Mad Mouse: A John Ceepak Mystery

by Chris Grabenstein

Book Overview

It's almost Labor Day, and the end of summer could mean the end of someone's life in this exciting sequel to Chris Grabenstein's Tilt-a-Whirl. Young Danny Boyle, the part-time summer cop "down the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0786717602
• ISBN13: 9780786717606
• Release Date: April 2006
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf Publishers
• Length: 322 Pages
• Weight: 1.38 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.1" x 6.8" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Ceepak #2

Danny & John are on patrol for Labor Day weekend on the shore. Thousands of people for a BBQ, concert, & beach bash are on deck for a sniper who's targeting Danny & his friends. Pitted against a cunning adversary, the two of them search for clues to the sniper's identity and why the person is after Danny. Ceepak's strong moral code (He will not lie, cheat, or steal) has him butting heads with the town council who wants everything on the down low. A murder, near miss, & targets on their back prompts for a rollicking ride & great mystery of who is it down to the last chapter

The Past Comes Back to Haunt Danny

Summer Cop Danny Boyle and his friends have made a tradition of celebrating National Toasted Marshmallow Day. For the last ten years, they have gotten together every year on a beach in their town of Sea Haven, New Jersey to toast marshmallows, drink beer, and hang out. This year, things turn serious when someone tags them with paintballs. One of the paintballs hits Becca's eye, turning a yearly tradition into a serious night. Sea Haven is planning a huge bash for Labor Day. Naturally, this incident doesn't sit well with everyone in the business community whose survival during the next nine months rests on the huge business they expect this one weekend of the summer. Danny and his partner, John Ceepak, are assigned the case; with the implication that Danny's application to be a full time cop is riding on a quick solution. They think they are on the right track when another attack happens. Again, Danny and a friend are the target. Only this time, the paintballs are followed by a bullet. I'm not normally a thriller fan, but I just couldn't pass up the setting of a resort town. I loved the first one, and enjoyed this one even more. The plot starts quickly. It seems to be moving along fine, but when the second attack comes, things pick up into high gear and the pace never slows down. Since Danny is our narrator, this gives us more of a stake in the outcome, and I must admit to cheating ahead to see who lived until the end. The only real drawback to the story involves Ceepak. Ceepak lives by a code. Actually, I like his code and respect the character because of it. However, it is mentioned so often I got tired of hearing about it. A few mentions to establish the character were fine, but it should have been dropped by the second half of the story. Still, this is a minor complaint in an otherwise outstanding story. Give yourself plenty of time to read it because you will be hooked.

Round 2 of murder, mayhem and mirth on Mad Mouse

Simply put: Mad Mouse did not disappoint!!! I can only add to all the other reviews in my gushing praise of the second installment of John Ceepak and Danny Boyle's adventures at the Jersey Shore!! To the author (who I can't seem to reach by email)--cannot wait for the further adventures of the two above characters and am also looking forward to Slay Ride, your next serial....Thank you, thank you and again---keep up with the terrific writing, plot lines and most of all the giggles that just keep happening!!! Susan

Another great ride down the Jersey Shore

I really enjoyed reading Tilt-a-Whirl and looked forward to reading more with Ceepak & Boyle. Mad Mouse doesn't disappoint. The story moves at a fast pace and although it keeps you in suspense, Danny's humor keeps it as refreshing as a cool breeze on a hot summer's day.

Mad Mouse is a GREAT beach read

It's like spending a weekend with old friends (Danny and Ceepak). Fast paced, always keeps you guessing, there is a least one more twist than expected. It's a GREAT beach read. Don't wait to buy it.

Hard to top Tilt-A-Whirl

Sophomore efforts don't always succeed, and Grabenstein's debut novel, Tilt-A-Whirl, was so original. But, he manages to bring back John Ceepak and Danny Boyle in a story that develops their characters, and makes the readers care even more about the two New Jersey cops. It's the end of the summer that started with the events in Tilt-A-Whirl, and part-time cop Danny is celebrating with his friends on the beach. Their National Toasted Marshmallow Day party is violently disrupted when someone attacks them with paintballs. They think it's bad enough that a girl's eye was injured, but it could have been worse. When Ceepak shows up, he discovers a bullet. It seems that Danny and his friends may be targets for more than a paintball competition. Danny shows signs of maturity as he helps Ceepak dig into his own past, and tries to become a full-time cop. The town's annual Labor Day celebration hinges on the crime's solution, as does Danny's promotion. Most of all, Danny's life, and that of his friends may hinge on the solution. Mad Mouse is as fast-paced as the amusement ride it's based on, with twists and turns to the story. Ceepak and Danny are characters revealing more of themselves to the reader, and they're attractive, interesting characters.