Taken

March 30, 2015
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.

April 15, 2015
Matthew Dane, former cop-turned-PI, has personal experience with abducted kids being reunited with their families, given his daughter's ordeal. Now Shannon Bliss, kidnapped at 16, has escaped after living for 11 years under the control of murderous criminals. She comes to Matthew for help, convinced he has the resources and ability to help her safely reunite with her family without jeopardizing her brother's chances of being elected governor of Illinois. During her captivity, Shannon traveled the country with the outlaws as they robbed and killed. Shannon was instrumental in saving several other children abducted by the family, and her faith in God has kept her going, focused, and goal oriented in spite of all she has endured. Though he fears he is too old, Matthew can't help but fall for Shannon, and their mutual attraction and love for God do give them hope for a future together. Henderson (Undetected, 2014) follows her tried-and-true formula in this well-paced tale of slowly developing love, which will please readers who enjoy the pairing of romantic suspense with evangelical Christian fiction.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)