Defending Jacob

The story is framed as Andy's testimony before a grand jury months later, which adds tension from the first page: something has gone very wrong, and readers do not know what. When Ben Rifkin, a classmate of Jacob's, is found stabbed, Andy quickly finds himself removed from the case and replaced by a rival prosecutor. Evidence emerges, including a fingerprint, a knife and online posts by other teenagers, and Jacob is arrested and charged.

As the family prepares for trial, Andy must also face a secret he has hidden for years: his own father is a notorious criminal serving a life sentence, and the defense considers whether a so-called violence gene might play a role. Laurie, increasingly isolated by the community, wonders whether she ever really knew her quiet, withdrawn son. Landay, a former prosecutor, writes convincingly about the legal system, with sharp courtroom scenes, while keeping the focus on the family. The violence itself happens offstage and is handled without sensationalism.

Fast, tense and hard to put down, later adapted for television. About 435 pages in the Bantam paperback.