A special thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanenand the publisher for this uncorrected proof of Sarah Pekkanen’s newest release! This was classic Sarah Pekkanen at its finest! Great characters, soapy plot with crazy family drama, politics and a crazy twisty ending. Very satisfying read that I will recommend to others upon its release!

Ebook received from NetGalley

Twisting and turning. This was a great book that offered surprises and was hard to put down. So glad I came across it.

What a wild ride I went on reading this book. I LOVE Sarah Pekkanen so it was a no brainer when I saw her new novel. Georgia is locked in a psych ward because she was found standing over her sister's dead body. She wants only one person to come help her--- her twin Amanda, who has no idea she even had a sister until being called to help. I do not want to spoil anything, so I will stop here but I highly recommend.

I always look forward to books from this author and this one did not disappoint. A gripping thriller that I could not put down! Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen held my attention and then some. I picked it up late last night and didn’t put it back down until I finished it this afternoon. Sorry kids. Sorry laundry. Sorry sleep schedule. I have been busy.

There were twists and turns I did not see coming throughout the book. Many surprises and just enough at the end of each chapter that had me reading “just one more chapter” multiple times. This one definitely grabbed my attention and held it throughout.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Recommend. I look forward to listening to the audio version when it is released as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest view. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was the perfect read for me when I was up in the middle of the night with my daughter. The chapters were short enough that I always had a good stopping point, but the cliffhangers of each chapter made me want to keep reading (long after I should have been back to sleep).

This started out a little far-fetched to me, but the more I read, the more hooked I became. As a twin myself, it was interesting to think about how I would feel in each situation. I’m not sure about the overall believability of the story, but it was entertaining. I liked that I didn’t predict the ending.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for my ARC in exchange for an honest review. 3.5

I really enjoyed this book. From the title to the cover, I knew it would be good. The characters, especially Georgia, were all very interesting. I kept going back and forth on whether I thought Georgia was guilty or not.

This book earned the full 5 stars. I skipped the line to read this one and I was not disappointed. It is set in a mental ward. I am not familiar with this author but I wil be lookig for more books!

I was really excited for this book because of the premise and psych unit setting, and I wasn't let down. The story revolves around two estranged sisters, Amanda and Georgia. Amanda finds out about Georgia's existence after Georgia is accused of the murder of her younger sister and sent to a psychiatric unit. Georgia asks Amanda to rescue her from the charges and the unit, but Amanda isn't sure if Georgia is telling the truth about the events that occurred.

The story is told in alternating Georgia and Amanda perspectives, and I found Georgia's far more interesting as she described her experiences on the psychiatric unit and slowly revealed her backstory. Amanda's perspective was far less interesting, as it seemed like all she did was drive between her apartment, Georgia's penthouse, and the psychiatric unit. Because of the slower-paced Amanda chapters, the book felt slow, with not much movement or outside character involvement. With that, I was still captivated in the story, drawn in by the urge to know if Georgia is innocent or not.

The psych unit offered an eerie setting, and I found the descriptions of the unit and the way it worked pretty accurate (minus a suicide attempt patient being placed on the same unit as several alleged murders??), which lent itself to the thrilling atmosphere.

All in all, the book is a bit slow for a thriller but captivated me like any other fast-paced thriller would. The setting was amazing for the chilling atmosphere and kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

Thank you to NetGalley + St. Martin's Press for the ARC

I love Sarah Pekkanen's books, and this one was just as great. It sucks you in right from the beginning. What would you think nd feel if you found out you had a twin sister and she was locked up for murdering your sister? And she knew about you and only wanted you to visit her on the psychic ward....

Best book I have read this year! My favorite kind of psychological thriller - keeps you engaged and reading but doesn’t keep you up at night. I loved the twists and turns of the two sisters and the crazy Cartwright family that connected them.

This was a dual POV Thriller. The one thing I didn’t like was how Georgia’s point of view was not first person. But everything else was great! Pick this book up! You will devour it!

Thanks to Penguin for the advanced copy.

I really enjoyed this book! The POV's changing between first-person and second-person threw me off at first, but I grew to really like it. I felt that the pace of the storyline was a perfect balance, slowing down at just the right parts. The character development was so good. I really felt like I got to know the characters while also watching them grow throughout the book. I do feel like there were some cliffhangers and I'd really love to read a second book!

Socialite Georgia Cartwright has been accused of brutally murdering her sister. She now resides in psychiatric care in the locked ward of the hospital. Was it jealousy? Insanity? Or could she be innocent?

This is an enjoyable read- the perspective changes between that of Georgia and her long-lost twin sister Mandy. In some places the plot dragged for me, but it picks back up in the end and there were a few twists I definitely didn’t see coming! Overall, a good book for mystery/thriller lovers.

Thank you to the author, publishers, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC!

Right off the bat, the writing was interesting. I didn't vibe with it, and it reminded me of a meme. I was still interested in the concept and plot though. It kept me on the edge of my seat with the reveals, most of them anyway. As it went on, the reveals got less and less thrilling and just ended up boring me at the end. So yes, it's a good book for the first half, but it goes downhill the more you read.

I received an ARC of The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen from Netgalley!

I really enjoyed this book a lot and will read anything Sarah Pekkanen writes! I loved unraveling the mystery of the family dynamics and the alternating points of views between the two characters. It was a fun read and would recommend!

I read the Golden Couple a while back and really enjoyed it so I was really looking forward to reading this when I got approved for the ARC! I ended up liking it but not loving it. It definitely kept me interested and was a fast read but I felt it was overall kind of flat. With this specific story line it was pretty obvious it wasn’t what it appeared and there were only so many directions it could’ve taken so the shock factor wasn’t there.

The Locked Ward rotates POVs between two twin sisters, Georgia and Mandy. Georgia grew up with a wealthy family with dynamics less than ideal. After their family had adopted Georgia they were able to conceive naturally and she has felt like an outsider ever since. In present day Georgia is even being accused of her step sisters murder and inside “the locked ward.” Mandy grew up in a more normal setting as the only child to two loving parents. Neither sister knew they were a set of identical twins separated at birth until recently. Georgia had discovered before the incident and was the one to tell Mandy when she asked for her inside the locked ward. Imagine how surprised you’d be if you were Mandy?!

As you read you learn how money, power, rivalry and secrets fueled this particularly warped story. The short chapters and the dual POV definitely helped me like this one but overall I think they could’ve done more with the story. I almost think dialing back further into the years would’ve created a better storyline. Regardless, this was a pretty good read and I’d recommend if you’re looking for a fast-paced not-so-thriller mystery.

Thank you to net galley, the publisher and the author for this eARC!

I felt like the story was kind of uneven. I didn’t think that we got to know either of the new found sisters very well. The parts in the locked ward were supposed to be scary, I think but they were kind of repetitive especially in the earlier section. I think the author was trying not to reveal much about her at once but instead she ended up feeling like a really flat person who mostly missed her clothes.

I think there should have been more about the sister who owned the bar before she gets contacted by the attorney because we only see her in connection to trying to solve the case for most of the book. Why was she so willing to do all of this? Why was she so lonely?

The twist was fine if a bit predictable.

Ultra rich Georgia has been accused of killing her adoptive sister, Annabelle. She reaches out to the one person she thinks can help her; her twin sister, Amanda, who doesn’t even know Georgia exists.
Full of secrets, lies, and family drama, this was a fun, suspenseful read! No one is who they initially appear to be!

A summer release by a favorite psychological thriller author?? Heck yes! Suspense abounds in this story told in dual POV’s and filled with characters whose flaws will keep you on the edge of your seat as you try to determine who committed the crime. At the heart of the story is Georgia Cartwright, who is on lockdown in the psychiatric wing of a hospital. Adopted at birth, she is accused of killing her sister Anabelle who was born into their wealthy family. When Georgia requests a visit from bar owner, Mandy Ravenel, the relationship between these two is revealed and with the information Georgia shares , Mandy becomes involved in trying to find the killer and quickly finds herself in the middle of family secrets that have a deep emotional impact on them both. With themes of family deceit, the complexities of sisterhood bonds and the frailties of human nature, this thriller will keep you riveted as you try to play armchair detective

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for allowing me the pleasure of being an early reader for one of my favorite thriller authors in exchange for my honest review. Publication date: August 5

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Sarah Pekkanen is damn good at her job. As I sit here right now, safe and sound in my house, the back of my neck is pricked and shivers run down my spine. I am creeped the hell out.

This one…this one will get to you. It’s real, it’s insidious, it’s under your skin before you know what’s happening. I am… at a loss for words. There’s nothing I can reveal that won’t be a potential spoiler. Just…trust me. It’s good. It’s better than good. Psychological thriller seems like an understatement. Perpetual creeping dread is closer to the reality. Damn. Do yourself a favor and read this one when it comes out this August. Just make sure no one’s behind you when you do.