What would you do to defend your son from allegations that he killed someone? What if you were a district attorney and it was your son who was the accused? In Defending Jacob Landay follows one family as they struggle to come to grips with the accusations against their son and how their loyalty and love for their son are tested in the pursuit of justice.

Andy and Laurie Barber, and Jacob, their middle school age son, are living a quiet, comfortable life in a suburban New England town.  Andy has been a district attorney for over 20 years and he and Laurie have been part of their tight knit community of families for about as long. But their quiet comfortable life is shattered when a 14 year old boy is murdered along a path leading to the middle school.  Andy, as district attorney takes the case and is running the investigation but soon information and circumstantial evidence surfaces that points to Jacob, his son, as the murderer and Andy goes from prosecuting the crime to defending his son.

The reality of having to prepare for and defend your son from murder is devastatingly portrayed. Andy is put on leave from his job, Laurie no longer works at her various charities, Jacob no longer goes to school, and they are isolated from, family, friends and lives put on hold to prepare for the trial.  Andy, carrying a dark secret from his past which may impact the trial is convinced that as a father he must save Jacob, and throws himself into trial preparations.  Laurie, however, given the time to reflect on incidents of self absorption, and little interest or caring towards others that she has seen in Jacob, begins to wonder if she is somehow to blame for not being a better parent. Jacob, sullen an uncommunicative as many 14 years old can be seems unable to comprehend what has happened to him.

Landay tells the story through proceedings that happen after Jacob’s trial is concluded which heightens our sense of anticipation about what happened at the trial.  Like Scott Turow in Presumed Innocent, Landay’s experience as a lawyer himself  lends an authenticity to the legal aspects of  story and his characters, especially Andy, drive our interest in this well crafted suspenseful story line. This is an excellent book to take to the beach!

Brenda’s Rating: **** (4 Stars out of 5)

Recommend this Book to: Sharon, Marian, Keith and Ken

Book Study Worthy: Sure!

Read in ebook format