Thank you Netgalley and publisher for this arc, in exchange for an honest review.

I truly enjoyed this book. This was my first read by this author and it was so well written. I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. It had some major twists and turns. I did guess what was going to happen early on and I was right in one of the twist, but not the other. I enjoyed reading about the relationships of the characters. This will definitely won't be the last book I read from her.

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen kept me glued to the pages from start to finish. This centers around a nine-year-old girl named Rose, who may know what happened, but will not speak. She has traumatic mutism. Naturally, there are secrets and lies and who can you trust?

For attorney Stella Hudson, an attorney who works with children, there to help figure out which parent Rose should live with, things are confusing and weird.

This book was creepy and twisted, in the best way!

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?

Rose Barclay is a nine-year-old girl who witnessed the possible murder of her nanny — in the midst of her parent’s bitter divorce — and immediately stopped speaking. 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.

From the moment Stella passes through the iron security gate and steps into the gilded, historic DC home of the Barclays, she realizes the case is even more twisted, and the Barclay family far more troubled, than she feared. And there’s something eerie about the house itself: It’s a plastic house, with not a single bit of glass to be found.

As Stella comes closer to uncovering the secrets the Barclays are desperate to hide, danger wraps around her like a shroud, and her past and present are set on a collision course in ways she never expected. Everyone is a suspect in the nanny’s murder. The mother, the father, the grandmother, the nanny’s boyfriend. Even Rose. Is the person Stella’s supposed to protect the one she may need protection from?

Stella is called to a wealthy Washington D.C. estate to make a custody judgement for Rose, a 9-year-old girl who has gone silent after her nanny was tragically pushed from a window. While there, Stella begins to suspect something is amiss in the house. Really cool premise. The house provided a solid atmosphere and liked the idea of a sinister kid, but the execution wasn't all there. There was too much going on in here. I honestly didn't really care about what happened to Stella's mother because the emotional through line of that plot line felt half-baked. As with all of Sarah
Pekkanen's thrillers, this was a super quick read that I blazed through in a few sittings.

**Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sarah Pekkanen for an ARC of this book!**

"And I've got so little left to lose
That it feels just like I'm walking on broken glass..."-Walking on Broken Glass, Annie Lennox

Stella Hudson OFTEN feels this way...and never moreso than with her current case. As a best interest attorney, she always has to navigate the murky waters of right and wrong and the near-constant 'he said, she said' between parents while determining the best course of action in custody cases. It's a delicate dance, and one that takes ALL of Stella's strength...not to mention her dedication to keeping her own past trauma at bay. When she takes on the case of the Barclay family, however, there is an added layer of drama, death, and devastation: the family's nanny recently died after falling out of a window at the luxurious, historic Barclay home.

But was this an unfortunate accident...or a carefully executed plot to get the nanny out of the way?

There are a plethora of suspects here, from both Barclay parents (including the father, who some suspect to have had an affair with said nanny), the grandmother, the nanny's former boyfriend...and most disturbingly, the Barclay's only child: nine year old Rose. Stella would love to get to the bottom of things by getting Rose to open up and talk with her, but there's a slight problem: Rose has developed traumatic mutism after the incident and won't say a word to anyone. What begins to disturb Stella even more, however, are some of the oddities to be found in the Barclay home....most notably, that every single pane or piece of glass in the house has been replaced with plastic.

When she finds a small stash of 'weapons' Rose has hidden in her room, Stella's fear heightens....not to mention the book about a serial killer she has nestled by her bedside table. Is such a young, seemingly innocent girl carrying a dark and deadly penchant and fascination with murder? Was she so desperate to remove the nanny from her home that she would resort to ANY means necessary to make her 'go away?' And if Stella's hunch is correct...could Rose's silent rage turn in her direction and take her OFF this particular case...for good?

Sarah Pekkanen's latest solo effort (without her favorite writing buddy, Greer Hendricks) at first seemed somewhat reminiscent in terms of tone and theme to her last solo novel, Gone Tonight, which was a book I DEVOURED last year. Needless to say I was VERY eager to check out this one, and the idea of a house that had all of its glass removed was creepy, unique, and I'll be honest, sort of fascinating. I went in relatively blind, trying to maintain the aura of mystery and uncover the secrets of the Barclay family along with our narrator...and at first, for about the initial 40% or so, it wasn't too hard to do and I was pretty keyed in and intrigued to see where this would go.

But somewhere along the way, this House of Glass become more like a House of Cards...and let's just say one quick gust of boredom turned THAT into an impromptu game of 52 Card Pickup.

The first half of this book was somewhat straightforward, and in some ways, I was ENTIRELY okay with that. Rose is evil and your basic 'Damien from the Omen' vibes ensued. We got example after example of creepy instances, looks that felt off, strange happenings at home, anecdotal evidence of Rose's past problems at school, etc....ALL of which was certainly enough to ring the alarm bells for Stella. Again, not exactly new and exciting territory, but I didn't have too much trouble with buy-in. Stella moved about her days investigating, talking with the family members, still suspecting others (to an extent) and all of this SEEMED to be setting up a big final showdown between She Who Must Not Be Named and Stella. (And if this sounds a bit boring and repetitive, trust me, by about 50% it was ABSOLUTELY getting there.)

But of course...nothing in this book could be THAT simple....and the second half of this book is where it started to lose me entirely. We pivot sharply from the main mystery of the Barclay murder...and have to dive headfirst into STELLA'S past trauma. What was (potentially?) supposed to feel like a parallel felt more like heavy-handed storytelling, with LOTS of telling rather than showing, and all sorts of extraneous detail that felt out of place, to say the least. This second half of the book almost felt like a different book or even a different GENRE, and in this case, I just didn't gel with it whatsoever. Where Pekkanen made so many subtle, brilliant, emotional points in Gone Tonight about mothers and daughters...I didn't get ANY of that emotional gravitas here. This tonal shift just sort of snapped me out of the story to the point where I was begrudgingly flipping pages, waiting for it to end, rather than still feeling invested in who the murderer was or how they did it.

Honestly, it felt more like Stella needed to take a break from attorney life and just go to therapy for a while. For a minute I thought a horribly Hallmark-y ending was coming; thankfully, it did not, but the fact that the plot even SEEMED like it was going in that direction is a bit alarming. Stella also engages in some pretty, uh, unethical, behavior to say the least...so suspension of disbelief at her being able to get away with her actions is also required. There's also a random relationship (or the beginnings of one) thrown in toward the end of the book for no reason whatsoever (or none that I could glean), The very last chapter is also INCREDIBLY short and could have been left out entirely - not quite sure what that was about - and was just the eye-rolling icing on the cake. We also are given plenty of details that are unnecessary and unwanted towards the end. Where so many thrillers (or I guess, in this case, quasi-thrillers) leave the reader BRIMMING with unanswered questions, this one sort of spurted out a bunch of answers...when nobody had actually ASKED the questions.

But perhaps the biggest disappointment of all is that for a book that is ostensibly DRIVEN by being about a house with no glass in it...this winds up being nearly irrelevant to the plot. If THAT'S not a missed opportunity...I'm not sure what is.

...I guess 'House of Plastic' just didn't have that same ring to it.

3 stars

Ohhh, man this was a good one! Sarah Pekkanun knows how to pull you in and keep you guessing. Lots of twists and interesting characters! Highly recommend!

I am happy to say that I really enjoyed this thriller! After years of reading thrillers, I started to get tired of them. They tend to feel cookie cutter, and the worst ones get too outlandish for my taste. I read them very sparingly now.

But House of Glass was very enjoyable for me! It has some substance, I enjoyed the perspective of the main character Stella’s POV as a lawyer whose job it is to determine the more suitable parent. When we’re talking about cookie cutter thrillers, the main character is usually an overmedicated, under-rested, over soused unreliable female, so I really appreciated Stella’s focus, control and intellect.

Very early on I thought I knew it was going on, and I’m happy to say that I was wrong. The ending was a twist I didn’t see coming, but it was also extremely realistic, which I appreciate.

House of Glass is a fun popcorn thriller that didn’t disappoint or make me roll my eyes and that’s saying something! I recommend this one for a fun summer read!

I received a free digital copy of this book from the publisher, all opinions are my own

House of Glass is one of Sarah Pekkanen’s greatest books. It is scary, creepy and will keep the reader sitting on edge of their seat the whole way through the book. I was honestly scared reading this book, but couldn’t put this book down until I finished reading it. She keeps the reader guessing the whole way through the book and she does not disappoint. Bravo Sarah and I look forward to your next book 🙋‍♀️🇨🇦🙏❤️📚👏🙌👍💐

This was my favorite book by Sarah Pekkanen so far! It was dark and twisty but at the same it was easy to believe that it was happening. The whole book kept me hooked and I really enjoyed the ending of the book.

I just finished this book and I don't know how to feel.

I'm a huge fan of all the books Sarah Pekkanen's co-written with Greer Hendricks. I especially loved The Wife Between Us and The Golden Couple. House of Glass is the first book I've read by Sarah Pekkanen alone. I wanted to love it but...

Sarah Pekkanen is obviously a very talented writer, but I just found this story depressing. I needed at least one uplifting moment...or a likable character...anything positive. Nothing. Though the characters were well-developed, I couldn't latch on to any of them. I found the main character (Stella) incredibly annoying. The others were either tragic or boring.

The book is slow at times but well-paced overall. I was (mostly) entertained throughout but it's not a book I'll think about once I've finished writing this review.

3.5 rounded up to 4.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the copy. House of Glass follows Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney who is assigned to the case of Rose Barclay. Stella must determine what the best outcome for Rose is during her parent’s divorce. It won’t be easy though because Rose is suffering from traumatic mutism. I enjoyed House of Glass. I did not predict the ending, which is always a win. I struggled a bit during the middle of the book, but it picked up at the end.

Stella is tasked with determining where Rose, a young girl who recently witnessed the traumatic death of her nanny, should live now that her parents are divorcing. Rose's mom Beth filed for the divorce once she discovered Rose's dad Ian had cheated on her with the nanny who was also subsequently pregnant. Who could have killed the nanny and who is safe enough for custody over Rose? Or is Rose the killer.....?

Nifty twisty story! I did find it dragged a bit in the middle, and wondered about the couple sub plots that seemed to be woven in to Stella's story, but it all tied up nicely at the end. I enjoyed that the story was only told from Stella's perspective which helped build the mystery, doubt, and distrust of the other characters through her POV. Overall a solid read and would probably recommend for readers who enjoy Riley Sager as this gave me similar vibes to his style. Solid mystery thriller!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read in exchange for my honest review.

Stella is a best interest attorney assigned to determine the best placement of 9 year old Rose in her parents divorce. Rose is mute and witnesses the death of her nanny, (and father’s mistress) Tina. Stella has to figure out if what appears to be a troubled child, hiding items to use as weapons, is truth or if her odd acting family is scheming against the child. Stella had a traumatic childhood and dealt with being mute herself. Her mentor Charles actually asked her to take this case. What follows is a troubled tale that is difficult for Stella to unravel. She knows something in the house is evil but can’t determine if it’s the child, the grandmother or the parents.

I found this to be an extremely suspenseful read. The author did a great job at making us question whether Rose was a troubled child with hidden violent tendencies vs being a child manipulated by those meant to protect her. Stella’s character was easily loved. This was a quick paced page turner, with several twists. It kept my attention better than most. I really enjoy the way the author tells her stories. This is my second of her books and I will continue to read more by her. I highly recommend for anyone looking for a suspenseful, quick read.

Review posted: 8.5.24

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I’ve really enjoyed Sarah Pekkanen’s books, especially her collaborations with Greer Hendricks (specifically The Wife Between Us).

However, House of Glass did not quite meet the mark for me. It had some good parts, but some of it underwhelmed me.

What I liked:

The cover is really cool.

The current storyline of who killed the nanny. Some great motives and characters that really kept you guessing.

Rose. I would love to see this made into a movie so I could see who would play Rose.

What I didn’t love:

Stella’s story, while it did have some intriguing aspects, kinda slowed down the story of how the nanny died. It was very tied to Rose’s story, which added an interesting wrinkle, but it dragged just a bit.



Bottom line: There was a lot of good stuff here, but it just ended up being ok for me.



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

Sarah Pekkanen delivers yet again with another fantastic domestic thriller! This novel blends twisty plot lines with characters with complicated pasts and adds a dead nanny and a child who refuses to speak -- what a mixture just waiting to explode! Grab this and cancel all other plans immediately because you will need to keep reading until the very end.

I enjoyed this one. It was twisty and kept me guessing. I also liked the characters, a mix of likeable and unlikeable.

The only thing I didn’t like away the romance with Stella. That seemed like it was thrown in at the last minute to check a box. Really didn’t add anything to the story.

Otherwise this was a quick, fun read that I’d recommend to others.

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

In HOUSE OF GLASS by Sarah Pekkanen, Stella Hudson is tasked with finding the best placement for a troubled ten year old whose parents are divorcing after a scandal that left the child’s nanny dead. Was it a tragic accident or murder? There are plenty of unanswered questions and unlikely suspects in this attention grabbing novel. As Stella struggles to do the best for her young client, surprising answers to the mysteries of her own tragic childhood surface. Stella is a smart & caring heroine that I rooted for from the first page. She did not disappoint and neither does the author in this captivating thriller.#netgalley

After reading the co-authored books by Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks, I was curious to see if Pekkanen could write a stand out thriller on her own and she has! Sarah Pekkanen has once again given us an original plot, with this story of Stella, a best interest attorney, who is called on to give her professional advice on whether a little girl should be placed with mom, dad, or in shared custody in a divorce. The problem? The girl can't tell her because of traumatic mutism brought on by witnessing the death of her nanny. That is not to say she doesn't find ways to communicate with Stella.

This book gives all the creepy gothic vibes as Sarah gets weird feelings every time she enters the Barclay's, as though the house itself is evil. She second guesses whether she can help Rose, who is staunchly defended by her parents and grandmother even as they hide glass and sharp objects from her. But Stella's mentor has assured her she is the only one who can help Rose.

The characters were well developed with stories so convincing you didn't know who to side with. I may have teared up a couple of times. Reading a THRILLER! What the heck! But the twists and turns brought me back to the book and the satisfying conclusion.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advance reader's copy.

Sarah Pekkanen is a wonderful author and I've read four of the novels she co-authored with Greer Hendricks as well as one other she wrote on her own. I've devoured and enjoyed everything I've read by her so far.

Description:
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?

Rose Barclay is a nine-year-old girl who witnessed the possible murder of her nanny - in the midst of her parent's bitter divorce - and immediately stopped speaking. 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.

From the moment Stella passes through the iron security gate and steps into the gilded, historic DC home of the Barclays, she realizes the case is even more twisted, and the Barclay family far more troubled, than she feared. And there's something eerie about the house itself: It's a plastic house, with not a single bit of glass to be found.

As Stella comes closer to uncovering the secrets the Barclays are desperate to hide, danger wraps around her like a shroud, and her past and present are set on a collision course in ways she never expected. Everyone is a suspect in the nanny's murder. The mother, the father, the grandmother, the nanny's boyfriend. Even Rose. Is the person Stella's supposed to protect the one she may need protection from?

My Thoughts:
I had no choice but to give this exciting book five glowing stars! I spent a lot of this book believing I knew the scenario only to find it was something totally different than what I suspected. Pekkanen is a master of the psychological thriller and this is a shining example. The plot is well conceived and delivered. It is fast-paced and tense and doesn't slow down anywhere in the book. I literally couldn't put it down. I highly recommend to anyone who likes a good thriller.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy.

3.5 stars rounded down.

This was a fun popcorn summer thriller. I think the middle dragged a little too long, but once the end came it was fast and furious. For the longest time I think the author did a wonderful job setting up everyone as the potential villain.

This was really well done. The entire family was unlikeable at first, so there was no easy “clues” as to who did it. The side characters like Charles offer just enough “extra” without getting off base because everything ties in at some point. I wasn’t left with any questions or overly annoyed by anything, I just cruised right along through the pages. I kinda ate it up. I’ve had Gone Tonight and I just started reading it!! :-)

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press + the author for my ARC in exchange for my honest review.