The Locked Ward - by Sarah Pekkanen

Book Synopsis

New from Sarah Pekkanen, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of House of Glass and co-author of The Wife Between Us.

A shocking psychological thriller about the complex bonds of sisterhood―and what happens when they are stretched to the breaking point, The Locked Ward "will leave you guessing until the very end" (Jeneva Rose, bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage).

Some doors should never be opened.

Was it bitter, all-consuming jealousy? Pathological sibling rivalry? Pure insanity?

Whatever the cause―and everyone has a theory―it's the Crime of the Decade when glamorous Georgia Cartwright, who was adopted as a newborn, is accused of killing the biological daughter of her wealthy, Southern family.

Georgia is locked in a psychiatric institution where the most violent offenders are held while she awaits trial. The only words she whispers when her estranged twin sister Amanda visits are, "I didn't do it. You've got to get me out of here."

Amanda doesn't trust Georgia, but she can't abandon her in a place so eerie and menacing that it seems to exist in another dimension. Is Georgia the victim of a powerful family that's so depraved murder is the least of their crimes? Or is Amanda being led down a path of madness into the web of a master manipulator?

Review Quotes

"Clever, twisty and oozing with desperation." --PEOPLE

"Deliciously twisty. A fascinating, detailed dive into psych ward indignities and dangers. Riveting from start to shattering finish." --Booklist (Starred Review)

"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

About the Author

Sarah Pekkanen is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of fifteen solo and co-authored novels. Her books are sold in thirty-six countries, with several optioned for TV and film. Sarah also co-wrote the screenplay for The Wife Between Us for Steven Spielberg's Amblin Entertainment. She serves on the board of directors of International Thriller Writers, and is the founder of the nonprofit IndiaStreetPaws.com, which rescues injured and abused street dogs in India. She lives just outside of Washington, DC.