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Defending Jacob

by William Landay (Goodreads Author)

3.94 of 5 stars 3.94 · rating details · 52,570 ratings · 8,453 reviews

Andy Barber has been an assistant district attorney in his suburban Massachusetts county for more than twenty years. He is respected in his community, tenacious in the courtroom, and happy at home with his wife, Laurie, and son, Jacob. But when a shocking crime shatters their New England town, Andy is blindsided by what happens next: His fourteen-year-old son is charged wi...more

Hardcover, 432 pages

Published January 31st 2012 by Delacorte Press (first published January 1st 2012)

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Apr 15, 2012 Jason rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: for-kindle, 2012, reviewed

I’ve always had a weakness for these mystery/crime thrillers—you know, the dragon tattoos and angels & demons of the world? I suppose I should be a little embarrassed by this but I’m not. They are my peanut butter and fluff.

Defending Jacob is some of the best fluff I’ve ever tasted. It is written by a former assistant district attorney from Massachusetts with a real knack for this type of storytelling—Jacob is perfectly paced with a tugging suspense that doesn’t abate until the final sentenc...more I’ve always had a weakness for these mystery/crime thrillers—you know, the dragon tattoos and angels & demons of the world? I suppose I should be a little embarrassed by this but I’m not. They are my peanut butter and fluff.

Defending Jacob is some of the best fluff I’ve ever tasted. It is written by a former assistant district attorney from Massachusetts with a real knack for this type of storytelling—Jacob is perfectly paced with a tugging suspense that doesn’t abate until the final sentence. And it’s rife with all this legal mumbo jumbo so sometimes you forget it’s just fluff (don’t worry, though, it will remind you). By the end, my adrenaline levels were so high I needed to borrow my Mom’s blood pressure pills.

If you don’t want spoilers, you should probably stop reading now because I can only avoid them for so long. The thing I love about this book is its delve into the personal. The assistant DA’s teenage son is implicated in the murder of his classmate and so even though this is at some level a legal drama, it is also a family drama. To switch roles from lead prosecutor to paternal protectorate is obviously necessary for the ADA, but it does nothing to curb the tide of repercussions for him, his family, and the case. I was also riveted by my own fluctuation between empathy for a boy unjustly dealing with a murder rap and revulsion for him as doubts of his innocence grew.

Also, this book has wicked cool courtroom scenes.

Although the novel’s “present” occurs mostly during the aftermath of the murder and the murder trial itself, the story is interwoven with witness testimony from a grand jury trial that occurs six months later…which must clearly be unrelated to the events of the current murder trial, right? This seemingly unrelated testimony adds to the suspense of the book and its relevance is not revealed until the final chapter. And if you want to know what that relevance is, it turns out to be this: (view spoiler).(less)

95 likes · like · see review

Jun 01, 2012 Lisa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Many things were a turn off for me in this legal thriller, like Andy Barber's propensity to hint at future developments as he narrates the past. To wit: "I think about that now, how I should have seen Laurie then, should have paid more attention...I was a fool...I know that now."

These multiple vague references combined with mysterious transcripts from another trial frustrated me. Then at the end, there's a "twist," followed by an abrupt ending where we have to guess what happens. And the story...more

72 likes · like · see review

Apr 15, 2013 Gary McTiernan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Normally, when a book screams at me, I'm going to be a movie, someday! I let it go. In the case of Defending Jacob, I sullenly read on, primarily because it was this month's selection for my book club at the Adult Center (view spoiler).I would no sooner have shown up on Tuesday AM to face this band of retired teachers and librarians without having read the book, than I would have smoked pot before taking the SAT's.

So on I read, becoming increasingly annoyed as implausible pl...more

12 likes · like · see review

Dec 08, 2012 Trudi rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: crime-mystery, 2012-reads, audiobook, in-the-courtroom, sherwood-picks

I'm trying to put my finger on what makes Defending Jacob such a compulsive read. Landay clearly has a killer storytelling instinct. The pacing of this novel is near perfect. He drops just enough clues, teases with just enough foreshadowing to keep the reader completely engrossed at all times. I started listening to this as an audiobook and finished it in print, not being able to turn the pages fast enough.

Defending Jacob is not a unique plot by any stretch. In fact, when I first heard about th...more
I'm trying to put my finger on what makes Defending Jacob such a compulsive read. Landay clearly has a killer storytelling instinct. The pacing of this novel is near perfect. He drops just enough clues, teases with just enough foreshadowing to keep the reader completely engrossed at all times. I started listening to this as an audiobook and finished it in print, not being able to turn the pages fast enough.

Defending Jacob is not a unique plot by any stretch. In fact, when I first heard about this book I couldn't help but think of the movie Before and After starring Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson, where their teen son Jacob (yep, he's Jacob too) is accused of murdering his girlfriend and it tears the family apart.

This book is much better than that movie though. Defending Jacob does a great job at looking at issues of guilt, innocence and culpability. It dissects the shortcomings of the legal system and the theatrics of courtroom proceedings without getting all preachy and legal mumbo-jumbo about it. It cuts to the heart of family dynamics and the parent-child relationship, poking at the difficult questions -- how far would you go to protect your child if they were innocent? guilty?

And there's the rub -- fourteen year old Jacob is standing trial for murder and we don't know if he's been falsely accused or not. There are things that point to his innocence, but also actions that point to his guilt. Even though it is a much denser read and told using a very different narrative voice, We Need to Talk About Kevin explores some of the same terrain of mental pathology and the genetic and external factors that combine to result in antisocial behaviors. For anyone who isn't sick of arguing the nature/nurture debate, Defending Jacob raises some interesting questions concerning the existence of a "murder gene" and whether violence can be passed down through the generations like eye color.

I liked that this book kept me guessing right up to the end. I loved that when it seemed to be wrapping up, there was one more sharp swerve to the left to come. (less)

46 likes · like · see review

Jan 18, 2013 Sandra aka Sleo rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audio, mystery

I'm annoyed. As I said in one of my updates, this is an odd book, a psychological thriller with little understanding of psychology. It's written in the first person from the father's point of view. He was very annoying with his stubborn blocking of the truth from himself to his unemotional narration. If the author meant to convey a kind of underlying emotional tension, he failed miserably. The ending felt like a cheap shot, and I feel cheated.

16 likes · like · see review

Apr 06, 2013 Richard rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review can now be seen at Shelf Inflicted!

12 likes · like · see review

May 12, 2013 La-Lionne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: own, action-packed, brilliant-ending, creepy, disturbing, emotional, favorites, funny, heartbreaking, mysterious, not-an-easy-read, not-for-the-weak-hearted, shook-me-to-the-core, sweet, triller-suspense-mystery, unique-different, very-cool, with-a-twist

5 brilliant and heartbreaking stars :-(

This story isn't about proving Jacob is innocent or guilty. At least I didn't think so. For me this story was about fathers unconditional love for his son, no matter the outcome.
description

Andy Barber is a 51 year old DA. Has a wife who is a teacher and a 14 year old son, Jacob. Perfect little family. They are well known and respected in their community.
One day, he gets a call that a 14 year old boy has been found murdered in the park, not far from school, with 3 st...more

8 likes · like · see review

Mar 18, 2012 MobileMinx rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Readers Daring Enough to Delve Into Deep Interpersonal Dynamics

Forget what you believe about the ties that bind family and be prepared to wonder if those who populate your life are really who you think they are, and you will have the crux of William Landay's riveting novel Defending Jacob.

To say that this is a heart-wrenching story understates the high emotional toll that events take as they play out in the story of one family's drama. Jacob is the teenage son of Andy Barber, a local district attorney in the tony suburb of Newton, MA, who is charged with th...more Forget what you believe about the ties that bind family and be prepared to wonder if those who populate your life are really who you think they are, and you will have the crux of William Landay's riveting novel Defending Jacob.

To say that this is a heart-wrenching story understates the high emotional toll that events take as they play out in the story of one family's drama. Jacob is the teenage son of Andy Barber, a local district attorney in the tony suburb of Newton, MA, who is charged with the murder of his classmate.

Despite protestations of innocence, the community quickly abandons the Barbers. As the family mounts a defense and deals with this new world into which they've been thrust, we are privy to the tiny fissures that threaten to turn into gaping holes in the fabric of their lives. Two stories, ultimately sad parallels, are intertwined through the testimony of a trial. They reveal the hold that blood can have on one's choices and future.

In a voice that is at once determined and devastated, Andy recounts the details of the build up towards his son's trial and the monumental changes every relationship he has undergoes as a result of the charge. He laments that a 'not guilty' verdict doesn't remove the stain of assumed guilt from Jacob or the rest of the family.

Poignantly threaded throughout, Laurie Barber, the beleaguered wife and mother, grapples with the role she has played, must play currently and will play in the future. She asks the unthinkable questions, thereby providing the foil to Andy's unquestioning devotion.

The gritty discourse moves the story along briskly through plot twists and turns that seem like they've been lifted from today's reality television. Characters are the vehicles through which the story is conveyed. Major and minor roles offer depth to the proceedings and present the unspoken readers’ perspective. Simultaneously they move as the situation demands and answer our queries as they erupt.

Andy's voice is the common and mostly calm water in which the expository elements float. His deposition-like dialogue speaks to his profession and his perfunctory approach to achieving his son's exoneration. It's his steady pacing that leaves you unprepared for the shocking dénouement. This voice was especially powerful in the unabridged audio book. I listened to the entire book in a single day, so compelling was the performance.

This collision of secrets, sensations and saga brew together and form the perfect overflow of tragedy. Ultimately, Defending Jacob confirms that love can drive us to protect in ways that are inconceivably sorrowful. It is a modern day lesson in the perils of believing we know what may actually be unknowable.(less)

12 likes · like · see review

Jun 01, 2012 Kim rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-star-books, audiobooks-read, suspense-mystery-thriller

I love a good mystery but I've been putting this one off because the idea of a legal/courtroom setting wasn't appealing to me at all. The title threw me off. I understood it as defending jacob in court, which applies - but this is MORE about defending the jacob who is your kid. This is the story of two very different 14 year old schoolmates. One ends up dead, the other ends up accused of killing the other. The parents' perspectives on both sides are closely examined.

Your kid. If you have one, i...more I love a good mystery but I've been putting this one off because the idea of a legal/courtroom setting wasn't appealing to me at all. The title threw me off. I understood it as defending jacob in court, which applies - but this is MORE about defending the jacob who is your kid. This is the story of two very different 14 year old schoolmates. One ends up dead, the other ends up accused of killing the other. The parents' perspectives on both sides are closely examined.

Your kid. If you have one, it's easy to get enveloped in the meaning of this story. Could you picture your kid as a murderer, even if he or she were one? And if your fears of such a horrible thing were true...what would you do? Do you lie for them, do whatever it takes to keep them from out of jail? Or do you do the right thing, the moral thing? Which is what?

What if you were the parent of the kid that was murdered? What a heartbreaking thing to go through. How do you feel about the person who murdered your kid? Is it possible to EVER forgive something like that? Maybe not. Ever. In that case, is it revenge you seek? How far would you go to be sure the monster who murdered your kid suffers in the worst possible way?

The infamous nature vs nurture issues comes up as well. Which way do you see it? Can a kid inherit the 'violent' gene, grow up in a perfect environment & still end up a violent killer - because it's in his genetic makeup to do so? How about bullying? How much does being bullied day in & day out affect a kid? How much punishment is the bully deserving of?

Lots of thinking to do with this book. What you think will happen, won't. It's a great whodunnit until the end, one of those in which really - you make up your own mind. The evidence points one direction, will you or won't you choose to believe it?

Awesome book! I can understand all of the hooplah it's been getting. Those books that make you ponder long after you have finished it are something special for certain. This is a story that sticks with you & is hard to forget. SO DEFINITELY worth your time! Five enthusiastic stars from me and tons of well deserved ratings from other readers as well! (less)

12 likes · like · see review

Feb 06, 2012 Jeanette rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: all-fiction, four-star-fiction, domestic-and-relationship-fiction, lawyer-fiction

There's a stanza from a Wendell Berry poem called "The Way of Pain" that applies to both of the fathers in this story -- the one whose son was murdered, and the one whose son was accused of murder.

"And then I slept, and dreamed
the life of my only son
was required of me, and I
must bring him to the edge
of pain, not knowing why.
I woke, and yet that pain
was true. It brought his life
to the full in me. I bore him
suffering, with love like the sun,
too bright, unsparing, whole."

That fierce love, that int...more

28 likes · like · see review

Jan 26, 2013 Kristen Doyle rated it 5 of 5 stars

As shared in my blog post... http://dineanddish.net/2012/07/connec...

I’ll start off by telling you I’m giving this book 5 stars, which is something I didn’t think I’d do for a legal thriller. Defending Jacob is about a family struggling to hold things together when their teenage son is accused and charged with murder. The question at the core of this novel is… “How far would you go to protect your child?” It’s a heart wrenching, edge of your seat, can’t put down kind of book with twists and turn...more

9 likes · like · see review

Mar 05, 2013 Deborah Ledford rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: mystery, nyt-bestseller, commercial-fiction

Defending Jacob is a February pick for the Mysteries & Crime Thrillers group here on Goodreads. I went back and forth on a 3 or 4 star rating for this one. Kept saying to myself: "This is very much like Presumed Innocent"--which threw me out of the read numerous times. The 4 stars are based primarily on the crafting of this novel and the ending. The active testimony, presented in transcript form, interspersed with a back story told in first person was quite brilliant. The last 25 pages astou...more

5 likes · like · see review

Dec 30, 2011 switterbug (Betsey) rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is as much a nuanced family drama, love story, and social inquisition as it is a murder/courtroom/legal thriller. If you can get past a few contrived plot points (this is where readers will divide), and engage with the narrator, whose reliability or unreliability is a puzzle to piece together, you will be satisfied with this warm yet dark story of a community and family unhinged by a violent crime. The author is a former DA who is skilled at informing the reader about the law and procedure...more This is as much a nuanced family drama, love story, and social inquisition as it is a murder/courtroom/legal thriller. If you can get past a few contrived plot points (this is where readers will divide), and engage with the narrator, whose reliability or unreliability is a puzzle to piece together, you will be satisfied with this warm yet dark story of a community and family unhinged by a violent crime. The author is a former DA who is skilled at informing the reader about the law and procedure without telegraphing it. The narrative is even, polished, and intelligently observant of a community in shock, a family shattered.

I have relatives in Newton, Massachusetts, where this thriller takes place. It is an upscale community of educated professionals, whose children graduate from tony high schools and go on to Ivy League colleges. A fourteen-year-old boy stabbed to death in the park is incomprehensible to this insulated and well-heeled population. As prosperous as it is, there is also a provincial air to it, as like-minded families have always experienced security and safety here, and there is an expectation and history of benevolence. Violence is rare.

Jacob, the fourteen-year-old son of First District Attorney Andy Barber, is accused of murdering his classmate, Ben Rifkin. In Massachusetts, fourteen-year-olds charged with first-degree murder are tried as adults. Barber narrates the story with depth and dread, exposing some family secrets along the way, which could impact the case, and creates increasing internal trauma for his wife, Laurie. Their marriage has always been an ongoing love story; they met as freshmen in college and have loved each other unfailingly through the years. This event mires them in vulnerability and heavy exposure to the media, placing them under a public microscope. Do they really know their son? How much can parents really get inside the soul of their children? And, no matter how strong a marriage seems, a blow like this can undermine what is truly a fragile trust.

Landay has a talent for metaphor and imagery, rendered beautifully in the elegiac narrative. Woven through the story, in the old-school typed transcript of a court reporter, is yet another narrative, of Barber as a witness before the grand jury. How this fits into the rest of the story is gradually disclosed, and its presence is both suspenseful and revealing. Landay's dialogue is crisply cinematic but organic to the characters. His flair for teen-speak is spot-on.

Jacob, who is largely inscrutable, is developed through the eyes of other characters--and at a slight remove, which adds to the suspense. Is he a cipher? A typical teenager? The unknown X factor of Jacob draws out the detective spirit of the reader. The character that really blossoms on the pages is Andy, who reveals, through his agony, more than his contained self-assessment. He is a tormented man trying to protect his family, but his tenacity and inexorable faith in his son may have dire consequences.

I read this book in two long sittings, and savored every page. Critically, it is probably a four-star (for its flaws), but personally, I greedily devoured every passage, removing my critical cap and capitulating to the subtle narrative. (less)

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Apr 06, 2013 Therra Cat rated it 3 of 5 stars

I needed something absorbing to read as a distraction during a difficult period in my life so I chose this book, mainly because of the quotes in the advertising. Why not? I wasn't looking for Shakespeare. I was looking for some time out. "Defending Jacob" did turn out to be absorbing and easy to get caught up in. I particularly enjoyed some of the more offbeat patter of the internal dialogue of the dad, Paul, our narrator for the tale, and I liked the author's attention to certain physical gestu...more

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Mar 17, 2013 Donna Antaramian rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, audiobook

It is not often that a book takes me by surprise but Defending Jacob did, I so did not see that ending coming, I don’t want to give too much away you just need to read this book. This novel revolves around the Barber family; Andy Barber, top Assistant DA, his wife Laurie and their 14 year old son Jacob; living in the prestige town of Newton Massachusetts. Jacob is accused of murdering his classmate, Ben Rifkin and in the state of Massachusetts must be tried as an adult. Throughout the book Jacob...more

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Jan 29, 2012 La Stamberga dei Lettori rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: polyfilo

Se proprio bisognasse trovare un difetto a questo libro, l'unico che mi viene mente sarebbe che mentre il protagonista, il Jacob del titolo, è biondo, sulla copertina compare un adolescente castano dallo sguardo torvo.
Per il resto, anche se i legal thriller ambientati nelle aule di tribunale non mi risultano così coinvolgenti, la storia è ben costruita e ben scritta: mette insieme una serie di tematiche che non riguardano solo una vicenda di cronaca nera ma il mondo della famiglia e l'eredità ch...more

1 like · like · see review

Apr 13, 2012 Mamey rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: bookclub

OMG, is all I can say about this. OMG! I'm torn. I want to give this book a 4 star, but it's really not my kind of book. If I could be more specific, I would give it a 3.5. It was such a page turner in that respect, but the subject matter is not my favorite so that's why I'm giving it a 3.5. Ok, I changed it to a 4 star after thinking about it. Great author. Easy read. If you like suspense or court room mysteries, this book is for you!

4 likes · like · see review

Jan 16, 2013 Ali rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fiction

I liked this book well enough. It was an engrossing read, one that I sped through because I just had to know what the truth was. I both hate and love Landay for sprinkling those little foreshadowing comments throughout the book. The "win" felt hollow and rightly so; it was obvious that the other shoe was about to drop. I just wasn't sure what form it would take.

For most of the book I fell for the trap and thought that Jacob would be wrongfully convicted and the real murderer, Patz, would walk f...more

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Oct 22, 2012 Stacey V rated it 4 of 5 stars

An excellent crime novel from the defendant's point of view. What I like most about this novel is the way Landay feeds off human emotion. The characters are not only believable, but draw on the reader's empathy. You can't feel anything but anger and helplessness as the trial progresses. I wanted to punch the prosecuting attorney, Neal Logiudice, in the face! The twists near the end of the book were also well-played.

This is a great read for anyone for OR against retribution and rehabilitation of...more

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Sep 23, 2012 Ellen Keim rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is haunting me. I have an almost 14-year-old grandson and the thought of this happening to him was painful. The author did an excellent job of depicting how something like this would affect a family and a community. The horror of the crime itself, the terror of being on trial for a murder you didn't commit and the added dimension of it being your own child who is charged with murder are enough to make an absorbing story, but there's even more to the story than that.

After finishing thi...more

6 likes · like · see review

Feb 10, 2013 Sandi rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, mystery-thriller, audiobooks

As the parent of a teenage boy, this book made me really, really uncomfortable.

(view spoiler) While the story seemed fairly predictable, it was told in an interesting way. Andy Barber, father of the titular Jacob, is on the witness stand testifying about his son. From his testimony, it's quickly apparent that he's discussing something that's in the past, but he's...more

1 like · like · see review

May 01, 2012 Maddy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011-reads, tops

PROTAGONIST: Andy Barber, assistant district attorney
SETTING: Massachusetts
RATING: 4.75

Assistant Defense Attorney Andy Barber, his wife Laurie and their son Jacob are very much a normal family until one of Jacob’s classmates, 14-year-old Ben Rifkin, is murdered. Andy takes on the case until the time that evidence is found that shows his son may have been involved. At that point, the world as the Barbers know it comes undone. Ultimately, there is more substantial proof implicating Jacob, and he i...more PROTAGONIST: Andy Barber, assistant district attorney
SETTING: Massachusetts
RATING: 4.75

Assistant Defense Attorney Andy Barber, his wife Laurie and their son Jacob are very much a normal family until one of Jacob’s classmates, 14-year-old Ben Rifkin, is murdered. Andy takes on the case until the time that evidence is found that shows his son may have been involved. At that point, the world as the Barbers know it comes undone. Ultimately, there is more substantial proof implicating Jacob, and he is arrested for the murder.

I’ve often wondered how the parents of an accused murderer are able to support their child, especially when the evidence overwhelmingly points at that child. Landay does a superb job of depicting the impact of such an accusation on the entire family. Andy’s reaction is total denial. He believes that Ben was killed by a pedophile who lived in the area and goes to great lengths to convince the authorities of Leonard Patz’s guilt. The general feeling is that Andy is not objective about the situation and is grasping any straw that he can in order to believe in his son’s innocence. At times, he goes to extreme lengths in his belief that Jacob is innocent. Although Laurie wants to believe her son, she begins to fear that he may be guilty; and that causes dramatic changes in how she interacts with her husband and son. Jacob has become a pariah; the family lives in utter isolation as the matter goes through the courts.

The most catastrophic revelation comes from Andy, when he confesses to Laurie that he is descended from a long line of murderers, including his own father and grandfather. He firmly believes that he has escaped that curse, although he is worried that the prosecution will bring up the idea of a “murder gene”, a predisposition to killing, in court. Laurie feels betrayed when Andy shares this information; the whole framework of their marriage seems a lie.
Worst of all, she is starting to believe that it’s possible that Jacob possesses this gene.

DEFENDING JACOB is an excellent book, one that constantly had me wondering what I would do in similar circumstances. Landay expertly plants the seeds of doubt—is Jacob the villain that all are painting him to be or is he being unjustly accused? In addition to an expert rendering of the family dynamics in a terrible situation, the author has created an unforgettable and suspenseful story with a powerful twist at its conclusion.

(less)

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Dec 13, 2012 Becky rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: challenge-books

Alright, I liked this book. I almost gave it two stars but I've been thinking about it and while I don't usually pick up the legal thrillers (although I've read and enjoyed some John Grisham), this was a fun read. And there was interest at the end I truly wasn't expecting. I think this would be a fun book for discussion as there is a lot to talk about in exploring family relationships and how loyal one would/could/should be in such circumstances. I also enjoyed some of the discussion on courtroo...more

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 22, 2013 Corene rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2013-read, 2013-fiction

Three stars? Four stars? I went back and forth on how much I truly enjoyed and could recommend this courtroom thriller about a family torn apart when the 14 year old son stands trial for murder. I loved the structure of the novel, the foreshadowing and the constant sense that we cannot trust the narrator. I guess the payoff just wasn't enough---I wanted to be shocked.

2 likes · like · see review

Aug 11, 2012 Katalin rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This one was good. The reason why it was so good is because it was a lot more than just a crime novel. It was also a psychological testimony and social critique. It was fast paced, never dragging. It is hard for me to write about the book itself as the theme is something I feel strongly about. It just amazes me how friendships all of a sudden do not mean anything when a tragedy strikes, how superficial human relationships are and I believe it is true to real life just as it is in the novel. How...more

1 like · like · see review

Oct 06, 2012 Charles rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is a great read. I have read a bunch of detective novels. For the most part, they're fun, and exciting, and suspenseful. Good reads.

This is much better than most. There are multiple plot twists and turns, bad guys turning out to be good guys, and vice versa. The detective part of the story -- the whodunit -- keeps you listening, or turning pages, or whatever. The ending caught me by surprise. Character development is strong and believable. Father, son, wife, grandfather, Assistant DA are ea...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 14, 2012 Eleon397 rated it 4 of 5 stars

Not a perfect book. But a compelling read. Be warned - you won't like any of the characters in this book, there is no good guy, but you won't be able to put it down. It is obvious from the first that the ending won't be happy, but you won't know until the very last page just how unhappy it is.

8 likes · like · see review

Jul 31, 2012 Jill rated it 5 of 5 stars

It has been YEARS since a book has had a twist that I didn't see coming. Well played William Landay, I would never have imagined the ending of this book. I will definitely have a "book hangover" from this one. I can't start a new book because I can't get this one out of my head!

45 likes · like · see review

Mar 12, 2013 ktclick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shocking in a really emotional way. It asks the question of what ugliness you are capable of accepting (or ignoring) about your child, and what will you do to protect them anyway? I really related to the parents in this book and was horrified and upset along with them when their young teen is accused of murdering a classmate. But as the evidence was revealed, I began to ask BIG questions about what it means to be a parent when your child isn't perfect, and may even be a disturbed psychopath. It...more

1 like · like · see review

Aug 14, 2012 Bernie Charbonneau rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, thriller-suspense-mystery

This was a very pleasant read. I knew nothing of this author before this book but I had heard good things about the novel. I was in the mood for a thriller so decided on Mr. Landay's novel.
I am happy I did as this novel had me turning the pages throughout the 350 or so pages. The court scene may have slowed down the pace a touch but with all the twists that the evidence produced and just as you thought, okay, I've got it, nope! Well recommended and this being only the third book by this author,...more

4 likes · like · see review

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Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Let's cast the stars of "Defending Jacob!"	7	56	May 21, 2013 12:31am
Position body found in.	2	20	May 20, 2013 05:13pm
ending	26	210	May 13, 2013 08:43am
Was Jacob guilty - What would you do if it was your child?	138	1118	May 09, 2013 10:18am
Was Jacob guilty?	33	372	May 09, 2013 08:38am
Goodreads Choice ...: March 2013 - Defending Jacob	56	284	May 03, 2013 02:02am
Blue Moon Book Lo...: May 2013 BOTM - "Defending Jacob" by William Landay	1	6	Apr 25, 2013 06:28pm

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About William Landay

William Landay is the author of the New York Times bestseller Defending Jacob. Previous novels include Mission Flats, winner of the Dagger Award for best debut crime novel, and The Strangler, which was an L.A. Times favorite crime novel and nominated for the Strand Magazine Critics Award as best crime novel of the year.

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Trivia About Defending Jacob

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Quotes from Defending Jacob

“At some point as adults we we cease to be our parents' children and we become our children's parents instead.” — 30 people liked it

“The interior of a teenager’s mind is an endless war between Stupid and Clever.” — 25 people liked it

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Defending Jacob

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