1992 - 'Songs of the Humpback Whale'
Simon & SchusterPicoult's debut novel tells the story of a mother who leaves her husband and takes a cross-country road trip with her daughter. The novel is told in five voices, each recounting the events of a fateful summer. While Picoult uses of many voices in her later novels as well, fans who know her from later works might find Songs of the Humpback Whale slower paced than her more popular books.
1993 - 'Harvesting the Heart'
Penguin GroupHarvesting the Heart is the story of Paige O'Toole, a woman who was abandoned by her mother when she was five and is plagued with self-doubt from then on. Her dreams and marriage suffer as a result, and eventually she decides to look for her mother.
1995 - 'Picture Perfect'
Penguin GroupPicture Perfect is about a famous anthropologist who marries a movie star. Shortly after getting married, he begins abusing her. The protagonist must work out what to do with the relationship.
1996 - 'Mercy'
Simon & SchusterPicoult explores the idea of mercy killing in Mercy. When the police chief's nephew kills his wife, who is dying of cancer and wants him to kill her, the chief is torn between family loyalty and his duty as an officer. In addition to the trial, the novel also deals with the chief's extramarital affair.
1998 - 'The Pact'
HarperCollinsThe Pact tells the story of two teenagers who grew up together and fell in love. When the girl becomes depressed, though, she convinces her boyfriend to kill her. The novel deals with the aftermath and trial.
1999 - 'Keeping Faith'
HarperCollinsThe "Faith" in the title is Mariah's daughter, Faith, but also refers to the fact that the young girl can see God and heal people. Religious controversy is the catalyst for Picoult's latest courtroom drama, which actually centers on a custody case between Faith's mother and father.
2000 - 'Plain Truth'
Simon & SchusterIn Plain Truth, Picoult explores the life of the Amish in Pennsylvania. When a dead infant is found in an Amish barn, a controversy ensues in the local community and the life of one teenage girl.
2001 - 'Salem Falls'
Simon & SchusterSalem Falls is loosely based on The Crucible. The main character, Jack St. Bride, moves to Salem Falls after getting out of prison on a false statutory rape conviction. He hopes to start a new life there, but suspicious townspeople and some malicious teenage girls make that hard for him.
2002 - 'Perfect Match'
Simon & SchusterPerfect Match is about a district attorney whose five-year-old son is sexually molested. The boy is left mute, and the family must deal with the aftermath of the crime.
2003 - 'Second Glance'
Simon & SchusterWhen an old man in Comtosook, Vermont puts a piece of land up for sale, he the local Abenaki Indian tribe protests, insisting the land is a burial ground. A series of supernatural events follows, and the eventually a ghost hunter is hired to help convince the residents that there's nothing unusual about the property.
