House of Glass by Sarah Pekkanen

 How do you decide the future of a young girl that can't speak?  She has 3 likely guardians that all want the best for her (or do they) and will do anything to protect her from the scary world outside of the "House of Glass."  Actually, it is more like a "plastic" house.  The obscenely rich family decided to remove all glass from the house after the recent tragic death of their nanny - who fell to her death from the third floor after crashing through the window!

Did the young girl (Rose) witness this accident, or was she more involved and was this an accident at all?  Why isn't she speaking?  Stella Hudson thinks she knows - traumatic mutism (is that a thing?).  She suffered from the same thing after her mother's death.  She has also been assigned to investigate the best possible custody option for Rose, now that her parents are divorcing.  However, the nanny's death (Tina) is still under investigation and the cops suspect foul play.  If Stella doesn't know who the killer is, does she risk granting custody of Rose to a murderer?

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Discussion Questions

1. The story opens up with Stella observing Rose (her future client) heading to her weekly therapy appointment.  She watches as she picks up a shard of glass and hides it in her pocket.  What do you think the significance of this scene is and why do you think the author chooses to open the book with it?
2. Later, Stella meets her soon to be ex-husband, Marco, at a bar to sign their divorce papers.  What did you find most intriguing about this scene and its importance to the book's overall plot/themes?
3. Marcos' mother is later introduced in the story for a short time.  Why do you think the author chose to highlight this relationship?  Was it important to the book's overall plot/themes?
4. Stella finally enters the Barclay's residence and there is much commotion with construction and family members busying themselves about the house.  What was your first impression of the Barclay family?  What was your first impression about the house, as Stella described it?
5. Rose and Stella have a disorder the author names "traumatic mutism," which is a form of "selective mutism."  Do you think this exists?  What do you think causes it?  How do you believe it can be cured?  What are the parallels between Rose and Stella's mutism?
6. Stella has a confidante in Charles.  Is this a good or bad relationship?
7. Tina - the nanny - was important to the plot because her death seemingly sparked the family's fracture.  Do you think that the family was intact before the death or were there other signs?  If Tina did not join the family, would this have happened?  
8. The introduction of another character to the family, Harriet, also made an impact on the dynamic.  Do you believe the family would have been able to survive without Harriet but with Tina?  Or without both of them?  Could Ian, Beth, and Rose be a close family with just each other?
9. Did you find the ending shocking?  Believable? Tragic?
10. What do you think will happen next?