This was one of my favorite recent reads. A nanny dies falling (or being pushed?) from a window in her employer’s home. Who, if anyone, is to blame? Exactly how far will a family go to protect one of their own?

Read this if you like:
- Shorter chapters
- Family lies and deception
- Slow burn with building tension
- Characters feeling like they are being watched

This was easily a 5⭐️ read for me.

After the nanny of a seemingly perfect family falls out the window to her death, Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, is sent to determine custody arrangements for nine-year-old Rose Barclay in light of her parents’ impending divorce. Since witnessing her nanny’s death, Rose has been silent, and the Barclay family seems to be hiding things. There home is now entirely glass-free, and as Stella witnesses more strange things she questions if the nanny’s death was truly an accident, or if she’s in the presence of a murderer.

This was such a well-written mystery thriller! The character development was superb, and I truly did not know what direction the book would go—I could easily see each character as a suspect in the nanny’s death and as a reader you find yourself questioning who to believe and who is lying constantly throughout the novel. I really enjoy Sarah Pekkanen’s writing style—she creates a fast-paced, suspenseful read through her descriptive writing and tense scenes!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my gifted e-ARC!

I liked the main female character. The author did a great job of painting a sinister picture. I really wasn't sure what to believe. There were a few really good twists in the story that blindsided me. There was great suspense and an action packed ending. I liked the writing style as it was easy to read and get absorbed into the story.

House of Glass by Sara Pekkanen cemented my love for this author. I have read and enjoyed many all of her books, but House of Glass is so good! It is a thriller focused on a child who has gone mute following a traumatic event where her nanny died.

But was it an accident or intentional...(insert dramatic music)? Sara Pekkanen is now an auto-buy/auto-read author for me! Hands down one of the more exciting thriller authors I have read! Thank you to @NetGalley, @stmartinspress and @sarapekkanen for the galley copy!

This is a page-turner worth reading! The mystery and suspense kept me reading way past bedtime! The plot was so intriguing. There were twists that surprised me. This is an excellent psychological thriller and I highly recommend it to mystery lovers.

Sarah Pekkanen is surely an author to watch out for. I've enjoyed all of her books, and this was no exception. While it was a bit slow to get into, it soon becomes a woven story about a little girl who needs protection, or to be protected from. The intricacy of the writing keeps you with one foot in and one foot out regarding what you think you know surrounding the nanny's death. Everyone is a suspect in their own right, and while there were twists, they weren't outlandish like other psychological thrillers can be. I have never heard of a special interest lawyer, and I've become very curious about it. Given Stella's turbulent background, it makes sense this is her chosen career- but will she be able to keep her past separate from that of Rose? Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

3.5⭐️

Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney by profession, is appointed as counsel for Rose Barclay, a nine-year-old girl whose parents are in the middle of a bitter divorce. Stella’s role is to determine the best custody arrangement for Rose, which entails interacting with Barclays and studying the dynamics within the family based on which a decision might be taken. Rose suffers from traumatic mutism – a condition that developed after she witnessed her twenty-six-year-old nanny, Tina de la Cruz, plunging to death from her window on the upper floor of the Barclays’ house. The circumstances surrounding Tina’s death remain a mystery and given Rose’s condition, her family – parents Ian and Beth and her grandmother, Harriet, are protective of Rose, to the extent that they would prefer to restrict Rose’s interaction with Stella.

Stella, who had a traumatic childhood herself, has Rose’s best interests at heart and tries to earn Rose’s trust, but Rose’s strange behavior on more than one occasion, her parents replacing all glass in the house with plastic and their overprotectiveness, leads Stella to believe that all the Barclays harbor dark secrets they are desperate to protect and Rose is at the center of it all. Will Stella be able to protect Rose and herself before anyone else gets hurt?

I thought the premise of House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen was truly intriguing and was completely immersed in the first half of the novel. The pacing is on the slower side, which I did not mind and I loved the sinister vibes, the murder mystery with none of the Barclays, including Rose, above suspicion and the creepy glassless house. However, as the narrative progressed, my enthusiasm dampened. Truth be told, I enjoyed the way the element of mystery was built up and the suspenseful vibe of the novel, but the story lost momentum by including certain unnecessary subplots into the narrative. While I liked Stella and admired her dedication to her profession and how protective she was of Rose, there were certain aspects pertaining to Stella’s backstory that I felt were of no consequence to the plot and certain developments toward the end felt contrived.

I wish emphasis had been placed on the mystery aspect and there had been more showing than telling. Overall, though there was a lot about this novel that I liked, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had expected.

I paired my reading with the audiobook narrated by Laura Benanti. Though the narrator did a decent job of voicing the characters and the immersion reading experience was enjoyable, this is one of those rare occasions where I preferred the book over the audiobook.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the digital review copy and Macmillan Audio for ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Another great story by a favourite author . This edge of your seat psychological thriller will keep you guessing until the end

A character drive psychological thriller that keeps you on the edge. The book is told from Stella’s perspective and I really liked her - her demons, her relationships , and her search for the truth and best interests of her client . Rose was an interesting character - I never could tell whether she was pure evil or just a traumatized kid!

Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney (BIA) assigned to a custody case to determine what custody decision would be in the child’s best interest during the Barclay family divorce. When she meets her new little client Rose, Rose is suffering from traumatic mutism after her nanny fell to her death out a glass window at the Barclay home. Was she pushed and if so by whom?

This one is an entertaining read. A perfect thrill for the summer that just had me picturing Rose in a movie as a really creepy child with a matching creepy doll. I feel like if this were a movie the hair on my neck would be at attention. There’s some good twists although the last chapter seemed a bit out of left field to me.

Pick this up if you like scary, creepy kid characters and domestic thrills.

First, I’m so grateful to NetGalley & the author for sending me an ARC.

After the way I enjoyed Gone Tonight, I was so excited for Sarah Pekkanen’s new release, House of Glass. She did not disappoint! I loved this one! It kept me guessing & suspicious of everyone. It also gave me just enough the creepy vibes too. The psychological suspense was *chef’s kiss!* This book really sucked me in right off the bat & kept my attention through to the end! I highly recommend it! If you’re a thriller lover, this one is for you!

This book pulled me in and terrified me until the very last page. I loved the pacing, the creepy characters and the setting. This was done so well. We are introduced to the Barclays, a family on the surface who seem to have it all: money, power, a beautiful home, and a brilliant young daughter. Well, it all comes smashing down, not with glass since this is literally a plastic house. Ian, has had an affair with Tina, the Nanny and now she is dead. She was either pushed or fell through a giant glass window. Ian and his wife, Beth are now divorcing and it’s up to Rose’s law guardian, Stella to figure this twisted family out.

I loved that there was always a sense of dread lurking in the Barclay’s house. “There’s a heaviness to the air, as if gravity is somehow stronger within the confines of these walls”. Rose, is 9 years old, but wow is she a force of nature. She saw Tina plunge to her death and this causes her to be unable to speak. Yet, that does not stop Rose from being a seriously creepy and scary little girl. She likes knives and collecting little shards of glass. Fun Stuff like that keeps her occupied. Does she know more than she is letting on, that she was just gardening outside with her Grandma when Tina’s sad incident happened? Has Rose been traumatized or is she The Trauma? It is frightening to consider that young children do actually harm and kill people.

I just had to keep reading to find out how this would all end. The ending was a bit dramatic, but still I read until very late finishing this up. It’s my first book by Sarah Pekkanen and I will be back for more.

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martins, and Sarah Pekkanen for a copy of this book. I always leave reviews of books I read.

Happy book birthday to HOUSE OF GLASS by @sarahpekkanen! What a treat of a whodunnit mystery-thriller this turned out to be!

Nanny Tina has been pushed out of a window to fall to her death. Nine-year-old Rose might have witnessed the fall and is now mute. Her parents are also now going through a divorce, and her family are all hiding secrets. Stella, the attorney hired to be Rose’s voice in the divorce custody battle, has a past of her own and is peeling back truths layer by layer.

I found this book hard to put down and enjoyed trying to guess the twists. I loved how it all erupted to a satisfying conclusion. Narrator of the audiobook, Laura Benanti, was a new narrator for me and she was perfect for this role. I read some on my kindle but enjoyed audio a ton so majority was read on audio. Many thanks to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the early review copies! Highly recommend for a satisfying thriller!

House of Glass pulled me in from the beginning. Rose is assigned a case to represent interests of a child who has fell traumatically mute following the murder of her nanny. Rose normally represents older kids, but has a connection as she had the same mutism temporarily after a family passing.

The eery setting and characters made it hard to trust anyone - no one is perfect, so you aren't quite sure what to expect when everything seems off.

To me this read felt equal parts cold/calm/quiet but also fast paced, and I kept wanting to read more!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC.

A mysterious and violent death, a historic old house, and a really creepy kid who can't or won't' say a word makes for an interesting mystery. Paired with a lawyer with a traumatic childhood that leads to clouded judgment, House of Glass has all sort of twists and turns as anyone could be guilty. I found the current day mystery more interesting but the MC's childhood mystery more compelling in shaping who she turned out to be. I'm not sure that I bought the minor romance that developed later in the story though as I didn't feel enough justification for that development, but it was a rather minor plot point which neither added to not detracted from the main storyline.

Definitely check this mystery/thriller out if you enjoy fast pacing and damaged female leads who come to terms with the ghosts of their pas.t.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
Mystery, thriller.
Lawyer Stella Hudson has a new case that eerily mimics her own history in some aspects. A nanny is dead, and the child, Rose Barclay has gone silent. Stella is an investigator assigned to uncover who in the family is a victim and who is a murderer. The house is all plastic with no glass to be found and answers are twisted as the family splits apart. Everyone is a suspect.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook copy and an audiobook. The narration was performed by Laura Benanti who does a wonderful job with voice variations and keeping the tension high and suspenseful in the appropriate times. The flow from chapter to chapter was seamless and I found no discernible recording issues. The audio kept my attention at my usual speed of 1.5 and I can easily recommend the format any reader.

A family with a killer in the midst. Who is it? A thrill ride as the clues are analyzed by Stella as she compares the current case with her own backstory. She needs to figure it out before someone else is dead.
Arresting.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.

Proper Thriller

I want to start off by saying a slight apology to some of my coworkers. Why, you might be asking? Well, the majority of my shift today was spent reading “House of Glass” by Sarah Pekkanen. I am shocked that this is my first book by this author. I loved the audiobook and ebook in equal measure. For the first time in a long while, I read a thriller that I did not guess the ending to. Such a win in my book. This book comes at the heels of a week where I have read many five-star reads, and this is going on that pile.

“House of Glass” is an enthralling thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The story revolves around a seemingly perfect family living in a beautiful glass house, but as secrets begin to unravel, the facade of their idyllic life shatters. Pekkanen masterfully weaves a tale of suspense, with twists and turns that left me guessing until the very end.

Stella’s character is delightfully well-developed and serves as the pillar of the story. I appreciated her willingness and determination to stick with this frustrating case despite all the obstacles she faces and her own past trauma. Rose was written in equal measure creepy child and someone I wanted to hug.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own hidden depths and motivations. The protagonist’s journey through the layers of deception and betrayal is both gripping and emotionally charged. Pekkanen’s writing style is engaging and immersive, making it easy to lose track of time while reading.

One of the standout aspects of this book is its ability to balance intense, heart-pounding moments with quieter, introspective scenes. This contrast adds depth to the narrative and keeps the reader invested in the characters’ fates. The pacing is perfect, with just the right amount of tension building up to a satisfying and unexpected conclusion.

I both read and listened to the book. The audio narrator, Laura Benanti, a Tony award-winning singer/actress, brings the story to life with her captivating performance. Her steady voice and nuanced inflection keep listeners hooked from start to finish.

Overall, “House of Glass” is a must-read for thriller enthusiasts. It’s a testament to Pekkanen’s skill as a storyteller that she can craft such a compelling and unpredictable plot. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling and thought-provoking read. I can’t wait to explore more of Sarah Pekkanen’s work in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own. I look forward to reading more thrillers by this author if the characters are this well-written

🪞house of glass

🌟rating: 4.5🌟
⚡genre: thriller
📚pace: fast
🤯twists: solid and satisfying

READ THIS IF YOU LIKE..
🏚️creepy house//creepy kids
👨‍👩‍👧domestic thrillers with a a legal twist
🔎everyone's a suspect
👤single point of view
⁉️secrets everywhere
📖whodunnits
⏩bingeable reads//short chapters

THOUGHTS

🪞HOUSE OF GLASS is big on the creep factor and I was here for it. The big, old mansion itself makes for an eerie and atmospheric setting, while the little girl at the center of the murder mystery was both fascinating and unsettling.

⏩The short chapters, small pool of suspects and just how suspicious absolutely everyone was acting had me hooked from early on. HOUSE OF GLASS is a quick and engaging book that helped me get out of a bit of a reading slump.

⚡The ending didn't blow my mind, but at the same time, all the red herrings, secrets and not knowing who to trust kept me guessing until the end. The female lead's history and her mother's suspicious death played a big role and added an extra layer of tension and suspense.

House of Glass is a must-read for thriller enthusiasts. It’s a testament to Pekkanen’s skill as a storyteller that she can craft such a compelling and unpredictable plot. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling and thought-provoking read.

This is a story about generational problems.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this! The pacing was good & the protagonist was likable. I did find myself wondering about her commitment to her job (listen, I care about my clients but I’m definitely not sticking around for ANY of this)- but mostly I really liked it. There was a slight romance subplot that I’m hoping indicates a sequel? Otherwise it felt like a very random inclusion.

Thank you so much @macmillan.audio for the audio copy of this thriller & @stmartinspress for the eArc!