Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

“Victim. Witness. Killer?”

I don’t know what to say… 🤯 This book has completely messed with my brain and now I am on countdown for the next thriller by this author! Oh my goddddd. It will give you chills. It’s dark. It’s so masterfully plotted that I feel truly hungover! I am so thrilled to be sharing my review of The Woman in Ward 9. One of the very best thrillers I’ve read so far this year!

About the book

Laura Winters doesn’t know why she has lost her memory, or why she was found alone, soaked in someone else’s blood.

The only thing she is certain of is that I am the only psychologist she can – or will – talk to.

I have six days to help Laura unlock her memories and find out the truth.

But what has she forgotten – and what is she hiding?

And how does she know so much about me?

The beginning

I knew I would fall in love with this book as soon as I started reading it!! Good LORD. It completely grabbed me from the start and wouldn’t let me go. The prologue really packs a punch and instantly gets you thinking; Laura Winters is found covered in blood. Blood that isn’t her own. And she doesn’t seem to be able to remember anything that happened in the lead up to it, or whose blood it was. It’s psychologist Emma Best’s job to uncover the truth, as well as unlock Laura’s memories, within six days before the police get involved. And Emma is the only person Laura will speak to… was it because of Emma’s reputation and areas of expertise? Or was there another reason? Jeez, could the premise get any better than this?! My eyes were glued to every glorious word, every beautifully crafted sentence. With each chapter, I became more and more curious, and I loved slowly getting to know the kind of person Laura was, before the incident. Laura was a psychologist too, which I felt was crucial to this story. There was so much to think about and theorise over, and I just adored it all.

“I examined her eyes, wondering exactly what secrets lay beyond her blank gaze. Was this the face of a witness, a victim or a killer?”

The narrative alternates every now and then from Emma’s conversations with Laura in the therapy room, to snippets of life in the past. These chapters don’t give away character names, but I assumed at this point they were all about Laura’s past and her relationship with Daniel. Something to help us dive deeper into what is briefly explored in her therapy sessions. The longer Emma spends talking with Laura in this facility, the more she starts to feel on edge. There were certain procedures, certain little details about the place that didn’t sit right with her (and also didn’t sit right with me…) The whole atmosphere was pretty chilling, and I wasn’t entirely sure who I could trust at this stage. Emma is left without her phone and with very limited access to the outside world, to her husband. I didn’t like it one bit. It made me so incredibly anxious… There were staff members that I felt were hiding a few secrets, and theories were forming in my mind thick and fast. I read this book as part of a buddy read, and you can IMAGINE the buzz about all this! Everyone’s theories were truly excellent.

The middle

The immense research that has gone into this book is so clear and so bloody impressive. The psychologist profession, this facility that held Laura as well as well as many other mentally unstable and dangerous people. It all felt so real that I completely lost myself in this author’s words and felt like I was sat in that therapy room. Emma mentions her sister, Sarah, as well as an incident which took her life. I loved learning about this slowly, as well as see the similarities between Emma’s life and Laura’s. The deep conversations they have during the therapy sessions were so genuinely fascinating and I was completely immersed in everything that was being said. It makes me wish I’d have carried on studying psychology! With time running out to get through to Laura’s memories, Emma had to work harder. Why was she covered in blood?! I was dying to uncover the truth, and it all felt so gloriously intense as we build up that moment. And why was it so hard for her to get in touch with Connor? His phone constantly ringing out couldn’t be a good sign… and Emma was losing hope.

“The pressure to get the truth from Laura before it was too late pressed down on my chest. The police and lawyers wanted answers, but I felt like I wanted them more.”

Emma knows something is off. She guesses Laura is toying with her, wanting her to react. And I had a brand new theory of my own here. After some of her items mysteriously disappear, and then show up in places where she absolutely did not leave them, she decides she needs to get out of there. She needs to find Connor and have some sense of normality again. But then what we discover turns so much on its head and gives us even more to think about! How this author creates such brilliant tension, how she writes those scenes that stick in your head, how she makes you want to read and read and read just leaves me completely mind-blown. I could sense that jaw-dropping moment getting closer, I could feel its pull. But aside from this, she also nails the emotion, the heart-wrenching story of how Emma lost her sister had me feeling completely heartbroken. Characters are written with such heart and passion, and I felt every single word. As we revisit more past chapters, things slowly started to click in place. It was explosive and wonderful and I couldn’t get enough!

The end

The horrors that Emma experiences in this facility were so shocking at times that it turned my stomach. There were twists that I absolutely did not see coming! There was such brilliant pacing, the urgency on Emma’s part written so well, her drive to find answers and leave this nightmare of a place. The atmosphere became so incredibly chilling on that downhill slope to the final chapters, each word kept me glued to the pages, waiting for that moment where we get that shocking realisation. And when we get it, my jaw was on the floor. Oh my god!! Even though she certainly doesn’t feel it in parts, I could see her bravery grow over time, but in the same breath, it’s clear just how scared she is, how unnerving it is for her to discover that earth-shattering truth and what it all means for her now. This author completely threw me off the scent. You’d think after all the thrillers I’ve read by now, that I’d be able to guess the twist of every book I read. But this was superbly done and I was completely clueless! I couldn’t wait to see how this ended. I knew it would be perfect!

“Fear gripped my throat. I wrapped my arms around my knees and hugged them close.”

As intense and as gripping as those final chapters were at times, they were also quite upsetting, which I felt just added to the long list of reasons why this book was so impactful and unforgettable. The depth was astounding, the layers so flawlessly executed. Yes, there are tough subjects covered, but they were tackled so incredibly well and are crucial to such a well developed plot. After I thought I was as shocked as I was going to be, that final twist right at the very end caught me unawares and made the ending all the more chilling! This is absolutely one of those books where you close the book and just stare into space for 20 minutes – I was completely blown away and couldn’t even think about anything else! For an author who dabbles in many genres under multiple names, her first thriller is one of my favourites of the year so far. This book is the definition of my ideal book and I don’t think I’ll ever stop recommending it! If you love a deep, dark psychological thriller that is clever and tension-filled from start to finish, this is the one you need to read! Utter perfection!

Overall thoughts

The Woman in Ward 9 is one of the most chilling, compelling and unforgettable books I’ve read this year, with a killer twist that will steal the breath from your lungs! When Laura Winters is admitted to a psychiatric facility after being found covered in blood that wasn’t her own, it’s psychologist Emma Best’s job to extract the truth and her memories through a series of therapy sessions. But what she discovers is so far from what she could have ever imagined. It’s the stuff of nightmares. It’s brilliantly paced, the blend of past and present so clever and engaging, and the characters! If you like them shady, if you like them untrustworthy, you will eat this up. There is something strange going on at Heaton Place, and you just HAVE to read this and find out. It’s gloriously dark and atmospheric, it’s layered to perfection and is as deceptive as they come. We love a gripping, unsettling psychological thriller over here, don’t we?! Bring on the next!

Thanks to @ang.all.about.books for letting me join the buddy read for this book! You can grab your copy of The Woman in Ward 9 right now on Amazon or wherever you buy your books. Make sure you’re following the author on Instagram and X for more updates!

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