The Abduction

by James Grippando

THE ABDUCTION

Genres: Fiction, Thriller, Mystery, Legal Thriller, Suspense, Mystery Thriller, Ebooks

512 pages, Paperback

First published March 24, 1998

About the author

The first thing you should know about bestselling author James Grippando is that he is no longer clueless—or so they say, after “A James Grippando Novel” was a clue for #38 Across in the New York Times crossword puzzle. James is the winner of the Harper Lee Prize for legal fiction and a New York Times bestselling author with more than 30 novels to his credit, including the popular series featuring Miami criminal defense attorney Jack Swyteck. His latest, "Goodbye Girl" (HarperCollins 2024), is the 18th in the Swyteck series. His novels are enjoyed worldwide in 28 languages. As an adjunct professor he teaches "The Law & Lawyers in Modern Literature" at the University of Miami School of Law. He is also counsel at one of the nation’s leading law firms, where he specializes in entertainment and intellectual property law, representing clients who have won more than 40 Tony Awards. He writes in south Florida with Atlas at his side, a faithful golden retriever who has no idea he’s a dog.
Series:
* Jack Swyteck

Reviews

[Tulay · Rating 5 out of 5]

When this book was published in 1998 didn't get good reviews. I'm sure readers never imagined in 2016 election and premier campaign. Plot grips you from the start to shocking ending. Republican General Howe is African-American hero with troubled family, his granddaughter Kristen is kidnapped and he is using this tragedy to get votes. Democratic candidate Allison Leahy is US Attorney General, her adopted daughter was kidnapped from her crisp when she was four months old, and found. She got married to her successful husband, because he proved how attentive and supported he was after the kidnapping. Many suspects and twists in this story, ending will shock you.
Allison Janney as narrator did very good job, loved it.

[Tammi Looney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have been very impressed with James Grippando's books. I haven't read one yet that disappoints me. I went into this book with a little apprehension though. It's characters were in a race for presidency which threw me off at first. I am not big on reading books with a political theme being in the forefront. However, Grippando reeled me in with his never to fail mystery. The mudslinging by one of the characters and the ever present morals comparable to a jellyfish by the campaign managers from either sides reminded me of those of real every day people as opposed to fictional characters. I couldn't help but pull for the heroine of the book and all her constant challenges it seemed she faced around every corner. I was surprised at the outcome of the mystery and very pleased with the book itself.

[Cbanks03 · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Abduction by James Grippando was a fantastic book. It leaves you asking questions and wanting answers. I really enjoyed this book. My favorite types of books are books about crimes that have you at the edge of your seat the whole time. In The Abduction toward the end of October the nation faces a first, they can either vote for the first female or the first African American president. Then the nation is struck with the biggest manhunt ever.

The Abduction is a 502 page book about the scandals of politics. Some men go as far as to kidnap a young girl to ruin one mans race to run the nation. The men want want money in return for General Howe's granddaughter but the once great leader of the army has to much on his plate with his presidential campaign. This book made me feel for the characters, it made me wish i could help them in some way.

I normally care nothing about politics, I don't pay attention to debates and sometimes lose track of who our president is. James Grippando is a great writer and he made me see politics from a different view. He opened me up to the more dangerous side of playing an important part in this country. I would like to ask him why he picked a subject like politics to base this book around. Why did he put a little girl at danger to describe how far a man can be pushed before he loses everything?

I liked some parts of the book but not all. I loved the mystery involved and how the characters must come together and find the little girl. The parts i didn't like were the politics. I don't really understand politics to much. They never seem to catch my attention.

[Michael espinoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent Read

I've been reading the Jack Swyteck series from James Grippando and decided to take a shot at this book, and I have to say that I was not disappointed at all. This is a great story with very believable characters. The only grip I have is that I wanted to know what happened with the election? But I guess I can assume what happened from the way the General was running his campaign. Thanks James for a excellent book! I am a total fan.

[Ruth Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slow start.
Allison Leahy is on her way to a great career when her four month old daughter is kidnapped.
Fast-forward eight years. Now she’s running for president. Emily has never been found. The opponent’s grand-daughter has been kidnapped. Why does the FBI think the two kidnappings could be related?
Not much in the way of character development. :(

[Patricia · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book and very timely. Written in 1998 about a campaign for President of the United States featuring a woman running for office.

Review:


The Abduction is a very exciting book and full of suspense. Originally published in 1998 it is most timely today. I checked Amazon and read the Publisher’s Weekly review printed at the time of publication. The book did not get a very good review. Maybe because no one could imagine a hot race for the office of President of the United States between a black man with a military background and a successful woman except in fiction.

Allison Leahy is Attorney General of the United States. Allison is currently in a campaign to be elected President of the United States. Her opponent General Lincoln Howe is a black candidate running a close race with Allison. Both sides are looking for an edge

Howe thinks he has found it when he asks a question about adultery in a debate and Allison refuses to answer based on her principles and the thought that the question was entirely out of line. But the campaign really heats up when General Howe’s granddaughter is kidnapped. Allison is reminded of the fact that Emily, her baby daughter, was kidnapped while she was at home talking on the phone. This was year’s ago and although Allison did everything within her power she was never able to locate her daughter. She is now determined that as Attorney General she will do everything within her power to bring the General’s granddaughter home safely.

Campaign managers on both sides are fighting to gain the lead. Political tactics of the lowest kind are played out in The Abduction.

If you missed out when this book was first published grab it now.

[Scott Parsons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Now that I have discovered James Grippando I have added him to my list of favourite authors. The Abduction did not disappoint. Contrary to what a couple of people have said it is a real page turner. Sure there are a few points where the plot seems a little unreal. But overall the combination of abduction and its impact on a presidential election works. We are not told which candidate wins on voting day but I'm betting on Allison.

[Dara S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Allison Leahy's daughter was kidnapped as a baby. Eight years later, she is running against a General Howe for President of the United States. She is ahead in the polls until the general's granddaughter is kidnapped. Allison wants to assist the Howe family and is hoping it may help her to find her daughter, Emily. There are a lot of twists and turns as Allison navigates carrying the ransom money to the drop off point.

[Kathy Fiedler · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of twists. A good entertaining read.

[John Marsh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Library audible (very abridged unfortunately version and no ebook available from my two libraries. A story reminder)

U.S. Attorney General Allison Leahy is the nation's top law enforcement officer and the Democrtas' best chance for holding on to the Oval Office. But she has powerful competition in Republican Lincoln Howe, a retired fourstar general and bona finde Africa-American hero. They are running neck and neck. Lincoln Howe by his opportunist remarks, the fact he lied in declaring he had not been unfaithful showed willing to go to extreme lengths to win as is common excepting things like murder and kidnapping as turned out the case here.

Then, just days before the election, disaster strikes. Twelve-year-old Kristen Howe, the general's granddaughter, is kidnapped. As attorney general, Allison launched a nationwide manhunt, but her motives come under fire from her opponent. For Allison, though, finding Kristen isn't about politics. Here is a personal crusade that taps into terrifying secrets buried deep within the past--secrets that can shatter all Allison's hopes, twisting them into a nightmare of lies and the ultimate betrayal. She had her 4 year daughter Emily eight years ago kidnapped from her cot and there was a recording of her sleeping. The FBI agent in charge Harley connected the similarities to both cses expecially the technology. It turned out Peter Alsion now husband and casual interest boyfriend back at the time of the abduction had hired a ruthless gangster for both kidnaps. He wanted Alison all to himself. And he had her former no hoper lawyer boyfriend murdered as well in mistaken jealously by reading too much into a chance encounter and later the former boyfriend attempting to re connect which Alison in fact brushed off but Peter overheard and read it differencely. Peter gets killed by the ruthless killer in a set up by Alison to challenge her husband and get both girls back. A hotel fire is set in motion while the gangster tries and takes the money but falls to his death. Kirsten is releashed and Emily located. She had been adopted out. One keidentified by FBI agent harley was the impersonal reference by close family as an indicator of possible involvement. Left with the idea that Alison makes contact with Emily now under a new name and the adoptive family all continue and that Harley has the hots for Alison a decent guy at last by all accounts. Outcome of election not accounted for.

[Nan Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was most definitely a page turner - and all the way to the end. From that standpoint it was most enjoyable. The format was straight forward and having recently read books with very convoluted formats, I appreciate the fact that I could simply read it straight through in the 3rd person.

The setting and the situations within the setting were definitely implausible and a bit unpalatable. I suppose in reality, presidential races are fraught with all sorts of immoral underhandedness.

For me the most significant negative aspect of the plot had to do with the character development and portrayal of the protagonist - the woman who was running for President who was already Attorney General. To begin with she seemed a strong, intelligent woman, although it seemed unlikely that she would have gotten where she was in just 8 years. As the plot progressed, she definitely lost any semblance of a President (or Attorney General) and became pure "woman" operating strictly on emotions. Maybe that was the message Grippando wanted us to get. And, to me, she had made some really bad decisions early on concerning marriage (or not)and adopting a child. The more we came to understand her background, the less we saw her as a viable candidate for President. I guess what I'm saying is that the characterization didn't hold true.

I've enjoyed Grippando in the past. As previously said, this was a real page turner, but just not up to his previous standards.

[Dale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe it was the ABRIDGED audiobook format but I thought this one was a total dog of a book.

Normally, I am a big fan of Grippando's books - they are interesting, full of lots of intrigue, unexpected twists and politics. I've reviewed several of them and have given them high marks. So, when I found one written about presidential politics and read by Allison Janney from West Wing I thought that this was bound to be a great book on tape.

However, the politics in this one was just silly. Before the action gets going in the book, Grippando has the two candidates, literally less than a week before the election, just sitting around their houses. Think about the last presidential election. Was Obama sitting around his house with 3 days to go? Was McCain? No - they were in the midst of a marathon of speeches and events that had been going on for at least a month. I remember when Bob Dole ran against Clinton - he literally made appearances for 48 hours straight - right through the night before election day and through election day until the polls were closed even though he was one of the oldest men to ever run for president.

Other issues:

-there's no secret service protecting these people or their relatives...

Read more at: http://dwdsreviews.blogspot.com/2011/...

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am really not in to politics, but this was a good book. It is only getting 3 stars because I was let down with how it ended. Not enough was rapped up in the neat and tidy way that I would have liked. But then again, those ends that were left loose were not really what the story was about, so I guess it's understandable. But I REALLY wanted to know (and if you've read it, you should understand what I'm talking about.) The mystery was ruined for me because another reviewer on GR posted who did it and failed to mention there were spoilers in his review, but even though I knew who it was, I was still intrigued, because you didn't know why. As I said, good story, and I'd be likely to read more Grippando.

[Annabelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think Grippando may be psychic, he has a white woman running against a black man for US president in 2000. Allison Leahy is attorney general whose infant daughter was kidnapped and now her opponent’s granddaughter is kidnapped eight years later. There are a number of believable red herrings, and some complex characters, like Repo the kidnapper with a warm heart. Harley, the FBI agent and expert in kidnappers, helps Allison and they have some sexual chemistry, even though her husband, Peter, is in the background. There is excellent detail on kidnapping, profiling perpetrators and rescuing children. It was well plotted, a little boring, but a good read.

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little girl gets kidnapped from a woman who eight years later is the attorney general of the United States and who also happens to be running for president.
Now, 8 years later her running mates granddaughter is kidnapped by the same person. She takes it personally and makes it her crusade to save the child.
When I read a novel I keep telling myself that it's just a book and is supposed to be farfetched to make it interesting and exciting. that works for me and that is how I rate a book as to whether it's good or bad. I enjoyed this book but you really had to stretch your imagination to the limit to accept it as even remotely possible.

[Jill Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fascinating book, allowing readers to peek behind the scenes of national political campaigns and the dirty tricks and schemes some candidates will employ to win. The author also helps us understand the role the media plays, how relating the "news" can be twisted to support different viewpoints. Several storylines are interwoven in a masterful way, so that you're never quite sure what's really happening and "whodunit". The characters are very well-defined and believable and the plot is crafty. I hadn't read a Grippando book in a long time, so this was a pleasant surprise.

[Peacejanz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping thriller - politicians and crime and family evil. This is one of Grippando's earlier books and it is as good as his later books. A fantastic read about two people, driven by politics, who are running for President of the US. A granddaughter is abducted and one of the candidates makes political hay of the situation. The other tries to find the child. This book shows all the evil that can happen in politics and also shows the evil in families. The reader is led down false trails during the entire book. Only at the end do we know what really happened. We never know why.

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is actually about two abductions and a presidental campaign. One took place eight years ago and involved the adopted child of one of the candidates. The other, in the present, is that of the other candidate's granddaughter. I thought that it was somewhat lame to include the first one, but that was the author's choice. Allison Leahy, the attorney general, doesn't always do what her advisors say she should. There is also a subtext involving one of her FBI agents.

[Colette · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot line of this book was very good - a man and a women both running for the presidency. The man's granddaughter has been kidnapped and the woman endangers her own life trying to save her but the question remains, who is behind the kidnapping? In typical grippando fashion, twists and turns occur to the surprising ending! I'm rating it a 3 only because it moved a little slow for my tastes but it is still a very good mystery!

[Holly Morey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Allison Leahy's baby is kidnapped while she is on the phone with an ex-boyfriend. The baby is never found and eight years later, while Allison is running for President, her opponent's grand-daughter is kidnapped. The suspense begins and there are plenty of twists. The only reason I didn't give the book 5 stars is because I figured out who was behind the kidnapping way too early in the book. Still I really enjoyed the book.

[Pj Gamm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm a big fan of Grippando's, but the Republican candidate was too over-the-top in stereotypes, & the Democratic candidate was presented as a lily white rose. In reality, the majority of politicians are self-serving narcissists. It got to be too much every time the Republican candidate was mentioned, because it was always a stereotypical, ugly caricature, and it got old. Since I was giving this 3 stars I wanted to explain why.

[Mike Shoop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Political thriller involving the abductions of two children, eight years apart, and how they are linked to an upcoming extremely close presidential election between a woman U.S. Attorney General and an African-American four-star Army General. Non-stop action with plenty of twists and turns. Good change of pace for me.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Attorney General, a woman whose adopted child was kidnapped and never recovered, is now running for President. Her opponent is a former General. Neither campaign is particularly upstanding. His granddaughter is kidnapped. This is a very small thumbnail of the basic plot. It is many times more complex than this. The novel is a page turner, suspenseful and well written.

[Evelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Attorney General and presidential candidate Allison Leahy relives her daughter's abduction when her opponent's granddaughter is kidnapped before the Presidential election in the year 2000. Excellent legal thriller suspense. Fast-paced and you won't want to put it down. Move over John Grisham.

[Jim Ader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting drama with the background being a Africa-American man running for president against a woman...published in 2002. Author often compared to Grisham. Local area author, grew up in Antioch, IL

[Mica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although a page turner, The Abduction and Grippndo's others lack a little meat. Three stars because I prefer a little more meat in the writing style, but the story was a good one. Good light reading material.

[Bill S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A presidential race. Two almost equally unethical candidates. The kidnapping of two young children. Murder. Mayhem. What more could anyone ask for?

An enjoyable summer read despite a few totally off the wall plot twists. This was my frist Grippando and I will certainly read more.

[Marilyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clever plot, fast paced, and hard to put down. US Attorney General Allison Leahy is running for President and faces the very ugly side of politics, while dealing with issues that carry far more importance to her than winning an election.

[Cj Byrns · Rating 2 out of 5]

A quick, suspenseful read.

Just another twist on a familiar story. Unfortunately, I correctly guessed the ending, and the plot was not complicated enough to hold my interest. And, the characters were derivative and uninteresting. Don't bother.

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Had to put it in another room to make myself go to sleep or I would have went to work on no sleep at all.