It’s never easy to write about a child witness and his/her emotions, but Sarah Pekkanen does so with gravitas and sensitivity, and House of Glass is an explosive account of murder, betrayal, gaslighting, and a small child in the middle of it all. I can’t give too much away, but the human dynamics in this story is what is so compelling, and pick this up if you enjoy twisty but poignant thrillers.

I have really enjoyed Sarah Pekkanen when I discovered some of her previous books that we co-authored. I figured her own works would be just as good, and this was.
While this one took me a little bit to get into, it was a good thriller. Sarah delivers the twists and makes you want to keep reading. This was entertaining and kept me guessing.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher, and thr author for the advanced copy. Now to read her other titles!

“House of Glass” by Sarah Pekkanen is a domestic thriller that had me completely enthralled! Stella is a best interest attorney assigned to a 9 year old girl who has stopped speaking after witnessing the death of her nanny. Her parents are going through a divorce and both want full custody. Stella’s job is to determine who the child should live with. As soon as Stella meets the family she is surprised to know that the perfect exterior is far from accurate. The family has secrets and Stella is struggles to determine who is lying.

I devoured this one in a single day, it is easily one of my favorite books from this author. I really enjoyed Stella as the main character, and loved her character development as she wrestles with issues in your own life as well as protecting this little girl. Thank you so so much to NetGalley and publisher for this ARC.

This was very well written and kept me on the edge of my seat for most of the read. Since there were so many unknowns, and some jump scares, it made me keep anticipating the unexpected - even in parts of the book which weren’t meant to be “scary”. The characters were all well written and easily all suspects.

The back story of the main character was also interesting and added to some of the dark feel and suspense in the book. The only piece that I didn’t love was how rushed the new love interest felt. I wish a little bit more build up were there.

All in all, this was a solid 4.5 star thriller!

Thank you to #NetGalley for an eARC of #HouseofGlass by #SarahPekkanen in exchange for honest feedback.

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
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Stella is a best interest attorney who has been appointed by the court to give her assessment on which parent young Rose should live with. Rose cannot speak for herself due to the trauma of seeing her nanny die. But from the moment Stella enters the home she senses not all is as it appears.
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What I liked:
-There was a lot of great mystery and intrigue here. How did the nanny die? Why is there no glass in the house? What does Rose know?
-I love a good mystery where I can’t trust anyone, and House of Glass was just that! I distrusted probably every single person the book introduced me to at some point, including a cop.
-The suspense was a great tension that kept building and building.
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This was my second solo book of Sarah’s and I will definitely keep reading her books.

Sarah Pekkanen is one of my favorite authors! I was happy to see that she as coming out with another book. House of Glass does not disappoint! Stella Hudson, an attorney who has been chosen to help decide the best interest in a custody battle for a child, has bitten off more than she can chew. Not only does she have to figure out what is going on with this child, but she has to figure out what is going on in this house! Full of twists and turns, I did NOT expect this ending! An excellent read!

Good thriller that kept me turning the pages and getting no sleep! The suspense build up was there. Thank you net galley!

The story follows Stella who is a Best Interest Attorney as she covers her latest assignment. It is a family with a young girl who may or may not have killed her nanny.

The story is woven with intricacy and a compelling story line. I was fairly certain I knew what was happening until the end, but was quickly proven wrong. Though I felt the conclusion fit the story well and didn't feel contrived as some of thrillers can.

I appreciate the side stories that were included, but couldn't help but feel they were page fillers at some points.

All in all a good thriller!

Good and interesting. I enjoy how this author writes thrillers and is able to surprise me with some twists.

This book kept me thinking about it all during the day! I could not wait to get back to it! The story was spun in such a way that I was kept guessing the whole way through. One of my favorites reads of the year.

If this one isn’t at the top of your TBR for August, it needs to be. When Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, is asked to take on a divorce case that resonates a little too close to her own childhood trauma, she begins to reexamine her own trauma.

The Barclays are on the verge of separation with their impending divorce while trying to process the death of their pregnant nanny. Nine-year-old Rose, a sharp object klepto, is suffering from traumatic mutism and may or may not be involved in her nanny, Tina’s mysterious death. This peculiar mute little girl gave me the creeps since page one.

This is the first of Pekkanen’s I have read and I love her writing style and vivid descriptions of both scenery and characters. Pekkanen’s haunting imagery lets the reader easily visualize mannerisms, moods and tension in this heart stopping thriller.

All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Pekkanen presents a gripping tale of deception, intrigue, and the complexities of family dynamics. The author skillfully weaves together a suspenseful narrative centered around the mysterious death of a young nanny and the subsequent investigation into her demise.

The story is narrated through the perspectives of Rose Barclay, a traumatized nine-year-old girl who witnessed the possible murder, and Stella Hudson, a seasoned attorney appointed to untangle the web of lies surrounding the case. From the outset, readers are drawn into the Barclays' world of privilege and secrets, where nothing is as it seems.

One of the strengths of the novel lies in its well-developed characters, each with their own motivations and hidden agendas. Rose's silence and collection of sharp objects add an eerie layer to the narrative, while Stella's own troubled past lends depth to her character as she navigates the complexities of the case.

While the plot is undeniably engaging and filled with twists and turns, there are moments where the pacing feels uneven, and certain plot points are not fully explored or resolved. Additionally, some readers may find the resolution of the mystery to be somewhat predictable or lacking in surprises.

Overall, "House of Glass" is a compelling thriller that will keep readers on the edge of their seats until the final page. Despite its flaws, it offers an intriguing exploration of the lengths people will go to protect their secrets, and the devastating consequences that can result. 3.5 Stars

Loved this book so much! I thought the killer could have been any one at different times throughout the book. It kept me guessing and wondering what was about to happen the whole way through. The main character definitely feels like she could have a series about her in her role. Would love to read more about her!

Psychological thriller. Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, is assigned to evaluate which parent Rose Barclay should live with once her parent's divorce. Stella and Rose share in common that both suffered childhood trauma and experienced mutism, causing Stella to dig deeper into her trauma. Rose, however, expresses some scary behavior, including violent outbursts and collecting household items to use as weapons. As Stella spends time with the Barclay family, she finds herself in danger. There are some intense moments that propelled the story, some good Deja vu moments that had me guessing wildly, but the wrap up was too convenient and didn't really give me that fist bump moment I was anticipating. I rate 3.5 rounding up though because the story had some great potential.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and the author

This was a solid, entertaining thriller, which have been hard to come by lately. I’ve been quite disappointed with most thrillers of late.

House of Glass tells the story of a troubled girl, her family, and a lawyer with a traumatic past that had echoes of her current case.

This was not a groundbreaking book, but I didn’t need it to be. The writing was very good, very atmospheric. I figured out part of one reveal but not all of it, and the ending was good, compared to a lot of thrillers. I read this in about 24 hours. If you are looking for a quick, page turning, creepy thriller - I would recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley for the e-arc.

I will start off by saying that I wished this packed more of a punch than what it did. By the end of the first chapter, I already had creepy child vibes, and I was hooked. I stayed hooked, and then kind of felt let down by the ending. I predicted the twist, and hoped there would be something more twisty to still happen, to pull back in my interest, but that was not the case.

What a book! I enjoyed reading this book to the point that I couldn't put it down! Every time that I thought I knew who was involved in what....I was thrown for a loop! I would recommend anyone that is looking for a fast-paced thriller to pick this up.

This was my first book by this author and it did not disappoint! Rose is a little girl who is a mute after witnessing the horrific death of her babysitter, Tina. Stella is assigned to the case to decide which parent Rose should stay with now that her parents are getting a divorce. Stella is looking for clues but being led astray by Rose's mom, dad and grandmother. Did one of them kill Tina or could it even have been Rose?!? There are many twists and turns as the story unfolds. We even find out some interesting parallel events that happened to Stella when she was a child. I really enjoyed this whodunnit book and I will now be reading more of Sarah Pekkanen! Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for my copy of House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for an honest review. It publishes August 6, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I was so happy to receive this book as I'm such a such a Sarah Pekkanen fan, both of her solo work (Gone Tonight) as well as her co-written thrillers with Greer Hendricks (The Golden Couple, The Wife Between Us, You are Not Alone). If you're ever in a book slump, she's an amazing author to go to.

This is the story of Stella, a best interest attorney who represents children in custody cases. Her mentor knows Stella is equipped to handle challenging and complex situations, which brings us to her client, 9-year-old Roes Barclay. Rose's nanny fell to her death out of a window at the Barclay family estate, and Rose was front row to this tragedy. As a result from this trauma, Rose developed traumatic mutism and refuses to talk to anyone.

Was her nanny's death an unfortunate accident or was she deliberately pushed? Suspicion surrounds the entire Barclay family. A bitter divorce, an affair with the nanny, a child who collects sharp objects, and a whole family who appears steadfast in keeping all secrets hidden. Stella must process her own childhood trauma, sift through the lies and deceptions, while simultaneously serving as counsel for Rose and finding out what really happened.

This was a wild ride and I was truly guessing until the very end! The pacing was excellent and I was kept wanting to pick this book up. I'd give this book 4.5/5 stars and high recommend to anyone in search of a satisfying, twisty thriller.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s press for this advanced readers copy in exchange for my honest review. This book is a 2.5 ⭐️for me. It was a very meh slow burn whodunnit. It was too slow moving with not much happening, then all of a sudden it wraps up a little too quickly and too perfectly. It required a little too much explaining as to why all the details work to fit her ending. It had definite potential but it just didn’t work for me.