Christina Reviews *Perfect Match* by Jodi Picoult

               ***

          Picoult tackles the clergy scandal issue before it was a scandal.  Perfect Match was published just shortly before clergy sexual abuse stories were making it into the headlines.

           Nina Frost is a District Attorney who knows all to well what the justice system is like to those who are victims of rape and molestation.  When her five year old son Nathaniel begins to exhibit signs of sexual abuse, she is hell-bent on bringing the abuser to justice.  And she knows it won't be easy.

          At first, she thinks that the abuser is her husband.  But she soon realizes that, when her selectively mute son signs the word "father," he isn't talking about his dad.  He's talking about a priest.

         Without going too much into detail, I will say that this is the kind of vigilante story that would be perfect for the Lifetime channel.  In fact, this book kind of reminds me of two Lifetime movies I saw years ago, as well as the Grisham classic A Time To Kill.  Only this novel has a bit of a twist.

         Picoult is known for her twists.  And my personal opinion is that she went overboard with the twists in this book.  The story was not believable at all.  There were just too many convenient plot contrivances.

          It's as if Picoult doesn't even need a reason to manipulate the plot anymore.  She just does it because it's second nature to her.  Let's just say that this is a real page-turner if you don't think about it too much and leave it at that.

          It would have also helped to have a somewhat sympathetic character as the protagonist.  Like I said before, there have been lots of stories like this.  And I can usually understand where the wronged party is coming from, even though I am not a supporter of vigilante justice in real life.  But Nina just did not want my sympathy, apparently.  She was intent on making me hate her every step of the way.