Do you ever find yourself reading books that randomly have things in common? Generally, for me at least, it comes in the form of a song I haven’t heard in a billion years being referenced in back-to-back reads or a not often used city somehow being the setting. This time it was the plot itself – the whodunit surrounding the death of a nanny. (In case you are curious/are a sufferer of the FOMO like myself – the book I read before this was The Other Mothers - and it was a winner).

I snagged this copy without even taking a gander at a blurb when it was offered up as a Read Now on NetGalley and didn’t pay attention to the fact that Sarah Pekkanen had not partnered up with her usual other half Greer Hendricks for this one - but it REALLY felt like it was co-written. I loooooooooved the storyline regarding the dead nanny and the potential suspects (should her death be proven to be intentional and not merely a horrible accident). The rich wife, the adulterer husband, the silent (yet oh so creepy) daughter and the doting granny ALL had my hinky meter going off. And the divorce proceedings which brought our leading lady Stella in as an advocate for Rose to determine which custody arrangement would be in her best interest was excellent. But then there was the subplot regarding Stella’s dead mother and . . . . . yeah. Not only was it completely unnecessary, it really derailed a quality murder mystery for me (and felt like it was written by someone else and merely spliced together). 3.5 Stars, but rounding down. (Oh, and it should go without saying I really do not like the cover – good thing this was a known-to-me author so I overlooked it ha-ha.)

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you, NetGalley!

I loved this book! I read a lot of mysteries, and this one was slightly unique in a very refreshing way - it felt like a classic "who dun it" but with a real human/psychology lens into a family dynamic. And the main character, who becomes a detective of sorts, has her own journey and trauma she is working through as well. The human element to this mystery is what I loved most about it; it wasn't written to shock with dramatic twists and turns, but rather to intrigue and provoke thoughts around the REASON why characters may act the way they do, and how their life experiences have impacted their actions and behaviors. 10/10, one of the best books I have read this year!

Set in the DC metro area, House of Glass is a nail-biting thriller that I had trouble putting down. While other early readers have complained about the pace of the plot, I thought appropriate pacing was used throughout the story. I really enjoyed that the revelations at the end of the novel were ones that I did not suspect, but also made logical sense. There is a fine line that thriller authors must tiptoe with plot twists and Pekkanen nailed it.

I will read anything Sarah writes, whether by herself or with Greer Hendricks. I love her characters, you can get inside their mind and see their intentions. They aren't always likeable but it keeps you turning the pages.

Y'ALL!! THIS BOOK!

I am a sucker for a good thriller, and I just so happened to be in my murder mystery mood when I received this book.

This book was a page turner and kept me on my toes, I could not put it down until I figured out what happened.

It's rare for a me to finish a book in one setting but lucky enough, this book pulled me in.

I highly recommend this book! And will most likely end up buying the hardback for my trophy self :)

I received an arc copy of this book from Net Galley in exchange for my honest opinion of it. I normally enjoy books by this author but this was not for me. I felt like it was long and drawn out and predictable.

Unfortunately, this was not for me and in all honesty, had I not been given an ARC I would not have finished it, But because NetGalley provided this book for me, I did.

The good: I like the connection between the lawyer and the little girl Rose. I like the similarities between them and how Rose's story lead Stella to explore her past as well. The questions of how did the young nanny die and who killed her kept my curiosity and remained the one aspect in the story I cared about.

The bad: Too many characters. When it was revealed how the nanny died and who had been involved, it didn't seem like a shocking twist like it could've been. I didn't care about the family drama. I felt the whole dynamic between the lawyer, her ex-boyfriend, his mother and his new girlfriend didn't need to be included at all and felt like it was for unnecessary drama.

If you're looking for a "who done it" with a lot of characters and personal development, you'll like this. But if you're like me and seeking a thriller that keeps you engaged with twists and turns you didn't see coming, you may not.

Awesome. I freaking loved this book! So much drama and so many lies. I really never knew what to believe. Jaw dropping twists all the way through. Fantastic book! Thank you NetGalley for this arc

I really enjoyed this story of a Nanny who falls to her death in the creepy home of the even creepier family who employs her. It did start off slow for me and I had a bit of trouble connecting in the beginning. Once I got into it about a third of the way in, I was invested. This is a definite whodunnit and there were just the right amount of characters/suspects, in my opinion. I say this because my last few books have had pretty large casts of characters to keep up with. Now, I did guess a pretty big plot point early on and was pretty sure who the guilty party was. I was right on both counts, but the getting there was still exciting. I really like this author and look forward to more from her.

Thank you to Sarah Pekkanen, #NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

I will post my review upon publication to Amazon, Goodreads, Instagram and various other retail and social media sites.

Every family member living in this large, eerie estate with no glass is a suspect of the nanny’s murder and it’s Stella’s job to uncover the truth about the family. A little girl, Rose, who has a lot to say but won’t talk draws Stella in. Stella has her own ghosts and can relate to this little girl in more ways than one. This tense thriller kept me on the edge of my seat and I kept me guessing until the very end.

Terrific! This one had me guessing until the end. It was a little slow to start for me personally, but I couldn't put it down after the 30% mark or so. I can totally see this being made into a movie or mini-series.

Sarah Pekkanen has always been a favorite author for me, and House of Glass exceeded my expectations. Stella is asked to take on a new client, a young girl named Rose Barclay, whose parents are going through an intense custody battle. The Barclay’s house is full of secrets, including the circumstances of their live-in nanny, Tina, falling through a third story window to her death. Tina and Ian Barclay were having an affair, Beth Barclay holds the family fortune with an iron clad pre-nup, and Rose Barclay hasn’t made one sound since the accident. Add in a whirlwind of mysterious circumstances and the past repeating itself for the ultimate whodunit ride!

4.5 - I love Sarah Pekkanen books, whether alone or with Greer Hendricks. This book was downright creepy at times which made me love it more.

An attorney has taken on the role to decide the best interests of a 9 year old girl in a divorce/custody battle of a very wealthy couple, after the couple's nanny falls to the ground from the 3rd story and the 9-year old has a trauma induced muteness and is unable to speak to help find out what happened in the death of the nanny.

What follows is a who dunnit and why dunnit and it involves a lot of good old sleuthing and discovering what demons lie within each person. I loved (hated) the elevator scenes as I am claustrophobic and I almost had a panic attack as well. The author does such a great job of describing this dark house that it was hard to turn out the lights when I went to sleep.

Such a clever book that takes on all kinds of twists and turns in the dark novel.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanen, and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. Publishing Date is August of 2024.

This was my favorite Sarah Pekkanen yet! House of Glass kept me guessing the entire time and I had to keep reading until I knew what really happened to Tina! Everyone is a suspect, and everyone seems to have a motive. While the reveal did not come as a major shock to me, I still enjoyed finding out how we got there. I also feel like this unique story of a child becoming mute after witnessing a horrible event will stick with me for a long time; I have never really read anything like this!
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC.

Thank you netgalley for the chance to review this!
I really enjoyed this! I do enjoy a good thriller but sometimes I think the stakes aren't set quick enough. This did SUCH a good job of ratcheting up the stakes very quickly: a dead nanny, an illicit affair, a family with an obsession with glass, and an investigator with a troubled past all her own.
I figured out the twist with Stella pretty quickly, but I did NOT figure out the nannys murderer: that was really well done. I also thought this did such a great job with the creepy child motif: there were multiple times I felt myself get sucked into how unnerving Rose can be. It really sucked you into the universe.
Great thriller and good story!

I've read enough Pekkanen novels to know what to expect before I decided to pick this one up - I knew it would be fast-paced, twisty, and fun, but I also knew it wouldn't be the best book ever. That is exactly what I would say about House of Glass. It was an interesting story about a lawyer, Stella, with a devastating past who takes on a child client, Rose, who has gone mute after the tragic death of her nanny. We soon learn that things aren't what they seem in the Barclay household - each parent, as well as the grandmother, are hiding things.

I loved how this novel had super short chapters, allowing me to fly through it in about 48 hours. It was fun reading another novel set in the DMV (DC/MD/VA, for those who don't know), since I live and grew up in the area. While some of the twists were a bit wild and had me rolling my eyes, and I also wasn't fully invested in Stella as a character, this was still an interesting thriller that got me out of a bit of a slump.

If you are new to Pekkanen, I'd recommend The Perfect Neighbors over this one, but this was still a fun and exciting thriller.

This book drew me in from page one!

House of Glass is about a court-appointed lawyer, Stella, to a 9-year-old girl, Rose, to help find her the best possible living after witnessing the murder of her nanny and the pending divorce of her parents. Stella's job is to assess the people she is living with - mom, dad, and grandmother, and look into her tutors, counselors, and music teacher to make the best choice. While also trying to look into her personal past of the deaths of her parents, Stella gets suspensions from all the family, including Rose herself.

I loved the "whodunit theme" of this novel and felt it was written well and fast-paced. Highly suspenseful and thrilling. This is my first book by Sarah Pekkanen and I want to go back and read her back log now!

3.5!! I liked the creepy house and creepy kid vibes. I didn’t know who to believe or trust 👀 the writing was good and I felt sucked into the story from the start. I wished there was less about Stella’s personal life or more of a connection to the Barclay’s situation. Some of it felt unnecessary but maybe I just wasn’t super connected to her character to care that much. I might’ve enjoyed it more if I had read it all in one or two sittings instead of spreading it out. And the ending didn’t feel satisfying to me. I liked it but just didn’t LOVE it overall.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC!!!

I have read and absolutely love all of this author’s books. The writing is absolutely gripping. This book is no exception. You change your perception after each chapter.

Oh yes, this book is GOOD. I was guessing until the very end. Just remember you can’t trust anyone in House of Glass!