the audio was very good, thanks to the publisher for my free copy. Maybe I’m an outlier but this was fine, not as good as her last one. Some mystery/tension but not enough IMO. Easy enough to listen to, but if you have dozens of books on your tbr I’m not sure I’d go out of my way to recommend this one.

Another great one by Sarah Pekkanen!!! so many unexpected twists! After enjoying Gone Tonight, I had been looking forward to this book and it did not disappoint! Great thriller! Highly recommend!

In this story we have Stella Hudson, who is appointed counsel for Rose Barclay. Rose is a nine year old girl whose parents are going through a bitter divorce, and she has also just witnessed the death of her nanny. During this traumatic time, Rose has developed traumatic mutism and she cannot speak.
Stella can relate to Rose because when Stella was a young girl she witnessed the death of her mother, and then developed traumatic mutism herself.
Because Rose's parents are divorcing, it is Stella's job to spend time with Rose and her parents to see who would be the better parent for Rose to live with once they divorce. We have the wealthy, uptight Beth Barclay- her mother. Then there is lan Barclay, more down to earth and not so wealthy-her father. We soon learn that lan's mother, Harriet has lived with the Barclay's for several years and is witness to many events that has happened within the family.
Which brings us to the death of the nanny, Tina. Tina fell to her death through her third story bedroom window. Was she pushed? Was it an accident? Or was it suicide? And did Rose witness what really happened that night? Also why are the parents replacing all the glass in the house? Even the mirrors are being replaced...
This book had my attention from the first page all the way through until the last! I loved Stella's character, and felt that everything and everyone else was so relatable and real. I'm so glad that I took a chance with this book, and I cannot wait to read Pekkanen's next! I highly recommend this twisty thriller!

Thank you to MacMillan Audio for the ALC, and St. Martin's Press for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sarah Pekkanen is an auto-buy thriller author for me because of his ability to write twisty plots with unnerving suspense and foreboding. House of Glass is told from the POV of Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, who is assigned to the case of Rose Barclay, a 9 year old girl who recently witnessed the death of her nanny and have developed trauma-inspired mutism. Stella feels drawn to this case specifically due to her own childhood trauma and temporary mutism that she developed. She must spend time with Rose, her parents, her grandmother, her tutors and teachers to be Rose's advocate in a messy custody battle after the tragic accident.

The minute Stella steps into Rose's home, she knows something sinister is lurking... there is not one piece of glass in the home and Stella learns this is because Rose had previously collected sharp objects and even brought them to school as a weapon. As Stella interviews the family members about the nanny's death, she suspects each member is telling lies to cover the truth and is suddenly concerned for her own safety as strange things begin happening in her personal life as well. Stella urgently works to uncover the truth but everyone is a suspect in the nanny's murder. Even Rose.

Narrator Laura Benanti did a fantasic job in building suspense and urgency to her performance as the book propelled towards a pulse-pounding ending. I truly wasn't sure WHO was responsible and was immersed in the audiobook for hours at a time! Connecting Rose's case to Stella's own childhood (the unsolved suspicious death of her mother) was a fantastic way to call Stella's own bias and perspective into question as well, and I really loved the endings to both plotlines. Fantastic thriller that is a must-read or listen.

In HOUSE OF GLASS Ian and Beth Barclay are getting a divorce. Who will get custody of their nine-year-old daughter, Rose. Stella Hudson, counsel for children (usually teenagers) in custody cases, is a best-interest attorney who represents a child in a custody battle. Will Stella represent Rose? Also, the newly-pregnant nanny, who worked for the Barclays, has died. Did someone kill her? If so, who? I read on to find the answers to my questions.

To say I am interested in this thriller is an understatement. My eyes are riveted to the words I am reading. I like the way the two stories, Rose's and Stella's, are woven throughout the book. Thank you, St. Martin's Press and NetGalley, for giving me the chance to read and review an advance reader copy of HOUSE OF GLASS.

This was one of my favorite books by this author. I have to admit that I considered not finishing it because I am not a fan of creepy children in stories but I am so glad that I did. This was a fast-paced novel that had me questioning my instincts.

Following her nanny’s fatal fall from the upstairs window, nine-year-old Rose stops speaking. Did she have something to do with it? Signs point to maybe.

Attorney Stella Hudson is assigned to the case to explore the goings ons of the home and see if the child should be protected from her parents or possibly from herself.

Mix in Stella’s childhood trauma and the fact there is no glass in the home, and every chapter becomes creepier with more and more questions gurgling up until the very end.

In terms of pacing and some of the details, the story was a little bit reminiscent of The Housemaid for me, though making a kid at the center of a whodunit adds a whole other sinister element.

Though this wasn’t my favorite, the author is an auto-read both as a standalone and her books with Greer Hendricks.

Sarah Pekkanen's latest HOUSE OF GLASS is a strong domestic thriller that publishes August 6, 2024. Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney, and her job entails getting to the heart of child custody cases and figuring out who would be the best custodian for the child. After a case where a young nanny is either murdered or accidentally killed, the daughter Rose is experiencing traumatic mutism and the parents are divorcing. Stella takes the case and uses her instincts to not only figure out which parent would be the best for Rose but also solve the nanny's murder and figure out what happened to Stella's own mother.

Stella is an excellent protagonist and somewhat unique as a best interest attorney. She's keen. She's extremely observant. It's almost like she missed her calling as a detective. But like many protagonists in this type of space, she has her own demons from the past that she hasn't yet overcome. I really liked following Stella as the main character, and I would love to read more books about this type of role.

Do you like a creepy kid? This one has creepy kid Rose. Chunks of this book reminded me of THE PUSH.

Both parents in this book aren't redeemable, but the character of Stella makes up for that. The father's mother Harriet has some great scenes though.

Some parts of Stella's story seemed a bit slapdash (her ex, her new love interest). I'm not a reader that needs a lot of twists in my domestic thrillers, and I didn't mind that nothing in the narrative truly caught me off guard. I think that's GOOD and is an indicator of a well-written story because seeds are planted in advance. I feel that the story would have been strengthened for Stella to have a comrade in the police department to work the case with vs. the police giving up on the case so that Stella is doing everything solo. Stella comes across a bit too superhuman with all her roles (attorney, case worker, detective, investigator, etc.) in infiltrating the family. Plus, I think Stella having a collegial banter instead of being in her head so much would have been more interesting.

It was my first time reading Sarah Pekkanen. A twisted family with secrets, I found House of Glass a dark and twisted story, well-paced, chilling, creepy, full of taut, suspense-filled, riveting moments and had me on the edge of my seat. l liked how the author let us see the insightful thoughts of a 9-year-old girl with secrets and uncontrollable dark impulses that are downright creepy and terrifying. I paired my e-ARC with ALC, which Laura Benanti narrated. It was my first time listening to her. She did a fantastic job narrating, bringing a distinctive voice to the main and supporting characters.
I look forward to reading more of Sarah Pekkanen's books. I highly recommend you grab a copy; you won’t be disappointed. The author's prose was so vividly descriptive that I felt like I was right there as an observer watching the twisted story unfold. I had difficulty putting it down— I stayed up all night listening spellbound.

I want to thank St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for allowing an e-ARC and ALC of House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

This was a thrilling read from start to finish. I loved the way the story was unraveled for the reader and the pacing. This book ready quickly and I struggled to figure out exactly what was really the truth. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Never did my mind wander. Everything felt important, and I truly enjoyed this one! I'll definitely be grabbing a trophy copy for my shelves as soon as it comes out!

A good read that had me guessing until the very end.

Sarah Pekkanen knows how to write a page turner and House of Glass was no different.

A young nanny Beth falls to her death. Was it an accident or was she pushed? Rose is a 9-year-old who witnessed the possible murder of her nanny and immediately stopped speaking. Enter Stella, an attorney tasked with figuring out where the best placement is for Rose amidst her parents' pending divorce. This is a shocker for sure. I haven't read this author before and I've heard great things. She will definitely be on my must read list.

I really enjoyed House of Glass. This was a perfect domestic thriller read. A whodunit murder mystery, this book kept me guessing until the very end. I also really enjoyed the dual timelines, and interconnected storylines. I would recommend this book to any lover of mystery, thriller, and suspense books.

I'm a huge fan of Sarah Pekkanen. The first time I read one of her books was Anonymous Girl which she wrote with Greer Hendricks who I also love. I have yet to find a miss from here, and this book is no different. It started out a little more like a detective novel, and I'll be honest that I was hesitant if this one was going to be another hit, but not even a quarter of the way through I realized how wrong I was, and it's not another detective novel. Stella is a children's attorney and man is she a badass. Growing up her life was no cake walk, but she came out of it a reasonably unbroken person for everything she struggles with. Rose, the child, is such a conundrum, and you unwrap her layers chapter after chapter, and I truly couldn't put this book down. If you're a thriller fan and haven't started reading Pekkanen's books yet, you're missing out. I highly recommend this one!

3.5🌟
Stella Hudson is an attorney assigned to nine year old Rose. Rose's parents are going through a bitter divorce, both demanding sole custody of their beloved daughter. Stella has the most difficult task of determining what’s in Rose’s best interest.

Just to complicate things further, there is an additional issue.
The family’s nanny recently fell out of a second-floor window with dear Rose looking on. And she hasn’t spoken a word since.

As Stella digs deeper into Rose’s life she realizes this is a family harboring a host of secrets and she needs to tread carefully as she continues uncovering more lies!

I’ve been a huge fan of this author but this latest just failed to capture my interest. Was it the storyline? The characters? Though I had both digital and audio copy I chose the audio for the majority of the book. I wasn’t overly impressed with the narrator's performance and perhaps that distracted me from the book itself.🤷🏻‍♀️

Since I’m such a dedicated fan of this author I will be watching for her next offering. Maybe I’ll just stick with a digital copy!

A buddy 🎧 with Susanne

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio

This is my first book by Sarah Pekkanen and I did enjoy it.

A classic slow burn thriller with a who did it plot. It follows Stella, an attorney who’s task is to figure out what parent is best suited to take care of Rose after her nanny was mysteriously murdered.

I thought the pacing was good, the twists and turns kept me hooked.

Solid 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me an eARC of this book for review.

I have always enjoyed Sarah Pekkanen books but I think that this one was definitely my favorite! Wow I didn't want to stop reading this! It was sooo good! I will be recommending this to everyone I know to read this! It pulled at my heart with this poor little and everything that she'd been through. I enjoyed the main character, Stella, development was great in that what she was going through with Rose helped her to dig into her past and discover new things about herself.
I don't want to give away any spoilers but 10/10 read this! Wouldn't change a thing!

3.5 stars, rounded upwards.

Author Sarah Pekkanen is known for writing psychological thrillers, and her newest novel, House of Glass, is a real page turner. My thanks go to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the invitation to read and review. This book will be available to the public August 6, 2024.

Our protagonist is Stella Hudson, and she works as guardian ad litem, which is a professional whose job it is to represent the best interests of a child when he or she is the subject, or an important participant in, a court case. Stella’s father figure and mentor is a judge, and a case has come up that he feels Stella is uniquely qualified for. It’s a divorce case, two wealthy individuals squabbling over a child. The child, Rose Barclay, has experienced a great trauma that has left her mute. She saw her nanny fall (be pushed?) out of the attic window and die, and she hasn’t spoken since. By convenient coincidence, Stella also experienced the same condition after a childhood trauma of her own; this is why Charles, her mentor, has asked her to serve.

I’ll tell you right now, I am not terribly impressed with this book. A protagonist who’s been traumatized in ways related to her task at hand is fast becoming a trope, and I’m ready to be done with it. Rose is a prodigy, brilliant in every way, which is also overused, and very convenient for an author that doesn’t want to deal with developmental stages even though the child is a major character. Also, Stella’s job does not require her to solve the nanny’s murder, that’s the job of the cops. Yet the book leads us to believe that this is part of a guardian ad litem’s work.

But the most annoying facet of this mystery is that I had it solved before the 20% mark. That’s just straight up ridiculous. If I had solved it because I am so darned clever, that would be one thing, but I feel as if my cat could probably have done the same. First, a suspect that’s identified very early in the story is almost never the killer, and then of course, the person least suspected by the other characters is often the one that did it. And so at first I waited hopefully for some new spin or plot twist that would make me change my mind, but it never damn happened.

Consequently, I was prepared to give this book a rating of 3 stars, which is lower than my average, but one thing stopped me. I noticed that, however cranky I felt about this transparently obvious mystery, I didn’t want to stop reading it. I could have quit at the halfway mark, skimmed the ending to be certain I was right, and then written my review, yet even though I knew exactly how it would shake out, I still wanted to see/hear the rest of the story.

I was fortunate in having both the digital review copy and the audiobook, and the narrator, Laura Benanti, does a first rate job. That’s worth something, too.

Because of the fact that Pekkanen’s mysteries are beginning to feel formulaic, I am probably finished with this author, but I also think there are a great many readers that will like it. Nevertheless, my recommendation to you is to get it free or cheap, rather than to pay full cover price.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. The story starts with a nanny plunging to her death and 9 year old Rose may have been a witness to this horrible tragedy but no one knows for sure because Rose is so traumatised that she refuses to speak. Stella is appointed to act on behalf of Rose which she is not too happy about as she never takes on clients under 13 yrs old as it reminds her of her own tragic past. Stella reluctantly agrees as it is her mentor who is requesting this of her.

Stella notices that this case is quite strange and so are the members of this family. The parents are going through a divorce and everything in the house is plastic. There is not one piece of glass anywhere and no sharp objects

As Stella tries to get Rose to open up and trust her, strange things begin to happen and she wonders if Rose is the reason that the nanny fell to her death and now she feels her own life may be in jeopardy as well. This was a great read and Sarah Pekkanen did it again!!!! Enjoy!!!