Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon - 5 stars

[Ellen]

The text buzzes Simon Connolly's cell phone: a shooting at the local high school. Simon's fear for his two children, Jake and Laney, sends him speeding to the school in a frenzy. Distraught parents are sent to a church across the street where they are to await the arrival of their children. Slowly, the number of shocked parents dwindles. Some families shed tears of relief as they reunite with their children; some shed tears of sorrow as police lead them quietly to ambulances; then there is only Simon. Where are his children? His wife, Rachel, having heard the news while she was at work, has also rushed to the school. Simon is overcome by the sight of Rachel hugging their daughter. But where is Jake? As a policeman approaches Simon, he knows he is about to be heartbroken. What he is told, instead, is that Jake is considered to be a suspect, along with one of Jake's friends who is now dead. The police are looking for Jake and Simon's nightmare has just begun.

The novel switches between the immediate aftermath of the tragedy to Jake's life from birth until the day of the shooting. Simon has been the children's caretaker, a stay-at-home Dad who did his best while mom Rachel continued with her career as a lawyer. Laney was always the child who never felt out of place, laughed readily and often, and had many friends. Jake was more introverted; quiet and shy, sensitive and with only a few friends. Simon continually worried that Jake was not interested in sports or joining in with the neighborhood children in their games. When Jake struck up a friendship with Doug, a boy that none of the other children seemed to like, Simon feared that Jake was turning his back on the few friends he had. Jake insisted that he was Doug's friend because no one else would be and he didn't like the way Doug was bullied. The fact that Doug was the shooter in the school massacre does not surprise Simon in the least. But where is Jake and could he have actually been a part of the murderous act? Simon will stop at nothing to find his son.

I really enjoyed this book. It leaves you guessing until the very end but it is so much more than a suspenseful mystery. Simon's relationship with his children, and especially Jake, is so heartwarming and special that despite the overwhelming tragedy of the story, it makes you feel good. It is a heart wrenching novel but I recommend it highly.

[Booknblues]

I liked this when I read it. I gave it 4 stars, because Simon grated on my nerves a bit.