
Member Reviews

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and the author the ARC of this book.
This book grabbed me from page one. I am a fan of Sarah Pekkannen already and this book is like her others in being super engrossing.
Stella, our main character, is hard not to love and become attached to… and become afraid for.
I know I’ve said this before in other reviews, but, as a special education teacher this was a high level interest read for me, as I have taught students who are mute before.
This book isn’t not a slow burn, but not exactly fast either. It also is not exactly super twisty throughout as much as being very selective about what information the reader knows, and not enough to back up any hypotheses.
This book was such a fun, yet tense read and I would 100% recommend it.
As for my ratings :
Excitement level: 5
Ease of reading level: 5
Overall rating : 5

I was hooked from start to finish! This book was intriguing and I thought the pacing was well done. It felt original and didn’t rely on over the top twists, but rather things were revealed in a believable way. I thought Stella was a great character and I enjoyed her POV. Thank you St. Martin's Press for the copy through NetGalley!

House of Glass centers around a child who is experiencing an inability or unwillingness to speak after seeing her nanny die, while her parents are going through a messy divorce. (Queue the creepy kid vibes!!) The main character is a court appointed advocate to help the judge determine which parent should get custody.
This book kept me guessing all the way through, and I thoroughly enjoyed the main plot and the twists it delivered.
The subplot did lose me a little bit, I figured out one of those twists early and it didn't pack the necessary punch.

Sarah Pekkanen's thrillers will always be an auto read for me! An easy 4.5 stars rounded up to 5 for House of Glass.
Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, takes on a client of a Rose, a 9 year old girl who stopped speaking after the death of her nanny. For fans of Sharp Objects and the Push, I think you'll like this one. I was entrapped from start to finish and it definitely had my adrenaline rushing at the end!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this book. My opinions are entirely my own.

*House of Glass* by Sarah Pekkanen pulls readers into a complex, suspenseful thriller that explores family secrets, trauma, and hidden motives. The story follows Stella, a lawyer specializing in child advocacy, as she’s assigned to determine custody arrangements for Rose, the young daughter in a family shaken by their nanny's mysterious death. As Stella investigates, she uncovers unsettling clues about the family and its dark secrets, while also grappling with memories from her own painful past.
Pekkanen’s pacing and storytelling keep the suspense high, drawing readers into the tense dynamics between Stella and the family. The novel is especially intriguing for fans of psychological thrillers who appreciate layered plots and emotional complexity. While the twists are satisfying, a few character interactions—like Stella's sudden interest in a female detective—feel somewhat abrupt. Overall, though, *House of Glass* is a captivating read, blending mystery with emotional depth and psychological insight.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC of this book. This was one of the better thrillers I've read recently because it leaned more into the psychology side of things than the policing/detecting side of things. I was compelled to know if the child at the center of the book really was a little psychopath, or if there was an alternate explanation. This was well-written and compelling, I'd read a second in the series if the author wrote one!

Once again another great thriller by this author! I thought the plot line was original in that our main character was brought on to observe a family to see who the little girl would be better off with for full custody. But this family isnt a normal family and has gone through lots of trauma recently causing the little girl ruth to go selectively mute. As our main character observes and interacts with this family she is reminded of her own upbringing and similarities to ruth but she can’t question that strange things are going on as well and who is the ring leader. I wont say anymore because thrillers need to know little as possible but this one kept me on my toes and guessing the whole way.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book. Rose Barclay is a 9 year old with traumatic mutism after watching her nanny fall to her death and the Barclay family home. Now Rose is collecting sharp objects, the parents are acting strangely, and Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, is brought in to give her opinion on which parent should be awarded primary custody.
This was like a domestic thriller with police procedural elements thrown in. I really liked the two combined, but this was a bit too slow for me. Something just felt slightly off, but I can’t really put my finger on what it was. The twist was a fun one, and not one I expected. Overall, it was a quick and enjoyable read. 3.5 stars rounded down to 3.

A lawyer has to decide the custody of a young mute girl who witnessed her nanny’s fall to her death.
The premise was interesting, but I found the pacing really draggy. The narrator keeps remembering part of her own traumatic childhood (& mutism) and that storyline just really dragged it all down and never really gelled with the current day story. And then there was a twist (about her childhood) that was totally extraneous and pointless.
I saw the main story’s twist coming and it didn’t feel very satisfying.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early review copy.

Decent thriller about an attorney trying to recommend the best custody arrangement for a young girl who stopped speaking after the death of her nanny. The audience is still dealing with her own family trauma as well. Kept me guessing. 3.5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book, loved the whodunit type of feel.
Even though there were quite a few twists and turns, but for me it was pretty easy to guess the mystery. Mystery/Thriller book.
There were even eerie house vibes.
Stella (the main character) has a great backstory for this book, it explains her background as a child, her trauma and all her thoughts on this issue. This case has similarities to her own.
So the nanny is dead, and the child, Rose Barclay (another important, main character and child) has gone silent. Her parents are in the middle of a divorce (her dad had an affair with the nanny) there are sooo many other family dynamics in this story.
You may be shocked on who murdered the nanny, how it was covered up and why Rose went silent.......

Mutism, monitor, and meaningful mentor.
After the shocking death of their personal nanny, the Barclay family has struggled. Rose, their child has become mute, and the parents are divorcing. Enters: Stella, a child advocate attorney. She is then connected with the Barclay family with similar personal trauma of her own. Within the time she spends with the family, more questions begin to surface.
I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the opportunity to read this novel!

House of Glass ultimately questions two deaths, and the answers to both surprised me. I found Stella’s development throughout the story relatable, working through old trauma during her present situation. The tension continued to amp up as the book went on, pulling you into the dual mysteries. I enjoyed this novel and definitely recommend it.

This book was really good. It starts with someone pushing the nanny out the window and the police are unsure who did it. Stella is assigned to see which parent is a better fit for custody of Rose who has become mute after her nanny passed away. Stella is determined to figure out what happened to Rose but is she getting to close, is Rose dangerous?

3.5 ⭐
Attorney Stella Hudson is asked to take on a young client, Rose Barclay, a nine year old girl who witnessed her nanny's unfortunate death. Rose has gone mute from the trauma of the event. Stella relates to this situation all too well, as she also stopped talking when she was a little girl and had discovered her mother's deceased body. Stella makes it her mission to help Rose heal and put her in the best environment possible.
At the time of the Tina's fall, Rose, her mother Beth, father Ian, and grandmother Harriett were all present at the Barclay's mansion. Stella must find out who may have been possibly involved in the death to protect her young client.
My opinions:
I was enjoying this book until the last 100 pages. If the book would have just stopped while it was ahead, it wouldn't have been a bad thriller. It was predictable, we knew it had to have been one of three people who killed Tina, but it was still entertaining enough. The whole thing with Charles was eye rolling. Harriett going to SUCH lengths (hidden cameras, recording conversations, spying, the taser) just to be lazy and no longer have to work. LOL. Imagining an old woman trying to chase you down to murder you was comical. It was too much. Then Stella suddenly becomes bisexual out of no where. The book started out fine, but it tried far far too hard.
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for access to the ARC of this book! I truly appreciate the opportunity!

Wow, this one grabbed me from the beginning and it was hard to put down! Read in a day! Interesting storyline and several twists I didn’t see coming! Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

If you’re a fan of twisty thrillers, this is for you. Sometimes twists give me a bit of whiplash. However, what I loved was the house as a character. Books that do that well are catnip for me and this was no exception.

Thank you to @netgalley and @Stmartinspress for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to @macmillian.audio for a free download of the audiobook.
House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is a gripping psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge of your seat with its suspenseful plot and unexpected twists. As a fan of Pekkanen’s work, this book certainly did not disappoint.
What I Loved:
Suspense and Twists: Pekkanen masterfully weaves a tale full of suspense and unexpected turns. The plot is intricately crafted, keeping you guessing until the very end. Each twist adds a new layer of intrigue, making it hard to put the book down.
Character Development: The characters are well-developed and complex. Their motivations and secrets are slowly revealed, adding depth to the story and making their actions believable and engaging.
Atmosphere: The setting of the house itself adds to the eerie and tense atmosphere. Pekkanen’s descriptive writing brings the house to life, making it almost a character in its own right.
Audiobook Experience:
Narration: The audiobook, narrated by Laura Benanti, enhances the suspenseful experience. The narrator’s ability to convey the tension and emotion of the characters adds an extra layer of depth to the story. Their pacing and tone keep you engaged throughout, making it a compelling listen.
Overall, House of Glass is a thrilling and suspenseful read that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers. Sarah Pekkanen delivers a story full of twists and turns, making it a perfect read (or listen) for anyone who enjoys a good mystery.
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)
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Thank you for allowing me to read this book as an ARC.
The storyline was truly good. It had the reader trying to figure out what is next and what is truly going on, also guessing and doubting the protagonist if she was on the right path.
Then all these things started happening and I was completely on the wrong path thinking of who did what and what truly transpired. While I found the story very unbelievable, it was still entertaining and well laid out. I didn't care for the ending and kind of wished some of the info provided was there, it was unnecessary in my opinion and I felt the author was just trying to follow a trend to feel accepted.

House of Glass is a gripping thriller that pulls you in with its haunting premise and keeps you on edge as the mystery unravels. With each revelation, Pekkanen proves adept at building tension and adding layers to her characters, leaving readers with an unpredictable, satisfying story about trust, trauma, and survival. Perfect for fans of psychological thrillers and family dramas, House of Glass is a powerful page-turner you won’t want to miss. Thank you @NetGalley for the advance early copy - definitely recommending this one to all of my friends and fans of thrillers!