Defending Jacob

A Novel

By: William Landay

Narrated by: Grover Gardner

Length: 12 hrs and 24 mins

Publisher's summary

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A legal thriller that’s comparable to classics such as Scott Turow’s Presumed Innocent . . . tragic and shocking.”—Associated Press

NOW AN EMMY-NOMINATED ORIGINAL STREAMING SERIES • NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Entertainment Weekly • Boston Globe • Kansas City Star

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, and 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.

©2012 William Landay (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

“Landay has proven himself to be an extraordinary writer, and Defending Jacob is an amazing novel. Do yourself a favor and read it. It’s that good.” (Nicholas Sparks, #1 New York Times best-selling author)

“Harrowing . . . This searing narrative proves the ancient Greek tragedians were right: the worst punishment is not death but living with what you—knowingly or unknowingly—have done.” ( Publishers Weekly, starred review)

“[Landay] reaches a new level of excellence with this riveting, knock-your-socks-off legal thriller. With its masterfully crafted characterizations and dialogue, emotional depth, and frightening implications, the novel rivals the best of Scott Turow and John Grisham. Don’t miss it.” ( Booklist, starred review)

What a story!

Didn't see that ending coming. Enjoyed listening to this book. Very well written and narrated. Suspenseful and interesting.

Great find!

What did you like best about this story?

This book is great fun. It's a courtroom drama inside a courtroom drama; the main courtroom story is told by a witness to a grand jury. The writing is very precise, just shy of the primness that makes some of the best lawyer novelists kind of annoying. Any too neat-and-tidiness is offset by the fact that the main characters are not good people. And, the protagonist, a lawyer, has backbone, without having to defend himself as a man of the people. He doesn't come off as holier-than-thou, or apologetic, like a lot of lawyer protagonists.

I'm in the midst of reading the rest of Landay's books -- I like him as well as I like Turow. Maybe more.

Have you listened to any of Grover Gardner’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Grover Gardner is plain fun to listen to. He reads almost as though he's pitching a bunch of Henny Youngman one-liners, pausing frequently when he puts a little zinger in there, so you can catch up to his fun, slightly ironic tone. If you have not listened to Gardner reading Ross MacDonald's books, try those, too, they are great fun.

Any additional comments?

The way this narrative is told from the point of view of a grand jury witness, gives this book a real noir-confessional feel. Tons of hostility between the witness and the prosecutor, for reasons that keep revealing themselves as the narrative moves along. Loved it!

story engaging and worth listening to

The narrator was good but his voice was not suitable for this story. It was too strong and low to read all the different parts. It sounded
the same for all the different characters which at times made it confusing.

Leaves you wondering

This book was gripping from the beginning. The way it is written allows you to imagine it unfolding physically in front of you—like you’re in the courtroom. I like books that jump between past and present and this one does between the events and trial. This book didn’t give anything away and the ending was a surprise that left me mulling over many unresolved feelings. It made for interesting conversation with my partner as we read it together. If you’re looking for a mystery that leaves it up for you to decide, then this book is it!

First Review Ever!

Although I am an avid listener of Audible books, I have never written a review before. However, I just finished Defending Jacob. I found it one of the most thought provoking books I have recently read. I was anxious but then, dreaded, the outcome of this book. This a a great listen--I highly recommend.

Interpersonal Relationships On Trial . . .

WOW . . . a glimpse into every aspect. Parenting begins in the cradle, not in a time of crisis. Let's not forget the victim, Ben, but also acknowledge there are no winners. Never before have I given thought to what an alleged antagonist AND their family goes through. This book was food for thought.

Fantastic performance of a great story

What made the experience of listening to Defending Jacob the most enjoyable?

The narrator was able to capture each character so well. I never felt like the narrator was changing HIS voice to speak as a different character - it just seemed like it actually WAS a different character was speaking.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Defending Jacob?

For me it was when the dad heard Jacob cry out in his sleep, and attempted to talk to this "typical" preteen. He displayed such patience by offering comfort despite the lack of response and total disdain from Jacob. Haven't all of us with kids of this age not experienced this?

What does Grover Gardner bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

A sense of mystery and intrigue.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It was very moving and had a compelling ending.

Any additional comments?

I really liked it.

Outstanding on all aspects

William Landay writes a brilliant murder mystery. The characters were so well developed that we feel what they feel, whether you believe Jacob did it or not.
Grover Gardner’s reading of the story brought all these complex characters to life. The subtle changes in his voice, tone and tempo made it so easy to follow who was speaking.
The story is so believable due to the realistic actions of all parties involved.
I also got a kick of how Mr. Landay nailed the difference between the two generations (parents and kids.)

painful

unusual story line. I like who done it stories and thought that's what this would be. well sort of. it did keep my attention. when I thought it was ending it kept going. several times I was tempted to set it aside, but I soldiered on. really couldn't recommend this one.

I very literally couldn't put it down.

I listened to the entire book within a day. It was an utterly compelling psychological thriller with plenty of twists and turns. The narrator does not use a lot of different voices but reads with excellent dramatic delivery. If you like murder mysteries, family and/or courtroom dramas that keep you guessing, try this one.!