I was expecting to really like this b/c it was about a group of women in a book club. However, the writing was totally cliched. It also didn't really go into the book club aspect. A disappointing read.

In the middle of a summer night, Amish teenager Katie Fischer goes out to the barn on her family's Lancaster County, PA, farm and gives birth to a son. Exhausted by the ordeal, she falls asleep. When she wakes up, the baby is gone. It is found hours later, covered by hay, dead. Katie is then charged with murder, which she vehemently denies. Philadelphia defense attorney Ellie Hathaway is burned out; she's had one too many sleazy clients. Her eight-year relationship with another attorney has ended, so Ellie retreats to her friend's home in Lancaster County. The friend, a former Amish church member and a cousin to the Fischers, persuades Ellie to take Katie's case. The bail bargain is that Ellie must live at the Fischer farm, where she gains an understanding of their culture, in which God is first, the community is second, and the individual is third. The book is written from both Katie's and Ellie's point of view, emphasizes the different cultures very effectively.

An amazing read! I was hooked from the first sentence, "She had often dreamed of her little sister floating dead beneath the surface, but tonight, for the first time, she invisioned Hannah clawing to get out." Just a fasanating read and has a very surprising twist at the end.

This was a good drama. It's amazing how much research Jodi Picoult must have done including the entire Amish way of life, the law, and various diseases. I think this is my favorite book of hers just because I'm so interested in the Amish.

Very interesting story about an amish family involving a baby found dead in their barn and the subsequent cause and effect within their family and the amish community.

Very vivid picture of what it's like to be amish. Filled with lots of plot twists. Great book.

A pick from my book club.

My favorite of Jodi Picoult's books!!

A baby is found dead in the barn of an Amish famly and their 18-year old daughter is suspected of involvement. The differences between the Amish and "English" beliefs were very arresting, but
despite a good premise and a strong opening the book fell flat after a while -- I surmised the ending before it happened and the court room scenes got stale. I've also read "My Sister's Keeper", and "The Pact", and may read Picoult's new book "Nineteen Minutes" but that will be it I think. Her books have a hard time living up to promising premises.

So I joined a new book club and this is the group's next selection. I must say it does not appeal to me at first glance, but that's sometimes how these things go. My first impressions are not promising: target audience seems to be the urban professional woman in search of (or at least captivated by) herself -- not exactly me. When reading the back cover aloud to my wife, she exclaimed, "Aw, that's terrible psychobabble bull****!" My sentiments eloquently stated.

Halfway through the book, it is better than I was expecting. This book is meant to be read for entertainment, and does the job -- especially if you are interested in the subject matter or the characters. However, I find aspects of the story (or writing) terrible. The relationship parts, the character building scenes, are all very bad. The best part for me is the clash of cultures stuff, as well as the actual plot. Interesting and fun story. That being said, I am not planning on reading any other books by this author, just finishing this one and moving on.

Couldn't put it down - read it in 3 days! Really enjoyed reading about the Amish community - something I knew nothing about. Had me wondering all through the book as usual with her work. Find it hard to understand how the Amish people are so extreme in living such a simple life. Would love to find out more about them.