Verdict: Guilty or Not Guilty

DEFENDING JACOB                 By: William Landay                 5 Stars (Favorites)

Mind blowing.

The last time I remember feeling this way was about 7 years ago. I had just watched The Prestige with Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. By the end of the movie you are given most of the puzzle pieces, but I still had this strong desire to immediately re-watch the movie so I could make those puzzle pieces fit together. Even to this day, whenever I watch that movie I am still trying to figure out those little details. Defending Jacob left me with a similar feeling of wanting to re-read the book and see how everything I learned in the final chapter fit into the rest of the story.

William Landay weaves mystery, science, and relationships all into one incredible legal thriller. From reading a few reviews on this book, I knew there would be a surprise. I have become picky with mystery books. They have to follow the basic rules of a mystery, yet still leave me in awe over the outcome. Mysteries used to be my favorite genre, but lately I have a hard time finding ones where I love the outcome and the details leading up to it.

Since I was looking for an unpredictable ending, I tried to come up with a few different theories. I figured at least one of them would nail the ending. Not that I believe I am amazingly gifted at predicting the ending of books, but that I have read enough of them that few leave me surprised. It doesn’t matter how many theories I had, the ending of the book still resulted in an unpredictable way. In fact, I tried to finish the end right before going to bed, which is not recommended. I had the most difficult time going to sleep as I couldn’t turn my brain off and stop thinking about the ending.

The book provided excellent foreshadowing. It was more to let you know something incredible was going to happen, without giving away the secrets. Landay provides a unique way of presenting the storyline. Andy, an Assistant District Attorney (and Jacob’s father) is on the witness stand being questioned by his replacement, Neil Lojiudice. You start reading a copy of the trial transcript and switch over to Andy’s narrative of the story while he describes the story behind the questioning. Andy tells his story as if he were reminiscing after the trial completion. Without giving away the ending he eludes to things that will happen without actually making it easy to guess what is coming.

To expand on the plot line, as Andy works in the District Attorney’s office he receives most of the cases that come in. He then decides to work them or pass them on to another. Andy knew that the murder of a 14 year-old boy would be a high profile case, so he decides to keep it. Ben was a follow student at Jacob’s school. Soon we find out that Ben had been bullying Jacob, and Jacob purchased a knife for protection. Before long Jacob is arrested and Lojiudice takes over the case when Andy is no longer an impartial lawyer. The story continues with Andy and his wife defending Jacob. Is Jacob actually guilty? If he were, would it matter? Would they fulfill the justice the law demands or protect their son at all costs?

Jacob’s trial brings up the age old question of Nature vs Nurture. When Andy’s unsavory heritage comes into question we are left wondering what to believe in reference to behavioral genetics. Is there such a thing as a murdering gene or is that a just a legal tactic to implicate the defendant?

I can’t give this book enough good praise. It captures you right at the beginning and takes you on a journey that makes you wonder what you believe in the story and even questioning what you believe about yourself and your own behavioral genetics. The story is strong enough you never know who to fully trust and who to be wary of. It is highly unlikely you will be disappointed.

 

REAL JUSTICE Series                                                   3 Stars

FOURTEEN AND SENTENCED TO DEATH: The Story of Steven Truscott        By: Bill Swan

GUILTY OF BEING WEIRD: The Story of Guy Paul Morin                    By: Cynthia J. Faryon

These books are real life stories of the wrongly convicted in Canada. Morin was one of the first to be acquitted based on new DNA evidence, leading to many others acquittals including Truscott.

They are quick reads, yet the fact that they are so short leads to a lower rating for me. There were too many things that were brought up yet never talked, including how they were handled in court, or if they were handled at all.

The only two stories I read (out of 6, you may view them here

) were the result of poorly obtained evidence and a tainted political system. I feel like I need to read other stories of the legal system actually doing the job they were created to do. They were interesting and disturbing all at the same time.