A solid 3.5-4 star read. Great thriller of who did it and the ending makes it all worth it. I’ve read other books by this author and loved them, so had to give this a shot. While it wasn’t my favorite of hers, it was still a good thriller to read.

House of Glass is a psychological thriller by Sarah Pekkanen that centers around the Barclay family. The story unfolds with the mysterious death of Tina de la Cruz, the family’s nanny, who either fell or was pushed from a window. The novel is set against the backdrop of a bitter divorce and custody battle over their nine-year-old daughter, Rose, who has been deeply traumatized by the events. The plot thickens as Stella Hudson, a lawyer with a traumatic past of her own, is assigned to evaluate the best living situation for Rose amidst the unfolding drama and secrets of the Barclay family.

House of Glass is a compelling psychological thriller that will appeal to fans of domestic suspense and intricate family dramas. Its strengths lie in the intense atmosphere, complex character portrayals, and the relentless pace of the plot. While some elements may feel familiar to avid readers of the genre, Pekkanen’s execution and the emotional depth she brings to the characters make it a standout read.

Unfortunately not for me. In a world with SO many books being published, I just don't see this as a must in our collection - though I imagine we will order a copy as Sarah Pekkanen is popular.

So many unexpected twists! An excellent thriller/mystery with zero gore (thank goodness). It kept me on my toes and had me guessing the whole time.

I did the audiobook for this one and the narrator was fantastic. 🙌🏼

Family drama ✔️
Who done it ✔️
Everyone’s lying ✔️
Who is next ❓

I will be honest; it’s been a few months since I finished the House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen. However, I still remember the ending as if I read the book yesterday. The book takes place right after the murder of a family’s nanny . . . possibly witnessed by nine-year-old Rose. Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, is trying to get to the bottom of what happened.

House of Glass is everything that you want a thriller to be. The book is fast paced with lots of twists and turns. It was hard to know who to trust and the ending was very satisfying. I particularly like the backstory of the lawyer and her motivations in her role as a child advocate.

The audiobook narration was excellent. The narrator really brought the characters to life.

House of Glass is an incredible thriller that will leave you wondering who is truthful, who is lying, and who is the murderer.

This story unfolds at a slower pace, which lets the reader be as observant as Stella is when it comes to the Barclay family. After Rose Barclay’s nanny falls to her death and her parents announce a divorce, Stella is hired to determine which parent is the correct parent to have primary custody of Rose. Stella has to make this decision because Rose can’t speak - a case of traumatic mutism after the death of her nanny.

The more time Stella spends with the Barclay’s, the more secrets she uncovers. And the pace of the story allows the reader to soak in the details and come up with their own theories and suspect list, just to have to throw it out after the next chapter.

I had such a blast reading and listening to House of Glass. I did not correctly figure out who the murderer is, or see any of the twists that unfold. While I normally love a fast paced thriller, House of Glass has taught me to appreciate a slow unraveling before my eyes. I was so impressed with the layers each character has, even down to a seemingly minor side character there is a depth to their story that brings a new perspective or clue to the main plot. This is such a riveting tale and if you love having to solve the puzzle, this one is for you. The audio book was clear to understand and easy to listen to - and I could listen at a faster pace and still maintain the story. I would listen to something by that narrator again.

This story was not what I expected. Rose is such an interesting girl. Her nanny dies and she becomes mute. Was the nanny’s death an accident or did someone kill her? Stella is assigned by the courts to decide which parent Rose should live with once the parents divorce and she takes it upon herself to find out the truth about the nanny.

This book had twists and turns and kept me wanting to know more. I like how Stella’s backstory had relevance to her current situation with Rose.
I listened to the audio and the narrator did a fantastic job portraying the mom. I could just see her character through the way the narrator did her voice.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC audiobook. I’m glad I got the opportunity to listen to this fantastic story.

Thank you to Netgalley!
This one definitely ended differently than I was expecting. Although I had a slight hint of who it was but some of the other things that happened I wasn't expecting at all!
I always enjoy a good thriller that makes me want to continue listening or reading! I did have the audiobook for this and highly recommend it if you like a good "who did" it book.

This was such a captivating thriller! I love stories where every character could easily be the murderer, and this one absolutely fit the bill! Sarah wove Stella’s past into the story so well, and I thought it added a great level of complexity to the story.

This was so good on audio, and I will definitely be listening to all of Sarah’s books going forward! Laura Benanti nailed the narration, and I was engaged from the opening lines through the exciting conclusion!

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for the ALC. All thoughts are my own.

Love books like this where everyone is a suspect. This book was definitely a page turner. So many secrets. So many twist and turns. This book will take you on a wild ride. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of the book.

This was my first book by Sarah Pekkanen. I really enjoyed this twisty thriller. Everyone is a suspect in the nanny's murder. This book will have you wanting to turn the pages quickly to see what is happening next. Thanks NetGalley for the audio eArc.

This book had everything I love in a cinematic spooky story. Family with everything to lose and a lot of secrets. A child that seems to be unhinged for some reason and a main character that has their own messy life to deal with. This family drama had me guessing for more than 1/2 of the book and even then, I wasn't sure I was right.
The main character was enough of a mess that her life bled into her job - deciding which parent should have custody of their child. Oh - and there was just a murder at their house as well. One big happy family.

This book captured my attention immediately and I totally relished in how atmospheric and unsettling it was! Creepy kid plots are inherently dark and fascinating, but the addition of a "plastic house" free of any sharp objects makes it even more intriguing!

I've always been captivated by selective mutism, and I loved the constant uncertainty about whether the child was evil and who could be trusted!

Pekkanen utilized short chapters to continually drive the suspense making this spine-chilling whodunit thriller an easily bingeable read!

This was a twisty, suspenseful story that keeps you hooked until the end. The many complex pieces keep the story moving and all come together in the end in a fantastic conclusion!

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen offers a suspenseful plot with a captivating setting, but its twists can be predictable and the characters somewhat underdeveloped. It’s an engaging read, though it doesn’t quite elevate itself above the typical thriller.

Love a good domestic thriller! This one pulled me in immediately.

I loved the short chapters and the interesting child aspect. You doubt everyone and I wasn't sure where this one was going, but definitely enjoyed the ride.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for both an ARC and ALC. The audio made it more eerie and atmospheric.

Twisty domestic thriller with dark themes and a satisfying resolution. I enjoyed the creepy kid vibes, the complicated interpersonal relationships, and the strong FMC. The villain reveal felt slightly anticlimactic but I’m not sure why that was. I think you’ll still enjoy the ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copy. These opinions are my own.

💭 MY THOUGHTS: This was an “okay” thriller for me. Our female lead is haunted by the trauma from her past which helps her as a social worker relate to the kids she is focused on helping. Everyone in the family she is assigned in a custody case is a suspect for the murder of their former nanny. I guessed one the shocking twists pretty early on but did not guess who the killer was. I found myself semi bored from the slow pace BUT at the same I did want to keep reading to find out how it ended.

@laurabenanti did a great job narrating the book and capturing the suspenseful elements.

Read for:
🩸 Whodunit
⚖️ Custody Case
💟 Social Worker
💰 Wealthy Family
👄 Secrets & Lies
🔎 Single POV

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 / 5
Spice Level: 🧼 squeaky clean

The plot caught my attention quickly.

** Tina de la Cruz, the nanny for 9-year-old Rose, falls or is pushed from a window to her death.

**She was having an affair and found herself pregnant

**Four people witnessed the fall

**Rose's parents are in the middle of divorcing

**Rose, who we believe witnessed the incident, carries sharp things and doesn't speak.

**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.


Oh, yes, there's something eerie about the house itself: It's a plastic house, with no glass to be found.

While this was a page-turner for me that was hard to stop coming back to, I have to say the story pulled in too much at times and didn’t stay focused. But all in all, Pekkanen did a nice job of occasionally causing me to jump from one suspect to another. Other twists I did predict.

While it wasn’t a fast-paced thriller, it did keep drawing me back to it.

🎧 The audiobook narration by Laura Benanti was exceptional. I’m always amazed by good narrators.

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen was entertaining, and I needed to figure out who committed the murder. This well-written psychological thriller kept me guessing. I listened to the audiobook, which added to the story. I would recommend the audiobook. I don't want to give too much away, but this would be a good book to add to your list.