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Monkeewrench #3
Dead Run
Computer game company founders Grace MacBride and Annie Belinsky—along with Wisconsin deputy Sharon Mueller—are en route to Green Bay, following reports of a serial killer, when their car breaks down deep in the northern woods. A short walk through the forest leads them to the eerily quiet town of Four Corners, where they find severed phone lines and a complete absence of any life. But the quiet is deceptive. Before they know it, they witness a horrifying double murder—and discover that this is only the beginning of a race to save their own lives…and countless others.
346 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published April 21, 2005
323 people are currently reading
2084 people want to read
About the author
P.J. Tracy
24 books1,773 followersPJ Tracy is the pseudonym of mother-daughter writing duo P.J. and Traci Lambrecht, winners of the Anthony, Barry, Gumshoe, and Minnesota Book Awards. Their ten novels in the Monkeewrench series, MONKEEWRENCH, LIVE BAIT, DEAD RUN, SNOW BLIND, SHOOT TO THRILL, OFF THE GRID, THE SIXTH IDEA, NOTHING STAYS BURIED, THE GUILTY DEAD, and ICE COLD HEART have become national and international bestsellers. PJ passed away in December 2016, and Traci started a new series set in Los Angeles, featuring Detective Margaret Nolan. DEEP INTO THE DARK, DESOLATION CANYON, THE DEVIL YOU KNOW, and CITY OF SECRETS are available anywhere you buy your books!
THE DEEPEST CUT, the eleventh Monkeewrench novel will be released on September 9th, 2025.
Learn more about PJ Tracy at pjtracy.com
Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PJTracyAuthor/
Look them up on Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/pjtracy.com
THE DEEPEST CUT, the eleventh Monkeewrench novel will be released on September 9th, 2025.
Learn more about PJ Tracy at pjtracy.com
Follow them on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PJTracyAuthor/
Look them up on Amazon: http://amazon.com/author/pjtracy.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 465 reviews
July 27, 2023
UPDATE 28/07/2023 - Gripping! Even though I knew the outcome already.
Holy smokes that was sooooo good! It was literally unputdownable. I love the characters so much and they all shone in this third installment. The 'case' was really engaging and a bit terrifying. Waiting impatiently for book 4 to be returned to the library. No pressure whoever your are...okay...a small amount of pressure. Said with love.
Holy smokes that was sooooo good! It was literally unputdownable. I love the characters so much and they all shone in this third installment. The 'case' was really engaging and a bit terrifying. Waiting impatiently for book 4 to be returned to the library. No pressure whoever your are...okay...a small amount of pressure. Said with love.
July 13, 2018
Continuing with the work of P.J. Tracy, I ventured into the third novel of the Monkeewrench series, which spins things a little and provides the reader with a new approach. Sheriff Michael Halloran is keeping an eye on his rural Wisconsin county when three bodies are pulled from the water, degraded enough that they cannot be easily identified. Might there be another killer on the loose or could someone be using this as a dumping ground? Meanwhile, in Minneapolis, FBI profiler—and former sheriff’s deputy to Halloran—Sharon Mueller has been called to Green Bay to assist with the hunt for a potential serial killer. She reaches out to Monkeewrench co-founders, Grace MacBride and Annie Belinsky, to come along for the ride, where they might be able to use some of their new top-notch software to assist with the case. During the drive to Green Bay, they run into vehicle trouble, conveniently out of cellphone range. Walking the short distance to the closest town, MacBride and the others come upon Four Corners, apparently devoid of people and with its telephones wires severed. As they press onwards, all three women witness of double murder at the hands of an apparent militia, which only further concerns them. What’s going on in Four Corners and who are these camouflaged men? When Grace fails to check in on time, Minneapolis Homicide Detection Leo Magozzi gets worried, which is only expounded when the male half of Monkeewrench pile on their own concern. A call from Halloran sends a male contingent to Wisconsin, both to investigate the three aforementioned bodies and to search for the others, who have fallen off the radar without a trace. Facing additional danger, Four Corners could be the last place Grace and her group ever see, unless they can neutralise whatever’s turned this community into a barren wasteland. P.J. Tracy continues to impress with this series, turning the focus to the female characters of the series. Those who have enjoyed the first two books will surely find something here to keep their attention. New fans can still get hooked, though it is recommended they start with the opening novel, if only to preserve character development.
I’m bingeing P.J. Tracy’s work, which began with the chilling Monkeewrench. The plots have been engrossing and I cannot say enough about these characters, many of whom continue to evolve. Magozzi and Rolseth take a backseat in this one, allowing the reader to learn much more about Grace MacBride and her ‘sisters in crime’. MacBride has evolved from the head of Monkeewrench and an almost-victim into a well-rounded crime fighter whose instincts keep her one step ahead of those seeking to silence her for good. The reader is able to learn a little more about her and the sentiments she has for Leo Magozzi, though much of the time it is her emotional stability in the face of danger that makes waves. Annie Belinsky does receive some character development as well, though she parallels Gino Rolseth in this piece as she provides much needed banter to keep the story from getting too serious. While there are a handful of key secondary characters, all of whom fit nicely into the story, it is the ‘protagonist rotation’ that kept me most intrigued. Tracy is able to seamlessly move away from the Magozzi-Rolseth focus and push it onto the others, which offers new angles and glimpses at those the reader knows well from the past two novels. Injecting some old faces from the series debut is sure to give the reader the sentiment that there will often be a Minneapolis-Wisconsin connection and offers up some great geographic options to place the subsequent novels. The narrative kept the story feeling fresh and evolving without getting too far-fetched. Moving away from the traditional police procedural, P.J. Tracy entertains the reader with strong storylines, perfect for a vacation or summer binge. I am eager to keep racing through these books to see what other mysteries come up in the numerous cases that follow.
Kudos, P.J. Tracy, for another wonderful piece. I am so happy to have found this series and hope the rest of the series is as entertaining!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
I’m bingeing P.J. Tracy’s work, which began with the chilling Monkeewrench. The plots have been engrossing and I cannot say enough about these characters, many of whom continue to evolve. Magozzi and Rolseth take a backseat in this one, allowing the reader to learn much more about Grace MacBride and her ‘sisters in crime’. MacBride has evolved from the head of Monkeewrench and an almost-victim into a well-rounded crime fighter whose instincts keep her one step ahead of those seeking to silence her for good. The reader is able to learn a little more about her and the sentiments she has for Leo Magozzi, though much of the time it is her emotional stability in the face of danger that makes waves. Annie Belinsky does receive some character development as well, though she parallels Gino Rolseth in this piece as she provides much needed banter to keep the story from getting too serious. While there are a handful of key secondary characters, all of whom fit nicely into the story, it is the ‘protagonist rotation’ that kept me most intrigued. Tracy is able to seamlessly move away from the Magozzi-Rolseth focus and push it onto the others, which offers new angles and glimpses at those the reader knows well from the past two novels. Injecting some old faces from the series debut is sure to give the reader the sentiment that there will often be a Minneapolis-Wisconsin connection and offers up some great geographic options to place the subsequent novels. The narrative kept the story feeling fresh and evolving without getting too far-fetched. Moving away from the traditional police procedural, P.J. Tracy entertains the reader with strong storylines, perfect for a vacation or summer binge. I am eager to keep racing through these books to see what other mysteries come up in the numerous cases that follow.
Kudos, P.J. Tracy, for another wonderful piece. I am so happy to have found this series and hope the rest of the series is as entertaining!
Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
August 17, 2017
The third entry in the Monkeewrench series finds Monkeewrench founders Annie Belinsky and Grace MacBride on their way to a conference in Green Bay, along with Wisconsin deputy sheriff, Sharon Mueller. As they make their way north, they take several scenic detours to see interesting barns and other such attractions. The authors suggest that this is something that women do on a fairly regular basis, and before long the trio is way off course and hopelessly lost near Four Corners, a town so tiny that it actually only has two corners.
As fate would have it, earlier in the day a tanker truck has overturned in Four Corners, with catastrophic consequences. A team of sinister men is busy attempting to conceal the matter when the women's SUV breaks down and they wind up walking right into the disaster.
It's quickly apparent that something very bad has happened in the little town and that the women might be in very grave danger. Matters are complicated when, for some inexplicable reason, the women leave their purses in the local cafe for the bad guys to find, alerting the BGs that the women have intruded into their midst. The women also inexplicably leave most of their cell phones in their purses, which means that they have no way to communicate with the outside world.
The male members of the Monkeewrench gang soon become alarmed when the women haven't reported in and so pile into the Monkeewrench RV and go chasing after them. As the book unfolds, it turns out that the gang has stumbled into a massive plot that, if not nipped in the bud, could cause a disaster of epic proportions.
I generally enjoyed the first two books in this series, but, for me at least, this one stretched credulity way out of bounds, practically from the git go. I found the plot to be very implausible and the actions of the characters often seemed equally inexplicable. It may be a while before I return to the series.
As fate would have it, earlier in the day a tanker truck has overturned in Four Corners, with catastrophic consequences. A team of sinister men is busy attempting to conceal the matter when the women's SUV breaks down and they wind up walking right into the disaster.
It's quickly apparent that something very bad has happened in the little town and that the women might be in very grave danger. Matters are complicated when, for some inexplicable reason, the women leave their purses in the local cafe for the bad guys to find, alerting the BGs that the women have intruded into their midst. The women also inexplicably leave most of their cell phones in their purses, which means that they have no way to communicate with the outside world.
The male members of the Monkeewrench gang soon become alarmed when the women haven't reported in and so pile into the Monkeewrench RV and go chasing after them. As the book unfolds, it turns out that the gang has stumbled into a massive plot that, if not nipped in the bud, could cause a disaster of epic proportions.
I generally enjoyed the first two books in this series, but, for me at least, this one stretched credulity way out of bounds, practically from the git go. I found the plot to be very implausible and the actions of the characters often seemed equally inexplicable. It may be a while before I return to the series.
February 27, 2016
This one is book 3 and I am loving the whole series so far! Grace is becoming a major character with some amazing survival skills and a definite attitude. Along with her two friends she demonstrates what genuinely strong women can do and at no point does she have to be rescued by a man. It makes a nice change. Each book in this series tells its own story but the characters and their relationships are developing steadily with each one, so they are best read in order. Five stars for the clever story, the heart stopping suspense and the likable characters. Looking forward to the next one.
December 25, 2017
It was great to see all the characters for the first Monkeywrench novel back in this third instalment and to see the Monkeewrench women out on their own, out of their comfort zone and using all their survival skills. Grace, Annie and FBI agent Sharon Mueller set off to drive to Green Bay for a meeting with detectives but after a few detours to see interesting sites, find themselves in the backroads in sparsely populated farmland with no mobile phone coverage. When their car breaks down they trek through the woods to the closest small town, Four Corners, but find it deserted and eerily quiet. Not just no human sounds but no birds or animals. They then discover soldiers stalking the roads and woods preventing cars and people from entering and they start to suspect that something sinister has happened here.
Once the women start to figure out what is going on they devise a plan and the plot becomes fast paced and tense as they race against the clock with the rest of the Monkeewrench crew and the two cops Gino and Leo to avert a major disaster. The characters and their relationships are developing well and I'm looking forward to the next instalment in this excellent series.
Once the women start to figure out what is going on they devise a plan and the plot becomes fast paced and tense as they race against the clock with the rest of the Monkeewrench crew and the two cops Gino and Leo to avert a major disaster. The characters and their relationships are developing well and I'm looking forward to the next instalment in this excellent series.
August 31, 2021
4.5★
“‘I thought all these fancy rides had GPS.’
‘Grace wouldn’t hear of it,’ Annie said. ‘Too Big Brother. They always know where you are with a GPS.’
Sharon cocked her head at Grace. ‘And who is ‘they’?’
Grace shrugged. ‘Could be anybody.’”
Grace would know. She’s one of the Monkeewrench crew, computer geeks who work with police and FBI to track evil-doers. They made a lot of money from a computer game (from which eventuated unforeseen damage they can’t forgive themselves for), so they’ve turned their efforts to the greater good.
The three women are traveling in Grace’s Range Rover on their way from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Green Bay in the neighbouring state of Wisconsin to donate and install their new anti-bad-guy software. Sorry to use such technological language.
Grace is slim with black hair and always dresses in black with high boots, because, well, she has good reason. She always reminds me of one of those beautiful ‘emo’ characters in black and white graphic stories. Always suspicious, always hiding.
Annie is also Monkeewrench, but hardly hiding!
“Annie Belinsky fluttered into the room in a dress made to look as if a thousand silk butterflies were feasting on her body every time she moved. She had tiny feet and a rosebud mouth, but everything else about Annie was pure, queensized Renaissance.”
Sharon is the reason they’re headed north. She’s a small, compact Wisconsin police officer, in her boring navy uniform. currently on loan with the FBI. She is on the scent of a possible serial killer in Green Bay, so the three women have packed up for a road trip and an overnight or two.
The always reliable Range Rover conks out (sorry about all the esoteric terminology), so the women leave it on a side road and decide to hoof it to town. Sharon digs out a pair of high-top tennis shoes to lend Annie, who is slightly horrified at the change to her butterfly outfit.
“‘An hour ago, we were three intelligent, successful women in a seventy-thousand-dollar car with cell phones and some of the most advanced computer equipment on the face of the earth, and now we’re slogging through a primordial forest like the Barbarella triplets.’
Sharon laughed. ‘Nature’s the great equalizer.’
‘Nature sucks. It’s hot and sticky, and it smells like dirt out here. And by the way, would you two waifs slow down? You’re with a size-large woman who’s wearing flat shoes for the first time in her life, and this path is a death trap. There are tree roots poking out everywhere. Somebody should pave this thing.’”
You get the idea. Meanwhile, we’ve already seen some scary activity in the woods. An accident with a tanker truck, men in protective gear and others in camo with assault rifles. This is not a place we’d want our trio tramping around, boots and flat shoes or not.
They are in a dead zone for phone coverage, and when they finally reach the town, really just a wide spot in the road, they grow increasingly worried about the silence and emptiness.
Meanwhile, the Monkeewrench guys (and Grace’s dog) are also growing increasingly worried when they can’t reach the three women and Green Bay has heard nothing. They get the local police in both states involved, which introduces some personal side stories between the characters.
I love the connections and interplay between these people, and the author/s keep it subtle and low-key. The main story is a gripping thriller, and if the women were unprepared for a vehicle breakdown, they have had to prepare themselves quickly to the terrorism and murders to come.
It’s a terrific read. I’m late to this popular series, and I’ve got more to go. These are people I care about, which makes the stories compelling reading. A lot of libraries would have these, including the Open Library online.
“‘I thought all these fancy rides had GPS.’
‘Grace wouldn’t hear of it,’ Annie said. ‘Too Big Brother. They always know where you are with a GPS.’
Sharon cocked her head at Grace. ‘And who is ‘they’?’
Grace shrugged. ‘Could be anybody.’”
Grace would know. She’s one of the Monkeewrench crew, computer geeks who work with police and FBI to track evil-doers. They made a lot of money from a computer game (from which eventuated unforeseen damage they can’t forgive themselves for), so they’ve turned their efforts to the greater good.
The three women are traveling in Grace’s Range Rover on their way from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Green Bay in the neighbouring state of Wisconsin to donate and install their new anti-bad-guy software. Sorry to use such technological language.
Grace is slim with black hair and always dresses in black with high boots, because, well, she has good reason. She always reminds me of one of those beautiful ‘emo’ characters in black and white graphic stories. Always suspicious, always hiding.
Annie is also Monkeewrench, but hardly hiding!
“Annie Belinsky fluttered into the room in a dress made to look as if a thousand silk butterflies were feasting on her body every time she moved. She had tiny feet and a rosebud mouth, but everything else about Annie was pure, queensized Renaissance.”
Sharon is the reason they’re headed north. She’s a small, compact Wisconsin police officer, in her boring navy uniform. currently on loan with the FBI. She is on the scent of a possible serial killer in Green Bay, so the three women have packed up for a road trip and an overnight or two.
The always reliable Range Rover conks out (sorry about all the esoteric terminology), so the women leave it on a side road and decide to hoof it to town. Sharon digs out a pair of high-top tennis shoes to lend Annie, who is slightly horrified at the change to her butterfly outfit.
“‘An hour ago, we were three intelligent, successful women in a seventy-thousand-dollar car with cell phones and some of the most advanced computer equipment on the face of the earth, and now we’re slogging through a primordial forest like the Barbarella triplets.’
Sharon laughed. ‘Nature’s the great equalizer.’
‘Nature sucks. It’s hot and sticky, and it smells like dirt out here. And by the way, would you two waifs slow down? You’re with a size-large woman who’s wearing flat shoes for the first time in her life, and this path is a death trap. There are tree roots poking out everywhere. Somebody should pave this thing.’”
You get the idea. Meanwhile, we’ve already seen some scary activity in the woods. An accident with a tanker truck, men in protective gear and others in camo with assault rifles. This is not a place we’d want our trio tramping around, boots and flat shoes or not.
They are in a dead zone for phone coverage, and when they finally reach the town, really just a wide spot in the road, they grow increasingly worried about the silence and emptiness.
Meanwhile, the Monkeewrench guys (and Grace’s dog) are also growing increasingly worried when they can’t reach the three women and Green Bay has heard nothing. They get the local police in both states involved, which introduces some personal side stories between the characters.
I love the connections and interplay between these people, and the author/s keep it subtle and low-key. The main story is a gripping thriller, and if the women were unprepared for a vehicle breakdown, they have had to prepare themselves quickly to the terrorism and murders to come.
It’s a terrific read. I’m late to this popular series, and I’ve got more to go. These are people I care about, which makes the stories compelling reading. A lot of libraries would have these, including the Open Library online.
May 14, 2024
A fast-paced, entertaining episode in an excellent series. I enjoyed this one almost as much as the first book, which I loved. Grace MacBride & Annie Belinsky of Monkeewrench, & FBI Agent Sharon Mueller, team up when a road trip goes disastrously wrong. They end up in a deserted town, the subject of a womanhunt by people who have every reason to ensure they don't make it out alive. Their menfolk become very worried when they don't reach their destination but they are in a communications dead spot. Roadrunner, Harley Davidson, Leo Magozzi, Gino Rolseth, Michael Halloran & Bonar Carlson, not to mention the FBI, are trying desperately to locate them & race to the rescue, but the women are more than capable of holding their own, & they make a great team.
The secrets buried in the Wisconsin town of Four Corners are truly shocking & horrific in this gripping, well-written 3rd "Monkeewrench" book.
The secrets buried in the Wisconsin town of Four Corners are truly shocking & horrific in this gripping, well-written 3rd "Monkeewrench" book.
July 24, 2022
Slightly dated but filled with a solid cast of characters (Annie, I’m in no way calling you “solid,” because I adore your KA attitude in your rubenesque frame), this is turning out to be another series that captures my attention.
Set against the far midwestern and western states, of which I don’t read much about, I love how this duo brings back feature characters from other books while still highlighting the main players!
Grace and company unwittingly find themselves in the midst of a doozy of a challenge. Who are the bad guys, who are the good guys and just when will Monkeewrench save the day? This one was pretty suspenseful but in a way unlike earlier mysteries.
Loved it and looking forward to more.
PS- Thank you for bringing Magozzi back— this book starts off a year or more after the last one so the gang is back in Minnesota where they belong!! 😎
Set against the far midwestern and western states, of which I don’t read much about, I love how this duo brings back feature characters from other books while still highlighting the main players!
Grace and company unwittingly find themselves in the midst of a doozy of a challenge. Who are the bad guys, who are the good guys and just when will Monkeewrench save the day? This one was pretty suspenseful but in a way unlike earlier mysteries.
Loved it and looking forward to more.
PS- Thank you for bringing Magozzi back— this book starts off a year or more after the last one so the gang is back in Minnesota where they belong!! 😎
July 12, 2018
This was not a great book, but it wasn’t terrible either. Sometimes a book just needs to have realistic scenarios to satisfy me, and this book had me rolling my eyes too often. There were also too many long descriptive passages unrelated to the story that I began to skip over.
I checked reviews of the next few books in the series, and it does look like this book is an anomaly. I will probably continue the series, but not for a while.
I checked reviews of the next few books in the series, and it does look like this book is an anomaly. I will probably continue the series, but not for a while.
June 28, 2021
For English version please scroll down
*******
Was für ein atemberaubender und hochspannender Action-Thriller
In Band 3 der Monkeewrench-Reihe fahren Grace und Annie mit der Polizistin Sharon ins Hinterland von Wisconsin, um bei einem Mehrfachmord IT-Unterstützung zu leisten. Auf dem Weg zu ihrem Zielort geraten sie in apokalyptisches Szenario und müssen massiv um ihr Leben fürchten.
Ihre Freunde aus der Firma und diverse Polizisten machen sich natürlich alsbald auf die Suche nach den Frauen und zusammen decken sie ein schier unglaubliches Szenario auf.
Man darf natürlich nicht danach fragen wie unwahrscheinlich der Plot ist (total!), ob viele Klischees bedient werden (jedes, das man sich vorstellen kann!) oder ob eine literarisch anspruchsvolle Sprache zum Einsatz kommt (kein bisschen!).
Offen gesagt fällt dieses Buch in die Kategorie “Guter Schund” und ich habe es geliebt. Ich habe mich schon länger nicht so mitreissend und aufregend unterhalten gefühlt. Ein wunderbares Buch zum Abschalten.
5 Sterne
----------------------------
What a breathtaking and highly exciting action thriller
In Volume 3 of the Monkeewrench series, Grace and Annie drive with policewoman Sharon into the Wisconsin hinterland to provide IT support for a multiple homicide. On the way to their destination they get into an apocalyptic scenario and have to fear for their lives.
Their friends from the company and various police officers of course immediately set out to search for the women and together they uncover an almost unbelievable scenario.
Of course, you shouldn't ask how improbable the plot is (totally!), whether many clichés are being used (any one that you can imagine!) or whether a literarily demanding language is being used (not a bit!).
Frankly, this book falls into the “good trash” category and I loved it. I haven't felt so excitingly entertained in a while. A wonderful book to switch off.
5 Stars
*******
Was für ein atemberaubender und hochspannender Action-Thriller
In Band 3 der Monkeewrench-Reihe fahren Grace und Annie mit der Polizistin Sharon ins Hinterland von Wisconsin, um bei einem Mehrfachmord IT-Unterstützung zu leisten. Auf dem Weg zu ihrem Zielort geraten sie in apokalyptisches Szenario und müssen massiv um ihr Leben fürchten.
Ihre Freunde aus der Firma und diverse Polizisten machen sich natürlich alsbald auf die Suche nach den Frauen und zusammen decken sie ein schier unglaubliches Szenario auf.
Man darf natürlich nicht danach fragen wie unwahrscheinlich der Plot ist (total!), ob viele Klischees bedient werden (jedes, das man sich vorstellen kann!) oder ob eine literarisch anspruchsvolle Sprache zum Einsatz kommt (kein bisschen!).
Offen gesagt fällt dieses Buch in die Kategorie “Guter Schund” und ich habe es geliebt. Ich habe mich schon länger nicht so mitreissend und aufregend unterhalten gefühlt. Ein wunderbares Buch zum Abschalten.
5 Sterne
----------------------------
What a breathtaking and highly exciting action thriller
In Volume 3 of the Monkeewrench series, Grace and Annie drive with policewoman Sharon into the Wisconsin hinterland to provide IT support for a multiple homicide. On the way to their destination they get into an apocalyptic scenario and have to fear for their lives.
Their friends from the company and various police officers of course immediately set out to search for the women and together they uncover an almost unbelievable scenario.
Of course, you shouldn't ask how improbable the plot is (totally!), whether many clichés are being used (any one that you can imagine!) or whether a literarily demanding language is being used (not a bit!).
Frankly, this book falls into the “good trash” category and I loved it. I haven't felt so excitingly entertained in a while. A wonderful book to switch off.
5 Stars
July 3, 2018
I enjoyed this book at least as much as the previous books in the series. To me, it seems a bit less serious but still exciting with a race against time to save a lot of unknown people for an unknown fate by some unknown group. With a plot like that, you need some humor to hide the fact that it's a bit crazy. But unlike certain reviewers that I have a lot of respect for, I didn't feel it was incredulous or implausible. For one thing, the whole Monkeewrench group is pretty unpredictable and implausible, so if you can believe in things like a rich biker programmer, a very large but sexy woman, a small sexy woman who carries at least one gun everywhere, even under her pajamas, and oh yeah, a 6'8" programmer who wears lycra bicycling clothes everywhere, who drive around in a huge, high-tech mobile home, well... pretty much anything goes with a group like that.
I liked it enough to go right on into the next book in the series, before I forget the names of the players. It might not be great fiction, but it's highly entertaining.
I liked it enough to go right on into the next book in the series, before I forget the names of the players. It might not be great fiction, but it's highly entertaining.
February 1, 2019
Grace, Annie, and Sharon were the stars here and I really enjoyed it ! Lots of action and thrills!
Buck Schriner gives an entertaining performance, his comedic timing, on the bits of humor interspersed between tense situations, was spot on.
Buck Schriner gives an entertaining performance, his comedic timing, on the bits of humor interspersed between tense situations, was spot on.
August 27, 2016
This is the third book in P.J. Tracy's wonderful "Monkeewrench" series. I loved it just as much as the first two. All the quirky characters, the detectives and the Monkeewrench crew, are back, this time confronting a mysterious event perpetrated by a sinister paramilitary group that is plotting something even more horrific. It's true that the story strains credulity, but I didn't mind at all. I'll believe just about anything when I'm enjoying a thriller as good as this one, especially when the characters are so much fun.
February 19, 2012
I was so excited to finally get to this third book because the synopsis stated that they were headed to Green Bay, which I hoped meant that Sharon, Mike and Bonar would be in this one. And to my delight they were. That's where my delight ends. I found it unrealistic that a civilian would be the one with a clear head and take charge when she was with a police officer/FBI agent and dropped into a life threatening situation. I like to read books where I root for the heroine or hero of the book. But I can't do that with a character like Grace. She's unlikeable. She's selfish, self absorbed and thinks the world revolves around her. The author at one point even has Sharon state that it doesn't bother her that Grace is taking the lead because Grace would do what Grace wanted to do no matter what. In the first book, I was able to accept Grace's self involvement because she was in fear for her life. I think it's past the point where this understandable. She doesn't trust anyone. She thinks she knows best. And she acts as though she's better than everyone around her. She has 3 people that have literally given up their own wants and needs to blindly follow her. She gives no consideration to what any of these other people want or need. There's no discussion, no debate, nothing - she just says what's going to happen and that's it. So she has these three committed best friends who would do anything for her (and have done so much for her) and yet, she has major trust issues. Everything that she was in fear of is over. It's gone. There's nothing to fear any more. But she acts like everyone out there is the enemy. The premise of this book was a good one. But the writer has ruined it with the character they created in Grace. She doesn't have one redeeming quality. When women writers write women characters that are strong, yet damaged - I find it so offensive when they make them unlikeable. I also found that Sharon was written as the weak one, which makes absolutely no sense. We read in the first book how she was some brilliant profiler that the FBI is constantly trying to woo to work for them full time. So she's obviously an intelligent woman. Not to mention, the strength it took to do what she did at the end of the first book. Now, we're supposed to believe that she falls apart when things get a little rough. But luckily, Grace is there to save the day. The sad fact is, I love every other character in these books. I just don't know if I can continue reading this series if Grace remains one of the main characters, and remains as self absorbed and righteous as she currently is. I wish there were two sets of books. I wish after the first book, the author would have broken it off into two series. One with Sharon, Bonar and Mike. And a second one with Gino and Leo. And just have the Monkeewrench crew floating back and forth between the two series as secondary characters doing nothing more than assisting the law with solving the crimes.
September 30, 2011
This one had me yelling at my windsheild. Repeatedly. Two strong books and then....lord knows what happened. Maybe the authors read W.K. Krueger's Mercy Falls and needed something outlandish too. I dunno.
I'll try and do this without major spoilers:
Govt conspiracy/major cover up in NE Wisconsin - so, a whole town vanishes and we have someone pushing a tanker truck into a lake. If you have ever been in NE Wisconsin farm country, you would know that - realistically - you will not be able to push a tanker truck into a lake and expect it to sink the prerequisite 18' to be totally submerged and not visible from the air. Your bulldozer/tractor would sink into the muck beyond it's axels and lord knows how'd you'd extract your tractor then. It would far, far, better to just put said ruined tanker truck on the back of a flatbed trailer and haul it out of there completely.
Ditto for a herd of dead cows. Plus they float once bloated. Not good to have a herd of bloated cows bobbing around a lake. Put in a dump truck, cover, and take to a secret government gravel pit and dump and cover.
You don't bury bodies under a feedlot paddock. Seriously. WTH.
Fed's/bad guys seemed really heavy handed. And stupid. See above comments.
All three ladies managed to leave their purses sitting on the counter at the diner for the bad guys to find later on? Riiighhht.... how convienent for the plot.
Didn't anyone think of sending a plane to fly over this fiasco when is started? Any law enforcement agency of a large mostly unpopulated area will have access to a small plane for surveilence. Use it!
Nobody noticed they couldn't raise their relatives on the phone? Only the local 'cake lady' was noticed to be missing? Sure, NE Wisconsin can be rather isolated, but come on! people would notice.
And can we get any more cliched with the nice hick cop with a head injury who feels compelled to "protect" three women who obviously know what the heck is going on moreso than he does? He deserved what happened to him.
Crikey, I could go on, but I will stop here. I felt this particular book, especially after reading the first two, just went winging right out into unbelievable land. Part of my issue was the main plot of three missing women running around a semi-secured government consipriacy zone was just so implausible. The secondary plot of trying to locate the missing women was more interesting. Still, the whole plot had me banging my head against my steering wheel. I 'read' this as an audiobook, by the way.
But, lest you wonder why I kept reading, it was because I loved the humor, I like the quirky characters, and because I wanted to find out how the romatic interests panned out at the end.
I'll try and do this without major spoilers:
Govt conspiracy/major cover up in NE Wisconsin - so, a whole town vanishes and we have someone pushing a tanker truck into a lake. If you have ever been in NE Wisconsin farm country, you would know that - realistically - you will not be able to push a tanker truck into a lake and expect it to sink the prerequisite 18' to be totally submerged and not visible from the air. Your bulldozer/tractor would sink into the muck beyond it's axels and lord knows how'd you'd extract your tractor then. It would far, far, better to just put said ruined tanker truck on the back of a flatbed trailer and haul it out of there completely.
Ditto for a herd of dead cows. Plus they float once bloated. Not good to have a herd of bloated cows bobbing around a lake. Put in a dump truck, cover, and take to a secret government gravel pit and dump and cover.
You don't bury bodies under a feedlot paddock. Seriously. WTH.
Fed's/bad guys seemed really heavy handed. And stupid. See above comments.
All three ladies managed to leave their purses sitting on the counter at the diner for the bad guys to find later on? Riiighhht.... how convienent for the plot.
Didn't anyone think of sending a plane to fly over this fiasco when is started? Any law enforcement agency of a large mostly unpopulated area will have access to a small plane for surveilence. Use it!
Nobody noticed they couldn't raise their relatives on the phone? Only the local 'cake lady' was noticed to be missing? Sure, NE Wisconsin can be rather isolated, but come on! people would notice.
And can we get any more cliched with the nice hick cop with a head injury who feels compelled to "protect" three women who obviously know what the heck is going on moreso than he does? He deserved what happened to him.
Crikey, I could go on, but I will stop here. I felt this particular book, especially after reading the first two, just went winging right out into unbelievable land. Part of my issue was the main plot of three missing women running around a semi-secured government consipriacy zone was just so implausible. The secondary plot of trying to locate the missing women was more interesting. Still, the whole plot had me banging my head against my steering wheel. I 'read' this as an audiobook, by the way.
But, lest you wonder why I kept reading, it was because I loved the humor, I like the quirky characters, and because I wanted to find out how the romatic interests panned out at the end.
February 8, 2012
**4.5 stars**
This book was incredible.
The story brings back all the characters from the first book in the series: the Monkeewrench crew, Leo & Gino from the Minneapolis Police Dept. plus the three Wisconsin law enforcement officers: Sharon, Halloran and Bonar. The plot is also a departure from the previous books in the series and instead of a mystery, we got a thriller-suspense with bad guys chasing some of the main characters while the clock was ticking. The plot was so exciting that I was at the edge of my seat the whole time - I kept waking up in the middle of the night, thinking there was something I could do to help these women. This book affected me in such a way, that even though I knew that most likely they weren't going to die, they were in so much danger that I was afraid for their lives the whole time.
I thoroughly liked how everybody had their time to shine...even Charlie and the RV! I also love how the author has created such an amazing character in Angela, even though she's never present. You see, this book is full of violence and f*cked up people but Gino & Angela are a firm example of everything that's good in this world, a ray of hope that things can be better. And isn't that an amazing thing?
In most mysteries, the dead people are just an excuse for the plot so we almost never get to know them as a real people that feel and breathe, but not in this book. Here we got to know a lot of the people that died (and the body count was high.) That meant of course that reading about these deaths was really painful but without it, I don't think the reader could really feel the scope of the tragedy.
A recurring theme from the last book in this series was "when people take the law in their hands." It was sobering to see the thought process of the bad guys and how they thought they were doing the right thing.
As usual Buck Schirner did an amazing job with the narration. I think I'll switch to print for the next book because I know he won't be the narrator.
Overall, a really amazing series and one I wholeheartedly recommend.
This book was incredible.
The story brings back all the characters from the first book in the series: the Monkeewrench crew, Leo & Gino from the Minneapolis Police Dept. plus the three Wisconsin law enforcement officers: Sharon, Halloran and Bonar. The plot is also a departure from the previous books in the series and instead of a mystery, we got a thriller-suspense with bad guys chasing some of the main characters while the clock was ticking. The plot was so exciting that I was at the edge of my seat the whole time - I kept waking up in the middle of the night, thinking there was something I could do to help these women. This book affected me in such a way, that even though I knew that most likely they weren't going to die, they were in so much danger that I was afraid for their lives the whole time.
I thoroughly liked how everybody had their time to shine...even Charlie and the RV! I also love how the author has created such an amazing character in Angela, even though she's never present. You see, this book is full of violence and f*cked up people but Gino & Angela are a firm example of everything that's good in this world, a ray of hope that things can be better. And isn't that an amazing thing?
In most mysteries, the dead people are just an excuse for the plot so we almost never get to know them as a real people that feel and breathe, but not in this book. Here we got to know a lot of the people that died (and the body count was high.) That meant of course that reading about these deaths was really painful but without it, I don't think the reader could really feel the scope of the tragedy.
A recurring theme from the last book in this series was "when people take the law in their hands." It was sobering to see the thought process of the bad guys and how they thought they were doing the right thing.
As usual Buck Schirner did an amazing job with the narration. I think I'll switch to print for the next book because I know he won't be the narrator.
Overall, a really amazing series and one I wholeheartedly recommend.
January 1, 2010
This was horrible! It started off fine enough then there were far too many odd ball plot twists and an inordinate amount of time was spent crawling through the dark in the mud. I tried to skim ahead to see "who dunnit" and couldn't dig the answer out of this mess of a book. I'll trudge through onto the next in the series. It can't possibly get any worse.
September 20, 2018
There are books that you start and then set aside and try another and another. Then there are books that you start that keep you from going to bed, or cause you to eat dinner late or have your dogs sitting at your feet telling you to put the book down and feed them. This book, this series, is one of those books.
The recurring characters are interesting and feel real. Their relationships matter. The plot was really good and the pacing kept the story moving. My only complaint would be more of an epilogue.
This is one series that I'm thrilled to have found and will continue reading.
The recurring characters are interesting and feel real. Their relationships matter. The plot was really good and the pacing kept the story moving. My only complaint would be more of an epilogue.
This is one series that I'm thrilled to have found and will continue reading.
September 7, 2016
A deserted town with all phone lines cut, 3 unidentified bodies, soldiers shooting civilians , milk trucks and the FBI now has jurisdiction but what does it all have in common?
This book took many twists and turns, being my first P.J Tracy book i was hooked, i love a good suspense/ mystery and this did not disappoint.
Although this is book #3 of the Monkeewrench series, it has captured my attention and determination to know this series, its characters and the Monkeewrench crew a whole lot better!
Monkeewrench members Grace McBride, Annie Belinsky and FBI agent Sharon Mueller are on their way to Green Bay to help local law enforcement with a possible serial killer when their car breaks down in the small town of Four Corners. But there is an eerie silence, no cars , no people in sight , no animals and all the phone lines have been deliberately cut. Where did everybody- the cars, the people and animals all go? Stuck miles from the next town the 3 women decide to have a look around and find signs of life, when they unsuspectedly witness a murder. Now running for their lives and unsure of who they can trust , they must piece the pieces of this bizarre puzzle together, to not only save themselves but the lives of thousands.
With the rest of the Monkeewrench crew thousands of miles away, and FBI blocking their every move to locate their friends, they must take things into their own hands and try to find what happened to Grace, Annie and Sharon.
The hunt is on, but will the hunters become the hunted? and what danger could impact the lives of thousands?
First off, i only wish i read the other books to this series because their isn't too much character growth in this book, although we do get an idea of who each character is and bits of their back story, it felt like i had missed something, and obviously i had, the first two books!
No matter, i liked the Monkeewrench crew and cannot wait to find out more about them and what events made them into the people they are in this book.
Grace stuck out to me, i liked her personality and how aware she was to her intuition, whether its due to a tragic past or from helping police departments locate and capture serial killers , Grace is a strong female character with the need to help the helpless.
For those hoping for some romance, i'll be glad to report it's not all stab , stab , kill, kill.
There are love interests for most of the characters, whether married or crushing, it helps break up the darkness and mystery a bit. Which is another reason i cannot wait to read the other books, the relationships sometimes come across as difficult or suppressed and that makes me believe that the other books hold the answers to why Sharon for one, is stand-offish with Halloran although you can see they are both interested in each other.
The writing itself i enjoyed, jumping between characters, and whats happening in different areas of this mystery keeps you hooked right till the end. Its not till the end when they all come together does it move as one and then the ball is really rolling and the pieces start to come together, making this a thrilling, fast paced read. Cannot wait to get the my hands on more books from this series, Go Monkeewrench crew!
Recommend for anyone liking: Mystery / Suspense
May 6, 2015
Grace, Annie and Sharon are on their way to assist a law enforcement group in Green Bay with the profiling and tracking of a suspected serial killer when their car breaks down in a remote town in Wisconsin. What happens when they slog to the town to find a mechanic is utterly chilling.
The story transitions between the women and their team members/men they left behind in Minneapolis. While the women are using their wits to stay alive, the men are trying to decide whether there's cause for alarm when they don't reach their destination on time. This contrast just adds excitement and tension, one due to danger and the other because of the anticipation that builds as we wait for the men to get a clue and sound the alarm.
I really enjoyed this story as it unfolds slowly, sometimes painstakingly so. There's something horribly amiss in the town and there's a third group, local law enforcement, who aren't aware of the danger. You're on the sidelines trying to hurry things up before the women are discovered.
The narrator does a fine job in the scenes where things are a bit laid back but misses the mark when the suspense builds. He just doesn't capture the tension. Otherwise, his performance is fine.
I think this is my favorite to date. There seemed to be an underlying theme of misplaced stereotypes regarding the women, who are a formidable group and don't fit any of them. And just maybe that's what the author was illustrating. They took care of themselves.
The story transitions between the women and their team members/men they left behind in Minneapolis. While the women are using their wits to stay alive, the men are trying to decide whether there's cause for alarm when they don't reach their destination on time. This contrast just adds excitement and tension, one due to danger and the other because of the anticipation that builds as we wait for the men to get a clue and sound the alarm.
I really enjoyed this story as it unfolds slowly, sometimes painstakingly so. There's something horribly amiss in the town and there's a third group, local law enforcement, who aren't aware of the danger. You're on the sidelines trying to hurry things up before the women are discovered.
The narrator does a fine job in the scenes where things are a bit laid back but misses the mark when the suspense builds. He just doesn't capture the tension. Otherwise, his performance is fine.
I think this is my favorite to date. There seemed to be an underlying theme of misplaced stereotypes regarding the women, who are a formidable group and don't fit any of them. And just maybe that's what the author was illustrating. They took care of themselves.
September 20, 2015
I was given this book to read by a family member and I was unsure as to whether or not I wanted to read it. It is part of a series, after all, and I felt as though I shouldn’t have been jumping in part way through. In the end, though, I decided to give it a go.
By the end of the first chapter I was unsure. I wasn’t quite enjoying the writing style and I hoped for improvement. I continued on, however, as I say you can never judge a book solely by the first chapter – you have to give it a real go before you can make a true judgment. So I went on.
After around page one hundred it did pick up somewhat. Still, there were many ups and downs. There were some three star moments but not enough to make it so, after all there were an almost equal number of one star moments throughout.
It may have been better had I read the other books, but I really don’t think it would have made all that much of a difference. As a whole, this one left me uninterested in reading any other books in the series.
By the end of the first chapter I was unsure. I wasn’t quite enjoying the writing style and I hoped for improvement. I continued on, however, as I say you can never judge a book solely by the first chapter – you have to give it a real go before you can make a true judgment. So I went on.
After around page one hundred it did pick up somewhat. Still, there were many ups and downs. There were some three star moments but not enough to make it so, after all there were an almost equal number of one star moments throughout.
It may have been better had I read the other books, but I really don’t think it would have made all that much of a difference. As a whole, this one left me uninterested in reading any other books in the series.
September 3, 2007
DEAD RUN (Amateur Sleuths-Wisconsin-Cont)- VG
Tracy, P.J. – 3rd book
Putnam, 2005- Hardcover
Monkeewrench members Grace McBride, Annie Belinsky and FBI agent Sharon Mueller are heading to Green Bay to work with the local police. While taking a side trip and Grace's Land Rover brakes down so they walk to down only to find it completely deserted; no people or animals. Things quickly turn dangerous when they find the residents of the town and are being hunted by men who are out to kill.
*** A slight negative is that one really should read the previous two books first to learn who the characters are, as this book depends more on action than character development. But the characters are fun, the dialogue great and the action non-stop. It's an exciting ride and I'll definitely be there for the next adventure. If you're looking for the perfect Sunday or airplane book, this is it.
Tracy, P.J. – 3rd book
Putnam, 2005- Hardcover
Monkeewrench members Grace McBride, Annie Belinsky and FBI agent Sharon Mueller are heading to Green Bay to work with the local police. While taking a side trip and Grace's Land Rover brakes down so they walk to down only to find it completely deserted; no people or animals. Things quickly turn dangerous when they find the residents of the town and are being hunted by men who are out to kill.
*** A slight negative is that one really should read the previous two books first to learn who the characters are, as this book depends more on action than character development. But the characters are fun, the dialogue great and the action non-stop. It's an exciting ride and I'll definitely be there for the next adventure. If you're looking for the perfect Sunday or airplane book, this is it.
May 6, 2009
I enjoy the PJ Tracy series, but didn't like this book as much. The tension was there, and pages were turning, but I couldn't appreciate the plot.
May 23, 2025
Wish we could have taken a little more time on plot with this one, as we had alot of running around in the Wisconsin forest.
February 23, 2023
Loved this. In pure PJ Tracy style, you get hooked from the start and then just need to know. It’s gripping and you end up turning those pages faster than you can say Monkeewrench. Not sure this is their most realistic plot BUT definitely the one that borders the most on horror from what I’ve read so far. I love the characters: they’re just so imperfect, so human with a good dollop of humour mixed in. Also, lots of feminism going on here 🤭.
You can feel the enjoyment that went into the writing seep through the pages. Fun writing, fun reading - I’ll definitely be reading more!
You can feel the enjoyment that went into the writing seep through the pages. Fun writing, fun reading - I’ll definitely be reading more!
November 27, 2012
This is my favorite of the Monkeewrench novels by P. J. Tracy. The first book introduced the series' classic character sets: urban cops, rural cops, and computer nerds. Adding the FBI, some home-grown terrorists, and sundry other state and federal agencies to the mix, "Dead Run" deploys them over the Minnesota countryside to great effect.
The story begins when an FBI agent and two computer nerds stumble upon an apparently deserted town after their car breaks down. The three ladies soon find themselves cut off, on the run, and committed to defusing a terror initiative. In the outside world, their friends are alarmed at their disappearance and set out to find them. Will the two groups get together in time? Will they foil the terrorists? No spoilers here; read the book.
One of the great delights of this book, as well as the others in the series, is the crisp and stylish writing. Thrillers with such exciting plots and engaging characters too often force their readers to endure spells of leaden dialog and tedious explanation of complicated plot twists. Not so with the Monkeewrench books. The story zooms along, nicely spiced with humor, and all loose ends are quickly and firmly tied.
The story begins when an FBI agent and two computer nerds stumble upon an apparently deserted town after their car breaks down. The three ladies soon find themselves cut off, on the run, and committed to defusing a terror initiative. In the outside world, their friends are alarmed at their disappearance and set out to find them. Will the two groups get together in time? Will they foil the terrorists? No spoilers here; read the book.
One of the great delights of this book, as well as the others in the series, is the crisp and stylish writing. Thrillers with such exciting plots and engaging characters too often force their readers to endure spells of leaden dialog and tedious explanation of complicated plot twists. Not so with the Monkeewrench books. The story zooms along, nicely spiced with humor, and all loose ends are quickly and firmly tied.
October 2, 2017
I read the first two books in this series years ago and really enjoyed them. I don't know if it's because my tastes have changed or it was just this book but, gah, this book was not good for me. Tedious and boring. I couldn't wait for it to be over. I don't even have the energy to write a proper review about it.
I did it on audio and the narrator was good.
I did it on audio and the narrator was good.
November 1, 2022
Book number 3 in the Monkeewrench series, and this could very well be my favourite so far. VERY hard to put down and really had my heart racing at times. I really like the way the same characters feature in each book, but the ones that are the main focus change depending on the storyline. Highly recommended, and I now have my husband reading this series too!
November 28, 2008
I deliberated long and hard about whether to read this - only because I was concerned that it might be part of a series, which always makes sense. There was no information on the sleeve notes to suggest it was so i dived in.
However, it turns out that it was number three in a series and unlong other crime novels, the reader lost a lot from not understanding the back story..... to the point that you did not really now who the players were and what their roles and jobs are.
And always be suspicous of writing partnerships. I have no idea how this works. Do they take turns on a sentance/chapter?
The upshot is that this is one of the worst books i have ever read - confusing cause you dont know the backstory couple with tepid thrills and a distinct lack of tension and drama.
For what it is worth, it starts OK - some sort of disaster wipes out a remote town - a transporter crashes, leaks its contents and everyone dies. The home guard are called in. What are the contents - who is responsible?
Then we have a team of software consultants who have perfected something that can help with serial killer profiling. They break down - a couple of miles from the town and get caught up in the containment.
In a distinctly unthrilling journey through the book, it turns our some terrorists are unhappy with the amount of immigrants, the contents of the trailer was nerve gas and three more trucks are on there way to packed destinations (the first one simply crashed in the wrong place). Everything gets resolved.
Incredibly bad book.
However, it turns out that it was number three in a series and unlong other crime novels, the reader lost a lot from not understanding the back story..... to the point that you did not really now who the players were and what their roles and jobs are.
And always be suspicous of writing partnerships. I have no idea how this works. Do they take turns on a sentance/chapter?
The upshot is that this is one of the worst books i have ever read - confusing cause you dont know the backstory couple with tepid thrills and a distinct lack of tension and drama.
For what it is worth, it starts OK - some sort of disaster wipes out a remote town - a transporter crashes, leaks its contents and everyone dies. The home guard are called in. What are the contents - who is responsible?
Then we have a team of software consultants who have perfected something that can help with serial killer profiling. They break down - a couple of miles from the town and get caught up in the containment.
In a distinctly unthrilling journey through the book, it turns our some terrorists are unhappy with the amount of immigrants, the contents of the trailer was nerve gas and three more trucks are on there way to packed destinations (the first one simply crashed in the wrong place). Everything gets resolved.
Incredibly bad book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 11, 2010
I loved Monkeewrenchand recommended it to many people, as the plot was strong, characters well defined and a good mystery. The follow up Live Baitwas a great follow up to the debut novel and another good mystery. Well Dead run, lost it all, there is no great mystery and the team is divided in half. The woman have a case to solve and they go off on their own, leaving the men at home to run the operations. Within hours they are lost and the car is broke down, so they stumble into Four corners and a nightmare. There are soliders patrolling the deserted town, the good guys could/are the bad guys,and the mystery makes no sense. The best part of the book is Harley's obsession with the catcus and closing the book.
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