<b>Before <I>Nineteen Minutes</i>, <I>The Tenth Circle</i>, and <I>Perfect Match</i> there was <I>Plain Truth</i>: “an absorbing and affecting novel” (<I>Entertainment Weekly</i>) about life in a bucolic setting that is anything but simple.</b><P>Not one to shy away from the tough issues that makes her novels so compelling, Jodi Picoult's recent bestsellers tackled themes from sexual abuse to stem cell research to intense parent-child relationships. Her eager fans have come to expect hard-hitting topics, and Picoult never disappoints.<P>     In <I>Plain Truth</i>, a shocking murder shatters the picturesque calm of Pennsylvania's Amish country—and tests the heart and soul of the lawyer who steps in to defend the young woman at the center of the storm.…<P>     Moving seamlessly from psychological drama to courtroom suspense, <I>Plain Truth</i> is a triumph of contemporary storytelling. Jodi Picoult presents a fascinating portrait of Amish life rarely witnessed by those outside the faith—and discovers a place where circumstances are not always what they seem, where love meets lies, and where relationships grow so strong they can transcend death.