The Locked Ward
- Judith D Collins
- Aug 5
- 5 min read
By: Sarah Pekkanen
Narrator: January LaVoy
Macmillan Audio
ISBN:9781250349514
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: 08/05/2025
Format: Other
My Rating: 5 Stars (ARC) (ALC)
TOP AUDIOBOOKS OF 2025
The Locked Ward is the latest twisty thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author of Gone Tonight and House of Glass, Sarah Pekkanen.
It was the Crime of the Decade. Pathological sibling rivalry. Bitter, all- consuming envy. Whatever the cause - and everyone has an opinion - it led Georgia Cartwright, who was adopted as a newborn, to kill the younger, biological daughter of her wealthy, socially prominent family.
Georgia is being kept at an institution where the most violent offenders are held while she waits to see if she is ruled not guilty by reason of insanity. When her estranged twin sister, Amanda, visits her, Georgia's first words are, "You've got to get me out of here. I didn't do it." Her sister can’t walk away. There has always been a part of her that feels missing - a strange hollowness that she has hidden from everyone.
Does it exist because of the absence of her twin sister? Can Amanda really trust Georgia? Or is she being led down a path of madness and into the web of a master manipulator? Nothing is as it seems in Sarah Pekkanen's new psychological thriller, The Locked Ward.
My Review
#1 NYT bestselling author, Sarah Pekkanen (a long-time favorite) returns following House of Glass with her latest shocking, deliciously twisted domestic thriller, THE LOCKED WARD. You will be glued to the pages to solve this tantalizing suspense mystery of the complex bonds of sisterhood and dark secrets of the past.
Some Doors Should Never Be Opened
About...
Georgia Cartwright is a 32-year-old with a job as a high-end wedding planner, a city apartment, a weakness for ugly dogs, and a love of running. Now she is the newest resident of THE LOCKED WARD.
The Crime of the Decade. Georgia Cartwright, who was adopted as a newborn, is accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy, Southern family.
Georgia is accused of bludgeoning her younger sister to death at the family estate in Charlotte, North Carolina. The daughter of one of the wealthiest families in NC—an accomplished equestrian, an expert on wedding flowers— Now case # NC-0416729.
Pathological jealousy is the presumed motive.
Mandy (Amanda Ravenel), a bar owner at Sweetbays, receives a call from the public defender representing Georgia. He states that Georgia is her sister. She is an only child, but she was adopted. She grew up 70 miles away, worlds apart. Her dad was a bartender and her mom a waitress and she inherited the bar.
Georgia wants to see her. A twin? How could she have a twin and not know it? They may share the same DNA, but they are opposites. They share the same birthday, Dec 14.
Georgia is a former debutante, product of the finest boarding schools, and exudes charisma and is a flittering fixture in the Southern social set.
VICTIM: Annabelle Cartwright. The younger sister. It was her birthday, and a grand party was thrown in her honor at the family estate. Annabelle was found shortly after midnight on the floor of the dining room after being mahed in the temple with a heavy paperweight in the shape of the letter A—a birthday gift from Georgia.
Georgia was discovered looking over the body with blood on her hands and clothes. Georgia was ordered a 72-hour psychiatric hold because she appeared to be in a dissociative state. The press seems to have already convicted her.
Georgia is locked away, and unless Mandy comes, everything will change. Georgia tells Mandy she did not do it, and if she does not get her out of the locked ward, they are going to kill her.
DNA will tell the true story. Georgia is her sister. She now is the only family she has left since her parents are gone. Should she keep her distance or help her?
Will she survive in the locked ward until someone rescues her and she can find the real killer? Mandy doesn't trust Georgia, but she can't abandon her in this horrible place for the insane.
Is Georgia the victim of a powerful family that's so depraved that murder is the least of their crimes? The mother, Honey Cartwright, or the father, the Senator - did they have motive?
Or is Mandy being led down a path of madness into the web of a master manipulator??
Three sisters. How does the past connect with the present?
Who will possibly get away with MURDER?
My thoughts...
Holly Canoli! That ending??? !!!
THE LOCKED WARD is a deep dive into the dark secrets of a powerful family, where no one is as they appear. Trust no one.
Told from POV: Mandy and Georgia, a heart-pounding game of cat and mouse and a claustrophobic mental ward where every minute counts.
How far will someone go to protect their lies and secrets?
Intense, twisty, addictive, suspenseful, and highly entertaining as the secrets of the past start to unravel in this dynamic, riveting thriller that keeps you guessing until the end!
You are going to love these sisters.
I am a long-time fan of Pekkanen and have read every book. She keeps getting better and better if that is possible! Thriller fans, this is a must-read! I would love to see this one played out on the big or small screen.
Audiobook...
BINGE-WORTHY! I was privileged to read the digital copy and listen to the audiobook narrated by an all-time favorite, January Lavoy! A stellar performance for all voices, making it impossible to put it down. You do not want to miss a thing. Highly recommend the audio.
Top audiobooks of 2025!
Recs...
THE LOCKED WARD is for fans of the author and those who enjoy works by Mary Kubica, Jennifer Hillier, BA Paris, Alice Feeney, and Liv Constantine. (all favs)
A big shout-out thanks to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, NetGalley, and #MacAudio2025 for providing an ARC and ALC for my honest thoughts.
@JudithCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
Pub Date: Aug 5, 2025
My Rating: 5 Stars +
Praise
"Instantly immersive, involving, insightful and scary - this is psychological suspense at its very best."
―Lee Child
When beautiful and wealthy Georgia Cartwright is kept in a locked ward after being accused of her sister’s brutal murder, there’s only one person who can save her: the other sister she didn’t know she had. Spellbinding and masterful, Sarah Pekkanen’s THE LOCKED WARD is a deep dive into the dark secrets of a powerful family, where reputation and social standing have always mattered more than the truth. Nothing is as it seems in this evocative and twisty thriller, and I loved every breathless minute of it.
―Jennifer Hillier, USA Today bestselling author of THINGS WE DO IN THE DARK and LITTLE SECRETS
"A dueling narrative fraught with tension that will leave you guessing until the very end. And when you think you know...you don't!"
―Jeneva Rose, bestselling author of THE PERFECT MARRIAGE and YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE COME HERE
"One of my favorite thriller writers, Sarah Pekkanen is an automatic buy for me. I love her twisty, propulsive thrillers and THE LOCKED WARD is no exception"
―Laura Dave, NYT bestselling author of The Last Thing He Told Me
"Deliciously twisty. A fascinating, detailed dive into psych ward indignities and dangers. Riveting from start to shattering finish." ―Booklist (Starred Review)
About the Author
Sarah Pekkanen is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several co-authored and solo novels. Her books are sold in 36 countries, with several optioned for TV and film. Sarah also co-wrote the screenplay for The Wife Between Us for Amblin Entertainment. She serves on the board of directors of International Thriller Writers, and is the founder of a nonprofit that rescues injured and abused street dogs in India. She lives just outside of Washington, D.C.
