#4 John Ceepak mystery, in which Ceepak and Danny investigate the supposed suicide of a soldier in a wayside rest stop. They're doing this on the sly because the rest stop falls outside of their jurisdiction, but it's obvious to even Danny, a relative rookie, that Shareef Smith did not shoot himself and that some type of coverup is underway. The two Sea Haven cops take on some powerful enemies to bring down Smith's killer, but they get there in the end with some help from folks on both sides of the law.

Although the bad guy was obvious to me from the start and I was pretty sure what the motive was (at least in general,) how the murder was achieved was a bit of a puzzle until Ceepak tells all at the end. I have enjoyed every one of these books in this series--they're light reads with just the right amount of humor, interesting characters and an easy-to-read style. ( )

The best yet of the series. With the introduction of some new characters (Starky) and the keeping of several previous characters it was an excellent read. This one really made me feel like I was getting to know the town and the people. Just enough humor to take the edge off a very serious issue and keep it from getting too dark. I can't wait to see if Ceepak makes it back to OH as alluded to at the end.

Read it.

John Ceepak and his rookie sidekick, Danny Boyle, of the Sea Haven, N.J., police force look into the apparent suicide of Cpl. Shareef Smith, an Iraqi war vet whose body is discovered in a men's room at a Garden State Parkway rest stop, in Grabenstein's entertaining fourth John Ceepak mystery (after 2007's Whack a Mole). The loose plot involves a group of local-yokel thieves, a major drug dealer, a squad of soldiers fresh from the Iraqi battlefields and a blowhard senator who's running for president. As ever, the fun derives chiefly from the comic byplay between Danny, who's young, inexperienced and interested in girls and beer, and Ceepak, a straight-shooter who speaks like a robot and adheres to a strict moral code (I will not tolerate those who lie, cheat, or steal). While some readers may find Danny's narrative voice a tad annoying, even the grumpiest won't be able to resist the occasional smile. ( )

This is the best yet in the Ceepak series. Grabenstein is the best author I know at mixing humor with straight-up, scary, mentally challenging detective fiction.

In HELL HOLE, Sea Haven PD officer Danny Boyle and his partner and mentor John Ceepak investigate the apparent suicide of a returning Iraq war veteran. There are jurisdictional issues, political ramifications, the return of incompetent crime scene investigator "Slobbinsky," and Ceepak's and Danny's lives are endangered more than once. To add to the complications, Ceepak is dealing with some personal problems and there's no chaplain in sight. Also, a new character is introduced: Sam (for Samantha) Starky, a new "summer cop" doing the same job Danny had in TILT-A-WHIRL.

The plot and setting are as well-done as usual in Grabenstein's books, which is to say, excellently well. The description of the restroom at Exit 52 on the Garden State Parkway made me want to buy a gallon jug of Lysol. But what I'll remember longest about HELL HOLE is the continuing character development of Ceepak and Boyle.

Ceepak, as we have seen before, holds himself to a very high personal standard. In HELL HOLE, we are shown, not just told, the circumstances that led him to choose that high standard for himself. As an Army brat and a veteran, I can attest to the truth of Danny Boyle's observation about the motivations behind some of our best soldiers.

Danny Boyle, as one would expect from a 20-something, has changed and grown even more during this (so far) 4-book series. From the good-hearted but clueless young man of the first book, he has become someone who is observant, competent, and takes initiative, without becoming simply a Ceepak clone. Danny will always like to have a good time, but he knows when it's time to get serious. He still tends to think of himself as a bit of a screw-up, but he, too, is holding himself to a high standard.

I can't close without saying something more about Sam Starky. I hope she gets a full-time job with the Sea Haven force. She comes across in this book as a charming combination of Jersey girl and mini-Ceepak, and I'd love to see what Chris Grabenstein does with her character.

I highly recommend this and all the Ceepak novels. ( )

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