Thank you @netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! I was hooked on this book from the beginning. It was told with dual POVs - Mandy & Georgia. They are twin sisters that didn’t know the other one existed and Georgia needs Mandy to help her prove she’s innocent. There was some things that I predicted and some things I didn’t. With the build up of this book, I was really hoping for a gut-punch twist which sadly I didn’t get. Overall a decent read with short chapters & fast-paced, but didn’t give the wow factor of a 4 or 5 star read for me.

Sarah Pekkanen's "The Locked Ward" plunges readers into a world of wealth, family secrets, and unreliable narrators, delivering a twisty psychological thriller that explores the complex bonds of sisterhood. The novel centers around Georgia Cartwright, a glamorous woman from a wealthy Southern family, who finds herself confined to a psychiatric institution, accused of murdering her sister. As she awaits trial, Georgia reaches out to her estranged twin sister, Mandy, a bar owner who had no idea of Georgia's existence.The story unfolds through alternating perspectives, with both Georgia and Mandy offering their accounts. Georgia's narrative portrays a woman desperate to prove her innocence, while Mandy grapples with the shock of discovering a twin and the moral dilemma of helping someone she barely knows, and perhaps cannot fully trust. The use of two unreliable narrators adds layers of intrigue, keeping readers guessing about the truth behind the murder.Pekkanen delves into themes of family dynamics, the corrupting influence of wealth and power, and the complicated relationship between sisters. The novel explores how jealousy, rivalry, and long-held secrets can fracture even the closest bonds. The stark contrast between Georgia's privileged upbringing and Mandy's more modest life highlights the impact of social class and the different paths taken by twins separated at birth.

This book kept me on the edge of my seat. I couldn't put it down. When a plot is well-crafted and the characters are vividly brought to life, it can be hard to tear yourself away from the pages. A compelling ending is the cherry on top, leaving you both satisfied and yearning for more.

This book was 5 stars, I loved it! I had to jump on and write a review as soon as I finished it. I loved the concept of the book. It left me wondering the whole time if Georgia had killed her sister! I also thought the dynamic of the twins was very unique! I would definitely recommend this book to others, it was so good! Sarah Pekkanen is one of my must-read authors, and her newest book did not disappoint!

Thank you to @netgalley for the gifted arc. This book was everything I wanted it to be and more. Georgia is locked in an asylum after supposedly murdering her sister but is not speaking to anyone claiming a psychotic break.

Amanda is contacted out of the blue and thrust in the middle of this matter finding out that Georgia is her twin she knew nothing about.

Amanda doesn’t know who to trust but is determined to unravel the truth behind her parentage and whether her sister is murderer.

This was fast paced and completely bingeable. 5⭐️

Georgia is locked in a psychiatric ward after she bludgeoned her sister to death. Georgia reaches out to her twin sister as the one person she believes can help her. Mandy is shocked to learn that she has a twin sister.

You get dual points of view from Mandy and Georgia. It was interesting to read Georgia's thoughts and her plan. She says she didn't do it and asks her sister to help her. Mandy is determined to help her sister and find out the truth about the past.

This was a slow burn. Just didn't love it like I did House of Glass. I got to the end and I had so many questions.

Georgia, the adopted daughter of a wealthy family, is locked in a psychological ward for killing her sister, the biological child of her adoptive parents. The only person she asks to see is her biological twin, who she has never met before. Sound like a wild ride? You have no idea! Another great book by Sarah Pekkanen, this one will leave you guessing on the edge of your seat till the end.

I really wanted to like this book more than I did. It started off well with one twin being in a mental institution and the other one just living her life.. They didn’t know they were twins, and from the beginning it was clear that the one that was in the institution shouldn’t be there.
Unfortunately, once a government official got involved it became very predictable. So it wasn’t as. Twisty as I expected it to be, and it took a while to get into. I read a lot of books like this. It’s easy to predict what the path is going to be so I would recommend it to people who don’t read a lot of mystery thriller type books.

This book started off very slow. I honestly thought it would be a DNF, but I’m glad I pushed through because it did get a lot better. The dual POVs from Georgia & Mandy was great, but I wish Georgia’s wasn’t written in second POV. It just made the story a little weird. I’m not sure if it was done for a reason that I didn’t see.

I do think there are a lot of characters here that you have to keep up with. At times I had to stop and think back to who this person was because they weren’t mentioned often.

The few plot twists & the ending was brilliant.

Thank you to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the advanced e-copy!

Loved this book! Hard to put down. I didn’t see the twist coming. The characters were great but I wanted more of what happened after, if they went back to their old lives or if they decided on new careers.

Loved! I'm a big Sarah Pekkanen fan, and this book certainly did not disappoint. The characters were beyond enthralling and it kept you guessing till the last page. I will definitely be recommending to everyone!

I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Although this wasn’t my favorite title by Sarah Pekkanen, it was still very well written. I wouldn’t say it’s a page turner where you felt the need to stay up to keep reading, it’s more of a steady suspense until the end where the pace quickens. I really enjoyed the psychological aspect and left me wondering what the end game was for Georgia. As the story progressed, I had an hunch of how it would end, but there were still several twists I never anticipated! This will be a great read for those who love plots filled with lies, political scandals and family betrayal. I only wish things were wrapped up more at the end with Scott and sometimes throughout the book I found myself wondering how Mandy was able to bounce back to Charlotte so frequently as a business owner.

Tw: Sexual assault

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review!

*Book publication date: August 5, 2025*
*Reviewed on April 11, 2024*

WHAT A BOOK! I've read several Sarah Pekkanen books, but this one might be the best. The short chapters and alternating points of view kept me turning the pages. Absolutely unputdownable.

This thriller is a fast-paced, edge-of-your-seat read that keeps you guessing until the very last page. The plot is tightly woven with clever twists and unexpected turns, and the tension builds masterfully throughout. The protagonist is compelling and easy to root for, while the antagonist adds just the right amount of menace to keep the stakes high. The author does an excellent job of balancing action with psychological depth, making the story both suspenseful and emotionally satisfying. If you're a fan of thrillers that combine smart writing with heart-pounding suspense, this one is not to be missed.

The Locked Ward was a rollercoaster and I absolutely LOVED it! It was definitely a can't put it down kind of book. The pacing was fast and it held my attention well. I always enjoy the dual POV in a story but the one downside and the ONLY reason I knocked off a star is due to the 2nd person POV used for Georgia. I just really don't like it and it throws things off for me. That may just be a personal quirk and I totally own that but the book overall is fantastic and I highly recommend!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 ⭐️ this is a go to author for me so I was so excited to get approved for an early copy. I have to say this is my least favorite one, it’s not that it was terrible it just wasn’t for me.

This is a fast based psychological thriller that was perfect for a quick spring break read. When Georgia, a rich socialite, is accused of bludgeoning her sister to death and relegated to a psychiatric institution, she seeks out her estranged twin sister, Amanda, to help set her free. Amanda has to figure out if Georgia is an unreliable narrator or someone she can trust as she works to uncover the true story. This has quick short chapters that kept me wanting to turn the pages. I loved the alternating perspectives between Georgia and Amanda, the behind the scenes of being in a psychiatric institution, and the sisterly bonds. I found the twists to be somewhat predictable but had fun with the story. If you are looking for a quick psychological thriller reminiscent of the Silent Patient from a trusted author, you will not be disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest review.

when georigia is accused of murder and placed in a psych ward- the only person that can help her is her twin sister that has no idea she even exists. as mandy learns more about her new twin sister she starts to uncover what really happened that night. this book had so many twists and turns that kept me on my toes.

Strange and unsettling!! This was hard to get through. I like this author and this definitely freaked me out a bit.

This book will keep you guessing right to the very end. A mix of intrigue, raw emotion, and scandal, you'll love every minute of this story.
I do wish there had been a bit more explanation to the twins birth parents, but beyond that I loved this book.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this ARC