Defending Jacob by William Landay

Have you ever read a book where the characters were pretty one-dimensional - you couldn't visualize them as real people?  Or one where it was an intricate storyline that tied up a little too easily at the end?  This book was neither.  In fact, this is one of the best fiction books I have ever read.


Admittedly, I'm biased towards legal thrillers, but I think people who don't normally read this genre will appreciate where Landay takes this story.  Andy Barber, the main character, is a prosecutor assigned to a new case where a 14-year old boy is found murdered in a nearby park.  Things quickly take a turn when his teenage son becomes the primary suspect.  You can actually feel the horror of a family dealing with such an accusation.  


It goes beyond the courtroom and takes you inside the character's home.  It explores the relationship between the father and son, as well as the husband and wife, without turning into an overly dramatic Lifetime movie.


The story constantly adds  new information as the reader is left wondering what really happened, without being confused by the storyline.  Without giving anything away, as the book was drawing to a conclusion, I feared an "easy" ending and I was in for a pleasant surprise.  You can't imagine where this book is taking you and it's incredible.  This one is a ride worth taking.