by Jodi Picoult
First published 2000
Ellie Hathaway takes on what seems like an impossible case when eighteen-year-old Katie Fisher stands accused of killing her newborn child. The young Amish woman insists she never knew she was pregnant and found the baby already dead. Ellie must navigate the closed world of an Amish community that views outsiders with suspicion and operates by rules centuries old. As she builds Katie's defense, Ellie discovers that even the most devout communities harbor secrets. The case forces her to examine her own beliefs about faith, family, and the lengths people go to protect what they hold sacred. Katie's fate hangs in the balance as two worlds collide in a courtroom where modern law meets ancient tradition.
Genres: fiction, drama, contemporary, legal-thriller
Vibes: intimate, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: courtroom-drama, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Amish Community
416 pages · Paperback · Atria