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Plain Truth
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Product Description
The discovery of a dead infant in an Amish barn shakes Lancaster County to its core. But the police investigation leads to a more shocking disclosure: circumstantial evidence suggests that that eighteen-year-old Katie Fisher, an unmarried Amish woman believed to be the newborn's mother, took the child's life.
When Ellie Hathaway, a disillusioned big city attorney, comes to Paradise, Pennsylvania, to defend Katie, two cultures collide - and, for the first time in her high profile career, Ellie faces a system of justice very different from her own. Delving deep into the world of those who live 'plain', Ellie must find a way to reach Katie on her terms.
As she unravels a tangled murder case, Ellie also looks deep within - to confront her own fears and desires when a man from her past comes back into her life.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #9165 in Books
- Published on: 2004-10-25
- Original language: English
- Binding: Paperback
- 480 pages
Editorial Reviews
Review
'A new author over here with around 9 titles behind her in the US. She is quite a find, in Anita Shreve territory, an author tackling gritty problems. This involves the supposed murder of a premature baby in an Amish community, and was give high marks by my reader. But I'm told better is to come. Hodder is launching her quietly now, hoping for word-of-mouth support and will splash out with a big campaign for the next in Spring 2005. So watch out, she's worth supporting.' -- Bookseller - Sarah Broadhurst - ONES TO WATCH 'Speaking of Anne Tyler, Hodder's recent US acquisition Jodi Picoult seems to be aimed at a similar market. Plain Truth is the second novel I've read by this author and it was highly enjoyable. A young lawyer attempts to defend an Amish teenager who denies murdering her newborn son, despite compelling evidence to the contrary. The characterisation is perhaps less complex than in Tyler's novels, but Picout has an eye for detail and is a dab hand with plot twists.' -- Bookseller - Suzie Doore - Booksellers Choice 'Jodi Picoult's two UK debut titles are thought-provoking, fascinating and tense. Plain Truth features hard-bitten Ellie Hathaway, a city attorney whose belief are challenged when she defends an Amish teenage mother accused of murdering her baby. Picoult's choice of subject matter is causing a stir in the press, and she is guaranteed to become a bestseller.' -- Bookseller - Lisa Milton - Booksellers Choice 'Reads like a cross between the Harrison Ford movie WITNESS and Scott Turow's novel PRESUMED INNOCENT' -- Arizona Republic 'Elegant, flowing prose - totally addictive and gripping' -- Western Mail Series 'It's fabulously written - the reader gets great insight into the Amish way of life. A great holiday read.' -- You Magazine, South Africa 'this is a gripping and entertaining story, a combination of murder mystery and courtroom drama... a solid story, with several layers and a fascinating setting... in Picoult's handling, the Amish community and way of life achieves a sympathetic reality.' -- The Witness, South Africa 'Picoult's characters leap off the page, and her plot building is crisp, which results in a most enjoyable read. Pack it into your beach bag right away!' -- You Magazine, South Africa 'Picoult ably explores a complex subject with bravado and clarity, and comes up with a heart-wrenching, unexpected plot twist at the book's conclusion. ' -- Publishers Weekly on MY SISTER'S KEEPER 'Absorbing and affecting' -- Entertainment Weekly 'Picoult has become a master - almost a clairvoyant - at targeting hot issues and writing highly readable page-turners about them ... [[I]t is impossible not to be held spellbound by the way she forces us to think, hard, about right and wrong.' -- Washington Post on MY SISTER'S KEEPER 'A suspenseful, richly layered drama, Picoult's novel never loses its grip' -- People
Review
'A new author over here with around 9 titles behind her in the US. She is quite a find, in Anita Shreve territory, an author tackling gritty problems. This involves the supposed murder of a premature baby in an Amish community, and was give high marks by my reader. But I'm told better is to come. Hodder is launching her quietly now, hoping for word-of-mouth support and will splash out with a big campaign for the next in Spring 2005. So watch out, she's worth supporting.' (Bookseller - Sarah Broadhurst - ONES TO WATCH )
'Speaking of Anne Tyler, Hodder's recent US acquisition Jodi Picoult seems to be aimed at a similar market. Plain Truth is the second novel I've read by this author and it was highly enjoyable. A young lawyer attempts to defend an Amish teenager who denies murdering her newborn son, despite compelling evidence to the contrary. The characterisation is perhaps less complex than in Tyler's novels, but Picout has an eye for detail and is a dab hand with plot twists.' (Bookseller - Suzie Doore - Booksellers Choice )
'Jodi Picoult's two UK debut titles are thought-provoking, fascinating and tense. Plain Truth features hard-bitten Ellie Hathaway, a city attorney whose belief are challenged when she defends an Amish teenage mother accused of murdering her baby. Picoult's choice of subject matter is causing a stir in the press, and she is guaranteed to become a bestseller.' (Bookseller - Lisa Milton - Booksellers Choice )
'Reads like a cross between the Harrison Ford movie WITNESS and Scott Turow's novel PRESUMED INNOCENT' (Arizona Republic )
'Elegant, flowing prose - totally addictive and gripping' (Western Mail Series )
'It's fabulously written - the reader gets great insight into the Amish way of life. A great holiday read.' (You Magazine, South Africa )
'this is a gripping and entertaining story, a combination of murder mystery and courtroom drama... a solid story, with several layers and a fascinating setting... in Picoult's handling, the Amish community and way of life achieves a sympathetic reality.' (The Witness, South Africa )
'Picoult's characters leap off the page, and her plot building is crisp, which results in a most enjoyable read. Pack it into your beach bag right away!'
(You Magazine, South Africa )'Picoult ably explores a complex subject with bravado and clarity, and comes up with a heart-wrenching, unexpected plot twist at the book's conclusion. ' (Publishers Weekly on MY SISTER'S KEEPER )
'Absorbing and affecting' (Entertainment Weekly )
'Picoult has become a master - almost a clairvoyant - at targeting hot issues and writing highly readable page-turners about them . . . [[I]t is impossible not to be held spellbound by the way she forces us to think, hard, about right and wrong.' (Washington Post on MY SISTER'S KEEPER )
'A suspenseful, richly layered drama, Picoult's novel never loses its grip' (People )
The Bookseller
'Jodi Picoult's two UK debut titles are thought-provoking, fascinating and tense...she is guaranteed to become a bestseller.'
Customer Reviews
A very interesting insight into the Amish world 
As reflected by most reviewers and readers, I suppose that when you are a prolific and successful writer, the numerous books published do not always meet expectations. Personally, this is my fourth book by Jodie Picoult I am pleased to report that I have liked it as much as I did the first one I read by her, `My Sister's Keeper'. (The other two, `The Tenth Circle' and `Perfect Match' were not up to standard in my opinion).
Pennsylvania, present day. The tiny body of a newborn baby boy is found in an Amish barn. Evidence of a recent delivery is discovered and it all points to Katie Fisher, the 18 year-old daughter of an Amish farmer, but she denies both a pregnancy and any knowledge of the baby. It is soon clear that the baby died of unnatural causes. Katie is accused of murder. This rocks the notoriously peaceful and non-violent boat of the local Amish community.
Ellie, a distant relative and a successful defence attorney, agrees to represent Katie in court but to do so, she has to live at the farm, with Katie and her family, until the legal case is set into motion. Being an `Englisher' all the way through, Ellie finds herself in a very atypical environment and starts discovering the Amish way of life, while trying to extrapolate the truth and an explanation from Katie, who denies every charge, and while confronting a few personal issues herself.
Eventually, a suspenseful courtroom drama ensues.
Well researched, fluent narrative, an interesting setting -the Amish culture, of which I knew very little about, clashing with the Western world- and an engaging plot, definitely intriguing. The only reservations I have with this book are, in this order, its length as the essence would not have been spoiled or lost had it been shortened by at least 80 or so pages -it does get repetitive at times- and secondly, its epilogue, a bit predictable I thought. But only a bit. A part from that, a well crafted, entertaining and emotional story.
wow
i love jodi books i have read sereral. they all get me thinking and i can never guess the ending. got my family and friends reading them. these books shouldnt be read last thing at night because A, you will never put the book down and B, when you do your head will be whirling from the story brillient makes you look at life diffrent.
She's won me over again!
I had gone through a phase of being quite bored of Picoult's novels. I had read through 8 in a past pace devouring more until I hit a wall with Second Glance. I had put it down, unable to get into it-which was so unlike me.
I'm going to give it another go now after reading Plain Truth. I read it whilst on holiday and found it to be an intricately woven plot line that was quite an emotional read, as well as being quite educational.
It's about an Amish girl who sneeks into her parents barn in the middle of the night to give birth to a child. She prays to God that it will go away and save her from trouble, she falls asleep after the labour to find that the child has indeed vanished. She then goes back to bed and denies to herself that the baby ever existed.
The child is found dead later the next day and the story unfolds as her lawyer tries to prevent her from being charged with its murder.
Picolt is exceptionally gifted and unravelling relationships between her characters and does so in this book with ease.
I loved every page of it and if you've never read any of her novels before, this is the perfect start to your love affair with Picoult's charm as a story teller.
