William landay author biography outline

Interview

In an in-depth interview, lawyer-turned-author William Landay discusses his courtroom thriller, Defending Jacob.

The advance praise for your book has been tremendous, from authors as varied as Nicholas Sparks and Lee Child.

JB: I've wanted to be a novelist since I was about ten years old.

What is it about Defending Jacob that is resonating with so many different kinds of readers?
The response has been tremendous, it's true. It's been very flattering and I'm grateful for it. I think there are a couple of things going on.

First, the story touches on ordinary, universal emotions about family and children.

It raises a whole slew of questions that will feel awfully familiar to every parent and every family: Why do children behave as they do? How much is "hardwired" in their nature, how much is shaped by nurture?

William landay books in order

William landay books in order

Landay's third novel, Defending Jacob (), explores the brutal unraveling of a formerly tight-knit community in the wake of a child murder investigation.

William landay net worth

William Landay interview: In an in-depth interview, lawyer-turned-author William Landay discusses his courtroom thriller, Defending Jacob.

A former district attorney who holds degrees from Yale and Boston College Law School, William Landay is the author of The Strangler and Mission Flats.

Why do good families sometimes produce bad children, or at least flawed children? What should parents do when a child begins to show signs of trouble? How far should you