40 pages • 1 hour read
Defending Jacob
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Summary and Study Guide
Overview
Defending Jacob is a 2012 crime novel by William Landay. The main character is Andy Barber, a Massachusetts assistant district attorney, who finds his personal and professional life thrown into turmoil when his son, Jacob Barber, is accused of murdering his classmate Ben Rifkin. Andy, a resident of Newton, Massachusetts, narrates the events of the 2007 murder and trial alongside the transcripts of a 2008 grand jury investigation whose subject remains unstated until the final pages of the novel. In the process, the reader must evaluate Andy’s testimony—both the grand jury transcripts and his narration—to determine whether Jacob is guilty and what role Andy plays in his potential crimes.
As ADA, Andy takes the lead in investigating Ben’s murder. Despite objections from his boss, Lynn Canavan, Andy does not believe his involvement in the local community poses a conflict of interest. However, when Andy discovers Jacob’s close friend Derek Yoo has accused Jacob of the murder, Andy does not share the information with the department and disposes of the knife Derek identifies as the murder weapon. Andy is convinced the true murderer is a local pedophile, Unlock all 40 pages of this Study Guide Plus, gain access to 8,900+ more expert-written Study Guides. Including features:
