Finding Jake
Bryan Reardon, 2015
HarperCollins
272 pp.
ISBN-13: 9780062339485
Summary
A heart-wrenching yet ultimately uplifting story of psychological suspense in which a parent is forced to confront what he does—and does not—know about his teenage son
For sixteen years, Simon Connelly's successful wife has gone to her law office each day, while he has stayed home to raise their children. Though Simon has loved taking care of Jake and Laney, it has cost him a part of himself, and has made him an anomaly in his pretty, suburban neighborhood—the only stay-at-home dad among a tight circle of mothers.
Shepherding them through childhood, the angst-ridden father has tried to do the best for the kids, even if he often second-guesses his choices. For sunny, outgoing Laney, it's been easy. But quiet Jake has always preferred the company of his books or his sister to playdates and organized sports. Now that they are in high school, Simon should feel more relaxed, but he doesn't. He's seen the statistics, read the headlines.
Then, 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 fathers and tearful mothers, overwhelmed by the disturbing questions running through his head. How many victims were there? Why did this happen? One by one, parents are reunited with their children. Their numbers dwindle, until Simon is alone. Laney has gone home with her mom. Jake is the only child missing.
As his worst nightmare unfolds, Simon begins to obsess over the past, searching for answers, for hope, for the memory of the boy he raised, for the 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? Jake could not have done this—or could he?
As rumors begin to ricochet, amplified by an invasive media, Simon must find answers. But there is only one way to understand what has happened . . . he must find Jake.
A story of faith and conviction, strength and courage, love and doubt that is harrowing and heartbreaking, surprisingly healing and redemptive, Finding Jake asks us to consider how well we know ourselves...and those we love. (From the publisher.)
Author Bio
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 holds a BA in psychology from the University of Notre Dame and lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania, with his wife, kids, and rescue dog, Simon. (From .)
Book Reviews
[M]oving, if at times maudlin.... Could [Simon Connolly] really have been so grievously wrong about what kind of boy he was raising?... Reardon deftly builds suspense by setting his dual story lines on a collision course toward a shattering—and surprising—conclusion.
Publishers Weekly
Simon Connolly is the anguished father and narrator in this psychological thriller.... [H]e's not sure whether he can believe in [his son] Jake's innocence. He reviews incidents from Jake's past...that might (or might not) be significant. A compelling read; disturbingly relevant in contemporary America.
Kirkus Reviews
Discussion Questions
1. Who is Jake Connolly? Does Simon have a good understanding of his son's personality?
2. Most parents assume they know their children well. How true is that assumption? Should parents know everything about their children? Where is the line between privacy and parenting?
3. Are Simon and Jake introverts? Is introvert a bad word? Could Simon have done more to teach Jake to be social?
4. As more fathers stay at home with their children, has it become a socially acceptable family paradigm? How do you think stay-at-home dads are really seen in our society? How do you think stay-at-home dads view their decision to buck social norms? Would you want Simon at a play-date?
5. Why does Simon struggle to fit in with the other stay-at-home parents? Is it his own insecurities, or their discomfort? What could Simon have done to be more approachable and social?
6. Is Finding Jake about a school shooting or about the more mundane challenges of modern parenting? How have parenting methods changed from past generations? How might changing parenting methods influence society? Can parents prevent tragedy?
7. Does the media's response to the shooting and to Jake and Doug ring true today? Do you find yourself delving into the lives of those struck by tragedy? Or those responsible for it?
8. Simon experiences a moment of parental pride when he tells Jake he should always be nice to people, even if others are not. Did that advice contribute to the shooting? Should Simon have gone back to that advice and felt responsible? Or was that just one of a myriad of mistakes he thought he made? Can a parent's influence of a child ever truly be predicted?
9. Do Simon and Rachel still love one another? What factors influence the change in their relationship? Can they survive together? In what ways can raising children challenge a marriage/relationship?
10. Could events have been changed if Jake talked openly with his father about his life and school? Do any children tell their parents everything? Does a parent really want to know everything? Where is the line between protecting your child and letting him/her grow up?
11. Did the ending surprise you? What, if any, aspects of the story led you to believe it would end differently? What other ways could the story have ended?
12. Which character did you like or relate to the most? Which the least? Do you have to love a character to enjoy a book?
13. How responsible is a parent for their children’s actions? In a tragic situation such as this, is it fair to blame parents for not seeing what was coming?
14. There are certainly challenges that face stay at home dads, and the perspective here is from Simon’s viewpoint, but how do you imagine that scenario affects the mothers who work? Is there guilt or resentment on the mother’s part that she is not home with her children? Is there too much pressure to be the primary income earner? Does she lose her maternal instincts or feel that she has been denied a natural role? What price do these families pay to break the norm?
(Questions issued by the publisher.)