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
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I was nearly half way into the book before I decided if I was going to finish it. Oh it has the stuff you expect in a mystery alright…a shocking crime, a courtroom drama, and richly painted characters. I thought I knew how it was going to shake out. I thought it would have a predictable ending. Well, it ran me off the road and left me in the ditch. Hang on for that shocking stomach clenching ending. I am glad I did.
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It was great until the last "twist." Completely and totally unrealistic. I won't give it away, but for me, it ruined what had been a great book up until then. HATED the ending.
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Defending Jacob established author William Landay among the ranks of foremost legal thriller writers, prime among them being Scott Turow. Defending Jacob is a masterful and complex blend of legal mystery, complete with plenty of plot twists and turns, and in-depth character study. The result is a fascinating exploration of guilt and innocence, trust and betrayal, truth and deception.
No one can ever truly know another human being. Even as well as parents believe they know their children, they can never fully appreciate what goes on inside the mind of their child, what dreams the child experiences at night, what unrevealed demons the child battles. Parents bring children into the world and hope for the best, that their efforts will be enough to prepare and sustain them as they grow and embark on their own journey. Against that backdrop, Landay portrays the Barber family, an unremarkable trio. Two professional parents who conceived their only child fairly late in life, and have devoted themselves to him and the family they have formed face the most harrowing, nightmarish trial imaginable.
At the center of the story, narrating it, is Andy, who grew up without a father and has steadfastly hidden the truth about his lineage from everyone, including his beloved wife, Laurie. A highly successful prosecutor, no one is more familiar with the intricacies of the criminal justice system and all of its nuances and foibles. Andy knows all too well that the system doesn't always work the way it is designed to, and that all involved bend the rules from time to time in the name of the greater good. Overall, however, he has always had faith that justice is ultimately done. But can his faith sustain him when his only child's freedom is on the line?
Meanwhile, Laurie, the eternal optimist, communicator, and, according to Andy, captain of their little family, finds her maternal doubts bubbling to the surface when disturbing facts about Jacob begin coming to light. No one knows a child like his/her mother and intuition should never be doubted, but Laurie does not want to believe what her instincts are telling her about her son. Worse, information uncovered during trial preparation only seems to confirm what she has suspected, but never voiced, from the time Jacob was a toddler. Seen through the eyes of the man who has loved her since they were seventeen years old, Laurie is a woman trying desperately to hold on, but losing the battle inch by inch. Landay masterfully and poignantly describes her disintegration as preparation for the trial drags on and then, at last, the proceeding begins. Andy observes that when he looks at her, he still sees the vibrant, energetic young woman who stole his heart and was always asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. But the reality of their circumstances intrudes from time to time, forcing him to note that Laurie no longer sleeps well at all, has lost a significant amount of weight, and has bags under her eyes. In one excruciatingly revealing moment, Andy observes that Laurie is wearing her sweatshirt backwards, but does not seem to notice even as the tag rubs up against her chin. The periodic realizations startle and sadden Andy, just as the increasing emotional distance between them frightens him. For her part, Laurie wants honesty from Andy, not platitudes, but that is the one thing he finds increasingly hard to give her, largely because he no longer knows what the truth is -- or even how to recognize it.
Jacob appears to be a normal fourteen-year-old boy who is neither popular nor particularly disliked. Rather, he and his few friends are the kids that no one seems to really notice at school. They skate around the fringes of their classmates' consciousness -- not smart enough to be considered part of the brainy crowd, not athletic, never in trouble. Just rather geeky and undefined. Jacob is quiet and spends a lot of time, like most adolescents, mumbling begrudging responses to his parents' questions, and locking himself in his room where he frequents the internet and communicates with his friends via text message. But when Andy discovers that some of Jacob's activities are shocking and disturbing, he wonders, as would any parent, how he has managed to miss warning signs about his son's behavior and psychological state.
Landay's portrayal of both Andy and Laurie are spot-on and entirely believable. He expertly builds dramatic tension from the very first page, as Andy squares off before the grand jury with the ambitious prosecutor he trained. What that grand jury proceeding is addressing and why Andy is testifying are mysteries as Andy relates the details surrounding Ben's murder and how Jacob came to be accused. Raising the book's credibility, Landay takes few licenses with the legal details, including the deftly choreographed courtroom scenes.
From the outset, it is apparent that Defending Jacob is no run-of-the-mill thriller as Landay unfolds layer after nuanced layer of the story. Key plot points are perfectly timed to holder reader interest, as empathy and compassion for Andy and Laurie builds, along with curiosity about whether Jacob is guilty and, if not, who killed Ben. All of which lead to a heart-stopping conclusion that many readers will find utterly shocking.
Defending Jacob is a fascinating tale to which any parent will be able to relate and readily lends itself to book club discussion. Defending Jacob is a gripping legal thriller that unabashedly delves into the inner workings of both the legal system and the human spirit.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Pump Up Your Book review and virtual book tour program for a copy of the book.
No one can ever truly know another human being. Even as well as parents believe they know their children, they can never fully appreciate what goes on inside the mind of their child, what dreams the child experiences at night, what unrevealed demons the child battles. Parents bring children into the world and hope for the best, that their efforts will be enough to prepare and sustain them as they grow and embark on their own journey. Against that backdrop, Landay portrays the Barber family, an unremarkable trio. Two professional parents who conceived their only child fairly late in life, and have devoted themselves to him and the family they have formed face the most harrowing, nightmarish trial imaginable.
At the center of the story, narrating it, is Andy, who grew up without a father and has steadfastly hidden the truth about his lineage from everyone, including his beloved wife, Laurie. A highly successful prosecutor, no one is more familiar with the intricacies of the criminal justice system and all of its nuances and foibles. Andy knows all too well that the system doesn't always work the way it is designed to, and that all involved bend the rules from time to time in the name of the greater good. Overall, however, he has always had faith that justice is ultimately done. But can his faith sustain him when his only child's freedom is on the line?
Meanwhile, Laurie, the eternal optimist, communicator, and, according to Andy, captain of their little family, finds her maternal doubts bubbling to the surface when disturbing facts about Jacob begin coming to light. No one knows a child like his/her mother and intuition should never be doubted, but Laurie does not want to believe what her instincts are telling her about her son. Worse, information uncovered during trial preparation only seems to confirm what she has suspected, but never voiced, from the time Jacob was a toddler. Seen through the eyes of the man who has loved her since they were seventeen years old, Laurie is a woman trying desperately to hold on, but losing the battle inch by inch. Landay masterfully and poignantly describes her disintegration as preparation for the trial drags on and then, at last, the proceeding begins. Andy observes that when he looks at her, he still sees the vibrant, energetic young woman who stole his heart and was always asleep the moment her head hit the pillow. But the reality of their circumstances intrudes from time to time, forcing him to note that Laurie no longer sleeps well at all, has lost a significant amount of weight, and has bags under her eyes. In one excruciatingly revealing moment, Andy observes that Laurie is wearing her sweatshirt backwards, but does not seem to notice even as the tag rubs up against her chin. The periodic realizations startle and sadden Andy, just as the increasing emotional distance between them frightens him. For her part, Laurie wants honesty from Andy, not platitudes, but that is the one thing he finds increasingly hard to give her, largely because he no longer knows what the truth is -- or even how to recognize it.
Jacob appears to be a normal fourteen-year-old boy who is neither popular nor particularly disliked. Rather, he and his few friends are the kids that no one seems to really notice at school. They skate around the fringes of their classmates' consciousness -- not smart enough to be considered part of the brainy crowd, not athletic, never in trouble. Just rather geeky and undefined. Jacob is quiet and spends a lot of time, like most adolescents, mumbling begrudging responses to his parents' questions, and locking himself in his room where he frequents the internet and communicates with his friends via text message. But when Andy discovers that some of Jacob's activities are shocking and disturbing, he wonders, as would any parent, how he has managed to miss warning signs about his son's behavior and psychological state.
Landay's portrayal of both Andy and Laurie are spot-on and entirely believable. He expertly builds dramatic tension from the very first page, as Andy squares off before the grand jury with the ambitious prosecutor he trained. What that grand jury proceeding is addressing and why Andy is testifying are mysteries as Andy relates the details surrounding Ben's murder and how Jacob came to be accused. Raising the book's credibility, Landay takes few licenses with the legal details, including the deftly choreographed courtroom scenes.
From the outset, it is apparent that Defending Jacob is no run-of-the-mill thriller as Landay unfolds layer after nuanced layer of the story. Key plot points are perfectly timed to holder reader interest, as empathy and compassion for Andy and Laurie builds, along with curiosity about whether Jacob is guilty and, if not, who killed Ben. All of which lead to a heart-stopping conclusion that many readers will find utterly shocking.
Defending Jacob is a fascinating tale to which any parent will be able to relate and readily lends itself to book club discussion. Defending Jacob is a gripping legal thriller that unabashedly delves into the inner workings of both the legal system and the human spirit.
Thanks to NetGalley and the Pump Up Your Book review and virtual book tour program for a copy of the book.
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Several important issues addressed in this courtroom drama, not the least being: is there such a thing as a murder gene? Jacob is a 14 yr old son of an Asst DA who is accused of murdering a classmate. With a knife. Right before school. And then we witness the family awaiting trial, and dealing with the repercussions of the accusation. Fascinating. Dark.
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