The Incumbent (The Madison Glenn Series #1) (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Madison "Maddy" Glenn is the controversial mayor of the beautiful tourist town of Santa Rita, California. Lisa Truccoli, her friend and treasurer of her last campaign, has been abducted. The only thing left at the scene of the crime is a shocking clue—a clue with Maddy’s name on it. And the game begins. She embarks on a desperate hunt for answers, finding more shocking clues in a dangerous game the abductor wants to play—with Maddy.

From the Back Cover

An abduction…a trail of disturbing clues… Politics are about to become deadly.

As the controversial mayor of the beautiful coastal community of Santa Rita, Madison "Maddy" Glenn likes to face things head-on. But nothing can prepare her for a hostile visit from the chief of police—or his terrible news. Lisa Truccoli, Maddy’s friend and the treasurer of her last campaign, has been kidnapped. All that remains at the crime scene is a shocking clue…with Maddy’s name on it.

The ensuing hunt for answers only turns up more sinister clues in a terrifying game the abductor wants to play…with Maddy. Caught between a haunting past and a dangerous present, Maddy finds the walls that keep her from faith beginning to crumble.

The stakes turn lethal with a second abduction and a clue that reveals inside information about Maddy’s run for Congress—a decision she has not made yet. Someone is going to dangerous lengths to make the choice for her…but it is a choice she’ll survive?

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Zondervan (October 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0310249589
• ISBN-13: 978-0310249580
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #678,985 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Started out so good but..., November 28, 2004

By	Jackie Tortorella - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

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I have read everything Alton Gansky has written, and he is one of my very favorite authors. His remarkable imagination has led to some truly outstanding novels. This book was different from his others. The protagonist is a woman--"Maddy," the mayor of a small town. The first problem I had was in the way this main character was portrayed. Gansky seems to think that the only thing women do is cry and hug one another. There were so many tears and embraces that it finally turned me off big time. I would not be able to stand being around such an emotional person. But of course I kept reading, because the plot had really gripped me. I waded through all the tears to find out what would happen next. The mystery of who was abducting Maddy's campaign workers, and why, was built up nicely. Obviously someone wanted to destroy Maddy's political future to keep her from running for a higher office. At least, that is what seemed obvious by the story line. I started to really get into the book and couldn't wait to see how the story would resolve itself. Then, all of a sudden at the end, the story took such a ridiculous and unbelievable turn that I was left very disappointed. Folks, I hate to write negative things in a review; ESPECIALLY when it's a book by one of my very favorite authors. But This book simply does not stack up to the writer's ability. I hope Gansky turns back to writing the Stanton books, or ANY of his previous characters instead of this one. I give it 3 stars because of how well written it is up until the absurd ending. If you are a Gansky fan who would never miss one of his books, go ahead. But if you haven't read his books before, don't start with this one--the others are all much better!

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A story with maximum suspense and strong Christian themes, December 10, 2004

By	FaithfulReader.com (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

In THE INCUMBENT, as in some of his previous novels (THE PRODIGY, DARK MOON), author Alton Gansky shows that he knows how to set up a story with maximum suspense while incorporating strong Christian themes, to the continuing delight of his faith fiction readers.

In the small southern California coastal town of Santa Rita, Mayor Madison "Maddy" Glenn watches as those who worked on her campaign begin disappearing one by one --- with only a few drops of blood left behind in symmetrical patterns and carefully arranged to point toward her as the reason for the kidnappings. But why has the perpetrator gone after her friends, and not the mayor herself? As the attractive (and single) detective Judson West tells her, "My guess is, they want something from you." Soon, she is riddled by guilt: "I was feeling like the reincarnation of Typhoid Mary," muses Maddy. As the story unfolds, any association with the mayor seems to be an invitation to murder, assault, or abduction.

Unable to know whom to trust, the attractive widow takes in Celeste Truccoli, the 19-year-old daughter of one of her friends who has disappeared. When it soon becomes apparent that anyone she loves is in danger, Maddy's mother and father also move in, and Gansky paints them both as engaging, loveable parents. Back at the office, Randi Portman, Maddy's able personal assistant, keeps things running smoothly while pushing the Mayor to up the ante and run for Congresswoman at the next election. When Celeste's estranged father jets in for reasons never fully explained and begins having Maddy and Celeste followed, chaos ensues. Dr. Jerry Thomas, a middle-aged divorcee who has known Maddy for years, adds another dollop of possible romantic intrigue to the tale.

Gansky does a good job writing in first person as a woman, and is adept at laying many false rabbit trails for the reader to follow. He also writes some nice descriptions of the beautiful southern California landscape where the story unfolds (although he has a fondness for the word "azure"). He occasionally overdescribes (flames in a fireplace "dance like leprechauns on St. Paddy's day" and tears "broke through like Huns attacking a village"). He sometimes falls back on the overused novelist's device of describing his characters appearance as they see themselves reflected in a window or a mirror. Gansky also occasionally "tells" rather than "shows" ("The pier is a place of constant activity..."). He also makes many of his sentences the same length, rather than varying the length for the enjoyment of the reader. Readers may also find themselves confused when the plot ending revolves around a fire ant bite that seemingly happens on a boat at sea (or happens at a location where there is a security camera close by).

Yet all of these are blips in what is a genuinely enjoyable suspense novel. Gansky knows how to keep his readers guessing, and the device of the blood drops he uses to frame his story around will have a chilling effect on the reader. Although some conversion scenes feel a little heavy-handed rather than flowing seamlessly into the story, the redemptive conclusion of the novel has some nice twists and surprises. This fast-paced tale of intrigue in a small southern California coastal town is an enjoyable one for faith fiction fans.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby ([e-mail])

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Start to a Series, December 30, 2008

By	whitewave - See all my reviews

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I had picked it up while on vacation not knowing anything about the author. The book was well-written and interesting. I enjoyed the writing although there were a little too many descriptions for my taste.

The ending wasn't as surprising as it was supposed to be. Mainly, because I have a bad habit of picking up who the least likely suspect is and guessing that's the "bad guy". This time my guess was correct. That didn't take away from the enjoyment of the book, although I did find that the motive for the crime was a little weak and if you looked too closely, there were a few loose ends.

Altogether, I want to read more in this series and I'm excited about discovering a new author to read.