There's a true crime show called Accident, Suicide or Murder, and House of Glass could very well have been an episode. A beloved nanny falls to her death, and the only witness to the incident is nine year old Rose Barclay. Rose is not speaking after seeing such a traumatic event.
Stella, a court appointed advocate for Rose, knows first hand how trauma can make a person go mute. It's her job to protect Rose and decide which parent should be given custody of Rose, as the parents are going through a contentious divorce. Could one of them have hurt the nanny? But there's something about Rose that just seems a bit off. Or could this all have been an unfortunate accident?

I thought the novel was well paced and found myself racing to the end to figure out how everything plays out. I enjoyed the dual timeline of the present story but also the flashbacks to Stella's own story. It was well done in showing how the past can influence the present decisions. Characters were cleverly written, a bit sinister, and flawed. I think those who enjoy a fast-paced thriller in the likes of Rachel Hawkins, Shari Lapena, or Ruth Ware would really like Sarah Pekkanen's latest novel.

Thanks to the publisher and netgalley, I was able to read an advanced digital copy. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I absolutely loved this book and this author. Highly recommended to anyone who loves a good thriller. I love a good whodunit and this did not disappoint.

This was such a well-crafted novel. Great character development and a mystery that keeps you guessing to the end. The book starts with a nanny either falling or being pushed out of a window to death, causing young Rose to become mute from the trauma. There’s a lot going on in the family, as well as in Stella’s life (the attorney assigned to recommend custody of Rose). This is a can’t-put-it-down book!

My favorite kind of psychological thrillers is one that keeps you guessing! In House of Glass, author Sarah Pekkanen sets up so much intrigue, where everyone is a suspect--even a little girl!

I enjoyed the pace and subplots in this book. I think the main focus of Stella's role as Rose's lawyet worked well with Stella's past and personal revelations as well.

Definitely a great page turner.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A slow burn done right!

This was an unsettling thriller filled with dread, suspense and a sense of foreboding that never lets up. Despite not much happening for the first half, I was kept engrossed and guessing.

I also enjoyed how the author explores complex family relationships and dynamics. It reminded me of the mother-daughter ties in Gone Tonight, which I loved so much.

Wasn't super mindblown by the whodunit since I had some inkling, and the protagonist is one of those detached ones so I wasn't super fond of her until much later. However, the ending was so good and made it all worth it.

Sarah Pekkanen never disappoints!!

This was an enjoyable thriller. The house and characters had a good creepy vibe and you don't feel like you can trust any of them. I liked the parallels between the main character Stella and the little girl, Rose. I both read and listened to the audio and I thought the narrator did a good job. I give this one 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for an advance copy of this book for review purposes

Stella Hudson is a BIA (best interest attorney) who takes the case of Rose Barclay. Rose is a 9 year old whose wealthy parents are in the midst of a divorce and fighting for custody of Rose. Rose is suffering from traumatic mutism since her nanny, Tina, dies after falling or being pushed through a third story window. Stella must figure out what is going on in the house and do what is best for Rose. It is a difficult case for Stella, as it triggers memories of her own horrific childhood. I loved the character of Stella. She is a flawed person that takes her job seriously and will do all she can to protect Rose. The character is so well written, you feel all the anguish and determination Stella has. The other characters are interesting as well and offer challenges for Stella in different ways, but instead of her retreating from the case, it forces Stella to push for the truth even harder. I thought the story kept me guessing and was filled with tension and suspense throughout. I highly recommend this book! I give it 5 stars out of 5.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review. This book will be published on August 6, 2024.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster, moving at such a relentless pace that I couldn’t put it down. The plot is expertly designed to keep you on edge, constantly guessing what might happen next. Sarah Pekkanen never misses! Each chapter ended in a suspenseful cliffhanger, prompting me to repeatedly stay up late reading it. The final chapter, in particular, left a lasting impression and solidified my love for this story and author.

a few days later & I’m still sitting with my thoughts on this one!! I enjoyed it way more than sarah’s last solo thriller, but there was something about this that didn’t execute well for me 🥲🤔

the first half of the book focused mostly on stella, a child advocate lawyer for parents going through a divorce, and her client rose, who suffers from traumatic mutism after witnessing her nanny die in front of her. the mystery behind the nanny’s death and how rose was involved was a key component of the plot, and while I figured out the plot twist quite early on, it was a very entertaining ride!

the second half of the book did a 180 for me, focusing more on stella’s backstory and her own experience with traumatic mutism after her mother’s death. I thought that “mystery” of sorts was pretty obvious and didn’t need to be as fleshed out as it was - especially since it ultimately didn’t connect to the present day mystery at all.

and can we talk about that random side romance? it came completely out of the blue and felt very trauma bonding rather than an actual relationship. also, what was the point? 🤔

TDLR: an entertaining fast-paced bingeable thriller but ultimately not my favorite. thank you to netgalley and st martins for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! you can get this one early through BOTM 🫡

rating: 3.5 stars
wine pairing: sonoma coast chardonnay

Rose Barclay is a nine-year-old girl who witnessed the possible murder of her nanny - in the midst of her parent's bitter divorce - and immediately stopped speaking. Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney, appointed to serve as counsel for children in custody cases. She never accepts clients under thirteen due to her own traumatic childhood, but Stella's mentor, a revered judge, believes Stella is the only one who can help.

Keep you interested from page one for sure! If you love twisty mysteries...read this!

This is a fast paced page turner I couldn’t put down. Each chapter seemed to end on a cliffhanger that made me say “ok, just one more.” It’s a story that will keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat. And I shed a few tears in the process. A perfectly satisfying ending. I loved the last chapter!

HOUSE OF GLASS by Sarah Pekkanen
This is my first book by Sarah Pekkanen, but certainly will not be the last. She has created a well written thriller that has a solid storyline, with plenty of twists and turns. Just when you think that you have a handle on who murdered the nanny, it goes off in another direction and makes you think something else. Stella is an attorney who is also a child advocate. She is looking into the problem of deciding which parent gets custody of the nine year old who witnessed her nanny being murdered and was rendered mute. This is 4 stars.
I listened to the audio version of this and Laura Benanti is the narrator and she does a good job with the voices.

(3.5 stars) House of Glass is a slow burn domestic suspense/thriller. If that’s your jam, you will love this book. I’ve decided that this just isn’t my kind of story, so take my review with a grain of salt.

There are two main plots going on here. The Barclays have filed for divorce and Stella, a BIA lawyer (Best Interest Attorney) has been assigned the case, because a 9-year-old girl is involved and both parents want custody. The kicker is that their live-in nanny, Tina, has died under suspicious circumstances and the little girl, Rose, has gone mute, refusing to speak at all. Was Tina’s death a tragic accident or something more sinister? The second plot point highlights Stella’s own childhood trauma. Her father died young in a car accident and her mother died shortly afterwards and Stella went mute for a while. Stella never learned what really happened to her mother, since she was so young at the time. So… is Stella the perfect BIA or is her appointment to this case totally inappropriate? You decide.

None of the characters were particularly likable, but that’s not that unusual in a story like this one. I didn't feel that the revelations for both plots were very surprising.

I bounced between the audiobook and the ebook for this title, which was very convenient, and allowed me to continue with the story even when I could not sit down and read - or when I could not listen. The audiobook was nicely narrated by Laura Benanti.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy of this book and to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen to an advance copy of this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publisher for my arc!

This was so good. I half expected this to be like a take on "The Omen or The Orphan" with creepy kids but it turned out to be so much more. Fast pace and an ending that will leave you speechless. I Highly Recommend House of Glass.

This is the first book I have read by Sarah Pekkanen but it won't be the last. Thank you kindly to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for the digital review copy. This story is one you just can't put down and want to keep reading to find out what really happened to the Nanny. This story has so many twists and turns and leads you down so many different paths that it keeps you guessing what really happened. I really enjoyed this book and I know that everyone who reads it won't be disappointed.

Sarah Pekkanen's **House of Glass** is a gripping atmospheric domestic thriller where the lawyer brought in to advocate for a child in a murder case becomes enmeshed in the Barclay household’s bizarre family dynamic. They seem like the perfect mother, father, and grandma living in a gorgeous home until the nanny is pushed out a window and the little girl stops talking. The more Stella gets to know the family, the more she realizes any one of them could have killed the nanny, especially the nine-year-old girl who is tucking shards of glass in her pockets.

Pekkanen excels at building a suffocating atmosphere. The more Stella delves into the family dynamics, the more suspicion falls on every member. The plot is almost too tightly woven. Like a classic mystery, nothing is superfluous. When Stella was thinking about how her own traumatic childhood will help her empathize with her young client, I knew it wasn’t going to be that simple. There were clues embedded in her memories that would solve the mystery of the nanny’s murder and resolve some of Stella’s questions about her mother’s death.

I’ve read quite a few of Sarah Pekkanen’s novels, as well as all the thrillers she co-wrote with Greer Hendricks, and they never disappoint. The characters are always multi-dimensional and the plots are reliably twisty.

I really loved this book! It felt cheesy at first, but I became hooked after the first couple of chapters. What a wild ride.

I will forever keep Pekkanen's work on my TBR.

Thank you to the author, publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A solid 4 stars but I wish I could give it 4.5 stars. This one is a clever, interesting, and engaging whodunit. But in addition to a murder mystery, Sarah Pekkanen gives us childhood trauma, family secrets, marriage struggles, and even a taste of sexuality! You would think that’s too much to fit into 352 pages, but it was very well done. Worth a read FOR SURE.

Right from the start I was pulled into this plot. I feel like I have never read a story similar to this and I was definitely intrigued!

The Barclays seem like the perfect family in a perfect house, until one day their nanny falls to her death. Stella is a lawyer trying to investigate what happened and she discovers that everyone in the home has secrets, especially nine-year-old, Rose, who has a thing for collecting sharp objects.

This case is also very close to Stella, as there are many similarities and parallels to her mother’s death, which is also unsolved and she has many questions. She was a child around Rose’s age when it happened, and experienced similar trauma traits that Rose has now, but are they for the same reasons?

This was such an interesting psychological thriller that also brought out some emotion while reading some of the characters healing journeys. I really enjoyed that aspect and feel like Sarah Pekkanen always has that greater meaning and importance of relationships in her novels, which I really enjoy and makes you as the reader feel like you can connect to the characters, which isn’t often in a thriller style book!

Thank you @stmartinspress and @netgalley for my advanced copy!

my rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

🥳pub day: August 6/2024

I was kept guessing until the very end of the book. I expected twists and turns and this book delivered. I really enjoyed trying to figure out who was the murdered, if anyone throughout the book. The characters were all interesting and left me guessing with each chapter.