Rated of 5
by Patricia F. (Stony Brook, New York) Defending Jacob...Be Afraid....
Prepare to be hooked from the first pages! Defending Jacob is the best kind of thriller..subtle at first, but then you are along for the ride! A seemingly traditional, ordinary family living their lives and then exposed by a series of events unfolding transforming this "ordinary" family into one exposed through the media and the judicial process. The fright comes from the impact on this "ordinary" family. As a reader, you can't help but think..could this happen to me and mine? Chilling...and highly recommended.
Rated of 5
by Lisa E. (Cincinnati, OH) Realistic but Engaging
William Landay, the author of this legal thriller about the son of a prosecutor who is charged with murder is a former prosecutor himself, and this comes through in his portrayal of the courtroom. I used to be a lawyer, and there is nothing more irritating than the Perry Mason moments in legal fiction--the surprise witness, who confesses on the witness stand. Never happens! Landay portrays all aspects of a legal case, from preparation to the trial itself, realistically, yet he keeps the tension high and the pace quick. A great thriller.
Rated of 5
by Sandy P. (Gainesville, FL) Well worth the time
This book differed from others (i.e. The Hour I First Believed) in that it brought to light the danger of rumors on social media and the damage they can cause....right into the courtroom. Just when I was beginning to think the plot would dissolve Mr. Landay brought in a few twists to keep interest going, i.e. Who the heck of Father Leary and where did he come from?? I thought the final pages were riveting, sad and yet tied up all loose ends for me. I'll look for Mr. Landay's earlier works.
Rated of 5
by Dawn Zuber (Canton, MI) Defending Jacob - excellent read!
Defending Jacob alternates between first person accounts from the point of view of Andy Barber, former assistant D.A., and the transcript of Andy’s grand jury testimony regarding – well, we’re not sure what the grand jury is investigating until the end of the book. Andy tells the story of defending his son, fourteen-year-old Jacob, who is accused of murdering a classmate.
I found it hard to put this book down. Despite being a thriller, it explores family connections, loyalty, and truth. I plan to read it a second time, which, for me, is a very rare reaction to a book.
Rated of 5
by Alexandra S. (Chicago, IL) Surprisingly Good Read!
I'm not normally a crime drama reader and because of that, I thought reading and reviewing Defending Jacob was a good way for me to step outside of my wheelhouse. I was convinced this was going to be a run of the mill thriller but I was pleasantly surprised to find it well written, smart and riveting.
Defending Jacob dances around the ideas of nature vs. nurture, making the reader question if it is possible to escape genetics.
Initially slow moving, the story is told though the eyes of Andy Barber, Assistant DA, son of a murderer and father of the accused. Told though a combination of court transcripts and Andy's voice, you learn the extent to which a parent would go to protect their child and how blinded we can be by love.
A fast and enjoyable read, Defending Jacob will make you question everything you thought you knew about the people you love.
Rated of 5
by Patricia B. (Columbia, SC) Defending Jacob/WLanday/Book Review
Mr. Landay gets carried away with himself trying to have the main character, Jacob's father, explain himself to the reader. This is annoying and unnecessary. He has his character assuming he knows what the reader must be thinking. Stop this! The book labors in many places throughout. It seems to pick up most in the dialogue which moves the story forward better than the author/character's attempts at convincing the reader how smart or hip he is. There was a story to be told here, but Landay took too long to tell it. I had to force myself to keep reading this book and could take it in only carefully meted out doses. The book is apparently more about a human being's extreme denial of anything approaching reality. If the reader is suppose to dislike the father, then Mr. Landay accomplished this. The book was all about the supposed intelligent father who was a perfect example of the ability of the male species's inability to see reality and deal with it head on. This book needs a lot of editing and revising before it is published. It was hit and miss over and over. A lot can be thrown out to tighten it up and make it a more compelling and powerful story. Please tell me the final copy will be a much more fine-tuned piece of work. Otherwise, I cannot recommend it to anyone to read. The reader has to struggle too much to enjoy the writing.
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by Patricia F. (Stony Brook, New York) 
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by Alexandra S. (Chicago, IL) 
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by Patricia B. (Columbia, SC) 
