I recently read Jodi Piccoult's "House Rules" about an autistic boy accused of murder. It was a fascinating look into the minds of autistic children. She had several young adults with autism read the books and approve it before publishing, and she's known for her pre-writing research. I felt safe in reading a fiction story as an authentic (really could happen) story.
I've read almost everything Nicholas Sparks.....love his writing as well as the stories.