What do you think?
Rate this book
John Ceepak Mystery #1
Tilt-a-Whirl
The Anthony Award winning first book in the John Ceepak/Jersey Shore mysteries."From page 1, this debut stands out as refreshingly different . Grabenstein brilliantly evokes the endearing seediness of a Jersey Shore town in summer but it's his development of the Ceepak-Boyle relationship that makes this an absolute triumph."—BOOKLIST (Starred Review!)There isn't much fun in the sun when a billionaire real estate tycoon is found murdered on the Tilt-A-Whirl at a seedy seaside amusement park in the otherwise quiet tourist town of Sea Haven, New Jersey.John Ceepak, a former MP back from Iraq who lives his life in strict compliance with the West Point Honor Code, has just joined the Sea Haven Police Department. The job offer came from an old Army buddy who wanted to give him at least a summer's worth of R&R to escape the horrors of war.Instead, Ceepak heads up the murder investigation. He is partnered with Danny Boyle, a 24-year-old, part-time cop who doesn't carry a gun and only works with the police by day so he has enough pocket money to play with his beach buddies by night.The Tilt-A-Whirl murder pushes Ceepak's deep sense of honor to the limits as unexpected twists and turns keep the truth spinning wildly in every direction.Tilt-A-Whirl made many Best Mysteries of 2005 The Sun-Sentinel, Detroit Free Press, The Christian Science Monitor, Barnes&Noble.com, BookBitch.com and more!PRAISE FOR TILT-A-WHIRL"Chris Grabenstein's TILT-A-WHIRL is a fast-paced thrill ride with lots of twists and turns and good writing from start to finish!"—JAMES PATTERSON"There's fireworks down the Jersey shore in this first book in a promising series."—KIRKUS REVIEWS"Thoughtful, funny and exciting debut."—DICK ADLER, THE CHICAGO TRIBUNE"Just like the amusement ride it's named after, TILT-A-WHIRL spins with brisk twists and exciting turns as it veers off into still another plot tendril. This debut from former advertising executive Chris Grabenstein hits just the right tone, melding a multilayered plot that is equally action-packed and poignant, hard-hitting and funny, sarcastic and serious, sometimes all in the same paragraph."—OLINE COGDILL, THE SUN-SENTINEL (Voted One Of The Best Mysteries of 2005!)"Funny, smart, and smoothly written, TILT-A-WHIRL is all kinds of twisty fun."—THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR (Voted One Of The Best Mysteries of 2005!)"This is a fun and fast-paced tale. The ending is as unexpected and shocking as a ride on the actual contraption, and the denouement is sure to leave readers with a glow. Two thumbs up; You go, Grabenstein!"—WINSTON-SALEM JOURNAL"Briskly paced, well plotted, and narrated with a cynical humor that makes it a real joy to read."—RON BERNAS, THE DETROIT FREE PRESS (Voted One Of The Best Mysteries of 2005!)"Full of unpredictable twists and turns. There's plenty of fizz in the chemistry between the two protagonists to keep the novel and the reader spinning."—BOSTON GLOBE"This impressive debut by New York City advertising executive-turned-mystery writer Grabenstein is set in idyllic Sea Haven, a touristy summer town... and follows cop extraordinaire John Ceepak and his part-time junior partner, Danny Boyle.... The story is related by Boyle, whose youthful inexperience and desire to be a kid are the perfect foil for Ceepak's mature, by-the-book demeanor. Grabenstein's writing is direct and punchy, providing many laugh-out-loud moments. Though a bit surreal, the ending is unexpected and satisfying and wraps up a good pace. Highly recommended."—LIBRARY JOURNAL (Starred Review!)
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 31, 2005
133 people are currently reading
2849 people want to read
About the author
Chris Grabenstein
155 books2,439 followersCHRIS GRABENSTEIN is a #1 New York Times bestselling author. His books include the LEMONCELLO, WONDERLAND, HAUNTED MYSTERY, DOG SQUAD, and SMARTEST KID IN THE UNIVERSE series, and many fun and funny page-turners co-authored with James Patterson. You can visit Chris at ChrisGrabenstein.com.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 407 reviews
August 3, 2014
Rating: 3.75* of five
The Publisher Says: There isn't much sun in the fun when a billionaire real estate tycoon is found murdered on the Tilt-A-Whirl at a seedy seaside amusement park in the otherwise quiet summer tourist town of Sea Haven. John Ceepak, a former MP just back from Iraq, has just joined the Sea Haven police department. The job offer came from an old army buddy who hoped to give Ceepak at least a summer's worth of rest and relaxation to help him forget the horrors of war. Instead, Ceepak will head up the murder investigation. He is partnered with Danny Boyle, a 24-year-old part-time summer cop who doesn't carry a gun and only works with the police by day so he has enough pocket money left over to play with his beach buddies at night. In the first novel in a new series written in the spirit of Carl Hiaasen's work, the Tilt-A-Whirl murder pushes Ceepak's deep sense of honor and integrity to the limits, as unexpected twists and turns keep the truth spinning wildly in every direction.
My Review: A first-person narrative by the brilliant, damaged sleuth's awestruck sidekick. A murder richly deserved, a plot cleverly sewn to established behaviors of irreproachable characters, and a very dark and twisted resolution that provides restitution for many past wrongs, all for the price of an insalata caprese on a baguette with taro chips.
I started reading this free Kindle edition this afternoon, nursing a sore back and a bad mood. I stopped a few minutes ago, drew a deep breath, and said, "golly gee willikers, that was a corking experience!" (Ceepak rubbed off on me a little. It's only temporary. I hope.)
I was rather constantly reminded that Ceepak was modeled on Sherlock Holmes, in fact a wee bit heavy-handedly (the cigarette butt, the musical obsession, the lighthouse), but honestly it never made the story less enveloping. The town and the townie-sidekick made me appreciate Ceepak's character's Sherlockian traits. The more Danny, out narrator, talks, the more Ceepak learns and, importantly, teaches. The specific information Ceepak seeks about the locations of stuff around the little resort town is less important than is the lesson that Danny is being offered at every step. It's so well-done that I suspect readers can whip right past that piece of subtext and lose no speck of pleasure in following Ceepak around as he pulls threads and worrys knots and always, always obeys his orders. Even when they come from people who have no idea what they're doing.
The crime scene team at the scene of the murder is led by a revolting slob instead of a brilliant, world-renowned forensic scientist, who happens to be away on vacation when this crime is committed...the murder of a billionaire. Hard luck! It's so awful how things don't happen the right way, although the sloppy lead forensic guy probably gets a come-uppance offstage. Which kinda sucks, I'd really have enjoyed seeing him suffer...though I have some hopes he'll reappear to be a thorn in the side of our Dudley Dooright detective, this shell-shocked love child of Sherlock and Adrian Monk.
I'm all ready to be a big fan. I'm hoping I'll be as happy after I read the next one. Because I read this on the !*&$^^!%%#% Kindle, I can't quote the nice, dry asides and observations that Danny, our Watson-meets-Archie Goodwin, makes, but I smiled a lot, chuckle a good bit, and laughed out loud at least three times.
Yeah, four stars. That's fair. The extra fractions of a star get deducted for a few small breaks, like an attitude shift on Danny's part that goes from up to down to up again a bit too quickly; the resolution of the original red herring being a smidge on the done-and-dusted side; and a bit at the end with Ceepak doing something I found, well, forced and unnecessary.
None of which should even slow you down in your sprint to the Kindle store to spend a *whopping* ninety-nine cents to procure your lease on access to the file. Five hours happily spent making a new bestie? For a lousy buck? Be a devil, risk it!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
The Publisher Says: There isn't much sun in the fun when a billionaire real estate tycoon is found murdered on the Tilt-A-Whirl at a seedy seaside amusement park in the otherwise quiet summer tourist town of Sea Haven. John Ceepak, a former MP just back from Iraq, has just joined the Sea Haven police department. The job offer came from an old army buddy who hoped to give Ceepak at least a summer's worth of rest and relaxation to help him forget the horrors of war. Instead, Ceepak will head up the murder investigation. He is partnered with Danny Boyle, a 24-year-old part-time summer cop who doesn't carry a gun and only works with the police by day so he has enough pocket money left over to play with his beach buddies at night. In the first novel in a new series written in the spirit of Carl Hiaasen's work, the Tilt-A-Whirl murder pushes Ceepak's deep sense of honor and integrity to the limits, as unexpected twists and turns keep the truth spinning wildly in every direction.
My Review: A first-person narrative by the brilliant, damaged sleuth's awestruck sidekick. A murder richly deserved, a plot cleverly sewn to established behaviors of irreproachable characters, and a very dark and twisted resolution that provides restitution for many past wrongs, all for the price of an insalata caprese on a baguette with taro chips.
I started reading this free Kindle edition this afternoon, nursing a sore back and a bad mood. I stopped a few minutes ago, drew a deep breath, and said, "golly gee willikers, that was a corking experience!" (Ceepak rubbed off on me a little. It's only temporary. I hope.)
I was rather constantly reminded that Ceepak was modeled on Sherlock Holmes, in fact a wee bit heavy-handedly (the cigarette butt, the musical obsession, the lighthouse), but honestly it never made the story less enveloping. The town and the townie-sidekick made me appreciate Ceepak's character's Sherlockian traits. The more Danny, out narrator, talks, the more Ceepak learns and, importantly, teaches. The specific information Ceepak seeks about the locations of stuff around the little resort town is less important than is the lesson that Danny is being offered at every step. It's so well-done that I suspect readers can whip right past that piece of subtext and lose no speck of pleasure in following Ceepak around as he pulls threads and worrys knots and always, always obeys his orders. Even when they come from people who have no idea what they're doing.
The crime scene team at the scene of the murder is led by a revolting slob instead of a brilliant, world-renowned forensic scientist, who happens to be away on vacation when this crime is committed...the murder of a billionaire. Hard luck! It's so awful how things don't happen the right way, although the sloppy lead forensic guy probably gets a come-uppance offstage. Which kinda sucks, I'd really have enjoyed seeing him suffer...though I have some hopes he'll reappear to be a thorn in the side of our Dudley Dooright detective, this shell-shocked love child of Sherlock and Adrian Monk.
I'm all ready to be a big fan. I'm hoping I'll be as happy after I read the next one. Because I read this on the !*&$^^!%%#% Kindle, I can't quote the nice, dry asides and observations that Danny, our Watson-meets-Archie Goodwin, makes, but I smiled a lot, chuckle a good bit, and laughed out loud at least three times.
Yeah, four stars. That's fair. The extra fractions of a star get deducted for a few small breaks, like an attitude shift on Danny's part that goes from up to down to up again a bit too quickly; the resolution of the original red herring being a smidge on the done-and-dusted side; and a bit at the end with Ceepak doing something I found, well, forced and unnecessary.
None of which should even slow you down in your sprint to the Kindle store to spend a *whopping* ninety-nine cents to procure your lease on access to the file. Five hours happily spent making a new bestie? For a lousy buck? Be a devil, risk it!
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
February 18, 2012
If someone combined the DNA of Captain America and Dudley Do-Right to create a superior human being, then John Ceepak would probably be the result. And then we would have to rise up and slay him for making the rest of us look so bad.
Ceepak was with the military police in the army, but a bad tour in Baghdad has left him with a phobia about driving. He’s now a police officer in a vacation resort town called Sea Haven where a young part-time cop and local boy named Danny Boyle is assigned as his partner, but Danny's main job is really just acting as Ceepak’s chauffer. Ceepak and Danny are having some breakfast and getting ready to start a day investigating crimes like the theft of a tricycle when a screaming young girl covered in blood starts running down the street. Her father has just been shot and killed at a nearby amusement park, and when it turns out that he was one of the richest men in America, Sea Haven finds itself in the center of a media frenzy as the cops try to solve the crime.
The main selling point for this one is the Ceepak character. It’s apparent early that Ceepak is a good guy. Not just a good guy like, “Sure I‘ll help you move.” or “Yeah, I‘ll come bail you out even though it‘s 2 AM on Christmas morning.”, but a good guy in the sense that an Eagle Scout would look like a tweaker in a motorcycle gang by comparison.
Ceepak is polite and courteous to everyone and doesn’t lie or swear. He strictly follows rules and procedures, and he’s such a devoted cop that his idea of a good time is watching forensic shows on the Discovery Channel. If he gives you his word, it’s as good as money in the bank.
Sounds like he’d be a self-righteous bore, right? That’s the neat part. He isn’t. The story is told in first person narration from Danny’s point of view, and it’s his voice that makes this work. Danny’s a nice guy, but not the sharpest knife in the drawer. He’s the kind of likeable goof hanging around his home town that would normally be content to just coast along with dead end jobs and drinking beers with his friends, and Ceepak could run circles around him mentally or physically. Instead, Ceepak treats him with respect, tries to teach him police work without being a pompous jerk about it and generally just encourages Danny to be a better person by example. It’s because he never acts like he’s better than anyone else while being better than everyone else that makes what could be an annoying character more inspirational than pain-in-the-ass.
Plus, when we learn Ceepak’s tragic past, you realize that this isn’t a guy who’s so good because he was raised on a farm in Smallville, Kansas, by Ma and Pa Kent. This is a guy who consciously decided to be this way and holds himself to such a high standard because he wants to make things better for others. That also cuts down on the potential goody two-shoes factor.
All in all, this kind of reminded me of a TV series that would be like something you’d see on the USA Network. You’ve got a quirky but likeable main character and his sidekick solving crimes that are just dark enough to give it some gravity, but not so grim that you feel like sticking your head in the oven. Lightweight, but fun and entertaining enough that I’ll check out more in the series at some point.
Ceepak was with the military police in the army, but a bad tour in Baghdad has left him with a phobia about driving. He’s now a police officer in a vacation resort town called Sea Haven where a young part-time cop and local boy named Danny Boyle is assigned as his partner, but Danny's main job is really just acting as Ceepak’s chauffer. Ceepak and Danny are having some breakfast and getting ready to start a day investigating crimes like the theft of a tricycle when a screaming young girl covered in blood starts running down the street. Her father has just been shot and killed at a nearby amusement park, and when it turns out that he was one of the richest men in America, Sea Haven finds itself in the center of a media frenzy as the cops try to solve the crime.
The main selling point for this one is the Ceepak character. It’s apparent early that Ceepak is a good guy. Not just a good guy like, “Sure I‘ll help you move.” or “Yeah, I‘ll come bail you out even though it‘s 2 AM on Christmas morning.”, but a good guy in the sense that an Eagle Scout would look like a tweaker in a motorcycle gang by comparison.
Ceepak is polite and courteous to everyone and doesn’t lie or swear. He strictly follows rules and procedures, and he’s such a devoted cop that his idea of a good time is watching forensic shows on the Discovery Channel. If he gives you his word, it’s as good as money in the bank.
Sounds like he’d be a self-righteous bore, right? That’s the neat part. He isn’t. The story is told in first person narration from Danny’s point of view, and it’s his voice that makes this work. Danny’s a nice guy, but not the sharpest knife in the drawer. He’s the kind of likeable goof hanging around his home town that would normally be content to just coast along with dead end jobs and drinking beers with his friends, and Ceepak could run circles around him mentally or physically. Instead, Ceepak treats him with respect, tries to teach him police work without being a pompous jerk about it and generally just encourages Danny to be a better person by example. It’s because he never acts like he’s better than anyone else while being better than everyone else that makes what could be an annoying character more inspirational than pain-in-the-ass.
Plus, when we learn Ceepak’s tragic past, you realize that this isn’t a guy who’s so good because he was raised on a farm in Smallville, Kansas, by Ma and Pa Kent. This is a guy who consciously decided to be this way and holds himself to such a high standard because he wants to make things better for others. That also cuts down on the potential goody two-shoes factor.
All in all, this kind of reminded me of a TV series that would be like something you’d see on the USA Network. You’ve got a quirky but likeable main character and his sidekick solving crimes that are just dark enough to give it some gravity, but not so grim that you feel like sticking your head in the oven. Lightweight, but fun and entertaining enough that I’ll check out more in the series at some point.
November 5, 2016
Review written November 4, 2016
3.8 Stars - Surprisingly entertaining. A good listening, I truly enjoyed and will continue this series.
A $3 light and funny police mystery and a serial opener. — 8:18 hrs audiobook narrated by Jeff Woodman.
Sea Haven, New Jersey US.
« John Ceepak, a former MP just back from Iraq, has joined the Sea Haven police department. The job offer came from an old Army buddy who hoped to give Ceepak at least a summer's worth of rest and relaxation... ~~ He is partnered with Danny Boyle, a 24-year-old part-time summer cop who doesn't carry a gun and only works with the police by day so he has enough pocket money left over to play with his beach buddies at night. »
You immediately get that cozy TV show feeling. (Even more when listening to the very well done and narrated audiobook edition.) Tilt-a-Whirl could be a great promising first episode script. I can see myself watching theses characters (a bunch of odd cop colleagues etc) and I could actually imagine hearing the background narrator voice by young Danny. — Yes, this is a story where one main character (Danny) tell us his but mostly the remarkable character Ceepak's story and doings. Best of all, it is told by Danny in a fun, comical and in most parts quite adorable (starry-eyed) way. I really truly like this (new) way of telling a police investigation story ...or any story.
This new for the summer cop-team, with one big and strong (exemplary) ex soldier partnered with a young fumbling 'manboy', solves impressing cleverly a tricky murder case together. A crime-mystery they more or less stumble across by accident a ordinary beautiful summer morning (in a idyllic Sea Haven resort on the US east coast).
Haha, I giggled and smiled listening to this amusing audiobook from start. The crime case ended up quite creepy and but the light feeling made it easier to accept. And mist important; my heart immediately felt for sweet Danny and his (indescribable) idol Ceepak. — Fun, fun!! It will be more books about these two.
I LIKE - amusing cozy mystery stories
3.8 Stars - Surprisingly entertaining. A good listening, I truly enjoyed and will continue this series.
A $3 light and funny police mystery and a serial opener. — 8:18 hrs audiobook narrated by Jeff Woodman.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Sea Haven, New Jersey US.
« John Ceepak, a former MP just back from Iraq, has joined the Sea Haven police department. The job offer came from an old Army buddy who hoped to give Ceepak at least a summer's worth of rest and relaxation... ~~ He is partnered with Danny Boyle, a 24-year-old part-time summer cop who doesn't carry a gun and only works with the police by day so he has enough pocket money left over to play with his beach buddies at night. »
You immediately get that cozy TV show feeling. (Even more when listening to the very well done and narrated audiobook edition.) Tilt-a-Whirl could be a great promising first episode script. I can see myself watching theses characters (a bunch of odd cop colleagues etc) and I could actually imagine hearing the background narrator voice by young Danny. — Yes, this is a story where one main character (Danny) tell us his but mostly the remarkable character Ceepak's story and doings. Best of all, it is told by Danny in a fun, comical and in most parts quite adorable (starry-eyed) way. I really truly like this (new) way of telling a police investigation story ...or any story.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
This new for the summer cop-team, with one big and strong (exemplary) ex soldier partnered with a young fumbling 'manboy', solves impressing cleverly a tricky murder case together. A crime-mystery they more or less stumble across by accident a ordinary beautiful summer morning (in a idyllic Sea Haven resort on the US east coast).
« A billionaire real-estate tycoon is found murdered on the Tilt-a-Whirl at a seedy seaside amusement park... »
Haha, I giggled and smiled listening to this amusing audiobook from start. The crime case ended up quite creepy and but the light feeling made it easier to accept. And mist important; my heart immediately felt for sweet Danny and his (indescribable) idol Ceepak. — Fun, fun!! It will be more books about these two.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
I LIKE - amusing cozy mystery stories
July 5, 2017
Contents: Violence, frequent swearing — F-bombs and religious bombs, and sexually unsavory elements.
Book one in this mystery series, set in a small oceanside resort town on the Jersey Shore. This particular murder occurred at the boardwalk. The two main characters are John Ceepak, an honorable, by-the-book, true-blue-maybe-too-blue former military police officer. Ceepak lives by the code and compares life to Bruce Springstein lyrics. He becomes a hero to his partner Danny, a very young rookie cop who lives by a more pedestrian moral code.
I enjoyed the interactions between Danny and Ceepak. I enjoyed seeing Danny learn basic police procedures and investigation methods.
As for the suspense, I have mixed feelings. The villain was not obvious by any means -- we follow all sorts of red herrings. Some characters breached, and I didn't see how Squeegie could have known where... The plot twist at the end felt like a cheap trick. I hate it when children .
Some humor along the way, like the car wash scene. I also had to chuckle at Ceepak's lingo and behavior. Such a boy scout.
Grabenstein needs to get to the point. I began to roll my eyes at all the descriptions of things that didn't matter. Example: At the motel, when the cops run down the hall, I get to hear all about the food trays left outside the doors, and the color of the napkins on said food trays. I pay attention, thinking maybe the trays will matter to the plot --- maybe a cop will trip over one, or find a clue on one. Nope. Just useless filler. Authors should be descriptive, but not about irrelevant stuff.
Audio: Excellent narration by Jeff Woodman. However, too many harsh and loudly voiced F-bombs and religious profanity made this a poor choice for listening during car trips with family. The final chapter also made this book a very poor choice for mixed ages. Too bad.
Book one in this mystery series, set in a small oceanside resort town on the Jersey Shore. This particular murder occurred at the boardwalk. The two main characters are John Ceepak, an honorable, by-the-book, true-blue-maybe-too-blue former military police officer. Ceepak lives by the code and compares life to Bruce Springstein lyrics. He becomes a hero to his partner Danny, a very young rookie cop who lives by a more pedestrian moral code.
I enjoyed the interactions between Danny and Ceepak. I enjoyed seeing Danny learn basic police procedures and investigation methods.
As for the suspense, I have mixed feelings. The villain was not obvious by any means -- we follow all sorts of red herrings. Some characters breached, and I didn't see how Squeegie could have known where... The plot twist at the end felt like a cheap trick. I hate it when children .
Some humor along the way, like the car wash scene. I also had to chuckle at Ceepak's lingo and behavior. Such a boy scout.
Grabenstein needs to get to the point. I began to roll my eyes at all the descriptions of things that didn't matter. Example: At the motel, when the cops run down the hall, I get to hear all about the food trays left outside the doors, and the color of the napkins on said food trays. I pay attention, thinking maybe the trays will matter to the plot --- maybe a cop will trip over one, or find a clue on one. Nope. Just useless filler. Authors should be descriptive, but not about irrelevant stuff.
Audio: Excellent narration by Jeff Woodman. However, too many harsh and loudly voiced F-bombs and religious profanity made this a poor choice for listening during car trips with family. The final chapter also made this book a very poor choice for mixed ages. Too bad.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 1, 2020
Tilt-A-Whirl by Chris Grabenstein is the first book in the John Ceepak Mystery series. Former MP John Ceepak partners with part time summer cop Danny Boyle in the quiet tourist town of Sea Haven and heads the investigation of the shooting of a real estate tycoon on the Tilt-A-Whirl at an amusement park. An entertaining mystery with great characters. It was interesting to learn about John Ceepak and his code and the way that Danny looks up to him as a bit of a superhero. An enjoyable and fun book.
July 9, 2015
I really liked this one ... a lot!
Where to begin after saying that ... I spent a few decades in the Garden State (ages 2 - 35), though have only been Down the Shore a few times for day trips; still, I've heard enough stories to know that instead of laying things on thick here, the author's portrayal was actually understated, if anything.
I'll start with the plot, where the only "fault" I really found was in believing that municipal cops would end up having any say in investigating such a high-profile crime. Once the state (and, in this case, FBI, as well) became involved, their presence would be distinctly unwelcome. Grabenstein manages to introduce a red herring, which I fell for along with Danny, which really shifted the tone considerably. All in all, the plot worked fine for me.
So, let's talk about Ceepak. He really did turn out almost Holmes-like in his attention to detail. Yes, he is a bit Dudley-Do-Right, but rather than seeming goody-goody, it's just who he is. His Springsteen obsession made him appear a bit Asperger-ish, although analyzing the personality of a fictional character only goes so far. Sufficed to say, he turns out to be a "totally awesome" character. The final scene would be incredibly corny in any other situation, but because it's Ceepak, I found myself making a thumbs up gesture.
Perhaps Grabenstein decided that Watson-describing-Holmes worked so well that he'ddo that, too. Or. maybe he tried writing a Ceepak point-of-view story, realizing that was just too ... awkward (difficult). In any event, this is really Danny's story. He grows from a "kid" with a summer job (he seemed a bit younger than 24 to me), taking a seasonal job involving parking tickets, and other minor offenses, to someone who goes through a lot (it is a murder case after all), and learns more about where he'd like to go (no spoiler really that he's actually a pretty good potential cop himself). In other words, the draw of this as a series is seeing Danny's point-of-view as he gains experience.
And, part of the draw is Jeff Woodman's narration. He's one of the three best narrator-material fits I've run across in eons of audio listening. (For the record, the others are George Guidall reading Hillerman's Jim Chee series and the late Frank Mueller reading the novel Motherless Brooklyn).
Now, someone stop me before I rant again!
Where to begin after saying that ... I spent a few decades in the Garden State (ages 2 - 35), though have only been Down the Shore a few times for day trips; still, I've heard enough stories to know that instead of laying things on thick here, the author's portrayal was actually understated, if anything.
I'll start with the plot, where the only "fault" I really found was in believing that municipal cops would end up having any say in investigating such a high-profile crime. Once the state (and, in this case, FBI, as well) became involved, their presence would be distinctly unwelcome. Grabenstein manages to introduce a red herring, which I fell for along with Danny, which really shifted the tone considerably. All in all, the plot worked fine for me.
So, let's talk about Ceepak. He really did turn out almost Holmes-like in his attention to detail. Yes, he is a bit Dudley-Do-Right, but rather than seeming goody-goody, it's just who he is. His Springsteen obsession made him appear a bit Asperger-ish, although analyzing the personality of a fictional character only goes so far. Sufficed to say, he turns out to be a "totally awesome" character. The final scene would be incredibly corny in any other situation, but because it's Ceepak, I found myself making a thumbs up gesture.
Perhaps Grabenstein decided that Watson-describing-Holmes worked so well that he'ddo that, too. Or. maybe he tried writing a Ceepak point-of-view story, realizing that was just too ... awkward (difficult). In any event, this is really Danny's story. He grows from a "kid" with a summer job (he seemed a bit younger than 24 to me), taking a seasonal job involving parking tickets, and other minor offenses, to someone who goes through a lot (it is a murder case after all), and learns more about where he'd like to go (no spoiler really that he's actually a pretty good potential cop himself). In other words, the draw of this as a series is seeing Danny's point-of-view as he gains experience.
And, part of the draw is Jeff Woodman's narration. He's one of the three best narrator-material fits I've run across in eons of audio listening. (For the record, the others are George Guidall reading Hillerman's Jim Chee series and the late Frank Mueller reading the novel Motherless Brooklyn).
Now, someone stop me before I rant again!
May 4, 2018
3.5 stars (maybe 3.75)
Reading this book was like being on a Tilt-a-Whirl. You're excited to start, have high hopes, it's fun, and then boring, and then after too many rotations you think you'll puke... and you get off swearing you'll never go on the ride again (but in a few years you'll forget and try again)
I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it... It's the "middle of the road" kind of book I'd usually (blissfully) forget but I don't think this one will be forgotten because there are too many memorable elements.
I grew up always wanting to go to the "Jersey Shore" or Myrtle Beach---any one of the many hokey beach "amusement" towns that many families flock to, but we could never afford it. This book took me there and I was able to dig into all the cheese and the cast of characters the year-round folks are.
I also have a backhanded compliment: the "bad writing" (a lot of telling instead of showing) was packaged up in interesting ways here, often with amusement or something "cute" scene which made it easier to swallow.
The pace and action is rolling (not steady or fully page-turning). There are also an insane amount of "twists" and surprises. Some that were clever, some surprising, and some that felt awkward, as if the author was trying to meet a quota or force it to keep the story going. (Strangely this book felt too long and dragged out even though it isn't all that long).
I'm not sure how to recommend this book. The right reader would be someone who likes somewhat fluffy beach reads (but this isn't a beach read, there's no romance), someone who likes detective books that aren't too procedural and involve a "dective" but the narrator is a lay person... who also likes "bro" and "buddy" stories (big brother/cop-and-sidekick... but not quite "batman and robin"), who likes a lot of twists and mysteries...but is also okay if it goes to really dark places... and is open to a huge list of characters (like Crazy Rich Asians, sometimes I felt like I needed a seating chart and family tree) OH! and presumably likes "Jersey Shore" type settings with those tired cliches and characters. It's a tall order but I'm sure someone out there fits it and will think this book is grand.
Reading this book was like being on a Tilt-a-Whirl. You're excited to start, have high hopes, it's fun, and then boring, and then after too many rotations you think you'll puke... and you get off swearing you'll never go on the ride again (but in a few years you'll forget and try again)
I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it... It's the "middle of the road" kind of book I'd usually (blissfully) forget but I don't think this one will be forgotten because there are too many memorable elements.
I grew up always wanting to go to the "Jersey Shore" or Myrtle Beach---any one of the many hokey beach "amusement" towns that many families flock to, but we could never afford it. This book took me there and I was able to dig into all the cheese and the cast of characters the year-round folks are.
I also have a backhanded compliment: the "bad writing" (a lot of telling instead of showing) was packaged up in interesting ways here, often with amusement or something "cute" scene which made it easier to swallow.
The pace and action is rolling (not steady or fully page-turning). There are also an insane amount of "twists" and surprises. Some that were clever, some surprising, and some that felt awkward, as if the author was trying to meet a quota or force it to keep the story going. (Strangely this book felt too long and dragged out even though it isn't all that long).
I'm not sure how to recommend this book. The right reader would be someone who likes somewhat fluffy beach reads (but this isn't a beach read, there's no romance), someone who likes detective books that aren't too procedural and involve a "dective" but the narrator is a lay person... who also likes "bro" and "buddy" stories (big brother/cop-and-sidekick... but not quite "batman and robin"), who likes a lot of twists and mysteries...but is also okay if it goes to really dark places... and is open to a huge list of characters (like Crazy Rich Asians, sometimes I felt like I needed a seating chart and family tree) OH! and presumably likes "Jersey Shore" type settings with those tired cliches and characters. It's a tall order but I'm sure someone out there fits it and will think this book is grand.
April 5, 2020
I noted a review of this author here on goodreads, prompting me to try this police procedural series featuring America's Jersey shore. The book came out about 2001. There are a number of books featuring a former soldier turned cop who is big on protection of the innocent and following rules. He is paired with a part-time cop who is our narrator.
The plot in this one involves the murder of a wealthy man who is sitting on a tilt-o-whirl with his daughter. And then things get more complicated when the young daughter disappears.
The humour is light "American Dumb" such as can be observed in sitcoms ....not my cup of tea.
I am also disappointed in the kidnapping plot as it becomes more than twisted and ends with my nausea. I won't be reading any further in the series.
99 cents per kindle book
The plot in this one involves the murder of a wealthy man who is sitting on a tilt-o-whirl with his daughter. And then things get more complicated when the young daughter disappears.
The humour is light "American Dumb" such as can be observed in sitcoms ....not my cup of tea.
I am also disappointed in the kidnapping plot as it becomes more than twisted and ends with my nausea. I won't be reading any further in the series.
99 cents per kindle book
March 9, 2015
Nice story. I like the main characters. I got the impression I was reading a script for a TV series. That's neither bad nor good, just what I was thinking as a read it. If it was a TV series, it would be one that I would certainly watch. But it wasn't compelling enough for me to want to immediately seek out the second book of the series.
September 27, 2019
This is actually my first Chris Grabenstein book and I am glad I finally gave this one a "whirl"!
John Ceepak is the main character and protagonist for this series and I liked him pretty much right out of the gate. Ceepak is an upstanding, virtuous, extremely polite cop who has to solve a kidnapping - which meant also interacting with some not so bright, narcissistic suspects/victims. The writing for these scenes is phenomenal and the dry tone perfection. . . Reminiscent (for me) of Carl Hiaasen (Tourist Trap, Bikini girl, etc) whom I have been a fan of forever. 'Tilt-a-Whirl' brought me similar enjoyment and why I am very much looking forward to starting book #2.
So glad I finally got to this one and discovered the talented Mr. Grabenstein!
Jeff Woodman is fantastic as narrator and did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life.
John Ceepak is the main character and protagonist for this series and I liked him pretty much right out of the gate. Ceepak is an upstanding, virtuous, extremely polite cop who has to solve a kidnapping - which meant also interacting with some not so bright, narcissistic suspects/victims. The writing for these scenes is phenomenal and the dry tone perfection. . . Reminiscent (for me) of Carl Hiaasen (Tourist Trap, Bikini girl, etc) whom I have been a fan of forever. 'Tilt-a-Whirl' brought me similar enjoyment and why I am very much looking forward to starting book #2.
So glad I finally got to this one and discovered the talented Mr. Grabenstein!
Jeff Woodman is fantastic as narrator and did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life.
March 8, 2014
A fun story with a good mystery that kept me changing my suspicions and suspects throughout. Ceepack is a retired MP turned small seaside town policeman who has a very strict code of right and wrong coupled with an extremely mellow personality. Ceepack and his summer apprentice must get to the bottom of an ever changing murder investigation that has too many odd suspects. A fun and light read that was good from the very start. This is the first in a series that I will definitely be revisiting.
Jeff Woodman did an excellent job narrating, his voices were distinct and very believable. Surprisingly good combination of a well written story and artful narration.
Jeff Woodman did an excellent job narrating, his voices were distinct and very believable. Surprisingly good combination of a well written story and artful narration.
April 7, 2023
All the fun of the fair…
Young cop Danny Boyle and his partner John Ceepak are having an early breakfast in one of the many eating places in Sea Haven, a small seaside resort town, before going on duty. Suddenly a young girl comes running along the street, covered in blood. She tells them her father has been shot in one of the many funfairs in the resort, while sitting on the ride known as the Tilt-a-Whirl. When they get there, the man is dead, riddled with bullets. It turns out he’s a prominent citizen – billionaire real estate tycoon, Reginald Hart. His daughter, twelve-year-old Ashley, saw the shooter and is able to give a good description, and suspicion soon settles on a local drug addict and leftover from the hippie era, known as Squeegie because he sometimes works in a car wash. But before they can find him, Ashley disappears…
This is the first in a long-running series about Danny, Ceepak and the town of Sea Haven. I’d read one of the later books a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, so decided to go back to the beginning. With only a couple of small reservations, I loved it! So let’s get those out of the way first. There’s way too much use of the f-word, especially for a book that is essentially a cosy in style. And the story takes a very dark turn which again I felt was out of tune with the overall style.
However, there’s so much to love that I was easily able to overlook these things. The story is told by Danny, a young man who has taken a job as a summer cop to boost the police presence in the town during the tourist season. He’s a lot of fun – innocent and maybe a little naive, but intelligent and good natured, and with a sense of humour. He’s developing something of a hero-worship for his partner, Ceepak, who lives by a strict moral code of his own devising. Ceepak has been through some harrowing experiences in his life which we learn about in this first book, so it was worth going back to the beginning for that. It explains why Ceepak has set himself such high standards, and also why Danny grows to admire him so much. But he’s not so perfect that he’s unlikeable – he makes mistakes sometimes, and he occasionally mocks himself, so as he would say, it’s all good.
Sea Haven is a great setting. A ‘sunny, funderful’ place, as the advertising goes, tourism is its main business and it does it well. It reminded me of the town in Jaws, especially when the mayor tries to assure the tourists that a vicious killing and a child abduction shouldn’t put them off having a good time and spending money! Danny’s a native so he knows the town and most of the regular inhabitants inside out, which makes him very useful as a partner to the incomer, Ceepak.
The plot is very well done, though as I said it descends a little too far into darkness as it goes along. But Grabenstein misled me nicely, sent me off after red herrings, made me think at least twice I’d got it all worked out, and still managed to surprise me in the end. From about halfway through I was so hooked I found it quite difficult to pause and go do other things – the sign of a successful mystery!
The writing is very good – the style is light and Danny has a distinctively youthful voice, and makes a fun Watson for the more experienced Ceepak who does all the smart detection. The secondary characters are all given real personalities, some humorous, like the ageing hippy woman, some a little caricatured, like the mayor and the police chief, a couple of sultry temptresses, or at least they seem so to impressionable young Danny. The characterisation is enhanced by the truly great narration, by Jeff Woodman, who apparently has deservedly won numerous awards for his audiobooks. I’m delighted to see he’s the regular narrator for this series and I certainly won’t wait as long next time before grabbing another. Thoroughly enjoyable!
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
Young cop Danny Boyle and his partner John Ceepak are having an early breakfast in one of the many eating places in Sea Haven, a small seaside resort town, before going on duty. Suddenly a young girl comes running along the street, covered in blood. She tells them her father has been shot in one of the many funfairs in the resort, while sitting on the ride known as the Tilt-a-Whirl. When they get there, the man is dead, riddled with bullets. It turns out he’s a prominent citizen – billionaire real estate tycoon, Reginald Hart. His daughter, twelve-year-old Ashley, saw the shooter and is able to give a good description, and suspicion soon settles on a local drug addict and leftover from the hippie era, known as Squeegie because he sometimes works in a car wash. But before they can find him, Ashley disappears…
This is the first in a long-running series about Danny, Ceepak and the town of Sea Haven. I’d read one of the later books a few years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, so decided to go back to the beginning. With only a couple of small reservations, I loved it! So let’s get those out of the way first. There’s way too much use of the f-word, especially for a book that is essentially a cosy in style. And the story takes a very dark turn which again I felt was out of tune with the overall style.
However, there’s so much to love that I was easily able to overlook these things. The story is told by Danny, a young man who has taken a job as a summer cop to boost the police presence in the town during the tourist season. He’s a lot of fun – innocent and maybe a little naive, but intelligent and good natured, and with a sense of humour. He’s developing something of a hero-worship for his partner, Ceepak, who lives by a strict moral code of his own devising. Ceepak has been through some harrowing experiences in his life which we learn about in this first book, so it was worth going back to the beginning for that. It explains why Ceepak has set himself such high standards, and also why Danny grows to admire him so much. But he’s not so perfect that he’s unlikeable – he makes mistakes sometimes, and he occasionally mocks himself, so as he would say, it’s all good.
Sea Haven is a great setting. A ‘sunny, funderful’ place, as the advertising goes, tourism is its main business and it does it well. It reminded me of the town in Jaws, especially when the mayor tries to assure the tourists that a vicious killing and a child abduction shouldn’t put them off having a good time and spending money! Danny’s a native so he knows the town and most of the regular inhabitants inside out, which makes him very useful as a partner to the incomer, Ceepak.
The plot is very well done, though as I said it descends a little too far into darkness as it goes along. But Grabenstein misled me nicely, sent me off after red herrings, made me think at least twice I’d got it all worked out, and still managed to surprise me in the end. From about halfway through I was so hooked I found it quite difficult to pause and go do other things – the sign of a successful mystery!
The writing is very good – the style is light and Danny has a distinctively youthful voice, and makes a fun Watson for the more experienced Ceepak who does all the smart detection. The secondary characters are all given real personalities, some humorous, like the ageing hippy woman, some a little caricatured, like the mayor and the police chief, a couple of sultry temptresses, or at least they seem so to impressionable young Danny. The characterisation is enhanced by the truly great narration, by Jeff Woodman, who apparently has deservedly won numerous awards for his audiobooks. I’m delighted to see he’s the regular narrator for this series and I certainly won’t wait as long next time before grabbing another. Thoroughly enjoyable!
www.fictionfanblog.wordpress.com
July 15, 2017
Thank you to WhatAStrangeDuck for the encouragement about Tilt the Whir. It was a surprisingly humorous murder mystery. I've read many mysteries and I don't think I've ever read one from this point-of-view. Ceepack is both complex and simple at the same time. Danny was my kind of guy. Heck, I kinda enjoyed each character and even though nothing is new it was overall a hoot! Since I spent many summer weekends in that kind of NJ seaside town it was even more captivating
August 10, 2017
A very good mystery with great characters and lots of surprises. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series!
September 4, 2013
John Ceepak and Danny Boyle, two Sea Haven, NJ cops, are breakfasting at the Pancake Palace, discussing a tricycle theft - the usual sort of summer crime in town - when a 12 year old girl runs up the street in a bloody dress screaming that someone killed her father, Reginald Hart. Someone emptied a 9mm clip into Hart as he sat beside his daughter on a tilt a whirl car in the Sunnyside Playland before it was open. Hart was a billionaire real estate tycoon though many called him a slumlord.
Ashley Hart describes the shooter as a local vagrant and drug user known as Squeegee because he sometimes works for tips at Cap'n Scrubby's Car Wash. But that night, when Ashley is kidnapped from her mother's gated mansion, Ceepak and Boyle realize there is a military precision to the crimes far beyond the capacity of an aging hippie who is missing too many brain cells. The puzzle twists and turns and had me guessing right up to the epilogue.
Puzzling mysteries alone are not that rare. The best detective stories also have settings that fascinate and sleuths we love to hang out with: 221B Baker Street with Holmes and Watson; the Navajo reservation with Chee and Leaphorn; St. Mary Mead with Miss Marple or the Orient Express with Hercule Poirot.
I enjoy Grabenstein's Sea Haven, for I share his love of Americana - of ice cream shops called "Do Me A Flavor," or the "Scoop Sloop," in a town "best pictured on one of those perky placemat maps dotted with squiggly cartoons of buildings like The Shore Store, Santa's Sea Shanty, and King Putt Golf."
His detectives are a study in contrasts and yet a complimentary pair. Danny Boyle, the narrator, grew up in Sea Haven. He's a part time summer cop, in large measure because it gives him an edge with vacationing college girls in the pubs on Saturday night. John Ceepak is new in town, fresh from a 12 year stint as an MP in the army that ended after a tour of Iraq. The son of an abusive alcoholic father, Ceepak lives by "a Code" that his partner, Boyle admires but doesn't fully understand: serve and protect; never lie, cheat, or steal - ever.
The two men are bound together by a growing mutual admiration and a love of Bruce Springsteen. By the end of the Hart affair, Danny Boyle decides to apply for full time duty.
Tilt A Whirl reminded me of a couple of chick-lit detective novels I've read. I think that's due to the humor and irony of Boyle's first person narration. His upbeat, "lemme tell you what happened" tone makes you want to buy him a beer at The Sand Bar and hear all about his latest case. A lot of Danny's humor is couched in food references, as when he describes a witness as "a few fries short of a Happy Meal," or when, after a break in the case, he says, "I'm feeling kind of jazzed, like you do after chugging two cans of Red Bull and snarfing down some Hostess Ding-Dongs." I think that's what the male equivalent of chick-lit would sound like.
Danny Boyle has a thoughtful edge as pronounced as his irreverence. In a key thematic passage, he quotes a math teacher who once explained Chaos Theory in terms of a tilt a whirl: "if the operator keeps the whole thing going at the proper speed of 6.5 revolutions per minute, it's practically impossible to predict what will happen next...The teacher called it 'mind-jangling unpredictability.' Chaos Theory in action,' for two tickets a ride."
Tilt A Whirl was a page-turning mystery that was also a lot of fun. I downloaded the next book in the series, Mad Mouse, also published in 2006. Stay tuned for an update on that.
Ashley Hart describes the shooter as a local vagrant and drug user known as Squeegee because he sometimes works for tips at Cap'n Scrubby's Car Wash. But that night, when Ashley is kidnapped from her mother's gated mansion, Ceepak and Boyle realize there is a military precision to the crimes far beyond the capacity of an aging hippie who is missing too many brain cells. The puzzle twists and turns and had me guessing right up to the epilogue.
Puzzling mysteries alone are not that rare. The best detective stories also have settings that fascinate and sleuths we love to hang out with: 221B Baker Street with Holmes and Watson; the Navajo reservation with Chee and Leaphorn; St. Mary Mead with Miss Marple or the Orient Express with Hercule Poirot.
I enjoy Grabenstein's Sea Haven, for I share his love of Americana - of ice cream shops called "Do Me A Flavor," or the "Scoop Sloop," in a town "best pictured on one of those perky placemat maps dotted with squiggly cartoons of buildings like The Shore Store, Santa's Sea Shanty, and King Putt Golf."
His detectives are a study in contrasts and yet a complimentary pair. Danny Boyle, the narrator, grew up in Sea Haven. He's a part time summer cop, in large measure because it gives him an edge with vacationing college girls in the pubs on Saturday night. John Ceepak is new in town, fresh from a 12 year stint as an MP in the army that ended after a tour of Iraq. The son of an abusive alcoholic father, Ceepak lives by "a Code" that his partner, Boyle admires but doesn't fully understand: serve and protect; never lie, cheat, or steal - ever.
The two men are bound together by a growing mutual admiration and a love of Bruce Springsteen. By the end of the Hart affair, Danny Boyle decides to apply for full time duty.
Tilt A Whirl reminded me of a couple of chick-lit detective novels I've read. I think that's due to the humor and irony of Boyle's first person narration. His upbeat, "lemme tell you what happened" tone makes you want to buy him a beer at The Sand Bar and hear all about his latest case. A lot of Danny's humor is couched in food references, as when he describes a witness as "a few fries short of a Happy Meal," or when, after a break in the case, he says, "I'm feeling kind of jazzed, like you do after chugging two cans of Red Bull and snarfing down some Hostess Ding-Dongs." I think that's what the male equivalent of chick-lit would sound like.
Danny Boyle has a thoughtful edge as pronounced as his irreverence. In a key thematic passage, he quotes a math teacher who once explained Chaos Theory in terms of a tilt a whirl: "if the operator keeps the whole thing going at the proper speed of 6.5 revolutions per minute, it's practically impossible to predict what will happen next...The teacher called it 'mind-jangling unpredictability.' Chaos Theory in action,' for two tickets a ride."
Tilt A Whirl was a page-turning mystery that was also a lot of fun. I downloaded the next book in the series, Mad Mouse, also published in 2006. Stay tuned for an update on that.
July 16, 2010
How to describe it? It's amusing, but it's more. It's not just "fun." There is suffering and grief in this book - which kind of surprised me after reading the wit from the very likable Danny's narration. There is fear and betrayal. Which helps the reader to better appreciate the fun, the hope, the courage of both part-time cop Danny and "Boy Scout" Ceepak. Ceepak seems to be Danny's mentor, yet he has a way of making Danny feel he's a valid contributor to the case they're working on; they make a great team. Ceepak leans on Danny for transportation, and information - including his hunches, clues he's found, locations of various places, and translations of a teenager's "gansta" language. Danny leans on Ceepak to learn why "The Code" is a good thing to learn, to believe in and to live by. It's refreshing to see, even if it's just fiction, someone who values the truth and who means it when he says, "I give you my word..."
There's more to this book than the solving of a crime; the mystery was OK, but the best part of it for me was the relationship between Danny and Ceepak. I felt that this book was original; it didn't feel as if it was lazily written, it was fast-paced but didn't lose me on any amusement-park rides, and it kept my attention throughout until the end. Definitely an author I will follow.
There's more to this book than the solving of a crime; the mystery was OK, but the best part of it for me was the relationship between Danny and Ceepak. I felt that this book was original; it didn't feel as if it was lazily written, it was fast-paced but didn't lose me on any amusement-park rides, and it kept my attention throughout until the end. Definitely an author I will follow.
March 24, 2016
First ... thank you to Mark Baker for letting me know about this mystery series from a recently discovered author (see the fabulous Mr. Lemoncello Library series).
More importantly, I've found a new mystery series to delve into this spring! I couldn't be more excited as I think I've got a crush on John Ceepak, the former military man now cop/detective. The story is told by his partner, Danny Boyle, and we are immediately introduced to the mystery of the murder of a millionaire right in front of his own daughter. Besides good detective work, the book lets you know the importance of sound forensic science. You can't help but think Holmes-Watson, but it's not quite like that relationship to me. We're getting to know Ceepak and Boyle along with some other local characters.
As for me, I can't wait to read more.
More importantly, I've found a new mystery series to delve into this spring! I couldn't be more excited as I think I've got a crush on John Ceepak, the former military man now cop/detective. The story is told by his partner, Danny Boyle, and we are immediately introduced to the mystery of the murder of a millionaire right in front of his own daughter. Besides good detective work, the book lets you know the importance of sound forensic science. You can't help but think Holmes-Watson, but it's not quite like that relationship to me. We're getting to know Ceepak and Boyle along with some other local characters.
As for me, I can't wait to read more.
August 3, 2013
Stumbled on this little gem of a series thanks to NPR Books. Found the first 3 in the series on sale for 99 cents in the Kindle store and am already on #3 (Whack-a-Mole) thanks to good writing, tight plotting, twists in just the right places & two very likable & complex main characters. The setting, the fictional New Jersey shore town Sea Haven, is perfectly described- so much so I could close my eyes and see the lights & smell the smells of the boardwalk. Yes, it was a touch predictable but I truly did not care. I loved it, have #4 & 5 in line already! Perfect summer read!
June 25, 2017
So this book won an award for "Best First Mystery"? With such two dimensional characters, and hackneyed, obvious plot, I can't imagine why.
Maybe the series gets better, but I'm wary of investing the time to find out.
Maybe the series gets better, but I'm wary of investing the time to find out.
May 5, 2015
With a solid plot, interesting characters and a few very funny passages, there's nothing not to like here. I'm also very happy to read a mystery without serial killers and pages of gore.
October 17, 2017
★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Danny Boyle grew up in Sea Haven, NJ -- a tourist trap of a town on the Jersey Shore. He likes the life -- hanging out with the friends he's had since high school, goofing around, eating and drinking more than he should. He's got a nice Summer gig -- working as a Part-Time police officer. The downside is his partner -- John Ceepak, an Iraq War vet and former MP. He's so by the book, he might as well have written it. The Sea Haven chief served with Ceepak and offered him a job when he was done with the Army. After an incident (IED-related), Ceepak can't drive anymore -- which is where Danny comes in.
It's not an ideal working relationship, but Danny can put up with Ceepak's eccentricities well enough. Until one day their pre-shift breakfast is interrupted by a girl covered in blood, standing in the middle of the street screaming. Ceepak jumps into action, and Danny tries to keep up. The girl takes them to the local amusement park, to the Tilt-a-Whirl ride, where her father lies shot dead. They'd snuck in before the place opened and had been held up by some junkie hiding near the ride. Or so she reports later. Her father owns half the real-estate in NY and NJ (or so it seems), sort of a would-be Trump, so his murder is big, big news.
Ceepak and Danny have to deal with media attention, annoying lawyers, gang members possibly trying to go straight, local politics, a Crime Scene Investigator that's more of a hindrance than a help, and Danny's inexperience if they're going to solve this murder and let Sea Haven get back to what it does best in the summer -- taking in every tourist dollar that it can.
The book is told with a light touch -- Danny's a smart-aleck and is (truthfully) too immature for his job; which is bad for the populace of Sea Haven, good for the reader/listener. But the lightness never gets in the way of the seriousness of the initial murder, and the crimes that follow.
Woodman is exactly the narrator that this book needed -- he's able to sound the right age for Danny, the right attitude, everything (apparently, he does a lot of YA Audiobook work, that makes sense to me). Until I heard Woodman, I hadn't thought what a challenge it might be to get just the right narrator for this. Thankfully, I noted that with a strong sense of relief, because man...he was so good.
The Ceepak books were one of those series I fully enjoyed, and had forgotten how much I had liked them since I (apparently) finished the series. This audiobook helped me remember how much I missed reading them. If you haven't gotten around to them, you should -- either as an audiobook or text -- Ceepak and Boyle are some of the most entertaining police officers around.
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
Danny Boyle grew up in Sea Haven, NJ -- a tourist trap of a town on the Jersey Shore. He likes the life -- hanging out with the friends he's had since high school, goofing around, eating and drinking more than he should. He's got a nice Summer gig -- working as a Part-Time police officer. The downside is his partner -- John Ceepak, an Iraq War vet and former MP. He's so by the book, he might as well have written it. The Sea Haven chief served with Ceepak and offered him a job when he was done with the Army. After an incident (IED-related), Ceepak can't drive anymore -- which is where Danny comes in.
It's not an ideal working relationship, but Danny can put up with Ceepak's eccentricities well enough. Until one day their pre-shift breakfast is interrupted by a girl covered in blood, standing in the middle of the street screaming. Ceepak jumps into action, and Danny tries to keep up. The girl takes them to the local amusement park, to the Tilt-a-Whirl ride, where her father lies shot dead. They'd snuck in before the place opened and had been held up by some junkie hiding near the ride. Or so she reports later. Her father owns half the real-estate in NY and NJ (or so it seems), sort of a would-be Trump, so his murder is big, big news.
Ceepak and Danny have to deal with media attention, annoying lawyers, gang members possibly trying to go straight, local politics, a Crime Scene Investigator that's more of a hindrance than a help, and Danny's inexperience if they're going to solve this murder and let Sea Haven get back to what it does best in the summer -- taking in every tourist dollar that it can.
The book is told with a light touch -- Danny's a smart-aleck and is (truthfully) too immature for his job; which is bad for the populace of Sea Haven, good for the reader/listener. But the lightness never gets in the way of the seriousness of the initial murder, and the crimes that follow.
Woodman is exactly the narrator that this book needed -- he's able to sound the right age for Danny, the right attitude, everything (apparently, he does a lot of YA Audiobook work, that makes sense to me). Until I heard Woodman, I hadn't thought what a challenge it might be to get just the right narrator for this. Thankfully, I noted that with a strong sense of relief, because man...he was so good.
The Ceepak books were one of those series I fully enjoyed, and had forgotten how much I had liked them since I (apparently) finished the series. This audiobook helped me remember how much I missed reading them. If you haven't gotten around to them, you should -- either as an audiobook or text -- Ceepak and Boyle are some of the most entertaining police officers around.
August 28, 2016
This series is one of those crossover genre- not completely a cop/detective category but far more entering into flip comedy/humor modern. Nearly every paragraph and at times four or five analogies or portions of reference per page are sit.com. tv laugh line supreme. And the star of the show, IMHO, was the beach town in NJ, our Sea Haven- far more than the characters of the tale.
Every joke imaginable about the beachy rhyming names, junk sold as mementos, every manner of fried food emporiums, sweat packed sand blasted walkways jammed with wood railing to wood railing people- all the alliterated and animal or sea based aphorisms titles of venues, rides, street names you name it; all of that heralds about half the copy. So Sea Haven is the star. And it did make me chuckle more than a handful of times. Because I just never, ever get the "beach" appeal. The water is the only part I even partially enjoy.
The character of John Ceepak is one of those eternal optimist people crossed with an Eagle Scout belief and action scenario. Danny, his under hired, the narrator. And much more believable, I might add. Ceepak is supposedly an Iraq veteran of dire memory. This I found impossible to believe to the level that Ceepak is depicted for "role model" with the kids, for instance. But all is possible in this fiction world, of course.
The outcome of the reveal shocked. I never saw it coming. I suppose it is not impossible, not at all.
But it sure was a twist, if you like twists- you will get that here.
I enjoyed Sea Haven toes both encrusted with sand or shod in some suspicious Timberland boots, much more than the characters or plot. The characters have potential. But I doubt I would continue with this series as there are too many cutesy hee-haws a page for me in this style of writing.
Every joke imaginable about the beachy rhyming names, junk sold as mementos, every manner of fried food emporiums, sweat packed sand blasted walkways jammed with wood railing to wood railing people- all the alliterated and animal or sea based aphorisms titles of venues, rides, street names you name it; all of that heralds about half the copy. So Sea Haven is the star. And it did make me chuckle more than a handful of times. Because I just never, ever get the "beach" appeal. The water is the only part I even partially enjoy.
The character of John Ceepak is one of those eternal optimist people crossed with an Eagle Scout belief and action scenario. Danny, his under hired, the narrator. And much more believable, I might add. Ceepak is supposedly an Iraq veteran of dire memory. This I found impossible to believe to the level that Ceepak is depicted for "role model" with the kids, for instance. But all is possible in this fiction world, of course.
The outcome of the reveal shocked. I never saw it coming. I suppose it is not impossible, not at all.
But it sure was a twist, if you like twists- you will get that here.
I enjoyed Sea Haven toes both encrusted with sand or shod in some suspicious Timberland boots, much more than the characters or plot. The characters have potential. But I doubt I would continue with this series as there are too many cutesy hee-haws a page for me in this style of writing.
July 15, 2024
This has been on my to-read list for eons and I don't remember where I came across it.
What makes me mad is that it took so long, and I'm glad I didn't give up on it. The early part is pretty light-hearted and almost silly, but then at the end...wow, ick, yay. I will have to find the next book in the series now.
What makes me mad is that it took so long, and I'm glad I didn't give up on it. The early part is pretty light-hearted and almost silly, but then at the end...wow, ick, yay. I will have to find the next book in the series now.
May 4, 2009
Finally a detective/mystery series that does not involve cats or grandma's in sweaters who make fruit muffins. An engaging, gritty page turner that twisted and turned as much as a tilt a whirl. And the main cop, John Ceepak, it's crazy but I am getting the hots for a fictional character.
August 14, 2016
Great start to a new series for me. John and Danny make a great pair. I also loved the narration of the audio book. 4 stars and will be continuing the series.
November 20, 2021
a "sleeper" series that is absolutely wonderful -- highly recommend.
December 7, 2019
So glad to have finally gotten to this one. I bought it years ago on an e-book sale along with the next two in the series. Definitely will read more of the series. I had read several good reviews in Publishers' Weekly, etc and can see that they didn't mislead me!
The story is told in first person by Danny Boyle, part-time officer with the Sea Haven police department on an island off New Jersey. He works during the busy, touristy, summer months. He is basically a chauffeur for John Ceepak (the series is named for him) a full-time officer who has a Code. Danny is a twenty-something who hasn't chosen his career path yet. He is very knowledgeable about Sea Haven which helps Ceepak a great deal as he is a new comer. Ceepak doesn't drive for some reason that goes back to his years in Afghanistan, that's why Danny is hired for this job.
There is a murder in Sea Haven; John and Danny are on the case. The book is a good one, just enough humor, mostly from Danny with John as his foil, being a real Dudley Dooright (but in sunny Sea Haven rather the cold Yukon). I love the names of the shops in Sea Haven that Danny always lists, he gets a charge out of them. Places like the ice cream shops "Do Me A Flavor" and "Scoop Sloop". There's the Pancake Palace, Santa's Sea Shanty, and King Putt Golf. This murder takes place at the Sunnyside Playland at the "Turtle-Twirl Tilt-A-Whirl"
Humor aside, this is a good murder mystery and a story that kept my attention. I was alway sorry to put it down and happy to find the time to pick it back up.
The story is told in first person by Danny Boyle, part-time officer with the Sea Haven police department on an island off New Jersey. He works during the busy, touristy, summer months. He is basically a chauffeur for John Ceepak (the series is named for him) a full-time officer who has a Code. Danny is a twenty-something who hasn't chosen his career path yet. He is very knowledgeable about Sea Haven which helps Ceepak a great deal as he is a new comer. Ceepak doesn't drive for some reason that goes back to his years in Afghanistan, that's why Danny is hired for this job.
There is a murder in Sea Haven; John and Danny are on the case. The book is a good one, just enough humor, mostly from Danny with John as his foil, being a real Dudley Dooright (but in sunny Sea Haven rather the cold Yukon). I love the names of the shops in Sea Haven that Danny always lists, he gets a charge out of them. Places like the ice cream shops "Do Me A Flavor" and "Scoop Sloop". There's the Pancake Palace, Santa's Sea Shanty, and King Putt Golf. This murder takes place at the Sunnyside Playland at the "Turtle-Twirl Tilt-A-Whirl"
Humor aside, this is a good murder mystery and a story that kept my attention. I was alway sorry to put it down and happy to find the time to pick it back up.
March 26, 2019
Tilt-a-Whirl is the first book in Chris Grabenstein's series featuring John Ceepak. Originally published in 2005 by Carroll & Graf, it's 330 pages and available in all formats, including a masterful audiobook version narrated by Jeff Woodman.
This is a first person PoV story 'narrated' by Ceepak's sidekick, part time summertime police officer Danny Boyle.The books are set in a fictionalized part of the Jersey Shore and are full of tourists and anecdotes and some murder and arson.
Though the author is more well known for his children's and YA stories, this is distinctly adult material. The language is rough in places and some of the themes and the denouement are pretty brutal.
I enjoyed this installment very much and have already bought the second book in the series.
Four stars.
This is a first person PoV story 'narrated' by Ceepak's sidekick, part time summertime police officer Danny Boyle.The books are set in a fictionalized part of the Jersey Shore and are full of tourists and anecdotes and some murder and arson.
Though the author is more well known for his children's and YA stories, this is distinctly adult material. The language is rough in places and some of the themes and the denouement are pretty brutal.
I enjoyed this installment very much and have already bought the second book in the series.
Four stars.
August 8, 2018
Although the mystery at the center of this novel isn't anything super unique, the book's got an upbeat, beach-y vibe and some peppy, clever prose that sets it apart. Danny Boyle is a self-deprecating Everyman whose observations of John Ceepak really make our hero come alive. Despite the novel's frequent humor, the plot's got some dark and disturbing aspects to it. Overall, though, I enjoyed this one and will definitely be reading the next book in the series.
August 4, 2017
Great book! Engaging from the very first paragraph. I am totally addicted to to the whole series. I am on number 3 right now and it is equally as good (as was number 2). Huge fan. Funny, with cool plot twists and the relationship between Danny and Ceepak is so great.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 407 reviews