Tilt-a-Whirl

John Ceepak, Book 1

By: Chris Grabenstein

Narrated by: Jeff Woodman

Length: 8 hrs and 18 mins

Publisher's summary

There isn't much fun in the sun 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 rest and relaxation 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 at night.

In the first novel in a new series written in the spirit of Carl Hiaasen's work, the Tilt-a-Whirl murder pushes Ceepak's deep sense of honor and integrity to the limits, as unexpected twists and turns keep the truth spinning wildly in every direction.

©2006 Chris Grabenstein (P)2007 Audible, Inc.

Critic reviews

• Anthony Award, Best First Mystery, 2006

• 2006 Anthony Award, Best First Novel

"A fast-paced thrill ride with lots of twists and turns and good writing from start to finish." (James Patterson)
"From page 1, this debut stands out as refreshingly different....an absolute triumph." ( Booklist)

Good but not great fun

This is a good book for listening when you can't pay full attention, like out walking or jogging. It had some twists and turns in the plot that kept it fun and some very good characters. I'd listen to another in the series

Fun!

I loved this book! The narrator was great! I didn't like some of the language, however!

Better than expected, hits all the right beats.

Any additional comments?

It's a bit rough around the edges, but a very enjoyable read. A great summertime mystery to put into your beach bag. I lean more towards Noir, but Chris Grabenstein did a good job of writing a cozy that isn't too comfortable. (It is about a murder after all.)

Stay with it - great book.

Would you listen to Tilt-a-Whirl again? Why?

I wasn't familiar with the author and the combination of the writing style and the narration initially led me to suspect this might be one of those goofy fluff pieces that irritate rather than entertain me. I'm so glad I stayed with it -- the work was far more layered and interesting than I guessed. I'll listen to it a couple more times to pick out what I missed.

Any additional comments?

Great author. I'll be listening to the rest of his offerings.

Totally Addicted to This Series!!!

Where does Tilt-a-Whirl rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Top 3, up there with Confederacy of Dunces. Chris Grabenstein is a master storyteller. I was hooked from the first sentence! I am listening to vol. 2 now and it is equally as great.

What other book might you compare Tilt-a-Whirl to and why?

It is a mystery, it is a buddy pic, it is funny and serious all at once. No frame of reference to compare it to. This is a genre I have not discovered until recently.

Which scene was your favorite?

Many great scenes but they would all be spoilers. The general interaction between Ceepak and Danny is so great. Almost like Batman and Robin.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

There was, but once again it would be a spoiler.

Any additional comments?

These books are great summer reading. I find myself unable to get out of my car when I get in my garage or pull into to work because I am so totally engrossed in the story and have to hear what is happening next. Very fast-paced, all killer, no filler.

Great first book

Very entertaining story and performance. Listened to it while in traffic, and it made me forget about the traffic.

Loved it! Except for the cursing.

I really enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters and the storyline was very well written. I did, however, get really tired of hearing GD throughout the story and especially from the little girl at the end.

Wow!

So impressive! I couldn't put this book down! Literally I carried it around with me everywhere! Humor, suspense, great plot, surprises all in store for you!

Wow- What a ride

I bought this book during one of the $4.95 sales. Figured I'd experiment with a new author at a low price. I sure am glad I did. Enjoyed the narrators voice, the book had a good sense of humor and a good plot twist. I enjoyed it so much I have bought the rest of the books in the series.

Like the new characters I discovered

My first time reading this author; really like the characters, especially John Ceepak, he’s the kind of detective I would want on my case. And “auxiliary officer Boyle” just sounds so cute. The story had quite a few unexpected twists & turns that really kept my interest. Look forward to the 2nd book.