House Rules: A Novel

House Rules: A Novel

Jodi Picoult

Language: English

Pages: 560

ISBN: 0743296443

Format: PDF / Kindle (mobi) / ePub


When your son can’t look you in the eye . . . does that mean he’s guilty?

Jacob Hunt is a teen with Asperger’s syndrome. He’s hopeless at reading social cues or expressing himself well to others, though he is brilliant in many ways. But he has a special focus on one subject—forensic analysis. A police scanner in his room clues him in to crime scenes, and he’s always showing up and telling the cops what to do. And he’s usually right.

But when Jacob’s small hometown is rocked by a terrible murder, law enforcement comes to him. Jacob’s behaviors are hallmark Asperger’s, but they look a lot like guilt to the local police. Suddenly the Hunt family, who only want to fit in, are directly in the spotlight. For Jacob’s mother, Emma, it’s a brutal reminder of the intolerance and misunderstanding that always threaten her family. For his brother, Theo, it’s another indication why nothing is normal because of Jacob.

And over this small family, the soul-searing question looms: Did Jacob commit murder?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

can’t leave the house right now, and since Jacob has proven himself pathologically incapable of holding down a job. He’s had three. The first was working at a pet store in town, back when he was obsessive about dogs. He got fired for telling his boss that she was stupid to keep the dog food in the back of the store, since the bags were so heavy. The second job he had was bagging groceries at a food co-op, where the cashiers kept telling him to “get his ducks in a row” as the items came down

don’t even know what I’m talking about! “I told you so,” Jacob says. Jacob When I was little, I convinced my brother that I had superpowers. Why else would I be able to hear what our mother was doing upstairs when we were downstairs? Why not say that the reason fluorescent bulbs made me dizzy was that I was so sensitive to light? When I missed a question Theo asked me, I told him it was because I could hear so many conversations and background noises at once, that sometimes it was

I mean, honestly, what are the odds of finding an expert like this, in a field no one has even heard of, who can win your motion for you? “What stimuli inside Detective Matson’s office would have set Jacob off?” Helen asks. “I don’t know. I wasn’t there.” “So you don’t know if there were loud noises or bright lights, do you?” “No, but I have yet to find a police department that’s a warm and welcoming space,” Soto says. “So in your opinion, Mr. Soto, in order to

I do: A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed.” I look at the judge. “Your Honor, nothing further.” Helen is already on the prowl. I watch Jacob shrink back in his seat. “Did you know Detective Matson wanted to talk to you about what happened to Jess?” “Yes.” “Were you willing to talk to him about that?” “Yes.” “Can you tell me what it means to waive your rights?”

doesn’t like it when it’s dark. I could bring him a night-light. I want them to know that I can bring him a night-light, if that helps.” “Mom,” I say. She picks up the telephone. “Mom . . . you need to go to bed.” “No,” she corrects. “I need to call the jail—” “It’s three in the morning. They’re asleep.” I look at her. “Jacob’s asleep.” She turns her face to mine. “Do you really think so?” “Yeah,” I say, but the word has to squeeze itself out around the knot in

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