In Defense of Jacob

Defending Jacob is the book that inspired the Apple TV+ series starring Chris Evans. A New York Times bestseller, compared to Scott Turow's "Beyond Suspicion." Jacob Barber is an ordinary boy. But beneath his apparent normality, a killer may be hiding. At 14, he is accused of murdering Ben Rifkin, his schoolmate. By a cruel twist of fate, Jacob's father, Andy Barber, a veteran and respected prosecutor in a Massachusetts town, is leading the case. The boy swears he is innocent, and Andy, for whom the investigation becomes a test of love, believes him. After all, he is his father. However, numerous facts and events come to light throughout the investigation, revealing how little parents sometimes know about their children. Meanwhile, Andy's marriage begins to crumble. Thus, he is brought to another trial, in which he is both judge and defendant. An internal struggle between loyalty and justice, truth and accusation, a past he's trying to bury, and a future that seems increasingly uncertain. With doses of adrenaline and psychological suspense, William Landay, a master of courtroom literature, presents us with a chessboard where each move of the pieces reveals a story of betrayal and guilt. Defending Jacob is a thriller that challenges us to reflect on the terrifying speed with which life can go off the rails.