For me, Sarah Pekkanen never misses. Every thriller I read by her (solo or with Greer Hendricks) has me on the edge of my seat, turning pages. I actually put this one down last night because I knew if I went past 20% in the book, I’d stay up way too late to finish. Lucky for me, I saved it for a rainy and gloomy night here in Michigan.

This story follows Stella, a recently divorced guardian ad litem who has been assigned to a case for the wealthy Barclay family. The daughter, Rose, witnessed the death of her nanny and has developed traumatic mutism from the experience. Stella took on the case based on her own experiences as a child after the tragic death of her mother.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book! There were many twists and turns which made me not want to put this book down. I felt like the first half of the book was a little more of a page turner than the second half, but I still enjoyed the book until the end. when a chapter ended, I had to keep going to figure out what was next. I reccomend reading this book for sure!

I really enjoyed reading this book! While I guessed some of the plot twists beforehand, there were many things that came to me as a shock!
I particularly love books where I get attached to characters. I developed such a soft spot for Stella, Rose, and Rose’s parents. The author portrayed each character and their motivations beautifully. It made for such a great read, even if it wasn’t the most nail biting thriller I’ve ever read.

I just knew when I sat down with this Sarah Pekkanen book I was going to be highly entertained. She never disappoints, and therefore she is always an automatic one click author.. Even though there was a sense of deja vu with the nanny storyline and who done it, there was a good mixture of twists and turns to make it more unique. I definitely enjoyed this solo book by her and look forward to more.

Sarah Pekkanen can definitely write a fast paced, twisty read! This book was compulsively READABLE (and bingeable!). I could not stop turning the pages. Pekkanen manages to make the mundane seem creepy and I enjoyed the ride! I will say that I enjoyed the main story with the little girl more than the backstory of Stella. I found the sections with Stella’s history to be somewhat predicable and not really necessary to the story. I enjoyed the first half more than the second, but this was still a wild ride and I loved it!

I really liked this book. I did not want to put the book down.The ending was a complete surprise, which I really love. In a book. I definitely recommend this book.
Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this book for my review!

Wow, I really enjoyed this. I found myself not wanting to put it down and when I did, I kept thinking about it. There were the perfect amount of twists and they weren’t necessarily easy to see coming. The author does a good job of keeping you intrigued by including the narrator’s back story along with what’s currently happening. This is going to be one of the best thrillers of the year!
4.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, is assigned to evaluate the best interest of Rose: nine-year-old daughter of the wealthy Barclays who are going through a nasty divorce and a custody battle after the mysterious death of their nanny. Stella is the perfect person for the job because she, herself, has a dark and traumatic past.

I had an inkling from the beginning about who the culprit was and was able to guess the “twists” way before they came but, surprisingly, it didn’t take away from my enjoyment of the novel at all. This is an interesting mystery that will keep you on your toes. I enjoyed the pacing, the atmosphere, and the mysterious characters who all seem like they have something to hide.

Thank you St Martins Press and Netgalley for an advanced copy of" House of Glass". Pekkanen has always been one of my go to's since her thrillers are fast paced and typically keep me on my toes. Her newest novel did NOT disappoint. Stella is a court appointed children's liaison who represents children whose parents are going through nasty custody arrangements. However, she is appointed to a new case where her client Rose was a witness to her nanny's murder. Ever since Rose witnessed the death of her nanny, she has become mute, which in turn makes Stella's job of getting to know Rose almost impossible .However, Stella has demons of her own that she struggles with and her past makes her the perfect person to see if Rose is truly an innocent in this. This book kept me guessing til the very last page, and I know Pekkanen's readers will once again be along for the ride.

I love Sarah Pekkanen's novels and her latest, "House of Glass" is another thrilling, suspenseful novel that keeps you on your toes.

“Fury is more menacing when it glides beneath a seemingly placid surface.” Perhaps this is the reason for all of my nervous tension as I read House of Glass. Stella’s narration captured my attention from the first page and for the next two days all I could think about was when I’d be able to pick up the book again. I loved the nuggets of past and present wound together, but the anxious feeling I had throughout the book is what really kept me coming back for the resolution.

In the newest thriller by Sarah Pekkanen, a child advocate becomes embroiled in a custody case that could be murder…or something much more.

Rose Barlcay witnessed the death of her nanny, Tina. Was the death a terrible accident, or was it murder? Only Rose knows and she isn’t talking. Since the event, she’s been stricken with traumatic mutism.

Stella Hudson is assigned to help figure out which divorcing parent she should go with. But there’s more to just a family custody to decide. To make sure Rose is safe, Stella must try and figure out who killed – if anyone did – the nanny. Even Rose is s suspect.

This story was great. Fast-paced, well thought out, fabulous characters. Pekkanen has mastered the art of the misdirect to perfection.

Thanks to net galley and St Martin’s Press for a sneak peek at another 5-star book,

House of Glass
by Sarah Pekkanen

⭐⭐⭐⭐💫

A young nanny who plunged to her death, or was she pushed? A nine-year-old girl who collects sharp objects and refuses to speak. A lawyer whose job it is to uncover who in the family is a victim and who is a murderer. But how can you find out the truth when everyone here is lying?
___________________

I loved this book! I'll be honest, I have not had good luck with thrillers lately. Everything seemed so predictable and warmed-over. House of Glass reversed that trend for me.

We've got a lot of things I love in a thriller:
🔥 Strange ultra wealthy family closing ranks
🔥 Mysterious little girl
🔥 Compelling, sympathetic MC
🔥 Engaging subplot that serves the greater narrative

10/10 recommend this book. I am only bummed that it doesn't come out until August so you have a long wait ahead of you. Add it to your tbr now so you don't forget!

❤️ Thanks to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this Advanced Reader Copy!

Stella, an attorney who determines custody for couples in difficult cases is asked by her mentor Charles to take on a case of a high profile couple involved in a murder case. Their daughter Rose is rendered mute by witnessing the murder of her nanny.

As the story unfolds, nothing is as it seems. Rose's parents were suspect in her nanny's murder. And Rose has developed a tendency to collect sharp objects. As Stella unravels more than just who Rose should live with once her parents divorce, she also starts unraveling the mystery of her own mother's death that rendered her mute at a similar age to Rose.

This book is an excellent thriller. It should come with a warning though, once you start it, you won't be able to put it down. So do better than I did ( I was up until 3 am to finish this book) and carve out some time to read this start to finish. House of Glass is a true page turner.

What a wild ride this story was. A nanny for a wealthy family fell from a window and died...all while a 9 year old witnessed it. This happened in the middle of Rose, said 9 year old, parent's divorce and her grandma living with them full time. Rose stops speaking after this tragic event and that leads Stella, a best interest attorney to get involved. As soon as Stella enters their house, she fells very unsettled and troubled. It only gets stranger from there...

I adore Sarah Pekkanen's books and I really enjoyed this one as well. Four stars because I was waiting for a bigger twist in the end, but definitely a great read.

Honestly, this was the best mystery/ thriller I’ve read in a while. I finished it in two days and could not get enough of it. The story grabs your attention from the very first page.
I did but guess the ending, and the book keeps you thinking and misdirected the whole time, but if your paying attention you will see the clues.
The ending was also very believable and not too “out there”

This was a page turner! There was a creeping sense of dread that kept me anxiously wanting to find out what happened next, and enough red herrings and plot twists to keep me guessing. I thought the plot was headed in a very obvious direction but was pleasantly surprised by the direction it ended up taking. I found the traumatic mutism piece interesting and the pacing was very good.
I've read this author several times before but only the novels she co-wrote with another author; this was every bit as entertaining and I'll definitely watch for more solo ventures from her.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Publishers for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Sarah Pekkanen’s previous book Gone Tonight was on my books of the year list, I couldn’t wait to read this one.

Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney appointed by the courts to report on the best interests of children in custody cases. She’s never been involved in a care like this one before.

Nine-year-old Rose Barclay may have witnessed the possible m*rder of her nanny, and now refuses to speak. Stella is faced with the choosing which parent gets custody while knowing one of them is a k*ller.

It’s an original setup, Stella the attorney getting dragged in and trying to protect Rose, uncover the truth and identify the k*ller in a rich family torn apart by divorce. Stella’s living with own childhood trauma too.

It’s deep and detailed, fairly introspective on Stella’s part, while never losing sight of Rose’s trauma and her strange, speechless behaviour.

I found it a bit slow, and long. It ends very well and there are some big, unexpected twists. Not bad at all, but I would have liked it to move a bit faster.


Thanks to Netgalley and St.Martin’s Press

Creepy and mysterious but very entertaining. I liked the storyline and the characters. Amazing writing! Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

"The Glass House" by Sarah Pekkanen is a captivating mystery that will keep you hooked from start to finish. Thanks to Netgalley, I had the chance to read an advanced copy, and I must say, you won't be disappointed.

The story revolves around Stella, a child custody evaluator appointed to determine the fate of a 9-year-old caught in the middle of a divorce. The suspense heightens when the nanny dies under mysterious circumstances, adding layers of complexity to the investigation. The author skillfully weaves in facts about the child custody evaluation process, making it both informative and engaging.

What sets this mystery apart is its exploration of Stella's own traumatic past, adding depth to her character. The connection between Stella and a mute child she encounters after the traumatic event adds a unique dimension to the story, shedding light on the effects of trauma.

While the plot initially seems predictable, Pekkanen takes unexpected turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats. The story unfolds through interviews, clues, and shifting perspectives, creating an immersive experience. The glass house, replaced with plastic windows due to nelophobia (fear of glass), adds a chilling element to the narrative.

However, the love story feels somewhat forced and out of place. It appears as if it was inserted merely to complete Stella's character arc, rather than contributing meaningfully to the main mystery. This element feels random and unnecessary, distracting from the otherwise well-crafted plot.

In conclusion, "The Glass House" is a must-read for mystery enthusiasts. With its well-researched content, unexpected twists, and a complex protagonist, it delivers a satisfying and intriguing experience. Despite the minor detraction of the love story , the overall narrative quality makes this book a compelling page-turner.