Theres more fireworks down the Jersey shore in Chris Grabenstein's sixth fast-paced John Ceepak mystery, Rolling Thunder.
A prominent citizen suffers a heart attack on opening day of a brand new boardwalk roller coaster in the seedy seaside resort town Sea Haven, New Jersey. Initially ruled a tragic accident, it isnt long before there are suspicious hints of foul play, especially after another dead body is discovered: a stunning young beach beauty.
Fortunately for mystery lovers, the straight-arrow cop John Ceepak and his wise-cracking young partner Danny Boyle are on the case, a detective/sidekick duo critics have compared to Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin.
Crack another case with John Ceepak.
©2010 Chris Grabenstein (P)2009 Audible, Inc.
"Full of unpredictable twists and turns. There's plenty of fizz in the chemistry between the two protagonists to keep the novel and the reader spinning." (Boston Globe)
"Great story and narration as usual!"
Great book as usual. Woodman's narration makes the audio perfect. I really enjoyed the characters and the pacing and Ceepak never gets old. Might want to listen to these books in order as some characters are from previous books. It is NOT necessary to enjoy it but it makes it a little more fun.
I am a daily commuter. I drive to work Monday - Thursday from the Central Valley to the Silicon Valley in Northern California. My round trip is about 120 miles and I am in the car from 3 - 5 hours per day, depending on the traffic. That is a lot of time to listen to books.
"Fun Series"
I love the charactors and the plots. Very simple, easy to follow and I like the moral John with his side kick Danny. I also like the setting in a beach town that has tourist seasons and otherwise a quiet small town atmosphere.
Definately. If you like murder mystery but do not like all the gore of some of the crime stories out there. These stories would be appropriate for even a younger audiance (teens) who like mysteries.
This narrator is AWSOME! So many voices, he is easy to follow when he changes charactors - a lot of diversity without any fake sounding (cartoon-like) voices.
"Very Enjoyable First Audible Book"
Picked this out of a list of legal thrillers for my first audible book. I enjoyed the combination of humor and mystery very much. I did not have to concentrate too much on the characters to keep everything straight, so its a good book for a drive in traffic. Very good narration.
"Can't wait for the next one"
Having become a fan of Danny and Cepak, I couldn't wait for this new one to be released. I wasn't disappointed! I find myself laughing out loud while listening. The narrator is exceptional and helps increase the enjoyment of this book. Sheer fun. Can't wait for the next one.
"Thunderous Applause for ROLLING THUNDER!"
A prominent woman dies on Sea Haven's new wooden roller coaster, but was there a crime? Danny and Ceepak are on the trail when an entirely new crisis shocks the town, threatening the investigators, their friends, and the rapidly-approaching tourist season. "Rolling Thunder," the sixth John Ceepak Mystery from Chris Grabenstein, won't disappoint loyal fans or new readers. As always, Jeff Woodman's narration pulls the characters off the written page and into your headphones. There's plenty of mystery, suspense, and the usual humor, with an ending that will keep you turning pages until it concludes. And...is there someone new in Danny's life? Stay tuned!
Seeking the Truth
"I'm sorry, but no!"
Absolutely not.
This story is not for adults; it is juvenile, as are its characters. The main character, John Ceepak, is not credible: he is an ex-military man who uses irritatingly outdated military lingo in his job as a policeman; he can immediately diagnose the cause of death before a doctor or coroner has even seen the victim; he can obtain a restraining order against his father without any probable cause to do so; his adult characters have the intelligence of high school students; and the list of incredibility goes on and on. The comedic interjections are trite and unoriginal. Chris Grabenstein could have made the book more enjoyable by writing as an adult would or in advertising his books for juvenile readers.
Not unless he studies under narrators such as George Guidall, Will Patton, Jim Dale, Phil Gigante, or Dick Hill and then gets their seal of approval. Mr. Woodman cannot imitate the voices of more than one character, and even that voice sounds incredibly youthful for a supposed adult policeman. His voice for the character of John Ceepak fails miserably, sounding like a young teenager tragically trying to imitate the voice of a rough and tough cop. All the women sound like they are 14 or 15 years old, even the woman who is supposed to be incredibly intelligent and studying for her LSAT. Mr. Woodman would do well at this time to switch to children's stories. He is not ready for primetime.
No. I actually could not finish listening to the last hour of this book, which should have been the most exciting portion. I tried hard to listen through to the end but had been insulted long enough by Mr. Grabenstein's implausible writing and Mr. Woodman's poor narration. E-books are expensive, and I expect my money's worth -- or at least close to it. That did not happen in this case.
Very disappointing.
I like Jack Reacher style characters regardless of setting. Put them in outer space, in modern America, in a military setting, on an alien planet... no worries. Book has non moralistic vigilante-justice? Sign me up! (oh, I read urban fantasy, soft and hard sci-fi, trashy vampire and zombie novels too)
"Another engaging story from Sea Haven"
Each book in the series does stand alone so don't worry too much if you're reading them out of order. That being said, however, you won't fully appreciate the story if you don't know the background of Ceepak and his father, of Danny and Sea Haven, of Ceepak and Danny's earlier "adventures" because the book is nearly equally about exploring these characters and their motivations and solving a crime/mystery.
It is a decent mystery too... lots of suspense and frustration with the roadblocks Danny and Ceepak have to overcome (interfering officials and rich citizens). And there is a little vein of humor throughout the whole story - particularly when Danny communicates with a suspect, or talks about people in Sea Haven.
I did think that the wrap up where they "chased" the bad guy went on a little bit too long and was a bit extreme for the usual tone of these books, but, all in all, it is a very good addition to the Danny & Ceepak world. The narration is excellent.
"always a pleasure"
C.G.books are never a waste of time or credit. Well writen and uniquly narrared with humor. I always look forward to his books.
Reading has always been my guilty pleasure. I would take stacks of books from the library. Now I listen to Audible.
"A Fun Surprise"
We were looking for a new author/series for a change of pace and found this book. LOVED IT! I am now hooked on the John Ceepak mysteries. Can't wait to read the next one.
RobPrindle
"Great Ride"
There are really four characters in this book: Danny Boyle, John Ceepak, the narrator Jeff Woodman and the town Chris Grabenstein made up; Sea Haven. Take away one and the Ceepak books wouldn't be half as much fun.