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4.0 out of 5 stars
National Toasted Marshmallow Day turns nasty, 9 April 2009
This review is from: Mad Mouse (Hardcover)
First Sentence: August 30th is National Toasted Marshmallow Day, so, naturally, we're celebrating.
It's the end of summer in Sea Haven, New Jersey. Auxiliary policeman Danny Boyle and his friends are celebrating National Toasted Marshmallow Day with a bonfire and music on the beach. The celebration comes to an abrupt end when they are shot with paintballs.
The town has big plans for Labor Day weekend and wants the investigation kept quiet. A second shooting occurs and it's clear not all the rounds are paintballs. Danny is put on the case along with his mentor and partner, ex-soldier and former MP, John Ceepak.
Welcome to the Jersey shore. This was an area in which I spent many a summer weekend growing up. The location is great fun for me, and so wonderfully conveyed. Grabenstein makes life in a Shore town, both off- and in-season, come alive. It definitely brings back memories.
The story was very well plotted; even more so, I think, than was the first book. I may have figured out one step along the way, but not the motive.
John Ceepak could be an annoying character, mainly because his Code and mannerisms are mentioned so often it becomes tiresome. He is saved from so being by Danny Boyle, a young man who wants to become a full-time policeman, who provides us with pieces of John's background which helps us understand John's personality. Although Danny sometimes seems younger than his character's age, the relationship between the two characters works very well.
John is Danny's role model, mentor and friend. I'm going to be interested in seeing how their relationship grows and changes with Danny's new role.
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0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Past Comes Back to Haunt Danny, 24 Sep 2006
This review is from: Mad Mouse (Hardcover)
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.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Past Comes Back to Haunt Danny, 24 Sep 2006
By Mark Baker - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Mad Mouse (Hardcover)
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.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Round 2 of murder, mayhem and mirth on Mad Mouse, 5 Aug 2006
By Susan "loverofbooks" - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Mad Mouse (Hardcover)
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
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
WITTY, CLEVER AND ZANY, 27 Oct 2006
By jeanne-scott - Published on Amazon.com
This review is from: Mad Mouse (Hardcover)
In the beach town of Sea Haven, the town council is getting ready for the big Labor Day celebration, a guaranteed money maker for the town. They want everything to go smoothly and all the summer visitors to have the time of their life. Nothing can mess this up..........or can it?
When a paintball incident appears to cause a disturbing injury to Danny Boyle's friend during a beach outing, the town fathers want the incident hushed up. When it is discovered that not only paintballs were being fired, but bullets too, the demand to clear it all up and take care of any loose ends is made perfectly clear.
Unfortunately, this does not seem to be possible as repeat incidents occur.
Our heroes enter the picture, John Ceepak, an Iraq war vet who lives by a strict code of honor and Danny Boyle, a care-free guy who lives by the seat of his pants, are partnered in the police force and delve into the case looking for answers, but all they seem to get are more questions. Suddenly it seems that maybe Danny and his friends are in the crosshairs of some deranged individual but the motive for the attacks remains elusive, as does the shooter.
The story is a wild ride, fast paced with unexpected twists and turns that are put together with a deft hand!! Chris Grabenstein is a truly skilled author, creating dialogue that is both clever and sidesplittingly funny!! His characters are witty and entertaining. His story line is unexpected and captivating!!! His cast of characters, while witty and clever, range the gamut from serious cop, care-free kid, mail order brides,goth kids, beach bums to stereotypical town fathers and wealthy overbearing parents. Chris Grabenstein raises the bar to a new standard with Mad Mouse!!
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