wow! Sarah Pekkanen does it again. This book had me gripped in the best possible way. I was looking for any chance to read it. I stayed up late, I woke up early, anything I could do to keep turning the pages!
The two POV’s were so good, and definitely had me on edge. I enjoyed both perspectives, and was fully invested.
One thing that I really enjoy about Sarah’s work, is that she doesn’t use a lot of sex, drugs, bad language, etc. to carry the story, but writes so well that you don’t miss those things.
This book only had two curse words that I can remember, which for some people, it’s a big deal.
Overall, bravo! I can’t wait for the next one!

I was absolutely gobsmacked by Sarah Pekkanen’s last book “House of Glass” — she knows how to write about twisted families.

Told through the POV of twin sisters, Mandy (first person POV) and Georgia (second person POV). Mandy knew she was adopted, but had no idea she was a twin until a lawyer calls her and tells her that her sister wants to see her. That sister is Georgia, who also knew she was adopted. Georgia’s adoptive parents, presumably struggling with fertility, then miraculously found themselves pregnant with another girl, Annabelle. Georgia’s adoptive sister was only a few months younger, but even as babies, Georgia went from beloved daughter for a very short time to unwanted spare. She had hired a private investigator to locate her birth parents and discovered Mandy. Now Georgia, a socialite wedding planner, is being held in a psychiatric hospital for supposedly murdering Annabelle at her birthday party, and Georgia has her lawyer reach out to Mandy, the owner of a bar. Why?

Surprisingly, Mandy feels an immediate psychic connection to Georgia. When they meet at the hospital, Georgia is impersonating “The Silent Patient” but manages to tell Mandy that she, too, is in danger, and convey some clues that her sister could follow. Again, why?

Mandy is intrigued enough to start her own inquiries into Annabelle’s murder, fielding questions like “Who was the bad seed? Georgia or Annabelle?” “And who really killed Annabelle?” Plus, what happened to Mandy and Georgia’s birth parents that separated twins at birth?

The change in POVs did not irritate me (I know second person POV is anathema to many readers). It was actually easier to realize the transition between narrators (which would be great for the audiobook). The author has constructed a suspenseful, twisty story with main characters who are strong and clever. 5 stars!

Literary Pet Peeve Checklist:
Green Eyes (only 2% of the real world, yet it seems like 90% of all fictional females): YES Annabelle and Honey have striking green eyes.
Horticultural Faux Pas (plants out of season or growing zones, like daffodils in autumn or bougainvillea in Alaska): NO Alas, Georgia’s knowledge of suitable statement flowers for weddings may never be put to use again; and too bad Mandy couldn’t keep her mom’s espaliered apple tree.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy!

The locked ward takes place around two sisters - twins who were separated at birth.

Georgia is from an elite family is locked away in an asylum after being arrested for her sister’s murder. Her one last hope at freedom is her twin sister (Mandy) Amanda. Amanda runs her families bar. After Mandy gets a call from Georgia’s lawyer telling her of the news of this mysterious twin sister, she never knew she had, she’s intrigued. Georgia says she’s not guilty.

The story follows Georgia in the asylum while Mandy tries to uncover the truth. Did Georgia kill her sister? If she didn’t then who else did?

4 stars out of 5!

Wow, this was a great thriller! I was immediately drawn into the book and could not put it down. There was so much drama and it reminded me of a soap opera. I did find the big reveal to be a little bit of a let down. I thought the book was going to go one way but then it took another turn. I didn't find any of the characters likable especially Honey, she was awful! Sarah Pekkanen is an amazing author and I look forward to what she has in store for us next.

In The Locked Ward, we meet Georgia who is accused of murdering her sister. She gets sent to the psych ward for evaluation while they build a case against her. Georgia was adopted at birth and recently found out from a PI she hired that she has a twin sister. Georgia requests her twin sister Amanda to come see her in prison but Amanda had no idea a twin even existed. Amanda is Georgia's only hope to help her get out of this situation.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

ooohhhh this was a good one! it was psychologically thrilling and creepy and mysterious. It was a good book with fast pacing, making it hard to put down. There were lots of twist and turns and some were unpredictable! It was a good one!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

I received an ebook advance copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher.

I have read earlier books by Sarah Pekkanan, and she has a way of leading the reader in a particular direction and then she'll spin off in the first of many twists.

Other reviewers have given synopses, and I will not repeat their efforts. If twins separated at birth, one of whom allegedly killed her non-twin sister, powerful families versus "regular folks" are your cup of tea, read the book. But don't start it just before your bedtime. Just ... don't.

What a twisty twisty mystery novel. This book has so many twist and turns you have no idea where or how it is going to end. Super short and quick chapters with great characters.

Thanks so much for letting me read this book early. Sarah Pekkanen is one of the very best authors of twisting plots, and she did not disappoint.

From the very beginning of this book, you will be caught up in the story of Georgia…..is she innocent??? What is she hiding??? Will she be killed??? Is she safe??? As the story unravels there are so many twists and unexpected turns. Great book.

Finished this is one day! So fast paced and thrilling. I was shocked by the twist! Didn’t see that coming at all. I love all of Sarah’s books. Bravo!

This is a tangled web of intrigue, suspense and clever plot twists. I could not put it down to save my life!

When Georgia is accused of murdering one of her sisters, there’s only one person she can trust. So she calls her twin sister, Mandy, who was shocked to find out she even had a sister, let alone a twin. Mandy decides to go to the hospital where Georgia is being kept on a locked ward until she is cleared to stand trial. Georgia must pretend to be mentally insane if she stands even a chance of clearing her name, but she whispers to Mandy pleading for help. But can Mandy trust her? She needs to get deep into Georgia’s life before she can fully understand this high stakes game.

The writing is spectacular, the plot is a nail-biter and the ending is emotionally satisfying. I will enthusiastically recommend this book to you and you and you. Thank you, NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this 5-star book

I was excited when I had the chance to read the next book by talented thriller author Sarah Pekkanen so many months early, so I dove right in.

The book starts extremely strong, telling the alternating stories of two women who discover they are twins separated at birth thanks to a disturbing back story between their parents and biological mother. I flew threw the first half, trying to figure out how the twins would navigate the main plot point: Georgia is accused of murdering her adopted sister and needs her newly discovered twin sister, Amanda, to get her out of the Locked Ward where she is being kept for her mental health.

The story gets a bit convoluted as the book goes on, as more and more odd twists of who slept with who get thrown in, and I never got used to (or understood the purpose of) the second person perspective for Georgia. However, it ends with a solid twist and left me satisfied.

I will definitely be reading Sarah Pekkanen's books in the future and recommend anyone who loves a good thrilled to pick this one up when it's published this summer.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Expected publication August 5, 2025