Kept me guessing, good plot twist. ( )

At first I thought this was going to be a teen shooter book from the parent's perspective. Chilling, but you didn't want to turn away, and then there's a twist in the end. Jake was not who you thought he was. ( )

Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon is a suspense-laden and emotion-filled novel that is every parents' worst nightmare: a shooting at your child's school. What makes the story so compelling are several unanswered questions: the fate of a missing student, his involvement (if any) in the shooting and how well do parents really know their children. There are several other fascinating elements to the storyline that are also quite thought-provoking but discovering the answers to these three questions is what I found most riveting.

Simon Connolly is a stay at home dad who has always worried about his two kids, Jake and Laney. He agonizes over the smallest details of his parenting but in the aftermath of the school shooting, he cannot help but obsess over whether he made the right decisions for both kids, but Jake in particular. When the parents of the students begin to learn the fate of their children, Simon is the last parent to receive information about Jake, but he is left reeling at the news that Jake is a suspect in the shooting and that he is, in fact, missing. His son's connection to the troubled suspect is tenuous but police immediately focus on Jake as a co-conspirator and Simon is left wondering if he overlooked signs that Jake is capable of committing such a heinous act of violence.

Simon is panicked from the first notification that there is trouble at the school and he remains that way for much of the novel. He flashes back to different moments in Jake's childhood and the picture of a quiet, shy, introverted child quickly emerges. Simon wonders if he imparted the right lessons to his son and if he made the right choices during pivotal moments of Jake's childhood. While Simon's wife and daughter never doubt Jake's innocence, Simon is plagued with misgivings and uncertainties that cloud his judgment in several instances. In a moment of startling clarity, Simon finally puts the pieces of the puzzle together and he is nearly shattered by his subsequent discovery.

School shootings are particularly horrifying crimes and it is easy to make snap judgments and leap to conclusions in an effort to understand the incomprehensible. Friends and neighbors are the first to point fingers and distance themselves from the alleged perpetrators. There is intense pressure on law enforcement to provide answers and reassure the public that they have solved the crime. Parents are easy to blame when their child misbehaves and in a school shooting, it becomes imperative to assign responsibility and parents are often burdened with guilt and their decisions are closely scrutinized. Each of these topics are realistically explored in Finding Jake and the reactions of the various characters ring true.

Finding Jake by Bryan Reardon is an incredibly well-written novel that is poignant, tragic and ultimately, quite moving. An absolutely absorbing read that is incredibly relevant in today's world and one that I highly recommend. ( )

You receive a call that there is a shooting at your children’s school. You are to report to a specific location for more information. You race to the location only to wait and wait. You learn that there are fatalities. Slowly, the children from the school are reunited with their waiting parents. And some families are given the horrific news that their child has been killed. You find yourself still waiting and alone. Then your name is called and you are given the news that your son cannot be located and that the authorities suspect that he may have been involved in the shooting. What to do?

This is the exact scenario that presents itself in the book Finding Jake. Simon Connolly is a stay at home dad who has raised his two children, Jake and Laney, while his wife, an attorney, works. As the caregiver, Simon has always doubted himself and this shooting brings all of those uncertain feelings to the forefront. As he begins the search for his missing son, he even begins to lose faith in his son’s integrity. Amidst all of the questioning, doubt and turmoil Simon must find a way to continue for the sake of Jake and his family.

Parenthood with all of the trials and tribulations as well as the accompanying rewards and endearments is scrutinized in this novel. I feel that the book is not only about the Connolly family finding Jake, but it also about them finding themselves. It is about being yourself even if you are not like everyone else, and it is about the courage to go on in spite of life’s tremendous challenges.
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I was intrigued from the beginning with the narrator being male, being told from a male's perspective being put in a typical stereotypical female's role. This in itself was a phenomenal way to draw a reader in immediately and keep interest going. Oh, but the plot thickens! Personal morality is questioned, parenting competency is challenged, and anxiety-driven doubt wavers amongst the father as his son's character is put into question in a serious way. Enjoyed the read! ( )