Reviews
Advanced Praise for Defending Jacob Defending Jacob is smart, sophisticated-and suspenseful on more levels than one." -Lee Child, #1 New York Times bestselling author. "William Landay's Defending Jacob is a carefully plotted and precisely written thriller about a family put to the ultimate test. Propelled by an ongoing courtroom drama, and with a neat final twist, Defending Jacob is bound to enthrall." -Thomas H. Cook, author of The Quest for Anna Klein "Nuanced understanding of the psychology of carefully considered, layered characters makes Defending Jacob more than a terrific legal thrill ride with courtroom scenes that explode off the page. William Landay''s latest is a heartfelt exploration of the unanticipated complications of loyalty among old friends, and an unflinching appraisal of the darkest, most poignant consequences of the love that binds, and blinds, families. Defending Jacob is one of those rare books that calls for contemplation and insight along with every breathtaking surprise. Read it." -Stephen White, New York Times bestselling author of The Last Lie "William Landay spins a tale of such complexity and emotion that you don't even realize you're spiraling deep into his world until he spits you out at his shocking, shattering conclusion." -Carla Buckley, author of The Things That Keep Us Here "In Defending Jacob, William Landay makes bold use of his genuine storytelling gift, his amazing ability to craft believable dialogue, and above all, an extraordinary understanding of what it means to be a husband and father to present us with an unforgettable tale of an ordinary marriage and family in crisis. In his hands, the tender, loving union of Laurie and Andrew Barber is tested by the notion that parenting is never quite what one imagines it to be. On the surface, this novel reads like a first-rate thriller, but at its heart, it''s a love story. It''s the story of a man who adores his wife and child, but more than that, it''s a novel that describes the fine edge between love and madness, and the lies we sometimes tell ourselves. 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 "Defending Jacob is a stunning novel that will be compared to classic courtroom thrillers like Presumed Innocent and Anatomy of a Murder." -Phillip Margolin, New York Times bestselling author "A powerful portrayal of a family, a crime and a community. Defending Jacob compels you to flip frantically through the pages, desperate to know what will happen next, then leaves you gasping breathlessly at each shocking revelation. A page-turner with a bite...and that''s before you get to the end." -Lisa Gardner, #1 New York Times bestselling author "A brutal murder, a splintered community, and a father desperate to save his son. More than a courtroom drama, Defending Jacob is a page-turning, stomach-clenching exploration of family-and a disturbing look into today's society." -Chevy Stevens, New York Times bestselling author of Still Missing "William Landay''s brilliantly conceived murder mystery combines a harrowing family drama with riveting courtroom scenes that make the reader feel they are actually witnessing the trial unfold. And the twist at the end is stunning." -Stephen Frey, New York Times bestselling author of Heaven's Fury "Seamless and sensational, William Landay's Defending Jacob is a spellbinder that draws the reader further and further into the dilemmas of its very real characters. Landay is a master weaver of suspense. This has got to be one of the best novels of the year." -John Lutz, New York Times bestselling author of Mister X, Advance praise for Defending Jacob "William Landay makes bold use of his genuine storytelling gift, his amazing ability to craft believable dialogue, and, above all, his extraordinary understanding of what it means to be a husband and father to present us with an unforgettable tale of an ordinary marriage and family in crisis. On the surface this novel reads like a first-rate thriller, but at its heart it's a love story. It's the story of a man who adores his wife and child, but more than that, it's a novel that describes the fine edge between love and madness, and the lies we sometimes tell ourselves. 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 " Defending Jacob is smart, sophisticated, and suspenseful-capturing both the complexity and stunning fragility of family life."-Lee Child "Powerful . . . leaves you gasping breathlessly at each shocking revelation."-Lisa Gardner "A page-turning, stomach-clenching exploration of family."-Chevy Stevens "A stunning novel that will be compared to classic courtroom thrillers like Presumed Innocent and Anatomy of a Murder ."-Phillip Margolin "A carefully plotted and precisely written thriller about a family put to the ultimate test . . . Defending Jacob is bound to enthrall."-Thomas H. Cook "More than a terrific legal thrill ride, Defending Jacob is an unflinching appraisal of the darkest, most poignant consequences of the love that binds, and blinds, families. It's one of those rare books that call for contemplation and insight along with every breathtaking surprise."-Stephen White "Landay spins a tale of such complexity and emotion that you don't even realize you're spiraling deep into his world until he spits you out at his shocking, shattering conclusion."-Carla Buckley "Sensational . . . one of the best books of the year."-John Lutz "A novel like this comes along maybe once a decade . . . a tour de force, a full-blooded legal thriller about a murder trial and the way it shatters a family. With its relentless suspense, its mesmerizing prose, and a shocking twist at the end, it's every bit as good as Scott Turow's great Presumed Innocent . But it's also something more: an indelible domestic drama that calls to mind Ordinary People and We Need to Talk About Kevin . A spellbinding and unforgettable literary crime novel."-Joseph Finder "Powerful, disturbing, complex, and gripping, Defending Jacob is impossible to put down. William Landay is a stunning talent."-Carla Neggers "Riveting, suspenseful, and emotionally searing."-Linwood Barclay "Brilliantly conceived . . . combines a harrowing family drama with riveting courtroom scenes that make readers feel they are actually witnessing the trial unfold."-Stephen Frey