The books discussed in this review essay all investigate the same basic phenomenon: presidents who do not complete their terms in office, but who are removed without open democratic breakdown. The essay traces the conceptual frameworks used, as they shifted from impeachment to the broader presidential breakdown. It evaluates explanations of the causes of presidential breakdown, and makes suggestions for further research on how the presidential regime type functions. The essay concludes with a call for more empirical investigation of the consequences of presidential breakdown.