I've been reading books from this author even before she started writing suspense thrillers. This one and the one before it were both just okay. The story was interesting enough to get me to read the whole book, but it doesn't stand out among better books that I have read. Perhaps I don't find the characters compelling enough to care much about them. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the opportunity to read this arc. House of Glass was an easy read. It is a good whodunnit story with short chapters that end in cliffhangers. This book started off so well, but then seemed to drag in the middle. The twist was a bit underwhelming and predictable. I’d rate this at 3.5 stars.

Book Review: House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
"House of Glass" is a gripping mystery that kept me hooked from the start. The story revolves around Rose Barclay, a nine-year-old girl who stops speaking after her nanny's mysterious death. Stella Hudson, a lawyer for children, is brought in to help Rose during her parents' bitter divorce.
The author does a great job of creating a suspenseful and eerie atmosphere. The Barclay family's home, with no glass or sharp objects, adds to the tension. As Stella tries to uncover the truth, everyone in the family becomes a suspect, even young Rose.
I enjoyed the fast-paced plot and the intriguing characters. The twists and turns kept me guessing, although some parts were a bit predictable. The ending felt a little too neatly wrapped up, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment.
"House of Glass" is an entertaining read for mystery lovers.

Very grateful to the publisher for my copy, opinions are my own

This book explores the dark undercurrents of a seemingly perfect family's life after a young nanny's suspicious death and a nine-year-old girl's subsequent muteness. Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney with her own traumatic past, is tasked with uncovering the truth amidst the Barclay family's elaborate facade. As Stella delves deeper into the case, she navigates the eerie atmosphere of the Barclay's glassless, historic DC home, uncovering layers of deception and unsettling family dynamics. The novel delves into themes of family secrets, trauma, and the quest for justice, blending suspenseful storytelling with psychological depth to create a compelling and gripping narrative.

𝗔 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗽𝗹𝘂𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵. 𝗪𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗼𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝘂𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗱?𝗔 𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗽 𝗼𝗯𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗿𝗲𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗸.𝗔 𝗹𝗮𝘄𝘆𝗲𝗿, 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗺𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆, 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗹𝘆𝗶𝗻𝗴.

This was one of my most anticipated books of the year, and it did not disappoint. Sarah tells a classic whodunit tale with creepy sinister characters that will keep you guessing. She made excellent use of her characters, taking you down uncertain paths, not knowing who to trust. The book was full of misdirection, and I loved that I couldn't trust my own opinions and suspicions.

I loved Rose, the creepy child. This character was so well developed and portrayed the evil child so well that my opinions of her constantly changed

And, let's not forget the foreboding, glassless mansion with it's ever present underlying tone of unease.

I couldn't stop listening to this story. The concept was intriguing. The pacing was great, and the build-up to the finale was packed with tension inducing moments. The narration was perfection and performed by Laura Benanti. She brought the whole story to life.

My only drawback was that there were two many subplots. They were unnecessary and distracting, taking the focus away from the main mystery line.
But it doesn't take away from how great this book is.

I definitely recommend it.

I always like this author's collabs and her solo books always impress me. I think they need better titles and covers. Something to draw people in. If I didn't already know it was a good author, it probably wouldn't catch my eye.

This is a fascianting thriller that is wonderful mix of psychological suspense . I loved how the author builds the suspense and the characters are so well crafted to the story. This will keep you on the edge of your seat. . This is a must read for all readers who enjoy thriller suspense. The author has all the right elements here to keep you reading to conclusion. This book is so good I will not include spoilers as each reader must experience this book fully to appreciate the thrills and chills.

Thank you to Net Galley , the author and the publisher for the opportunity.

I liked the interlacing of the two stories past and present and how the author keeps you guessing. I did feel like it dragged on a bit but a solid audiobook.

"House of Glass" is a gripping thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly turning pages to uncover its secrets. This electrifying story follows Stella, a newly appointed Guardian Ad Litem (Attorney) for Rose, a young girl suffering from traumatic mutism. As Stella delves into Rose's complex family dynamics, the plot thickens with shocking twists and dark secrets.

Rose’s father stands accused of an affair with the nanny, who has mysteriously turned up dead. Now, amidst a bitter divorce, the question looms: did Rose kill the nanny, or is the culprit someone closer than expected? Stella's encounters with Rose are filled with tension and raw emotion as she tries to unravel the mystery and determine which parent deserves custody. The suspense is palpable as the narrative dives into the lengths parents will go to hide their truths and protect their fragile world inside the House of Glass.

Every character is a potential suspect in this tantalizing whodunnit, making for a rollercoaster of suspicion and revelation. While the writing can be overly descriptive at times, complicating the dialogue, it doesn’t detract from the relentless pace and heart-pounding moments that define this psychological thriller. "House of Glass" is a must-read for anyone who loves a story that keeps you guessing until the very end.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this ARC.

4.5 rounded up

Ok. I have read every Sarah Pekkanen from her early days in women's fiction. I can honestly say I have enjoyed all of her books.

As for her thrillers, they have been really good. The Wife Between Us was a massive hit and I felt when she separated from co writing her book Gone Tonight from 2023 was her best since then. Then she writes House of Glass and I can honestly say I have found my favorite SP thriller book.

I was absolutely hooked from page 1. This fast paced thriller was well written and characters to cheer for an despise. Stella was fleshed out enough as a main character that you felt for her in every situation, and she was not one the protagonists you yell at the whole time. The Barclay family is dysfunctional, which just made the story that much better. But they were not so dysfunctional that you had to suspend belief, which for me tends to be a turn off sometimes.

About 75% of the way through the book, SP did throw something in for Stella's life that honestly just felt forced. Like it's fine and it didn't really change the story. It just felt like "where did that come from"?

I obviously recommend this one highly!

Thanks to #NetGalley and #StMartinsPress for the book #HouseofGlass by #SarahPekkanen. This book is drama, murder and lies and I absolutely loved it! Stella is a best interest lawyer and is assigned to a divorce case in lieu of a 9 year old girl, Rose. But recently there was a nanny that died on their premises. Stella starts looking into things because they are all acting strange and Rose hasn’t spoke since it happened. Can Stella figure this out? Is Rose responsible?

A solid, claustrophobic thriller.

Stella Hudson serves as guardian at litem (best interest attorney, BIA) for children involved in some of the most brutal custody cases. Her latest client is Rose Barclay, a nine-year-old girl who suffers from traumatic mutism: she stopped speaking after her nanny, who‘d had an affair with her father, fell to her death at the family home. While trying to gain Rose‘s trust and determine the best custodial outcome for the girl in her parents‘ pending divorce, Stella cannot help but see the parallels to her own traumatic childhood. Even more chillingly, everyone, even Rose herself, could be involved in the nanny‘s death…

The author is great at writing nail-biting, fast-paced mysteries, and this is no exception. The claustrophobic atmosphere of the family mansion where there are no sharp objects or glass to be found is eerie, and literally everyone Stella comes in contact with has a motive for murdering the nanny, which makes for an engrossing, thrilling read.

That being said, both the whodunnit and the reveal about Stella‘s personal life felt very obvious, despite attempts at red herrings. And I‘m quickly tiring of a certain type of protagonist, namely grown, professional women who never worked through their own childhood traumas and then react unprofessionally when those traumas are triggered at work. Finally, the ending was a bit too „wrapped in a bow“ for my taste - I actually kind of hoped for a certain last-minute twist that never came.

All in all, an enjoyable and gripping, if not terribly surprising, thriller - not the author‘s best, but nevertheless a solid, engrossing read.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin‘s Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

„House of Glass“ is slated to be released on August 6, 2024.

Ohhhh I loved this one! I loved the whole premise of the book. I was instantly hooked by the plot of Stella having to decide who should be granted custody of Rose when not knowing if either of her parents murdered her nanny. I can't even imagine! Adding in that Rose is currently mute, but might also be evil and the murderer herself?! Sign me up! This was so bingeable! I ate up the audio which was very well done! My only small complaint is that after the resolution, the book kind of felt like a brief book summary. rapidly explaining away the red-herrings. BUT if that wrap up wasn't there then I would have felt like there were some plot holes so I guess it would rather have that! 4.5, rounded to 5.

Thank you @macmillan.audio and NetGally for my ALC/ARC.

HOUSE OF GLASS by Sarah Pekkanen

Compelling, unsettling, horrifying and so very twisty. Stella is determined to do her very best for Rose, a young child who has been mute since nanny fell to her death. Rose is brilliant, but troubled, with changing moods, and a worrisome collection of sharp objects. It’s hard to determine what would be best for Rose, and the atmosphere of danger in their strange house is fearsome. I was tempted to skip to the end to reassure myself, but I didn’t, and I’m glad. I recommend holding out, forging on, and enjoying the conclusion of this web of secrets. (There, I think I’ve avoided spoilers, even omitting reference to a movie I watched when very young. Whew! I wouldn’t want to diminish any of the surprises and breathless suspense).

I had a really hard time getting into this book. I didn’t connect with the characters. I was waiting to be shocked by the mystery elements, but I felt unsatisfied at the end.

This one took me way too long to finish. It started off so good and I was all for the creepiness and trying to figure out who killed Tina. However, the middle felt like there was too much “fluff” and just kept prolonging the story. This one definitely could’ve been quite a bit shorter. I guessed the “twist” so that was a bit disappointing, but figured there’d be some other twists later on.

I am a big fan of Pekkanen’s work and her newest is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat as it did me. It read equal parts whodunnit mystery and suspenseful thriller. I was captivated by the premise involving Rose, a young girl who witnesses her nanny’s murder and then proceeds to go mute as Stella, her lawyer, starts to investigate.

With only the immediate family on the premise at the time of the murder, you naturally begin to suspect-which if you’re a seasoned thriller reader, you know not to trust any red herrings or obvious clues. Because of that I suspected the culprit early on but was hoping to still have some kind of shocking twist at the very end which unfortunately I didn’t get. That and the only other twist in the book was also easily identifiable for me. That combined with much of the book exploring the lawyer’s own trauma, which at times slowed the plot down for me, I decided on my rating (still a 4 star and I still absolutely recommend this book)! With that said, I think many others will find the reveals shocking and will thoroughly enjoy this twisty mystery.

Overall I really enjoyed and will continue to eagerly anticipate all future books this author puts out! Thank you so much to St Martins Press and NetGalley for this #gifted eARC!

2.75 ⭐️

The premise sounded so intriguing…

Nine-year old Rose stops speaking after her nanny (who is also her father’s pregnant affair partner) plunged to her death through a window. Attorney Stella Hudson is hand-picked by her legal mentor to represent Rose’s best interest in her parents’ custody battle because she herself suffered from traumatic mutism following the death of her mother.

Is her creepy but bright voiceless client a traumatized witness, or did she push the nanny herself? If only Rose could communicate!!

Except… she can. She could WRITE the words she cannot say. Whether she’s a secret psychopath or a girl in need of help, surely she’d want to write down her own version of what happened. But nope. Wouldn’t a child prodigy at least carry around a notebook so that at family dinners, she can ask someone to pass the salt? Instead, Rose’s communication in all forms is minimal, terse or vague. In reading other glowing reviews, I seem to be the only nitpicker that this bothered. But one of my biggest pet peeves in the thriller/mystery genre is when a character’s inaction serves to draw out the plot.

Overall, the writing and plot seemed a bit scattered, like throwing darts at multiple dartboards at once. While a particular plot twist hit the bullseye, many of the other storyline tosses bounced off the wall.

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Rose is nine years old and suffers from traumatic mutism as a result of witnessing the death of her nanny Tina, in the midst of her parents acrimonious divorce.
Stella is a best interest attorney who represents the children in custody cases. She usually refuses to take on cases of children under 13 because of her own traumatic past-she also suffered from traumatic mutism as a child which makes her the best person to try and reach Rose and determine who is the best parent to be awarded custody.
But there are details surrounding Tina’s fall that make the police have doubt about whether or not it was an accident that makes everyone a suspect, even Harriet, Rose’s handicapped grandmother who lives with them. The Barclays have removed all the glass from the house after the fall after the discover that Rose has started sneakily collected sharp objects and hiding them. But even more troubling is why the Barclays are so hesitant to allow Stella to spend time alone with Rose.
I really enjoyed that this didn’t go overt the too with crazy twists and the resolution was satisfying. There’s not an overwhelming amount of characters to have to keep up with and they were developed enough that you could get to know them and the plot was original! Hallelujah!!
Thanks to St. Martins Press for this eArc in exchange for my review.

This book was a change of pace for me for sure but I loved every minute. You won’t regret picking this one up!