From Publishers Weekly
Grabenstein's second humorous procedural (after 2005's Tilt-a-Whirl) reunites that incongruous pair, Sea Haven, N.J., police officer John Ceepak, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom who lives by the code "I will not lie, cheat or steal nor tolerate those who do," and his callow young sidekick, Danny Boyle, who's promoted from part-time summer cop to full-time status. Paintball vandalism becomes something more serious when the assailant switches to actual gunfire, targeting Boyle and his circle of friends. In scenes reminiscent of Jaws, the local mayor, anxious that tourist dollars not be scared away, tries to conceal the significance of the shootings, but the politician offers little resistance to the detective duo's investigative efforts. Some readers may find that the jokey tone jars with a plot that echoes the real-life D.C. sniper case, but those for whom a laugh counts more than realistic action will be amused. (July)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist
Set on a colorful Jersey Shore boardwalk, graced with a Bruce Springsteen soundtrack, and starring an aw-shucks charming pair of cop buddies, Grabenstein's second seaside amusement-park-ride mystery lives up to the promise of his smash-hit debut, Tilt-a-Whirl (2005). Easygoing part-time summer cop Danny Boyle is hoping to be promoted to full-time rookie, so he pays close attention to his impressive partner, John Ceepak, a decorated Iraq War veteran whose extreme correctness and keen intelligence are matched by a low-key bigheartedness. Sea Haven is gearing up for a gigantic Labor Day celebration, and Danny is falling hard for Katie, but summer fun is cruelly interrupted by a sniper stalking Danny, Katie, and their friends, and leaving calling cards featuring Derek Jeter and comic-book superheroes. As the mayor pressures the cops to find this taunting killer before the holiday festivities begin, cool Ceepak and bumbling Boyle wield their superpowers: kindness, honesty, and courage. With agile humor, neat plotting, unexpected sweetness, and an irresistible duo, Grabenstein offers a hip new form of cozy. Donna Seaman
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Book Description
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 mad-man's twisted scheme for revenge. Fortunately, John Ceepak, the cop with a soldier's unshakeable 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.
About the Author
Chris Grabenstein was the first writer hired as a result of James Patterson’s famous advertising aptitude test that ran in the New York Times when Patterson was Creative Director of J. Walter Thompson. Now he is following in his mentor’s footsteps with his debut mystery novel. Chris spent several years at the nations top ad agencies. Before he started in advertising, Chris also worked with Bruce Willis (among others) in some of New York’s most acclaimed improvisational comedy troupes. A member of Mystery Writers of America, Chris lives in New York City.
