• Whack-a-Mole

  • John Ceepak, Book 3
  • By: Chris Grabenstein
  • Narrated by: Jeff Woodman
  • Length: 7 hrs and 51 mins
  • 4.3 out of 5 stars (1,593 ratings)

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Whack-a-Mole  By  cover art

Whack-a-Mole

By: Chris Grabenstein
Narrated by: Jeff Woodman
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Publisher's summary

John Ceepak and Danny Boyle return with the hunt for a long-dormant serial killer who might be ready to strike again. An innocent discovery on the beach in Sea Haven pits Ceepak against a killer with a code just as rigid as his own. When the killer targets his next victim, the consequences becomes dire for Ceepak and Boyle. This is a game they must win.

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

Critic reviews

"Another winner." ( Booklist)

What listeners say about Whack-a-Mole

Average customer ratings
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  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Series gets better and better

This series just keeps getting better. Although they retained the traits that make them unique and endearing, John Ceepak and Danny became more realistic in this third instalment. Ceepak is softening a little and becoming less rigid, perhaps recovering slowly from his experiences in the army, while Danny has become a full-time police officer (graduating well from the academy) and is maturing. Their relationship still has a mentoring feel but it's clear here that the two are becoming friends on a more equal footing. So many male bonding relationships depicted in fiction involve consuming large quantities of alcohol and/or treating women like objects that it's quite refreshing to see a healthy relationship depicted without these elements.

Grabenstein does a great job of lulling you into a false sense of security with respect to the pace and direction of the story before taking you in an entirely unpredictable direction. This one was so engrossing and suspense-filled I had to walk an extra 2 kilometres so I could finish listening. As a bonus, although darker in terms of subject matter than the previous two books in the series, this one is actually funnier. Danny Boyle's narrative voice is delightfully witty and it has lost its slight juvenile quality as Danny has matured.

The only thing more enjoyable than anticipating a new Ceepak and Boyle adventure being read to me by the wonderful Jeff Woodman is having my expectations exceeded. I am completely smitten by this series and there's nothing for me to do now but play all my Bruce Springsteen CDs (his lyrics inspire our two New Jersey heroes) and see how long I can wait until I listen to the fourth book in the series which is already waiting on my iPod.

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10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing

I am a huge fan of Carl Hiassen and had heard or read that this author was similar. I went ahead and purchased all three books in the series and managed to listen to them all but with great difficulty. Plot is similar in all. Foul language is overdone. All in all, very juvenile. I consider these books a "Hardy Boys - X-rated"

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9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Who is the intended audience?

Chris Grabenstein is a former standup comedian who writes light, funny and sometimes preachy "Who-done-it" novels. The audience would appear to be young adults. The stories are told in the first person of Danny Boyle who is the junior partner of the main character, policeman John Ceepak. Jeff Woodman does outstanding narration as Danny Boyle's voice.

This book is about the Bruce Spingsteen quoting Ceepak solving a mass murder case that began almost 30 years ago and continues today. The setting is a New Jersey resort beach town.

The book is quick and fun reading of a plot that is not very complex.

Spoiler: Ceepak solves the serial murder mystery in the end then he gets married.

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

more character development, more serious crime

In this book, the series takes some significant steps forward - characters are more developed (Ceepak in a relationship, Danny now a full time police officer), and the crime and mystery are more serious and more grisly. That may or may not be everyone's cup of tea, but the light writing style and dialogue are still there. I could have done without the musical accompaniment to the epilogue, though.

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

So Entertaining!

I am so taken with this terrific series. The John Ceepak character is so charming and so wonderfully humorous that I am smitten.
I love the Jersey Shore! I have never been there, but now I totally feel the need to visit! And during the summer!
I adore all the references to Bruce Springsteen and his music. Such a clever touch.
And how awesome about Ceepak and Rita!
Jeff Woodman does a terrific job making all the characters so distinct including accents and the ever-difficult women's voices.
Overall, so much fun and a lively distraction from many of today's problems.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Not your average Boy Scout.

Seapack is at it again trying to hunt down a killer who may have been living in this costal tourist city for decades. This addition to the series is a little more gruesome and there is some profanity thrown in here and there. Danny and Seapack have their hands full trying to get ahead of this killer and The Chief is not helping at all by assigning two other detectives that could not find their butt with both hands. Seapack has requested that the FBI be called in but the Chief, as always, is trying to minimize the investigation as not to alarm the tourists and scare off summer revenue.

There is an unexpected surprise at the end that will forever change Seapeck's life. Another good action packed investigation.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

My Favorite Go-To Series!

Dragging myself to the gym, I was trying to decide what to listen to. Scrolling through my library, I immediately jumped on Whack-A-Mole--the third book in the John Ceepak series. I am trying to slowly savor this series, since there are only eight books in it to date. But it was exactly what I needed to get moving--

I love this series--it falls into the light mystery genre, although this installment was a little heavier than previous ones. It is a very well-written book/series, with likable characters, a cute sense of humor, and of course, police cases to solve.

I cannot rave enough about the narrator. Jeff Woodman is a man of many, many talents. He has distinct and individual voices for all characters, and does a fabulous job with each. I have also listened to other audiobooks that he has narrated since discovering this series, and I have triple-checked the description--not believing it is the same narrator! He is great!!

In the mood for an entertaining mystery? Pick up this, or any of the author's John Ceepak mysteries--they do not disappoint!

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

I'm falling in love.

I am falling in love with John Ceepak. A veteran of Afghanistan turned cop in a beach town Ceepak cannot tell a lie nor tolerate those who do. These light mysteries are totally entertaining. A great bargain when you buy the Kindle book first.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

I really enjoy these stories!

Ceepak and Boyle are a great team once again as they solve another murder mystery on the Jersey Shore. I like the narrator and the stories are interesting and suspensful without keeping you up all night in fear. Well done.

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

ANOTHER FIVE TICKET/FIVE STAR RIDE!

I'm sad the series is over! Can't wait until next Spring for the next Ceepak. This could be the best one yet. The growth in Danny's character, the slight softening of Ceepak, it's all good! Danny is learning how to be a man, Ceepak is learning how to be a friend. And Jeff Woodman is amazing as both of them, not to mention grizzled Gus and everybody else in the cast!

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2 people found this helpful