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Finding Jake

Bryan Reardon (Goodreads Author)

3.96 · Rating details · 15,020 ratings · 1,538 reviews

A heart-wrenching yet ultimately uplifting story of psychological suspense in which a parent is forced to confront what he does—and does not—know about his teenage son, in the vein of Reconstructing Amelia, Defending Jacob, and We Need to Talk about Kevin.

While his successful wife goes off to her law office each day, Simon Connolly takes care of their kids, Jake and Laney. ...more

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Hardcover, 264 pages

Published February 24th 2015 by William Morrow (first published February 1st 2015)

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FEBRUARY 2015 LIBRARY READS

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2015: What People Born in the 1980s Have Read in 2015

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Oct 20, 2014 Will Byrnes rated it really liked it

Shelves: fiction

Life is kind of like that, picking the memories you want to frame. We all have an idea of how it should be, all smiles and swing sets. There are the more unsavory moments that we leave in the box stashed up in the darker parts of our psyche. We know they exist but we don’t go flaunting them in front of the dinner guests.

There are three main elements in Finding Jake, the parent/child relationship, the way the world treats those who are different, and the mystery of what happened leading up to ...more

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Aug 25, 2014 Diane S ☔ rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 29, 2014 Jill rated it it was ok · review of another edition

t's become the norm today for a publicist to compare a new book to one that's earned accolades in the past. In this case, Finding Jake is compared with Lionel Shriver's We Need To Talk About Kevin.

The problem is: that book was filled with confident and powerful prose and acute insights into a damaged and unknowable child with serious psychological issues. In this case, the prose is faltering, which made me not at all sure I could trust the author to take me through the story.

Unflaggingly support ...more

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May 06, 2016 Sharon rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: own-read

Simon Connolly's world is about to be turned upside down when he learns about a shooting at the school his kids Jake and Laney attend. With no time to spare Simon races to where the nightmare is unfolding. Simon is fearing the worst, but he never imagined to be confronted with what he was about to see.

Finding Jake was a page turner and one in which I really enjoyed. Not only was it a psychological thriller, it was also a tale about courage, love and strength. I have no hesitation in HIGHLY reco ...more

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Apr 20, 2016 Linda Strong rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2016

Simon Connolly is a stay-at-home dad, raising two children, while his wife who is an attorney, works. Not the ideal situation for everyone. but this has been the norm for the Connolly family for 17 years ... when Jake first came home from the hospital.

Simon is starting to feel the empty nest syndrome ... both kids are in high school. He's a dedicated father, and fears for his children. He listens to the news, reads the newspapers, knows that danger is out there.

And then comes the phone call that ...more

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Jan 15, 2015 Licha rated it it was ok

I ran out of steam to want to review this book. There were too many things I did not like about it that did not allow me to fully enjoy the book, as excited as I was to start it.

I found mom and dad unlikable. There was no chemistry between the two and there was no chemistry between the dad and his kids. I didn't quite feel that bond that united dad to Jake, much less to Laney, the youngest daughter. I found the dad to be whiny and insecure and boo-hoo-hooing every other chapter about how he felt ...more

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Mar 01, 2015 Philomena Callan Cheekypee rated it it was amazing

This was a gripping read. As soon as I started I just had to finish it.

Simon is a stay at home dad to his two kids Jake and Laney. When he gets a text saying there is a shooting at his kids school his world is torn apart. We read this story through Simons point of view with alternating chapters going back and forth from past to present. We read of the turmoil Simon goes through with his insecurities about rearing his son.
There is so much more to this story. I'm really glad I didn't read any spoi ...more

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Feb 07, 2015 Becky rated it really liked it

Shelves: politicalish, reviewed, 2015, tear-jerkers, review-copies, mystery-and-thrillers, owned

Disclaimer: I was provided an ARC of this book for review from the publisher.

We Need To Talk About Kevin was one of my favorite books of the last few years. It is one of those books that is powerful and gripping and terrifying all because of the fact that it is so realistic. I loved it and thought it was brilliant, so the recent spate of what-kind-of-child-did-you-raise books are coming as no surprise to me.

And for the first quarter of this book, I will admit that it did feel like We Need To T Disclaimer: I was provided an ARC of this book for review from the publisher.

We Need To Talk About Kevin was one of my favorite books of the last few years. It is one of those books that is powerful and gripping and terrifying all because of the fact that it is so realistic. I loved it and thought it was brilliant, so the recent spate of what-kind-of-child-did-you-raise books are coming as no surprise to me.

And for the first quarter of this book, I will admit that it did feel like We Need To Talk About Kevin lite. We learn that something very bad has happened, and that a teen was involved, then meet the parent who has mostly had the responsibility of day-to-day care, and from the parent's perspective, we go back to the early days and see just how we got to where we are today. But from there, things veer off into a different direction.

In a way, I think that both books are more about parenting than about the actual tragedy that was the catalyst for the examination. I am not a parent, but I imagine that it's got to be one of the most terrifying things ever. You hold the shaping of a person's life in your hands, and what you do with it can have the most unexpected consequences... or maybe none at all.

I think that Reardon did a good job showing the psyche of a parent who recognizes this, and who tries hard to shape and mold with that thought in mind. "If I let him down, will it cause a wrinkle that could grow into something important?" Or "I taught this lesson, but the application of it was taken in a direction that I didn't see and am a bit afraid of... but I can't back down now, because THAT might cause a wrinkle..." It's like a real-life game of Minesweeper where every move is OK at the time, but causes a chain reaction you'll never see coming later on.

I also was really interested in the witch-hunt aspects of the story, and thought that this was handled pretty well also. It goes to show that when people are grieving and scared, anything can be sinister, and people will grasp at any sort of explanation as to why something terrible has happened. We need to know what the monster looks like, or at least what it wants, so we can steer clear and delude ourselves that we're safe. The way that people twisted introversion into being a murderer is chilling to me, because there's a real stigma surrounding introversion, as though it's essentially the same thing as psychosis. You're quiet, you're a loner, you're different... you're scary.

So there were a lot of things that I liked about this, but there were other things that I had some issues with. I feel like this book was a little short for the subject matter, and I wish that it'd been fleshed out a bit more. I wanted to know more about Doug, and his family. I wanted to see more of Jake's teen years, the ones leading up to the event, rather than so much of his younger years.

And I feel like, despite Simon's lack of confidence in his son, I was pretty sure that I knew what really happened that day, and I was right. I figured it out a little before the midpoint of the book, and all that was left was to keep reading to see if I was right. I usually dislike guessing things like this, and want mysteries to string me along better - and for the ruining of that suspense, I partially blame the blurb on the back cover (which I'd tried to avoid and failed) for mentioning that it was a "heart-wrenching yet ultimately uplifting" novel. Now, that could actually mean lots of things, but I made the assumption about why it would be said about this book, and I was right. But I can't put all of the blame on the blurb, because Simon's memories shed quite a lot of light on how Jake was raised, and, as an introvert myself, I recognized a lot of the suspicious traits, and know how they could be interpreted. So, in that way, it felt a bit predictable, but I think that the societal issues raised more than make up for it. I just kind of wish it wasn't touted as a suspense novel when it seemed clear where it was actually going.

So, overall, this was a pretty good book, and the fact that I wanted more of it is a pretty good endorsement. I'd like to see a cleaned up edition, because there were some errors and... interesting phrasings that I hope don't make it into the final copy. But I can definitely see myself recommending this book to others. It's a quick read, and interesting on many levels, and hopefully makes us think - not only about how we'll shape the lives of those around us, but how we judge their actions as well. ...more

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Jan 31, 2015 Kelli rated it really liked it

I don't feel good about reading books that are ripped from the headlines and based on national tragedies. That being said I do seem to manage my way through that as I have read both Nineteen Minutes and Defending Jacob. I haven't yet been able to bring myself to read We Need To Talk About Kevin or Columbine. I still can't believe these things happen outside of fiction, let alone the regularity with which they occur. This is the stuff of the most horrific nightmares imaginable.

Finding Jake is a s ...more

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Oct 02, 2014 Tracy rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I finished this book in one day, which, given my busy schedule, says a lot for the story. It had me hooked from the first page. There will be many people who compare this book to other books about school shootings, but I honestly don't see how a comparison can be made. This is a unique story about a stay at home dad, Simon, and his deep thoughts, astute observations and never-ending concerns surrounding the upbringing of his children, his marriage, and his inner battle about the parental role he ...more

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Apr 28, 2017 Cesar rated it really liked it

4.5 stars

"You may have heard of my son, Jake. Most people have, but they don't know him. Not really."

Being a parent is hard. I myself am not a parent, but I have seen many parents who say it's hard raising kids. They are happy, of course. From the moment their child is born till they leave for college, there is a love for them to see them grow up and be happy. But, in between those years, and sometimes even past adulthood, it can be hard. Deciding what's good for them, seeing how they intera ...more

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Dec 30, 2016 Erika rated it it was ok

Shelves: books-read-in-2016

Simon is a somewhat angst-ridden stay at home dad with two kids and successful-attorney wife. There’s a mass shooting at the local high school, and it looks like his son was involved. The novel alternates between the present and flashbacks of Jake’s childhood, as Simon frantically tries to figure out what happened.

Addictive plot, tight structure, large issues, so why only two stars?

I’m a big believer in the old writing adage, “Show, don’t tell.” When an author conveys deeper truths through ima ...more

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Dec 13, 2015 aPriL does feral sometimes rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: cozy, its-not-what-i-was-expecting, safe-for-work

'Finding Jake' is mostly a wonderful old-fashioned Disney-style family movie where middle-class values and adorable characters are yet completely derailed by a dramatic crisis. All types of human responses spill like an acid (although only briefly terrible) across the social landscape after a school shooting. Scapegoating fears shred the fabric of family and friendship (view spoiler) 'Finding Jake' is mostly a wonderful old-fashioned Disney-style family movie where middle-class values and adorable characters are yet completely derailed by a dramatic crisis. All types of human responses spill like an acid (although only briefly terrible) across the social landscape after a school shooting. Scapegoating fears shred the fabric of family and friendship (view spoiler). However, while the story is realistic, Bryon Reardon, the author, tones down anything which could cause readers to breathe harder.

The chapters alternate current events with past memories.

Doug Martin Klein and Jake Connelly meet when both are 7-years-old at school. Simon Connelly, a stay-at-home dad, married to a corporate lawyer, at first feels good that his quiet, shy, uncommunicative son Jake is at last finding friends in the neighborhood like Doug. But after meeting Doug’s father, Dr. Francis Martin Klein, at a birthday party, he is uncertain about Doug’s upbringing. Doug -cruelly?- stepped on a toad - maybe on purpose? - at Doug's birthday party. Worse, Simon learns that his son and a Klein cousin were the only guests at the party. This is not how things are done, as Simon knows from the few years he has been the primary caretaker of his children, Jake and 5-year-old Laney, in the middle-class family neighborhood.

Simon feels much better when Jake meets another boy, Max, who seems a great deal more normalized. However, since Jake is a bit socially backward, Simon encourages Jake to help the somehow weird and wrong kids like Doug, who are ostracized by all of the other kids.

Simon knows he needs to overcome his own social backwardness and inarticulate tendencies to help his kids. He makes half-hearted attempts to converse with the mostly stay-at-home moms in the neighborhood, but unless the conversation turns to sports, Simon struggles at finding something to say. Simon is more than a little insecure about how people perceive him as a stay-at-home man, but otherwise, he has created a normal happy kid-safe and appropriate home. His wife is acting more distant, but maybe appropriately so given her career. Fortunately Laney is a bubbly outgoing youngster who needs no assistance in making friends!

The years pass, and Jake is 17 when the terrible news begins to spread - an armed teen, maybe two teens (Doug and Jake!!!???) are attacking the teachers and kids at the local high school! The terror and misinformation mounts. Simon realizes the shooter IS Doug, but Jake is missing. It isn't long before the police and neighbors, along with an avalanche of media reporters, are descending on Simon, asking, "Where is your son Jake? Was he involved in the shooting?" Even Simon's wife seems to be blaming him.

Tension slowly intensifies in alternating chapters between current time and Simon's suddenly poignant remembrances of his children growing up. Did Simon mess something up in Jake? While his heart is breaking over his missing son, he is beset with doubts. He loves Jake more than his own life, but he feels as if everyone is blaming him for Jake going wrong., if he has gone wrong. Is this all his fault? Was he a bad father?

The story leaves out or briefly mentions in passing anything that is truly horrific (view spoiler). The author chose to concentrate on Simon's perceptions and internal agonies in a seamless flow of process and confusion for two days. For many readers, especially those who are sensitive or filled with happy-holiday family spirit, I suspect this book will be very pleasing.

For me, this novel slowly turned into a 'meh' by the last chapter. But I can find few faults with it, other than it is too PG for me. It is a perfectly good read for many, and I can think of a number of my relatives and friends to whom I would have no trouble recommending this book, especially those nostalgic about their happy childhoods.

As this family-friendly tone-downed novel is not exactly my kind of read, perhaps some who are familiar with my reviews on GR may be shocked at the number of stars I feel this book deserves. The writing is excellent and the family-oriented plot is one I know will wring tears. It feels absolutely genuine (if VERY PG), with almost no missteps in pace or family dynamics - thus, my rating. ...more

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Apr 04, 2015 Michael rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite-books

Simon Connely has a supporting wife and two loving children. Jake his son is a introverted child who always took care of the ones around him, caring and sensitive are one of his many unique traits. When Simon agreed to become a stay at home Father, He did not know how much he would enjoy it. Laney his daughter is a bright girl who has grown accustomed to her brother playful teasing, together as siblings they are inseparable. Simon's relationship with his wife is suffering due to the lack of affe Simon Connely has a supporting wife and two loving children. Jake his son is a introverted child who always took care of the ones around him, caring and sensitive are one of his many unique traits. When Simon agreed to become a stay at home Father, He did not know how much he would enjoy it. Laney his daughter is a bright girl who has grown accustomed to her brother playful teasing, together as siblings they are inseparable. Simon's relationship with his wife is suffering due to the lack of affection and attention. Jake as a child often came between them as a couple, but all for the "right reasons." Jake was simply a young kid that wanted to please his parents in every area, thus making it extremely hard for him to ever be disciplined. Yet when he befriends a boy name Doug, his life is put at risk when a shooting at a school leaves many missing or dead. Now Simon must question his loyalty to his wife and most importantly to his child, Jake.

The story shifts from Past to Present, all leading up to Jake disappearance. Simon blames himself for not taking care of Jake when he was little. Startling questions start to whirl around in his head such as: Was Jake too quiet growing up? Why did he always want to hang out with Doug? Was he a good sibling to his sister? Did he overlook some things about his erratic behavior for the sake of pleasing his son? Is his son a murderer as some starts to believe? These and many other questions consumes his thoughts and mind. Simon's marriage is put in jeopardy when the two share different perspective about what really happened on the day Jake disappeared.

Taking from his own personal diary, notes from friends, and the advice of strangers:Simon's life is not worth living, not for his attached daughter Laney or his distant wife. The only person he wants to find alive and well is Jake, the child that has put a wedge between his marriage but also the same child that is the glue that holds his life together.

This is by far the best book I ever read this year! The characters was so emotionally charged that I deeply sympathized with all of them: I share similarities to Jake shyness, Laney attachment and Simon doubts of fear and anxiety.

Perfect characterization, splendid consistency and an unforgettable novel that exceeded my expectations.

It has now become one of my favorite books,kudos to Bryan Reardon, I will look forward to reading more of your work! ...more

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Oct 05, 2014 Shawn rated it really liked it · review of another edition

There's no way for this not to be compared to "We Need To Talk About Kevin". I think the author knew that would be the case, and the development of the story and "creative" ending was designed to lessen the "knock off" accusations just a bit. If imitation is the highest form of flattery, Lionel Shriver is beaming. To Me, however, this is a much better novel. This felt more authentic, and less pretentious than "Kevin" did. The writing is solid enough to lend forgiveness to areas of the story that ...more

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May 18, 2018 Rheama Heather rated it it was ok

After a high school shooting, Jake disappears. His family is left confused and shattered. Was Jake an accomplice or a victim?

I was quite bored with the first eighty percent of the book which mostly consists of mundane details of Jake’s childhood filtered through the lens of an insecure stay at home dad. The "current" scenes describe the family waffling between Jake's guilt or innocence in a variety of settings. Rinse, wash, repeat.

Then the final leg of the book ripped my heart out and left me de ...more

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Sep 24, 2016 Linda rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio

Finding Jake was a very good read!

It the story of a stay-at-home dad, named Simon, and his experiences when there is a school shooting at his children's high school. The book is told in the past and the present (the time of the shooting). It is very cleverly done.

Finding Jake centers around a school shooting but is so much more. It touches on parenting and stereotypes. As a parent, I found myself easily relating to Simon throughout the story. That said, it got pretty emotional for me. And it re ...more

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Aug 09, 2018 Emer (A Little Haze) rated it it was ok

Recommended to Emer (A Little Haze) by: JENNY

Shelves: contemporary, challenge-sum2018, read2018, 2stars, reviewed, adult-fiction

Read as part of the ABN Summer Reading Challenge recommended by Jenny

(view spoiler) ...more

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Jul 06, 2015 Randee rated it liked it

Shelves: the-great-escape

This was a quick and easy read and I found it interesting as it moved along quickly. I would have given it 4 stars except that after I finished, I felt unsatisfied. I found that it lacked a viewpoint as to why the tragedy took place. A sweeping panorama of bullying off in the wings (as opposed to front and center in the story) and a stay-at-home father's constant doubts about his parenting skills did not give me enough to have it resonate and touch a chord within me. For those who do not like th ...more

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Nov 09, 2018 Moi Baltazar rated it it was amazing

Shelves: contemporary, dark, mental-illness, mystery, books-i-highly-recommend, young-adult, thriller, suicide, read-in-2018

Perfect for Father's day! ...more

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Feb 24, 2015 Mark Rubinstein rated it it was amazing

Finding Jake is a lyrically-written, heart-wrenching novel about a father's fears and doubts concerning his son. A school shooting has occurred, and Simon Connolly learns the shocking news that his son was seen leaving the school after the incident. Adding to the horror of it all, is the fact that Jake is now missing, and his blood is at the scene of the shooting. Simon begins second-guessing himself, wondering if he ever really knew his own son, one he raised as a stay-at-home father. The writi ...more

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May 04, 2015 Amanda Cinelli Keith rated it it was amazing

4.5 stars. I did not want to book this book down. As expected, it was tragic, suspenseful, heartbreaking, and made you question so many of your own parenting decisions. Although the Dad got on my nerves at times, I was fascinated by the husband/wife role reversal in this story.
Our book club could probably discuss this one for hours! Must read.

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Mar 19, 2018 Justin rated it liked it

Well, that was depressing! A good book, just a bummer of a story. As a new dad, there were a couple of spots in this book that hit me right in the feels pretty hard.

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Apr 24, 2016 Heidi The Reader rated it liked it

Shelves: book-club, contemporary, fiction

Another read that I wouldn't have touched without the encouragement of the book club. At first, I did not like Finding Jake. I thought that Reardon was presenting the glaring differences between introverts and extroverts as traditional gender role difficulties. I didn't think that Simon was avoiding playdates because he was a "guy" but because he was an introvert. But, I suppose, being a guy didn't help him build any common ground with the stay-at-home moms, which Reardon discusses in depth. Als Another read that I wouldn't have touched without the encouragement of the book club. At first, I did not like Finding Jake. I thought that Reardon was presenting the glaring differences between introverts and extroverts as traditional gender role difficulties. I didn't think that Simon was avoiding playdates because he was a "guy" but because he was an introvert. But, I suppose, being a guy didn't help him build any common ground with the stay-at-home moms, which Reardon discusses in depth. Also, even though I did like the book later, I never liked the way that Simon and Rachel treated each other. I think that all too often, marriages tank because of the careless way that couples stomp on each other's emotions. Yes, it's a legitimate topic to discuss, but I don't like reading that kind of thing for fun. Because, it's not really fun at all, is it?

I empathized with Simon's feelings about staying home and taking care of Jake and, later, his daughter, Laney. I never planned on having a kid, so the assumption that I was going to stay home and care for her really blind sided me. It was never even discussed in any serious way just presented like- so this is your life now, full time caregiver. Aren't you delighted? That part of the book was hard for me to get through, in addition to all of the obvious school shooting horror emotions, because it brought up a lot of old angst that I would have rather had stayed buried at the bottom of my subconscious: "I never realized how much I'd miss seeing the cast of characters that make up an office. I also did not realize how much I identified with my job, or how much my job identified me." pg 15 Yeah, either did I.

Here's part where I just wish Simon had admitted to himself that he was an introvert: "I, for one, could go days (maybe weeks) without talking to the neighbors. Not that I disliked them. There were days I could go without talking to anyone, a new trait that expressed itself since I'd left the office. Conversations at work, whether about the job or not, had been simple. In the suburbs, though, the same exchanges left me either confused or apologetic." pg 19 Classic introvert. Business is one thing, but personal relationships are a whole other can of worms.

The mother in this story, Rachel, asks Simon to stay home and raise the children, but they never seem to make peace with that decision and it seriously bugged me: "The rest I (Simon) left unsaid. It presented itself like a hippo in my kitchen, though. She should have stayed home with the kids. I don't think Rachel picked up on it, thankfully, or the rest of the conversation would have progressed very differently. pg 47 Tons of exchanges like that, peppered throughout the book. Not fun.

And why do teachers make parents sit on those child sized chairs at parent teacher conferences? I've always wondered: "Ms. Jenkins motioned toward a low, round table. One full-size chair rested on her side. An array of three miniaturized versions lined our side. ... I tried to fit my rear on the tiny seat, teetering back and forth until I found a semblance of comfort. When I turned to Ms. Jenkins, I realized I had to look up at her. I instantly felt like a child, folding my hands in my lap and waiting to get in trouble." pg 101 It's ridiculous.

Simon was far too hard on himself for about the whole book: "The past hours lost all clarity. Inexcusably, I think about the movies. Those parents, caught up in some awful tragedy paralleling our own, act the heroes, persevere against all odds, track down the clues and find the answers, gun in hand, nursing a nonfatal wound to the shoulder. For me, it is nothing of the sort. Instead the tsunami of reality pushes me, all of us, along, forcing us down this path of inactivity, bureaucracy, and flashbulbs. It is a wave of staggering weight that holds us captive to the nothingness." pg 113 He should have given himself some credit. Who among us could have done any differently in the same situation?

What I loved about Finding Jake is that it is so relatable. At almost any point in the story, I could put myself in Simon's shoes: "Maybe life is just a series of banal moments punctuated by tragedy. ... Rachel and Laney sat in the living room, both reading. Laney flipped through a People magazine while my wife read a brief on her iPad. A familiar yet diaphanous annoyance colored my vision of what could have been a nice family moment. Instead, I blamed my wife for being a workaholic and at the same time wondered why Laney wasn't reading her assignment from school instead of a glossy periodical." pg 221

In conclusion, Finding Jake wasn't a walk in the park, but I'm glad I read it, because now I'll have plenty to say tomorrow night at book club. And, I'm glad that we meet at a bar, because I'm going to want that drink in my hand to soften and fuzz the lines of the less palatable emotions that will inevitably arise while we talk about school shootings, raising kids, gender roles, and life. ...more

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Jun 07, 2020 Beverly Duffy rated it it was amazing

Shelves: june-2020-challenge

This was so good I couldn’t stop listening. Finished in one day. This is every parents nightmare. So sad to see that these events are happening way to much!

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Oct 25, 2014 Judy D Collins rated it really liked it

Shelves: adult-fiction, family-drama, books-read-in-2015, suspense, 2015-new-releases, school-shooting, bryan-reardon

FINDING JAKE by Bryan Reardon is a compelling and heartfelt tragedy; A psychological intense suspense, keeping you page-turning to learn the fate of a teenage son.

Simon Connelly is a freelance writer, and a devoted upper-middle-class suburban stay at home dad to his son, Jake and his daughter Laney, while his wife, Rachel is busy with her legal career.

Presently, the kids are teens. Laney, outgoing and Jake, introverted. They have weathered the storms of typical teenagers, until one day a text ...more

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May 20, 2017 PinkAmy loves books, cats and naps rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-can-never-reread-too-many-t

A school shooting.
13 dead.
One suspect dead.
One missing.
How well do we really know our kids?

Stay-at-home dad Simon Connolly never liked his son Jake's friend Doug. Simon always taught his kids to be kind, but when quiet, introverted Jake takes his dad's words to heart, befriending the unlikable, bullied boy Doug, Simon actively tries to dissuade the relationship. His perfect marriage to Rachel begins to show cracks as Jake and younger sister Laney hit grade school. Rachel wishes she were home mo ...more

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Oct 13, 2014 Karyn Niedert rated it liked it

Shelves: will-read-all-by-this-author, edelweiss, 2014-challenge, can-t-wait-to-read

This book was extremely close in nature to Lionel Shriver's "We Need to Talk About Kevin", but Reardon's take on the buildup and aftermath of sorrow after a violent and deadly school attack was unique and powerful. His narrative POV from stay-at-home father Simon was heart-wrenching yet familiar to all parents whose children suffer through a difficult time in adolescence. I was hooked throughout the story, and managed to read this in a day. The denouement was EXTREMELY satisfying, as Simon find ...more

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Jul 29, 2015 Paul rated it it was ok

This book reads like the author tried to write a memoir, realized his life wasn't particularly interesting, so he fictionalized it with a school shooting.

If that doesn't sound like a recommendation, there's a reason. ...more

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Jun 17, 2016 Marla rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobooks

A sad and heart wrenching story. Every parent's nightmare. Very well written and enjoyable as an audiobook. ...more

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Play Book Tag: Finding Jake ~ 4 stars	3	21	Jan 01, 2018 09:41AM
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About Bryan Reardon

Bryan Reardon

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I write psychological thrillers. The stories tend to surprise me. Taking a left when I signaled a right. Life when I felt death nearby. The characters are not alive. They do not exist. Yet I try to slip into their skins as I write. Mining for the emotions that flood during times of stress and tragedy and adventure. When the journey ends, a hole opens. A sense of deep mourning. And from those ashes ...more

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Quotes from Finding Jake

“Life is kind of like that, picking the memories you want to frame. We all have an idea of how it should be, all smiles and swing sets. There are the more unsavory moments that we leave in the box stashed up in the darker parts of our psyche. We know they exist but we don’t go flaunting them in front of the dinner guests.” — 5 likes

“Any anger I feel vanishes. What is left cannot be described. It is guilt piled onto emptiness and set afire.” — 3 likes

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Preview — Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon

Finding Jake

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About Bryan Reardon

Books by Bryan Reardon

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Trivia About Finding Jake

Quotes from Finding Jake

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