📚: House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
⭐️: 3/5

The gist: An affair. A dead nanny. A contentious divorce. And a 9 year old girl who isn’t saying a word.

The good: The reveal was done incredibly well - and the plot had me guessing the whole way.

The eh: I’m stuck on the very last page and how this book ultimately ends and it feeling just a bit disjointed. I understand the connection between past and present plotlines but they don’t connect as well as intended. This felt like more of a slow burn than necessary, and even with a solid reveal, lands as an average thriller.

Thank you to @stmartinspress via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. House of Glass is out on August 6th.

I rather enjoyed this mystery / thriller. I wasn't sure if Pekkanen was going to add a big twist or not, so I wasn't sure where the story was going.

I do think the story dragged a bit in the middle just due to the repetitiveness of themes. There were a few thoughts that the MC had that were repeated unnecessarily. I believe the story would have benefitted from cleaning that up a bit. Otherwise, I was engaged in the story and read it fairly quickly. I think, as is typical with this genre, you need to be able to suspend your disbelief while reading, but I like the way the ending played out.

I was fortunate enough to receive an audio copy of this book along with the ebook. The audio was narrated by Laura Benanti and she did a wonderful job. I enjoyed listening to this one and spent more time with the audio than the ebook. I do think the audio enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

“House of Glass” is a thriller with a lot of mysteries for readers to unravel. A nanny ends up dead. Did she trip and fall? Was she pushed? Did she jump? If it was an act of malice, who was behind it? Is the house haunted? Where did the creepy notes and noises come from? Is it possible that a nine-year old child is behind everything that is happening?

One of my favorite parts of Sarah Pekkanen’s newest thriller is that I did not figure out who was behind what was happening at the house until it was about to be revealed. I THOUGHT I knew what was going on, but I was wrong, and that was so much better than figuring things out too early in the story. Rose came across as a truly creepy kid, and the house itself was a main character that was worthy of the place it held in the story. Stella, the guardian ad litem hired by the court, is also an interesting character. It is clear she is very invested in doing what is best for the children she oversees, but this case might be too close to her own traumatic past for her to see it through.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanen, and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The conceit for this one was interesting; a mute child, witness to a terrible crime, meets a guardian who is to be her advocate in her parents' divorce proceedings. Parts of the story were very interesting, but the whole book never pulled together, for me.

I read this in a day. Stella is an attorney appointed by the court to see where 9 year old Rose should continue living while her parents are going through a divorce. The characters made me want to never stop reading this story. I had to know what was really going on and who exactly was lying. A perfect summer read!

House of Glass was the ultimate thriller! I was not able to put this book down until I knew what happened.

Highly recommend this book!

What a page-turner! I immediately thought I knew what the "twist" was going to be, but it shocked me as the book kept progressing and I realized just how wrong I was. I found myself itching to pick up the book with any free time I had, and ended up staying up late to finish it all up. I was definitely not expecting to twist and turn through two separate mysteries, but I thought Pekkanen weaved them together in such a great way.

Need a summer binge?! Pick up HOUSE OF GLASS for your next poolside read.

A nanny dies tumbling out a window… did she fall or was she pushed? Is there a ghost? Was it the nonverbal creepy little girl? Perhaps. 🤔

This is a fun thriller and an interesting story but it was a bit scattered for me. Too many outlandish happenings. I DO love a good creepy kid who likes to collect sharp objects though. I love books where wealthy families cover up secrets.

Thank you @stmartinspress for this gifted book/audio! I listened to the audio and it was done very well. HOUSE OF GLASS by Sarah Pekkanen is out of August 6th.


🖤🖤🖤

I absolutely devoured this book. Like, in one sitting devoured.

Stella is a guardian ad litem, an attorney whose job it is to determine the best interests of a child. In this case, Rose Barclay. Rose comes from a wealthy family and a seemingly perfect life until their live-in nanny is found dead. Rose, who found her, is suffering from traumatic mutism, and isn’t speaking. Stella enters the scene and has to figure out what’s going on. Why is there no glass in their home? Why is everyone afraid of Rose? What are the Barclay parents hiding?

✨ “When we’re surrounded by danger and uncertainty, it feels important to keep our personal space controlled.”

✨ “The things we try to bury are often the things that need the most sunlight.”

Twisty and turny - a contemporary mystery thriller with elements of danger, suspense and “can’t trust anyone”…House of Glass is going to be hitting the tops of everyone’s lists on August 6th!!

This psychological thriller is going to be your jam if you liked If Something Happens To Me, The Heiress, First Lie Wins, The Only One Left, Murder in the Family, The Next Mrs. Parrish, Gone Girl, etc!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sarah Pekkanen for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. A pleasure!! 💜

Wowwww! This book held my attention and didn’t want to let me go. I really enjoyed the way Stella’s past is brought to light while she tries to figure out what’s best for Rose. While I thought I knew what was going on, I didn’t figure everything out! I enjoyed the journey this book took us all on. If you enjoy a thriller that keeps you invested, this book is for you. Don’t let this book pass you by.

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
Narrator: Laura Benanti
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 8/6

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy and to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook. #macaudio2024

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is an addictive psychological thriller. The story follows Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney with a traumatic past, who is appointed to represent Rose Barclay, a nine-year-old girl who stops speaking after witnessing the mysterious death of her nanny during her parents' nasty divorce.

From the moment Stella steps into the Barclay's historic DC home, which is strangely devoid of glass, you know you're in for a twisty ride. The family dynamics are messed up, and everyone seems to be hiding something. Pekkanen does a great job of building suspense as Stella tries to figure out who among the Barclays is a victim and who might be a murderer.

The characters are well-developed, especially Stella, whose own past adds depth to her role. The tension keeps building, and just when you think you have it all figured out, another twist comes along. The story is fast-paced and keeps you hooked until the last page.

I listened to the audiobook version, and Laura Benanti did an amazing job of bringing all of the characters and the creepy atmosphere to life.

If you love psychological thrillers with complex characters and lots of twists, you should definitely pick up House of Glass. It's a gripping read that will stay with you long after you finish it. Highly recommended!

House of Glass was a solid/fine read. Nothing great or shocking but I did find myself looking forward to reading it when I had the time.
This one follows the twisty mystery formula well:
creepy setting, check...
lots of unlikable characters, check...
main character with a traumatic history, check...
whodunnit reveal, check...
Tidy/cleaned up ending, check...
Thanks NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC.

This was one of the creepiest thrillers I’ve read in a long time. It snuck up on me a few times, then I found myself double-checking that I’d locked the door! (Granted, it’s harder to lock the door on your own family when you’re reading about a chilling household full of secrets.)

I also loved that this didn’t rely on incomprehensible twists to tell a good story. There were a few (of course) but I easily understood how chapter 1 led to the very end. No random last-minute tricks just to keep you guessing.

The main character’s back story was really fascinating to me too, and helped lend empathy to some of the choices she made as an adult.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a sneak peek. This will be one of the top mysteries of 2024, I have no doubt.

Who doesn't love a story about a family that's SO dysfunctional they make your family look normal by comparison?? Am I right? The husband is sleeping with the nanny, the mother-in-law comes to recover from knee surgery and never leaves, the nanny ends up dead, and the poor kid is so traumatized she can't even speak. The parents are going through an ugly divorce in the wake of the affair, so Stella is sent to figure out who should take custody of mute nine-year-old Rose. The whole situation is a hot mess. Stella knows what it's like to survive childhood trauma, and to further complicate matters, one of Rose's parents may have been the one to kill Tina. How can she leave Rose in the care of a potential murderer? As Stella observes some disturbing behavior from Rose, she even starts to wonder if Rose could possibly have been the killer.

You'll be flipping pages wildly to figure out what really happened in this madhouse. In addition to the gripping murder mystery, House of Glass is an intriguing character study into survivors of childhood trauma.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing me a complimentary copy through #NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book, but I'd say it seemed to be more like a family drama than the thrillers I'm used to from Pekkanen when she writes with Hendricks. Honestly, I don't normally like family dramas, but this one worked for me because I love a good story about a creepy kid! The kid made this one bingeable for me! Yes, I wanted to find out what happened to the poor, murdered, nanny, but I REALLY wanted to know why Rose was hoarding sharp objects and not speaking.
Thank you Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

This was such an amazing story and it kept me on the edge of my seat the entire time. I really love a good psychological thriller/mystery and that was exactly what this book was. I went into it not knowing anything about the story other than it sounded really interesting and it definitely lived up to the hype. I really liked Stella and was impressed how she remained calm and neutral throughout the course of the story. I didn’t see the twist coming either and I thought that was very well done. Would highly recommend this!

I switched between reading the e-book & listening to the audiobook for this one. I finished it in one day and loved it so much that I bought it!

I highly recommend this book if you love a twisty thriller with an unreliable narrator and a plot that makes you want to ignore all of your responsibilities to keep reading.

Thank you @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for allowing me to read/listen to this book in exchange for my honest review.

(This same review was shared on the Barnes & Noble website.)

I love a good psychological thriller, and this fits the bill! This one grabbed my attention from the beginning and kept me guessing throughout. I had some theories about what really happened, but I wasn't 100% sure so I couldn't wait to read on.

House of Glass took a direction I didn’t see it going.

Stella Hudson is a Best Interest Attorney, someone who is brought in to determine who is the best parent to live with during a heated custody battle during a divorce. He latest client is Rose Barclay, a 9 year old girl who has traumatic mutism. A few months earlier, Rose’s nanny fell through a glass window 3 stories up and the girl hasn’t spoken since. Stella’s the best person for this case: after her mother died, she went through a bout of traumatic mutism herself. As Stella investigates the details surrounding the nanny’s death and Rose’s well-being, something seems off. The details don’t add up. Something isn’t right about this family, and acting in Rose’s best interest, she’s going to figure out what it is.

This book does have an intriguing premise that drew me in from the start. These characters are definitely eerie and made me feel unsettled. Pair that with what we learn about Stella’s past and I was very intrigued. The murder itself reminded me very much of the recent film Anatomy of a Fall. Halfway through, I thought I had it all figured out. Definitely had some creepy vibes.

The further this book went along though, it didn’t hold my interest as well. I didn’t guess either of the twists though, so that’s a win, right?

In the end, this one fell in the middle for me. Not bad, not fully satisfying.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book has a very eerie feeling about it and a creepy child element as well. It leaves you with a kind of unnerved feeling that really adds to the mystery. There are family secrets, an unexplained death, and lies everywhere. I enjoyed this one and the atmospheric setting of the manor house. The ending has a satisfying twist that I didn't see coming. I always enjoy that is a thriller. Overall this would be a good read for cozying up in the air conditioning or while one vacation is a remote location. Thanks to Sarah Pekkanen, St. Martin's Press, and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.