The Women In White

Author: Sarah Pekkanen
Genre: Mystery Thriller
304 pages
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press, 2026

Synopsis
When Riley Bell lands a caretaker job for Betty Sadler, she imagines quiet afternoons of tea and card games – and a chance to heal from her shattering divorce. Instead, she steps into a house that feels suspended in time, with every lampshade, cocktail coupe and record album exactly as it was in 1964. No television. No microwave. And Betty has never even heard of a cell phone.

For Betty, there’s only one thing left she wants in To locate her three best friends who seemingly disappeared after they all volunteered for mysterious experiments in their college’s psychology department. No clues, no contact, just an unanswered mystery that has shadowed Betty for six decades.

Inspired by the real-life research once conducted at Duke University’s Parapsychology Laboratory, The Women In White is told in dual timelines- Betty’s sparkling world of pep rallies and 5 o’clock martinis, and Riley’s present-day search through hidden files into dark corners.

Because whatever was swirling around these four exceptional young women is rising from its long-dormant state. Someone is resurrecting the old experiments, like a copy-cat serial killer. And Riley’s efforts to get answers about the lost girls from the 1960s is putting her on a collision course with the person determined to finish the job.

My review
The Women In White is an intriguing mystery thriller from Sarah Pekkanen built around a unique and interesting premise. The story unfolds across two timelines, one set in the present day, and the other in the 1960s. The strongest aspect of the novel lies in the past timeline, where Pekkanen skillfully portrays the development of an unlikely friendship among four women. She excels at creating atmosphere, and I could easily see, and feel, what it might have been like to be a young woman living in the 1960s.

Inspired by real research conducted at Duke University’s parapsychology laboratory, the past storyline centers on four women selected to participate in a clinical trial during the 1960s and whose bond deepens into a powerful friendship. In the present day, Riley Bell takes a caretaker position for Betty Sadler, one of the women recruited to participate in the parapsychology experiments. When Betty asks Riley to help locate the three friends who participated in the trial with her decades earlier, what Riley uncovers is startling, and she has no idea how deeply she’s about to be pulled into a mystery that eerily mirrors events from 1964.

There were many elements I truly enjoyed. Betty’s point of view was a highlight, and the storyline that focused on the gifted sisterhood worked beautifully for me. The emotional connection between these women, along with the unsettling history they shared, was more compelling than the present-day narrative. Unfortunately, the interactions between older Betty and Riley didn’t hold my interest as strongly.

While there is a mystery at the center of The Women In White, its true heart lies in the women’s friendship and the fallout from the disturbing experiments they endured. Readers who enjoy character-driven stories with dual timelines and a strong historical element will likely appreciate this one. Overall, The Women in White remains an engaging and thought-provoking read, especially for fans of government conspiracies, secret parapsychological experiments, and themes of female empowerment.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sarah Pekkanen for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

My recommendation: worth the read if you’re looking for a strong character-forward story!