Sarah Pekkanen delivers a haunting psychological thriller that plunges readers into the murky depths of family secrets, sibling bonds, and the terrifying question of how well we truly know those closest to us. The Locked Ward stands as a testament to Pekkanen’s evolution as a solo author, showcasing the dark psychological complexity that made her collaborations with Greer Hendricks on novels like The Wife Between Us and An Anonymous Girl so compelling.
The novel opens with Georgia Cartwright awakening in restraints within the sterile confines of a psychiatric ward, accused of bludgeoning her younger sister Annabelle to death. When her estranged twin Amanda receives an unexpected call from Georgia’s public defender, she’s thrust into a nightmare that challenges everything she believes about family, identity, and truth itself.
The Architecture of Suspense
Dual Perspectives, Double the Terror
Pekkanen masterfully employs alternating perspectives between the twins, creating a narrative structure that mirrors the psychological fragmentation at the story’s core. Georgia’s chapters, told in second person, immediately establish an unsettling intimacy that places readers directly into her confined world. This stylistic choice proves brilliant, as it forces us to experience the claustrophobia and paranoia of the locked ward firsthand.
Amanda’s first-person narrative provides a stark contrast, grounding us in the “real” world while she investigates the truth behind Annabelle’s murder. The shifting perspectives create a disorienting effect that perfectly captures the twins’ fractured relationship and the unreliable nature of memory and perception.
The Ward as Character
The psychiatric facility itself becomes a character in Pekkanen’s capable hands. The author’s meticulous research shines through in her vivid depiction of institutional life, from the color-coded restraints to the fifteen-minute wellness checks. The ward’s oppressive atmosphere—with its plexiglass barriers, camera surveillance, and constant threat of violence—creates a palpable sense of dread that permeates every page.
Pekkanen doesn’t shy away from showing the dehumanizing aspects of institutional care, particularly through the character of Opal, a sadistic aide who represents the system’s potential for abuse. These scenes are genuinely disturbing, highlighting how vulnerable patients become when stripped of their autonomy and basic human dignity.
Character Development and Moral Complexity
Georgia: The Unreliable Protagonist
Georgia emerges as one of the most complex characters in recent psychological fiction. Pekkanen skillfully walks the tightrope of making her simultaneously sympathetic and suspicious. Her apparent dissociative state could be genuine trauma response or masterful manipulation—and this ambiguity drives much of the novel’s tension.
The author excels at revealing Georgia’s past through fragmented memories and Amanda’s discoveries, painting a portrait of a woman shaped by rejection and family dysfunction. Yet even as we learn about her traumatic upbringing under the cold Honey Cartwright, questions linger about Georgia’s capacity for violence and deception.
Amanda: The Reluctant Detective
Amanda’s character arc proves equally compelling as she transforms from skeptical sister to determined investigator. Her background as a bar owner in a small town creates an interesting contrast to Georgia’s privileged but emotionally barren upbringing. Pekkanen uses Amanda’s journey to explore themes of identity, belonging, and the lies families tell themselves.
The revelation of Amanda’s own capacity for violence adds a dark mirror to Georgia’s situation, suggesting that darkness may be inherited rather than circumstantial. This parallel development elevates the novel beyond simple thriller territory into more sophisticated psychological horror.
The Southern Gothic Elements
Family Secrets and Social Facades
Pekkanen taps into the rich tradition of Southern Gothic literature, exposing the rot beneath the beautiful exterior of Charlotte’s elite society. The Cartwright family represents old Southern money at its most toxic—where appearances matter more than truth and children are commodities to be traded for social advantage.
The revelation that Amanda was essentially sold to her adoptive parents while Georgia was kept as the “acceptable” twin provides a chilling commentary on class, privilege, and the disposability of inconvenient children. Honey Cartwright emerges as a truly monstrous figure, willing to sacrifice anything—including her daughters—to maintain her position in society.
Political Corruption and Power
The introduction of Senator Dawson and his family adds layers of political corruption that feel particularly relevant in our current climate. Pekkanen skillfully weaves together personal and political motivations, showing how power protects itself at any cost. The senator’s relationship with Annabelle provides the story’s ultimate twist while illuminating how predators use their positions to exploit the vulnerable.
Technical Mastery and Pacing
Building Tension Through Revelation
Pekkanen demonstrates exceptional skill in controlling the flow of information. Each revelation feels earned rather than manipulative, and the author resists the temptation to provide easy answers. The pacing accelerates naturally as Amanda’s investigation uncovers increasingly disturbing truths about both families involved.
The book’s structure, with its short, punchy chapters, maintains momentum while allowing for character development. Pekkanen knows when to linger on psychological moments and when to push forward with plot revelations, creating a reading experience that feels both thoughtful and propulsive.
Atmospheric Writing
The author’s prose strikes an effective balance between accessibility and literary sophistication. Her descriptions of the psychiatric ward are particularly vivid, creating an atmosphere of institutional horror without resorting to melodrama. The contrast between the sterile, controlled environment of the ward and the lush, seemingly perfect world of Charlotte’s elite creates visual and emotional tension throughout.
Areas for Critical Consideration
Predictability in Plot Twists
While Pekkanen handles most of her revelations skillfully, some readers may find certain plot developments somewhat predictable. The true identity of Annabelle’s killer, while shocking in its implications, follows patterns established in earlier chapters. However, the emotional impact of these revelations largely compensates for any lack of surprise.
Supporting Character Development
Some secondary characters, particularly those in Amanda’s world, feel underdeveloped compared to the central family drama. Scott, Amanda’s employee and potential romantic interest, serves primarily as a plot device rather than a fully realized character. This focus on the main narrative sometimes comes at the expense of the broader world-building.
Thematic Resonance
The Nature vs. Nurture Debate
The Locked Ward grapples seriously with questions of inherited versus environmental influences on behavior. The twins’ separation at birth creates a natural experiment that Pekkanen explores without providing simple answers. Both sisters demonstrate capacity for violence, but their expressions of that darkness take different forms based on their upbringings.
Family as Both Sanctuary and Prison
The novel’s exploration of family dynamics reveals how the institutions meant to protect us can become sources of deepest harm. The contrast between Amanda’s loving adoptive parents and Georgia’s cold, manipulative family illustrates how radically different environments can shape identical genetic material.
Comparison to Pekkanen’s Previous Work
Readers familiar with Pekkanen’s collaboration with Greer Hendricks will recognize the psychological complexity and unreliable narration that made The Wife Between Us and The Golden Couple so successful. However, The Locked Ward demonstrates Pekkanen’s ability to sustain that level of tension and complexity as a solo author. The book shares DNA with her earlier standalone works like Gone Tonight and House of Glass, but shows a darker, more Gothic sensibility.
Final Verdict
The Locked Ward succeeds as both an engaging page-turner and a thoughtful exploration of family trauma, mental health, and the corruption of power. Pekkanen has crafted a psychological thriller that respects its readers’ intelligence while delivering genuine chills and surprises. The book’s examination of institutional abuse and family secrets feels both timely and timeless.
While not every element reaches perfection, the novel’s strengths far outweigh its minor weaknesses. Fans of psychological thrillers, Southern Gothic fiction, and complex family dramas will find much to appreciate in this dark, compelling narrative.
Recommended Reading
If you enjoyed The Locked Ward, consider these similar psychological thrillers:
- Sharp Objects by Gillian Flynn – For its exploration of family dysfunction and Southern Gothic atmosphere
- The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides – For its psychiatric hospital setting and unreliable narration
- Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty – For its complex female characters and family secrets
- In the Woods by Tana French – For its atmospheric writing and childhood trauma themes
- The Woman in the Window by A.J. Finn – For its unreliable narrator and psychological complexity
Pekkanen has delivered a worthy addition to the psychological thriller genre that will linger in readers’ minds long after the final page.
