A Book A Week

Sarah Pekkanen has carved out quite the niche for herself, reliably releasing a new standalone popcorn thriller each August. I first discovered her writing through the twisty novels she co-authored with Greer Hendricks and have since enjoyed her solo efforts like Gone Tonight and House of Glass. So when her publisher offered me an early copy of her latest, The Locked Ward, I didn’t hesitate to dive in. Could it deliver the same high-stakes suspense I've come to expect from her?

Imagine going thirty years without knowing you had a twin. That’s the shocking reality Amanda (Mandy) faces when she discovers her biological sister was secretly adopted by another family shortly after birth. Even more shocking? Her twin is Georgia Cartwright, the adopted daughter of a wealthy southern family, now infamous for committing the so-called “Crime of the Decade." She's accused of murdering her adoptive sister, the Cartwrights’ only biological child. Georgia now sits catatonic in a locked psychiatric ward, awaiting trial.

Despite her doubts, Mandy visits the ward. She doesn't expect to get much from Georgia, but to her surprise, her sister manages to whisper a chilling plea, “I didn’t do it. You’ve got to get me out of here.” Mandy doesn’t trust her, but she also can’t abandon someone who shares her face to a place that feels more cursed than clinical. As she digs deeper, Mandy is left with more questions than answers. Is Georgia truly innocent, or is she drawing upon her sister's goodwill to lead her down a path of betrayal?

Every thriller requires a bit of suspension of disbelief. It comes with the territory, and the best authors make you forget the logic gaps and just enjoy the ride. Sarah Pekkanen is usually one of those authors for me. Unfortunately, that isn't the case with The Locked Ward. The setup is undeniably compelling. There's a long-lost twin, a murder accusation, and a psychiatric ward shrouded in mystery. I was hooked from the start. But as the story unfolded, it veered too far into implausibility. Georgia is supposedly locked away in a catatonic state, yet she somehow manages to communicate clearly with both her lawyers and Mandy. Even if she’s faking it (spoiler: she is), it’s hard to believe the entire facility would fall for the act. That disconnect pulled me out of the story more than once.

There are still moments of gripping tension, particularly in the scenes set within the ward, but the story spends far too little time there. Instead, it leans heavily on family drama and twisty reveals that don’t quite stick the landing. For the first time, I found myself underwhelmed by a Sarah Pekkanen novel. That said, her strong track record still has me looking forward to her next release. Just enter The Locked Ward with your expectations in check and a healthy willingness to suspend your disbelief.

For more information, visit the author's website, Amazon, and Goodreads. 

(2025, 62)