Madison Kincaid Books in Order

Madison Kincaid’s world is smaller than a federal courtroom but no less intense. Written for middle grade readers and co authored with Margolin’s daughter Ami Margolin Rome, the Madison Kincaid mystery introduces a seventh grader who is just as determined to be a lawyer as any adult in her family.

When Vanishing Acts opens it is the night before Madison starts junior high in Portland. She is jolted awake by a late phone call to her father, a well known criminal defense attorney. A beloved second grade teacher has gone missing, and the teacher’s husband has been arrested even though no body has been found. Madison listens from the hallway and feels the old pull toward her father’s work, equal parts fear and fascination.

The next morning brings another shock. At school her best friend Ann does not show up, and texts and messages go unanswered. Suddenly Madison is staring at two mysteries at once: a possible murder case her father is preparing for court and the unexplained disappearance of the person she trusts most. The adults in her life are distracted or secretive, and the police are focused on the obvious suspects.

Madison’s response is to act. With help from Jake Stephenson, a new classmate and fellow soccer player, she starts asking questions that grown ups have missed. The pair follow leads from their middle school hallways to downtown Portland, keeping an eye on suspicious classmates, nervous parents, and anyone who might know what happened to Ann or the missing teacher. Madison sneaks glances at legal files, listens at doorways, and slowly learns how evidence fits together in the real world compared to what she sees on television.

The book balances serious stakes with an age appropriate tone. Madison deals with friendship rifts, school pressures, and soccer tryouts alongside genuine danger. Her father’s work gives readers a kid’s eye view of the criminal justice system, from client meetings to the inside of a courtroom, but the story stays rooted in her feelings about loyalty and fairness rather than legal jargon. Mistakes have consequences, and Madison has to learn when to trust adults and when to trust her own instincts.

For readers who enjoy Margolin’s adult thrillers, Vanishing Acts offers a gentler introduction to his favorite themes: what it means to defend someone accused of a terrible crime, how easy it is to misjudge people based on appearances, and how the truth can be buried under fear and lies. For younger readers it works on its own as a fast, accessible mystery with a smart, stubborn heroine who discovers that being a good lawyer starts with learning how to listen and how to keep asking the next question.