Item: House of Glass
Rating: 4.00
Author: quirkycat

by Sarah Pekkanen

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.

From the moment Stella passes through the iron security gate and steps into the gilded, historic DC home of the Barclays, she realizes the case is even more twisted, and the Barclay family far more troubled, than she feared. And there's something eerie about the house itself: It's a plastic house, with not a single bit of glass to be found.

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?

Book Summary:

Stella Hudson is a specialized attorney. It’s her job to step in and help ensure that the court of law makes the best decision for children, typically in instances where it is anything but clear. As a rule, Stella doesn’t work with children under a certain age (for her own mental health).

However, she’s made an exception, bringing her to Rose Barclay’s house. Her nanny recently died (possibly of murder), and her parents are divorcing. Both parents want full custody, and little Rose has refused to speak a word, making it impossible to ask what she wants.

My Review:

I knew right away that Sarah Pekkanen would deliver another amazing thriller, and I wasn’t wrong. House of Glass is twisted and compelling in the best ways, and I absolutely devoured this book (one sitting).

I loved this book because it was quite challenging to uncover what was truly going on. Was it a stereotypical case of the husband committing the crime, or was it the upset wife? And then there’s a worse, third option - the little girl.

Each chapter had me leaning in another direction right up until nearly the end. All the twists and additional complications did a great job of keeping me guessing (while still making it possible to see the truth; I love it).

House of Glass is worth the read, especially if you enjoy twisty psychological thrillers and vast amounts of uncertainty.

Highlights:
Thriller/Mystery
Multiple POVs
Psychological Thriller
Quest for the Truth
Child Advocate

Trigger Warnings:
Infidelity
Toxic Situation

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House of Glass

by Sarah Pekkanen

Reviewed by Quirky Cat on Sep 8, 2024

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