Mad Mouse

John Ceepak, Book 2

By: Chris Grabenstein

Narrated by: Jeff Woodman

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 shore" in Sea Haven, New Jersey, gets taken on a wild ride when he and his longtime beach buddies become the unwitting targets of a madman's twisted scheme for revenge. Fortunately, John Ceepak, the cop with a soldier's unshakable code of honor, stays at Danny's side to help him negotiate the quick twists and turns that threaten to destroy his life, his friends, and everything about the world he loves.

Whipping from the boardwalk to the beach and back again, Mad Mouse keeps zigging and zagging at a breakneck pace, all the way to the surprising finish.

Don't miss other adventures featuring Sea Haven's finest, including the first book in the series, Tilt-a-Whirl, and the third, Whack-a-Mole.©2006 Chris Grabenstein (P)2007 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

"With agile humor, neat plotting, unexpected sweetness, and an irresistible duo, Grabenstein offers a hip new form of cozy." (Booklist)
"Likable good guys, plausible bad guys, a sensible plot and a supple prose style that moves from breezy to poignant." (Kirkus Reviews)

One step up from the Hardy Boys

Despite one "Roger that" too many from the book's main protagonist, I enjoyed this listen. When I purchased the book I didn't realize that it was written for a teen audience. Then again, maybe it wasn't, but that's the way it turned out. It was a sale book and since my wife grew up in the Jersey Shore setting, I thought it was worth the risk. Simple characters, a simple though somewhat contrived plot and simple dialogue make for a relaxed listen. A few years back I reread one of my Hardy Boys books to see what interested me back in my pre-teen years. One reread was enough to satisfy my nostalgia need. If you wonder what the Hardy Boys might be like dropping "F" bombs, then give this book a try. And if you're 16 years old, this author and his books are for you.

Great reading

the story and the narration was perfect. had a hard time turning it off. Spellbinding

LOVE IT

Chris Grabenstein and Jeff Woodman ten four!!!

Entertaining

The Narrator Jeff Woodhouse is excellent. I really enjoyed his voices that suited each character perfectly.

Read the series in order!

It's tough for a sequel to equal a strong first book, and this series is no exception. The plot takes an awfully long time to get going as there's no actual murder for quite a while. Also, I didn't really relate to Danny and his young friends all that much; to be brutally honest, they seemed a bit boring to me. But, okay ....

I give the book a fourth star as the villain was actually quite interesting, complete with an ending that one cannot reasonably expect, even if it's rather over-the-top. More importantly, the author makes the point that a) bullying can have consequences later, even if seems "fun" at the time, and b) so can rejecting your kids for not being what you deem "successful" early on. There's also an angle regarding Ceepak's discovering talent in a young man who seems anything but a success on the surface.

Wanted to throw in that while there's nothing gory or grisly here, one scene did fill me with complete horror: Danny stumbles across a young kid, around 5 in a wheelchair (presumably with developmental issues or Downs Syndrome, not really gone into), being bullied by a group of young men in their late teens who are going to have "fun" pushing the " 'tard" down a steep ramp (the kid is absolutely terrified). Call me a wuss if you'd like, but I was incredibly rattled for quite a while that such an event was even possible in real life.