Taken by a Stranger

If a lonely, abused 11-year-old girl willingly goes along with--and nearly instigates--her abduction, is the abductor culpable? And who ultimately is the abductee? English author Summerfield (Never Walk Behind Me) raises these questions in her third book of suspense but fails to build them into a successful narrative. At an English seaside town where he's looking for work, ex-con Darren sees Nicky, who reminds him of Francie, his murdered stepsister. Observing bruises on Nicky's shoulders, he decides he must save her before she is killed, as Francie was by their abusive father. Nicky, whose mother is dying of cancer in the hospital, maneuvers Darren into taking her with him on a job picking apples in Suffolk. As Darren takes care of his younger ``sister,'' Nicky's stepfather alerts the police and a massive hunt ensues. To keep Nicky safe with him, Darren hides their identities, even resorting to murder. Meanwhile, Darren's therapist, who was attracted to his former client, must decide whether to trace him after Darren calls for advice. While Summerfield's idea is intriguing, the characters aren't fully enough developed to make the plot into much more than a bloodless case study. (Feb.)