Salem Falls by Jodi Picoult - a review

I have read 3 other Jodi Picoult's books (Sing you home, House Rules and Picture Perfect). And this is the one I disliked the most.
Its a story of a man who was wrongly accused of statutory rape and because he was ill advised by his lawyer, pleaded guilty to avoid the gruelling court proceedings and long jail term. When his prison sentence ended and went to Salem Falls to start a new life, he did not expect that his past will haunt him and quite predictably been accused once again with rape.
The plot for me is too common nowadays. Maybe that is why Jodi chose this storyline for its social relevance. When a teenage girl got attracted to him, I sighed because i knew what the next events will be. He will try his best to avoid the girl while the girl on the other hand will do anything and everything to catch his attention. And eventually an accident/incident will happen between them and because of possible humiliation and yes, fear of the parents' wrath, the girl accuses him of rape. And the all too familiar issues on:
- should you trust a man who once been convicted of a crime?
- that a girl would never lie being raped
- that a girl gets raped because she's a slut
- that teenagers always hide something from his/her parents

I am also discontented on how she did not tell on what or how the jury members discussed before coming up with their decision. The surprising no further discussion on "witch craft" in the end when it has been discussed quite extensively in the previous parts of the story. Which reminds me of how somehow I felt left hanging in "Picture Perfect" what Flying horse's dream or visions are all about.

I don't know if I have been watching too much Law & Order SVU or Criminal minds epsiodes which made this novel too bland for my reading taste.