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!

Stella is an attorney specializing in evaluations of families involved in custody disputes. She is asked to evaluate an unusual case involving a nine year old girl suffering from traumatic mutism as a result of the mysterious death of her nanny. The parents are divorcing and each is seeking full custody of their daughter. Stella becomes over-invested in the case due to her own similar traumatic past. As Stella tries to get through to Rose, the traumatized child, she also works to evaluate everyone involved with the family including the live-in grandmother and friends of the nanny, thus learning many family secrets that make the custody decision difficult. While her investigation is time-consuming, Stella is also dealing with personal issues such as her own recent divorce and discovering secrets around her own past and her mentor who has been a father figure to her.
I thoroughly enjoyed this unusual thriller, especially the mutism aspect making it difficult to evaluate the child and learn the truth about the family and the nanny's death. I also liked that Stella herself could identify with Rose and we slowly learned about her own traumatic childhood. Stella's investigation was very methodical, giving the reader more and more evidence to try and solve the mystery along with Stella - very well done! There were surprises but no over the top twists and the characters were fairly well-developed. An intriguing and enjoyable read! I listened to the audio version of this book and found the narration to be overly dramatic and distracting. Actually it was annoying at times and I wished that such a good story was better read.

Deliciously creepy! I am a fan of Sarah Pekkanen, who always puts the "thrill" in the phrase "psychological thriller." This was no different. I have been in a bit of a reading slump lately. I haven't been reading anything that really captured my attention. But with House of Glass, it had me hooked very quickly. Stella is a "best interest attorney" for a girl with traumatic mutism, which came on suddenly after witnessing her nanny's death. Stella is enlisted to decide which parent gets full custody of the little girl, Rose. Stella visits the home of Rose Barclay and her family many times throughout the book, and the house just gets creepier and creepier from the first day. Nothing in the entire home made of glass? No picture frames, no glassware, not even bottles of wine.

I cannot say that this was my favorite book of all time, especially in this genre, but the writing is excellent and the storyline, intriguing. I listened to the audiobook, which was narrated by Laura Benanti. I adored her performance. I know Laura from her work in television, but have never listened to a book narrated by her. I would 100% listen to more narrated by her.

I finished this book today and IMMEDIATELY recommended a friend to put it on her TBR list. This book just makes me want to read the entire works of Ms. Pekkanen. Four stars!

Thank you to Netgalley, MacMillan Audio, and St. Martin's Press for this advanced listener's copy.

Set in and around Maryland, this thriller will have you guessing the whole time. It kind of gave me Perfect Child vibes which I loved! Our FMC, Stella, is assigned to see if this family’s household is a safe place for 9 year old Rose. How can it be when there was a death right there in the home? Was it murder? Suicide? If it was murder, who was behind it? Those are the questions you have to constantly ask yourself while reading this book. Plus the FMC has her own tragedies to work through along the way. I definitely recommend! Thank you so much Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This one had a lot of twists and turns my only problem was I wanted it to go even creepier or maybe more gothic but still a solid thriller that I highly recommend!


Narrated by Laura Benanti, this was my first book by this narrator and I thought she did a very good job and I would listen again!

Highly recommend this one!

4 stars

I received this audiobook from the publisher Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for a fair and honest review.

Wow! I really enjoyed this audiobook and listened to it with every free second. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to enjoy this!

I was hooked from the beginning. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. If you like a good thriller/mystery you must read this! Thank you for this arc of Sarah Pekkanen’s newest book!

Author Sarah Pekkanen has a way with making you rethink everything you know. With intense family dynamics, interlaced with a psychological perspective, readers are always in for an interesting read. Her latest then is no surprise as we find ourselves entering a family that is breaking. From extramarital affairs to young prodigies, and a lawyer looking to untangle it all for the safety and security of the child involved. Pekkanen has penned another extraordinary read.

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is about a lawyer that is trying to figure out who will get full custody of Rose, a young girl who has been mute since her nanny fell out of the the third story window of their house. Stella must try to get the girl to trust her so that she can make an informed descion for the courts. Everything in Rose and Stella lives are not what they seem to be. Stella has just divorced her husband of 10 years and is struggling with him moving on. Stella is also close to a former judge who has been like a father to her and has been her mentor since the age of 18. Once Stella is close to solving what caused the trauma to Rose, then she must fight her own demons. This is a quick read that has an unbelievable twist that I'm sure every fan of a good thiller will love. I would like to thank both NetGalley and MacMillian Audio for providing me with the advanced copy of this book.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

Thank you @Macmillan.Audio and @netgalley for this wonderfully twisty audio book! It comes out 8/6 so make sure you grab your copy!

House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen is an enthralling journey into the complexities of family dynamics and the secrets we keep. The narrative unfolds with precision, drawing readers into a web of intrigue and emotion that keeps you guessing until the very end. Pekkanen's skillful storytelling and rich character development create an immersive experience that is both gripping and thought-provoking. Each character feels authentic, their struggles and triumphs resonating long after the final page. With unexpected twists and turns, House of Glass ensures you won't guess what happens next until the climactic conclusion. A true gem for fans of suspenseful family dramas, House of Glass earns its stars with every twist and revelation.

#books #booknerd #bookstagram #bookreview #bookworm #reader #booksbooksbooks #bookrecs #bookrecommendations

I don’t read many books from the mystery/thriller genre, but I had been seeing a lot of hype about this book, so I gave it a chance. It did confirm my aversion and was indeed creepy and disturbing.

I did root for Stella, the child advocate in a divorce custody case, herself a victim of childhood trauma, who is trying to find answers to help her client, Rose, who cannot speak up for herself due to being rendered temporarily mute. Rose has been suffering from this silent condition since she supposedly witnessed her nanny fall to her death from a third-floor window of their home.

The case was never solved on how the nanny fell, or if she was pushed, and there are many members of the household that raise suspicion. Throughout the investigation of this unusual case, Stella dredges through her own painful memories of losing her parents and the unanswered questions surrounding their deaths.

When Stella notices Rose collecting sharp objects and behaving erratically, she contemplates if someone her age could be capable of such violence, and she even talks to a detective who specializes in cases of children that he believes had a natural predestination for evil. Could the angelic piano prodigy, Rose, be capable of murder? And would she try to hurt Stella who was hired to look out for Rose’s best interest.

3.5 Stars ⭐️✨⭐️

The twists and unraveling of this mystery had me captivated and had to keep listening (audiobook).

The pros:
- the addition of backstory of main character Stella
- character development of nine year old Rose
- pace of ending
- some of the scenes were written so well I could picture the exact room/house

The cons:
- plot got murky and slow in the middle which was hard to stick through at points
- while the major twist was predictable, the way it came to be was still a page turner

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of House of Glass!

“Evil isn't merely a word. It's a tangible, dimensional thing. Once it homes in on a target its malevolent arc of electricity affixes to its prey.” Was evil behind the death of the nanny, or was it an unfortunate tragic accident? If evil was the force behind the horrific event, who was the catalyst? All is not as it appears in the Barclay household, Divorcing parents, a feeble grandmother, and a traumatized mute child live in a world of secrets and deception. I enjoyed the protagonist, Stella as she navigated this mysterious family. This character-driven story kept me intrigued throughout. The narration expertly added elements of emotion, intensity, and suspense. Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for my audiobook.

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?

This was a solid 3.5 for me, rounding up to a 4. This is my second Sarah Pekkanen, solo author book. There were parts where the writing felt a little slow and repetitive but I was vested to know what happened to the little girl and her nanny. There were a few twists and red herrings well laid out for the reader to be thrown until the very end. I mean it’s Sarah Pekkanen I will always pick up one of her novels, solo or written with Greer. She knows how to write a thriller.

Thank you MacMillian Audio for this advanced audio. This book is out on shelves August 6, 2024.