Defending Jacob: A Novel
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A legal thriller that’s comparable to classics such as Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent . . . tragic and shocking.”—Associated Press
NOW AN EMMY-NOMINATED ORIGINAL STREAMING SERIES • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Entertainment Weekly • Boston Globe • Kansas City Star
Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney for two decades. He is respected. Admired in the courtroom. Happy at home with the loves of his life: his wife, Laurie, and their teenage son, Jacob. Then Andy’s quiet suburb is stunned by a shocking crime: a young boy stabbed to death in a leafy park. And an even greater shock: The accused is Andy’s own son—shy, awkward, mysterious Jacob.
Andy believes in Jacob’s innocence. Any parent would. But the pressure mounts. Damning evidence. Doubt. A faltering marriage. The neighbors’ contempt. A murder trial that threatens to obliterate Andy’s family. It is the ultimate test for any parent: How far would you go to protect your child? It is a test of devotion. A test of how well a parent can know a child. For Andy Barber, a man with an iron will and a dark secret, it is a test of guilt and innocence in the deepest sense.
How far would you go?
Praise for Defending Jacob
“A novel like this comes along maybe once a decade . . . a tour de force, a full-blooded legal thriller about a murder trial and the way it shatters a family. With its relentless suspense, its mesmerizing prose, and a shocking twist at the end, it’s every bit as good as Scott Turow’s great Presumed Innocent. But it’s also something more: an indelible domestic drama that calls to mind Ordinary People and We Need to Talk About Kevin. A spellbinding and unforgettable literary crime novel.”—Joseph Finder
“Defending Jacob is smart, sophisticated, and suspenseful—capturing both the complexity and stunning fragility of family life.”—Lee Child
“Powerful . . . leaves you gasping breathlessly at each shocking revelation.”—Lisa Gardner
“Disturbing, complex, and gripping, Defending Jacob is impossible to put down. William Landay is a stunning talent.”—Carla Neggers
“Riveting, suspenseful, and emotionally searing.”—Linwood Barclay
NOW AN EMMY-NOMINATED ORIGINAL STREAMING SERIES • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Entertainment Weekly • Boston Globe • Kansas City Star
Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney for two decades. He is respected. Admired in the courtroom. Happy at home with the loves of his life: his wife, Laurie, and their teenage son, Jacob. Then Andy’s quiet suburb is stunned by a shocking crime: a young boy stabbed to death in a leafy park. And an even greater shock: The accused is Andy’s own son—shy, awkward, mysterious Jacob.
Andy believes in Jacob’s innocence. Any parent would. But the pressure mounts. Damning evidence. Doubt. A faltering marriage. The neighbors’ contempt. A murder trial that threatens to obliterate Andy’s family. It is the ultimate test for any parent: How far would you go to protect your child? It is a test of devotion. A test of how well a parent can know a child. For Andy Barber, a man with an iron will and a dark secret, it is a test of guilt and innocence in the deepest sense.
How far would you go?
Praise for Defending Jacob
“A novel like this comes along maybe once a decade . . . a tour de force, a full-blooded legal thriller about a murder trial and the way it shatters a family. With its relentless suspense, its mesmerizing prose, and a shocking twist at the end, it’s every bit as good as Scott Turow’s great Presumed Innocent. But it’s also something more: an indelible domestic drama that calls to mind Ordinary People and We Need to Talk About Kevin. A spellbinding and unforgettable literary crime novel.”—Joseph Finder
“Defending Jacob is smart, sophisticated, and suspenseful—capturing both the complexity and stunning fragility of family life.”—Lee Child
“Powerful . . . leaves you gasping breathlessly at each shocking revelation.”—Lisa Gardner
“Disturbing, complex, and gripping, Defending Jacob is impossible to put down. William Landay is a stunning talent.”—Carla Neggers
“Riveting, suspenseful, and emotionally searing.”—Linwood Barclay
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Readers say *Defending Jacob* is a gripping legal thriller exploring intense family loyalty amid a high-stakes murder trial. Many praise William Landa...
Defending Jacob is meant to be a legal thriller that traces the trial of Jacob Barber, a 14-year-old boy on trial for murdering a classmate. His biggest problem, his father is the DA, Andy Barber and with a dad in the legal system, getting a fair and just trial can be a challenge. Add to this an "up and comer" that wants his father's job and vehemently prosecutes with questionable tactics for his 15 minutes of media fame and you end up with a novel that is far more about parenting and what you'd do to save your child than you do a legal thriller.
Small plot spoilers!!!
Jacob is guilty. A reader will figure this out in about five seconds of reading the book. But, what is intriguing in the novel is the difficult and painful journey the reader watches his father Andy take. The denial is amazing, the inability to see your child through the eyes of anyone but yourself, the lack of willingness to accept the obvious signs that have been there all along (ignoring the tortured cat screeching in the night). Landay leaves plenty of clues along the way for Andy Barber to accept the heinous act his son Jacob committed...born of Cain and all of that...but Andy holds fast to denial until the very end. Makes you wonder - as a parent - what would you do?
I found the novel interesting and I appreciated some of the legal jargon I learned throughout the book. I loved Jacob's lawyer (once Andy was no longer allowed to be in charge of the case) and his quiet command of the court room - not a boomer, but a whisperer, a man you had to lean in close to hear. He may have been my favorite guy throughout the book. The ending - well - I was annoyed somewhat. But, that is a plot spoiler I won't reveal.
Defending Jacob is quick read, perfect for a summer weekend. Enjoy!
For more about William Landay and other books he's written, visit his website at: http://williamlanday.com
Small plot spoilers!!!
Jacob is guilty. A reader will figure this out in about five seconds of reading the book. But, what is intriguing in the novel is the difficult and painful journey the reader watches his father Andy take. The denial is amazing, the inability to see your child through the eyes of anyone but yourself, the lack of willingness to accept the obvious signs that have been there all along (ignoring the tortured cat screeching in the night). Landay leaves plenty of clues along the way for Andy Barber to accept the heinous act his son Jacob committed...born of Cain and all of that...but Andy holds fast to denial until the very end. Makes you wonder - as a parent - what would you do?
I found the novel interesting and I appreciated some of the legal jargon I learned throughout the book. I loved Jacob's lawyer (once Andy was no longer allowed to be in charge of the case) and his quiet command of the court room - not a boomer, but a whisperer, a man you had to lean in close to hear. He may have been my favorite guy throughout the book. The ending - well - I was annoyed somewhat. But, that is a plot spoiler I won't reveal.
Defending Jacob is quick read, perfect for a summer weekend. Enjoy!
For more about William Landay and other books he's written, visit his website at: http://williamlanday.com
Never felt a connection with the main character and therefore found it hard to care what happened to him and his family.
I kept trudging through hoping it would get better, with the thought that people loved this book I will too. But it never got better for me. Sorry.
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