A fabulous mystery from a reliable author. When I started reading, I thought I knew where this book was going--and I was (happily) wrong! Loved being surprised at the twists and turns. A great read.

What a whirlwind! In typical Pekkanen panache, she spins quite the thriller, with expertly laid bread crumbs and red herrings, and a twist that was worth the reveal!

I flew through this one and throughly enjoyed it. I always find thrillers that delve into child psychology interesting, and Rose’s character was a great exploration of this and whether her trauma was real or of her own making.

Pekkanen is an auto read for me and this one was up there with my favs!

Well written with great pacing and an intriguing storyline. Some plausibility issues with the ending. I always enjoy this author.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/195790531

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen has an interesting premise what falls apart in its implementation. An editor with a big red pencil could have made this a winner. It’s basically a mystery where there’s a lot of suspects in a possible murder. Did the young nanny jump from an upper story window or was she pushed. Suspects? Lots of possibilities. The mother, the father, the grandma, the nanny’s jilted boyfriend or maybe 9 year old Rose Barkley herself.

Stella Hudson is a court appointed child advocate who is investigating who should have custody of the child during a seemingly amicable divorce. The more people Stella interviews the household, the more she sees deception looming under the surface.

To add to the plot is the fact that both Rose and Stella are/have suffered from traumatic mutism. There is also the perplexing situation that has all glass has removed from the home: windows, kitchen ware, décor, picture frames. The reader guesses that when the reason for this odd condition is known, the mystery will also be solved.

My problem with this novel is that as each suspect is interviewed one of Stella’s personal back stories is revealed. I usually like a “then and now” format if it is well done. In this story the flow/transition is not seamless and intrusive. The author also dragged nonessential story portions on until they got boring and was repetitive. As I said – a better editor would have made this a better book.

#NetGalley #Mystery

This is the first book I’ve read from this author and it won’t be the last. I read the blurb and I thought it was very interesting and it didn’t disappoint. I was instantly hooked and couldn’t put it down. If you want a great Murder mystery to read, then I recommend reading this book.

Shew. Where do I even begin with this story? Alright, let's start with the synopsis. As you can see, all the big "reveals" are in the synopsis. My version is a shortened version of Amazon's blurb. Yep, you read that right. Almost all of the twists are given to you in the blurb. However, despite the unexciting blurb, Sarah Pekkanen writes like she is trying to twist you at the end of most chapters. But the twists are already in the synopsis? In the vein of Kinae Minato's Confessions, many chapters end on a shocking cliffhanger that forces you to continue reading. Unlike Minato, though, Pekkanen's novel has 68 chapters compared to Minato's taut six chapters. And that's the difference. Minato holds the reader in her hands with six chapters, leaving them wanting more with each chapter-ending twist. Pekkanen, however, has 68 chapters in 352 pages, which comes to an average of 5 pages per chapter. While there isn't anything inherently wrong with short chapters, they tend to work better in fast-paced, high-stakes books. Think The Quiet Tenant by Clemence Michallon. When novels like House of Glass use short chapters, it feels lazy, as if the author doesn't know how to write fully fleshed-out ideas and uses the short chapters to compensate for this failure.

Let's move on to my next complaint: a cash grab of a novel. Here's the thing: Sarah Pekkanen is an accomplished author and has written many popular books. However, this novel feels like a cash grab. What I mean by that is it feels like she just wrote some stuff with some hot topics to draw in readers. At 77% of the way through the novel, there's a new plot point: Stella finds that she is attracted to the female detective. Gasp! There has been literally zero inkling that she may be bisexual, but suddenly she just is. Before the 77% mark, Stella is wrapped up in her soon-to-be ex-husband, then she randomly finds she's attracted to a female. I'm sorry, what? Because there is no precursor to this idea, it feels like a random cash grab to get the book marked as LQBTQ+ to reach a wider audience. The author doesn't even go into detail about Stella discovering new things about herself. Maybe it's just me, but this feels exploitative, but, in the words of my best friend, it feels like queerbaiting.

Lastly, Pekkanen's novel feels like a run-of-the-mill thriller, something I have read and seen before. Shockingly, there's a time jump (see my sarcasm). There are far too many chapters. Other than Stella, the characters are not well developed. And to my utter disdain, a random person, albeit an attorney, solves the crime. I'm just tired of accomplished and decorated detectives being unable to solve a crime for some random person with no police background to come in and solve the case. It's just not believable.

If I were just getting into thrillers, I might have enjoyed the plot. However, as a seasoned thriller reader, I expect more, especially from a seasoned thriller author. As such, I give Pekkanen's novel 2.5 stars; it's an average book with an average plot. If you are familiar with thrillers, you can skip this August release. You will not be missing out. Thanks to NetGalley for the advanced copy.

🏠 BOOK / REVIEW 🪞

I was so lucky to be one of the few who snagged an early copy of #houseofglass by Sarah Pekkanen, thanks to the @netgalley and @macmillanusa@stmartinspress gods. She is always an auto read author for me, so I dove right in.

I will rip the bandaid off - this wasn't my favorite by her. I talked with some ladies in my virtual #bookclub who recently finished it as well, and the overall consensus was that it fell flat for them as well.

I will start with my positives:

I couldn't put the book down. I was truly invested in the storyline. It was a quick read, and you'll want to know what happens.

The characters are well written, but we are missing a key POV - Tina. I wish that Pekkanen would have included her perspective (whether through diary entries or short chapters). Her death felt like an afterthought, though it was the main premise of the story.

Now, onto what didn't work for me:

The ending - after all the tension and suspense, everything fell flat. The killer's reveal was lackluster and also felt implausible to me. Their reason for revenge wasn't well crafted. I wish it had taken a different turn.

The inclusion of a romance in the last few chapters felt odd to me. It didn't add or take away from the plot, but to me, it was a bit of a distraction and didn't fit the book at all.

Charles and his relationship to Stella was also odd. It fit together too neatly and was a storyline I could have done without. It felt like Pekkanen was trying to shove too many subplots into this book.

I would give this ⭐️⭐️⭐️ - this one publishes in August, 2024. Thank you for #gifted copy!

Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney (BIA), represents children in divorce and custody cases. Her own traumatic childhood has given her the empathy and experience she needs for this difficult work. The Barclay case is a challenge. Beth Barclay is a multimillionaire. Her husband Ian is a former landscaper. His mother Harriet lives with the family. Rose Barclay is nine. She is Ann exceptional child, gifted in many ways. She is also mute. She hasn’t spoken since she witnessed the tragic fall and death of her nanny Tina. Tina and Ian had a brief affair and Tina was pregnant with Ian’s child. So Stella visits the luxurious, gated Barclay mansion where everyone, including Rose, could be responsible for Tina’s death. Stella has to choose the parent who will have custody. Will she make the correct choice or will she leave Rose with a murderer?

As Stella deals with the complexities of this case, she confronts her own painful past. She wants to uncover the secrets behind her mother’s tragic death. When she does she finds that much of what she believed was false. Like the Barclay case, the truth was deeply buried.

Sarah Pekkanen has delivered a deftly plotted mystery/thriller with very relatable characters. The Barclay house, with its strange echoing noises, emphasizes the disconnect between emotions and actions. This is a must read! 5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley, St, Martin’s Press and Sarah Pekkanen for this ARC.

“The most determined liar of all is someone who is fighting for their life. They’ll say anything, pretend to be anyone.”

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is a psychological thriller with a who done it theme. The main character is Stella, the Best Interest Attorney for Rose, who is a nine year old suffering from mutism. Stella has been assigned to Rose following the divorce proceedings between her parents. The divorce is a high profile case which takes place after the mysterious death of the nanny, Tina. Not only was there an investigation into the death of Tina which may have been an accident or perhaps something more sinister considering the father, Ian, was having an affair with her prior to her death. The entire family become suspects as Stella searches for answers not only to uncover the mysteries of her own past, but to ensure the best outcome for Rose, even if Rose needs to be protected from herself.

This book kept me guessing throughout and was incredibly well written. It was hard to put down and when a book can keep the story flowing as seamlessly as this it deserves 5 stars! ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanen, and the publisher St. Martin’s Press for early access to this book in exchange for an honest review.

Overall, I enjoyed this! While I’ve read a few of her books that were written with Greer Hendricks, House of Glass was my first solo Sarah Pekkanen book.

I think at its core this story was enthralling and intriguing. A wealthy DC couple is in the midst of a nasty divorce after their young daughter’s nanny was found dead at their home (she was also having an affair with dear old dad). Now, nine year old Rose is suffering from traumatic mutism and exhibiting a lot of creepy behaviors.

Enter: Stella Hudson. Stella is a Best Interest Attorney tasked with the job of figuring out which of Rose’s parents should be awarded full custody.

While I really enjoyed most of this story, there were some parts that held it back from being a winner. House of Glass is a very slow burn and there’s also a sub-plot concerning Stella’s mother that didn’t do much for me aside from slow down the pacing. I think the author did a great job creating tension and fully developing Rose’s character to the point that the reader is questioning her every move. What didn’t work for me was how slow and detailed the writing was in between scenes with Rose.

The last 15% is very action packed and entertaining. I just wish it didn’t take so long to get to that point.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader. All opinions are my own!

Sarah Pekkanen never fails to write a gripping, page-turning mystery full of emotion. This captured my attention immediately and held it throughout until the very last page. I am all for a story with creepy kids, traumatic experiences, red herrings, and ominous families, and this had it all. The plot was well thought-out, the delivery immaculate, as well as the character development. If you are looking for a book you can't put down, this is definitely for you. Four and a half stars.

Thank you, Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC.

Sarah Pekkanen does it again with House of Glass. This is easily Pekkanen's best book yet. I have enjoyed every book by this author and this one does not disappoint.
This one is a fast paced thriller that will keep you guessing until the end. I really enjoyed the two points of view, and in my mind it made everyone a suspect.
The characters are well written, and they tie nicely into the plot.
Clear your schedule because you will not be able to put this book down.

Sarah pekkanen is one of my favorite writers. This had so many twist and turns
You don't know who is telling the truth and who is lying.

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen.
Sarah Pekkanen does it again! She just turned into an ‘auto read author’ for me.
Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney (BIA) for children. She usually only works with teenaged kids due to having her own traumatic incident when she was a child. But this time her long time friend and mentor who’s also a Judge asks her personally to take this case on.
Rose Barclay is 9 years old and in the middle of her wealthy parents divorce and custody battle. When the nanny is killed by falling (or was she pushed?) out of a third story window, Rose turns mute and things heat up. It’s up to Stella to figure it all out, even though so much of this case brings her back to her own traumatic event all those years ago.
This book was phenomenal! I stayed up way past my bedtime to see how it all wove together and it was worth it!

This was an addictive book with a lot of twists and turns. The book has very well developed characters. I recommend this book.

Sarah Pekkanen has become an autobuy author for me. I really enjoyed House of Glass. Guessing who the bad guy was was very difficult because all the characters seemed guilty to me. The relationships between the characters were interesting to read.

I was invested in this psychological thriller by page 10 and enjoyed every page thereafter. Stella is an attorney assigned to a custody battle, in the interest of nine year old Rose, whoś parents are fighting over custody. When Roseś nanny is murdered, everyone is a suspect, including the little Rose, who witnessed the terrible murder.

The author did well with character development and kept me guessing. I have read a few books by author Sarah Pekkanen and I think this is my favorite thus far! I gave this 4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

Thank you to Netgalley for the eARC of this wonderful read!

It is taking all of my restraint not to start this review with all caps, but seriously, WOW. This one had me breathless!

House of Glass is told from the viewpoint of Stella Hudson, a Best Interest Attorney assigned to a case to determine the custody arrangements of a 9 year old girl, Rose Barclay. Rose is suffering from traumatic mutism following the death of her nanny Tina. Rose comes from an extremely wealthy family, and her parents are getting divorced. It’s Stella’s job to enter the Barclays lives and determine the best course of action for Rose going forward.

But did someone kill Tina? Or was her death an accident? Were Rose’s parents involved? Or is it possible that Rose herself had something to do with her nanny’s death? Of course the fact that Rose isn’t speaking just adds to the mystery, and Stella has her work cut out for her with the Barclay family and their giant creepy house.

The pacing of this one was so, so good. It kept me completely invested throughout. Some parts were deliciously creepy, so much so that I had to stop reading at night because my husband is out of town and I suddenly became aware of all of the giant windows in my own house looking out to the darkness.

I feel so fortunate to have received an arc for this one, thank you so much @netgalley and @stmartinspress. If you’re a thriller fan, I highly recommend reading this one when it comes out August 6!

House of Glass is a thriller that keeps you guessing in one way or another for almost the entirety of the book. Even when you figure out the "culprit" there's still the questions of "why?" "how?" and.... "yes, but are you sure?" Stella is an attorney making a custody decision in a contentious divorce between a husband and wife. Their only child, a nine-year-old daughter, reportedly witnessed the death of her nanny and has now become mute as a response to the trauma. The death of the nanny was investigated as a murder, but has not been proven and is soon to be ruled accidental. Stella doesn't agree. She feels the evil lurking in the family's home and is determined to not only make the best (and safest) custody decision for the young girl, but to solve the mystery of what happened to the nanny.... or more importantly - which family member killed her.

The only thing(s) I didn't love about this story were the few chapters at the end that dealt with Stella and the detective on the case - the initial chapter where they interacted just felt so out of place with the entire vibe of the book. It left me confused because it just didn't flow with any of the characters' backstory or anything relative to the narrative of the book (in my opinion). This was touched on again, briefly, at the end of the book, but again - it just didn't feel relevant to the story at all and seem superfluous and unnecessary. Other than that, a great read that kept me hooked throughout. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't my favorite by this author. I think I expected a fast pace and huge twists, but it's definitely a slow burn. The beginning is strong as you meet the dysfunctional family in their creepy house, but it slows down in the middle. I like that everyone's a suspect as you try and figure out what happened to Tina. Rose is a disturbing little kid, but the whole family is suspicious. There were some surprises at the end, but for some reason they didn't feel especially shocking. A couple of emotional scenes in the final chapters had me tearing up though. There's also a romance that comes out of nowhere and felt out of place. House of Glass is a solid thriller that I think a lot of people will love. Unfortunately, the slower pace and a couple of other little things kept it from being a 5-star read for me. I look forward to seeing what Sarah Pekkanen comes up with next!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!