This story had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what was going to happen next!! The book felt a little longer than necessary but the story was still a great read. I honestly was not expecting some of the twists that came towards the end especially about Charles! If you like mysteries, drama, jealousy, suspense and a good whodunit? Then this one is for you!! I’m excited to read other books by this author now because this kept be interested the whole time!

Stella is a best interest lawyer appointed to give a recommendation for a custody arrangement for Rose, a little girl whose nanny may have been murdered, whose home life is chaos and who has apparently stopped speaking due to the trauma of it all. Everyone is a suspect, including Rose, and Stella struggles to figure out what really happened and where to go from here. At the same time, Stella is digging into her own past and struggling to balance it all.

This book was really good. I thought it was very well written and you really get to know all of the characters. It wasn't entirely predictable and there were a lot of layers to the story. It was a tad bit long feeling at times and I think some of it could have been cut out to give it more of a fast paced thriller feel, but maybe that's not what the author intended? I still really enjoyed it.

There’s a creepy aura to this one that grabs you and doesn’t let go. When Stella is assigned to evaluate 9-year-old Rose Barclay after she witnessed the potential murder of her nanny to recommend which parent she should reside with in an impending divorce, the entire family, including Rose, become suspects. I spent this entire book truly going back and forth on who did what, and the creepy (maybe) murder house gave me all the scary vibes. For example, one night I couldn’t sleep and started reading this and had to switch books because I was so creeped out. But that’s what really scares me: that sinister vibe that is lurking, not the in your face horror. Overall this is a quick read that will have you turning the pages quickly, and I highly recommend it for the thriller lovers!

Rose, a nine year old who maybe a psychopath that murdered her nanny, Tina. Stella is the attorney hired to decide who should get custody of Rose when her parent’s finalize their divorce. Parents, Ian and Beth, seem to only agree on protecting their daughter. They have very different views on how to do that. Then there is the grandmother, Harriet, who lives with the family. Harriet is Ian’s mother, but she seems to side with her daughter in law the most.

From the first time you are introduced to Rose you don’t quite know how to feel about this child. She collects sharp objects. She seems more like an adult than a child. Does she like animals or does she just want to see them suffer?!? I wanted to feel for her because she was a child. However, I stayed pretty creeped out by her.

Stella has so much going on at one time. Her childhood wasn’t a good one. She went through a lot. Her mentor has secrets. She has just ended her marriage. She is an attorney who wants to do the best by Rose, but also isn’t sure she can trust Rose. Her character seems more like a detective than a lawyer. I would tend to forget her profession until she mentioned it.

Did the nanny jump out the window? Did the nanny trip and fall out the window? Was the nanny pushed out the window? If she was pushed who did it? Was it Rose, Ian, Beth, or Tina’s boyfriend? Stella feels she must find out the answers to know who should take care of Rose.

I was intrigued by the book in the beginning. I do feel like some of the thoughts were repeated too often and slowed the book way down. A few little twists some you could see coming and some were a surprise. Overall all the mysteries keep you searching for answers and you will want to keep reading.

This book has a little bit of everything. I recommend it if you like a little detective work!

Thank you for the ARC from St Martin’s Press through NetGalley!

This is such a good book! Sarah Pekkanen is a must read author for me. I have read most of her fiction (including excellent collaborations with Greer Hendricks). In this latest book, Stella Hudson is called to mediate a custody case involving 9 year old Rose Barclay, as a Best Interest Attorney, in the Potomac, Maryland/DC area. We are privy to Stella’s investigation involving the family, and the story unfolds.
Pekkanen is such a keen observer. This book is so well written and compelling. Highly recommend this book and all of Sarah Pekkanen’s books.

I fully expected House of Glass to be amazing, because everything Sarah Pekkanen writes is amazing, but I did not expect to be on the edge of my seat, looking over my shoulder, frantically turning pages because I couldn’t settle on who to trust, who was telling the truth – who did it?? The characters in House of Glass are like dice in a cup: shake it up, toss them out, and it’s different every time. Everybody has a motive, everybody has an ironclad alibi – until they don’t – and everybody clams up whenever 9-year-old Rose is mentioned.

Best interest attorney Stella Hudson serves as counsel for children in custody cases, and Rose’s parents’ divorce is a doozy. Bitter, confrontational, each parent afraid to leave the house in case Rose is swayed to the “other side.” Stella’s own life is kind of a mess, though. Still trying to adjust to her divorce and deal with the effects of her own traumatic childhood, some of which likely contributed to her divorce. Rose is younger than the clients Stella usually accepts but Stella’s mentor believes Stella is the only one who can help Rose, so she reluctantly shows up at the fancy, elegant Barclay family home. The fancy, elegant, cold Barclay family home. The fancy, elegant, cold, scary home, where Stella soon realizes everything is plastic, including the windows, and that Rose likes to steal away sharp objects.

Actually, everybody and everything in this story is scary. Rose stopped speaking after witnessing her nanny’s horrible death, and therefore Stella can’t talk to her about which parent she would be most comfortable with. Her parents distrust each other, have nothing good to say and are suspicious of every action the other takes. They are, though, united in their determination to protect Rose. But protect from who or what? Is Rose the one who really needs protecting? Why is her mother so wary around her? Rose seems more at ease with her father, but did he have a relationship with the nanny? Was her death accidental or not? And let’s not forget the kindly grandmother, who is fierce in her protection of Rose. Who favors her daughter-in-law as guardian because her son “didn’t behave well.”

There is a lot going on right in front of Stella and a lot behind the scenes. She also wants to protect Rose, even if the one Rose needs protection from is Rose herself. But as she becomes more involved with the Barclays the more danger seems to lurk around every corner, the more it seems everyone is lying and hiding something. And the more her personal life and past traumas pop up and affect her handling of this case.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Publishing Group for providing an advance copy of House of Glass via NetGalley. It was superb: smoothly well-plotted, a thrill a minute and a satisfying conclusion that was a surprise/not surprise. I can’t recommend it enough. I voluntarily leave this review; all opinions are my own.

House of Glass
by Sarah Pekkanen
Pub Date: Aug 06 2024

House of Glass is a psychological thriller about an attorney who must determine the best living situation for a nine-year-old child named Rose who is caught in the middle of her parent's divorce, it's also thought that Rose might have murdered her nanny. Rose is a strange child whose behavior is quite alarming to say the least.

The book held my attention immediately, I loved the characters and couldn't wait to find out who did what, who was responsible for the nanny's death...or was it an accident? I highly recommend this thriller!

Many thanks to #Netgalley, #Houseofglass, #Stmartinspress, for an E-ARC of this novel.

This is a good thriller, but in my personal opinion, there are parts of this book that should have been left out of the story. Those parts seem unnecessary and made the story too slow seeming. All in all it is a good thriller with some unexpected twists

Readers who like psychological fiction will enjoy this book. A little slow at times, but readers will forge on to find out the what will happen to Rose. Stella as a child advocate for the court was uniquely able to help Rose or would her own childhood overwhelm her.? Everyone has a secret in this house of glass. Readers will enjoy this tangled web. Stella’s new love interest at the end did not add anything!
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I've enjoyed Sarah Pekkanen's books with Greer Hendricks, but I actually think I enjoy the books she's written by herself more. House of Glass is no exception!

I was very intrigued by the idea of someone falling three stories to their death, but no one knowing if it was an accident or if one of the four people in the house did it. The way the book is written, you can't trust any of the characters and you begin to wonder if a child is actually capable of murder.

I had a hunch I knew what happened to Tina, the nanny who died. But that ending?!? That was crazy good!

There's also a secondary story about Stella's (the MC) mother. My mind immediately went to a dark place when it came to her mother's death. I was so relieved I had that wrong.

I definitely recommend this book. There were a couple of parts that were slower, so I'm giving four and a half stars. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the advanced copy in exchange exchange for my honest review.

Get your copy of House of Glass August 6, 2024!

The horse whinnied in the field, showing its excitement upon seeing her approach. She stepped forward, rubbing its nose, savoring the feel of the velvety coat. It was soothing, grounding, reminding her there is peace to be found… even while dealing with the horrors in that house.

House of Glass is a thriller following Stella, an attorney who deals with the best interests of kids, and her newest client, Rose. Rose’s nanny has plunged to her death and a lot of secrets float around the house. Was it an accident? Murder? Who did it?

This was a very entertaining thriller and the short chapters kept me reading quickly. An unreliably narrated story that keeps the reader guessing. I loved the shade being thrown on each character; painting motives for everyone involved. Great twists!

If you’re a thriller fan who loves thrillers dealing with children… I definitely recommend this one!

3.5 stars

Stella Hudson is a BIA (best interest attorney) assigned to the case of Rose Barclay, a nine-year-old who has gone mute after a traumatic experience. While considering the best placement for Rose as her parents go through a divorce, Stella begins suspecting everyone of the murder of the family's nanny. It was ruled an accidental death, but could someone have pushed the nanny through a top-floor window? Rose has some evil tendencies, and her parents and live-in grandmother are also quite suspicious. Stella feels compelled to protect Rose at all costs, yet she can't help but feel that Rose may be responsible for some evil acts - especially since she's been hoarding weapons and won't tell anyone what she knows about her nanny's death.

This was a fun thriller! I got some Baby Teeth vibes from Rose, and the Barclay mansion was creepy. Stella seemed to have some superb sleuthing tendencies, yet her past trauma influenced her observations about the Barclay family. The short chapters and whodunnit focus made me fly through this book. The ending was a bit unsatisfying and it seemed that Rose's parents' personas were never fully fleshed out. Although it wasn't one of the top thrillers I've read, I enjoyed the ride.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! This book hits shelves on August 6, 2024.

Thank you NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Sarah Pekkanen for the arc!

Wow, this one will keep those slow burn fires stoked on every page with plenty of suspense, atmospheric chill, tension & twistiness! It’s a thriller full of secrets, lies, deception … all set in a claustrophobic & strange house that gives off the perfect “not quite right” vibes ! The characters are so well written and fluid … I was trying to solve the “whodunnit” all the way through … and probably changed my mind a dozen times! A solid & intense ride that kept me completely gripped right to the very end!

Well written thriller/suspense with plenty of twists and surprises. I spent the whole book not sure what was really going on and who was involved. This was 3.5/4 star read for me and will definitely be recommending it going forward along with all the books by Sarah Pekkanen I have read. I want to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
Publication Date: August 6, 2024
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stella’s new client turns out to be much more complicated than she anticipated. Stella must evaluate and decide the best custody arrangement for Rose, a silenced little girl, traumatized by the death of her beloved nanny who was having an affair with Rose’s father and carrying his unborn child when she fell from the third story window. Police were unsure if it was an accidental fall or a deliberate push by someone in the house. Anyone could have done it- but without enough evidence for an arrest, the case grew cold. Now Rose’s parents have filed for divorce and Stella must decide who she should live with- will she unintentionally place Rose with a murderer? Or is Rose less innocent than she seems? This one hooked me from the beginning and I had to find out what really happened. Everyone is hiding something. I thank you Sarah Pekkanen, St. Martin’s Press, and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

I would like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read an ARC of this book.

I am a HUGE Sarah Pekkanen fan, and I was excited when I heard about Sarah her new book House of Glass. I have read all of her collaborative novels with Greer Hendricks and found them to be excellent thrillers. House of Glass got off to a slow start, and it took me a few chapters to really get into it. But once I got going, I was hooked and couldn't put it down! I binged it in a single day (guilty).

House of Glass was very tense and thrilling. I love the little clues left along the way to help you figure out the mystery. The main character is Stella Hudson, who has been appointed attorney for a girl whose parents are going through a divorce. Additionally, the poor girl (Rose) also witnessed her nanny fall out of a 3rd story window a month earlier. Traumatizing. So Rose is living with her Grandma while her parents sort their divorce out. Stella is working on Rose's behalf, trying to figure out what would be best for her. Soon Stella begins to find weird things in the Barclay house -- missing glass, Rose's collection of sharp objects -- and starts to wonder if something more sinister is afoot with Rose.

This book kept me guessing until the very end, and I lost a lot of sleep staying up to finish this book to find out. I'm glad I did because the ending climax was very exciting and satisfying!

If you are a thriller fan and/or enjoyed any of the author's other books (The Golden Couple, The Wife between Us, Gone Tonight) you will love this one! Read it! You won't regret it!

House of Glass was FANTASTIC! This book kept me on the edge of my seat with anxiety. There was no way to tell who was lying and who was telling the truth. I kept guessing throughout the whole book but the truth only hit me as Pekkanen was laying it out for us.

This is a dramatic and gripping story. Readers will be glued to the pages as they try to figure out who the killer is. The author creates such a magnificent and tense atmosphere throughout the entire story as readers hold their breaths waiting to see what is going to happen next. The characters are exceptionally well done and play their roles to perfection. It is a great story that I would read again.

I absolutely devoured this book. I loved Rose as a character and on the other hand I wanted to kick this child across a room. This book had me guessing who did it the entire time, like good for you Sarah. But i did not see the twist with Charles coming at all and I mean any of them. I love when a book keeps me guessing and this one certainly did that. Read it in one day and i loved it. Thank you netgalley for this arc i totally appreciate it, because this was a good one. I would give it a solid 4.5. I am not going to put a bunch of spoilers on here just read the stinking book because you will love it.

Little ties everywhere and well paced. Read in two sittings. This one was stressful and I mean that in a complimentary way LOL. Super quick read. I enjoy Pekkanen's solo novels a lot.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review