A long dormant serial killer has suddenly decided to make an appearance at the height of tourist season in summer hot spot Sea Haven, New Jersey, and it's up to now-officially-a-cop Danny Boyle and his partner John Ceepak to stop him. This installment is a bit darker than the previous two books in this series, but Ceepak is still a Boy Scout and Danny is still cracking wise, keeping this a fun, easy read.

One thing I really like about this series is that the characters grow, especially Danny. This book leads to some rather important changes in Danny's life, he has to do something that will become part of him for the rest of his life. I also like the fact that Danny ditched the white minivan :)

Whack-a-Mole by Chris Grabenstein is the 3rd book of the John Ceepak mystery series set in the 1990s in fictitious Sea Haven along the Jersey shore. John Ceepak is an ultra straight-arrow, ex-military police officer who lives by The Code: he will not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do. He's the ultimate (if extreme) role model for Danny, his partner officer in the Sea Haven PD. Danny, who narrates their adventures, seems to be stuck in a high-school mentality. When not on duty, he dr...

I love how the murders can be so gory yet the author does it in such a way it isn't stomach-turning. The mystery twists and turns, and the beach setting just makes this so real - like sunshine and thunder all at once! Loving this series so much.

I liked the first two books, but by the middle of this one I was left wondering where it was headed? After a couple of red herrings, the duo finally confront the villain in an exciting scene worth waiting for (just). Others have complained it was gruesome, but I didn't really think so. Jeff Woodman's usual outstanding narration carried the story for me here, where I think I would've definitely skimmed the print book wanting to get to the resolution.

The third in the carnival game themed series set on the Jersey (as in New Jersey) shore, this one fell flat. The premise was not entirely believable, but I can deal with that; it didn't bother me. What did bother me was the dialogue and the characterization. The dialogue was stilted and didn't come close to feeling natural to me. And John Ceepak came across as more of a caricature than as a fictional character, and a rather wooden caricature at that. The dead bodies (LOTS of dead body parts) wer...

Just a funny mystery. 3rd in the John Ceepak series that takes place on the Jersey Shore. Can’t wait to read more

Rating: 4.6* of fiveThe Publisher Says: An innocent discovery on the beach in Sea Haven leads John Ceepak, the cop with an unshakeable code of honor, and his rookie partnet, the twentysomething wisecracker Danny Boyle, into the hunt for a long-dormant serial killer who might be crawling out of his hiding hole to strike again.Like the relentless rodents in the Boardwalk arcade game, gruesome clues keep popping up all over the island as Ceepak (the former soldier who will not lie, cheat, or steal,...

Third in the John Ceepak series of novels, loosely labeled police procedurals. I read the first two and very much enjoyed their humorous undertone. This one is much, much darker with graphic descriptions of the dismembered victims of a Sea Haven serial killer who buried his victims twenty-plus years ago and is now leaving parts of their bodies, polaroids, and religious hints around the island during the height of tourist season. It sets a very different tone for the series.Narrated by Danny, the...

Ceepak is chasing a serial killer and it is always fun going through the paces with this no nonsense, obsessive rule/law follower as he (all too often) has to work/deal with unethical and nefarious people (some suspects - some witnesses - some otherwise) and how eloquently he always presents himself. . .able to consistently keep his gentlemanly demeanor, respectfulness towards all, and moral compass in balance. His tone of voice is always monotone which makes the plot that much more intriguing a...

I couldn't put this book down once I started it... two cops, one serial killer, and a Jersey seaside town. Gotta Love it! Actually bought it for the book title... I like telling people I am reading "Whack a Mole” they all look at me with that weird squinty-eyed perplexed look!This is book 3 in a series of 5; I am definitely reading the others. The book was humorous and gruesome and I wasn't sure who the killer was until the end. I want to go to the boardwalk in Jersey real bad after reading this...

My book friends know I don’t usually enjoy humorous writings. I avoid them as much as possible. Really, for me humor should be organic. I don’t know if Chris Grabenstein’s goal was to create characters that seemed to highlight the hilariously ridiculous things people do and say or what but I laughed hard. No really, I was stared at on the bus, at the coffeeshop and the subway. Can you imagine how much I was laughing to make fellow riders look up? I’m just going to say this mystery moved fast, wa...

Review written August 23, 2017 4 Stars - Geeky fun cozy mystery solving with the Ceepak & Danny cop team. My love! - Book #3 in the John Ceepak Mystery series (8 books so far). — Whack A Mole the 7:56 hrs third part and I'm once again listened to yet another JCM audiobook terrific narrated by Jeff Woodman. **********************************************Sea Haven, New Jersey USIt is always so very nice to meet these Springsteen loving men there in the New Jersey coast. « John Ceepak, a former

WHACK-A-MOLE is the third book in the John Ceepak/Danny Boyle mystery series. In this installment, Danny is now a full-time officer with the Sea Haven Police Department, so he's carrying a gun. But, fear not, he scored very well at the academy and knows how to handle himself with a firearm. This new accessory to his uniform comes in handy when John and Danny have to find the killer who has buried the heads of his victims on the beach. In the middle of winter, this might not have been such a prob...

An innocent discovery on the beach in Sea Haven leads John Ceepak, the cop with an unshakeable code of honor, and his rookie partnet, the twentysomething wisecracker Danny Boyle, into the hunt for a long-dormant serial killer who might be crawling out of his hiding hole to strike again.Like the relentless rodents in the Boardwalk arcade game, gruesome clues keep popping up all over the island as Ceepak (the former soldier who will not lie, cheat, or steal, nor tolerate those who do) finds himsel...

Great googlygrabenstein! Must read more from the Ceepak series. Danny Boyle chronicles his days riding sidekick with John Ceepak as officers in the little seaside town of Sea Haven, NJ. His hero-worship of Ceepak is endearing. Ceepak is the straightest arrow that ever flew, and a follower of the Book of Springsteen.After a very long time, a serial killer is back in action in little Sea Haven. Ceepak and Danny are on the job, even before they realize how nasty a job it can be. Life's a beach.kat

With Danny Boyle now a full-time cop and still with his partner John Ceepak murder is guaranteed to occur again in this third chapter in the Jersey seaside mysteries. Danny is growing up and developing as a man and Ceepak is starting to soften from his early rigid behavior. They haven't changed drastically but you can see the character development in this third installment. Highly recommended

How does Sea Haven, NJ continue to have summer tourism? For three years straight, the peaceful, quaint tourist town has been shaken by murders -- some pretty ghastly. Sure, they’ve got a police chief and a mayor dedicated to keeping the havoc and mayhem under wraps. That’s part of it. And perhaps people looking to spend a week or two along the beach in Jersey aren’t the most discriminating of people (suddenly, I’m thinking of a MTV series).Another factor, of course, has to be how the Sea Haven p...

OK, I'm officially hooked on these John Ceepak mysteries. Looked up Grabenstein's website and discovered a lot of interesting things. He's also written kids' books. He was a stand-up, improv comedian. He co-wrote the John Denver Christmas movie, A Christmas Gift. He's written scripts for The Muppets. He was an advertising copywriter. And he'll be in Houston in a few weeks. Cool. Oh, yeah, and there are several more in this series available. That was the best info of all.

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 tryi...