What could have been a competent, topical novel about a mercy killing becomes, in Picoult's (following Picture Perfect, 1995) hands, an inspired meditation on love. The setting is Wheelock, Mass., a slightly eccentric town where most of the residents are of Scottish descent, where weddings end in a blood vow, the name MacDonald is "painted on an alarming number of mailboxes" and police chief Cameron MacDonald doubles as clan chief and protector. On a seemingly ordinary day in Wheelock, Jamie MacDonald, a cousin of Cameron's, drives to the police station and announces: "My wife here, Maggie, is dead, and I'm the one who killed her."

A quick read. The story drew me along. There were some odd similarities to some of Diana Gabaldon's historical references in the Oulander series, but mainly that was related to the historical facts. Made me curious as to who wrote what first, though. I was slightly disappointed in the ending due to me strong feelings on infedelity. Still, it was a fairly good book.

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