A Ship Possessed (J. D. Stanton Mystery Series #1) [Paperback]

Alton Gansky (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 1999

The USS Triggerfish--an American World War II submarine--has come home over fifty years after she was presumed lost in the Atlantic. Now her dark gray hulk lies embedded in the sand of a San Diego beach, her conning tower barely above the breaking surf. The submarine is in the wrong ocean, her crew is missing . . . And her half-century absence is a mystery that's about to deepen. For the Triggerfish has returned, but she has not returned alone. Something is inside her -- something unexpected and terrible. To J. D. Stanton, retired Navy captain and historian, falls the task of solving the mystery surrounding a ship possessed. What he is about to encounter will challenge his training, his wits, and his faith. Complicating his mission is a ruthless madman bent on obtaining a secret artifact stolen from the highest levels of the Nazi regime. And poised in the middle is a young woman, a lieutenant who must contend with invisible forces she never knew existed. A Ship Possessed is a story of faith, courage, and determination in the face of unexpected and unknown evil.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

In 1943, the submarine USS Triggerfish fails to return to port after a mission. Presumed sunk by enemy ships, the ship and its crew are virtually forgotten until it reappears 50 years later off the San Diego coastline, with no sign of the crew. J.D. Stanton, a retired naval officer and historian, investigates what may have happened to the submarine's crew and finds more startling truths than he'd expected. This first in a new series of mysteries from thriller author Gansky (Tarnished Image, LJ 9/1/98) is a fast-paced and entertaining story mixing military history and elements of Christian dogma with an intriguing use of supernatural elements. Highly recommended.
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From the Publisher

Retired Navy captain and historian J. T. Reed has been called back to active duty to solve a mystery--the sudden appearance of a submarine that has run aground near a beach in San Diego. While submarines are no strangers to Pacific waters, this one has captured the attention of the Pentagon. Because this submarine is a World War II submarine that went down with all hands in the Atlantic on July 27, 1943--over 50 years ago! Now it sits with its conning tower barely above the breaking surf. And the puzzle deepens all the more when the immaculate condition of the submarine becomes known, and when the sub begins emitting sounds--frightening, confusing, even terrifying sounds. J. T. Reed undertakes the task of finding answers to events that happened half a century before, and in the process, discovers a great deal he hadn't bargained for--including an encounter with evil forces beyond his control. This supernatural mystery in the spirit of Frank Peretti and Bill Myers introduces readers to the intriguing sleuth, J. T. Reed, and to a story of faith, courage, love, and determination in the face of evil.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan; 1st Thus. edition (March 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310219442
• ISBN-13: 978-0310219446
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.3 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #279,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Alton Gansky (www.altongansky.com) has written a number of other novels, including Zero-G, Finder's Fee, Director's Cut, Before Another Dies, The Prodigy, and the J. D. Stanton mystery series. He also writes nonfiction books that explore the mysteries of faith, the Bible, and God. He and his wife, Becky, have three adult children and live in Southern California.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hot page turner, August 27, 2002

By 

Jackie Tortorella - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Ship Possessed (J. D. Stanton Mystery Series #1) (Paperback)

This book truly was well done. The parallel story of the submarine's excapades in 1943 were interwoven beautifully into the modern day discovery of the sub. It took a long time for them to actually enter the sub after its discovery 60 years later, but the suspense did build and no part of the story was boring. All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable read. When I'm left with the feeling that it ended too soon, I know I've finished a book that I enjoyed very much.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Gripping, powerful!, April 20, 2004

By 

Wolfe Moffat (Franklinville, NY) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: A Ship Possessed (J. D. Stanton Mystery Series #1) (Paperback)

This was great! Alton Gansky is right up there with the greats, Ted Dekker, Frank Peretti, and so on. What made this a plus book for me was, I love submarine stuff! Right on, brother!

Join retired Naval Captain, J.D. Stanton as he is called to investigate what looks to be a ghost ship. And it is a WWII sub at that! I like the demeanor of Stanton throughout the entire book. He's cool, calm under pressure, and collected. And he is most certainly a leader.

On the other side of things is a German with his own agenda who believes in neo-nazism. This book is about a quest for power and a test of one's faith. Lt. Donna Wilcox plays a very important role in this work by Gansky, and you can tell he puts his heart and soul into his stuff.

On a closing note, I loved the verse that really hit home, it is an oldie, but goodie. "Greater is He that is in me, that him that is in the world!" AMEN! I can't wait to read more by Alton Gansky!! Atta-boy!

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Gansky's Gift, April 6, 2000

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Eric Wilson "novelist" (Nashville, TN United States) - See all my reviews
(TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: A Ship Possessed (J. D. Stanton Mystery Series #1) (Paperback)

I have this habit of buying a book for a friend or family member, then opening to the first page and getting hooked. That was Gansky's gift to me. His writing was tight, pulling me along into the questions regarding the mysterious submarine. He added a Christian message without letting it overwhelm the plot. The characters were well-drawn, though not with much depth. I'll look forward to learning more about them in upcoming books.