52 Books in 52 Weeks: Book 28: "House Rules" by Jodi Picoult

This was my first Jodi Picoult novel, and it won't be my last.  I couldn't put this book down.  I read this 500+ page novel in 3 days - 3 weekdays in the midst of the normal routine of life during the school year.  As you can imagine, I didn't get much sleep, or accomplish much else during those three days.

Emma Hunt is a single mother with two teenage boys,  Jocob and Theo.  The oldest, Jacob, has Asperger's syndrome.  One of Jacob's AS symptoms is becoming overly focused on one subject - to the point of obsession.  Jacob's interest is forensic science & he is constantly showing up at crime scenes and offering his perspective to the police.  But when Jacob's therapist is murdered, the police turn their attention to Jacob - as a suspect.  Could Emma's sweet natured boy who "couldn't hurt a fly" be responsible for a murder?

Picoult leaves clues as the novel goes along, and the ending won't be a total surprise to readers who are paying attention.  But her writing is engaging and her characters compelling.   I recommend this book - with the caution that you may want to save it for a long weekend, just in case you become as captivated by it as I did.

Sojourner