Thrillers & Suspense
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Finding Jake: A Novel
Now a New York Times Best Seller
"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
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.
"Harrowing." --New York Times Book Review
"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
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.
"Harrowing." --New York Times Book Review
Editorial Reviews
Bryan Reardon is a freelance writer specializing in medical communications. He co-wrote Ready, Set, Play! with retired NFL player and ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth, and Cruel Harvest with Fran Elizabeth Grubb. Prior to becoming a full-time writer, Bryan worked for the state of Delaware for more than a decade, starting in the office of the governor. He lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with his wife, kids, and rescue dog, Simon.
Readers Top Reviews
Carol GallacherLi
Brilliant! Couldn't put this book down and read it in one night.
Inemacread-along-
A very thin line here about whether this book was really meant to be about stay-at-home-dads (and enlightening to others in that position), or whether it was meant to be a thriller..
R. MurrayInemacre
I thought the book was a genuine representation of a stay-at-home dad. The fact that the main character frequently questioned whether his approach to parenting his two children was always in their best interest is not unique to fathers. However, since it is still not a common occurrence to see stay-at-home dad's there tends to be a lot less support for this family dynamic. This book covered some of the more obvious shortcomings in our society for accepting men as the dominant parent very well. I also liked that introversion was addressed in such a way that it didn't seem like a less desirable trait than introversion. I mostly found Finding Jake to be an enjoyable read. I wish there had been more of an explanation for the motives of the character, Doug.
booklover343R. Mu
Finding Jake is a book that will grab you and not let go. We've all seen the headlines about school shooting. The tragedy of it won't let go...but what about the families of the students involved? Rachael and Simon have a good life and decide when she becomes pregnant that Simon will quit his lower paying job in government to stay home with their first child. In a few years they add a daughter to their son...but during that time Simon has struggled with his feelings (and the perceptions of others) about being a stay-at-home dad. He doesn't "fit in" with the mothers in the neighborhood and always fees an outsider. Jake, his son, is much like his father and is not a part of the group. He prefers being alone and not playing with the other neighborhood children. It seemed as if Simon both appreciated and was concerned about this. I found the situation compelling because two of my nephews have chosen to be stay-at-home dads. Simon encourages Jake to befriend a boy whom no one likes...who is called weird and a loser. And this eventually has tragic consequences. After the shooting in the school, several students have been killed and Jake is missing. Is he dead? Is he on the run? What was his part in the tragedy? In this novel you will experience what the family goes through as the media, police, neighbors, and other parents turn on them and blame them for what happened. It is a very good read and I'll be looking for other books from this author. I seldom give five stars....but this is probably 4.5! Don't miss reading it.
Louise Angelbookl
This is a very good book and well written. A little different than I thought, and that turned out to be good. Introverts seem to be misunderstood, and sensitive boys are very misunderstood, and life is tougher for them. The school shooting was a different kind of plot device for the character study of stay at home dads, who was a quiet, introverted type of person, raising a quiet, introverted, sensitive boy. Very thought provoking, and not truly a traditional kind of suspense, although it was suspenseful as you tried to keep up with what was going to happen. It wasn't clear-cut as a usual suspense plot. Its too bad that school shootings are so common place that we all have been touched by them in our community, and God-forbid in our own circle of friends, at our kids' school or in our immediate family. Families with school children and single parents or both parents working face a complex set of problems and issues and then there are safety issues and drug and molestation dangers in our neighborhoods and schools. There are a lot of demands on kids to do well in school, and parents may not realize what all is going on with their kids as they themselves try to do it all and have it all and juggle work and family and try to make sense of the world and decide how to keep their family and kids safe and sane while keeping all those balls in the air. I don't know if what I've written makes any sense, its late, and I am thinking about the book and some current news stories covered here in our area, along with some family issues, and I guess its all coming out in stream of consciousness. But the book did give me food for thought, as I am mulling this all over in this review.
