Mind Scrambler

I took a break from these books years ago. I had forgotten how much i loved them until this one popped up. I read it in a day. There's something about them that I like. They're kind of wholesome and the partnership between John and Danny is oddly balanced. Trying not to make a spoiler here, but there is an underlying dark theme. It's not hinted at, explained or exposed until the last few pages, so it doesn't overshadow the story. It is not gruesomely described; in fact, it's done very well. This book reminded me of how much I loved these adventures and the way they're told. I've got the rest of the series on my wish list for when I get through my current stack.

#5 John Ceepak mystery set along the Jersey shore, told from the POV of Ceepak's young partner, Danny Boyle. Danny and Ceepak are off to Atlantic City to obtain the deposition of a former cellmate of Ceepak's father in hopes of obtaining testimony that will convict him. (Yes, Ceepak's father is a real scumbucket that he hopes to see locked away with the key melted down.) While there, Danny bumps into his former girlfriend Katie--a kindergarten teacher who moved to California, and who is now employed as the nanny for Richard Rock, a big-time magician and illusionist performing at a ritzy casino in AC. Katie says she wants to talk to Danny about something, but before that happens, she turns up dead--and not only dead, but dressed in a kinky S & M outfit and looking like the victim of erotic asphyxiation--of course, we all know that wasn't the case and that she was murdered. But why? And did Katie really have a secret life that is totally out of character for the sweet girl Danny dated? Danny's mind is a bit scrambled with his personal involvement in the case, but Ceepak keeps him on the straight and narrow as they are deputized by the local constabulary to help investigate, muddling through the hidden world of stage magicians. I enjoy this series more with each book, as we get to know Ceepak and Danny better. The bad guy stuck out like a sore thumb for me right from the beginning, but I had no idea why or the how it was done details, so still made for a very interesting, enjoyable read. More, more!

Chris Grabenstein's John Ceepak mysteries have been popular from their inception. Set in a fictional but very realistic vacation community of Sea Haven, New Jersey, Ceepak is the mentor of series narrator Danny Boyle; the two are policemen, with the less experienced Boyle partnered up with the veteran and strongly upright Ceepak. Grabenstein manages to follow a general pattern from book to book without becoming formulaic; the characters change, seemingly in real time. Thus Ceepak, over the course of the few years since the beginning of the series, has gotten married and is raising a family, while Boyle has grown more seasoned and a bit more sure of himself. In keeping with this practice, Grabenstein, after four excellent volumes set in Sea Haven, moves the setting of MIND SCRAMBLER, his latest Ceepak novel, to Atlantic City. This is a brilliant decision; one of the appealing aspects of New Jersey is how diverse the northern, central and southern sections of the state remain while sharing certain elements. So it is that the shift to Atlantic City makes for a challenging, but not jarring, change of scenery for the series. Atlantic City is a blend of the best and worst of New Jersey, and just similar enough to Sea Haven that Ceepak and Boyle are not fish out of water; rather, they are just swimming in somewhat unfamiliar territory. Ceepak and Boyle are in Atlantic City on business (partially set up as the result of events occurring in HELL HOLE, the previous volume in the series). While new to the city as a team, a number of characters from previous books flit in and out of the narrative to ease the transition. There is nothing easy, though, about the presence of Katie, Boyle's former crush, who makes an all-too-brief appearance as the nanny for the children of Richard Rock, an immensely popular casino illusionist. Boyle had carried a torch for Katie, and there is still a bit of a flicker to it, as evidenced by Boyle's reaction when Katie makes arrangements to meet with him after Rock's performance one evening. But Katie never makes it to the rendezvous; she is found brutally murdered under scandalous circumstances. Grabenstein presents a neat and clever variation of a locked room mystery here, though the room isn't so much locked as under surveillance, and the only one seen entering it is Danny. Things get sorted out in due time, but the issue of the identity of Katie's killer remains, and becomes even more important when others associated with Rock's performances turn up dead. Ceepak is his usual steady self, providing a calming presence for Boyle, who is understandably upset about Katie's demise. Ultimately, it is Boyle whose determination and developing powers of observation win the day, setting up an increasingly important role for him in future volumes. As Grabenstein moves the series forward, Boyle can be seen maturing personally and professionally. He is coming into his own as a result, not quite losing his hero worship of Ceepak but ins

I happened upon Mind Scrambler while looking through the library for something to read. Ceepak and Boyle are my new best friends! I plan to buy the series so I can read them all, then add them to my "lending library" at work. They are well written and funny, with fine attention to detail. I love the NJ references too!

Enjoyed this thriller. The book holds your interest and you don't want to put it down. The main characters are like old friends.

This review refers to the Audible recording narrated by Jeff Woodman I have to hand it to the author. Chris Grabenstein isn't afraid of the difficult issues. Just when I was thinking that this book was just another story, he brought out the real story. The private lives of sanctimonious famous people are always of interest to the general public, but as we have seen recently with our unlamented politicians, sometimes private actions can become public. AS Ambrose Bierce said, "Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo." I generally dislike the "holier than thou" attitude I occasionally see with acquaintances and more often see with politicians. In this book, the author takes this hypocrisy head on. As usual, the story is told by Danny Boyle, Ceepak's young, naïve deputy. When Ceepak and Danny are in Atlantic City to take a deposition from a witness, Danny's friend Katy (from the first book) is apparently killed in especially unseemly circumstances. Ceepak and Danny are deputized to assist in solving the crime. Simple, right? Not so simple. In fact the story takes an ugly turn into areas almost more revolting than the circumstances of Katy's death. I highly recommend this book and especially in audio format. Jeff Woodman has a great versatility (he also has narrated numerous other books including *The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time* and Gabaldon's Lord John series) that is well showcased in this book. Don't give up on it - it takes nearly 2 hours of the 8 hour book to really get into the meat of the thing. I can't say more without completely spoiling the book.