Ceepak #2. Danny & John are on patrol for Labor Day weekend on the shore. Thousands of people for a BBQ, concert, & beach bash are on deck for a sniper who's targeting Danny & his friends. Pitted against a cunning adversary, the two of them search for clues to the sniper's identity and why the person is after Danny. Ceepak's strong moral code (He will not lie, cheat, or steal) has him butting heads with the town council who wants everything on the down low. A murder, near miss, & targets on their back prompts for a rollicking ride & great mystery of who is it down to the last chapter. ( )

This mystery series is set in a Jersey Shore resort town. The main characters are Danny (the narrator0 who grew up in Sea Haven and is currently a summer cop hoping to become a full-time member of the police department. His partner is John Ceepak, a former army MP and straight arrow police officer. He's got a code. "I will not lie, cheat or steal nor tolerate those who do."

This time around Danny and his friends seem to be targets of a sniper who starts out shooting paintballs but quickly switches to bullets. This one is a little darker than the first book in the series and there's a little less humor because this one is personal and more dangerous.

It was a decent mystery with some fun characters and an interesting setting. I plan to continue with the series. I'm going to stick with the audio editions because Jeff Woodman is a wonderful narrator. ( )

A good lesson! I don't have kids but if I did I think I'd consider having them listen/read this to learn why bullying is so dangerous. ( )

Great fun! Interesting characters that really capture a time and place, and great dynamics among people who have known each other their whole lives. Great plot, too! ( )

Mad Mouse by Chris Grabenstein is the second book in his crime series that features Danny Boyle and John Ceepak. Danny is the narrator, young and likeable, the story unfolds through his eyes. As a part-time summer cop, he works with Detective John Ceepak and together they keep both the beach and the boardwalk at Sea Haven, a New Jersey beach town, safe for the tourists and locals alike. Danny has grown up in Sea Haven, his friends are there and he appears to be in transition from party boy to responsible adult. He couldn’t have a better role model than John Ceepak. Unfortunately it appears that Danny has left at least one enemy in his wake.

Whether it’s rescuing a wheelchair bound kid from bullies or solving a serious crime, John Ceepak always goes by his code of honor. As a previous solider he is loyal to a fault, always there to help Danny, back him up in tricky situations and impart some life lessons along the way. John Ceepak reminds me of the cartoon character of Dudley Do-Right, but the witty, perceptive way in which he is presented raises this book above cartoon level.

Mad Mouse is very much like the carnival ride it is named after. A wild ride with both a quick pace to the plot and the dialogue. Sheer entertainment with lots of twists and turns, this book was a fun read. However there is more to this book than laughs, it has a dark side with violence and murder as well. A different and well presented series and it’s obvious the author enjoys his time spent in Sea Haven as much as his readers do. ( )