House of Glass was creepy… looking into the glass house of the Barclays manor everything seemingly perfect until 9 year old Roses nanny falls to her death. Now going thru a divorce. Stella must decide which parent rose should live with. Did the nanny fall or was she murdered.? Nothing is as it seems and everyone’s got secrets especially Rose who since the accident hasn’t spoken.

On the surface, the Barclays appear to lead the perfect existence in their palatial home tucked away in the suburbs of Washington, D.C. Beth, an heiress to millions, is married to Ian, a handsome and doting father to their prodigious young daughter, Rose, who is full of academic and artistic promise. But when their nanny, Tina, mysteriously plunges to her death at the Barclay estate, the murder investigation and exposed secret affair between Ian and Tina threatens to shatter the family’s golden image for good.

Stella Hudson is the best interest attorney appointed to represent 9-year-old Rose after Beth and Ian file for divorce and fight for sole custody. Stella, who sees much of her own traumatic past in her new young client, quickly discovers not everything that glitters is gold. As Stella spends more time with young Rose, who can no longer speak due to trauma-induced mutism, she becomes obsessed with finding out who killed Tina in this gripping psychological thriller that was hard for me to put down.

This is my first Sarah Pekkanen novel and I couldn’t get enough of it. The story is fast-paced with cliffhanger chapter endings and twists I never saw coming. I’m used to mystery thrillers starting off strong and slowing down halfway through, but this kept going right through the last page. The D.C. backdrop was the icing on the cake for me.

CW: child abuse, drug abuse

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy of this book.

House of Glass follows Stella, a lawyer representing 9 year old Rose in a custody battle between Rose's parents, as she navigates learning about Rose and the secrets that lie within Rose's home life. Rose is a traumatized young girl who is plagued by the recent (and mysterious) death of her nanny, as well as, her parent's impending separation. Stella sees much of her own young self in Rose, but soon learns that the little girl has a darkness about her that may have been the root cause of the death of her nanny.

I have been a big fan of Sarah Pekkanen for years and her newest novel did not disappoint. This book had everything you want in a thriller- creepy house, creepy child, untrustworthy characters that were all holding secrets, and an unsolved murder. That being said, I felt that the story did drag a little in the middle and we had several side characters that seemed unnecessary in pushing the plot forward.I do believe that if we see Stella in future novels, these side characters will hold more value, but as a standalone novel we could have done without their stories.

In true Sarah Pekkanen fashion, this book gets your attention from the very beginning and doesn't let go until the very last word on the very last page. Its Stella Hudson's job to find out what is best for young Rose Barclay, who is affected by traumatic mutism, in the custody battle waging between her divorcing parents. Stella meets the family and knows there is something just not right about them all - but she just can't put a finger on it yet. Added to the already stressful drama is the fact that Rose's pregnant nanny is dead, and while it has been deemed an accident, Stella can't help but feel there is more to that story!! The parents, Ian and Beth, each feel they are the right person to have full custody of Rose.; Ian's live-in-mother, Harriet, supports Beth's claim. As Stella immerses herself in the case she has been assigned, it brings back painful memories of her own traumatic mutism, and gives her the drive to find out what actually happened that contributed to her mother's death, as she hid in the closet. All of these storylines keep the reader actively involved in the movement of the book, and main characters are at one moment likeable and the next not. What secrets do they all hide? Which one is responsible for Tina's murder? When even a young child is thought to be capable of causing Tina's death, Stella sets in place a plan to draw the truth out of them all and puts herself in danger by doing so. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press, for the opportunity to read and review this advance reader copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #NetGalley #HouseofGlass

This is the type of story that draws you in and doesn’t let go. I couldn’t put this book down. Loved it!

Great psychological thriller. Stella, an attorney, is assigned to the case of a 9 year old girl, Rose, who’s parents are going through a divorce to determine what custody arrangement would be in the best interest of Rose. To make things more complicated, Rose suffers from selective mutism after having witnessed the traumatic death of her nanny. As Stella looks more into the family she realizes they are hiding something and is determined to figure out what. This book kept me guessing and I honestly wasn’t sure where it was going. 4 starts. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy.

Thank you Netgalley & publisher for this e-arc of house of glass by Sarah Pekkanen.

This is a Thriller/Murder-Mystery novel. 5*; one unique aspect of an element of childhood trauma and a Traumatic mutism.

Synopsis: House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is a psychological thriller about the Barclay family, whose perfect façade hides dark secrets. After their nanny's suspicious death, nine-year-old Rose Barclay stops speaking. Stella Hudson, a lawyer with a traumatic past, is assigned to uncover the truth. As Stella delves into the case, she discovers the family's twisted dynamics and realizes everyone is a suspect. The eerie, glassless house adds to the suspense as Stella's investigation puts her in grave danger, blurring the lines between victim and perpetrator.

Things I liked: What I really enjoyed about House of Glass was its compelling characters. Each main character was richly developed, making it easy to become invested in their individual journeys and perspectives. The pacing of the novel was another highlight; it maintained a perfect balance of suspense, steadily building tension as the thriller unfolded. Additionally, the writing was exceptional, skillfully blending character-driven moments with a gripping plot. This mix ensured that the story was both emotionally engaging and intensely thrilling, keeping me hooked from start to finish.

Things I disliked: Nothing. One thing I thought I did not like, was not what I thought, but I do not want to spoil the books. Childhood Trauma could be a TW. I do not think so in this case, but for some.

I highly recommend if you love thrillers, suspense, or non-cozy mysteries.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of House of Glass. I found this to be an entertaining book. I enjoyed the short chapters. I would say this book is a lot more tell than show. I found myself skimming some parts because there was some superfluous descriptions that didn’t add anything to the story except words to make the book longer. I did enjoy Rose and how she came off pretty sinister and questionable. The events with Charles seem a little out there so the reader has to accept a little craziness. The minor romance subplot seemed really unnecessary and I’m not sure why it even had to be put in there, maybe again to just lengthen the book? Overall not bad book, a quick thriller to enjoy. Thank you again for the ARC of House of Glass!

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book! The beginning immediately hooked me, and I thought I knew where the story was going. I was pleasantly surprised I was wrong, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It keep me on the edge of my seat the entire time, and I'm glad the ending was wrapped up nearly in my opinion.

📚: House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
⭐️: 3/5

The gist: An affair. A dead nanny. A contentious divorce. And a 9 year old girl who isn’t saying a word.

The good: The reveal was done incredibly well - and the plot had me guessing the whole way.

The eh: I’m stuck on the very last page and how this book ultimately ends and it feeling just a bit disjointed. I understand the connection between past and present plotlines but they don’t connect as well as intended. This felt like more of a slow burn than necessary, and even with a solid reveal, lands as an average thriller.

Thank you to @stmartinspress via @netgalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. House of Glass is out on August 6th.

I rather enjoyed this mystery / thriller. I wasn't sure if Pekkanen was going to add a big twist or not, so I wasn't sure where the story was going.

I do think the story dragged a bit in the middle just due to the repetitiveness of themes. There were a few thoughts that the MC had that were repeated unnecessarily. I believe the story would have benefitted from cleaning that up a bit. Otherwise, I was engaged in the story and read it fairly quickly. I think, as is typical with this genre, you need to be able to suspend your disbelief while reading, but I like the way the ending played out.

I was fortunate enough to receive an audio copy of this book along with the ebook. The audio was narrated by Laura Benanti and she did a wonderful job. I enjoyed listening to this one and spent more time with the audio than the ebook. I do think the audio enhanced my enjoyment of the book.

“House of Glass” is a thriller with a lot of mysteries for readers to unravel. A nanny ends up dead. Did she trip and fall? Was she pushed? Did she jump? If it was an act of malice, who was behind it? Is the house haunted? Where did the creepy notes and noises come from? Is it possible that a nine-year old child is behind everything that is happening?

One of my favorite parts of Sarah Pekkanen’s newest thriller is that I did not figure out who was behind what was happening at the house until it was about to be revealed. I THOUGHT I knew what was going on, but I was wrong, and that was so much better than figuring things out too early in the story. Rose came across as a truly creepy kid, and the house itself was a main character that was worthy of the place it held in the story. Stella, the guardian ad litem hired by the court, is also an interesting character. It is clear she is very invested in doing what is best for the children she oversees, but this case might be too close to her own traumatic past for her to see it through.

Thank you to NetGalley, Sarah Pekkanen, and St. Martin’s Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The conceit for this one was interesting; a mute child, witness to a terrible crime, meets a guardian who is to be her advocate in her parents' divorce proceedings. Parts of the story were very interesting, but the whole book never pulled together, for me.

I read this in a day. Stella is an attorney appointed by the court to see where 9 year old Rose should continue living while her parents are going through a divorce. The characters made me want to never stop reading this story. I had to know what was really going on and who exactly was lying. A perfect summer read!

House of Glass was the ultimate thriller! I was not able to put this book down until I knew what happened.

Highly recommend this book!

What a page-turner! I immediately thought I knew what the "twist" was going to be, but it shocked me as the book kept progressing and I realized just how wrong I was. I found myself itching to pick up the book with any free time I had, and ended up staying up late to finish it all up. I was definitely not expecting to twist and turn through two separate mysteries, but I thought Pekkanen weaved them together in such a great way.

Need a summer binge?! Pick up HOUSE OF GLASS for your next poolside read.

A nanny dies tumbling out a window… did she fall or was she pushed? Is there a ghost? Was it the nonverbal creepy little girl? Perhaps. 🤔

This is a fun thriller and an interesting story but it was a bit scattered for me. Too many outlandish happenings. I DO love a good creepy kid who likes to collect sharp objects though. I love books where wealthy families cover up secrets.

Thank you @stmartinspress for this gifted book/audio! I listened to the audio and it was done very well. HOUSE OF GLASS by Sarah Pekkanen is out of August 6th.


🖤🖤🖤

I absolutely devoured this book. Like, in one sitting devoured.

Stella is a guardian ad litem, an attorney whose job it is to determine the best interests of a child. In this case, Rose Barclay. Rose comes from a wealthy family and a seemingly perfect life until their live-in nanny is found dead. Rose, who found her, is suffering from traumatic mutism, and isn’t speaking. Stella enters the scene and has to figure out what’s going on. Why is there no glass in their home? Why is everyone afraid of Rose? What are the Barclay parents hiding?

✨ “When we’re surrounded by danger and uncertainty, it feels important to keep our personal space controlled.”

✨ “The things we try to bury are often the things that need the most sunlight.”

Twisty and turny - a contemporary mystery thriller with elements of danger, suspense and “can’t trust anyone”…House of Glass is going to be hitting the tops of everyone’s lists on August 6th!!

This psychological thriller is going to be your jam if you liked If Something Happens To Me, The Heiress, First Lie Wins, The Only One Left, Murder in the Family, The Next Mrs. Parrish, Gone Girl, etc!

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sarah Pekkanen for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review. A pleasure!! 💜

Wowwww! This book held my attention and didn’t want to let me go. I really enjoyed the way Stella’s past is brought to light while she tries to figure out what’s best for Rose. While I thought I knew what was going on, I didn’t figure everything out! I enjoyed the journey this book took us all on. If you enjoy a thriller that keeps you invested, this book is for you. Don’t let this book pass you by.

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
Narrator: Laura Benanti
Rating: 4 stars
Pub date: 8/6

Thank you so much to St. Martin’s Press for my advanced copy and to Macmillan Audio for my complimentary audiobook. #macaudio2024

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is an addictive psychological thriller. The story follows Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney with a traumatic past, who is appointed to represent Rose Barclay, a nine-year-old girl who stops speaking after witnessing the mysterious death of her nanny during her parents' nasty divorce.

From the moment Stella steps into the Barclay's historic DC home, which is strangely devoid of glass, you know you're in for a twisty ride. The family dynamics are messed up, and everyone seems to be hiding something. Pekkanen does a great job of building suspense as Stella tries to figure out who among the Barclays is a victim and who might be a murderer.

The characters are well-developed, especially Stella, whose own past adds depth to her role. The tension keeps building, and just when you think you have it all figured out, another twist comes along. The story is fast-paced and keeps you hooked until the last page.

I listened to the audiobook version, and Laura Benanti did an amazing job of bringing all of the characters and the creepy atmosphere to life.

If you love psychological thrillers with complex characters and lots of twists, you should definitely pick up House of Glass. It's a gripping read that will stay with you long after you finish it. Highly recommended!