Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #210028 in Books
• Published on: 2009-06-23
• Released on: 2009-06-23
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 1.00" h x 5.75" w x 8.70" l, 1.04 pounds
• Binding: Hardcover
• 352 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780312382315
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
Grabenstein's appealing fifth John Ceepak mystery (after 2008's Hell Hole) finds ultra-straight-arrow cop Ceepak and his laid-back partner, Danny Boyle, on leave in Atlantic City. Soon after a former girlfriend of Boyle's, the nanny for a smarmy stage magician's children, approaches Boyle for advice, she winds up dead in a bizarre s&m ritual before she can explain the problem. The local police deputize the two Sea Haven, N.J., cops as more corpses pile up. Ceepak and Boyle aren't too surprised that everyone is lying in a murder case involving professional illusionists with nasty secrets. Grabenstein has a good eye for the grit under a glitzy setting and a good ear for character-defining accents, including Boyle's wry narrative voice. In less skillful hands, Ceepak might come across as a mere hybrid of Sherlock Holmes and Dudley Do-Right, but the author succeeds in making his hero's earnest devotion to a rigid code of behavior both believable and moving. (June)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist
The fifth installment in this popular series set in a New Jersey beach town continues the process of making the crimes darker. Sea Haven cop Danny Boyle and his straight-arrow partner, Iraq War vet John Ceepak, are in Atlantic City on police business when Danny meets Katie, a beautiful Jersey girl he once had a crush on. Katie is working as nanny to the children of master illusionist Richard Rock, who is a headliner at the Xanadu casino. Within hours of seeing Katie, Danny and John are investigating her death; she’s been found bound and gagged and wearing fetish gear. One murder leads to others and to evidence of torture and pedophilia. Grabenstein’s portrait of Atlantic City, its casinos, and the gamblers who flock there is harsh but accurate. The Springsteen lyrics he always employs are darker than usual, overtly political, and clearly aimed at the Bush administration. Mind Scrambler may be a meatier novel than the more amiable early installments in the series, but this reviewer looks forward to finding Danny and Ceepak back in Sea Haven during another sunny summer. --Thomas Gaughan

About the Author

Customer Reviews

Grabenstein fearless with controversy
This review refers to the Audible recording narrated by Jeff Woodman

I have to hand it to the author. Chris Grabenstein isn't afraid of the difficult issues. Just when I was thinking that this book was just another story, he brought out the real story. The private lives of sanctimonious famous people are always of interest to the general public, but as we have seen recently with our unlamented politicians, sometimes private actions can become public. AS Ambrose Bierce said, "Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo."

I generally dislike the "holier than thou" attitude I occasionally see with acquaintances and more often see with politicians. In this book, the author takes this hypocrisy head on.

As usual, the story is told by Danny Boyle, Ceepak's young, naïve deputy. When Ceepak and Danny are in Atlantic City to take a deposition from a witness, Danny's friend Katy (from the first book) is apparently killed in especially unseemly circumstances. Ceepak and Danny are deputized to assist in solving the crime. Simple, right? Not so simple. In fact the story takes an ugly turn into areas almost more revolting than the circumstances of Katy's death.

I highly recommend this book and especially in audio format. Jeff Woodman has a great versatility (he also has narrated numerous other books including *The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time* and Gabaldon's Lord John series) that is well showcased in this book. Don't give up on it - it takes nearly 2 hours of the 8 hour book to really get into the meat of the thing. I can't say more without completely spoiling the book.

terrific
Although opposites in outlook, Sea Haven, New Jersey police partners John Ceepak and Danny Boyle are on leave in Atlantic City. They are not there to gamble, but instead are taking a disposition in hopes of helping Ceepak's estranged dad who has been charged with murder in Ohio.

Boyle runs into former girlfriend Katie Landry, who is the nanny of Richie and Britney, the children of Xanadu headliner magician Richard Rock and his wife. Katie is dating a Xanadu bouncer but agrees to go for drinks with Danny. Their case abruptly ends when Ceepak's dad pleads guilty. Rock's manager hires the two cops as extra security due to a rumor that the Milton Berle of magicians (due to stealing their acts) Lady Jasmine is attending. Katie and Jake vanish while Rock performs his final act geared to get people into the casino; Boyle goes backstage to find Katie murdered. The Atlantic City police deputize the two Sea Haven cops as more homicides occur.

The latest John Ceepak investigation (see HELL HOLE) is a terrific entry as the by the book cop and his breaking the rules partner may be off duty, but quickly become embroiled in a murder mystery. The story line is fast-paced from the onset, but it is the camaraderie between the two polar opposite cops that once again make for an entertaining tale.

Harriet Klausner

A change in setting, but not in quality
I think the best synopsis of my feelings toward the Ceepak mysteries is to cut-and-paste an e-mail I sent to Chris Grabenstein (to which I received a very kind and gracious response). This is generalized toward all 5 books in the series:


"Hi Mr. Grabenstein,

I just wanted to take a moment and tell you what a fan I am of your work, especially the Ceepak/Boyle mysteries. I'm an avid reader, but was never much of a mystery buff. In a spot of serendipitous luck, I randomly picked up Tilt-a-Whirl at my local library and enjoyed it immensely. When I found out there were several more in the series, I went straight to amazon.com and bought all of them, and couldn't be more pleased with my purchase.
I've lived my whole life at the Jersey shore, in a town called Lacey (exit 74) that is pretty much halfway between LBI and Seaside Heights. I've spent alot of time in both, and Sea Haven is an apt amalgam of these two places. I've had friends who were Class I officers in Seaside, and I feel like Boyle is someone I could have been drinking buddies with (were he real, of course). Reading these novels is like seeing a movie filmed in your hometown.
Of course, a familiar setting does not necessarily make for a compelling read. In addition to being mind-bendingly mysterious, often touching, and sometimes downright hilarious, these stories excel at what I consider to be one of the most important aspects of any narrative work - characterization. Ceepak and Boyle are well-rounded, fleshed out characters who you can really connect with. Their motivations and personalities are given depth, and over the course of the series, you see how they change (Boyle especially as he grows into a man) and learn from each other. This is my favorite facet of the novels.
Well, I won't take up anymore of your time. I just wanted you to know you've earned a loyal (and local) fan. I suggest your books to anyone I know who enjoys reading and is willing to listen to me nerd-out about how much I like them. Thank you so much for hours of entertainment during which I've laughed out loud, been taken aback, and had my eyes mist up. I look forward anxiously to reading many more of your books in the future (I've read your holiday thrillers as well, which were great - now I'll have to check out your younger reader stuff for my Grabenstein fix!)"