- Paperback: 321 pages
- Publisher: Carroll & Graf Publishers Inc; New edition edition (24 April 2006)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0786717815
- ISBN-13: 978-0786717811
- Product Dimensions: 20.8 x 13.7 x 2.5 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,229,425 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
Tilt-a-Whirl (The John Ceepak Mysteries)
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Product Description
Product Description
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 R&R 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 by night. In the first novel in a new series written in the spirit of Carl Hiassen's work, the "Tilt-A-Whirl" murder pushes Ceepak's deep sense of honour and integrity to the limits as unexpected twists and turns keep the truth spinning wildly in every direction.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Format:Hardcover
In Tilt-a-Whirl Grabenstein creates an authentic feeling seasonal seaside town with its tourist shops, local haunts, and ragbag collection of characters ranging from homeless bums to entrepreneurial mayor. The characterization is generally good, if a little clichéd, and the writing engaging and lightly amusing, with a good pace. The telling is kind of a mix between a cosy and a police procedural, told through the first person narrative of twenty four year old, rookie part-time cop, Danny Boyle. Where I felt the story was a little stretched was in relation to the plotting. It had its twists and turns, and it tugged the reader along, but it felt a bit lightweight in places due, I think, to the levity in Grabenstein's writing. Also, for some reason I sensed very early on who the killer was, and the ending felt kind of clunky and not fully worked through. Overall, I enjoyed Boyle and Ceepak's first outing, and feel that Grabenstein is onto a good thing with these characters and the setting of Sea Haven.
Format:Hardcover
Sea Haven, New Jersey, is just as wonderful as it sounds. Located on a small island just off the coast, it is a popular vacation destination with a huge summer population of tourists. In an attempt to help with the summer crowds, the local police hire a bunch of summer cops.
This summer, one of them is Danny Boyle. 24 years old, he's still trying to decide what he wants to be when he grows up. He's partnered with John Ceepak, a retired military policeman who has just gotten back from Iraq.
The partners are just starting their shift when a girl comes running down the street covered in blood. She says her dad was shot on the tilt-a-whirl in the local amusement park. Her father turns out to be billionaire Reginald Hart. Boyle is in over his head, but Ceepak is right in his element. With only the girl as witness, they begin to work hard to find the killer.
Things only get more complicated that night when the girl is kidnapped. The normal July crowds are dropping fast for fear of the maniac on the island. Ceepak takes the case personally and follows every lead to track down the missing girl. Will he be in time?
Every so often, I like to branch out of my cozy sub-genre and experiment with a little darker book. This was one such experimentation, and I enjoyed it. The plot in the first half is fairly straight forward, but the second half begins to take as many twists and turns as the title ride. I found myself working hard to keep up and loving every minute of it. There is one fairly major plot point that wasn't explained to my complete satisfaction, but the story still works.
Despite the fact that Doyle narrates the story, Ceepak is our main character. It's a classic Holmes/Watson relationship, which works to keep the audience in the dark and confused until the final pages. Ceepak is well developed with a background to explain his serious nature. Doyle is a bit more fun loving and provides some good comic relief with his narration and occasional spoken quip. Even so, he is able to provide a few puzzle pieces that ultimate help Ceepak solve the case. Doyle also grows more as a result of the story. He's not nearly as innocent at the end, but he's definitely stronger for it.
The most unique aspect of the story is the narration. It is written is present tense. I can't remember the last novel I read that was written this way. It took me several chapters to get used to this narrative style. I'm not sure why the author chose to go this route, but by the end of the novel I was used to it.
This summer, one of them is Danny Boyle. 24 years old, he's still trying to decide what he wants to be when he grows up. He's partnered with John Ceepak, a retired military policeman who has just gotten back from Iraq.
The partners are just starting their shift when a girl comes running down the street covered in blood. She says her dad was shot on the tilt-a-whirl in the local amusement park. Her father turns out to be billionaire Reginald Hart. Boyle is in over his head, but Ceepak is right in his element. With only the girl as witness, they begin to work hard to find the killer.
Things only get more complicated that night when the girl is kidnapped. The normal July crowds are dropping fast for fear of the maniac on the island. Ceepak takes the case personally and follows every lead to track down the missing girl. Will he be in time?
Every so often, I like to branch out of my cozy sub-genre and experiment with a little darker book. This was one such experimentation, and I enjoyed it. The plot in the first half is fairly straight forward, but the second half begins to take as many twists and turns as the title ride. I found myself working hard to keep up and loving every minute of it. There is one fairly major plot point that wasn't explained to my complete satisfaction, but the story still works.
Despite the fact that Doyle narrates the story, Ceepak is our main character. It's a classic Holmes/Watson relationship, which works to keep the audience in the dark and confused until the final pages. Ceepak is well developed with a background to explain his serious nature. Doyle is a bit more fun loving and provides some good comic relief with his narration and occasional spoken quip. Even so, he is able to provide a few puzzle pieces that ultimate help Ceepak solve the case. Doyle also grows more as a result of the story. He's not nearly as innocent at the end, but he's definitely stronger for it.
The most unique aspect of the story is the narration. It is written is present tense. I can't remember the last novel I read that was written this way. It took me several chapters to get used to this narrative style. I'm not sure why the author chose to go this route, but by the end of the novel I was used to it.
Format:Hardcover
Chris Grabenstein's "Tilt-a-Whirl" is set in a south Jersey resort town gone to seed, similar to the small New Jersey town where I grew up. By the end of Chapter One billionaire entrepreneur Reginald Hart is found shot dead in the Turtle-Twirl Tilt-a-Whirl at the town amusement park, belying the advertising "Sunnyside Playland Is The Most Fun Under The Sun." His twelve-year-old daughter, was present at the scene and witnessed the crime. And that's not all...but for more you have to pick up this often funny, deadly serious mystery that will keep you smiling while anxiously turning pages on the edge of your seat.
Our narrator, twenty-four year-old Danny Boyle, is a local who works as a part-time cop for the busy summer season. Busy in Sea Haven means the winter population has quintupled and too many college kids overdo it with the brewskies. Rowdiness is the biggest crime...usually. John Ceepak, a former MP, is Danny's partner and a major hero figure. The two have Bruce Springsteen in common and constantly quote lyrics from The Boss's songs to make a point and illustrate events in their daily lives.
While the narrative occasionally skirts the borderline of being cutesy, Grabenstein does a good job of entertaining and immersing the reader in the mystery and sub plots. However, he so disappointed me with the conclusion. I don't want to write anything that would spoil the story, but the ending is not only too pat, I think it diminishes the worst crime of all by tying everything up in a too tidy bundle. I actually felt offended at times. The twist in the storyline might be believable, however ultimately two or three cardboard characters, their final dialogue and behavior spoil things. I'll let the reader make up his/her own mind. Worth reading, but watch out. The last twenty pages stretch credulity.
JANA
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