Another winner from Sarah Pekkanen. I have been a fan of her books for years when she was writing with Greer Hendricks. Sarah is an author who I will always read anything she writes. I really enjoyed this book and the audio was great.

Pure perfection. I can’t think of a better phrase to describe House of Glass. From the depth of the characters to the ever ratcheting foreboding, there simply wasn’t a thing missing from this psychological thriller. The plot itself was finely layered while my thoughts were constantly plagued with suspicion.

This book had an interesting premise. It was a book club pick that had me invested enough to see it through which justified 2.5 stars. Unfortunately the delivery fell completely flat for me. I feel like the ideas were planted very early on to make us suspect Rose, which to me made it blatantly obvious it was not her. We also were suspicious of Harriet right from the start, so I was hoping we would get a WOW turn of events and completely throw us off, which was a let down when it ended exactly as predicted early on.

Additionally there was so much extra information that I felt had no substance to the story-pretty much Charles and every story line pertaining to him specifically. His character could have been eliminated and it wouldn’t have taken anything from the storyline. The change up in her sexuality and a random new infatuation with the detective was so random to me and again added no value. But the thing that annoyed me most was the title. It might as well have been called house of plastic or house of plexiglass or even house of no glass would have better fit.

For those who like a tense, character-driven psychological thriller with some delicious twists and turns, this book is for you!

Narrator and main character Stella is a positively fascinating character. She is an attorney who works as a Best Interest Attorney. If you don’t know what that is, don’t fret! I didn’t either, but I found it compelling and also I’m grateful that positions like this exist in the world. Essentially, Stella is there as an advocate specifically for the child impacted by this divorce and the things going on in the household. She works independently to assess the home situation and makes a recommendation to the court as to what would be best for the child.

In this case, the child at the center of the case is a prodigy named Rose, who witnessed her nanny’s death and hasn’t spoken since. This comes in the middle of a contentious divorce between her parents, who are rich as sin and live in an opulent glass house. The beautiful nanny, Tina, plummeted to her death from one of those glass windows. Of course before that, she had a torrid affair going on with Ian Barclay. Since Tina is dead, the details of the affair predominantly come from Ian. Never trust a man who claims the affair was a one time thing, amicable when it ended, or that the mistress is “crazy”. All of those can be true, but none of those can be true as well!

In this case, the affair is impossible to deny because Tina was pregnant at the time of her death. Oh, Ian… You really got yourself into it this time. You’d think that the mother, Beth, would be sympathetic. She isn’t, though. The money is actually mostly Beth’s money. Beth herself is fragile and slightly unhinged. She’s deathly afraid of glass ever since the nanny’s death, which Stella and I both found suspicious. Apparently fear of glass is a real thing, though. The poor cook for the house can’t even use a glass measuring cup. Unfortunately for Beth’s new phobia, she lives in a literal house of glass. Ian, being the stand up cheater that he is, is going through the process of replacing the countless windows in the house with plexiglass. This is weird, if you ask me. It’s actually not a house of glass, then. It’s a house of plastic. Somehow this feels claustrophobic even imagining it.

The story has a finite number of suspects, which actually made the mystery more interesting. The timeline between the nanny’s fall and when she was discovered seems to eliminate some of the suspects, but introduce others. Namely, Rose is a strange child and there is something creepy about her. I found myself pondering if it is possible that Rose did it. Others seem to think so, and are working hard to protect her from that suspicion becoming more substantial. Meanwhile Stella has quite a backstory of her own that was an absolute roller coaster.

A tense book that I found full of surprises!

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Macmillan Audio for my advance copies. Opinions are my own.

This book really shows that some people can be truly EVIL.

Rose Barclay is a 9 year old girl who is suffering from traumatic mutism. She literally can no longer speak. This started for Rose after witnessing her nanny Tina dying and even "possibly murdered." This all occurred in the midst of her parents divorce.

Stella Hudson is the attorney who has been assigned to Rose's case. She has been appointed to serve as counsel for children in custody cases. Stella has her own traumatic childhood that led to her having a period with mutism and is why she doesn't normally take cases of kids under 13 years of age. Her job is to determine which parent is better suited to take full custody of Rose.

As Stella is meeting with Rose's parents and grandmother who lives with them after not fully recovering from surgery certain details around Tina's death, cause doubts as to whether it was an accident or not. While a case against this being a murder has not come to fruition, everyone remains a suspect, even Rose herself.

I really enjoyed this book, especially the audio version. Pekkanen has a way of setting up the scene in the story. It was very ominous and intense which I felt added another layer to the story. I also think she does a great job with character building and development and she had me very leery of Rose till the end. There was definitely a creepy factor to the characters.

I felt like this was an original story line, which is hard to do these days when so many of the same tropes and stories are over used. The narrator, Laura Benanti, did an amazing job with the audio book and I highly recommend that medium to read/listen to this book. The chapters were short and the mystery had me hooked. If you are in a reading slump, I bet this book will be the one to get you out of it!


Thank you Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the #gifted ALC!

I’ve enjoyed Sarah’s books, both co-written with Greer Hendricks, and this latest solo novel, House of Glass. From the fast paced thrills, to the over-the-top plot that made for a fun escape read, this definitely helped me escape from yet another reading slump.

🎧I did an immersive read with the print and audio formats, and thought the narration by Laura Benati was great! She really added to the tension, and kept me engaged with the story. I have actually listened to a few books with her narration, and would definitely recommend!

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗧𝗢 𝗘𝗫𝗣𝗘𝗖𝗧
-fast paced
-unlikeable characters
-all the family secrets

*many thanks to St Martin’s Press, Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for the gifted copy for review

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC of "House of Glass" by Sarah Pekkanen. Listening to this audiobook was an immersive experience, and the narration was excellent—perfectly capturing the tension and emotions of the story. Pekkanen's writing is gripping, with a plot that mixes suspense and psychological intrigue in just the right amounts. The characters, especially the main protagonist, are complex and well-developed, which the narrator brought to life with great nuance. While the story had a few predictable moments, the audiobook kept me hooked throughout, thanks to its pacing and the narrator’s ability to create an atmosphere of unease. Overall, "House of Glass" is a captivating listen for thriller fans.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an advance listener’s copy of House of Glass!

Stella works as a best interest attorney who prefers to work with teens, but is appointed to Rose Barclay to determine the best course of action in working through Rose’s parents ugly divorce. Rose recently witnessed her nanny dying, having fallen from a window, and has since developed selective mutism - another reason Stella was chosen for this case, her own traumatic past may very well be the key needed to determine how to help Rose.

Once Stella starts visiting the Barclay house, however, she is finding out that nothing is how it appears. For starters, there isn’t a single piece of glass to be found - everything is plastic. And then there’s speculation that the nanny did not jump or trip out of the window, rather that she was pushed, and everyone involved has a reason to want the nanny dead - Rose included.

Now, Stella needs to work hard to determine where the real threat lies, with the parents? Or with the child she is supposed to be protecting?

This was a tense, foreboding, and toxic slow burn that I could not get enough of!

It’s not often that a setting plays such a strong role in a thriller, I normally find that to be a trait of horror books (which House of Glass does skirt along the lines of). I loved the house, the personality that it brought to the story, and the added layer of unsettling that it brought to not just Stella, but me as a reader.

While Sarah does have a classic red herring, she drops enough crumbs to make you second guess your obvious thoughts and left the ending not quite as easily solved as one would think.

I thought the audio was good, it was super easy to digest and performed well.

Any book by Sarah Pekkanen is an automatic read for me, and this one was so good! With creepy family, tragic past, depth of characters, and a mystery that continues to unfold, House of Glass was a five-star read in my book.

A dead nanny, a 9 year old girl who hasn’t spoken since, parents in the midst of a custody battle over her, and a lawyer who’s tasked with deciding what is best for the child while trying to figure out what exactly happened to the nanny.

I ate this up, I finished this in a day or so and I was genuinely UPSET when it ended. I ended up purchasing the hardcover copy so I could re-read the physical copy - it was THAT good.

The ending lost me in this one. It seemed random and not at all what I expected. Kinda ruined it for me!

House of Glass is an intense and gripping psychological thriller that kept me hooked from the first chapter. The audiobook format made the suspense even more palpable, with excellent narration that brought the characters to life and heightened the tension. Pekkanen's sharp writing and well-paced twists create an unsettling atmosphere that keeps you guessing until the very end. If you're a fan of thrillers, this one is an absolute must-listen!

This is one of my favorite thriller authors and I really enjoyed this one! I thought the twists were surprising and the characters were compelling. I think this is my first time listening to Laura Benanti as a narrator and thought the performance was perfect for this story! Highly recommend if you enjoy twisty domestic thrillers! 4⭐️

This book had some definite creepy vibes to it. Stella begrudgingly accepts a job as best interest council to young nine-year-old, Rose. Rose is the only witness to the death of her nanny; however, Rose is no longer speaking. At all. Meanwhile, Rose's parents are on the brink of divorce and the grandmother is super protective of Rose. When Stella arrives at their estate for her first meeting with the child, she notices that everything seems strange, especially the fact that all glass has been removed from the house. The more time she spends with the family and trying to get to know Rose, the more intrigued she is. She cannot seem to get Rose alone to have some one-on-one conversations. She keeps finding strange things around Rose. The parents and grandmother all seem to be covering something up. Things just don't add up and Stella begins to wonder if she is in trouble. The audio was super well done. Laura Benanti does a great job with narration that only increases the creep factor which gave me chills.

This was a good thriller that kept me guessing until the end. The psychological mix with the aspect of who did it really worked. If you are looking for an overall creepy novel with family drama this is a great pick.

This audiobook was awesome! It was a new narrator for me but I really liked her. I did laugh at the voice used for Charles but I loved the other voices she did for the other characters.

I really enjoyed this story! I loved the unique idea of having the story be from the POV of the lawyer. It felt like we (the readers) were part of unravelling the mystery.

This story had me on the edge of my seat, questioning every character we encounter. No one was trustworthy, and yet everyone had a side I felt sympathy for.

I've read other books by this author and I have to say, she continues to top my enjoyment of her novels every time.

This one is a great read for October because it has a bit of a spooky feeling to it. I highly recommend picking this one up if you are looking for a great fall thriller!

Full Review:

I don't really recommend this book because I don't recommend books that are ableist. However, there were things I liked about this book so if you don't care able disability and mental health representation,  you might still like this one.

Reading Notes:

Three (or more) things I loved:

1. Dang I feel so bad for Stella after the first couple chapters! I love when writers use the pathetic lead. When it works, and it does here, its a great way to get readers to invest early.

2. The main character has an interesting career. I don't know if I've ever read a novel with a POV character being a child advocate. I'm looking forward to fascinating character work! *edit Unfortunately the narrator's instability and lack of professionalism interfere badly with her role as advocate. I don't feel like this is a good example of the profession.

3. Pekannen is d*mn good at laying red herrings!

Three (or less) things I didn't love:

This section isn't only for criticisms. It's merely for items that I felt something for other than "love" or some interpretation thereof.

1. Pekannan is working too hard to give this girl (young Stella) a rotten childhood for her to have this 50-year-old woman conservatism. It's not that she chooses saving over mascara; it's the snide remarks she makes about the expense of college. Kudos that she's saving for tuition. Not okay that she posits this as the better option to student debt in some weird and completely unnecessary battle of piety.

2. I don't like the audiobook narrator, as she somehow manages to emphasize every single word. I never think it turns out when  publishing companies hire high ticket actors instead of professional readers.

3. I'm 20% of the way in and I think I called the plot, thanks to the suddenly mystical therapist.

4. Yikes, this is horribly sanist. And didactic. I mean, is this a thriller or an ableist soapbox?

5. Ugh so much new plot info in the last 5% of the book, I hate it.

Rating: 🏢🏢 /5 glass houses
Recommend? Not really
Finished: Sep 15 '24
Format: Audiobook, NetGalley, Libby
Read this book if you like:
🏡 domestic thrillers
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 family stories, family drama
🧼 soap boxes

Thank you to author Sarah Pekkanen, publishers Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley for an advance audio copy of HOUSE OF GLASS. Read by Laura Benanti. All views are mine.

Manipulation, trauma, and murder revolve around a young girl. The vision of the perfect life is deceptive. Do we ever truly know the people we are related to? Good narration, quick listen that keeps you guessing until the end.

House of Glass was great read by Sarah Pekkanen. From the outside, the Barclay’s seem like the perfect family, but they have built the perfect lie. A young nanny of theirs plunges to her death. Rose Barclay is a nine-year—old who witnessed the possible murder. She now refuses to speak and collects sharp objects while her parents are going through a bitter divorce. Stella Hudson is an attorney who is appointed to serve as counsel for children in custody cases. Stella suffered her own trauma and never accepts children under thirteen. But her mentor, a revered judge, believes that she’s the only person who can help Rose. Stella immediately realizes that the case is more twisted and the family is more troubled than she thought. The house itself is eerie, as it’s a plastic house with not a bit of glass. Unfortunately, the further she digs, the more danger she is in. I enjoyed reading this book and can’t wait to read more by the author.

This is a wild ride! It’s a little futuristic mystery combined with domestic thriller. I enjoyed this book more than her last and it’s a great escapist read.