jenjones83 's review for:

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen

4.0

dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: No

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 Stars

The Locked Ward by Sarah Pekkanen is a chilling, twist-filled psychological thriller that dives deep into the complexities of sisterhood, identity, and the thin line between truth and delusion. From the first page, the story pulls you into the eerie, high-stakes world of Georgia Cartwright—a woman accused of murdering her adopted family’s biological daughter—and her reluctant twin sister Amanda, who must decide whether to trust the one person she’s spent her life avoiding.

The setting of the psychiatric institution is deeply atmospheric, adding an extra layer of unease to the already high-tension plot. Pekkanen does a fantastic job keeping you off balance, constantly second-guessing what’s real, who’s telling the truth, and how far people are willing to go to protect secrets. Georgia and Amanda’s dynamic is fraught, messy, and totally compelling.

There were a few moments where the pacing dipped or the plot got a little tangled, but the suspense and emotional stakes more than made up for it. If you love a thriller that leans into unreliable narrators, dark family secrets, and mind-bending twists, this one’s for you.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy from NetGalley and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.