Police chief of a small Massachusetts town, Cameron McDonald makes the toughest arrest of his life when his own cousin Jamie comes to him and confesses outright that he has killed his terminally ill wife out of mercy.

Now, a heated murder trial plunges the town into upheaval, and drives a wedge into a contented marriage: Cameron, aiding the prosecution in their case against Jamie, is suddenly at odds with his devoted wife, Allie -- seduced by the idea of a man so in love with his wife that he''d grant all her wishes, even her wish to end her life. And when an inexplicable attraction leads to a shocking betrayal, Allie faces the hardest questions of the heart: when does love cross the line of moral obligation? And what does it mean to truly love another?

Praised for her "personal, detail-rich style" (Glamour), Jodi Picoult infuses this page-turning novel with heart, warmth, and startling candor, taking readers on an unforgettable emotional journey.

Jodi Picoult grew up in Nesconset, New York. She received an A.B. in creative writing from Princeton and a master''s degree in education from Harvard. Her previous novels include Plain Truth and Mercy (available from Pocket Books), Keeping Faith, and The Pact. She lives in New Hampshire with her husband and three children. Her Web site can be found at www.jodipicoult.com.

Mercy

Readers Guide

Questions and Topics for Discussion

1. To what degree is the title a metaphor for this novel?

2. Are Jamie''s actions justified? What about Cam''s? Allie''s?

3. Who is the author of the "notes" between the chapters? Whom are these snippets addressing? Did you believe this throughout the book?

4. Jamie says, "You know it''s never fifty-fifty in a marriage. It''s always seventy-thirty, or sixty-forty. Someone falls in love first. Someone puts someone else up on a pedestal. Someone works very hard to keep things rolling smoothly; someone else sails along for the ride." Do you agree?

5. In what ways does Mia''s memory of her parents'' love influence her relationship with Cam?

6. Who is the most selfish character? The most selfless?

7. In what ways are Cam and Jamie similar?

8. How is Cameron MacDonald like his namesake ancestor? How is he different? To what extent does the Scottish history of this clan affect his decisions?

9. What is the significance of the moments in Mercy that are magical or somewhat unreal?

10. There is a catch-22 in Mia and Cam''s relationship: They have each fallen in love with a person who would no longer exist if they were to run off together. Do you agree or disagree with this statement, and why?

11. Is there a hero in this book?

12. What attracts Allie to Jamie? To Cam? What attracts Mia to Cam, and Cam to Mia? Do you believe that we try to find in the people we love parts of our personalities that are lacking?

13. At the end of chapter 17, Cam "wondered how he had so quickly gone from holding everything he wanted in the palm of his hand to having absolutely nothing at all. He wondered how he could have been so blinded by something shiny and new and elusive that he couldn''t at least give equal credit for the strength of something stable, and strong, and his." Do you think his feelings are heartfelt? Do you agree?

14. Why did Picoult choose to make Jamie a pioneer in virtual reality?

15. How has Jamie changed by the end of the book?

16. What will happen to Cam and Allie? To Mia? To Jamie?

17. Is this novel about love, or loyalty? Are they the same thing?