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.

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!

With the nanny dead Stella Hudson must determine who shall get custody of Rose, the cheating husband, or the anxiety ridden mother. This case hits close to home for Stella. It brings up deep seeded memories from her tumultuous childhood and the death of her parents. Stella can’t help but identify with Rose and will do what it takes to keep her safe. However, as Stella watches the family and their unconventional fears and way of living she starts to form concerns for Rose’s well being. The more Stella digs and unearths incidents that have happened in Rose’s past she can't help but worry that maybe the parents are not the only ones harboring secrets. What really happened to the nanny, and does it have something to do with Rose?
Overall rating 4/5
I was expecting this to be an Omen retelling, which the book did have a plot that seemed at times to have similar vibes. However, it did have a remarkable twist at the end. I enjoyed the narrator Laura Benanti and how she made Stella relatable in her most vulnerable states. The dual timelines were also interesting and helped set the state of mind Stella was in during her investigation.


*Thank you to Sarah Pekkanen, Macmillan Audio, and Netgalley for the ALC copy. I am freely leaving my honest review.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Netgalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sarah Pekkanen for the ALC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved how atmospheric and chilling the house was with all of the hidden doors and compartments. It held my attention and kept me on my toes the entire time. I thought I had it figured out several times and it turns out I was right with my first guess. Go me! Never second-guess yourself, guys! Lol

I love reading about disturbed or spooky children in my horror and thrillers and Rose was so creepy. The way she stayed silent and hid things from her parents was freaky. I loved it.

Just finished the audiobook version of this book and it was gooood. I liked the tense atmosphere throughout the story. I couldn’t stop listening.

House of Glass
Sarah Pekkanen

From the first page this mystery thriller will pull you in. The protagonist narrator is Stella Hudson, a best interest attorney. She has been chosen as the court advocate to protect 9 year old Rose Barclay by giving a proper analysis of her household members. After appropriate observations, she will write a position of who should get custody. As Rose's parents' volatile divorce occurs amidst the death (murder? suicide? accident?) of their ex-nanny it gets complicated. The police ruled out murder due to lack of evidence. But the judge handling the divorce is not so sure. And the gated Barclay DC mansion is full of enough surprises to take on the personality and role as a character in this story itself! But wait, there's more. The serial cheating father has his mother living in the house - and she is not recommending her own son for custody. And the daughter Rose has gone mute and is acting strangely since her nanny's demise - which is actually why Stella was chosen to sort this out. Yes, Stella has some childhood skeletons in her family closet, and apparently that trauma caused her to experience this same type of childhood mutism long ago. Oh, and she has a mentor who is a highly respected judge who convinced her to break her personal rule against working with young children to avoid reinvoking her own childhood trauma which, no, she has not yet worked through. The mentor - judge sees this as a high stakes custody case. And it seems he could convince Stella of anything despite her anxiety with her decision of taking this on. Who can be trusted to care for Rose? Who can get through to Rose in her quiet isolation so she will tell what she knows? The judge thinks, due to Stella's own childhood mutism experience, she is the most likely person to get to the bottom of Rose's truth. So put on your seatbelt and know, before you are done, everyone mentioned so far and more will be a suspect. And more surprises about Stella's traumatic childhood will be revealed. Enjoy the ride! I received this ARC through NetGalley from MacMillan audio for House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen which will come out tomorrow, August 6, 2024. If you want a top notch mystery thriller with regular twists and turns, this is the one! Available on a well done audio version which I also recommend

House of Glass was my fourth Pekkanen thriller and it didn't disappoint!

Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney. She works with children during their parents divorce to decide whom to award custody to when an agreement cannot be met. Stella herself had a traumatic childhood, losing her father at a young age and finding her mother dead of a heroin overdose at the age of 7. She went to live with her aunt who never really showed her much love. Stella doesn't take on clients under age 13, but in the case of 9-year-old Rose Barclay, she makes an exception. Rose has traumatic mutism- she isn't speaking because of the trauma she's witnessed. Stella takes her on as a client because she suffered from traumatic mutism as well after her mother passed. Rose has witnessed her live in nanny, Tina, fall from the 3rd story window of the house to her death. Her parents are in the process of a divorce and are fighting over custody of her all the while she's being homeschooled by her maternal grandmother. Something sinister is going on in the Barclay house, you just don't know who is at fault. Tina didn't fall out of that window on her own accord. Everyone in the Barclay house is hiding a secret, including Rose herself.

I enjoyed this novel and somewhat had it figured out whom Tina's murderer was. However, I feel that it was a bit lackluster. There was all sorts of buildup for this grand finale, and it was a bit of a let down in the end. There was a lot of good, anticipatory buildup throughout the novel and Pekkanen did a great job setting the scene. Because of the ending and overall lack of twists, I deducted one star for a total of 4 stars. Overall, a great thriller. The audio was fantastic- an incredibly easy listen! I binged it within 24 hours.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC!

Many thanks to NetGalley, St Martin's Press, and Macmillan Audio for gifting me both a digital and audio ARC of the latest psychological thriller by Sarah Pekkanen, with the audiobook wonderfully narrated by Laura Benanti. All opinions expressed in this review are my own - 4.5 stars rounded up!

Ian and Beth Barclay are going through a divorce and their young daughter, Rose, is caught in the middle as they each fight for sole custody. They are all living in the same house, along with Ian's mother. But the divorce and custody aren't the only issues the family is facing. Rose's nanny, Tina, recently fell (or was pushed?) from an upper window to her death, witnessed by Rose who now suffers from traumatic mutism. Stella is hired to be Rose's best interest attorney, responsible for deciding who should get custody. Stella herself had a traumatic childhood and feels like she is the perfect person to advocate for Rose.

I loved this one! I found myself suspicious and questioning everyone's motives. It was chilling, creepy, and kept me turning the pages and listening to the audiobook whenever I couldn't read it. Just why was all the glass removed from the house? Why is Rose collecting sharp objects? What really happened to Tina? Stella's backstory is another mystery as to what really happened to her mom. All these questions and plot lines are perfectly laid out and the ending very satisfying. I really enjoyed learning more about the role of a BIA - what a responsibility. Another great book by this author!

🪞House of Glass - Sarah Pekkanen

4 ⭐️ - It’s giving “The Push” vibes and I love it. The mystery, the dead body, the creepy (maybe evil?) child; I enjoyed it all. This one is quick, addictive, and perfect for upcoming spooky season. I am definitely a Sarah Pekkanen fan and I’m already looking forward to what comes next!

4.5 stars
Wealthy child Rose had a nanny who was killed by falling out a window, or she was possibly pushed. Since that day, she has not said a word but acts suspiciously and collects weapons. Stella is a child advocate lawyer that is assigned to her case to determine which parent she will live with after their divorce.
Stella was fabulous. She had her own broken past that she used to help others. Rose was her most difficult client and the questions that arose each time she visited became very troubling. I was hooked to the story from the start. The mystery was high with little aspects such as Rose’s family having absolutely no glass or breakable objects in their house. Each member seemed to have something to hide, including Rose, and the lengths Stella took to get the answers to was nothing short of impressive.

I highly recommend this one to those that love a deep, emotionally-driven mystery!

🎧AUDIO REVIEW: I couldn’t put this one down! Laura Benanti did a great job holding that mysterious tone while also giving the touching moments their due.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the copies!

3.5 stars rounded up

Nine-year-old Rose Barclay has been afflicted with traumatic mutism ever since her nanny fell (or was pushed) to her death after crashing through her attic bedroom window. Rose’s father was sleeping with the pretty young nanny, and now her parents are getting divorced, each of them seeking custody of Rose. Stella Hudson is the child advocate attorney serving as counsel for Rose’s best interest. But this case is far more twisted than Stella bargained for, and it’s starting to look like someone in the Barclay house might be a murderer. It could be any one of them, maybe even little Rose!

I love a good creepy child plot, and Rose is definitely creepy with her sinister, silent facial expressions and penchant for collecting and hiding sharp objects. The Barclays’ house is atmospheric and the idea of a completely glass-free house is a clever one. I would have loved if the author had leaned in harder on those aspects, as I never really connected with Stella’s backstory and found it fairly predictable. Still, short chapters make this a quick read, and when the action really takes off around the 80% mark, I couldn’t wait to see how everything would play out.

The audiobook is narrated by Laura Benanti. She has an extremely expressive voice that injects plenty of drama into the narrative, especially as the action heats up.

Many thanks to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio for providing me an advance copy of this book.

This was a good book. I enjoy books that have people working with kids. It is so interesting to me how kids’ minds are. I liked the main character and I liked how she was able to draw on her own experiences as a child when working with Rose. This was fast paced and twist. Great read. I listened to the audiobook and I though the narrator was good.

This was my first time reading a book by Sarah Pekkanen and I really enjoyed this one. A complex and twisted family full of secrets, a nanny that falls out of a window, and a 9 year old that keeps collecting sharp things that won't speak to anyone. This was such a fun murder mystery that kept me on my toes guessing the entire time. I really enjoyed the way that tension kept building throughout the story and I felt like the pace was really well done.

You literally cannot trust everyone in this book and everyone is a suspect. At no point did I really have an idea of who done it and I loved the final reveal. This was a really fun, atmospheric, suspenseful, and quick read for me.

Thank you so much Macmillan audio for providing me an alc copy of this! I mainly listened to this, and Laura Benanti did a great job with the story. She portray the characters really well and the narration kept me entertained the enter time!

4.5⭐️
Such an entertaining and phenomenal audiobook! Highly recommend this story, the beginning can get a little confusing but once you get a hang of the characters, it’s incredibly well written. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my gifted audiobook.