Stella Hudson has chosen a difficult profession. She serves as an appointed attorney for children in custody cases. For personal reasons, she does not accept cases for children under the age of thirteen. Because of a personal request from her mentor, Stella makes an exception and agrees to handle the case of nine-year-old Rose Barclay whose parents are in the midst of a contentious custody battle. Stella plans to interview her parents, her grandmother and everyone else in Rose's life, as well as Rose. Based on what Stella learns she will then make recommendations to the court about which parent should have permanent custody. However, interviewing Rose isn't easy as she stopped speaking the day her nanny, who was pregnant with Rose's father's child, fell to her death from an attic window. Was it an accident or murder?
In HOUSE OF GLASS, by Sara Pekkanen, readers are thrown several curves. It becomes obvious there is no shortage of suspects if in fact there was a murder. The Barclay family are master-class liars and their house itself is an enigma. Why is there no glass anywhere in it? Could it be it was all removed so that Rose couldn't use any of it as a weapon? The more Stella learns about the family it becomes clear she can't trust any of them. Still, her determination to represent and protect Rose never waivers even if it is found that Rose is guilty of the unthinkable.
There is high wire tension throughout the narrative from start to finish. In this cleverly constructed tale, several aspects of the story come together as it races to its conclusion and readers are given one more unexpected curve.
I found House of Glass to be a fast-moving and engrossing psychological thriller. Highly recommended.
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