kcobweb

I'd normally recommend Picoult, but that's because I actually like her stuff. Yes, her work is sensational and "ripped from the headlines", but her novels are insanely well researched, from what I can tell, and she does a fabulous job of displaying complex relationships and ethical/moral issues. So, if your goal is to pick up something that is a stretch for you, and that you maybe won't like a lot, maybe picking Picoult is cheating...

I'd probably pick The Reader for myself, since I heard it was a very good book. Not sure what I would pick for you...