When the tension is this palpable, something big is bound to happen, right?


Therapist Stella works mainly with young children to get a feel of how their home life is, particularly when a divorce is happening in the child’s life. When she takes a client, a peculiar child named Rose, who reminds Stella of herself, all bets are off. After her nanny mysteriously dies by falling out of a window, Rose becomes selectively mute, made worse by the fighting amongst her parents. As Stella gets to know each member of the Barclay family and each friend surrounding them, she learns that she can’t really believe anything any of them say.

There was such amazing tension throughout this book. There were definitely WTF moments and times where I was second guessing where the plot was heading. There were definitely numerous twists that I didn’t see coming and this kept me on the edge of my seat!
Stella may not have been my number 1 pick as a therapist with everything she had going on mentally in her life (although a good therapist wouldn’t let that interfere), but she truly seemed to want the best for Rose. I’m not normally a fan of unreliable narrators, but this was really well done and even had me wondering what was going on.
I saw the large twist coming, and wish the conclusion had been a little more believable, so this was my big reason for this not being a 5 star read.
However, as far as thillers go, this was a fun one!

After nearly a full month of only reading romance, this was a great thriller to break things up! I've read all of Sarah Pekkanen's books written with coauthor Greer Hendricks, but never any of hers alone. This one did not disappoint and kept my interest from the start!

Rose Barclay is a nine-year-0ld girl who, after potentially witnessing the death of her nanny, has gone mute. Also in the midst of her parent's divorce, her life has been turned upside down. Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, has been appointed to serve as Rose's attorney in the custody case. But from the moment she lays eyes on Rose, she knows this is no ordinary case. When she steps into the Barclay's historic DC home, she realizes the case is much more twisted than she feared.

I was really impressed with how the author drew the reader in from the start. All the characters had depth to them and just when you thought you had something figured out, something would happen and you'd realize you were wrong. From the atmospheric setting to the unreliable characters, this one was one I couldn't put down.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital copy. My review is honest and voluntary.

Thankyou netgalley for my ARC copy of House of Glass! I was super excited to read it because this book was already on my tbr! It was fast paced (short chapters-the best!) and overall fun to read. I love a whodunnit! I did predict most, if not all of the twists pretty early on though so the reveal wasn't exciting and that's the sole reason I'm giving it 3 stars! Would still recommend it to a friend and I did end up purchasing the hard copy :)

“Do you think children can be born evil?”

3.5 stars! This is a solid murder mystery with a creepy house devoid of any and all glass, a strange child, concerning family dynamics, and a nanny that plunged to her death in the family home.

The character development was great! I really enjoyed the peek into court appointed special interest attorney Stella’s childhood trauma and how that helped her help Rose Barclay, the poor nine-year-old caught in the middle of the chaos.

The audiobook was fantastic! The narrator did a great job bringing unique tones to each character and also harnessing the angst of the story as the mystery deepened. By the end she had me at the edge of my seat!

“𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘶𝘴𝘣𝘢𝘯𝘥. 𝘜𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘪𝘵’𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥, I think.”

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, St. Martin’s Press, and the author for the ALC and ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

This binge worthy thriller left me shocked by a surprising ending, the mark of a truly great thriller for me.

Stella is an attorney assigned to the case of a 9 year old child, trying to decide what living situation will be best for her. Unfortunately, her client Rose is not speaking after witnessing a horrific accident in her home. As Stella interviews the family and friends surrounding Rose, she must sift through the untruths to figure out what is best for the young girl.

Unique plot, sympathetic characters, buried secrets, and a child who may or may not be dangerous? Yes please! Stella’s job was interesting to me, and I enjoyed listening in on the interviews and hearing from all the family members, trying to put the story together myself as I went.

The story was well written, concealing anything that would give away the ending until the very last moment. Pekkanen did a fantastic job setting an eerie atmosphere full of characters who might not be who they seem, and I really enjoyed this one!

I listened to the audio partially, which was incredibly well done and I would definitely recommend.

Thanks to NetGalley and SMP for the arc. All opinions are my own.

Sarah Pekkanen has done it again! She is so good at creating fast paced thrillers that have you wanting to binge read 😃 House of Glass is no exception. When Stella is tasked with determining what is best for 9year old Rose, the twists and mysteries that unfold are delightful. Stella is exceptionally perfect for this case as she too experienced a case of mutism after a tragic event in her life- so understanding Rose and how she is feeling allows the story to delve deeper into how tragedies can affect a person. I don’t want to give too much away- just read this book NOW! The only reason it is not a 5⭐️ read for me is that the sections about Stella’s personal revelations just seemed thrown in there to check a queer box. Other than this, fantastic read!!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Stella Hudson works as a best interest attorney, where her job is to recommend custody in divorce cases. Her new case is the Barclay family, where their 9 year old daughter Rose stopped speaking after her nanny died falling from the attic. Rose reminds Stella of her own traumatic past, making her want to help determine what is best for Rose. As Stella begins to dig into the relationships and past of the Barclay family, she discovers many secrets it seems the Barclays may kill to cover up. Stella has to solve the mystery of the nanny's death at the Barclay home while finally facing the secrets of her own past.

House of Glass is another stand-out thriller from Sarah Pekkanen. The book slowly peels bank new mysteries and confusing facts that Stella uncovers in her investigation. As Stella believes more and more that Rose or another member of the Barclay family had something to do with the death of their nanny, the book ramps up in intensity. Pekkanen balances this story with Stella's own investigation into her parents death and draws nice parallels that keep Stella and the narrative motivated. I enjoyed this book a lot and its unique perspective of a best interest attorney (taking up a role that is normally a detective). Rose Barclay was a complex character for Stella to examine and the book keeps tossing new twists at the reader throughout the book. Highly recommend this to thriller fans and anyone who has enjoyed Pekkanen's past works.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for a copy of House of Glass in exchange for an honest review.

This is a very exciting and tension filled thriller. Stella's job is to determine what is in the best interest of the child, in a divorce and custody battle. She never works with younger children though. Until her mentor begs her to take on the case of a 9 year old Rose. Rose witnessed the death of her nanny and is suffering from traumatic mutism. Stella, having childhood trauma of her own, is uniquely suited to work with this child, so she agrees.
Soon Stella realizes that everyone in the family is hiding something and the nanny's death isn't a clear cut accident. As she observes the family, Stella becomes the target of unsettling occurances herself. This case also brings Stella's own past unresolved issues to the front her thoughts.
The clock is ticking for Stella to determine what is best for Rose, as someone is working against her, with her own life possibly in danger.

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the opportunity to enjoy this exciting e-ARC.

Fast pace and full of twists and turns that kept me glued to the story. The premise was intriguing and the setting, one that I am familiar with, had me invested from the start. Stella’s story was a little odd and I can see why it was added but I felt that throwing in the whole thing, not just the parts that were relevant, bogged the story down a little and could have been a novella on its own so it could be fully explored. Otherwise, I am once again enthralled by Pekkanen’s storytelling skills and look forward to the next.

Who killed the nanny, the mom, the dad, 9 year old Rose, the grandma or someone else who was in the house. If you want a fast paced, easy, whodunit read you should enjoy House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen.

I read a review and someone said they didn’t like any of the characters. Totally disagree with that. Part of what made me enjoy the book was that I loved the main character Stella, social worker/detective. Rose’s parents are getting divorced and Stella has to decide who should get custody. Rose has selective mutism, from witnessing the death of her nanny in her house. In order for Stella to decide who gets custody she first must figure out who killed the nanny.

House of Glass kept my attention from the beginning all the way until the end. Great title for the book. Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Stella is a great female main character. She is trying to keep it together after her divorce all while trying to help her clients however she can. When she gets assigned to make a custody recommendation for Rose, who watched her Nanny fall to her death, Stella gets entwined in the Barclay family’s drama. I was never really able to decide on where I thought the story was going but when the climax hit I was gobsmacked. I enjoyed the side plot of Stella trying to figure out what happened to her Mum and the discovery of her real history with Charles.

Thanks to NetGalley & St. Martin’s Press for a copy of this book.

Nine-year-old Rose Barclay witnessed the tragic death (murder?) of her nanny, Tina. Following the event, Rose has become a mute. Literally. She is suffering from traumatic mutism and no longer speaks.
Rose is also a pawn in her the bitter divorce between her parents. Enter Stella Hudson, an attorney appointed to serve in the best interest of Rose. Stella suffered from a traumatic childhood, including traumatic mutism, hence her special interest in Rose. Ultimately, Stella will determine which parent is the best fit for Stella.

However, there is another issue…the police are skeptical about the fall that led to Tina’s death. The entire Barclay family are on the radar, including Rose.

Rose exhibits behaviors that lead the family to remove all of the glass from their home. Additionally, they balk at allowing Stella to spend time alone with Rose…

I loved that this book wasn’t heavy on twists, but instead focused on revealing surprises as the story progressed. The ending fell a bit flat for me, however overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was a nice break from the standard thriller tropes that have been on repeat for the past few years.


Huge thank you to St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and the author for the ARC!

This was a solid domestic thriller that had me furiously flipping pages right up until the end! Sarah Pekkanen really knows how to deliver a tense, creepy atmosphere and create a sense of foreboding that permeates throughout the entire story. From the very beginning you know everyone is lying, which only adds to the feeling of unease because there’s no one you can trust… and any story involving a child just raises the stakes for me that much more!

🏡 Nine-year old Rose Barclay is suffering from traumatic mutism after witnessing the death of her nanny. Now her parents are going through a messy divorce, and the judge has appointed Stella Hudson as Rose’s best interest attorney. As Stella immerses herself in the wealthy, secretive world of the Barclays, she uncovers strange events leading up to the death of the nanny - which soon begin happening to her. As Stella’s own trauma starts to surface, she finds herself caught between the dark shadows of her own past and the person who will stop at nothing to keep the Barclay’s secrets hidden.

🪟 I really loved how this book shined a light on the role of court-appointed advocates for children in custody cases. It was an interesting way for an outsider to gain access into this dysfunctional family’s inner world, and it taught me something new about the justice system. My favorite scenes were the ones with Stella and Rose. This little girl terrified me - even without being able to speak - which is a true testament to Pekkanen’s writing skills!

The final third of the book is what lost me a bit because it became overly focused on Stella’s life which took some of the steam away from the main plot. I found myself wanting to skim these chapters to get to the big reveal, which was also a tad underwhelming and had one final “twist” that didn’t really add anything to the story.

Overall, this was an engaging, fast-paced read that I really enjoyed and would recommend for fans of domestic thrillers and those who enjoy the “creepy child” trope!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the eARC!

Stella Hudson is an accomplished attorney whose specialty is exploring family dynamics and deciding which parent should be awarded custody of a child, or children, in a divorce settlement. She is also a grown-up seven-year-old little girl who cowered hiding in a closet in the living room while her mother slowly died of an overdose on the rug outside the closet door. She has never quite forgiven herself for not somehow "saving" her mother and suffered from traumatic mutism, which led to her not speaking for months after discovering her mother's body.

Now and old friend and fellow lawyer has recommended her for a case involving a nine-year-old girl with traumatic mutism after witnessing the death of her nanny following a fall from the third floor of her house. Stella doesn't want to take the case, but her friend, Charles, convinces her she may the the ONLY person who can reach this child, Rose.

This was SO good!!!!! I loved the twists and turns. It was unique and enjoyed how having unraveled. Can’t wait to read more by this author

This book had all the makings of a great thriller. It had me hooked from the beginning, had eerie and unsettling moments, I could barely put it down… but it got to a point where it felt too drawn out and the ending left me disappointed. I guessed some of the twists, didn’t see others coming. Ultimately I think I was waiting for a big gasp moment and that didn’t happen. Was this overall an entertaining read? Yes, but fell flat towards the end.

House of Glass had a lot going on. There are relationships and connections between characters that indicate a deep connection. The kinds of connections between people who will do anything for each other. While reading, our job is to discover who is trying to protect whom. Characters may have overstepped their rights and responsibilities but there are a few twists and turns that make me curious about the characters outside of this particular story.

This thriller was pretty good. Nothing really shocking or unique in my opinion but keep me engaged and always second guessing people. Thrillers are so hard to wow nowadays because there are so many. I like the way this author writes and would definitely continue to read more from her. You really can’t do wrong with this thriller, although I was expecting a bit of a different ending. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Stella Hudson is an attorney who works for the best interest of children. She usually works with teenagers, but her mentor has recommended she work on behalf of Rose Barclay, who may or may not be safe in her own home.

Rose is 9 and lives with her parents and her father’s mother. After an incident at school, she’s been homeschooled. Her grandmother teaches her, and she has a language tutor and a piano teacher. Her parents have filed for divorce, and the family court thought that Rose needed someone to step in and protect her interests, especially since her nanny died.

Tina was Rose’s nanny. Then she had an affair with Rose’s father, Ian, and got pregnant. She lived in their house, on the third floor attic, where she had a lovely room with large windows. It was one of those windows that she fell (or was pushed?) and did not survive the fall. Rose was in the garden with her grandmother when it happened, and she hasn’t spoken a single word since. And now Stella is coming in to try to figure out what’s best for Rose moving forward.

Stella’s mentor hand-picked her for this assignment because he knows her background. Her father was killed in a car accident when she was very young. Her mother turned to drinking to face her grief, and then to drugs. One night, she put Stella in the closet to keep her safe, and Stella stayed in that closet all night waiting for her mother to come and get her. Finally, Stella opened the door and found her mother on the floor, dead from an overdose. She was sent to live with an aunt who didn’t want her, and she didn’t speak for a long time.

But from the first time she shows up at the Barclay house, Stella feels that there are secrets being hidden by the family. Ian and his wife Beth are reluctant to let Stella have access to Rose, and Rose can’t speak for herself. When Stella tries to talk to Rose’s grandmother, she feels blocked by her too. There is clearly something going on in the house, but Stella can’t get through.

She notices that all there is no glass in the Barclay house. The picture frames have all had their glass removed, the drinking glasses are all plastic, and all the windows are being replaced by plexiglass. She sees Rose reading Anne of Green Gables, but when Stella looks more closely, she sees a book about a violent killer under the Anne book jacket. She talks to some of Tina’s friends and finds out that she’d had strange things happen to her in the house. Some of her things had gone missing, and she’d heard voices.

Stella tries to put together everything she learns about the Barclays and their house, but she can’t quite figure out what’s going on. Did Ian kill the nanny when he found out she was pregnant? Did Beth kill her because she slept with Beth’s husband? Was it an accident? Or could Rose have gotten angry with her nanny and hurt her? It is up to Stella to figure out what happened, so she can tell the court what will keep Rose safe.

But as Stella gets closer and closer to the truth, she also gets closer and closer to a killer. Will she survive long enough to protect Rose, or will Stella not be able to keep anyone safe?

House of Glass is a domestic thriller from bestselling author Sarah Pekkanen, and it is filled with twists. There are secrets layered with secrets, many of them hidden behind Rose’s mutism. The plotting is first-rate, with all the ups and downs you would expect from a author of this caliber. I raced through this book to find out just what was happening in that house, and I was not disappointed in that ending.

I listened to the audio book for House of Glass, narrated by Laura Benanti. I thought she did a beautiful job. One thing I noticed with the audio is how Stella sounded so young and naïve at times. It makes sense with her childhood, and I thought it served the story well, but I was impressed with how Benanti could bring that forward so smoothly without making Stella sound incompetent or unprofessional. I thought she did an excellent job with Stella’s voice, and listening to this book was a joy. If you’re a fan of a domestic thriller, you will not want to miss this one. It’s fantastic.

Egalleys for House of Glass were provided by St. Martin’s Press and an early copy of the audio book was provided by Macmillan Audio, both through NetGalley, with many thanks.

A best interest attorney, Stella Hudson has been assigned to evaluate nine-year-old Rose Barclay. It’s the most difficult case of Stella’s career. The n the middle of her parents’ divorce, Rose witnessed her nanny fall to her death from her second-floor window. Consequently, she developed traumatic mutism and hasn’t spoken since. The condition is familiar to Stella: she also experienced traumatic mutism as a child after her mother died of an overdose.

Rose’s expansive, almost archaic, house has to Stella a pernicious miasma, and she is alarmed and baffled when she realizes that there isn’t one piece of glass in the house. Moreover, as she meets with each family member to decide the best custody arrangement for Rose, Stella finds that every member of the family is lying to her.

Stella’s job is to ascertain what situation will be most healthy for Rose, but the person most at risk seems to be Stella herself since anyone in the Barclay family—mother, father, grandmother, even Rose herself—might be the nanny’s killer.

Once I started reading this book, I couldn’t put it down! There’s just something so fascinating about evil children (or maybe that says something terrible about me!). Stella was a sympathetic character, extremely competent and compassionate yet still affected by her early trauma and subsequent years living in a loveless house with her aunt.

It put Stella in an interesting and stressful position—a scenario reminiscent of her own trauma where she needed to communicate with a resistant child unable to speak and adults unwilling to speak the truth.

Some of the developments were telegraphed fairly obviously—some characters waved major red flags—but I enjoyed Stella’s journey uncovering the mystery, and some aspects were so unbelievable as to be shocking (not in a bad way).

The book centers on questions of family, trauma, and forgiveness and is an oh so satisfying read. I prefer it to GONE TONIGHT.

House of Glass is a deftly plotted, atmospheric thriller that kept me on my toes from start to finish!
Stella Hudson is a "best interest attorney", her job is to represent the interests of children during divorce cases with custody battles. Her latest patient is nine-year-old Rose Barclay, who is not only dealing with her parents' impending divorce but also the recent death of her nanny, which may or may not have been an accident, and left Rose with traumatic mutism. Stella's efforts to get to know Rose are hampered in part by Rose's silence and dramatic mood swings, but perhaps even more by her parents and grandmother, who don't seem to want Stella to spend time alone with her client. What are they afraid of? Did one of them kill the nanny? And when Stella starts to experience some of the same strange occurrences the nanny reported before she died, she starts to wonder if she may be next. I loved the tense, moody tone, the multi-dimensional, engaging characters, and the difficult-to-decipher plot.