4.5 stars. Am in love with Sarah Pekkanen and her twisty topsy turvy plots! Stella Hudson is an advocate for children of divorce. Her latest case, 9-year-old Rose Barclay, is mute through the trauma of watching her nanny plunge to her death. But did she jump or was she pushed? Of course she was having an affair with Rose's dad, Ian. And Rose's mother, Beth, knew all about it. And Harriet, her grandmother, was with Rose when Tina fell. But everyone seems to be lying and although Stella wants to do what's best for Rose, she can't help but wonder what Rose is hiding.
Creepy gothic house setting and Stella becomes increasingly unreliable as she is plunged further into the lives of the Barclays. Super good read!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this audio e-arc.*

I really enjoyed this one! The book kept me interested from start to finish! I liked that their were multiple plot twists! Also the narrator did a great job!

This is a who did it clue like book, you're constantly guessing and changing up your guess as the book progresses. I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed the narrator. The story felt real and gave me that feeling of being in a suspenseful movie. I loved that it felt like two books in one. On one hand you're trying to figure out who killed the nanny and on the other you're trying to figure out what happened to Stella. I really enjoyed it and was left surprised at the end. Definitely recommend it if you want a pretty fast paced thriller that will keep you guessing!

Stella is an attorney that has been assigned to work with a 9-year-old girl named Rose. The girl witnessed her nanny fall out of a window and now refuses to speak at all. Aside from witnessing something so horrific, Rose is caught in between a nasty custody battle that hopefully Stella can help settle.

As Stella makes her routine visits, she starts picking up on things that are rather strange, like the house containing not one single piece of glass.

This book covers topics like infidelity, murder, childhood trauma- you name it.

Overall, this was a good read! I enjoyed most of my time listening to it, although rather slow. The narrator, Laura Benanti, did an awesome job giving characters their own voice.

Although I was super intrigued for the majority of the time, I was able to guess the person of interest rather early on. I personally also think we spent too much time focusing on Stella’s own childhood, which took from the actual plot.

Overall, a solid book. Enjoyable. I would recommend, especially if you need something ✨different✨

Thank you so much to @stmartinspress, @macmillan.audio for the ALC, and to the author!

Rating: 3.5 ⭐️
Pub Date: August 6, 2024
How I Read It: 🎧

Synopsis
A nanny who falls to her death, a nine-year-old girl who collects sharp objects, no longer speaks, and has a mysterious evil about her; parents who are divorcing, and a custody lawyer who needs to figure out what is going on in this house. A house where glass is not allowed and an eerie feeling fills the air. Lawyer, Stella, is on a mission to uncover the Barclay family’s house secrets, all while dredging up memories and trauma from her childhood that she would rather forget.

My Thoughts
This was a good, quick thriller read. I figured out pretty early on what was going on, but there was one twist I didn’t figure out. It was lacking a little for me. I think I needed more thrill. I feel like the book would have been really interesting if we were able to see into Rose’s mind in a cryptic kind of way, one that kept the reader intrigued on this mysterious character. I did like that you couldn’t trust any of the characters, so the book did keep you guessing. It’s an easy, quick listen, and I liked the narrator a lot; she really kept you engaged while feeling all of the emotions of the characters.

❗️Of Note
🔪 Murder

Themes
Domestic Thriller
🫣 Suspense

Ratings
Characters: 4 ⭐️
Pace: 3.5 ⭐️
Enjoyability: 3.5 ⭐️
Narrator: 5 ⭐️

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book!

Stella Hudson is a lawyer, and she's taking on a new case. One that reminds her of her own childhood. Rose Barclay has completely stopped talking after her nanny died, and both of her parents are suspects. Stella is there to help her as her parents go through a divorce where they both want full custody of Rose. She must determine which parent is safe to leave Rose with. Nothing is quite as it seems, and the house is devoid of glass with nothing but plastic in its place. What's going on here?

This was a fascinating thriller with an eerie tension throughout. Each family member is a suspect, and it almost seems impossible to solve. You could feel Stella's anxiety as she navigates the situation.

The audiobook is narrated by Laura Benanti, who does a great job with each character. They each had a distinct voice, and she was wonderful at conveying the suspense and tension.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan, for this ALC. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was wavering between 3 and 4 stars but I'll round up this time to 4 stars. I would categorize this book as popcorn thriller. You cannot put it down at the moment but it might be a bit forgettable after you finish it - you will remember that it was a page turner and you did enjoy it while giving you that "creepy" feeling on the inside. The narrator, Laura Benanti, was excellent. She can do male and female voices and everyone had distinct voices which is so important in audiobooks!

This was so good! I loved the narration, and the story line was super twisty and I had no idea where it would end up. As a lawyer, I'm very familiar with family court, GALs, and the best interests of the child. The author did a really nice job representing all of this in a fictional book, while combining a great family drama / thriller plot line.

the setup…
Stella Hudson is attorney who serves as an advocate for children in custody cases. She’s recently divorced (amicably) and her latest assignment is nine-year old Rose Barclay. Though she as a rule only accepts cases for children thirteen or older, Stella’s mentor recommended she take on Rose because of her special circumstances. See, Rose stopped speaking after her nanny fell to her death through a window in the Barclay home. Rose may have been a witness to the accident…or her murder.

the heart of the story…
Rose is the center of this story and from the onset I wasn’t sure (and neither was Stella) if she was a victim, co-conspirator or murderer. What makes this more interesting is Stella’s own tragic past where she suffered the same inability to speak when her mother died under questionable circumstances. It was a constant dance with Rose’s family, including her parents Beth and Ian and paternal grandmother Harriett, who all interfered with Stella’s access to Rose. It was obvious they were hiding something and my suspicions vacillated between all of them. The house itself added to the creepiness as all things glass was removed from it, supposedly a phobia of Beth’s. Yeah, right.

the narration…
Benanti delivered a great performance, first and foremost as Stella and also in her storytelling. She also managed other character voices really well.

the bottom line…
Despite figuring out the whodunit before the reveal, this was quite an interesting journey to the truth. Rose was just as creepy as that house and made it plausible that she could have given the nanny a push. Even though the story started to drag midway, when it later regained its mojo, it was riveting, moved quickly and hard to put down. There were also a few more surprises I didn’t see coming.

This was amazing as a book and a great narration!

I choked with how fast I inhaled this novel. Love the author in general and I was in such a reading slump.
This novel is a psychological thriller that keeps you on your toes
whats real
whats imaginary
who can you trust
who should you fear
who dun it..

becuase you will never see it coming ..

but also how expensive could that have been to change the house of glass!

10/10 reccomend

This hard-to-put down story is a MUST read!! House Of Glass follows Stella, a court appointed lawyer that is assigned as a guardian ad litem for 9-year-old Rose Barclay while her parents divorce. Stella’s job is to determine what custody agreement would best suite the young child by conducting interviews and observing the family. Following the death of the families nanny, Rose has traumatic mutism and is a difficult client as she refuses to talk. But let’s talk about the death of the nanny …

What happened to the nanny? Was it accidental or murder? Is the Barclay family hiding a secret? How does Stella’s own past affect her ability to help this family?

This suspense-building novel had me begging one more chapter until I completed the book in one sitting. Who needs sleep? It’s not so much that there was an explosive twist at the end, it was more of the background noise that had my jaw on the floor!

Thank you NetGalley and MacMillan audio for the ALC in return for my honest review!!

#netgalley #netgalleyreview #arc #sarahpekkanenauthor #macmillanaudio

This story leads the reader on a merry chase! And I enjoyed it! I knew something was wrong in this house and with this family but I just had no idea what kind of twist was coming! And everyone, including the nine year old Rose, is a suspect.

Rose’s nanny has recently died. She fell or was pushed out her bedroom window. Now her parents are getting divorced. Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney, appointed to serve as counsel for children in custody cases. She never accepts clients under thirteen due to her own traumatic childhood, but Stella’s mentor, a revered judge, believes Stella is the only one who can help. As Stella comes closer to discovering the secrets surrounding this family, she knows she herself is in danger and time is running out.

I enjoyed how this author slowly reels you in. She creates such a web of deception and lies! Did Rose kill her Nanny? She keeps sharp objects hidden everywhere. And now she is not talking. What about Rose’s parents? Affairs were had!!!! And what about the grandmother? She has some unique ideas about who should have custody. You need to read this to find out!

The narrator, Laura Benanti, is not really my favorite. She tended to speed up during the intense sections. And, in general, too dramatic for me.

Need a good thriller with a twisted ending…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

House Of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is utterly propulsive and addicting!

How did the nanny die? It could have been an accident, or she could have been murdered at the hands of her boyfriend or by anyone in the Barclay household. It's Stella Hudson's job to assess the Barclay family and ascertain who gets custody of nine-year-old Rose after her parents’ divorce - all while trying to get to the bottom of the nanny's death. To make matters more difficult, Rose has been afflicted with traumatic mutism.

Main character Stella has a methodical and analytical mind that breaks down every decision, constantly weighing the pros and cons - and I want to read more of her! The Barclay's are a bunch of unlikable yet memorable characters, each plotting, lying and cunning to get their way. House Of Glass is a character driven psychological thriller at its absolute finest! Although it was never "just" a thriller; it had romance and a mystery encased alongside the main plot for added depth and character development.

This audiobook will go down in history as one of my very favourites! Laura Benanti did an outstanding job with her narration! She embodied Stella and made the story so believable! She had a knack at heightening the suspense with her diction, tone, and the punctuated use of her voice. Absolutely phenomenal!

House Of Glass is utterly thrilling and atmospheric. And I didn't guess the outcome at all!

Thank you NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Macmillan Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

Thank you to @macmillian.audio for the gifted audiobook and St. Martin’s Press Books/NetGalley for the audiobook ARC. All opinions are my own.

Narrator Laura Benanti did a wonderful job of narrating House of Glass. I listened at 1.75x. This is my second book by this narrator. She also narrated The Drowning by T.J. Newman along with Steven Weber

Bookish Thoughts: This popcorn thriller was filled with plenty of suspense and twists and turns. I probably would not have enjoyed this one that much if I did not listen solely on audio. The author did a good job on developing the characters, which were hard to like at times. This one did not blow me away but if you like mystery whodunnits, this one is for you!

#MacAudio2024

3.5🌟 (rounded up)
I was eager to dive into "House of Glass." The concept itself was intriguing—a divorce, a best interest lawyer navigating the custody of a mute 9-year-old girl, Rose, who is the sole witness to a tragic accident. I anticipated a thrilling ride. Having thoroughly enjoyed several books co-authored by Sarah Pekkanen,

The audiobook format added an immersive layer to the experience, but the delivery leaned more towards a mystery thriller, creating a slow burn where I expected more intensity.

I would have loved to dive a bit deeper into Rose's character and her thoughts. Due to her muteness, there were natural limitations in how her perspective could be depicted.

Despite these reservations, 'House of Glass' found its stride around the 60% mark. The pacing picked up, the stakes felt higher, and the twists more engaging. It was in this latter portion that the book truly shone, delivering the tension and intrigue I had hoped for from the start. However, I will say there was no huge surprises for me.

Even though 'House of Glass' didn't always hit the mark as I had expected, it still had a compelling storyline that had its moments.

It’s a yes for me.
@deannsdailydrop🖤

This was a pretty standard thriller. The story was interesting enough to keep going via audiobook format and the narrator did a decent job. I find the cover so striking! The colour combo is terrific.

I enjoyed Stella’s backstory and how it tied into her work in the present. I thought her job title and usage for a murder case was an entertaining aspect. However, I found too much time was given to Stella that it felt like that was the main event - the present day murder in question and the family involved - was on the back burner. Because of this, it was lacking in building suspense. I think if there was more focus on the family, on creating sketchy scenes, handing out more emotions, and involving Rose more it would’ve been more thrilling.

I found that the story was a lot of telling and not showing. It was a lot of explaining to the reader what’s happening and why. Too much of this, and the reader loses the grip that a thriller holds onto them.

I found most of the story predictable based off of how much time, emphasis was given to the characters.

Again, the story concept was definitely interesting - I just think with these changes it could’ve gotten this book to a 4-5 star read in the thriller genre!

Thank you Macmillan Audio & Netgalley for an ALC!

If you like a book that keeps you guessing and you don't know who to trust, House of Glass is for you. I was hooked from page one and loved throwing around theories as to who I thought was responsible. This is a fantastic read by Sarah Pekkanen. Thriller fans - be sure to get your hands on a copy!

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.

I have no complaints about the narration, but it was not anything mindblowing for me. I listened at 2x and probably could have sped it up a little bit. I would definitely listen to more with this narrator, but maybe this style of book and slower narration was not the best combination for me personally.

📖 𝒃𝒐𝒐𝒌: House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen
🌟 𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈: ✰✰✰✰
🖤 𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒓𝒆: psychological thriller / domestic suspense
🤓 𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝑰 𝒓𝒆-𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅? yes - already considering a reread soon 😂
📝 𝒒𝒖𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆: I love Sarah’s books so much.. both her solo novels and ones written with Greer Hendricks. She has become one of my absolute faves! House of Glass was a sinister domestic suspense surrounding the mysterious death of the nanny of a seemingly perfect family. This is one of those you can’t trust anyone thrillers and I loved it! I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough to find out the truth behind all the lies.

Thank you so much @stmartinspress for my #gifted review copy!

Such a fast paced psychological thriller. I love Pekkanen’s books, and this one didn’t disappoint. She knows how to twist and scare. I’ll give nothing away…just pick this one up! If you’re looking for a quick but thrilling listen, look no further!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC.