Search Angel

Nykanen (The Bone Parade ) mines the complex world of abandonment, adoption and birth mother searches in an extremely bloody serial killer thriller that takes derivative elements (the female-in-peril plot; the psychotic, abused-as-a-child murderer) to new heights of creepiness with long, gratuitous descriptions of murder and rape. Portland-based Suzanne Trayle is a famous "search angel," a sort of private detective for adoptees looking for their biological parents. The serial killer, a psychiatrist, lives in Phoenix and travels the country murdering mothers who gave up their babies for adoption. In the beginning of the novel, Suzanne admits to having given up a child herself 32 years before and never being able to trace him. This puts her on the killer's list, and he quickly makes his intentions known by raping her. There's a last-minute surprise, but Nykanen falters early as he tries to explain away that pesky fictional problem: why the heroine doesn't just go to the police for help but instead hatches a complicated plan to use herself as bait to trap the murderer. This works about as well for Suzanne as it usually does in novels of this sort. Those with a strong stomach may find this interesting, but most readers will be repelled. Agent, Luke Janklow . (June)