Rated of 5
by Rosanne W. (Clayton, NY) Defending Jacob
Jacob.....did you murder a classmate? Well written book keeps the reader in suspense. I found Jacob a throughly unsympathetic character. How blind parents can be about their own child. Totally unexpected ending.
Rated of 5
by Robert F. (Charleston, IL) Engaging thriller
I like mysteries, particularly police procedurals, more than so-called thrillers, but this novel is an engaging mix of both. It's very readable: the plot has several twists, but they're not overly complicated or contrived. The story is driven by the narrator, who is brash and intelligent and who has an unusual backstory, which establishes his motives and provides some much-needed sympathy. The idea that secrets come back to bite you is not all that original, but Landay handles that meme in a credible way. I also liked the use of the transcripts from the grand jury; these excerpts furnished an effective counterbalance to the 1st-person narration and moved the story along quickly. I just wish the wife (Laurie) had been given more depth and had somehow been able to speak for herself.
Rated of 5
by Kathleen W. (New Brighton,, MN) What a superlative read!
Did he...or didn't he? Did she...or didn't she? This legal mystery will keep you up LONG after your bedtime and you will be glad of it. A murder involving bullying is j-u-s-t t-h-e s-t-a-r-t to this well-paced family study. The part narrative and part court transcript style is a delicious way to tease the reader. William Landay's DEFENDING JACOB will knock your socks off!
Rated of 5
by Mary F. (Muskegon, Mi) Defending Jacob
I read this book very quickly. It was hard to put down. The character development was excellent, I felt like I was a member of Jacob's family. I predicted some of the events that happened, but it was suspenseful until the end. I would recommend this book to a friend.
Fearless, gripping, at once darkly funny and tender, spanning three continents and numerous lives, Americanah is a richly told story set in today's globalized world.
The story of an American family, middle class in middle America, ordinary in every way but one. But that exception is the beating heart of this extraordinary novel.
First time novelist Vaddey Ratner captured my heart and senses in this novel based on her childhood in Cambodia. Her story transcends any news story...
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From the first page, I was drawn in by the lyrical writing of the author and mesmerized as the narrator, eight year old Raami, remembered the years...
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Trite but true, all good things must come to an end. I so wanted to keep reading the wonderful prose, the settings that let one think they are part...
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Amazon cuts off 5200 affiliates in Minnesota(Jun 19 2013) With Minnesota's online sales tax law due to take effect July 1, Amazon has played a familiar card by cutting ties with 5,200 members of its Associates...
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of 5
by Rosanne W. (Clayton, NY) 
of 5
by Robert F. (Charleston, IL) 
