Tilt-a-Whirl (Paperback)

~ Chris Grabenstein (Author) "Some guys have a code they live by, some guys don't..." (more)
Key Phrases: Sea Haven, Reginald Hart, Ashley Hart (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

An unusual setting (Sea Haven, a summer resort in an unnamed state that sounds a lot like New Jersey) and two police protagonists with contrasting personalities lift Grabenstein's debut mystery. A former military policeman in Iraq, John Ceepak has brought his considerable physical strength, crime-solving skills and morality to the beachside town; "a cop 24/7," he spends his spare time reading about forensics and watching true-crime shows on TV. Assisting Ceepak is 24-year-old Danny Boyle, a part-time summer cop who joined the force largely to impress college girls. The only thing they have in common is a love for Bruce Springsteen. But the murder of a Trump-like real estate magnate, knifed to death while meeting his young daughter at the town's sleazy amusement park, brings the unlikely pair of police officers closer together. Boyle's first-person narration can occasionally sound too cute for comfort, but his increasing respect for police work in general and Ceepak's combination of abilities in particular provide a good deal of the book's satisfaction.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

*Starred Review* From page 1, this debut stands out as refreshingly different. Billed as the first entry in Grabenstein's Jersey Shore series, the story is set in Sea Haven, a town that will stir memories for East Coasters who went "down the Shore" each summer. The story centers on the murder of real-estate tycoon Reggie Hart, who was shot in front of his teenage daughter, Ashley. Danny Boyle, a 24-year-old "summer cop," encounters the hysterical girl while on patrol with his partner, John Ceepak, an ex-soldier who has returned from Iraq with some demons left to exorcise. Although Grabenstein crafts a first-rate mystery, what makes this novel special is its two protagonists. With young Boyle narrating, the reader gets to know Ceepak gradually, through his partner's eyes. At first Ceepak's personal code of honor only amuses or annoys the cynical Boyle. But as he (and we) get to know the former soldier, the portrait of a true hero emerges. Grabenstein brilliantly evokes the endearing seediness of a Jersey Shore town in summer, but it's his development of the Ceepak-Boyle relationship that makes this an absolute triumph. Jenny McLarin
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 321 pages
• Publisher: Carroll & Graf (May 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786717815
• ISBN-13: 978-0786717811
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (45 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #476,442 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 1 in The John Ceepak Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wild Ride, October 2, 2005

By	Roberta M. Austin (Alpharetta, Georgia USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Tilt-a-Whirl (Hardcover)

Summer usually means lots of tourists to visit the stores, restaurants and attractions with cutesy nautical names in the resort town of Sea Haven, New Jersey. It is not a sunny "funderful" day that the Chamber of Commerce tries to promote after a billionaire real estate tycoon is found brutally murdered on the Tilt-A-Whirl at the local amusement park. John Ceepak and summer cop, Danny Boyle are first on the scene after the victim's daughter shows up in front of the diner where they are eating breakfast. Ceepak is new to the force after being hired by the chief of police who is an old army buddy. Ceepak was looking for a quiet job after returning from a tour of duty in Iraq as an MP.

At first it appears that billionaire Reginald Hart was murdered by a local old hippie and drug addict known as Squeegee, who had a grudge and called Hart a slumlord. As Danny and Ceepak dig deeper, after state officials muddle things, they realized the crime is not as simple as it first appears and there may be more than one suspect.

The story is told in a first person narrative, but with a twist, since Danny is the narrator. He gives a different perspective on the true protagonist, John Ceepak, as he gets to know him. The reader comes to view Ceepak as not just a by-the-book cop, but a man of true integrity, who must deal with a past that always haunts him and directs his daily life. There are plenty of quirky secondary characters, who offer wry humor along with poignant pearls of wisdom.

Although this is a debut novel, the author has all the polish and pizazz of a seasoned storyteller. His past experience of working in advertising for twenty years,after being hired by James Patterson, and doing comedy writing shines through in a tale full of twists and turns. Mr. Grabenstein's exceptional descriptive style brings the setting to life. This is the first novel in a series. I can hardly wait for another trip to the Jersey shore. TILT-A-WHIRL is a must read for mystery lovers, no matter what the season.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Crazy, lovable, wicked, dangerous and sweet!!!, October 26, 2006

By	jeanne-scott (Asan, Guam) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Tilt-a Whirl is a rapid fire, laugh out loud, novel that will leave you wanting to read Chris Grabenstein's next book!!
At a typical sea-side New Jersey town, where the crime consists of jay-walking and kids drinking on the beach, things are about to get serious! In the middle of the summer beach season,a wealthy man is found murdered on the tilt-a-whirl ride at the local amusement park and his daughter is found running in the street covered in blood, screaming.
Two cops go to her aid. This has got to be the funniest pairing of cops since..........well, talk about the odd couple. John Ceepak is a former military man, who fought in Iraq. Danny Boyle is a happy go lucky, lookingfor a good time kind of guy. Ceepak lives by a rigid code of honor, Danny lives by the seat of his pants. As the investigation into the murder proceeds, the dialogue is fast-paced and funny,the Bruce Springsteen quotes flow, the clues are collected and examined and the level of danger rises quickly!
This is one of the funniest mystery/detective novels that I have read in a long time. Think of the New York version of Carl Hiaasen and you may be close. Chris Grabenstein is irreverently humorous, unbelievably focused and has the gift to pull it all together! Crazy, lovable, wicked, dangerous, sweet all are words that easily come to mind when reading this book.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Wild and Crazy Ride, July 14, 2006

By	Mark Baker (Santa Clarita, CA United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)

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This review is from: Tilt-a-Whirl (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.

In keeping with the darker tone, there is also significantly more foul language then I am used to reading. It did bother me in some scenes, but its something else worth noting in passing.

Ultimate, I am glad I went on this wild ride. I plan to take another vacation in Sea Haven really soon.