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| TILT-A-WHIRL - CHRIS GRABENSTEIN Book Review by D.M. Wells (2006) (Also posted at Amazon.com courtesy of Jennifer Grabenstein) |
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| Tilt-a-Whirl, a wickedly brilliant novel, pivots on a murder that occurred in one of the cars of that most splendidly designed fairground ride. It�s also an apt description of the author�s own unpredictable plotline for this debut thriller series featuring the investigative team of John Ceepak and his partner-in-justice, Danny Boyle. Just when you think you know where the story is heading, it takes a completely different path, spinning and jerking you this way and that, until you just have to go with the flow until it comes to its final resting stop.
Ceepak is a 30-something veteran MP, recently returned to America from a haunting tour of duty in Iraq. Not quite able to leave his military mindset behind, he accepts a position as a civilian police officer in the resort town of Sea Haven, New Jersey. Chief Cosgrove was an old army buddy of his. Oddly enough, he�s paired up with 24-year-old Danny Boyle, who has been half-heartedly interning as a �summer cop�, for lack of anything more inspiring to do in his hometown. The story is narrated via Danny�s jaded, wisecracking perspective (no doubt owing to Grabenstein�s previous background as a comic). Boyle�s not sure what to make of Ceepak�s �old school� ways but is nevertheless eager to make a good impression on him; he�s intrigued by Ceepak�s �Code� (of honour). The murder victim is multi-billionaire slumlord Reginald Hart (a.k.a. Hartless), who had been seated on the ride with his 13-year-old daughter, Ashley, when the crime takes place. She fingers a homeless heroin addict as the shooter, and her mother (one of Hart�s ex-wives) readily concurs. Toss Hart�s lawyer-mistress and a few local gangster types into the mix and you�ve got the makings of a blockbusting page-turner. Considering the multi-generational range in the characters� ages (not to mention the differences in their social stature), Grabenstein offers astute personal observations as to where the particular communication gaps between those generations lie. I only had a glimmer of suspicion of who the true perpetrator was, and that was about three-quarters into the story, but the idea didn�t really stick with me at the time. The sad truth, when exposed, was more shocking than I could have ever imagined, but then I�m pretty �old school� myself. The story ends on a good note, at least for Boyle, who has found himself a hero, and Ceepak, who inadvertently gains redemption from a war-time tragedy, which of course leaves the reader feeling good, as well. Oh, and did I mention that Ceepak is a Bruce Springsteen fanatic and that his lyrics are quoted liberally throughout the book? That makes it even more of a worthwhile read. I�m anxiously awaiting my library copy of the sequel, Mad Mouse, but I�d recommend purchasing any books by Chris Grabenstein. |