I've cherished many of Sarah Pekkanen's solo and co-authored books with Greer Hendricks, but "Anonymous Girl" truly captivated me. The compelling premise of "House of Glass" once again sparked my curiosity, especially considering Pekkanen's exceptional storytelling skills.

Stella, a best-interest attorney specializing in child custody cases, finds herself representing a client who doesn't fit her usual demographic. As she delves into the case, her own childhood trauma resurfaces and blurs the lines between her professional duties and personal emotions. The intricate family dynamics and Stella's internal struggles make it challenging to decipher whether the nine-year-old, Rose, is a victim or a manipulative mastermind, adding a layer of intrigue to the story.

I was completely captivated by the twisted tale and its mesmerizing narrative. The author's gifted storytelling skillfully concealed the true culprit until the last moment, keeping the suspense high. Although the pacing felt slower compared to some of Pekkanen's other works, I couldn't help but be impressed by her ability to keep me guessing. I initially anticipated a thrilling read, but I quickly reminded myself that it's promoted as women's fiction.

I was lucky enough to receive an ebook from St. Martin's Press and an audiobook from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley. Switching between the two formats enhanced my reading experience. The narrator for the audiobook was superb, adding another layer of enjoyment to the story. All opinions are my own.

#HouseofGlass #LauraBenanti #SarahPekkanen #MacmillanAudio #MacAudio2024 #NetGalley #MacmillanInfluencerProgram #macmillanaudio #MacmillanPublishers

It is a twisted psychological thriller about an attorney engaged to determine the custody for a little girl whose parents are divorcing. The twist is that the little girl saw her nanny die and is not speaking at all. What a page turner. I flew through this one. I loved being in the head of the lawyer as she pieced it all together. How she never gave up, despite everything being thrown at her and fearing for her own life. It was twisted, suspenseful, stressful and just so compelling.

Suspenseful and intriguing tale of a child with traumatic mutism and the attorney who decides her future. Sarah Pekkanen always delivers a very readable story!

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC!

Another fantastic book from Sarah Pekkanen; it was gripping, twisty and a bit eerie. It kept me guessing and thinking from start to finish, loved the characters, loved the surprise element and mixing the book with the audio was the best way for me.
I loved everything about it.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for this gifted copy and complimentary audiobook.

𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘀 by Sarah Pekkanen releases today!

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced digital copy of this book.

Stella Hudson is an accomplished attorney whose specialty is exploring family dynamics and deciding which parent should be awarded custody of a child, or children, in a divorce settlement. She is also a grown-up seven-year-old little girl who cowered hiding in a closet in the living room while her mother slowly died of an overdose on the rug outside the closet door. She has never quite forgiven herself for not somehow "saving" her mother and suffered from traumatic mutism, which led to her not speaking for months after discovering her mother's body.

Now and old friend and fellow lawyer has recommended her for a case involving a nine-year-old girl with traumatic mutism after witnessing the death of her nanny following a fall from the third floor of her house. Stella doesn't want to take the case, but her friend, Charles, convinces her she may the the ONLY person who can reach this child, Rose.

The family is wealthy beyond imagination and their house is luxurious. Rose is an intelligent child, with many accomplishments, but the family dynamic is unsettling to Stella from the first time she meets them. The police have been unable to determine exactly how the nanny fell from the window, or was she pushed? The three adults in the house, Rose's mother and father and her father's mother, all could be suspects. As could Rose.

We get to watch as Stella not only figures out what is going on in this strange house and who the real culprit is, but begins to untangle the story of her mother and father, both of whom died young and left her orphaned.

Really good. I didn't figure it out, which is always a plus for me in any mystery story, and I never saw the ending coming. There were so many loose threads wrapped up. I LOVED it!!

Sarah Pekkanen never disappoints! Nine year old Rose Barclay witnessed her nanny fall to her death from a window at Rose’s house and now won’t speak. Rose’s parents are going through a divorce and can’t come to an agreement on custody. Stella has been hired to determine the best parenting plan for Rose. However, things do not feel right to Stella when she gets to Rose's home. The Barclay’s are definitely lying and keeping things from Stella. The house just seems dark. What really happened to the nanny? This situation is more than a simple case in figuring out the best custody arrangement for Stella.

This book had me guessing all the way through. I love there were twists I didn’t see coming and connections I wasn’t expecting. Towards the end I thought I had it figured out, but there were still a few things that were revealed. The ending was satisfying. A great thriller!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Sarah Pekkanen, and NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this new release by Sarah Pekkanen. It wasn’t a super, twisty thriller, but it was fast paced and had short chapters, which I love. I listened to the audiobook of this one, and thought it was really well done. Pekkanen writes a compelling story where you really don’t know who to trust and you’re doubting everyone. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a quick thriller !

This was a fun and quick thriller. I thought the red herring was a little heavy handed but I wasn’t 100% sure who the “bad guy” was exactly until it was revealed. I enjoyed reading it and wouldn’t be opposed to reading more books from this author.

Thanks Netgalley for the earc

This was a SOLID thriller with lots of family drama mixed in. Y’all know I love a good thriller/mystery, and this one did not disappoint; I was hooked from the first page. There were some times in the middle of the book that I felt for repetitive and slowed down a bit for me, but then it would suddenly pick back up. If you’re looking for a quick page turner, this one could be for you.

I especially enjoyed the relationship and backstory between Stella and Charles! This was a sweet addition to the story.

I got approved for both the ebook and audiobook, so I switched back and forth. I absolutely LOVED the plot and concept! I didn’t see any of the big twists coming! I finished this in one day and went ahead and got the physical copy because I had to have it on my shelf!

I really thought I had this one figured out. And then….NOPE! This was great writing, and you really get pulled into the story! It’s hard to know what to say without giving it away, so I’ll just stick with WOW!

3.5 Stars rounded up.
I enjoyed this book. I always love a good trauma story. Especially when there is psychology involved. This one was written out beautifully and kept me guessing the whole time. The only reason I gave it 3.5 stars is the ending felt a bit long. But outside of that, I loved everything about this book.

Stella is a lawyer who helps the judge decide which parent is best suited to care for a child when parents divorce. She typically works as an advocate for older children, but she is strongly encouraged to work with Rose.
Rose is a 9 year old girl who found her nanny dead after she fell out of the window....or was she pushed?
The nanny was having an affair with Rose's dad and was planning to announce that she was pregnant with his baby the day that she died. All of this tragedy caused Rose to go mute. Was it all a coincidence?
When Stella visited the Barclay house it made her incredibly uncomfortable. It was odd, there was no glass allowed at all and little Rose appeared to be obsessed with sharp things and have peculiar behavior. Who should she recommend care for Rose?
Is she looking deep enough? Or is her instinct be correct?

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this edge of your seat book.

4.5 stars. Am in love with Sarah Pekkanen and her twisty topsy turvy plots! Stella Hudson is an advocate for children of divorce. Her latest case, 9-year-old Rose Barclay, is mute through the trauma of watching her nanny plunge to her death. But did she jump or was she pushed? Of course she was having an affair with Rose's dad, Ian. And Rose's mother, Beth, knew all about it. And Harriet, her grandmother, was with Rose when Tina fell. But everyone seems to be lying and although Stella wants to do what's best for Rose, she can't help but wonder what Rose is hiding.
Creepy gothic house setting and Stella becomes increasingly unreliable as she is plunged further into the lives of the Barclays. Super good read!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this e-arc.*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

A good mystery with lots of intrigue as you try to figure out ‘whodunnit.’

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

Nine-year-old Rose Barclay hasn't spoken since she witnessed the death of her nanny. Now that her parents are getting divorced, the issue of custody of Rose is at the forefront. As a best interest attorney, Stella Hudson, is assigned the case to determine where Rose will live. But the closer she gets to the Barclay family, the most unsettled Stella becomes. Something isn't right in this big beautiful home and the longer she's around, the more concerned is about not only her own safety, but the safety of everyone else.

I really liked this one. It definitely leads you down one path and then in true thriller fashion, blurs all the lines and leaves you questioning. This was a quick read with short chapters and edge of your seat suspense. Sometimes you find that children in books are so fake but Pekkanen writes Rose with skill and compassion.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available August 6, 2024.

Rose Barclay, a nine-year old girl, witnessed her nanny plunge to her death. Was it murder or suicide? No one is sure and the suspects are everywhere. When Stella Hudson is hired as an attorney ad litem to determine the child's best interest in her parent's nasty divorce, she enters a world like no other..

Rose's fascination with sharp objects means there is no glass in the house. She also has not spoken a word since her nanny died. How do you figure out what a child knows when she can't tell you?

As she digs deeper into the family and what they are hiding, secrets from her own childhood begin to emerge leading her to doubt even those closest to her. While her own traumatic childhood gives her empathy and understanding for Rose, it also clouds her judgment and makes her question what she has always known.

A fast-paced, intriguing read, this is one I could not put down and enjoyed even after finishing the last page.

What a book. WOW. A domestic-psychological thriller that is so unsettling, tense and terrifyingly creepy that it actually gave me goosebumps. It’s dark and messed up.. literally everyone is a suspect.. and kept me guessing start to finish, favorite SP! 👏🏻 4.5 stars — Pub. 8/6/24

I received a complimentary copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

House of Glass is the exciting new thriller by Sarah Pekkanen. Stella is an attorney who works as an advocate for children in complicated custody cases. The parents of Stella's current client Rose are divorcing. Complicating matters is the recent death of Rose's nanny who fell to her death at Rose's home. Was the death accidental? Rose has been mute since the nanny's death and this makes Stella's job is extremely difficult. This novel is full of twists and turns. Pekkanen definitely knows the recipe for writing a book that is entertaining and nearly impossible to put down.

4⭐️

Following the gruesome death of her nanny, 9-year old Rose Barclay stopped speaking completely. With her parents in the mist of a divorce and the possibility that her nanny's death may not have been an accident but instead murder, it's a lot for a child to deal with. Stella, who works as a lawyer assigned to finding the best possible outcome in custody cases, was hesitant to take the case with such a young child due to her own traumatic childhood but agreed by request of her mentor. When she arrives at the house to interview Rose and her family, she quickly learns that the case is more twisted then she immediately thought and Rose might not be in danger, but a danger. To make things more weird, all glass has been removed from the house. Stella has to decide what's in Rose's best interest while trying to find out what happened to the nanny.

This was really well done! I love a creepy kid and Rose fit that description perfectly. Rose's mutism also added to that suspense because she so clearly had things she wanted to communicate but didn't know how or didn't know who to trust. The secluded house behind a gated lane was creepy enough before all of the glass on the property was removed. I think that shows how the Barclay's were privileged enough to do whatever they could to protect their daughter and that they really did try their best.

Stella's own traumatic childhood was also great in connecting the story. I'd like to believe without similar traumatic childhoods, Stella still would have done her best to make sure Rose's best interests were met but those similarities really cemented in the fact Stella couldn't give up. I also liked how Stella was able to discover the truth about her own childhood while helping Rose. I didn't see the ending coming at all which is always exciting in thrillers. I think my biggest complaint was just the pacing; the story started to drag in the middle but I think the end makes up for that.

Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for providing this ARC to me!

4.5⭐️! A suspense thriller that will have you on edge the entire book trying to guess who killed Tina. The author does an amazing job by placing doubt into the reader’s mind with each character. Loved the ending and how she wrapped up all the loose ends. Great read!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!