Taken

Henderson goes back to the well of abduction (after Unspoken, which dealt with similar themes) in this suspenseful tale centered on Shannon Bliss, a woman missing for almost a dozen years, whose escape and emotional recovery both bring about justice and uncover deep family secrets. In her quest to return to her family and normal life, Bliss seeks help from retired cop Matthew Dane, whose own daughter had been kidnapped and returned alive. Dane uses his law enforcement network to provide help; his faith and experience allow him to provide a listening ear as Shannon discloses her story, piece by suspenseful piece. Christian faith plays a big background role in the story, as do characters from Unspoken. Henderson is a master of dialogue and pacing; the story comes out in addictive dribbles of information. There's something off, though, about romantic tension between Dane and Bliss. Dane is older by 13 years, and parallels between Bliss and Dane's daughter skew his motivation in a creepy paternal way. That's unlikely to bother fans of Henderson, whose suspense element is strong. (Apr.)