This was my second book by Pekkanen & I have the same thoughts I did for the first one; it was just fine. I loved the short chapters, that’s always a plus. The overall premises of the book was great. I loved getting to know Rose’s story more as the book went on. However I viewed this as more of a “locked room mystery”. Where we have 4 main people at the scene of the crime, but overall I narrowed it down to two almost immediately. I felt this book was a bit longer than it needed to be and I didn’t really find myself caring much about Stella’s background, but that’s just me. Overall it was a good read, but wasn’t fantastic.

4.5 rounded to 5 stars. This is a crafty psychological thriller filled with lies & deception set in a house where everyone is suspect. A satisfying read with memorable & relatable characters and an original storyline that kept me turning the pages. It doesn’t matter if you figure out the killer because the why is what makes the story.

I highly recommend this novel & will be reading more by this author.

Favorite Line: “Evil isn’t merely a word. It’s a tangible, dimensional thing. It slithers through the air, shifting molecules and displacing energy as it considers various hunting grounds. Once it homes in on a target, its malevolent arc of electricity affixes to its prey.”

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press & Sarah for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 rounded to ⭐️⭐️⭐️
House of Glass is a psychological, twisty thriller that will keep you turning pages until the end.
Stella Hudson, a lawyer appointed to serve as a counsel for children in custody cases, is assigned a new client, Rose Barclay. Rose is a nine year old girl who is not only in the middle of a custody dispute, she also recently had her nanny tragically fall to her death from their family’s wealthy estate out of a top floor window. Rose is now experiencing traumatic mutism and cannot speak. Stella’s job is to uncover what is in Rose’s best interest, while also learning about who might be involved in the nanny’s mysterious death.
Stella’s past history of a traumatic childhood event also enters the storyline as she investigates her own mother’s mysterious death.

What I Liked: Quick read, multiple suspects, the setting of the family’s mansion was definitely creepy, intriguing & sometimes sinister characters, a couple of twists, and a well wrapped up ending

What I didn’t like: everyone is a suspect, even the child

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s press, and the author for an ARC of this book set to release August 2024.

Thank you Netgalley for an early reading of this book. I have enjoyed this authors previous books and this one was no different. I was intrigued from the start and enjoyed the dual story lines, both a mystery. I figured out this one but that didn’t keep me from enjoying reading how it all played out. Pekkanen did a great job achieving a creepy vibe. I recommend this one.

This is a interesting slow burn psychological thriller for fans of mystery and creepy kids. I liked it. Although I don't know if it is one I'll remember or reread, it kept me engaged throughout. If you're looking for a solid thriller, this is worth a read.

Rating: 4/5 Stars
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After reading and loving Gone Tonight, I was super stoked to get an early copy of House of Glass! I was able to listen to this one while simultaneously read it on my kindle which is a huge favorite of mine.
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Stella a best interest attorney is working with Rose Barclay during her parents' divorce after the death of Rose’s nanny. Here’s the catch, Rose is now mute, and this has “creepy kid” vibes written all over it and I really enjoyed following this story. Throughout the entire book I didn’t know who to trust and I was constantly shifting suspicion as to what I thought really happened.
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Told in a dual timeline, the reader gets a glimpse into Stella’s past and in the present day with Stella and Rose. I really loved how much I couldn't figure out what was going on with the Barclay family. They were all so strange and shady. The entire thought proves behind the "glass" was a great little touch. House of Glass is more of a slow - steady paced book. It held my attention throughout. The ending is more fast paced and thrilling. I really did not see that coming, not one bit though once I thought about it, it wasn't overly shocking either.
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I listened to this one via audiobook. It was narrated by Laura Benanti. I though she did a phenomenal job at driving home the eeriness of the house and really nailed those suspenseful moments out of the park. I am highly recommending listening to this one!
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House of Glass will release on 8/6, be sure to get this one - it is very very good! Mystery / thriller fans will be loving this one. Huge thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanen, MacMillan Audio and St. Martins Press for the ALC and eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Excellent story, well developed cast of family members and law enforcement figures of all types.

When a child is determined to need an outsider to determine the best placement for the child, who better than an attorney who has been that child in need herself? In this story, the parents are getting divorced and it's a nasty one. The grandmother lives with them and the live in nanny has just died a sudden death; accidental or intentional? Was it a parent/grandparent or maybe even the child who witnessed or caused the death? Add in the fact that the child has not spoken since it happened.

The attorney who has to investigate has her own traumas to deal with such as wondering how and why her mom died leaving her in need of a caretaker and the fact that this aunt caretaker certainly had no nurturing skills to work with.

Very well done and once again I thoroughly enjoyed a book by this author. Well worth reading. Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Honest opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen kept me guessing until the very end. As a fan of Pekkanen's previous works, I was thrilled to receive an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

One of the aspects I appreciated most about House of Glass was the element of mystery surrounding what happened to Tina - was it murder or was it an accident ? Pekkanen skillfully weaves a web of suspense, leaving readers guessing about what really happened to Tina. Despite having my own suspicions, I was pleasantly surprised when the truth was revealed, adding an extra layer of intrigue to the story because I was way off base.

While House of Glass may be considered a slow burn, I found myself fully invested in the plot. The pacing allowed for a deeper exploration of the characters and their motivations, creating a more immersive reading experience. Pekkanen's writing style draws readers into the world she has crafted.

The main storyline revolves around Stella, a Best Interest attorney tasked with determining the best course of action for Rose amidst her parents' divorce. This aspect of the book provides a thought-provoking exploration of the complexities of family dynamics and the lengths one will go to protect their loved ones.

In addition to the main plot, there is a compelling subplot involving Stella's investigation into her mother's death, which occurred many years ago. This added a layer of mystery to the story and keeps readers eagerly turning the pages.

Overall, House of Glass while it may be a slow burn, the payoff is well worth it. I highly recommend this book to fans of domestic suspense and anyone looking for a captivating read that will keep them guessing until the very end.

I couldn't put this down! Lots of unreliable characters, and then ending was a shocker. Will absolutely be recommending this to those who love psychological suspense.

Another solid thriller by Sarah Pekkanen!

The Barclay’s are a wealthy DC family in the middle of a divorce. Stella is appointed to decide which parent will gain full custody of their daughter Rose. To make things more complicated, Rose does not speak following the traumatic death of her nanny, who fell from the third story of the Barclay’s house.

This book was full of suspense and kept me on my toes. I kept flip-flopping on how I felt about Rose. Stella was a great main character and while I enjoyed her back story, sometimes it took away from the suspense of the current plot.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copies in exchange for my honest review.

“Everyone has a breaking point…”

Personal review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

Creepy little kid vibe, thrill, a cast of compelling characters, and an unknown murderer? Yes. I received this advanced review copy from @stmartinspress and @netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion- and opinion I shall give! Rose Barclay, 9 year old creep kid who is select mute after witnessing…or executing the death of her young nanny, living in a house void of all glass, yes that’s right, the family replaced it all with plastic…to stop Rose from injuring herself or others. Stella the best interest attorney steps in to decide which parent should get custody of the kid after this murder completely upended their family…Stella’s got a sordid past, as well, which is vaguely aligning with Rose’s…then there is the creepy grandma! I’m just gonna leave it at that! If you want a good fast paced thriller, this is a good one to pick up when it becomes available in August 2024.

Synopsis: On the outside they were the golden family with the perfect life. On the inside they built the perfect lie.

A young nanny who plunged to her death, or was she pushed? A nine-year-old girl who collects sharp objects and refuses to speak. A lawyer whose job it is to uncover who in the family is a victim and who is a murderer. But how can you find out the truth when everyone here is lying?

A twisty, suspenseful domestic thriller, I could not figure out who to trust in Sarah Pekkanen's latest, House of Glass. The Barclays live a life of privilege, but dad Ian and mom Beth are at the start of a tense divorce - both want full custody of their nine-year old daughter Rose. When their nanny falls out a house window to her death, the police suspect it was not an accident. The incident left Rose traumatized and unable to advocate for herself, so Stella, our protagonist and court-appointed lawyer, must step in and determine the best custody arrangement for her. But Rose collects sharp objects, all glass is removed from the house, and no one wants Stella to be alone with Rose for too long. Stella knows something else is amiss, and she struggles with her own past as she risks everything to find the truth. The ending was so satisfying!

## Book Review: House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is an excellent book that I had the pleasure of reading as an ARC copy. The story is filled with great twists and turns that kept me guessing until the last page. No part felt forced or awkward, and everything was tied up by the end.

The character development in this book is outstanding, particularly the uniqueness of the psychiatrist and the mute girl. Their intriguing plot is something I had never encountered before, which is quite a statement considering I read about 60-80 books a year.

In conclusion, House of Glass is a captivating and well-written novel that I highly recommend to anyone looking for a thrilling and engaging read. This book will definitely be on my top books for the year of 2024!

This started out so well. But it got really slow and dragging in the middle. Felt very dragged out and lost interest .
Story seemed a little too unbelievable.
Thanks to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book

Stella is in charge of determining the best interests of children in nasty divorce proceedings where a decision cannot be made amicably. Her newest client is Rose, a girl who recently witnessed the death of her nanny in her home. The nanny somehow fell through an upstairs window to her death. The circumstances surrounding it are very suspicious and the case is not settled yet. Because of the horrific incident, Rose has become mute and will not speak to anyone. Since she cannot advocate for herself, Stella needs to get to the bottom of what happened and who is responsible for the nanny's mysterious death. She needs to spend time with each family member and determine the relationships that are beneficial for Rose, while Stella is also doing her own covert investigation.

This book was absolutely amazing!!! I have loved the books that Sarah Pekkanen has co-written and I am a huge fan of hers individually too. This story gripped my soul from the very beginning and did not let go until the book was finished. The story is phenomenal and well-thought-out. There are so many suspicious characters that it is hard to know if anyone is being genuine. The writing is perfection and a complete thrill. I highly recommend this book!

When Stella, a child advocate, is assigned the job of deciding custody and visitation rights for divorcing parents, there are a lot of factors to consider. In this case, there is a father who had admittedly had an affair with the nanny, a wealthy mother who spends most of her time doing volunteer work, and Rose, a disturbed child. Oh, and the pregnant nanny died, either by being pushed or falling out of her bedroom window.

When Stella first sees Rose, Rose picked up a shard of glass on the street. When she goes to Rose's house, all of the glass - mirrors, picture frames, etc. is gone. The parents and the grandmother that lives with them seem to be concerned about Rose, but appear to be covering something up.

I listened to the audio book of this and thoroughly enjoyed it. There are a few sub-plots that keep everything interesting and even a little romance that was a surprise.

I definitely recommend this.

The Barclay’s nanny fell out of the attic window and is now dead. But was she pushed, or did she fall of her own accord? Meanwhile, nine-year-old Rose Barclay has stopped talking because of the traumatic experience and everyone is worried about her. At the same time, Rose’s parents are getting divorced, and her grandmother is living with them, recovering from knee surgery. Now Stella, a best interest attorney, swoops in to determine the best placement for Rose when her parents divorce. Stella quickly learns that things are not what they seem in the Barclay household. To start with, the house has no glass anywhere within it. Stella is determined to find out what is happening in the Barclay household and the best placement for Rose.

Sarah Pekkanen has done it again! Just when I thought I knew what happened, the twist came, and I was shocked. I really enjoyed the ending as it wrapped everything up perfectly. I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys thrillers! I give this one 4/5 stars.

Stella Hudson is assigned as nine-year-old Rose Barclay’s counsel in her parent’s bitter custody case. Stella only wants to determine what’s best for Rose but it’s difficult as Rose is refusing to speak resulting from the traumatic death of her nanny. The more time Stella spends in the Barclay house, the more unsettled she becomes. Was the nanny’s death an accident or was she pushed. And one thing Stella is sure of is that the Barclay house is a house of lies! She surely doesn’t want to award custody of young Rose to a murderer. Or is Rose, a young prodigy who collects sharp objects and steals mementos, the disturbed one? With each clue Stella gathers, her life becomes more endangered – or is she imaging it? The house definitely seems to play tricks on her mind! She took on this case as a special favor to her mentor, but finding the similarities to her own childhood becomes almost too much for Stella to bear!
I read/listened to this book in one night! It was definitely an edge of your seat page turner with all the twists, turns and creepy vibes you would expect from a classic thriller! Almost everyone was a suspect at some point with the clues constantly pointing to different characters.
Expertly narrated by Laura Benanti who brought such a distinction to each character! I actually double checked to see if there were multiple narrators, because she did such a phenomenal job differentiating between voices.

Sarah Pekkanen is quickly becoming one of my auto-buy authors. House of Glass is a psychological thriller about Stella, a best interest attorney who takes the case of Rose, a 9 year old girl whose parents are divorcing after her nanny, Tina fell to her death. Rose is unique, in that she is also suffering from traumatic mutism, similar to Stella when she was young. As she looks into what transpired in Rose's household, she encounters more questions every day.

This was a fast-paced thriller and I literally couldn't put it down. I read it in one go while at the pool and really enjoyed it. I think that it was a very unique thriller and Sarah Pekkanen captured my attention once again. The story was well done, I think that the character development was a little lacking but overall it was suspenseful and kind of creepy - but in a good way. I think the development with Stella was a little out there and forced but overall it was a solid, quick read. There were so many great twists and I always love it when I don't guess the ending!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Sarah Pekkanen for the eARC of House of Glass in exchange for my honest review. Publication date for House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is 06 August 2024.

House of Glass is a psychological thriller about an attorney called in to help determine the best living situation for Rose, a nine-year-old child caught in the middle of her well-off parent's divorce and custody battle. Unfortunately, getting close to or answers from Rose is no easy feat after she witnessed a murder in her home and is now suffering from traumatic mutism.

This is a hard one for me to review. On the one hand, I thoroughly enjoyed all the secrets, lies, and twists. And I think the author did a great job creating suspense and suspicion around a few of the characters, but I was left wanting/needing more depth from most of them. I think the author threw way too much into this book, slowing the plot's pace way down at times. However, the biggest drawback for me was the narration. I do not think the narrator did this story any favors. She either came across too flat or too dramatic. It really did not work for me. Having said this, I'm still excited to have been selected to read and review this book, and I am still a Pekkanen fan and will continue to seek out and read her work.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Macmillan Audio, Sarah Pekkanen, and NetGalley for an ARC and ALC in exchange for my honest opinion.