Looooved the premise of this one! The character position (Best Interest Attorney) was a unique plot point that worked fabulously in this book. Add in a creepy house, a mute child, and interesting family dynamics and you’ve got yourself one heck of story! I enjoyed the red herrings placed throughout the book and was genuinely surprised by the ending because of them. The lead characters back story was an interesting one and in my opinion, it enhanced the story. I’m hopeful that setting up the character in this manner means sequel, because I found her job fascinating. My thanks to the publisher for the advanced reader in exchange for my honest review!

Sarah Pekkanen's new book, House of Glass, should really be called House of Red Herrings becasue she takes the reader on a wild ride.

"Nine-year-old Rose Barclay watched her nanny fall to her death. Was she pushed or was it an accident? With her parents also in the midst of a divorce, Rose stops speaking. Stella is an attorney assigned to custody cases to look out for the children's best interest. She finds a family where every one is deceptive. She has no idea who to trust and wonders if she is the one who needs protection."

Stella is there to help Rose and keeps looking for answers but cannot zero in on who is responsible for the nanny's death. She doesn't want to recommend custody for a murderer. Pekkanen spends a lot of time in Stella's head, especially with her similar backstory. There is a lot of misdirection. You will not guess the killer or the ending. Pekkanen throws in a couple of extra twists too.

I like Pekkanen's writing style. Psychological thriller fans will enjoy this one.

Oh man, Sarah Pekkanen does it again. This book hooked me from the very beginning. From untrustworthy characters to twists and turns (but nothing overly outrageous), this book is a must-read for me. The sinister premise is spine-tingling without being outright scary, making it the perfect thriller. I found myself thinking about it constantly and picking it up every free minute I had. If you're looking for a gripping read that keeps you guessing, add this one to your list. 4.5 stars!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Sarah Pekkanen for the ARC!

This is a story about an attorney, Stella, who is investigating a divorcing family to determine who should have primary custody of Rose, their nine-year-old child. This child, may or may not be evil. And, to complicate matters, a questionable fatal fall from a window has occurred in the house. Stella, herself, has childhood trauma that she has never been able to thoroughly process.

The plot is not straightforward. A lot is going on. But, it is well-written and easy to follow.

I found the process that Stella uses to determine the custody recommendation interesting. The smallest detail could be meaningful. I had no idea that so much would be involved. Because of Stella's own childhood, she throws herself, heart and soul, into the investigation.

The other characters, mother, father and grandmother, are all multi-layered. They seem to want the best for the child but they also have their own agenda. It's hard to decide who is trustworthy and who is truthful. Things are not always as they seem.

The last part of the book was very intense. There were a few surprises for me, some explanations that I needed. Everything is tied up neatly. I prefer that, as opposed to endings that leave the reader wondering.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the Advance Readers Copy.

Oh so quickly I thought I was smarter than the author and knew where this was going! Oh so much by the end of the book I found out I was wrong! The assumptions made and the twists combined for a story where the reader is at the mercy of waiting the story out. One thing I didn't really like was all the extra stuff after the end of the main storyline. I don't really feel like I needed it and dragged down the ending. Again, me of the anti-tied-up-with-a-bow ending club! But until that point, it was a stellar book and I loved that there were always several possibly ways the story could have gone.

This is the story of a murdered nanny who was having an affair with the father of the child she was in charge of. Everyone is a suspect, including the 9 year old girl. The main character is an attorney assigned to find the best placement of the child as the parents navigate a divorce. I enjoyed all the suspense as each person was looked at as a suspect. There was also an interesting backstory about the attorney and her childhood. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced reader’s copy.

Synopsis: Best interest attorney Stella is assigned the case of nine-year-old Rose who has traumatic mutism after the mysterious death of her nanny.

Thoughts: House of Glass is a slow-burn whodunit thriller that kept me guessing until the end! I feel like all thriller readers have read multiple versions of who killed the nanny, but this was a really unique take! This book has a super eerie setting that felt suspenseful and claustrophobic, a cast of characters who cannot be trusted, and plenty of misdirection to throw the reader off the trail again and again. While not a fast-paced page turner, the sense of foreboding laced throughout kept me fully engrossed in the story.

Read this if you like:
🪟 suspenseful whodunit
🪟 claustrophobic setting
🪟 trust issues
🪟 creepy kids

Stella Hudson is a lawyer that represents minors. This case intrigued her. Rose is a 9 year old girl that isn't speaking after witnessing her nanny's death. As a child, Stella had traumatic mutism so she thought she could help her. Ian and Beth Barclay are Rose's parents. They are going through a nasty divorce and each of them filed for full custody of Rose.
Did the nanny fall out of the window? Was she pushed? Ian was having an affair with the nanny and she was pregnant with his child. Did he find out and push her out the window? Could it have been Beth or Ian's mother, Harriet? Or is it even possible that Rose could have pushed her?
Stella thinks that Ian, Beth, and Harriet aren't being honest with her. There are a lot of twists and turns before we find out what happened to the nanny. Will Rose begin speaking again?
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was an interesting thriller and I loved the idea of a court appointed attorney for a child in a messy divorce case. I work in child welfare so I have worked with folks in that role, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen any dig in quite as deep as Stella did. I did think the book moved slowly for most of it, but I did enjoy the ride. I started with the audiobook and while I think the narrator did fine, I enjoyed the book a lot more when I switched to kindle. Rose’s nanny just died, fell out the window right in front of her. Rose’s parents are getting divorced since the nanny was pregnant with her father’s child. The divorce is messy and media has been involved with the unsolved death, and Stella has been assigned to determine what will be best for Rose. It’s clear there are secrets in this house and Stella is determined to figure them all out no matter what is happening. But the problem with secrets is that there is always someone determined to make sure they stay kept.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for granting me access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

What a really creepy, utterly gripping, and deeply emotional psychological thriller!! I was instantly hooked and could not get enough of this book. The eerie atmosphere, no glass mansion, high tension, family secrets, lies, drama, and the mystery behind what happened to the nanny kept me guessing and flipping the pages so fast. This is my first read by Sarah Pekkanen and I can safely say it will not be my last! I absolutely loved it so much and another book to add to my favorites for 2024!! 💜💜💜💜💜

When a nanny falls to her death from the opulent Barclay residence, it appears to be an accident—but is it really? In this unique whodunit, everyone has a motive, and no one can be trusted.

Amid Ian and Beth Barclay's bitter divorce, Stella is brought in as a lawyer to determine what’s best for their young daughter, Rose. However, Rose has her own secrets, making her a potential suspect. With a foreboding atmosphere and a family full of deceit, it’s up to Stella to uncover the truth.

From the very beginning, the suspense in this story is palpable. The brilliant writing and sinister undertones will instantly draw you into this binge-worthy read.

I really enjoyed this! The storyline and pace of the book were great and the twists, while not necessarily earth shattering, weren't easily guessed. I liked Stella's character and enjoyed the side story about her mother's death and how it was woven throughout. This was my second book by Sarah Pekkanen and I'll be on the lookout for more. If you like family drama thrillers with creepy kids and houses this is probably for you!!!

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the eARC of this book

This was just an OK thriller. I'd say it was more of a family drama than even a thriller story. It had such potential and was on it's way to another five star rating for this author from me, but the ending was a bit of a let down. I didn't find the reveal that believable but man it sure had the potential for a great ending. I'd say up to the 80% mark was a perfect read and I was loving it which is why I settled on the three star rating.

***Thank you to Net Galley and St Martin's Press for the E-Arc of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.***

there’s nothing quite like a creepy kid story! i love the character building and attention to details, it’s like you’re immersed within..

this is my second Sarah Pekkanen novel and i can honestly say she’s becoming a new favorite of mine!

Stella is a best interest attorney for wealthy family. The family's nanny is murdered in the house and the couple is in the process of a divorce. Stella's job is to figure out with which parent is best for the child to reside with. This story had me on a roller coaster of what was possibly going on. Pekkanen had me totally engaged from the get go with this new thriller. Thank you to Netgalley and St.Martin's Press for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you @macmillan.audio & @stmartinspress for my complimentary digital and audio copies. My thoughts are my own.

BRIEF SUMMARY: When nine-year-old ROSE witnesses the violent death of her nanny, Rose immediately stops talking. She also begins to act strange, collecting broken glass, among other things. Even though she lives with three adults, including her parents and her grandmother, could it be that Rose doesn’t feel safe?

STELLA is a best interest lawyer, assigned Rose’s case. It is Stella’s job is to determine which parent Rose should live with when her parents divorce. Stella is hesitant to take on such a young client, but agrees when her mentor asks her to handle it. But when Stella meets the family, she realizes that they ALL have secrets. Did one of them murder the nanny, or are they protecting Rose? Strange things start happening, and soon, Stella fears for her own safety.

MY THOUGHTS: This is an atmosphere page-turner that kept me reading into the night! The mystery unfolds in layers, as Stella makes some connections to her own life while she works to untangle the mystery of who murdered the nanny. (I wasn’t as interested in Stella’s story and that impacted my overall rating. I wavered between a 3 and a 4, but finally decided on a four because I really liked the premise of the book.)

The house is large and creepy, and the characters are all unlikeable. I didn’t particularly care for Rose or Stella, but that did not impact my enjoyment of the story.

This books was ok. It felt a bit predictable at times. I did enjoy the book but I just wasn’t all that vested in it. The side story involving the MC was a bit random as well as the love interest at the end.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the earc

I love a good mystery that doesn't heavily rely on ridiculous twists that come out of left field, and that is precisely what I got with this novel. I had not read anything by this author before reading this book, but once I finished, I added her entire back catalog to my TBR. I found this to be a thrilling mystery that kept me riveted until the final reveal. I had the pleasure of reading an ARC and listening to an ALC while reading, which really elevated the experience.

The story begins with the mysterious death of a young nanny named Tina, who plunged to her death from an open window. Was it suicide, or was she pushed? This question sets the stage for a rollercoaster ride of secrets, lies, betrayal, and creepy behavior from a little girl who cannot (or will not) speak.

At the heart of the story is nine-year-old Rose Barclay, a troubled young girl who witnesses the possible murder of her nanny and then stops speaking. After Tina's death, Rose's parents - Beth and Ian - have decided to get a divorce because it's revealed that Ian was having an affair with Tina. A custody battle breaks out, and this is when Stella Hudson, a no-nonsense attorney, is tasked with spending time with the family and determining which parent Rose would be better suited to live with.

As Stella delves deeper into the Barclay family's lives, she begins to unravel a few secrets, and she realizes that Ian, Beth, Harriet (Ian's mother who lives with the family), and even Rose herself are all hiding something - but what? It's not long before Stella begins to wonder if any of them can be trusted. With each twist and turn, the tension builds, leading to a reveal that even I didn't suspect until over 2/3 of the way into the book.

The story itself is both chilling and captivating, drawing readers in with its intricate plot and deeply flawed characters. But it's not just the mystery that makes "House of Glass" so compelling. Pekkanen also delves into themes of family, trauma, and the lengths to which people will go to protect their loved ones and themselves.

What makes the novel shine are the fully fleshed-out characters. I loved Stella - she was tough and determined, but I also liked that we got to see a more vulnerable side of her through the subplot regarding her sad and troubled past and the investigation into her mother's death years prior. The side characters are also very well fleshed out. The Barclays are your standard wealthy family with many secrets I loved unpacking. I especially loved Stella's connection with Charles, who acted as both Stella's mentor and as a sort of father figure to her.

As far as the audiobook goes, it's narrated by Laura Benanti, whom I adore. I've seen her on a few TV shows and in a production of "She Loves Me." Benanti's performance perfectly captured the complexity of Stella's character. Her ability to differentiate between the other characters without resorting to caricature was impressive and added to the overall enjoyment of the audiobook.

In the end, I really enjoyed this one. I found it to be a chilling and atmospheric thriller full of family secrets and intriguing characters that kept me riveted until the final page. This novel is a must-read for fans of psychological thrillers and suspense. I can't wait to check out more by this author.

I thought I had this one figured out, but in the end I was surprised by the overall outcome.

There is always something that adds an eerie feeling to a story when you spend so much of the time wondering if there is something darker to a child character. I’ve read a few and they always create an unsettled air. This book continued that trend for me. I never could make up my mind about Rose, and it was really intriguing to see how Stella was going to work things out, especially with her own traumatic past. I admired how committed Stella was to her work and the strength she found to push through the biggest challenges she faced in Rose’s case in the name of finding answers.

There were a lot of external subplots happening in the book that, while interesting and in some cases relevant, it made things feel chaotic for me at times when the main story was already its own brand of chaos. Overall though, I thought the pacing and unraveling was well done.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

New author to me! This was a very interesting and I learned a lot from this book. I know it is fiction but it sure struck me as very real.
I thought the author did a super job on this book. it just seemed so real.

Great job Sarah! I'm going to look into some more of the books you wrote. This was a fantastic read! Your descriptions were spot on.

Loved reading this book!