I read this in less than 24 hours because it was that good. I had even been in a reading slump - and the second I picked this up, I was hooked!! There's nothing like a good creepy kid story to really get your heart racing, you know?

The twists and turns in this story aren't what I expected, but they also aren't unbelievable. At any moment, I was getting the information I needed to keep me interested, and that's always the mark of a good thriller for me: spectacular pacing.

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!

**Thank you to St. Martin's Press & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

Thank you to NetGalley for proving a copy of this book for review. This is new author for me, and I enjoyed the main story, the setting, and the characters of this book. Stella is assigned a new client, a young girl named Rose. Rose is experiencing selective mutism after the tragic death of her nanny. But as Stella gets to know the family surrounding Rose, she begins to wonder if they are protecting the child, or themselves.

I gave this book 3 stars, however, because I felt the story digressed into subplots too often and with too much narrative which slowed down the main plot. Also, there was a particular subplot that didn't provide anything to the story or the main character.

This took a bit to get going and then once it did, I really liked it. The beginning was pretty slow and repetitive, it made me nervous that it wasn’t going to get me very engaged since too much repetition makes me zone out. I’m happy this got a lot better.

I love how everyone was a suspect in this book, including the daughter. It made for a very difficult puzzle to figure out.

Thanks NetGalley and publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

I have been a fan of Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks collaborations in the past. This book was easy to read and kept me wanted to know more. When reading a book, if I can picture the scenes, characters and feel the emotions - then place it on the screen I know it is a hit for me. Because I have read all of her (and Greer's books) it was easy for me to guess the ending. I did not have "did not see that coming" moment but it was still a good book that I enjoyed reading

A can not stop reading book by an accomplished author!

Stella is an attorney who specializes in being an attorney who represents the best interest of the child in custody cases. Her mentor asks her to take on the case of a child who witnessed the death of her nanny while her parents are getting divorced. A child of trauma herself, Stella wants to make sure she is doing right. Rose, the child has become mute, and is unable to provide Stella with information as to how she feels. Stella must look at the child, parents and grandmother as well as the nanny who was having an affair with the father.

Plenty of twists and turns, good pacing, real characters. When you think you have it figured out, it checks you again. It will keep you reading till the end!

Stella Hudson is a guardian ad litem with a troubled past, but she's determined to make life better for the children she helps. When she's assigned to help decide custody for Rose, whose nanny recently fell--or was pushed--out of the window of her house, Stella realizes that there's more to the case than meets the eye.

She's not sure who she can trust--the uptight, cold mother? The down-to-earth dad who was cheating with the nanny? The more Stella looks into the family, the more she's confused. On top of that, there's a mystery from her own past she's trying to solve.

This was a fast-paced, twisty mystery that kept me guessing! I was bouncing all over the place trying to figure out what happened. I really liked Stella as a character--flawed and likeable at the same time, plus reading about how she did her job was fascinating!

This is a classic Sarah Pekkanen book, and if you like the rest of her books, you won't be disappointed.

House of Glass" presents a captivating concept, drawing readers into the intricate web of the Barclays family's secrets. While the initial intrigue held promise, my overall experience was hampered by the book's pacing. The narrative tended to drag, making the journey toward the end feel somewhat torturous.

The redeeming qualities emerged, albeit tardily, offering moments that elevated the story. Unfortunately, the delayed action left me craving engagement much earlier in the narrative. The concept's potential was hindered by a lack of momentum, impacting the overall enjoyment of the novel.

Despite its shortcomings, I appreciate the author's attempt to unravel the complexities within the Barclays family and Stella Hudson's pursuit of truth. However, the sluggish pace overshadowed the promising concept, leaving the reader yearning for a more dynamic and timely development of the plot.

Many things to NetGalley and St Martin press for allowing me in Advanced reader, copying exchange for an unbiased review

I enjoyed this psychological thriller. It held my interest and kept me guessing. Recommended for fans of the domestic suspense genre.

This was a phenomenal book. Thriller is my favorite genre and I’m always patiently waiting for the next big twist. I think this author does an excellent job laying out the scene. I was very easily able to picture what was taking place in the book. I felt so eerie at the same times as Stella and I’m glad I read this book with the lights on. I think overall this was one of my favorite thrillers. The writing was great, the characters were unique, there was enough going on, but not too much to where it gets confusing. I think what I valued the most was how she tied up everything at the end. A lot of authors fail at the epilogue. No reader ever wants a great story to end, but it’s cognitively more pleasing if it is all congruous. I’ve bought books by this author before and I will again. They are consistent in that they never disappoint. Thank you for the opportunity to review this book!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of the gripping and unpredictable new thriller House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen. This is by far one of my favorites by Pekkanen because the storyline is so original and fast-paced.

Stella is an AI assigned to determine what really happened the night that Rose Barclay's nanny was found dead after falling from her third floor window. Rose is a brilliant nine-year-old who is suffering from traumatic mutism after witnessing the tragedy, but is she hiding her role in Tina's death? Her parents are about to get divorced after her father's affair with the young nanny, and the tension in the house is palpable. Was this an unfortunate accident or a brutal murder?

As Stella delves into the circumstances surrounding that horrible night, she also uncovers some disturbing truths about her own childhood. This is a not-to-be-missed read for suspense lovers.

This book intrigued me right from the jump. The concept was unique. The characters kept me guessing. The main character wasn’t naive, like you would expect from this type of book. I was trying to figure it out right along with her.

A story that will keep you guessing and intrigued until the final page!

Stella has found herself advocating for a child she can relate to, one who has become mute after a terrible trauma. Stella experienced this herself when she was a child, so it makes her the best person for the job in helping to decide which parent is going to receive custody of the little girl.

A joint mystery in what happened to this little girls nanny and also what happened to Stella when she was younger, this book takes you on a journey. I would highly recommend the read!

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted (free) ARC

Sorry to say that I did not enjoy this novel. I found the characters to be very uninteresting, dull and not worthy of any sympathy. The plot revolves around a court appointed Best Interest Attorney (BIA) who must determine who is most suitable to care for a child (suffering from traumatic mutism) whose parents are considering divorce after the death of her nanny. The parallels between the lives of the BIA and the child are somewhat ludicrous and the ending is not particularly satisfying.

Rose is a nine year old girl who hasn't spoken after witnessing a very traumatic event. Stella is an attorney specializing in children's best interest and has been brought on board to help decide which parent should get primary custody of Rose in her parents' divorce. The more time Stella spends with Rose and the family the scarier things get. But who is causing all the issues? Rose? Her mother? Her father? Her grandmother? Stella is suspicious of them all.

Sarah Pekkanen keeps turning out fantastic thrillers. I'm a huge fan and House of Glass did not let me down. Great characters, gripping story. lots of options for the villians. Fantastic. 5 stars!

Thank you to Netgalley and St Martin's Press for an advanced reader's copy of House of Glass!!

From the very first chapter, House of Glass draws in the reader. Guardian ad litem Stella Hudson was hired to represent young Rose Barclay in her parents' contentious divorce. The novel starts with Stella observing Rose and her mother walking to a therapist appointment. Stella witnesses her young client surreptitiously pick up a dagger-like piece of glass on the sidewalk and slip it into her jacket pocket. I immediately wanted to know more about Rose - was she evil or merely mischievous? Was she planning to hurt someone with the glass? I had to find out!

In order to make a recommendation about where and with whom Rose should live after the divorce, Stella visits the Barclay house and spends time with Rose, her parents and her grandmother. Complicating matters is the very recent death of Rose's nanny, who either fell or was pushed out of a third floor window. Through Stella's eyes, we see how uncomfortable she feels in the house. It seems that there are many secrets and nobody is being honest. Rose, who witnessed her nanny's death, doesn't add much clarity, as she has not spoken since the death.

Stella's own childhood dictates the passion with which she tries to peel back the layers of deception and protect Rose, even when Rose's odd behavior leads her to question whether she was involved in her nanny's death. There was an interesting side story about Stella's friendship with her mentor and father figure, Charles, and her search for the truth about the death of her mother when she was a young child. The two narratives work well together, as both Stella and Rose suffered trauma during their early childhood. Stella's own suffering and her determination to rise above it and advocate for other children made me root for her as she found herself in some terrifying and dangerous situations. This was a compelling story with a satisfying ending.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press, NetGalley and Sarah Pekkanen for this ARC.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the chance to read an ARC of House of Glass.

What would you be willing to do to protect your child? And what if protecting your child puts others at risk? Stella finds herself asking these questions about the couple she is currently tasked with evaluating amid a complicated divorce, made even more complicated by a suspicious death. But not everything is what it seems, especially when digging into the present means unearthing the past.

I give House of Glass 3.5/5 stars. Several compelling storylines kept my attention and had me thinking about it even during breaks in reading. Unfortunately, it felt as if the interesting parts were broken up with unimportant details that did not add to the storyline or character development. The ending felt rushed and a bit too neat, but did answer the lingering questions I had. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book, but it is not my favorite of Sarah Pekkanen.

3.5 rounded up. I appreciated the plot, and it was decently written. I didn't see the ending coming, but it seemed as if there weren't enough clues about what really happened for my liking. It was more of a telling at the end of oh, this was a clue and this explains this, instead of a gradual realization of the pieces falling together. There was a lot of backstory and explanation into Stella's life, which I get was supposed to make her feel more empathetic to the situation and feel more real (or perhaps the book just wasn't long enough without it). However, I think it was a bit much and distracted from the main plot. In fact, it was more bits and pieces that I would expect to find out about a character in a mystery/thriller series over several books. I think it would have been better situated that way too, so we could see more about Marco, Charles, and Stella's new love interest slowly and more in depth. As is, those parts seemed rushed and more as if we were told how Stella felt about them instead of seeing it over time. In fact, this would have made a better series in that regard. I would have read more about a guardian ad litem that only took high interest cases where there was some mystery/question about what was going on that only she was qualified to take on. I will continue to read from the author, but I do hope that her writing improves a bit over time.

My thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC.

This is an enjoyable read with a deliciously devious plot, and fascinating characters. Recommend highly.

Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!!!!0

Synopsis: Stella is a court appointed child advocate attorney, who is currently working with Rose, a young girl who saw her nanny’s dead body splayed out on their patio, when she fell from the 3rd story of their home. Rose becomes mute after the death of her nanny, and it’s Stella’s job to figure out what would be best for Rose, once her parents divorce is finalized. Stella has her work cut out for her with Rose, and must also navigate her own childhood trauma in the process. Will Stella be able to get through to Rose in time to help her, and will the police figure out if the nanny’s death was a tragic accident, or something more sinister?

Review: WOW!!!! I really loved this book and it only took me 2 days to read it. Once I started, I just couldn’t put it down. It’s usually hard for me to give a thriller 5 stars, because usually a 5 star book for me; is one that makes me cry. But I loved this book from beginning to end, and I like how the author wrapped Stella’s storyline as well as Rose’s at the end. There were no unanswered questions!!

I really enjoy books by Sarah Pekkanen and this one did not disappoint. I’ve read some good books lately BUT it is rare when a story grips me like this one did. My mind was messed with and I could not get through this one fast enough. It was the perfect amount of suspense, eeriness, and misleading going on. The main character gathers clues and tells you what she thinks is going on which often times mirrored my thoughts. Loved the execution. Cannot wait for this author’s next novel.