House Rules

December 21, 2009
Perennial bestseller Picoult (Handle with Care
) has a rough time in this Picoult-esque blend of medical and courtroom drama that lacks her usual storytelling finesse. Eighteen-year old Jacob Hunt has Asperger's syndrome, and his devoted single mother, Emma, has built their family's life around Jacob's needs, sacrificing her career to act as his caregiver and all but ignoring a younger son, Theo. But when Jacob is accused of murder, that carefully crafted life comes apart, and all of the hallmarks of Jacob's diagnosis begin to make him look guilty. Emma hires a young attorney whose attachment to Jacob brings him close to the family as he struggles to mount a defense for Jacob, whose inability to read social cues makes him less than an ideal client. While Picoult's research is impeccable and she deals intelligently with charged questions about autism and Asperger's, the whodunit is stretched sitcom-thin and handled poorly, with characters withholding information from the reader throughout. Picoult's writing, line by line, is as smooth as ever, and she does a great job of getting into Jacob's head, but the wobbly plotting is a massive detriment.

March 15, 2010
In life some things are never to be brokenespecially if you are an autistic child who takes "everything" literally. For example, some things that can't be broken are the house rules: tell the truth, brush your teeth, and, most important, take care of your brother; he's the only one you've got. In this 18th novel from Picoult ("My Sister's Keeper"), Jacob Hunt is a teenager with Asperger's syndrome and a morbid fascination with forensic science. He can recite all the intricacies of fingerprint analysis and recall the episode and number of his favorite TV crime show, but he can't feel your pain or emotions. For emotional intelligence Jacob has a tutoruntil the tutor is found murdered. When Jacob is questioned, the same hallmark signs of his Asperger's that made him quirky also make him look very guiltyeven to those who love him. VERDICT Picoult has many fans, and they won't be disappointed here. She is the master of telling a story that at first glance seems predictable but seldom is.Marike Zemke, Commerce Twp. Community Lib., MI

Copyright 2010 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

December 15, 2009
The prolific Picoult crafts a cunning whodunit that explores what its like to be not only a teenager with Aspergers syndrome but also an AS kid accused of murder. Congenitally incapable of interpreting common social behavior or properly expressing his feelings, Jacob Hunt takes refuge in Crimebuster reruns and forensic science, often to the chagrin of the local cops. When the badly battered corpse of Jacobs social-skills tutor, grad student Jess Ogilvie, is finally discovered, police first suspect Jess hot-tempered boyfriend. But when TV news footage shows Jess body wrapped in Jacobs favorite quilt, his mother, Emma, reluctantly realizes her son might somehow be involved. After Jacobs arrest, legal machinations go toe to toe with medical ethics, while Emma never realizes that Jacobs younger brother, Theo, is struggling to conceal his own dangerous secret, one that will directly impact the outcome of Jacobs trial. Told from multiple viewpoints, including those of an empathetic detective and an eager but wet-behind-the-ears attorney, the mystery unfolds at a spellbinding pace. But Picoult also does an exceptional job communicating the complexities of Aspergers syndrome and the challenges confronting AS families. Faithful Picoult fans will whisk this off the shelves, but devoted readers of savvy courtroom dramas should also give it a try.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)

Starred review from May 3, 2010
Having clear house rules has proven to be the most effective way for single mother Emma Hunt to raise her two sons: brilliant 18-year-old Jacob, who has Asperger’s syndrome, and 15-year-old Theo. Jacob’s obsession with criminal forensics has brought him to the notice of local law enforcement, and when a murder is committed, Jacob becomes a suspect. Gripping suspense, sensitive treatment of Asperger’s, and brilliant characterizations make for an outstanding listen. Playing Jacob and Theo respectively, Mark Turetsky and Andy Paris sound youthful but never childish or mannered. Rich Orlow as the police detective, and Christopher Evan Welch playing the defense attorney are mature and assured. And Nicole Poole as the mother delivers a star performance; her Emma comes alive, and while never imitating the other narrators, her representations of the other characters in dialogue are so true the reader could forget it wasn’t the designated cast member in the role. An Atria hardcover (Reviews, Dec. 21).