The House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is one of the best thrillers I've read this year! Stella Hudson is an attorney whose clients are children going through a custody battle. Stella has a rule that she won't take on any clients younger than 13. Stella suffered a terrible tragedy when she was a child and doesn't want to deal with younger children because of this. It brings back too many bad memories for her. Stella's mentor, Charles, reaches out to her and wants her to take the Rose Barclay case. Charles is a judge and has known Stella since she was young. The problem is Rose is 9 years old! Stella tells Charles she'll meet the family and get back to him with her decision.

The Barclay's look like they have everything on the outside. They are wealthy, live in a huge mansion, have a 9 year old daughter, and don't want for anything. Or do they? The Barclay's live-in nanny was recently killed at the house when she fell out of the attic window. Since that happened Rose has been mute from the trauma she endured. Rose saw her nanny's dead body on the patio after the fall. Who could've killed Tina, the nanny? Beth, the mom, was on the phone at the time of Tina's death. Was she really? Ian, the father, was also on the phone with a client at the time of Tina's death. Was he really? Ian and Tina had a fling in the house and Tina was pregnant with his child. Was Ian upset about this? Was Beth upset about this? Beth knew about the fling. Harriet, the grandmother, was in the garden in the backyard at the time of Tina's death. Rose was with her, Harriet said later. Was Rose really with her? Was Harriet really in the garden?

When Stella visits the Barclay family she gets an uneasy, bad feeling inside the huge house. What's going on here? She notices that there is no glass in the house, none at all. The glass has been removed from every picture frame, the glasses they serve drinks in are unbreakable, not glass. Why? Stella has the job of figuring out who Rose would be best living with, her mom or her dad as they're getting a divorce. She tells Charles she will take the case as she can't say no to her mentor. He never asks her for anything and has done so much for her. Will Stella be able to determine who killed the nanny before someone tries to kill her? Will Rose ever speak again? How will Stella determine who Rose should live with when she can't get the girl to speak? This is a fantastic book that you will devour! I absolutely loved House of Glass and rate it 5 stars with my very highest recommendation. House of Glass is available now and should go to the top of your TBR pile! I'd like to thank NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of House of Glass in exchange for a fair review. #HouseOfGlass

This was a fairly quick read that had me completely fooled the entire time! It is definitely going to be recommended!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, St Martin’s Press, and Sarah Pekkanen for allowing me to review this twisty mystery. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys a book that keeps you guessing from start to finish. There are so many twists and I loved every minute of it. I also loved the two storylines. This is a fantastic mystery/thriller! Thank you again!

Thank you St martins press and NetGalley for the advanced readers copy.

This is the first book I’ve read by Sarah Pekkanen and it was fantastic! She weaves so many twists and turns into this story. You will be engaged from the first word to the last.

The characters are intriguing, the story is fantastic and you will have the creeps reading the words.

Such a good story!

When I started this book, I was feeling sad and depressed about everything in my life. The weight of my emotions made it difficult to concentrate on much, but I decided to give this book a try. Initially, it was challenging to immerse myself in the story. The words seemed distant, and the characters felt like mere shadows.

However, as I continued reading, something remarkable happened. Slowly but surely, I began to understand the dynamics of the characters and the unfolding story. Each page turned felt like a small victory, pulling me deeper into the narrative. The author's ability to craft such vivid and relatable characters allowed me to escape my own struggles and become invested in their journeys.

The turning point came when I found myself not just reading the book but living within its world. The story provided me with a sense of connection and understanding that I desperately needed. It was as if the characters' experiences mirrored my own feelings, and their growth gave me hope for my own.

By the time I reached the final chapters, I felt a profound sense of satisfaction and clarity. This book didn't just tell a story; it offered me a new perspective on my own life. It reminded me that even in the midst of sadness, there can be moments of joy and understanding.

In the end, this book was more than just a read; it was a lifeline. It helped me navigate through a tough period and emerged as a source of comfort and inspiration. If you're looking for a story that will resonate deeply and possibly change the way you see your own struggles, I highly recommend giving this book a chance.

Thank you NetGalley for the Arc HOUSE OF GLASS
It started off with a good mystery and this one had all the elements that kept me on the edge of my seat.
I enjoyed that Stella's past was in the story, so I could better understand her as a character. I highly recommend this story

Creepy kid stories are just the best. This was another fun read from Pekkanen. I enjoyed the sense of doom throughout and loved seeing the family unravel as the plot moved forward. The ending wrapped everything up nicely. I went back and forth between reading and listening (mostly because I couldn’t put it down) but would highly recommend the audiobook as the narration was strong.

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?

This was a real page turner of a thriller! I was pulled into the story right away and kept flipping pages right up until the end. Anytime there is a child involved in the story in a sinister way, it really ups the creep factor! And then throw in a weird house that's a character in itself and you have a great combo! I really enjoyed this one and really couldn't figure out the real story and who was guilty. Clever twists all throughout. I loved the side plot of the attorney's childhood backstory too. The author really brings it all together for a very satisfying ending. The story was very atmospheric and I could definitely see it coming to the big screen. Overall, a really great thriller perfect for Summer reading.

Thank you to @netgalley, @stmartinspress and @sarahpekkanen for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Out now!

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Why I Chose It: I’ve enjoyed the author’s other books cowritten with Greer Hendricks. Also, Stella’s job was one I had interned as, so I was familiar with guardian ad litems (BIA in this story).

Unpopular opinion incoming. The last 20% of this book pushed it up to three stars for me. I thought the last little bit was excellent - thrilling, twisty, and completely engaging.

However, I did not really like the other 80%. I never connected with Stella, and I also thought she lacked professionalism. She came into the situation way too emotionally involved, which made me not trust any of her thoughts. Also, her thoughts were very leading as a reader. I felt like there was a lot of telling and not showing.

As for the other characters and other plots, they felt one-dimensional and stereotypical. Stella’s life story was predictable and didn’t add anything to the overall story for me. I know I’m in the minority here, and perhaps this was a bad time to read it, but it didn’t live up to my expectations.

Fans of stories about unsettling kids, creepy houses, and family drama will enjoy this one.

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is a fast paced, page turning thriller. The Barclay’s are the perfect family, at least it seems from the outside looking in their plexiglass house. Beth Barclay comes from old money, Ian is a philandering husband, owner of a landscaping company, nine year old Rose is mute, due to a trauma her nanny suffered at their house, and Harriett, Ian’s mother, moved in after a knee surgery and never left. The trauma Rose is dealing with was the death of her nanny, who plunged to her death from a glass window from the third floor attic where she resided in the Barclay mansion. While the police investigation seems to be leaning towards an accident, too many factors point to something more sinister.

Stella Hudson is a ‘best interest attorney’, BIA, assigned to Rose to help decide who should get custody of Rose in the midst of her parent’s bitter divorce. Stella is perfect for this role. She also suffered trauma as a child, dealt with traumatized mutism, and was orphaned at a young age, so no one will be able to understand Rose better. But as Stella tries to infiltrate the Barclay family and Rose’s needs, she realizes this family is far from perfect, and more troubled than anyone could have imagined. There is no glass in the house, no knives, Rose is pulled from school to be homeschooled, she has no friends her own age, she is a prodigy, reads adult books hidden in childhood book jackets, and she has a hidden nook where she hoards weapons. Stella must not only figure out the best placement for Rose between her parents, she also finds herself investigating what really happened to the nanny, and who is responsible, because the more she uncovers, the more she realizes everyone, including Rose, is a suspect.

This book was a slow burn, in a good way. It’s suspenseful, had me guessing to the end, and shocked when the truth is finally revealed. I enjoyed Stella’s character, she was caring, smart and vulnerable, which made her so real. The storyline is dark and sinister, and when you think a nine year old is capable of murdering her nanny, well…it doesn’t get much darker than that. There was a smaller storyline throughout the book, Stella’s past is revisited and she finally gets the answers she wanted, it was an interesting twist, perhaps a little far fetched at the end, but it doesn’t distract from the book at all. I absolutely enjoyed this book!

I would like to thank Netgalley, St Martin’s Press and Sarah Pekkanen for an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. 5 🌟

I didn’t want House of Glass to end. I was captivated by this story. The characters are relatable and kept my attention throughout. Such a great tie in to the title.

Laura Benanti does a fantastic job narrating.

I really enjoyed this book. It was filled with suspense and had a cast of solid characters with plenty of twists. I also enjoyed the LGBTQ representation. This is a solid thriller.

Such a good book! I was hooked from the start, and thought I knew what was going to happen but I was completely wrong. I liked how Stella's own story intertwines with what is happening with Rose, and how much they related to one another.
Sarah Pekkanen is an excellent writer and this one is so good! Highly recommend reading it.
Thank you to NetGalley, St Martin's Press and Sarah Pekkanen for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was one of my favorite recent reads. A nanny dies falling (or being pushed?) from a window in her employer’s home. Who, if anyone, is to blame? Exactly how far will a family go to protect one of their own?

Read this if you like:
- Shorter chapters
- Family lies and deception
- Slow burn with building tension
- Characters feeling like they are being watched

This was easily a 5⭐️ read for me.

After the nanny of a seemingly perfect family falls out the window to her death, Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, is sent to determine custody arrangements for nine-year-old Rose Barclay in light of her parents’ impending divorce. Since witnessing her nanny’s death, Rose has been silent, and the Barclay family seems to be hiding things. There home is now entirely glass-free, and as Stella witnesses more strange things she questions if the nanny’s death was truly an accident, or if she’s in the presence of a murderer.

This was such a well-written mystery thriller! The character development was superb, and I truly did not know what direction the book would go—I could easily see each character as a suspect in the nanny’s death and as a reader you find yourself questioning who to believe and who is lying constantly throughout the novel. I really enjoy Sarah Pekkanen’s writing style—she creates a fast-paced, suspenseful read through her descriptive writing and tense scenes!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for my gifted e-ARC!

I liked the main female character. The author did a great job of painting a sinister picture. I really wasn't sure what to believe. There were a few really good twists in the story that blindsided me. There was great suspense and an action packed ending. I liked the writing style as it was easy to read and get absorbed into the story.

House of Glass by Sara Pekkanen cemented my love for this author. I have read and enjoyed many all of her books, but House of Glass is so good! It is a thriller focused on a child who has gone mute following a traumatic event where her nanny died.

But was it an accident or intentional...(insert dramatic music)? Sara Pekkanen is now an auto-buy/auto-read author for me! Hands down one of the more exciting thriller authors I have read! Thank you to @NetGalley, @stmartinspress and @sarapekkanen for the galley copy!

This is a page-turner worth reading! The mystery and suspense kept me reading way past bedtime! The plot was so intriguing. There were twists that surprised me. This is an excellent psychological thriller and I highly recommend it to mystery lovers.

Sarah Pekkanen is surely an author to watch out for. I've enjoyed all of her books, and this was no exception. While it was a bit slow to get into, it soon becomes a woven story about a little girl who needs protection, or to be protected from. The intricacy of the writing keeps you with one foot in and one foot out regarding what you think you know surrounding the nanny's death. Everyone is a suspect in their own right, and while there were twists, they weren't outlandish like other psychological thrillers can be. I have never heard of a special interest lawyer, and I've become very curious about it. Given Stella's turbulent background, it makes sense this is her chosen career- but will she be able to keep her past separate from that of Rose? Thank you to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for the ARC!

3.5⭐️

Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney by profession, is appointed as counsel for Rose Barclay, a nine-year-old girl whose parents are in the middle of a bitter divorce. Stella’s role is to determine the best custody arrangement for Rose, which entails interacting with Barclays and studying the dynamics within the family based on which a decision might be taken. Rose suffers from traumatic mutism – a condition that developed after she witnessed her twenty-six-year-old nanny, Tina de la Cruz, plunging to death from her window on the upper floor of the Barclays’ house. The circumstances surrounding Tina’s death remain a mystery and given Rose’s condition, her family – parents Ian and Beth and her grandmother, Harriet, are protective of Rose, to the extent that they would prefer to restrict Rose’s interaction with Stella.

Stella, who had a traumatic childhood herself, has Rose’s best interests at heart and tries to earn Rose’s trust, but Rose’s strange behavior on more than one occasion, her parents replacing all glass in the house with plastic and their overprotectiveness, leads Stella to believe that all the Barclays harbor dark secrets they are desperate to protect and Rose is at the center of it all. Will Stella be able to protect Rose and herself before anyone else gets hurt?

I thought the premise of House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen was truly intriguing and was completely immersed in the first half of the novel. The pacing is on the slower side, which I did not mind and I loved the sinister vibes, the murder mystery with none of the Barclays, including Rose, above suspicion and the creepy glassless house. However, as the narrative progressed, my enthusiasm dampened. Truth be told, I enjoyed the way the element of mystery was built up and the suspenseful vibe of the novel, but the story lost momentum by including certain unnecessary subplots into the narrative. While I liked Stella and admired her dedication to her profession and how protective she was of Rose, there were certain aspects pertaining to Stella’s backstory that I felt were of no consequence to the plot and certain developments toward the end felt contrived.

I wish emphasis had been placed on the mystery aspect and there had been more showing than telling. Overall, though there was a lot about this novel that I liked, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I had expected.

I paired my reading with the audiobook narrated by Laura Benanti. Though the narrator did a decent job of voicing the characters and the immersion reading experience was enjoyable, this is one of those rare occasions where I preferred the book over the audiobook.

Many thanks to St. Martin's Press for the digital review copy and Macmillan Audio for ALC via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.