Sarah Pekkanen is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of over a dozen novels, including the internationally acclaimed thrillers The Wife Between Us, An Anonymous Girl, and The Golden Couple, co-written with Greer Hendricks. Her solo thrillers Gone Tonight and House of Glass have earned praise from major outlets and bestselling authors alike. Her books have been translated into multiple languages and optioned for film and television, with Sarah and her co-author penning the screenplay for The Wife Between Us for Amblin Entertainment. A former investigative journalist, Pekkanen is also a board member of International Thriller Writers and the founder of India Street Paws, a nonprofit supporting rescue dogs. Her next thriller, The Locked Ward, will be published August 5, 2025.

The Locked Ward

Tell us about The Locked Ward, what was your inspiration for this story?

Every book has a different origin story, and The Locked Ward began when I realized that even though my hometown of Washington DC had such a facility (St. Elizabeth’s, which housed John Hinkley for decades after Hinkley shot President Reagan), I had no idea what went on inside its walls. My idea formed quickly: I wanted to open my book with a woman waking up inside a locked ward, charged with the murder of her sister. One of the questions for the reader is, Did she do it?

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What kind of research did you do on psychiatric institutions?

Locked wards are fortresses, with countless rules, regulations and security measures. Outsiders generally are never permitted entry. But in order to write this book—to collect authentic details to populate its pages and understand what my characters were experiencing—I knew I had to somehow find a way to get inside a psych facility for violent offenders. Finally, I found someone in a city hundreds of miles from my own who agreed to bring me in for a visit. Like my character discovers, I learned there are stringent rules for visitors: No jewelry so you won’t be choked with your own necklace. No cell phones, pens, or purses—all are potential weapons. To avoid triggering a patient, only dark, plain clothing with no lettering or logos are permitted. And if a resident tries to approach, never show fear and don’t maintain prolonged eye contact.

How has your journalism background shaped the way you structure and pace a thriller?

The way my journalism background has most shaped my writing is in the way I employ research. I love visiting real places and interviewing experts, and anchoring my novels with an underlayer of truth and authenticity. I generally spend anywhere from weeks to months conducting research before I begin to write, and I absolutely love it.

What draws you to unreliable or misunderstood characters?

They’re such interesting people to write! I write about strong, complex women who are leading somewhat ordinary lives until something shocking happens, and, all of a sudden, they need to rely on their grit and smarts to save their own lives.

How do you walk the fine line between revealing enough to keep the reader hooked and holding back to maintain suspense?

That’s a tricky line to navigate, and when I’m deep into the writing of a novel, I tend to lose perspective. So I need to set aside my draft, then go back to read it with fresh eyes and make sure I’ve hit the sweet spot. I also have trusted readers—including my agent and editor—who don’t read my novels until I’ve finished the first draft, and their perspective is invaluable.

You’ve written thrillers and women’s fiction, solo and with a co-author. How do you choose what to work on next and what helps you determine if a story is a solo project or a partner project?

I follow my heart and my gut. When a story snags me, demanding to be told, I follow it wherever it leads. I’ve written a half-dozen short stories, 16 books (12 solo and 4 co-authored), several screenplays and TV pilots, and countless newspaper and magazine articles. Right now, I’m loving writing a solo thriller every year, but who knows, I could team up again with another writer for a book or a TV project in the not too distant future!

What was it like adapting The Wife Between Us for film, has the experience of developing the screenplay changed your novel writing going forward?

We had such fun adapting Wife for film! It was a big learning curve, because funneling a 400-page book into a 120-page screenplay requires discipline, smart choices, and a reimagining of the story in a way that fits the screen. I definitely think studying that form of storytelling helped my novel writing, particularly my dialogue.

What are you currently listening to?

I love the podcast Not Today, about people who survive life-or-death situations—everything from escaping a serial killer to making it out of an avalanche.

What are you currently reading?

I usually have several books going, and right now I’m really enjoying The God of The Woods.

What are you currently watching?

I’m loving The Better Sister. It’s addictive and the acting is terrific.

What is your go-to beauty item?

I absolutely adore a bit of bronzer in the summer, and Hoola makes a fun powder I brush everywhere—over my eyelids, cheekbones, and jawline to make it look as if I’ve gotten sunkissed even when I’m wearing SPF50.

What are you working on next?

I’m wrapping up edits for my 2026 novel, The Women In White. For this book, I dug deeply into research, uncovering true files from the 1960s. I fell in love with my main characters, a group of four young women who were as close as sisters. I can’t wait to share it with you!