How does Defending Jacob end in the book? Explained

Defending Jacob, a gripping crime drama novel by William Landay, delves into the life of Andy Barber, an assistant district attorney in Newton, Massachusetts, whose world is turned upside down when his son, Jacob, is accused of murder. The book explores the intense emotional and legal battles the Barber family faces as they navigate the harrowing journey of defending their son.

Published in January 2012, this novel captivates readers with its intricate plot, moral dilemmas, and unexpected twists, culminating in a shocking and tragic conclusion.

The ending of Defending Jacob leaves readers grappling with the complexities of guilt, innocence, and the lengths parents will go to protect their children. The novel ends with Laurie, Jacob's mother, intentionally crashing their car with Jacob in it, resulting in his death.

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Exploring in detail how Defending Jacob ends

Andy Barber suspects Leonard Patz, a local pedophile, of killing Ben Rifkin, who happens to be one of Jacob's classmates. Andy discovers a knife in Jacob's room that fits the description of the weapon Ben was murdered with. Though he is horrified by this discovery, he disposes of the knife to protect his son.

However, his investigation takes a new twist when a fingerprint inside Ben's sweatshirt matches Jocob's. On discovering this fact, Andrew and Laurie are shocked, but they continue to have faith in their son's innocence.

This further complicates Jake's case when he claims that he found Ben already dead and tried fruitlessly to resuscitate him.

In addition, there is evidence produced during the trial implicating Jacob, like an online story written by him that strangely resembles how Ben died. Just in time when every hope seems lost, Patz loses his life through suicide by hanging in his own house together with a message confessing to murdering Ben.

Jacob gets acquitted, but then Andy becomes suspicious about Patz's death and visits his father, Billy Barber, who is a convicted murderer. Billy reveals that he hired a hitman to kill Patz and forge the suicide note. He admits that he did this to prevent Jacob from ending up in prison and ruining his life as he did.

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What do Andy and Laurie find out in Defending Jacob?

The Barbers are unable to escape the doubt and fear even though they have been cleared of the murder charges. They go on vacation to Jamaica to forget about what had happened.

While in Jamaica, Jacob befriends a girl named Hope Connors. Laurie is convinced of Jacob's guilt after Hope disappears only for her body to be found with signs of foul play. She faces an internal conflict, leaving her feeling guilty and desperate for her child as she tries to comprehend who he really is.

Laurie is sure that Jake is responsible for Ben’s death so she takes a desperate step at the end. She intentionally crashes their car while taking him to an interview in a private school, killing Jacob on the spot but critically injuring herself.

Thereafter, Andy is questioned about it but he refuses to cooperate and implicate his wife. He continues to reel from Jacob’s untimely death and ponders what his life would have been like if he was alive.

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More details on Defending Jacob

The novel ultimately ends on a sad note that emphasizes the permanent implications of the family’s tribulations. However, as Laurie becomes more and more convinced of Jacob’s guilt through evidence and Andy remains unwavering in his belief that his son is innocent, their marriage deteriorates.

Defending Jacob is explored in an eight-episode miniseries produced by Apple TV+, starring Chris Evans, Michelle Dockery, and Jaeden Martell. Starting on April 24th, 2020, and ending on May 29th, 2020, this show brings the high drama and deep emotions of the novel to the screen providing a captivating visual experience and emotional journey into the dark corners of Barber's family misfortunes.