Good Grape Wine Company

The story is set in the quiet and ordinary town of Salem Falls. For Jack St. Bride, Salem Falls means a new beginning and for Addie it means stability and the bridge to the past. Could history repeat itself? For Jack St. Bride it sure did. Accused for the same crime twice ~ it will be Jordan McAffee that assists Jack during his trial. Some may remember Jordan as the lawyer from Picoults previous novel, 'The Pact'.

Picoult is the master of creating suspensful stories that immediately capture the reader until the very last page is turned. As in true Picoult style, there are many surprises and twists along the way. I guarantee if you read this novel, you'll be hooked and looking for more!


This is By Far Jodi Picoult's Best!   April 6, 2001
 4 out of 6 found this review helpful

I want to write this review without giving any details of the story.

The book held my attention and kept me at the edge of my seat for 4 days, I stayed up until 1am last night finishing the last 90 pages. The ending was quite a surprise to me, and although I kept believing the main character Jack St. Bride was innocent it was very hard not to feel that perhaps he was guilty.

After you have read this book, you must go back and read "Plain Truth" by Jodi Picoult, another terrific book!

What a great book!


A work that brings strenth into the reader's soul   February 21, 2001
 4 out of 9 found this review helpful

In Loyal, New Hampshire, teacher Jack St. Bride cared so much about his students, he tried to be there for them. However, good intentions and deeds do not go unpunished as Jack learns when he is arrested, tried, and convicted for sex with a minor. Jack insisted he was innocent and so did his victim, Catherine Marsh, whose diary hung Jack.

After eight months behind bars, Jack settles in Salem Falls where his Ph.D. in history makes him qualified to wash dishes at the local diner owned by Addie Peabody. Jack reports to Detective Saxton as required by state law of any sex offender. Over time, Jack and Addie begin to fall in love, but lightning strikes again. Four teens accuse Jack of raping Gilly Duncan, daughter of the town icon. With his past and the evidence against him very solid, Jack appears to be heading for his second pediophile conviction even if it seems more like a modern day witch-hunt.

SALEM FALLS is an exciting legal thriller that focuses on whether an accused person with a previous conviction for the same crime can receive a fair trial. The story line is fast-paced, as Jack seems like an ordinary person caught in maelstrom of his own making or just bad luck (read the book if you want to know). Addie is a great heroine, but three of the accusers sans Gilly fail to come across as genuine. Still, Jodi Picoult provides her audience with a well-written tale that leaves the audience thinking about the varying degrees of justice.

Harriet Klausner