Lost Angel

Single mother Valerie Vincent is on Long Island at her job as a companion to a wealthy blind woman when she sees her toddler daughter's face on the TV, identified as Baby Jane Doe, who was found in her fatally wounded baby-sitter's Brooklyn apartment. Rushing to the police station, Valerie arrives shortly after the baby has been released to another woman who says she is the baby's mother. Valerie's prime suspects are her former in-laws, Martha and Lucas Starr, members of a fundamentalist group who have suggested that Valerie is involved in satanic worship and have threatened to sue for custody of the child. After meeting a reporter who has been investigating a group that ""rescues"" children from devil worshippers and becoming convinced that they have her daughter, Valerie makes plans to infiltrate the group. Subtly building parallels between the Salem witch trials and modern fanaticism and self-indulgence, Wallace (The Seduction) steadily ratchets up the suspense in this solid, gripping tale, preparing the way to a surprising, credible conclusion. (Feb.)