Sarah Pekkanen is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors, and I'm eagerly looking forward to any new books by her.. This latest twisty thriller did not disappoint. Stella is a best interest attorney, and while working with 8 year old Rose and her family, she relives her own childhood trauma.
Rose's young nanny recently plunged to her dead and while Stella tries to figure out how to help Rose, she also must investigate exactly what happened to the nanny. This book is keeping you on the edge of your seat.

I was curious about House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen even though I didn’t love Gone Tonight. I felt similarly about this one. It’s about a lawyer, Stella, who represents a nine year old girl, Rose, who is suspected of murdering her nanny. I liked the mystery of finding out who killed the nanny and learning more about why Rose is the way she is. I liked the elements of the weird house and Rose’s creepy family but I didn’t care for Stella’s side story which seemed over the top. I listened to the audiobook and the narrator Laura Benanti was good. Overall this was a solid thriller.

3.5 🌟

Stella is an attorney who had been assigned a custody battle for Rose, a 9-year old whose parents are going through a divorce, both seeking full custody. The caveat is that Rose’s nanny recently died by falling out of a two story window and Rose has been mute since. There are many culprits and unreliable characters and Stella works to discover the truth in order to make the best decision possible for Rose. In the process, lies and twists abound!

I typically like a whodunnit story, so this was right up my alley. The first half was slow but then the pace picked up in the second half as the plot thickened and secrets emerged. The plot twists threw me for a loop and were satisfying. I also really liked the atmospheric setting with a creepy house, a creepy child, and creepy things happening.

Overall, this was a decent thriller, but not Pekkanen’s best.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to this book in exchange for an honest review!

A sudden, supposed murder of the family nanny and Stella a good intention attorney is put on the case with the hope that she can decipher what really happened and who to trust. Her main goal is to help Rose, the young 9 year old that is in the middle of the case. Did she play a role? She's not speaking, she hides and keeps dangerous objects and is fearful of glass. Stella is on the case in the hopes that she can pull out of it without too much stress and remembrance of her difficult childhood.

I was definitely intrigued and curious about what was going on with Rose. Stella is willing to help in anyway she can but Rose is difficult to work with. This gave me vibes of The Push and I was all in. I thought that the audiobook was well done and bingey to listen to.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance ALC of this book.

Wow!!!!! I LOVED this! A twisty thriller that really keeps you guessing. This book draws you in from the first chapter. Its fast paced, tense, and unpredictable. The narration was fantastic! Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC.

This book was an absolute five star read for me! It will pull at your heart strings, make you angry, you'll feel untrusting, and you may think some horrific things. Kudos to Pekkanen for this amazing story that combines a bit of romance, thriller, and even a bit of horror. Rose is a young girl whose rich parents are getting a divorce amidst a potential murder. Their nanny fell from an upstairs window to her death. Stella is a best interest attorney and must figure out who Rose will live with after the divorce. The house feels sinister to Stella, and she has every reason to fear what is in the house. I definitely recommend this book to thriller fans.

Really liked this! I was constantly trying to guess what was going to happen. I had lots of theories but none of them were right. I love when a thriller can keep me on the edge of my seat. I will definitely be reading more from this author. Her writing really worked for me and I need more! Highly recommend the audiobook. It was beautifully done!

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this audiobook! This book kept me on the edge of my seat and I couldn’t wait to see what was next! There are so many twists and turns and right when I thought I figured it out, the story would twist. This was very well written, a fast read and will definitely keep you guessing.

🪟Book Review🪟
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Summary- On the outside they were the golden family with the perfect life. On the inside they built the perfect lie.

A young nanny who plunged to her death, or was she pushed? A nine-year-old girl who collects sharp objects and refuses to speak. A lawyer whose job it is to uncover who in the family is a victim and who is a murderer. But how can you find out the truth when everyone here is lying?

Rose Barclay is a nine-year-old girl who witnessed the possible murder of her nanny - in the midst of her parent’s bitter divorce - and immediately stopped speaking. 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 uncovering the secrets the Barclays are desperate to hide, danger wraps around her like a shroud, and her past and present are set on a collision course in ways she never expected. Everyone is a suspect in the nanny’s murder. The mother, the father, the grandmother, the nanny’s boyfriend. Even Rose. Is the person Stella’s supposed to protect the one she may need protection from?
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Rating- ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
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My thoughts- this was a bit of a slow start but SO worth it! I really enjoyed this audiobook, thank you @netgalley this one comes out in August but was a BOTM option for July. Twisty and creepy characters with a well rounded audio cast. I throughly enjoyed this book and it kept me guessing the entire time! Sarah Pekkanen does it again with this beauty!
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QOTD- what are your plans for the 4th of July if you’re US based ?! I’m planning to walk to the fireworks at our towns park tonight, I can’t wait ! If not any fun plans for the weekend ?!
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#houseofglass #sarahpekkanen #bookreview #bookrecommendation #bookstagram #booksofinstagram #booksofig #bookish #booklover #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #bookish #booklover #bookobsessed #booknerd #bookworm #bookwormsunite #readersgonnaread #readmorebooks #readersofinstagram #readersofinsta

Our main character, Stella, works as an interest attorney to advocate for children in custody battles. After the Barclay’s head into a contentious divorce, their nanny is murdered and a young girl (Rose) witnesses it and goes mute. Stella is working to determine who is most fit to have custody of Rose and her investigation blurs the lines with the murder investigation.

Stella soon realizes this wasn’t an ordinary nanny, but instead the pregnant mistress of Mr. Barclay. She also finds Rose hoarding sharp objects and reading about serial killers, did she have something to do with the murder? Stella also navigates her own past trauma and experiences as she begins to be threatened to leave the nanny situation alone.

There’s something eerie about the house, their private spaces, but how can Stella do her job without any investigation? Who will Rose end up with? What secrets are they keeping in the glass house ?

It was a bit of a drag for me and while I felt it was slow paced, there were revelations and twist throughout that did keep my interest. I’m going 3.5/5 because it was just okay.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 🌟 Stella an advocate is given the assignment to determine the best interests of Rose, a nine year old little girl in a custody battle between her parents. When the nanny falls from a window just before Stella’s arrival this custody case becomes a murder investigation for Stella. Is the mute Rose responsible or is another family member hiding the truth to gain custody.

I found this novel to be riveting at the beginning. There were moments it became unbelievable and over the top. Still a quick read and enjoyable. Thank you NetGalley & Macmillan Audio for this audiobook!

Unfortunately this was my least favorite read by this author. I found the story to be slow and I was not very invested in the characters or their story. I thought the grandma being the villain was very unrealistic. I will continue to read this author as I’ve loved her previous work. Thank you for the early copy.

An addicting listen I couldn’t get enough of! Red herrings that had me thinking I was so smart figuring out who murdered the nanny within the first 20%. Halfway through my original theory was out the door, and I couldn’t listen fast enough to find out whodunit and why.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen.

After her young nanny falls to her death, nine-year-old Rose becomes mute. But with her parent's divorcing and both asking for sole custody, Rose must be evaluated by attorney Stella. The second Stella approaches Rose's home, she knows something isn't right. What really happened with the nanny and how was Rose connected?

This was an amazing thriller! Here's what I loved.

The story. There were a lot of twists and turns in this one. Not only do you have the mystery of what happened to the nanny but you also delve into Stella's past as she investigates her own mother's death. Both mysteries have similarities in how Stella and Rose dealt with the aftermath.

The creepy house. This house definetly had a creep factor. It's a large manor house that really adds to the unsetting feeling of the book.

The twists. There are a lot of twists in this one. You start to not trust anyone and have to keep guessing at what is really happening.

The narration. Laura Benanti does an amazing job with this one!

Thank you to the author and publisher for the gifted copy!

Not much of a thriller or mystery? Too much family stuff, it was hard to get into and I didn’t like a lot of the characters

Holy craziness that kept me on my toes! From the very beginning, I did not want to put this book down and man is it one you all need to pre-order now!

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆?

I was totally in this book from the very beginning for the mystery of what happened to the nanny. The whole situation (and even all the characters) was twisted and intriguing. Right up till the end Kaley and I were having a hard time narrowing down who we thought the murderer was since there are lots of suspects and suspicious behavior galore.

𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲:

Mystery
Not knowing who to trust
Creepy vibes
Suspense
Family drama

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗮𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗼𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

Since I didn’t want to put this book down, I alternated between the physical and audiobook. Laura Benanti does a fantastic job creating a suspense filled and creepy atmosphere.

𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗲?

Fast!

𝗗𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸?

Heck yes! If you are like me and love fast-paced who-done-it books for summer reading, this one is definitely for you!

Thank you, Minotaur books for this gifted copy in exchange for my honest opinions

Thank you, Netgalley and MacMillan audio for this advanced audiobook. I don't know that I've read a Sarah Pekkanen book before, but I will definitely pink up another one. This was a fast and fun thriller. Stella Hudson is a best interest attorney sent to mitigate in the case of divorce proceedings involving children. Rose Barclay is a 9yr old little girl who witnessed her nanny's recent death and, now in the midst of her parent's divorce, has become nonverbal and started carrying around sharp objects. The nanny fell off the balcony, or was she pushed? Did Rose push her? Stella represents children in cases but doesn't take cases where the children are younger than 13yrs old due to her own traumatic past history. But Stella's mentor encourages her to take this case especially as he feels she is the only one who can help this child. From the outside of the Barclay's beautiful DC home, everything looks perfect, but once Stella tries to talk and bond with Rose, when Stella tries to figure out the relationship between the child's parents, or anything at all from Rose's grandmother, she realizes something more is going on in this house. This was fun and twisty thriller where no one is what you think they are. I will definitely read more from this author in the future.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review. Receiving an advanced gifted book copy does not impact or influence my review in any way. #MacAudio2024

House of Glass had an easy flow to it, with the mystery and story starting right away, making this book fast-paced. It was entertaining, and I definitely wanted to see how the author would unravel the mystery. Though the plot was predictable, I enjoyed the themes woven throughout the book: loss, trauma, growth, and a special focus on social work, which made the book different and interesting. I wanted to finish the book to figure out what was going on in this "House of Plastic." I really enjoy thrillers that feel like easy reads—something to cleanse your palate and keep you entertained. I’m really glad I tried this one out!

The audiobook was easy to follow, and the narrator had a great pace with the emotions. At first, I felt like the narrator sounded too young and maybe even naive, which made the narration distracting, but as the storyline shifted and the case became darker, you could hear the shift in the narrator’s voice, which I appreciated. I really needed an easy, entertaining book in between larger fantasies, and I recommend it if you’re looking for something similar!

Reading challenge category - 2024 Hoffbensen: Published in 2024 (3)

Thanks to #NetGalley for the ARC.

Stella Hudson is a Guardian-ad-Litem or 'Best Interest Attorney' (BIA). Her latest custody case is a 9-year-old girl, Rose, with reactive mutism due to witnessing a trauma. Stella can relate to Rose on a personal level as she experienced both trauma and reactive mutism as a child. Rose witnessed her nanny's death in her home. As Stella investigates which parent would be best for custodial care for Rose, she observes more sinister activity than what she expected and ends up solving the mystery of what happened to Tina, the nanny.

There are a lot of red herrings throughout this book -- is it more like 'The Orphan" or "Case 39?" Is it "Fatal Attraction" or "Presumed Innocent?" The final answer was somewhat predictable for me, but I did enjoy some of the twists and turns. I didn't care for the storyline about Stella's [past and how (view spoiler) was involved. I much preferred the current storyling of her recent divorce and grappling with losing family (and the final ending for her).

3.5 stars, rounded up.

𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗘 𝗢𝗙 𝗚𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗦 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝗮𝗿𝗮𝗵 𝗣𝗲𝗸𝗸𝗮𝗻𝗲𝗻 is a gripping psychological thriller that kept me hooked from start to finish. The story centers on Stella Hudson, an attorney tasked with deciding the custody of nine-year-old Rose Barclay, who has been silent since her nanny's mysterious death. Stella's own traumatic past adds depth to her character, making her journey all the more compelling. The Barclay family, with their perfect exterior and hidden secrets, provides a chilling backdrop. The family's historic DC home, devoid of glass and filled with an eerie atmosphere, adds to the suspense. As Stella delves deeper into the case, the twists and turns kept me guessing until the very end. Pekkanen masterfully weaves Stella’s personal struggles with the unfolding mystery, creating a story that is both emotionally rich and thrilling. The unexpected twist at the end was truly satisfying. Highly recommended for fans of psychological thrillers!