did not like this book. spoilers. i found the way characters behaved and interacted strange. the whole town stops speaking to the family immediately. the whole family. the mother who did nothing bad in her whole life takes her own kitchen knife and throws it into the lake. the wrong knife, easily traced to her kitchen. Jacob allows blood spatters on his clothes both times. both parents clearly knew Jacob did it and they allowed interactions with Hope unsupervised. father, a DA, makes so many stupid awkward moves like engaging the molester, tempering with the evidence and is constantly lying. i also found his active denial annoying and odd. Also, based on the family history you assume that his not all there and his moral compass is off, but he knows right from wrong and he's dealt with people like his son his whole life. So why after the trial is over the family decides to act like Jacob is innocent and there is no problem? Wouldn't exploration into what to do with his diagnoses make more sense? a continued conversation with psychologist on treatment options? this is also the type of book that i will probably forget reading. so i feel a bit like my time was wasted.