In Sarah Pekkanen’s latest, suspense-filled novel “The Locked Ward,” we meet two sisters, Georgia and Amanda, twins actually, who were separated at birth but now find themselves entangled in a web of deceit. The writing is ingenious as Pekkanen uses two different points of view to share the sisters’ stories. Amanda’s story is told in first person, each chapter labeled with her nickname “Mandy,” while Georgia’s narrative is shared in second person narrative. The second person narrative is a bit unsettling at first, but it quickly becomes apparent that by relating Georgia’s story as if it is happening to us, we feel deeply involved and a part of the action.

The use of both first and second person narratives definitely makes clear which twin is narrating. Pekkanen masterfully portrays each of the twin sisters, separated at birth, but who, once they meet, feel an intimate connection. And while both women knew they were adopted, their situations are entirely different.

While Amanda was raised as an only child with two very loving parents, theirs was a middle class lifestyle. Her parents owned a bar and they lived in a small town over an hour from the nearest city, Charlotte, North Carolina. Georgia, on the other hand, grew up in the lap of luxury. Her parents were wealthy, and no expense was spared in their day-to-day lives. But instead of being the apple of her parents’ eyes, as Amanda was, Georgia’s childhood was eclipsed by her four-months-younger sister Annabelle, who was, in every way, their parent’s favorite.

All their childhood, Annabelle was the golden girl and Georgia was treated as an interloper. Annabelle was doted on by her mother, and we see that even though their father appeared to love them both, he did nothing to help Georgia, including when she was sent away to boarding school at the age of fourteen. Georgia was the black sheep, the unnatural child. Annabelle was the “real” daughter in the family, and it was apparent in every action her mother took, or didn’t take, toward Georgia.

Now Georgia Cartwright is in the locked psychiatric ward of a hospital, accused of murdering Annabelle. She claims she didn’t do it. But we also know, from the start, that she is pretending to be in a dissociative state, something she had written a twenty-page paper on in college. The locked ward is terrifying, and Georgia walks us through her life there, a situation Pekkanen researched carefully. So all the horrors Pekkanen shares are what she actually witnessed during her visits to a locked ward.

When a lawyer reaches out to Mandy and tells her she has a sister, Mandy is shocked. She’s stunned that her purported sister is the socialite in the news for murdering Annabelle, her own younger sister. But Mandy visits Georgia in the hospital and learns about her sister. Although Mandy knew she had been adopted, she had no idea she was a twin. She must decide whether she will help Georgia, her sister, or not. Georgia warns her that helping might endanger Mandy’s life, as Georgia’s life is in danger.

Mandy must infiltrate Georgia’s life, and to do so, she must look the part. She uses Georgia’s belongings, and describes her changed appearance, “her Lilly Pulitzer flowered dress and kitten heels, my lips glossed pink, Tiffany jewelry gleaming on my earlobes and wrists, my hair sleek and shiny.” She’s able to fit in easily, and Mandy reflects on that with a truth that is universal. “I present as a wealthy Southern girl…It has become blazingly apparent to me that people make snap judgments based on appearance, forming an image of who you are before you utter a word.” And to fit into Georgia’s wealthy, privileged world, Mandy makes sure she looks as if she belongs.

Just as in the locked ward there are no mirrors, only shiny metal surfaces that reflect reality poorly, Pekkanen’s narrative doesn’t shine a clear light on the facts. It’s rather as if we are seeing Georgia, and Mandy’s life, too, through a warped mirror, one that presents an image that is not clear or true, but slightly off. There are questions about Annabelle’s relationship with Georgia, about Mandy’s relationship with prior friends, about Mandy’s adoption. Why is Georgia pretending to be in a dissociative state and is it something she planned?

As Mandy becomes more entrenched in Georgia’s life, the mysteries grow. Also, as Mandy continues to investigate Georgia’s claims of innocence, the danger grows around Mandy herself. It’s a lot of fun to read about Georgia’s lifestyle as a wealthy, successful, Southern socialite and to vicariously feel the softness of the cashmere and designer threads that fill her expensive closet. It’s also fascinating to read about the family that the Cartwrights are close to, that of up-and-coming Senator Dawson. How do they fit in with the tragedy of Annabelle’s death?

This is a quick read as Pekkanen cleverly ends each chapter on a cliffhanger, forcing us to read the next chapter from the other twin’s point of view before we can return to the cliffhanger to see what happens next. There are, of course, many red herrings, and some very unexpected twists. Suspect those you wouldn’t expect to, because there are some real humdingers that will make you rethink all your previous suspicions and assumptions. Well done. Very well done.

Read more of Sarah Pekannen’s books like “House of Glass,” “Gone Tonight,” and “The Perfect Neighbors.”

This review was first posted on Bookreporter.com.