One of the books that I’ve recently read is called Defending Jacob by William Landay.

Synopsis (from goodreads.com):

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 with the murder of a fellow student.

Every parental instinct Andy has rallies to protect his boy. Jacob insists that he is innocent, and Andy believes him. Andy must. He’s his father. But as damning facts and shocking revelations surface, as a marriage threatens to crumble and the trial intensifies, as the crisis reveals how little a father knows about his son, Andy will face a trial of his own—between loyalty and justice, between truth and allegation, between a past he’s tried to bury and a future he cannot conceive.

Award-winning author William Landay has written the consummate novel of an embattled family in crisis—a suspenseful, character-driven mystery that is also a spellbinding tale of guilt, betrayal, and the terrifying speed at which our lives can spin out of control.

My Thoughts

I’m not normally a big legal thriller kind of girl, but this book really hooked me. First of all, William Landay did an amazing job of developing his characters. You truly feel the pain and confusion of Andy and Laurie as they struggle to understand the facts – and come to terms with the fact that their son might be a murderer. It also highlights the struggles between parent and child as they try to understand each other. There is a phenomenal twist at the end of this book… one that changes everything for Andy. This is definitely a must read book!