Plain Truth
From the bestselling author of My Sister's Keeper comes the riveting story of a murder that shatters the picturesque calm of Amish country -- and tests the heart and soul of the lawyer defending the woman at the center of the storm.
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 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 inside the world of those who live "plain," Ellie must find a way to reach Katie on her terms. And 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 reenters her life.
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 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 inside the world of those who live "plain," Ellie must find a way to reach Katie on her terms. And 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 reenters her life.
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- Atria Books |
- 416 pages |
- ISBN 9780743422819 |
- May 2000
$11.66 List Price
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Praise
Read an Excerpt
Chapter One
She had often dreamed of her little sister floating dead beneath the surface of the ice, but tonight, for the first time, she envisioned Hannah clawing to get out. She could see Hannah's eyes, wide and milky; could feel Hannah's nails scraping. Then, with a start, she woke. It was not winter -- it was July. There was no ice beneath her palms, just the tangled sheets of her bed. But once again, there was someone on the other side, fighting to be free.
As the fist in her belly pulled tighter, she bit her bottom lip. Ignoring the pain that rippled and receded, she tiptoed barefoot into the night.
The...
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Book Reviews
Reading Group Guide
1. Katie lies immediately when asked about her pregnancy. Is this surprising? Would you expect automatic honesty from someone raised in a similarly conservative religious environment? What about Katie’s upbringing might have conditioned her to lie reflexively, even in the face of undeniable evidence?
2. Consider the play on words in the title. Is there one kind of truth in the book – a “plain truth” that covers everyone in all situations? Or is there “plain truth” and then “’Plain’ truth” – a kind of truth that applies to Katie and her community, but not to the outside world?
3. Why does Katie admit “a sin of the flesh” (p. 166) to the congregation while refusing to admit sex, pregnancy, or birth to Ellie? Do you understand? Do you agree with her logic?
4. Jacob tells Ellie that the Amish faith is on trial. Is this true? Jacob believes that Katie could not commit murder because “she’s Amish through and through” (p. 172.) Ellie sees the value of this as a defense theory (p. 252). Do you think this is true? What about Sarah? How did Sarah’s beliefs affect her actions?
5. Aaron tells himself, “Babies get taken away from their mothers all time.” Who is he thinking of? What is he justifying? Did you believe that Aaron killed the infant? Does it speak to Ellie’s early incredulity that a mother could kill her child? Would it be easier to see more
2. Consider the play on words in the title. Is there one kind of truth in the book – a “plain truth” that covers everyone in all situations? Or is there “plain truth” and then “’Plain’ truth” – a kind of truth that applies to Katie and her community, but not to the outside world?
3. Why does Katie admit “a sin of the flesh” (p. 166) to the congregation while refusing to admit sex, pregnancy, or birth to Ellie? Do you understand? Do you agree with her logic?
4. Jacob tells Ellie that the Amish faith is on trial. Is this true? Jacob believes that Katie could not commit murder because “she’s Amish through and through” (p. 172.) Ellie sees the value of this as a defense theory (p. 252). Do you think this is true? What about Sarah? How did Sarah’s beliefs affect her actions?
5. Aaron tells himself, “Babies get taken away from their mothers all time.” Who is he thinking of? What is he justifying? Did you believe that Aaron killed the infant? Does it speak to Ellie’s early incredulity that a mother could kill her child? Would it be easier to see more
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