Sarah Pekkanen is a great thriller writer. Her thrillers are always smart, well-plotted, and suck the reader into the story quickly. House of Glass is no exception. A story of a seemingly perfect family whose nanny dies — was it a terrible accident or murder? Their nine-year old daughter, Rose, might’ve witnessed the incident and is no longer speaking. The parents are now divorcing and battling for custody of Rose. Enter Stella, the attorney tasked with deciding who should have custody. As part of her analysis, the question of the nanny’s fate becomes increasingly fraught. It’s a wild ride and I was enthralled from beginning to end. I didn’t see the twist coming!

I will say — while I really enjoyed this, it wasn’t my favorite Pekkanen. Do I recommend it? Yes. But, I think The Golden Couple, Gone Tonight, or The Wife Between Us are stronger. Still, if you’re looking for a fun thriller, add this one to your list.

4.5 stars
This book was so intriguing. It's about our main character Stella who is a best interest attorney focusing on children in custody cases. Her newest case is a custody battle between the Barclays. Their nanny has just fallen out a window and died. The 9 year old daughter Rose saw her body and is now mute due to the trauma. It had just been discovered that the nanny (Tina) had become pregnant with the father's (Ian) child. Both parents want full custody of Rose after the divorce.
Stella is such a strong character. She had an extremely traumatic thing happen in her past causing her to go mute as well which is why she was referred to the case. She was so patient with Rose, even when she found out some extremely strange things about her. Both Rose's parents do some sketchy things, as does her grandmother who lives with them because of a knee injury. It could be seen as trying to protect Rose, or trying to cover something up.
I was 100% locked into this book the entire time. We got so many clues and kept finding out new information. It really felt like everyone that was hinted at that may have been a suspect, there was such a large possibility that it could have easily been any of them...or even an accident!
The audiobook narrator was fantastic. The way she read the book kept me so interested. She totally brought it to life and had me on the edge of my seat the entire time.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I've wanted to try this author and I'm glad I was able to read House of Glass. Stella is an engaging main character with good intentions and knowledgeable about her work in being a representative for children. Rose is a bit younger than her normal cases but has a condition she once had herself.

The parents are divorcing. The paternal grandmother is living there and now teaching the child. Stella sees problems with all of them. I felt very tense with worry over Stella in the house since the nanny was most likely murdered. These are not safe people. Stella comes up with a plan to draw out the killer. So I was even more worried.

Stella is also just starting to be able to look at what happened to her parents and why they died. She has had Charles as a mentor since her mother died. He hired her and assisted her to get through law school. But now there are some hard truths she will learn about her parents.

Stella is sharp and capable. I enjoyed the ending because she handled things well and protected the child. It was suspenseful getting there!

Narration:
Laura Benanti is relatively new to me as I've listened to her work just once before. I enjoyed her narration and it kept me comfortably in the story. Her voices for the character felt appropriate. I listened at my normal 1.5x speed.

I enjoyed this one! I'm here for all the tea when it comes to the perfect presenting yet not so perfect family and this one didn't disappoint. The fact Rose refuses to talk was both heartbreaking and intriguing, selective mutism is just interesting. So many events/characters gave me the creeps at different points in the story and I couldn't decide who had done it for a while! Our MC, Stella, has a traumatic past and while she had a side story of her own, I was definitely more invested in the plot surrounding the Barclays. I do love Stella's role in this story though, as an advocate for Rose, that is a POV I feel we don't see often in books.

I went back and forth between the ebook and audio for this one but in the end the audio was so good I finished the book that way! The narration was great!

CW: Death of a parent, murder, infidelity, addiction, child abuse.

A big thank you to St-Martin's Press, MacMillan Audio and NetGalley for the ARC/ALC. All opinions are my own.

Stella is an attorney that helps the family courts determine who should be given parental custody for difficult divorces. When she is recommended for a case by her mentor, she doesn't know what she is walking into. The family has been in the press due to the unfortunate death of the nanny. Although the death is considered a cold case, there was suspicious circumstances around her death that has led to the bitter divorce of the Barclay parents each wanting sole custody of their nine-year-old daughter, Rose. On the outside, the Barclay's seem like the perfect family but inside the family home, Stella realizes the Barclay's are all hiding secrets. Did one of those secrets lead to the nanny's death?

I really enjoyed this book at the beginning. The narrator does a great job with each of these characters, and I enjoyed learning about the very unlikable characters known as the Barclay family. There were several mysteries in this book to discover such as who was responsible for Tina's death, what secrets is the Barclay family hiding and what happened to Stella's mother when she was a child. However, the story seemed to lose momentum in the middle and the story lagged. I found myself losing interest and skimming through some of the chapters to get to the conclusion. The book seemed to pick up again during the last couple of chapters and I was happy to see how the story concluded. Overall, I wasn't the biggest fan of this book but would be interested in reading other books by this author.

House of Glass is out now!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and MacMillan Audio for the opportunity to review House of Glass. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book had a seemingly common plot but turned out to be quite a unique story. There were twists and turns throughout to keep the reader invested and the main character was one you rooted for. While the ending wasn't my favorite, the build up to it still made this a 4 star read for me!

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
Narrated by Laura Benanti
Psychological Thriller. Standalone.
Thank-you Macmillan Audio and St. Martins Press for the opportunity to get an advanced copy for review. All opinions are my own. This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Now I know why I don’t read many thrillers! I was super tense and my heart rate was so high the whole time I listened to House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen . It’s the mark of a good thriller, but it’s a bit too stressful for me to listen to regularly. That being said, I inhaled the first ⅔ of this book on a long drive and didn’t want the drive to end until I finished!

Stella Hudson is a Best Interest Attorney assigned to nine-year-old Rose Barclay. A BIA is there to observe the family to help decide the best custody arrangements for a child whose parents are divorcing. But this case is unique. Rose has traumatic mutism after her nanny fell (or was pushed) out of an attic window. Rose’s father was sleeping with the nanny and she was pregnant when she died.

It could be an accident, or it could be murder by Rose’s father who didn’t want the baby, Rose’s mother who found out about the affair, the nanny’s boyfriend, the grandma, or even Rose herself. All Stella knows is that there is something creepy about the house and all the people in it.

Why is little Rose sneakily picking up sharp objects and hiding them? Why is she secretly reading about serial killers? And why has every single piece of glass in the house been removed? Even the windows were plexiglass.

I was 100% into the mystery of the plastic house. But there was a big side story about Stella’s young life that I didn’t enjoy as much, especially how it was resolved. This took away from the story a bit and made me not enjoy the second half of the story as much as the first.

Likes:
•Creepy vibe.
•Kept me tense and guessing the whole time.
•Every time I thought I figured it out I would second guess my thought.
•Thrilling climax.
•Unputdownable suspense.
•LGBTQ+ Rep
•Completely unique.

Dislikes:
•I didn’t love the FMC’s own story as much as the one she was working on and I hated the way it was resolved so easily.

The Narration:
I think Laura Bananti did a good job. She kept me tense and creeped out the whole time. She made Grandma, who is in her 60s sound like a frail 90-year-old which bugged me personally as an older reader.

The Down & Dirty:
WOW. This was one tension-filled thriller! I listened to House of Glass on a 4.5-hour drive and I didn’t even want to stop to pee. I was gripping the wheel so tight that my hands hurt! There was just enough of the creepy factor to make me uncomfy, but I couldn’t stop listening. I was so into the mystery that when there was a side story for the FMC, I just wanted to get back to the main story. If you are looking for a change of pace and a unique story with tension-filled suspense, I would absolutel recommend House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen.

Rating: 4.25 Stars, 4 Narration

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

However, as I continued, something remarkable happened. Slowly but surely, I began to understand the dynamics of the characters and the unfolding story. Each chapter felt like a small victory, pulling me deeper into the narrative. The narrator's skillful delivery and the author's vivid, 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 hearing the audiobook 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 audiobook 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 audiobook was more than just a listen; 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 audiobook a chance.

Thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns this Pekkanen novel (audio version) took. I didn't see the ending coming until...well...the end. A perfect summer thriller.

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.

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.

Stella, an attorney works with a family going through divorce to see which parent gets custody of their child, Rose. A murder whodunnit thrown in the mix. The traumatic mutism connection between Rise and Stella was interesting. This was just ok, it was entertaining but I didn’t find myself completely invested in the story. Narration on the audiobook was great. Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advanced copy. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own

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.

This was my first book by Sarah Pekkanen and I was hooked from the start! I really enjoyed the main character and the young child’s development throughout the novel. I HIGHLY recommend this book and I will be adding more books from Pennanen to my TBR!

Happy book birthday to HOUSE OF GLASS by @sarahpekkanen! What a treat of a whodunnit mystery-thriller this turned out to be!

Nanny Tina has been pushed out of a window to fall to her death. Nine-year-old Rose might have witnessed the fall and is now mute. Her parents are also now going through a divorce, and her family are all hiding secrets. Stella, the attorney hired to be Rose’s voice in the divorce custody battle, has a past of her own and is peeling back truths layer by layer.

I found this book hard to put down and enjoyed trying to guess the twists. I loved how it all erupted to a satisfying conclusion. Narrator of the audiobook, Laura Benanti, was a new narrator for me and she was perfect for this role. I read some on my kindle but enjoyed audio a ton so majority was read on audio. Many thanks to @stmartinspress and @macmillan.audio for the early review copies! Highly recommend for a satisfying thriller!

Holy cow this is good! This is the second book of Pekkanen’s that I’ve read so I knew I was bound to love it. Pekkanen had an amazing way of creating diversions and subtly throwing hints at the reader that come together in the end. The whole time I really thought I knew what had happened, and while one of my guesses (but really more like a “how crazy would it be if it was this person all along?”) was right I’m still a little shocked at the reveal. There are some side stories that I’m not entirely sure of what they add to the overall plot, but it does not take any praise away from this fantastic read. I pretty much always felt like I was on the edge of my seat eager to know what was going to happen next. I absolutely will be recommending this to others!

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
Mystery, thriller.
Lawyer Stella Hudson has a new case that eerily mimics her own history in some aspects. A nanny is dead, and the child, Rose Barclay has gone silent. Stella is an investigator assigned to uncover who in the family is a victim and who is a murderer. The house is all plastic with no glass to be found and answers are twisted as the family splits apart. Everyone is a suspect.

🎧 I alternated between an ebook copy and an audiobook. The narration was performed by Laura Benanti who does a wonderful job with voice variations and keeping the tension high and suspenseful in the appropriate times. The flow from chapter to chapter was seamless and I found no discernible recording issues. The audio kept my attention at my usual speed of 1.5 and I can easily recommend the format any reader.

A family with a killer in the midst. Who is it? A thrill ride as the clues are analyzed by Stella as she compares the current case with her own backstory. She needs to figure it out before someone else is dead.
Arresting.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Macmillan Audio.

Proper Thriller

I want to start off by saying a slight apology to some of my coworkers. Why, you might be asking? Well, the majority of my shift today was spent reading “House of Glass” by Sarah Pekkanen. I am shocked that this is my first book by this author. I loved the audiobook and ebook in equal measure. For the first time in a long while, I read a thriller that I did not guess the ending to. Such a win in my book. This book comes at the heels of a week where I have read many five-star reads, and this is going on that pile.

“House of Glass” is an enthralling thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. The story revolves around a seemingly perfect family living in a beautiful glass house, but as secrets begin to unravel, the facade of their idyllic life shatters. Pekkanen masterfully weaves a tale of suspense, with twists and turns that left me guessing until the very end.

Stella’s character is delightfully well-developed and serves as the pillar of the story. I appreciated her willingness and determination to stick with this frustrating case despite all the obstacles she faces and her own past trauma. Rose was written in equal measure creepy child and someone I wanted to hug.

The characters are well-developed and relatable, each with their own hidden depths and motivations. The protagonist’s journey through the layers of deception and betrayal is both gripping and emotionally charged. Pekkanen’s writing style is engaging and immersive, making it easy to lose track of time while reading.

One of the standout aspects of this book is its ability to balance intense, heart-pounding moments with quieter, introspective scenes. This contrast adds depth to the narrative and keeps the reader invested in the characters’ fates. The pacing is perfect, with just the right amount of tension building up to a satisfying and unexpected conclusion.

I both read and listened to the book. The audio narrator, Laura Benanti, a Tony award-winning singer/actress, brings the story to life with her captivating performance. Her steady voice and nuanced inflection keep listeners hooked from start to finish.

Overall, “House of Glass” is a must-read for thriller enthusiasts. It’s a testament to Pekkanen’s skill as a storyteller that she can craft such a compelling and unpredictable plot. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a thrilling and thought-provoking read. I can’t wait to explore more of Sarah Pekkanen’s work in the future.

Thanks to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and St. Martin’s Press for sending me an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions in this review are my own. I look forward to reading more thrillers by this author if the characters are this well-written

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


WOW! I received this book yesterday and wanted to call out of work today so I could finish it. I didn’t call out, but I wanted to!

Someone dies and no one is talking. Literally, Rose is not talking. Stella is brought in to help Rose through this traumatic time but is immediately taken back to her own childhood memories. Another who-dunnit that got me.


I enjoyed that there were multiple stories that weren’t just thrown together for additional storylines. Laura Benanti was amazing as the narrator! Adding her to my faves list.


Thank you NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Sarah Pekkanen for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I've cherished many of Sarah Pekkanen's solo and co-authored books with Greer Hendricks, but "Anonymous Girl" truly captivated me. The compelling premise of "House of Glass" once again sparked my curiosity, especially considering Pekkanen's exceptional storytelling skills.

Stella, a best-interest attorney specializing in child custody cases, finds herself representing a client who doesn't fit her usual demographic. As she delves into the case, her own childhood trauma resurfaces and blurs the lines between her professional duties and personal emotions. The intricate family dynamics and Stella's internal struggles make it challenging to decipher whether the nine-year-old, Rose, is a victim or a manipulative mastermind, adding a layer of intrigue to the story.

I was completely captivated by the twisted tale and its mesmerizing narrative. The author's gifted storytelling skillfully concealed the true culprit until the last moment, keeping the suspense high. Although the pacing felt slower compared to some of Pekkanen's other works, I couldn't help but be impressed by her ability to keep me guessing. I initially anticipated a thrilling read, but I quickly reminded myself that it's promoted as women's fiction.

I was lucky enough to receive an ebook from St. Martin's Press and an audiobook from Macmillan Audio via NetGalley. Switching between the two formats enhanced my reading experience. The narrator for the audiobook was superb, adding another layer of enjoyment to the story. All opinions are my own.

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