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Defending Jacob

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Defending Jacob

By: William Landay
Narrated by: Eric Meyers
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About this listen

Andy Barber's job is to put killers behind bars. So when a boy from his son Jacob's school is found stabbed to death, Andy is doubly determined to find and prosecute the perpetrator. Until a crucial piece of evidence turns up linking Jacob to the murder. In the face of every parent's worst nightmare, Andy and his wife Laurie will do anything to defend their child. Because, deep down, they know him better than anyone. Don't they?

©2012 William Landay (P)2012 W F Howes Ltd Genre Fiction Psychological Suspense Thriller & Suspense
All stars
Most relevant  

What made the experience of listening to Defending Jacob the most enjoyable?

the characters are complex and the plot has enough twists and turns to keep you enthralled.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Defending Jacob?

I was expecting a twist at the end, it was hinted that something was going to come out but the final chapter still came as a surprise - and yet looking back was completely predictable.

What does Eric Meyers bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

The subtleties of the characters emerge more from an audio book; it's so plot driven I think I would've missed the finer aspects had I been reading (fast).

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

It's sad, and depressing.

Any additional comments?

I gave this 4 rather than 5 stars despite being completely hooked from early on. i was desperate to find out "what happened" and yet at times found some parts of the book a little reminiscent of "We Need to Talk About Kevin" - hard to see how this could be avoided. I also sometimes found the reader's female voices and Jacob's voice a little jarring, like he was trying too hard to "put on" a different voice. It didn't detract from my enjoyment really, I just noticed it where I'd prefer not to notice the transition between characters.

Gripping

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loved the story, the narrator & the twist I didn't see coming, I wanted to read/listen to more

recommended ++++

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What a well written book that had me on the edge of my seat, I was thrown sideways by the ending. Well done, so good.

Plot twist!

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Had my attention the whole time. Loved the story, characters and themes. Highly recommend this book.

Gripping story

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The under current of actual story is good, but it is buried in way too much detail that is irrelevant. There’s probably 10 chapters of good story and 30 of fluff.

Too much pointless detail

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Solid story with good twists and turns. The narrator does a terrible job with women and children

Good

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Would you listen to Defending Jacob again? Why?

I so enjoyed the alternating between a psychological thriller and a trial. The dialogue structure both revealed characters and motive and the structure of the book held me in its grip.

What did you like best about this story?

Gradual unfolding of complexity and character. I thought I knew what would happen but then WHAM the plot shifts. I also loved the notion of the narrator being the protagonist. His insights or sometimes lack of insight into his motivation and interpretation was wonderful

What about Eric Meyers’s performance did you like?

I particularly liked the rasping tone he used for some characters. ( don''t want to do spoiler alert) He was able to voice male and female characters, vulnerable and assertive.

Riveting -

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Enthralling. Superbly written. Brilliantly read. Forensic commentary on the judicial system. Sharp portraysl of mid-life in middle America. Thank you!

The reader is even better than this superb book!

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