Andy Barber is a burly 51-year-old. He knows he comes from a long line of violent men: His father was arrested for murder when Andy was five years old. Despite his rough background, Andy was a star student, and quickly progressed through the legal ranks to become a well-respected assistant district attorney. He is happily married but does not tell his wife Laurie or his son Jacob about his family history. 

When Jacob is accused of murder, Andy must confront his dark past. Reflecting on his family’s history of violence, he is convinced that only a potential for violence is passed down. He claims that he has never acted on his own violent impulses, but as he tries to defend Jacob, he stalks Patz, interrogates and intimidates three teenagers, and hides important pieces of evidence from the office that still employs him. 

Andy continuously states that he is not convinced of Jacob’s guilt, but he is an admitted liar. After Laurie kills Jacob by driving into a concrete barrier, he maintains his love for Jacob and Laurie. At the end of the novel, he is still defending Jacob and Laurie from the consequences of their actions.