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    Defending Jacob
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    Defending Jacob
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    Defending Jacob
    Audiobook14 hours

    Defending Jacob

    Written by William Landay

    Narrated by Eric Meyers

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Andy Barber's job is to put killers behind bars. So when a boy from his son Jacob's school is found stabbed to death, Andy is doubly determined to find and prosecute the perpetrator. Until a crucial piece of evidence turns up linking Jacob to the murder. In the face of every parent's worst nightmare, Andy and his wife Laurie will do anything to defend their child. Because, deep down, they know him better than anyone. Don't they?
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherW. F. Howes Ltd
    Release dateApr 1, 2012
    ISBN9781407499451
    Unavailable
    Defending Jacob

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    Reviews for Defending Jacob

    4/5

    1,919 ratings238 reviews

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    • 4/5
      I would like to rate this 3.5 stars but don't have that option here so I gave the author the benefit of the half star. This book certainly gives people something to think about; how far would you go to protect your child? But that wasn't the only question it raised and for that reason, I did really like the book. It provides no clear cut answers but leaves the reader to formulate their own opinions. The last quarter of the book definitely picked up speed and moves towards a conclusion I didn't necessarily expect.
    • 1/5
      I couldn't read this book - practically everything is told thru conversation - a book for people who love to talk and listen to talk. A more reflective book on a similar topic is "We Need to Talk About Kevin" - which chilled me to the core.
    • 5/5
      Sometimes a book is written to be actively read, of a fashion. To highlight or jot down in a notebook a phrase or thought one wants to remember or can relate to - this book is one of those! When I finished that 'whoa where did that come from' ending, I wanted to start over and read the book again. I could visualize the characters, they were here with me, their features, their emotions. Make Defending Jacob a must read for 2012. You won't be sorry.
    • 3/5
      i hate it when u get to the end of a book and still don't know who done it
    • 3/5
      3.5 stars. I don't usually read murder-mysteries, but this one was pretty good. I liked the surprise ending. Quick, easy read.
    • 5/5
      Crime-courtroom dramas don't normally make the cut for me, but this was a big exception. Engaging all the way, and the concluding elements were scintillating.
    • 1/5
      A total slogfest for me. Trial doesn't start until 60% into the book. The dad was a complete jerk. Rolled my eyes at the ending.

      HOWEVER! I think the upcoming series (Apple TV ) with Chris Evans could be really good. Looking forward to it.
    • 5/5
      Gripping storyline, loved every chapter and every character and the equation
    • 4/5
      Story was compelling although it dragged in numerous points throughout the book.
      Read both Kindle and audible through Immersion/Whispersync. Narrator not the greatest but okay.

      3.5 - 4 stars
    • 4/5
      I did not expect that ending!
    • 5/5
      Amazing, hard hitting story plot. Brilliant narration. Didn't feel like pausing even for a minute !!
    • 5/5
      As with "The Round House: A Novel" by Louise Erdrich, "Defending Jacob" by William Landay is not ordinarily a novel that I would select on my own to read. However, it was a selection choice for me as part of LibraryThing's Secret Santa 2014. I am glad that the novel was brought to my attention.Written by a former assistant district attorney before turning to writing novels, there is a particular authenticity that is fundamental to the depth of this novel. I believe to give this book a label (e.g. legal thriller) would also be an injustice to the depth of the experience in reading this work.Perhaps it can all best be explained by the author himself. There is a section in the edition that I read entitled, "A Conversation with William Landay." One of the interviewer's questions is "Does plot come first for you, or character?" The author explains, "They come at the same time." He then goes on to share, "One of the pitfalls of dividing our books into genre novels versus 'literary' novels is that we have come to expect too little character out of the first and too little plot out of the second, leaving both poorer. A good novel needs both, of course, and the two should be wrapped as tight as the strands in a rope."This novel is without a doubt "wrapped as tight as the strands in a rope." It is the best example of a literary novel that I can think of since reading "The Orchardist" by Amanda Coplin. The novel draws the reader into the lives of one family - Andy, Laurie, and Jacob Barber. The reader will be engrossed into the wide scope of relationships that compose all of their lives from the immediate to extended family relationships, adult friendships, teenage friendships, and dynamics with coworkers to mention a few. The reader will become enmeshed through the emotions as shared steadily through the eyes of the father Andy Barber but not merely as father to Jacob, husband to Laurie, but also as a son, as a man who has an unwavering belief in justice, an wavering love of his child. Within the strands of the rope, within the core of the novel, it presents a question: How far would you go to protect your child? A parent might think they know the answer to this simple question but is it a simple question? How far would you go? It is a dramatic story that is timeless in presentation and I believe will be held as a classic in the years to come.It is a thoughtful composition that sheds light into areas where many of us are not familiar from family meetings with a criminal defense attorney to the stark spotlight of courtroom procedure to the letter of the law* to the periods of waiting between crime to investigation to trial, and the periods of waiting between the close of court session for the day and the continuation of court session on the following day through the course of a trial.This is a book not easily picked up to read by all readers but for those readers that enter between the covers of the hardback or paperback or begin clicking the pages on their eReader (e.g. Kindle, Nook), it is an incomparable, thought-provoking experience. *Definition of "Letter of the Law" as provided by "Black's Law Dictionary Free Online Legal Dictionary", 2nd Ed. "The strict and exact force of the language used in a statute, as distinguished from the spirit, general purpose, and policy of the statute."
    • 4/5
      a shocking crime leads to a multilayered tale of loyalty and justice, truth and allegation.The book takes many turns but the ride is worth it.This is a good book group choice with a surprising conclusion
    • 4/5
      A legal thriller - not a normal pick for me, so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I found Defending Jacob suspenseful, intriguing and dramatic. The narrator, Andy Barber, was a district attorney, until his fourteen-year-old son, Jacob, was indicted for murder. Jacob's classmate, Ben Rifkin, was found dead along a trail on their route to school, and the evidence seems to point to Jacob being guilty, with even his best friend testifying against him. Andy is unable to doubt his son's innocence even for a second, but his wife Laurie becomes more shaken and unsettled as the trial progresses, especially when she learns that her husband has been keeping a violent family history secret from her for decades. The novel raises difficult questions about parents and children, I imagine it would be painful for a parent to read. There was a twist ending which, while not entirely unexpected, was still chilling to read. A powerful read.
    • 5/5
      This Book was AWESOME! Highly recommended. In fact, I have it in an Ebook and I am going to purchase it again as either hardcover or paperback to put into my permanent collection...yeah, it's that good.

      It is a story about a murder. As told by the Assistant DA. He tells it from the witness stand in the courtroom. And the mystery is that all circumstantial evidence points to his son Jacob. Did he do it? Did he not do it? Does the fact that the Gene for Violence exists within his family have any bearing on this case. I am not going to put any spoilers here because I would rather you pick up this book and read each twist and turn in the story yourself.

      Very well written, I and I highly recommend it.
    • 1/5
      I read this because I am trying to read outside of my normal comfort zone and everyone said this was a great story with a surprise ending. I felt it was dull & not worth all the hype. I'm not a fan of legal thrillers still. The ending was not that exciting to me. This is definitely for people who like the legal theme. I cared nothing for the characters nor their struggle. I was glad when it was over.
    • 4/5
      From a true-life legal case to a dramatically fictional one. Defending Jacob is a book with lots of buzz surrounding it, both here on LT and out in the "real" world. After reading it, I understand why. It is far from a formulaic legal thriller, featuring a premise that I don't think I've ever seen before: A prosecuting attorney is thrown into turmoil when his teenage son's classmate is murdered and his son becomes a suspect.This is a legal thriller. There are plenty of scenes of lawyers sifting through evidence, interviewing witnesses and plenty of courtroom drama. But it's also a drama about families, as Andy and his wife are forced to ask themselves whether they really know their son at all.I won't say much more about the plot, except that I found the ending to be a truly unexpected twist. There are no easy answers, either in court or in the living room, for the Barbers. And that makes a thrilling book.
    • 4/5
      In 2007 in Newton, Massachusetts, a fourteen-year-old boy is murdered on his way to school. Jacob Barber, a classmate and son of Assistant District Attorney Andrew Barber, is accused of the crime. Another suspect gets put aside, perhaps mistakenly, when the investigation focuses on Jacob. The plot revolves around Jacob’s trial, the family’s experiences, and a grand jury hearing whose purpose remains unclear until near the end of the book.

      There is a lot going on in this book. The story weaves together a number of threads, including Andrew’s estranged relationship with his father, multiple conversations with a psychiatrist, whether Andrew Barber engaged in any conflicts of interest, Andrew’s unauthorized pursuit of an alternate suspect, and internal politics in the DA’s office. It explores themes of family loyalty, parental responsibility, and nature versus nurture.

      Dramatic tension is maintained by the ongoing doubts about Jacob’s guilt. It is compounded by the torments experienced by his family after he is accused of murder. Andrew Barber serves as narrator, interspersed with excerpts from the trial transcript. Andrew maintains a steadfast belief in his son’s innocence. The trial conveys evidence in the manner of a true court case, alternating between the prosecution and the defense. This works well in keeping the reader guessing.

      I was drawn into the story, closely paying attention to every nuance. Its primary strength is not giving anything away too early. The writing is direct. I enjoyed the complexities. I was not overly fond of the ending, but I can understand the reasoning, as it allows the reader to judge the outcome. I listened to the audio book read by Grover Gardner. His voice fits the material. He reads quickly and clearly.
    • 4/5
      I enjoyed this book very much. The story is well told from both a legal and a family perspective. Fourteen-year-old Jacob is accused of murdering a classmate. The story is told entirely from his father's (Andy's) perspective, so the reader knows no more than Andy does...which means we are drawing inferences and conclusions as to Jacob's guilt, and as to what our spouse (Jacob's mother, Laurie) is thinking.There are all kinds of issues in this story. How far would you go to protect your child? Does being a good parent mean you believe in the innocence of your child? How does your relationship with your spouse survive if you have different views on his guilt? The other issue raised involved nature vs. nurture with the discussion of a "murder gene" that Jacob has, in theory, inherited from his father and grandfather. So much to think about beyond the gripping "whodunnit" and courtroom drama provided by this book.
    • 2/5
      The story leaves more questions and loose ends than it answers, so it cheats you out of the greatest pleasure of reading a crime novel, the neatly tied up ending and an A-ha moment. It touches on the effect of crime on the ordinary lives of its protagonists, and you get to understand that regardless of the verdict in a court room, the true judgment on any suspect comes from society and the people with whom he has close relationships. Worth reading for some of its drama aspects, but fails on the neatness of the conclusion, which makes it very realistic.
    • 5/5
      This book made me late returning to work from lunch and any book that does that gets 5 starts.

      This is a great mystery/thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat until the very last minute and even then I saw nothing coming- everything was such a shock.

      I really enjoyed the courtroom scenes and the perspective from the DA/ADA. There were some confusing parts that I still have questions about, but overall this was a great read.
    • 4/5
      The ending is terrific.
    • 4/5
      I received this book from Goodreads. I was hooked on the story immediately and it kept my interest to the end. The ending was an interesting twist and surprising, although it did feel a bit rushed compared to the pace of the rest of the book. Overall, I enjoyed this book.
    • 5/5
      This book has been on my shelf for too long, so when I learned that the story was going to screen, I thought I should finally get around to reading it. And I'm glad I did. Is it a mystery? A thriller? A psychological thriller? I'm not sure how to classify it, but it kept me entertained throughout. An well-known district attorney takes on a murder case, the murder of a middle school kid. But when fingers point to the Assistant DA's own son, things get more complicated. Did he do it, or is that just a convenient way to sweep the crime under the mat? I'm not telling. At any rate, it brings up some pretty serious ethical questions. Because I don't like to read too much before a book before I read a book, there were twists in here I wasn't expecting. There was a rather horrible bit about a cat. It wasn't graphic but anyone with any imagination can see what is happening. Overall, good writing, good plot, and a good way to pass a few reading hours.
    • 3/5
      I quit reading legal thrillers a long time ago but I'd heard a lot of good stuff about this one and wanted to check it out. Most of the legal scenes in this book were just so-so but I do think Landay framed the story well and intricately wove the two courtroom cases together.

      What I did find more interesting and thought provoking were the personal ethical dilemmas that Andy Barber faced. First, there was the question of how far would a parent go to protect his child? On top of that, do you face the fact that your child might be guilty and let the legal system do it's thing? Or do you fight for your child's freedom with every breath you have?

      The second ethical dilemma involved a "murder gene." This theory proposes that there are people who are predisposed to committing murder and, thus, they may not be able to prevent their actions. This would make the gene a mitigating factor in the person's defense and perhaps reduce their sentence. A bit of the nature vs. nurture argument. This part of the story was reminiscent of a Jodi Picoult book; however, without all the tears that Picoult invokes.

      Even though I wasn't too keen on all the courtroom stuff, I still think this was a pretty good read.
    • 2/5
      As of today, when I completed Defending Jacob, this book has spent 422 days in the top 100 on Amazon and I have to say, I just don't understand how. I am so glad I checked out the digital copy of this from the library and did not pay for it.

      The premise of the book sounded interesting but I never actually got into this book at all. There were so many questions I had about the characters, their actions and the setting. There was not a single character that I liked or could even remotely identify with.

      The book was 431 pages and I cannot even tell you what was on most of them. There was a memorable quote, "Life goes on, probably too long if we're honest about it. In a long life there are thirty or thirty-five thousand days to be got through, but only a few dozen that really matter, Big Days when Something Momentous Happens. The rest-the vast majority, tens of thousands of days-are unremarkable, repetitive, even monotonous. We glide through them then instantly forget them." I'm thinking that could pretty much be said about this book.
    • 3/5
      I have nothing against the writing or storyline of this novel. My problem was with the characters. I found no one really likable, in my opinion. The title character was a surly, disturbed teen, the father, despite his supposedly iron will in deliberately forgetting his past and his experience as a DA, behaves like a fool. The mother effectively turned on the son. The secondary characters were not much better. An acting DA who was ambitious and greedy to undo his mentor. I know everyone has an agenda in thrillers but I like to at least like someone in the book. The plot and storyline were good if somewhat predictable in places. We'll see what changes they make in the upcoming televised version.
    • 4/5
      Terrific. Loved the format- wasn't quite sure about that interview going on throughout the story, but it worked!! Kinda had a feeling about things (not to let the cat out of the bag) but what an ending!?! GOOD ONE!!
    • 3/5
      3.5 stars. I don't usually read murder-mysteries, but this one was pretty good. I liked the surprise ending. Quick, easy read.
    • 3/5
      A Massachusetts prosecutor find himself at the defendant’s table when his son is accused of murder. My book club selected this book, otherwise I might not have finished it. It was interesting, but it dragged. The ending had a bit of a twist, but I didn’t think it was worth the wait.“At some point, as adults, we cease to be our parents’ children and we become our children’s parents instead.”