Wow! Another great read by Sarah Pekkanen! Thank you to the publisher, and netgalley for the eARC!
House of Glass had me hooked right from the beginning. This had me guessing who did it and how did they do it all throughout. I found the main character, Stella, to be interesting and to learn about her traumatic childhood, the truth behind the trauma, and seeing how she really connects to one of her clients Rose. Family drama with a thrill!

I will be posting my review on my bookstagram @bookofthemeg on 8/5!

Rose might have witnessed the death of her nanny and is trying to cope with her parent's divorce, which caused her to suffer from traumatic mutism. This aspect of the plot was interesting, especially as I was trying to figure out if Rose is evil. I liked how Stella's history was incorporated throughout the book. Although the mystery kept me interested, I would have liked to see more interactions with Rose and more depth to the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and St, Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

House of Glass is a psychological thriller about an attorney who must determine the best living situation for a nine-year-old child caught in the middle of her parents divorce after the nanny was killed.

Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, is assigned to evaluate which parent Rose Barclay should live with once her parent's divorce. Stella and Rose share in common that both suffered childhood trauma and experienced mutism, causing Stella to dig deeper into her trauma. Rose, however, expresses some scary behavior including collecting household items to use as weapons.

This novel is intriguing in the premise, evil characters, and a creepy mansion as the backdrop. However, Stella was a little flat. There was too much extra details on Stella that we didn't need to know. Stella needed to have better character development.

It did keep my interest and was entertaining. 3.5 stars round up to 4.

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sarah Pekkanen's "House of Glass" is a captivating psychological tale that skillfully entwines suspense, psychological intrigue, and family drama, crafting a gripping thriller that leaves readers guessing until the very last page.

Secrets lurk behind every polished surface in the glittering facade of the Barclay family’s life. Attorney Stella Hudson is drawn into their web when she takes on the case of Rose Barclay, a nine-year-old girl who witnessed her nanny’s possible murder. Things are even stranger than Stella could predict when she arrives at the family’s historic DC home and realizes it's completely devoid of glass. In fact, the entire house is made of plastic. As Stella unravels the truth, danger encircles her, and the line between protector and prey blurs.

The characters in “House of Glass” are richly layered, each harboring their own hidden agendas. Rose’s silence speaks volumes, and Stella’s traumatic past adds depth to her determination. The absence of glass becomes a metaphor for the family’s fragile facade, and the tension escalates as Stella digs deeper. Pekkanen’s prose is sharp, while the narrative pacing is relentless and full of unexpected twists.

This novel is a captivating portrayal of deception, loyalty, and the lengths we’ll go to protect those we love. The intricate plot, vivid setting, and flawed yet relatable characters make “House of Glass” a must-read for fans of family dramas with a dark twist. Prepare to be enthralled from the first page to the last, as secrets shatter and alliances fracture in this gripping tale of betrayal and redemption.

I really loved the way this book started out. Creepy children are a huge hit with me. There were a lot of layers to the beginning of the story and it really sets the premise up to be a success. Somewhere along the way - around 50-80%, I felt the story really slow down. The focus shifted a bit away from the child, and more to the FMC's history. I think I wanted more of the interactions with the little girl because she was the strongest character in the book, despite not being able to speak (selective muteness). I think that was a little bit of a missed opportunity. I loved when she was stealing sharp objects - that was the best and most engaging aspect of the plot for me. I connected less with the FMC's actual guardian ad litem investigation and her own traumatic backstory. For me that was not the strong part of the story.

Some of the twists were easy to catch for me, but I do feel the ending packed enough of a punch. It is an easy listen and a comfortable thriller. I can see a lot of people really enjoying this book.

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen was a fast paced, hard to put down thriller.

Told from the first person, it tells the story of a lawyer who is trying to get a sense of who a judge should award custody of a young child to after divorce. Her focus is to get to know the family so that the child is placed in the best possible situation. However, underneath that is the fact that the nanny suspiciously fell to her death out the window a few months prior to when the book starts. No one is convicted yet of killing her, but there is tension between the family members and the media has taken to creating their own theories as it is considered a suspicious death.

They’re all under suspect, even the child.

Such a fantastic whodunit. It kept me guessing the entire time and the creepy child aspect always freaks me out!!

Outlier Island

2.5 stars

House of Glass is a psychological thriller about an attorney who must determine the best living situation for a nine-year-old child caught in the middle of her parent's divorce. Adding fuel to the fire is the little girl might have murdered her nanny.

Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney, is assigned to evaluate which parent Rose Barclay should live with once her parent's divorce. Stella and Rose share in common that both suffered childhood trauma and experienced mutism, causing Stella to dig deeper into her trauma. Rose, however, expresses some scary behavior, including violent outbursts and collecting household items to use as weapons. As Stella spends time with the Barclay family, she finds herself in danger.

Rose is a creepy child whose behavior is alarming, to say the least. She also seems to have an obsession with collecting glass shards and other sharp objects. I would have liked more scenes with Rose. Stella, the primary narrator, has an interesting backstory, but her voice is flat.

The novel has some interesting things going for it--an intriguing premise, sinister characters, and a creepy mansion that serves as the backdrop for the drama. However, the narrative is uneven, the characters are erratic, and there is way too much telling vs. showing. A lot of superfluous details are woven in-- why do we need to have detailed descriptions of all of Stella’s meals? At times, it felt like these details were there to compensate for a lack of character development.

There are two main twists, both of which I partially guessed. This did not take away from my enjoyment, but the outcome of one of them had me rolling my eyes.

The ending was a bit OTT, and Stella's acceptance of a close friend's behavior had me asking some serious questions. It all wraps up nicely and too neatly.

What could have been a dramatic, sinister novel became just another thriller. On the plus side, House of Glass is an easy read that scored high for entertainment value. But ignore my rant and read other reviews.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and St. Martin's Press in exchange for an honest review.

Having enjoyed Pekkanen's work before, I jumped in not really even knowing what to expect. As usual, she did not disappoint. This was somewhat of a slow burn, but I think it was necessary to properly develop characters and a suspenseful story line. Twists and turns and speculations abound, and I definitely did not have this one figured out. The reader is definitely carried along on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster, but well worth it for the ending.
Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this ARC. All opinions are mine.

The Barclays are a mysterious bunch. The dad is crazy good looking but lacks purpose. The mom loves her family fiercely, but seems can’t show that emotion. The grandma keeps to herself, but she still lives with the family so she sees everything. The daughter? Who knows, she hasn’t spoken since she saw her nanny plunging to her death through an upstairs window.

Up until now, I’ve only read Pekkanen’s books that she writes with Pam Grier and I’ve loved every single one of those. But I wasn’t sure what to expect of just her writing. Well, the verdict is that House of Glass was an amazing read that I didn’t want to put down, even after reading the last page.

Sarah Pekannen’s House of Glass is an amazing thriller with more meat than most books in this genre. Sarah’s characters are all intricately drawn and watching the story play out was a lot of fun. Special thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for an advanced e-galley in exchange for my honest review.

When a young nanny plunges to her death from the window of her room, Attorney Stella Hudson must determine if it was an accident or if one of the family members pushed her to her to death. The parents are in the midst of a bitter divorce and custody battle. The grandmother seems harmless enough, but there is just something about her that seems off. Nine year old Rose hasn't spoken since the incident. She is the one that disturbs Stella the most, because she has amassed a collection of sharp object, things like broken glass and knives. Other than Rose's secret stash, there is not a bit glass to be found in the entire house. There is a creepy feeling that Stella gets every time she visits. She needs to figure out who killed the nanny, and if Rose is a danger to others, and if Stella is in danger herself.

I always love this author's books, and this one may be one of my new favorites. I could not put it down. It kept me guessing, until the big reveal. I stayed at the edge of my seat. I could feel the creepiness factor ooze off of the pages. I loved Stella and thought she made an excellent female protagonist. If you are a fan of psychological thrillers, then you will want to put this at the top of your TBR pile. I highly recommend it!

This book hooked me from the very first page and if I hadn't started it at 10:00pm I would've finished it in one sitting. Sarah Pekkanen never disappoints. This book was well written and each twist got me! I love a book where I can trust no one.

Thanks to St. Martin's Press and Netgalley for this eArc in exchange for an honest review! I picked this one up because I love domestic thrillers. I was kept guessing during the book on whether Rose did it or not. The family is so creepy and the circumstances keep you guessing. This one was hard to put down.

{3.75/5}

CW: remembered death of a parent, depiction of dead animal, mild gore/violence

Read via NetGalley. “House of Glass” releases August 6, 2024.

In an old house on a beautiful estate, a young girl loses her voice after her nanny dies under mysterious circumstances. In the wake of the death, the girl’s parents file for divorce, each seeking custody of their daughter. Best Interest Advocate Stella Hudson agrees to take on the case to help determine where young Rose should end up. But something dark is lurking in that house. There’s no glass to be found, and Rose keeps collecting sharp objects.

Oh I do love a good psychological thriller. It’s always such a nice, tense break from my usual fantasy reads; nothing screams ‘relaxation and palette cleansing’ like trippy mind games, am I right? Happily for me, “House of Glass” delivered

Let’s start with the setting. The main focus here is Rose’s home, though we do get to see some other locations. While most of those locations are minor and the focus at those points is predominantly on the dialogue or action, the Barclay family’s home is where we get a lot of our scene and vibe setting. It very much gives the ‘something’s deeply off’ feeling without ever really giving us a reason why. It’s uncomfortable without explanation, and it helps give us that first clue that something is weird with the family.

The characters really add to the overall feeling. The family members each have their own quirks and issues, and it becomes increasingly c\ear throughout the book that everybody has their own *something* lurking beneath that polished surface. The author does an excellent job at making everybody and nobody suspicious and manipulating the reader’s perspective to match that of our primary main character, Stella. As Stella investigates Rose’s case, she also looks back at her own traumatic childhood, and the blurring of lines between past and present, and the effect it has on Stella’s investigation, conveys exceedingly well.

The plot itself is intriguing. Stella is there to determine which parent Rose should live with, but to do so she really needs to answer the question of who killed the nanny. Clever and intuitive, Stella’s both sharp as a tack and traumatized as hell, and it plays out really, really well into the investigation. The action and creep-factor slowly ramp up until a full throttle, satisfying conclusion that made the whole read feel worth it.

This ended up being a really enjoyable read. All the questions were answered, the pacing was perfect for a slow build, and the stress and lurking evil vibes were perfectly balanced. I think it would be a good fit for someone who’s been getting into the psychological thriller/suspense genre to see if they like this sort of thing. I’d call it a mid level sort of read— definitely in the genre, but not so hardcore that you’re never going to be able to sleep again.

Thank you to the publisher, NetGalley and for the author for my ARC of House or Glass!

This story focuses on many different lies: a young nanny…was she pushed or did she jump? A nine year old that loves sharp objects and won’t talk. Then there is a lawyer trying to figure out the details of who has been a victim and who is committing the crimes.

What I liked:
-This story is very bingeable.
-There are so many things to uncover, it keeps you guessing!
-The story is fast paced and addictive.

Read this book if you enjoyed books by Harlan Coben, Megan Miranda, or Frieda McFadden.

I am looking forward to reading more by this author!

I have not had a book that I could. not. put. down in the way I felt with this book in such a long time. Maybe in like 6 months. This one had me GRIPPED and I simply needed to know what happened - and the ending surprised me in a way I was not prepared for!

When Stella Hudson was a child, she witnessed a tragedy that rendered her mute. Now that she has gone through eons of therapy, she is reclaiming her power as an attorney over child custody cases. Her latest case strikes closer to home than she could have ever realized: nine-year-old Rose Barclay witnesses the traumatic death of her nanny, and now has also gone mute.

Between seeing a gruesome death and the divorce of her parents, the stress in her life is officially unbearable. Not only is her family being investigated for the potential murder of her nanny, she cannot speak for herself on where she should live. Stella is brought in to help determine which parent should have custody, but the more time she spends in the Barclay home, the more she realizes something seriously evil is lurking. It might even be Rose herself.

If you like a creepy child plot, you are going to LOVE this one. Any time there is a twisted, creepy little kid, consider me dialed in. I think it adds such a needed element of suspense. And the fact the child won't even speak for themselves? EERIE!

I have been consistently impressed by every Sarah Pekkanen book I've read, and this lived up to every expectation. If you are in the market for a good thriller, make sure this goes on the list when it is released!

Twist and turns everywhere you look! When Rose's nanny plunges to her death, suspicions arise on whether Tina mistakenly fell or if someone pushed her. This is on the midst of Rose's parents nasty divorce. With everything going on, Rose suddenly stops speaking so when Stella (a custody attorney) gets assigned to the case, she realizes that there is more going on in this house than what is lead on. The Barclay family has many secrets, and sometimes those secrets don't want to stay that way.

I received an audio copy from Netgalley, and I think the narrator did a great job depicting all the craziness that was unraveling. I love me a good psycho thriller where I can't guess the outcome. I genuinely second guessed myself about a dozen times on how this was going to end. It was really good!

I've always enjoyed Sarah Pekkanen and Greer Hendricks' co-authored novels, so when I saw the opportunity to read House of Glass, I jumped at it!

The book centers around Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney for minors in custody cases who also has her own traumatic past. Stella has been retained to provide guidance in a custody case for Rose Barclay, a nine-year-old girl who witnessed the tragic death -- or murder -- of her nanny. Immediately following the incident, Rose goes mute, which doesn't help her parents as they've jumped into a contentious divorce. A true whodunit, everyone is a suspect in the nanny's murder!

I absolutely enjoyed this entire book. It held my attention completely, offering up the right amount of suspense and secrets. I would highly recommend this to anyone looking for a captivating thriller that you cannot put down.

Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

HOUSE OF GLASS is the latest gripping psychological thriller by Sarah Pekkanen. It is a suspenseful story with plenty of creepy moments and lots of family intrigue. Rose Barclay is a nine-year-old girl who was witness to her nanny falling to her death from an upstairs window. Was it an accident or was the nanny pushed. Since then, Rose has stopped speaking and has started secretly collection sharp objects. Her parents are also going through a bitter divorce, fighting over custody of Rose. Stella Hudson is a recently divorced attorney. She is a “best interest’ attorney appointed to act as counsel for children involved in custody cases. Due to trauma in her own past, Stella never accepts cases involving children under thirteen, but her mentor, Charles, a judge who has been like a father to her, convinces her that she is uniquely qualified to help. As soon as she becomes involved in the case, Stella is faced with unthinkable challenges. The entire Barclay family is hiding things and everyone, including Rose, could be a suspect in the nanny’s death. As Stella begins unraveling the complicated facts, will she put herself in danger? I really enjoyed this fast-paced and twisty thriller. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read and review an early copy.

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, NetGalley, and Sarah Pekkanen for an exciting new thriller that kept me glued to the page. I love this author’s work and this book does not disappoint at all. The story revolves around a seemingly perfect looking family until you begin to peel back the layers. The Barclays-Ian and Beth-are polar opposites: she comes from money and he has had to work his way up from the bottom in a blue collar job. All their money comes from her side of the family and it shows. Then there is his mother Harriet. She has lived with them ever since her knee surgery went poorly and so Beth asked her to move in rather than suffer in her old apartment on the fourth floor of an old building with no elevator. Our final Barclays is Rose—and she is the most important one. As Stella, the court appointed Best Interest Attorney and advocate for Rose she has to work hard to discover whether this mercurial 9 year old is innocent and traumatized by the shocking death of her nanny or did she in fact kill her nanny and the adults in her life are covering up for her. It would be easier if only Rose was not struck down with traumatic mutism.
This case is especially hard for Stella as it is reminiscent of her childhood and the murder of her mother. She also went through the same thing of not being able to speak for some time and it will take her experience to help Rose and discover if she is guilty or innocent.
This was truly an emotional experience and I highly recommend it.

Stella is a best interest attorney who represents children whose parents are in a custody battle. She has been assigned to her new client, 9 year old Rose, by her mentor and father figure who believes that they have a connection. Rose’s parents are going through a divorce after their nanny, Tina, plunged through a divorce know to her death at their house. Although many think it was an accident, Stella starts investigating the family and her own past and stirs up truths that can kill.

Sarah Pekkanen’s writing is just suburb. It flows so easily and sucks you in from the very first page. She crafted these characters so well and makes you really feel for them. A great domestic thriller with a few twists!