The Woman in Ward 9 by Naomi Williams is a page turner that opens with a bang when the reader meets Laura, a woman who is found in the kitchen of her home covered in blood that is not her own. Unable to remember what happened or even whose blood it is she is admitted to a psychiatric facility and Emma, a psychologist is brought in to try to help her uncover her memories by gaining her trust. As the story unfolds and the rapport between the two women builds a disturbing story starts to emerge and leaves Emma questioning her abilities as a therapist and some of her life choices. Is Laura a victim, a witness or even a killer ? Emma will have to go to extraordinary lengths to discover the truth.
Now this is absolutely a fast paced read but it does require the reader to suspend their disbelief at certain points and if you are willing to go with that you are in for an entertaining time, however if you need your thrillers to feel realistic this may not be the book for you. I decided to let my issues with the portrayal of the secure facility and the "therapy" techniques go and settle in and enjoy the ride. The book moves a long at a cracking pace with lots of short chapters that kept me saying just one more, and before I knew it I was almost finished. The author did a good job of building tension and I enjoyed the creeping sense of dread as the story unfolded.
3.5 stars rounded up
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Patient X is locked away at Heaton Place, victim or murderer nobody knows and Patient X has no recollection.

Superb writing that brings to life a high security facility under lock and key, its staff and management with eyes everywhere. Drafted in for a short term assignment psychiatrist Emma soon realises that her status entitles her to little in the way of flexibility or direction as she assesses her patient.

Totally hooked from page one, I raced through this one. Its clever, its chilling and its a great read.

My thanks to Headline publishers and NetGalley for the advance read, all opinions expressed are my own.

This book had me hooked from the very first page.

The story follows a woman who is found covered in blood, yet she has no memory of what happened. The premise alone intrigued me, but what followed was a psychological rollercoaster.

Midway through, things got a little confusing, but in hindsight, it all made sense. I had a hunch about the first plot twist, but the second one caught me completely off guard! It explained so much and made me appreciate the story even more.

The ending? Unfair—but in the best possible way. It left me wanting more, desperately hoping for a sequel where everything unravels further and every character gets what they deserve.

As someone fascinated by psychology, I loved how the book explored the human brain, trauma, and memory. It was right up my alley, and I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys psychological thrillers that truly make you think.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

A clever novel that doesn’t rely on poor mental health stigma.

Unbelievably good read, quick but well written characters, and a plot that doesn’t stay still, it is all engrossing and will likely be read in one sitting.

I really was surprised at this novel, everything I was expecting was elevated in every way and on ending it, all I wanted to do is find another book by this author.

Definitely read this one.

Emmas new patient is Laura. Laura was found covered in blood with no memory as to what happened.

Emmas job as a pyschiatrist is tough and now she has Laura, she has to unlock Lauras mind and help with the recollections and to remember.

What a read.. This is a book that I found exciting, enthralling and definitely intriguing.

It has twists, it has drama dna most of all it has a brilliantly plot and the stpry unfolded beautifully..

Definitely one on af my favs this year..

This book was so enthralling I read it in one sitting. It's a fabulous read, set in a psychiatric hospital, the tension is as stifling as the interview room temperature. It's multi layered and just as you think you've peeled one layer back another twist appears to blindside you all over again. As someone who reads a lot of psychological thrillers this one certainly didn't disappoint. Will definitely look out for more books by this author. It would make a cracking drama for TV

Thank you to the author and publishers for allowing me access to an ARC via NetGalley!

*Spoiler free review*

As someone who reads a lot of fantasy books, I fancied reading a thriller in between, and the description of this book dragged me in! This book follows the journey of Emma, a psychologist who specialises in domestic violence, as she is treating a patient who has lost all memories about her husbands murder. So, some of my favourite things about the book:
1. I love a thriller that’s based around psychology/mental health/mental health hospitals etc. This book definitely falls into that sub-genre nicely
2. There were plot twists GALORE. You think you have it figured out? NOPE. Oh you think you know now? WRONG AGAIN. I love a book that keeps me on my toes
3. The writing style and pace of the book make this an easy read
4. The way that domestic violence/coercion/love bombing/emotional manipulation is described seems really accurate and it is done in a sensitive way

Onto things that maybe I’d improve/change
1. The main character can seem whiny at times which makes it hard to relate to her. There’s a lot of thoughts that are repeated
2. The chapters appear quite oddly placed - there are a lot of very short chapters which can interrupt the flow of the book which I found distracting (which is probably a *me* problem not the authors problem
3. The ending felt a bit rushed and there were a few very short explanations that didn’t really make sense

Overall I really enjoyed this book, it was a book that kept me thinking and I’m sure I’m gonna remember the story for quite a while since it’s a trope I’ve never read before

Review: 4/5 stars (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️)

This book was completely unexpected. The twists and turns have you headed in one direction. Before you realize what happened, it all turns around and shocks you!

This book puts the thrill in thriller. DROP WHAT YOU ARE DOING AND ADD THIS ONE TO YOUR TBR!... PERFECTION!... I felt like I was on a rollercoaster with this one and was on the edge of my seat the entire time!

I finished this book in just a little over 24 hours… I am still in shock how this ended, I didn’t see that coming at all.


⭐️⭐⭐⭐⭐ stars!

Finished reading "The Woman in Ward 9" by Naomi Williams, and I could hardly breathe through the last few chapters! It is a captivating read that I wholeheartedly recommend. From the very first page, the dark and twisted tale is a rollercoaster ride that keeps you guessing right until the last word. Every twist and turn had me hooked, and I couldn't put it down! Williams masterfully crafts an atmosphere of suspense that pulls you in deeply. If you're a fan of gripping thrillers that leave you on the edge of your seat, this book is a must-read! Trust me, you won't regret diving into this chilling story.

This is a rollercoaster ride of a twisty thriller that had me completely immersed. I was up till 1am reading. Wow. I devoured the whole book in a day.

I loved the writing style which captured a creeping sense of dread. The characters are layered and have nuance and the theme of coercive controlling relationships and partner/spousal abuse worked well. This was all sensitively handled and felt realistic and authentic.

There's enough flashes of humour to lift the book and the author's observations skills are astute. Highly recommend this five star read. I'm excited to see what this author does next.