Blind Pursuit

Flat characters, awkward dialogue and a dearth of surprise derail a fast-moving but ultimately unmemorable procedural from the author of the acclaimed A Single Shot. When eight-year-old Jennifer Follett disappears from her secluded home in the exurbs of upstate New York, the whole community is baffled. When police discover she was seen getting into a black LTD--instead of her schoolbus--police gradually come to suspect Gerald and Claire Sandoval, church acquaintances of the Folletts. But lack of motive or evidence keeps the detectives from getting a search warrant until they and Jennifer's family come up with different plans for rescuing this innocent little girl. Jones's tale lacks a protagonist, as the narrative focus drifts among members of the Follett household, the cops in charge of the case and the twisted world of Gerald and Claire. The characters seldom seem to connect, and Jones's peculiar, stammering style of dialogue emphasizes (or exacerbates) their distance from each other. Only the Sandovals take on any dimension, with Gerald becoming a rather chilling, if conventional, villain. Unfortunately, despite Jones's proven aptitude for suspense and atmosphere, he reveals too much at the outset, leaving the rest of the novel to fill in blanks rather than make discoveries. (June)