Finding Jake - Paperback

by Bryan Reardon (Author)

"I devoured Finding Jake. The tension is almost unbearable in this thriller-cum-character study as layer after layer of a father's soul are revealed as reflected in the character of his missing son. Utterly engrossing."--Alice LaPlante, New York Times bestselling author of Circle of Wives and Turn of Mind

A heart-wrenching but redemptive story of psychological suspense told from the point of view of the father of a boy who is unaccounted for during a school shooting, in the vein of Reconstructing Amelia and Defending Jacob.

While his successful wife goes off to her law office each day, Simon Connolly takes care of their kids, Jake and Laney. Now that they are in high school, the angst-ridden father should feel more relaxed, but he doesn?t. He's seen the statistics, read the headlines. And now, his darkest fear is coming true. There has been a shooting at school.

Simon races to the rendezvous point, where he's forced to wait. Do they know who did it? How many victims were there? Why did this happen? One by one, parents are led out of the room to reunite with their children. Their numbers dwindle, until Simon is alone.

As his worst nightmare unfolds, and Jake is the only child missing, Simon begins to obsess over the past, searching for answers, for hope, for the memory of the boy he raised, for mistakes he must have made, for the reason everything came to this. Where is Jake? What happened in those final moments? Is it possible he doesn't really know his son? Or he knows him better than he thought?

Brilliantly paced, Finding Jake explores these questions in a tense and emotionally wrenching narrative. Harrowing and heartbreaking, surprisingly healing and redemptive, Finding Jake is a story of faith and conviction, strength, courage, and love that will leave readers questioning their own lives, and those they think they know.

Back Jacket

"I devoured Finding Jake. The tension is almost unbearable in this thriller-cum-character study as layer after layer of a father's soul are revealed as reflected in the character of his missing son. Utterly engrossing."--Alice LaPlante, New York Times bestselling author of Circle of Wives and Turn of Mind

"Harrowing." --New York Times Book Review

Simon Connolly's successful wife has gone to her law office each day, while he has stayed home to raise their children--Jake and Laney. He has tried to do the best for the kids. For sunny, outgoing Laney, it's been easy. But Jake is different. He has always been on the quiet side, preferring the company of his small group of friends to popularity and organized sports. Now that his children are in high school, Simon should be able to relax, to worry less. He's never given that chance.

On a warm November day, he receives a text: There has been a shooting at the high school.

Racing to the rendezvous point, Simon is forced to wait with scores of other anxious parents as one by one, they are reunited with their children. Their numbers dwindle, eventually leaving Simon alone. That is when he learns that Jake is the only child missing.

As his worst nightmare unfolds, Simon's thoughts race. Where is Jake? What happened in those final moments? Jake could not have done this--or could he? Did Simon miss the signs? As rumors begin to ricochet, amplified by an invasive media and the fear swallowing their community, Simon must find answers.

But there is only one way to understand what has happened . . . he must find Jake.