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Monkeewrench #7
Cold Kill
*US edition title: THE SIXTH IDEA*
Cold Kill is the seventh book in P.J. Tracy's Monkeewrench series.
Two dead bodies.
On a cold winter's night in Minneapolis, two friends are brutally murdered on opposite sides of the city. It's clear to homicide detectives Gino and Magozzi that the men were targets - but why?
A decades-old conspiracy.
As Gino and Magozzi begin to uncover evidence, the clues rapidly start to disappear. Lost websites and missing CCTV footage lead them once more to Grace MacBride and her eccentric team of computer analysts - the only ones who can help.
A deadly attack that could bring a city to its knees.
But as more bodies appear, the team begin to realize that this isn't fresh blood - this is a case that stretches back sixty years. And something that has been lying dormant is now awakening.
As Gino and Magozzi race to find answers, they slowly uncover an unimaginable horror: one that they must stop if any of them are to get out alive . . .
PRAISE FOR P. J. TRACY:
'Outrageously suspenseful'
Harlan Coben
'A fast-paced gripping read with thrills and devilish twists'
Guardian
'A powerful thriller and an ingenious plot'
Observer Review
'Scary funny, witty, and genuinely perplexing right to the end'
Glasgow Herald
'Eclectic characters and zingy dialogue . . . exhilarating'
People
Filled with the same crackling dialogue, pace and rich vivid characters as in previous novels, Cold Kill is the new gripping instalment in the internationally bestselling Monkeewrench series. Follow the characters' journeys in the rest of the series: Want to Play?, Live Bait, Dead Run, Snow Blind, Play to Kill and Two Evils.
P.J. Tracy is the pseudonym for the mother-and-daughter writing team of P.J. and Traci Lambrecht. They are the authors of the award-winning and best-selling thrillers Want to Play? (a Richard and Judy Book Club pick) Live Bait, Dead Run, Snow Blind, Play to Kill and Two Evils. All six books feature detectives Gino and Magozzi and maverick computer-hacker Grace MacBride. P.J. and Traci both live near Minneapolis, Minnesota.
www.pjtracy.com
Cold Kill is the seventh book in P.J. Tracy's Monkeewrench series.
Two dead bodies.
On a cold winter's night in Minneapolis, two friends are brutally murdered on opposite sides of the city. It's clear to homicide detectives Gino and Magozzi that the men were targets - but why?
A decades-old conspiracy.
As Gino and Magozzi begin to uncover evidence, the clues rapidly start to disappear. Lost websites and missing CCTV footage lead them once more to Grace MacBride and her eccentric team of computer analysts - the only ones who can help.
A deadly attack that could bring a city to its knees.
But as more bodies appear, the team begin to realize that this isn't fresh blood - this is a case that stretches back sixty years. And something that has been lying dormant is now awakening.
As Gino and Magozzi race to find answers, they slowly uncover an unimaginable horror: one that they must stop if any of them are to get out alive . . .
PRAISE FOR P. J. TRACY:
'Outrageously suspenseful'
Harlan Coben
'A fast-paced gripping read with thrills and devilish twists'
Guardian
'A powerful thriller and an ingenious plot'
Observer Review
'Scary funny, witty, and genuinely perplexing right to the end'
Glasgow Herald
'Eclectic characters and zingy dialogue . . . exhilarating'
People
Filled with the same crackling dialogue, pace and rich vivid characters as in previous novels, Cold Kill is the new gripping instalment in the internationally bestselling Monkeewrench series. Follow the characters' journeys in the rest of the series: Want to Play?, Live Bait, Dead Run, Snow Blind, Play to Kill and Two Evils.
P.J. Tracy is the pseudonym for the mother-and-daughter writing team of P.J. and Traci Lambrecht. They are the authors of the award-winning and best-selling thrillers Want to Play? (a Richard and Judy Book Club pick) Live Bait, Dead Run, Snow Blind, Play to Kill and Two Evils. All six books feature detectives Gino and Magozzi and maverick computer-hacker Grace MacBride. P.J. and Traci both live near Minneapolis, Minnesota.
www.pjtracy.com
377 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2016
332 people are currently reading
2237 people want to read
About the author
P.J. Tracy
24 books1,774 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 484 reviews
July 19, 2016
This is a continuation of a series that I have read from the beginning. The US edition is called The Sixth Idea. We are back with police detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth, and the tech geek team that assists them, Monkeewrench, which comprises Grace, Harley, Annie and Roadrunner. I find it a comfort and a familiar read. I like that it is located in Minnesota, it has a strong sense of place and the weather it experiences. I am aware that elements of the characters and their situations are not very realistic, but that does not bother me. It begins with research scientists in the 1950s discussing the possibility of a bomb which does not kill people, but decimates infrastructure. A scientist leaves a special book to his daughter with specific instructions, after which he dies as his plane explodes.
Chuck and Lydia meet on a plane and coincidentally share a common history. Chuck and a friend he is meeting, Wally, are murdered and Lydia discovers she is also a target. There are a series of murders taking place which have connections to 8 scientists and a iron manufacturer. An assassin emerges who has been ordered to protect potential victims. With Leo and Gino struggling in their investigation, Monkeewrench come into their own, accessing secret information, deleted videos and websites. They offer a safe house to Lydia who is in desperate need after attempts on her life. Monkeewrench set off a series of incidents after hacking the site of a charity. There is a explosive finale.
This is a quick read that brings us up to date with this circle of characters. Grace and Leo's relationship continues to develop to the point they might have a realistic chance of a future together. I enjoyed reading this story by the mother and daughter duo. It has a fast paced narrative with plenty of suspense and tension. Highly recommended novel. Thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
Chuck and Lydia meet on a plane and coincidentally share a common history. Chuck and a friend he is meeting, Wally, are murdered and Lydia discovers she is also a target. There are a series of murders taking place which have connections to 8 scientists and a iron manufacturer. An assassin emerges who has been ordered to protect potential victims. With Leo and Gino struggling in their investigation, Monkeewrench come into their own, accessing secret information, deleted videos and websites. They offer a safe house to Lydia who is in desperate need after attempts on her life. Monkeewrench set off a series of incidents after hacking the site of a charity. There is a explosive finale.
This is a quick read that brings us up to date with this circle of characters. Grace and Leo's relationship continues to develop to the point they might have a realistic chance of a future together. I enjoyed reading this story by the mother and daughter duo. It has a fast paced narrative with plenty of suspense and tension. Highly recommended novel. Thanks to Penguin Michael Joseph for an ARC.
July 26, 2016
3.5 The Monkeywrench crew, Grace, Harley, Roadrunner and Annie, interesting characters all, with back stories to match. Computer security experts, programmers and hackers, always available to work with two Minneapolis policemen, Leo Magozi and Gino Rolseth. When two men are found murders with connections to each other and in the same night, the detectives are assigned the case. Since security tapes have been erased and one of the murdered men's website has been made to disappear they turn to Monkeywrench.
This is another series that I have read from the beginning. Just love these characters with all their flaws and human frailties. This case goes back to a bunch of men who worked on the bomb during the war and has extended to their extended families. But which government is doing the killing and which the protecting? Good solid story, some scary scenarios with some surprising results.
ARC from Netgalley and G. P Putnam publishers.
This is another series that I have read from the beginning. Just love these characters with all their flaws and human frailties. This case goes back to a bunch of men who worked on the bomb during the war and has extended to their extended families. But which government is doing the killing and which the protecting? Good solid story, some scary scenarios with some surprising results.
ARC from Netgalley and G. P Putnam publishers.
December 3, 2023
5★
“Confine a dozen scientists and engineers to a seemingly endless desert of hard-packed sand with no recreational diversions and, inevitably, they will design and build a golf course.
. . .
Donald Buchanan and Arthur Friedman played the makeshift course almost every morning while the rest of the men slept. Most of the scientists preferred to work through the chill of the desert night and sleep through the most brutal heat of the day, but Donald and Arthur were paced to a different clock.
‘I have an idea,’ Donald said as he lined up his drive.
‘Jesus Christ, the last time you said that, you and Teller damn near blew up half the world.’ ”
That would be Edward Teller, ‘father’ of the hydrogen bomb. This book has more than one title, one of which refers to Donald’s bright idea, which he explains while the men are playing golf in 1957.
“ ‘So what’s this idea of yours?’
‘A bomb that doesn’t kill anybody.’
‘That defeats the purpose of a bomb, doesn’t it?’ ”
Sixty years later, we meet Lydia, a young woman flying to Minnesota who discovers that her seatmate Chuck’s father worked with her grandfather on a very secret project many years ago. They meet for coffee after they land to compare notes, and Lydia notices a man watching them. She feels what she calls a prickle, a sensation she’s felt before that warns her of danger.
She’s right, of course, and before she can meet him again, Chuck has been murdered. Later, she comes home in a snow storm to make dinner for her neighbour to discover his body in her basement. When the police come, they discover a second body.
Our favourite detectives, Gino Rolseth and Leo Magozzi are trying to imagine what connection there could possibly be between the different victims so turn to the Monkeewrench crew, who begin their surreptitious snooping through the tangled web of the internet.
Grace MacBride and her three friends are extreme hackers – there is little that they and The Beast (their super computer) can’t eventually trace. She doesn’t have Lydia’s prickle sensation, but her wariness is over the top.
“Grace MacBride was getting better. She hadn’t thrown caution to the wind just yet, but sometimes it seemed that she was positioning herself for the windup. She no longer believed—as she had for most of her life—that every single person on the planet was out to kill her, but you had to be an absolute idiot not to realize that probably half of them were. By her count, she’d been up close and personal with at least six people who had actually taken a crack at it.”
She trusts almost nobody, and it has taken a long time for Leo Magozzi to get close to her. The relationships between all the regular characters make this series special. It’s not soap opera, but it has warmth and humour and very real, human closeness.
Leo is a loner who envies his partner Gino’s loving wife (and her cooking!), which makes it hard for him to deal with Grace’s don’t-get-close-to-me attitude. They are now close privately, on her terms, but in public, he still has to be careful, as she’s likely to freeze up if he touches her.
The plot is terrific, as is the sixth idea, and while I figured out a few of the clues (as I’m sure I was intended to), they didn’t lead me to any kind of solution. There are more murders – assassinations is a better word – and nobody is sure who’s on which side. Is this big secret something the US government is working on? The Russians? And if so, which side is trying to stop what?
I think this is my favourite so far in the series. I’m glad I’ve got a couple more to look forward to, especially as this ends on a surprisingly upbeat note.
“Confine a dozen scientists and engineers to a seemingly endless desert of hard-packed sand with no recreational diversions and, inevitably, they will design and build a golf course.
. . .
Donald Buchanan and Arthur Friedman played the makeshift course almost every morning while the rest of the men slept. Most of the scientists preferred to work through the chill of the desert night and sleep through the most brutal heat of the day, but Donald and Arthur were paced to a different clock.
‘I have an idea,’ Donald said as he lined up his drive.
‘Jesus Christ, the last time you said that, you and Teller damn near blew up half the world.’ ”
That would be Edward Teller, ‘father’ of the hydrogen bomb. This book has more than one title, one of which refers to Donald’s bright idea, which he explains while the men are playing golf in 1957.
“ ‘So what’s this idea of yours?’
‘A bomb that doesn’t kill anybody.’
‘That defeats the purpose of a bomb, doesn’t it?’ ”
Sixty years later, we meet Lydia, a young woman flying to Minnesota who discovers that her seatmate Chuck’s father worked with her grandfather on a very secret project many years ago. They meet for coffee after they land to compare notes, and Lydia notices a man watching them. She feels what she calls a prickle, a sensation she’s felt before that warns her of danger.
She’s right, of course, and before she can meet him again, Chuck has been murdered. Later, she comes home in a snow storm to make dinner for her neighbour to discover his body in her basement. When the police come, they discover a second body.
Our favourite detectives, Gino Rolseth and Leo Magozzi are trying to imagine what connection there could possibly be between the different victims so turn to the Monkeewrench crew, who begin their surreptitious snooping through the tangled web of the internet.
Grace MacBride and her three friends are extreme hackers – there is little that they and The Beast (their super computer) can’t eventually trace. She doesn’t have Lydia’s prickle sensation, but her wariness is over the top.
“Grace MacBride was getting better. She hadn’t thrown caution to the wind just yet, but sometimes it seemed that she was positioning herself for the windup. She no longer believed—as she had for most of her life—that every single person on the planet was out to kill her, but you had to be an absolute idiot not to realize that probably half of them were. By her count, she’d been up close and personal with at least six people who had actually taken a crack at it.”
She trusts almost nobody, and it has taken a long time for Leo Magozzi to get close to her. The relationships between all the regular characters make this series special. It’s not soap opera, but it has warmth and humour and very real, human closeness.
Leo is a loner who envies his partner Gino’s loving wife (and her cooking!), which makes it hard for him to deal with Grace’s don’t-get-close-to-me attitude. They are now close privately, on her terms, but in public, he still has to be careful, as she’s likely to freeze up if he touches her.
The plot is terrific, as is the sixth idea, and while I figured out a few of the clues (as I’m sure I was intended to), they didn’t lead me to any kind of solution. There are more murders – assassinations is a better word – and nobody is sure who’s on which side. Is this big secret something the US government is working on? The Russians? And if so, which side is trying to stop what?
I think this is my favourite so far in the series. I’m glad I’ve got a couple more to look forward to, especially as this ends on a surprisingly upbeat note.
March 2, 2017
This is the English version. The American one has an alternative title The Sixth Idea which is actually a much better one since it refers to the content of the book. Why do books have to have different titles in different countries?
Anyway back to the review:) I have read all of the books in this series so far and enjoyed every one of them. This is one of the best! The characters of course are all old friends by now and it is great to see them again. I was really happy this time to see Maguzzi and Grace moving their relationship forwards. In fact I think they are going to have to take a great big leap in the very near future.
There is plenty of action, numerous dead bodies, some excellent police work, some even more excellent computer geek stuff and a very satisfactory conclusion. In fact everything we expect from this series!
The ending gave me pause for thought since it was a little like rounding things off. Panic! Is this the last one? But I checked their page and there is another one on the way in the middle of this year. I am very glad:)
Anyway back to the review:) I have read all of the books in this series so far and enjoyed every one of them. This is one of the best! The characters of course are all old friends by now and it is great to see them again. I was really happy this time to see Maguzzi and Grace moving their relationship forwards. In fact I think they are going to have to take a great big leap in the very near future.
There is plenty of action, numerous dead bodies, some excellent police work, some even more excellent computer geek stuff and a very satisfactory conclusion. In fact everything we expect from this series!
The ending gave me pause for thought since it was a little like rounding things off. Panic! Is this the last one? But I checked their page and there is another one on the way in the middle of this year. I am very glad:)
April 8, 2022
That was a good one guys! Things tie in a bit too conveniently at times in this series, but it is such a fun ride and something I have been waiting for finally happened! ❤
July 19, 2018
In yet another thrilling novel, P.J. Tracy impresses readers with a well-grounded novel of mystery and suspense. Homicide Detectives Magozzi and Rolseth are enjoying some much needed time off, when a call comes in that a man has been found in his home, shot in the head. After rushing to the scene and beginning their investigation, a second call comes about a man who was killed outside a local hotel. A little digging shows that these two men had been exchanging emails and were planning to meet the following day. Could the murders be related, or simply a very odd coincidence? Soon, a woman comes forward, having seen the news about the murders. Lydia Ascher reports that not only was she on a flight from L.A. to Minneapolis with one of the victims, but they share an odd connection from sixty years in the past. Magozzi and Rolseth begin exploring this and learn that one victim had a website ‘The Sixth Idea’, which has since been removed from the World Wide Web. Enter, Monkeewrench and their tech skills to help with the investigation. What they discover only adds to the confusion and opens new pathways in the case. More murders bring Magozzi and Rolseth running, but the victims are not who they might predict... which only makes things more confusing and the case further from resolution. P.J. Tracy offers up another stunning piece that will keep readers devouring the novel well into the night, begging for more Monkeewrench. Recommended to series fans and those who love a good thriller without all the hype of the big city lights.
I continue to thoroughly enjoy my summer reading binge of P.J. Tracy’s work! The stories have not lost their momentum and Tracy is able to mix great mystery alongside wonderful characters to come up with the ideal formula for a hit. Magozzi and Rolseth dazzle throughout this series, including this seventh novel. Their banter, perhaps the thing I enjoy the most, is always sharp and on point, keeping me laughing between trying to piece together what’s going on in the larger mystery. Magozzi’s love affair with MacBride seems finally to be grounding itself, though there is still an interesting push-pull between the two. Rolseth has his own moments, though there is little new to offer up at this point, save one glaring issue. The entire Monkeewrench crew is present, using their tech-savvy skills to crack yet another case wide open. As with the other novels in the series, the narrative flows well, giving the reader a wonderful gift of great reading, which is sometimes lost in this genre. I did enjoy the six decade span of this novel and how things that started so long ago could return to being poignant, yet with its own new flair. On the topic of time passing in the novel, I found an anomaly worth mentioning. I have come to notice that Rolseth’s children never appear to age, at least based on mention of them in the narrative. ‘Ever youthful’ one might say, but the narrative clearly show a progression in time over these six novels (particularly when one character remembers having known Magozzi for a decade, when they first met on the original Monkeewrench case), while the Rolseth second generation remain five and close to sixteen. Not a major issue, but surely one that remains on my radar as I look ahead to the coming two novels. These novels move away from the traditional police procedural and permit P.J. Tracy to entertain the reader with strong storylines, perfect for a vacation or summer binge. I am eager to keep racing through these books and have only a few left. I can see the crash coming after such a great binge.
Kudos, P.J. Tracy, for another wonderful piece. I am so happy to have found this series and hope to feel more chills throughout this summer reading binge!
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 continue to thoroughly enjoy my summer reading binge of P.J. Tracy’s work! The stories have not lost their momentum and Tracy is able to mix great mystery alongside wonderful characters to come up with the ideal formula for a hit. Magozzi and Rolseth dazzle throughout this series, including this seventh novel. Their banter, perhaps the thing I enjoy the most, is always sharp and on point, keeping me laughing between trying to piece together what’s going on in the larger mystery. Magozzi’s love affair with MacBride seems finally to be grounding itself, though there is still an interesting push-pull between the two. Rolseth has his own moments, though there is little new to offer up at this point, save one glaring issue. The entire Monkeewrench crew is present, using their tech-savvy skills to crack yet another case wide open. As with the other novels in the series, the narrative flows well, giving the reader a wonderful gift of great reading, which is sometimes lost in this genre. I did enjoy the six decade span of this novel and how things that started so long ago could return to being poignant, yet with its own new flair. On the topic of time passing in the novel, I found an anomaly worth mentioning. I have come to notice that Rolseth’s children never appear to age, at least based on mention of them in the narrative. ‘Ever youthful’ one might say, but the narrative clearly show a progression in time over these six novels (particularly when one character remembers having known Magozzi for a decade, when they first met on the original Monkeewrench case), while the Rolseth second generation remain five and close to sixteen. Not a major issue, but surely one that remains on my radar as I look ahead to the coming two novels. These novels move away from the traditional police procedural and permit P.J. Tracy to entertain the reader with strong storylines, perfect for a vacation or summer binge. I am eager to keep racing through these books and have only a few left. I can see the crash coming after such a great binge.
Kudos, P.J. Tracy, for another wonderful piece. I am so happy to have found this series and hope to feel more chills throughout this summer reading binge!
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/...
June 23, 2022
This is a good addition to the Monkeewrench series. Titled The Sixth Idea in the US. The plot is based on an idea proposed by a member of the team of scientists who developed the H-bomb. Sixty years later Lydia and Chuck, descendants of those men meet on a plane and discover their connection. Chuck is meeting up with his friend Wally that night who is also a descendent and arranges to meet Lydia for lunch the next date. Unfortunately, a date he couldn't keep as both he and Wally are murdered late that day. Detectives Gino Rolseth and Leo Maguzzi are investigating both cases and when they find a few connections call in the team at Monkeewrench to help them delve deeper with the assistance of their tech skills.
The plot has a slow build as the mystery unfolds and the pieces slot into place with the help of Lydia. It was good to see the Monkeewrench team again. They are such an interestesting collection of characters that I have to admit to preferring the novels that focus on them rather than Gino and Leo, but this one was a good mix and it seems that Leo and Grace's relationship is developing into something more serious.
The plot has a slow build as the mystery unfolds and the pieces slot into place with the help of Lydia. It was good to see the Monkeewrench team again. They are such an interestesting collection of characters that I have to admit to preferring the novels that focus on them rather than Gino and Leo, but this one was a good mix and it seems that Leo and Grace's relationship is developing into something more serious.
July 6, 2023
English version below
******************
Weder literarisch anspruchsvoll noch besonders tiefgründig bietet dieser Roman doch allerbeste, leichte Thrillerunterhaltung.
Joe, Gino und die Monkeewrenchs bekommen es hier mit einer Verschwörung zu tun, die ihre Wurzeln noch im Kalten Krieg hat.
Perfekter Zuwachs für meine „richtig guter Schund“-Schublade und eine tolle Lektüre, wenn man einfach nur leichte Entspannung sucht.
-------------------
Neither literarily sophisticated nor particularly profound, this novel nevertheless offers the very best, light thriller entertainment.
Joe, Gino and the Monkeewrenchs have to deal with a conspiracy that has its roots in the Cold War.
Perfect addition to my "really good trash" drawer and a great read if you're just looking for some light relaxation.
******************
Weder literarisch anspruchsvoll noch besonders tiefgründig bietet dieser Roman doch allerbeste, leichte Thrillerunterhaltung.
Joe, Gino und die Monkeewrenchs bekommen es hier mit einer Verschwörung zu tun, die ihre Wurzeln noch im Kalten Krieg hat.
Perfekter Zuwachs für meine „richtig guter Schund“-Schublade und eine tolle Lektüre, wenn man einfach nur leichte Entspannung sucht.
-------------------
Neither literarily sophisticated nor particularly profound, this novel nevertheless offers the very best, light thriller entertainment.
Joe, Gino and the Monkeewrenchs have to deal with a conspiracy that has its roots in the Cold War.
Perfect addition to my "really good trash" drawer and a great read if you're just looking for some light relaxation.
June 27, 2019
Another great mystery with Gino, Leo and the Monkeewrench crew! A group of scientists from the past and their descendants factor into this mystery.
Loved the ending with Leo and Grace!
I didn't care for Peter Berkrot's narration much especially since he made Gino and Leo sound like Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny, and I couldn't tell which character was speaking half the time. Yeah, not a fan. Thankfully he doesn't narrate any of the other books.
On to the next one!
Loved the ending with Leo and Grace!
I didn't care for Peter Berkrot's narration much especially since he made Gino and Leo sound like Joe Pesci in My Cousin Vinny, and I couldn't tell which character was speaking half the time. Yeah, not a fan. Thankfully he doesn't narrate any of the other books.
On to the next one!
July 15, 2016
I didn't realize that this book was part of a series and I haven't read any of the previous books. However, this book works fine as a standalone. It begins with the prologue in which we learn that a group of scientists working on the hydrogen bomb during WWII were also working on the development of an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) that could be used as a weapon. The daughter of one of the scientists was given a book by her father and told to memorize a passage dealing with a generator. Her father was then killed in a plane crash which was caused by a mysterious panel of five men in a mansion in upstate New York.
Skipping ahead more than 60 years, people start getting killed or kidnapped in Minneapolis. Two detectives Gino and Leo are assigned to investigate the cases which appear to be linked. They are assisted by a collective of computer geniuses called Monkeewrench.
My biggest problem with the book was that there was absolutely no compelling motive for all of this mayhem. The bad guys would've been much better off if they had just left these people alone. The bottom line is that if you are up to no good you should just do your evil deed without leading people to you with a trail of breadcrumbs. I hate it when supposedly intelligent people suddenly become stupid as a plot device for a book.
This was a fast-paced and easy read and was a pretty good thriller, but it was spoiled by some coincidences (for example, there was no logical reason at all why all of the victims wound up in Minneapolis), plot weaknesses and a too-easy resolution of the problem. The ending actually took my rating down one star.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
Skipping ahead more than 60 years, people start getting killed or kidnapped in Minneapolis. Two detectives Gino and Leo are assigned to investigate the cases which appear to be linked. They are assisted by a collective of computer geniuses called Monkeewrench.
My biggest problem with the book was that there was absolutely no compelling motive for all of this mayhem. The bad guys would've been much better off if they had just left these people alone. The bottom line is that if you are up to no good you should just do your evil deed without leading people to you with a trail of breadcrumbs. I hate it when supposedly intelligent people suddenly become stupid as a plot device for a book.
This was a fast-paced and easy read and was a pretty good thriller, but it was spoiled by some coincidences (for example, there was no logical reason at all why all of the victims wound up in Minneapolis), plot weaknesses and a too-easy resolution of the problem. The ending actually took my rating down one star.
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher.
August 2, 2016
The Monkeewrench Crew - 3.5 stars...
The Sixth Idea is the seventh book in the Monkeewrench series. It features a group of eccentric computer hackers who use their skills and resources to help the police catch criminals.
What originally endeared me to this mother-daughter author duo and the Monkeewrench series were the quirky cast of characters and their penchant for computers. They are so genuine and likeable that you can't help but fall for them and as a fellow tech enthusiast I really love how the investigations focus primarily on the technical side of things.
In this story though I felt like the characters lost some of their magic. We didn't get to see much of the colorful personalities that the crew are known for and I think that's a crucial part of this series.
Also, I don't think the mystery was executed as well as it could have been. I enjoy trying to guess the clues and where they're leading but I don't expect to actually figure it all out. Well in this investigation I was one step ahead the entire time. What's the fun in that? I prefer a little more challenge and complexity in the mystery and a lot more twists then what this plot presented.
I have a soft spot though for this rag-tag crew so I know I'll keep an eye out for their next job but I hope the authors return to their excellent style of writing and characterization that we saw in the first couple of books.
*I received this ARC from the First to Read program in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
The Sixth Idea is the seventh book in the Monkeewrench series. It features a group of eccentric computer hackers who use their skills and resources to help the police catch criminals.
What originally endeared me to this mother-daughter author duo and the Monkeewrench series were the quirky cast of characters and their penchant for computers. They are so genuine and likeable that you can't help but fall for them and as a fellow tech enthusiast I really love how the investigations focus primarily on the technical side of things.
In this story though I felt like the characters lost some of their magic. We didn't get to see much of the colorful personalities that the crew are known for and I think that's a crucial part of this series.
Also, I don't think the mystery was executed as well as it could have been. I enjoy trying to guess the clues and where they're leading but I don't expect to actually figure it all out. Well in this investigation I was one step ahead the entire time. What's the fun in that? I prefer a little more challenge and complexity in the mystery and a lot more twists then what this plot presented.
I have a soft spot though for this rag-tag crew so I know I'll keep an eye out for their next job but I hope the authors return to their excellent style of writing and characterization that we saw in the first couple of books.
*I received this ARC from the First to Read program in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
August 26, 2016
The series offers an entertaining mix of cops and rich, eccentric computer geniuses. This entry harks back to secrets surrounding weapons development during the Cold War and the power struggle among governments that can never end.
Written by a mother/daughter team publishing slowly (7 books in 12 years), the characters are memorable and evolve as time moves forward, so I'd recommend starting with Monkeewrench and enjoy the whole series.
Written by a mother/daughter team publishing slowly (7 books in 12 years), the characters are memorable and evolve as time moves forward, so I'd recommend starting with Monkeewrench and enjoy the whole series.
August 11, 2016
I've read all of the Monkeewrench series written by the mother and daughter team P.J.Tracy so for me this was a great addition as I love the relationships between all the characters and have enjoyed following them as back stories in these thrillers..They can all be read as stand alone cases but I personally think you would be missing out of you didn't read them all in order. I was worried as I hadn't enjoyed the last book so much but this one is certainly back on track and was a highly enjoying read.
This one is called Cold Kill in the UK but I think I actually prefer the U.S. title of The Sixth Idea as that is the whole idea that the plot of this novel revolves around. Although this is a work of fiction, apparently the pivotal scene of the meeting on the plane at the beginning between Chuck and Lydia is actually based on an real encounter! So I do love how they have taken this and spun a fabulous sixty year old mystery around it that definitely had my head spinning. Lydia took central stage here with but the Monkeewrench team were there to help out as always with the technology (often not legal!) and helping the police investigation.
I just loved the ending which delivered a rather unexpected twist and I do hope that I don't have to wait too long for the next instalment as I seem to have been waiting forever for this one!
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
This one is called Cold Kill in the UK but I think I actually prefer the U.S. title of The Sixth Idea as that is the whole idea that the plot of this novel revolves around. Although this is a work of fiction, apparently the pivotal scene of the meeting on the plane at the beginning between Chuck and Lydia is actually based on an real encounter! So I do love how they have taken this and spun a fabulous sixty year old mystery around it that definitely had my head spinning. Lydia took central stage here with but the Monkeewrench team were there to help out as always with the technology (often not legal!) and helping the police investigation.
I just loved the ending which delivered a rather unexpected twist and I do hope that I don't have to wait too long for the next instalment as I seem to have been waiting forever for this one!
I received a copy of this book via netgalley in return for an unbiased review.
September 19, 2016
This is Book #7 of the Monkeewrench series.
I have read all the Monkeewrench books and as series' sometimes go, the early books start strong but eventually take a turn (downward that is). But, Book #7 has redeemed the series for me and I am strongly back on board. In this installment, random murders of older men who seem to have no connection, are occurring in Minneapolis. The police team up with the computer geeks of Monkeewrench and start delving in these victims' pasts. Past histories that someone does not want exposed.
A great edition. I'm glad the mother/daughter team of PJ Tracy are back writing another strong mystery.
On a personal note, this is my tribute read to Kerry. I noticed she had read all the other Monkeewrench books and as we all know heaven is a giant library, so I recommend this to her.
I have read all the Monkeewrench books and as series' sometimes go, the early books start strong but eventually take a turn (downward that is). But, Book #7 has redeemed the series for me and I am strongly back on board. In this installment, random murders of older men who seem to have no connection, are occurring in Minneapolis. The police team up with the computer geeks of Monkeewrench and start delving in these victims' pasts. Past histories that someone does not want exposed.
A great edition. I'm glad the mother/daughter team of PJ Tracy are back writing another strong mystery.
On a personal note, this is my tribute read to Kerry. I noticed she had read all the other Monkeewrench books and as we all know heaven is a giant library, so I recommend this to her.
September 26, 2016
MONKEEWRENCH is coming back! #7 is finally in my hands! Starting to read in a few minutes.
9/24: I read about 1/3 of the book this evening. Oh my, how I've missed this series and these wonderful characters.
9/26: I finished the last 40 pages this morning. What a wild ride! The body count was growing and there was no clarity about who was good or bad in this battle. The end was astonishing. I loved it. Classic Monkeewrench, and we learn something interesting about most of the main characters. I wish the duo would write more of this series.
9/24: I read about 1/3 of the book this evening. Oh my, how I've missed this series and these wonderful characters.
9/26: I finished the last 40 pages this morning. What a wild ride! The body count was growing and there was no clarity about who was good or bad in this battle. The end was astonishing. I loved it. Classic Monkeewrench, and we learn something interesting about most of the main characters. I wish the duo would write more of this series.
June 1, 2020
When Detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth discover that a series of murders are all connected and the reason may be a 60 year old secret, they join up with Grace MacBride and her crew at Monkeewrench to find answers.
There was a 4 year gap between this book and the last, but it was like having dinner with friends you haven’t seen in just as long. You realize how much you missed them and that nothing has changed. Grace and Leo’s relationship seems a bit stronger and Annie and Roadrunner are now having meetings all over the place to get contracts. This story takes place close to the Christmas holiday and it was delightful to see Harley in the spirit with his house decorated to the nines.
The whole topic of this book is a bit scary. It’s very realistic and plausible. It makes one nervous to have a computer in your house. The Sixth Idea happens to be a dormant program that could bring on the downfall of all electronics and put the world back 200 years. The path to this discovery is dangerous and they get a lot of help from an ancestor of one of the original creators, Lydia Ascher. There are parts of the story that I loved, but I don’t want to spoil the surprises. The only thing that bothered me was the ending. It seemed to end too quickly. One big event and that was it. I was expecting some kind of cliffhanger, but was disappointed. There is one very big reveal at the end that makes me very excited to continue reading this series as soon as possible. I’m so very happy that the author decided to continue writing about Monkeewrench.
There was a 4 year gap between this book and the last, but it was like having dinner with friends you haven’t seen in just as long. You realize how much you missed them and that nothing has changed. Grace and Leo’s relationship seems a bit stronger and Annie and Roadrunner are now having meetings all over the place to get contracts. This story takes place close to the Christmas holiday and it was delightful to see Harley in the spirit with his house decorated to the nines.
The whole topic of this book is a bit scary. It’s very realistic and plausible. It makes one nervous to have a computer in your house. The Sixth Idea happens to be a dormant program that could bring on the downfall of all electronics and put the world back 200 years. The path to this discovery is dangerous and they get a lot of help from an ancestor of one of the original creators, Lydia Ascher. There are parts of the story that I loved, but I don’t want to spoil the surprises. The only thing that bothered me was the ending. It seemed to end too quickly. One big event and that was it. I was expecting some kind of cliffhanger, but was disappointed. There is one very big reveal at the end that makes me very excited to continue reading this series as soon as possible. I’m so very happy that the author decided to continue writing about Monkeewrench.
October 12, 2018
I really liked this one. The plot (although for some people the conspiracy theory element may be a bit over the top) was actually fun to read and was really well paced. We saw a lot of Leo and Gino who I really like. The Monkeywrench team was present but had their role as hackers woven into the plot well.
The changes in Grace, especially the epilogue, weren't believable to me. Her character changes weren't well developed and it was too much of a leap. Plus I was over her and Leo as a couple two books back. He was still walking on eggshells with her and they had limited conversations And at the end we're told that this is them now. I didn't buy it.
The changes in Grace, especially the epilogue, weren't believable to me. Her character changes weren't well developed and it was too much of a leap. Plus I was over her and Leo as a couple two books back. He was still walking on eggshells with her and they had limited conversations And at the end we're told that this is them now. I didn't buy it.
September 18, 2016
I was thrilled to read that a new Monkeewrench book was coming out this year. I'd always enjoyed them, and wondered why there hadn't been a new one in a while.
Unfortunately, I found this latest installment a bit dry. Half of the Monkeewrench crew is somewhere else ("getting new business" - which seems out of character and also unnecessary as they seem to have all the business and money they need). This serves to move them off screen until needed again, which makes them superficial characters. By now, this 7th book in the series seems to assume that readers can fill in the missing gaps in the characters by themselves.
Magozzi and Gino are the most fleshed out characters in this book, but even they fall prey to shortcuts. Gino likes to eat; okay, we get it. Magozzi is the closest we get to a nuanced character, but I never felt like I got to know him well.
And the ending, with its completely out-of-character surprise, was not at all believable to me.
Still, I read this in two sittings, so there was something in the plot that kept me going. But reading this felt like playing a pointless game on my smartphone: you feel vaguely uncertain why you're doing it, and when you're done, you realize you didn't gain anything from the experience and wish you could just have your time back.
Unfortunately, I found this latest installment a bit dry. Half of the Monkeewrench crew is somewhere else ("getting new business" - which seems out of character and also unnecessary as they seem to have all the business and money they need). This serves to move them off screen until needed again, which makes them superficial characters. By now, this 7th book in the series seems to assume that readers can fill in the missing gaps in the characters by themselves.
Magozzi and Gino are the most fleshed out characters in this book, but even they fall prey to shortcuts. Gino likes to eat; okay, we get it. Magozzi is the closest we get to a nuanced character, but I never felt like I got to know him well.
And the ending, with its completely out-of-character surprise, was not at all believable to me.
Still, I read this in two sittings, so there was something in the plot that kept me going. But reading this felt like playing a pointless game on my smartphone: you feel vaguely uncertain why you're doing it, and when you're done, you realize you didn't gain anything from the experience and wish you could just have your time back.
August 2, 2016
First DNF of the year! I got about 100 pages in and had to quit. The mystery itself was pretty interesting but I found the character development bizarrely inconsistent (I realize this is one of a series but I'm specifically talking about characters who are new in this installment). Lydia comes across as so timid and mousey in her POV chapters, but then one of the cops describes her as a "head cheerleader" type? Throughout the book (or at least the part I read) there are lots of passages that I genuinely couldn't tell if they were supposed to be character development or authorial editorializing. The specific passage like this that made me put the book down is the one in which Lydia reminisces about the good old days when "men did things for women that they couldn't or wouldn't do for themselves, and women did things for men that they couldn't or wouldn't do for themselves, and everyone had a role" etc. Besides being a sentiment I take exception to, I just didn't buy a woman in her late twenties or early thirties going into raptures about all the misogyny she missed out on by being born too late. Sorry, couldn't do it.
August 15, 2016
Lydia Ascher meets Chuck Spencer on a flight into Minneapolis from California. Chuck is going to meet his new friend, Wally Luntz. Wally and Chuck met each other through Chuck's website, seeking survivors of the scientists who developed the hydrogen bomb. Chuck and Wally are killed within hours of each other and Lydia becomes a target. Detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are able to connect the murders of several other people linked to Chuck's website, which has now disappeared from the Internet. Monkeewrench is called in to recover the website as well as missing security footage from the hotel where Chuck was killed. Grace McBride and Harley Davidson work around the clock and discover the missing website and footage were wiped by someone almost as good as Monkeewrench. Is it the US government or the Russians, intent on ending an investigation into secret plans?
November 27, 2016
I've been reading this series since it started with Monkeywrench. The last book was written in 2012, so I've been waiting a long time for the next in the series. It was very enjoyable to reconnect with some wonderful old friends. Leo, Gino, Grace, Harley, Annie, and Roadrunner were all back in a very enjoyable return. I see that another book in the series is due to come out in 2017, so we won't have to wait another four years. Thank you for that, Patricia and Traci.
July 21, 2016
I received a copy from First To Read & the publisher for an honest review.
This book was slow for most of the beginning to middle and only picked up slightly after that. The detectives and the Monkeewrench crew were likable and interesting enough where I would like to read about them again in a better book.
This book was slow for most of the beginning to middle and only picked up slightly after that. The detectives and the Monkeewrench crew were likable and interesting enough where I would like to read about them again in a better book.
August 19, 2017
A most excellent 5 star read, as usual!
April 27, 2017
Wow! I really found this crime fiction novel engrossing.
I've now read all seven books in this series.
Looking forward to reading number eight called NOTHING STAYS BURIED.
I've now read all seven books in this series.
Looking forward to reading number eight called NOTHING STAYS BURIED.
November 21, 2017
It has been a while since I read an installment of the Monkeewrench series. I enjoy it so much and plan to read the entire series again. Great characters, edge-of-your-seat mysteries and lots of humor! Love this series! Keep them coming, P.J. Tracy!!!
September 1, 2016
The book opens with a blast from the past, literally. A casual chat in the desert between 2 of the 8 men responsible for the H bomb will have serious repercussions more than 60 years later.
In the present, descendants of that original team are dropping like flies. When 2 of them die within hours of each other in Minneapolis, detectives Leo Magozzi & Gino Rolseth are baffled. But their immediate concern is the safety of Lydia Ascher, another descendant who lives in the area. Her grandfather was one of the men in the prologue & all she has is a box of his papers.
In alternate chapters, we listen in as a shadowy group led by a man called Zero prepare to unleash their master plan. It’s been 60 years in the making & entails selectively shutting down power grids around the country.
We also meet an oddly sympathetic Russian named Max. He’s sent to Minneapolis to protect Lydia & the others from the killer. It’s hitman vs. hitman with innocent lives at stake. But the obvious question is if a Russian is trying to save them, who is trying to kill them?
While Leo & Gino try to tie their victims together, it’s clear computers hold the key. Bring on the crew from Monkeewrench. It’s just the kind of tangled challenge they enjoy & Grace & Harley soon uncover disturbing information. It’s all related to something called “The 6th Idea”, the brainchild of Lydia’s grandfather. And the person who owns it could bring countries to their knees by simply touching a keyboard.
I’ve read all the books in this series & was really disappointed in the last one. So happy to say the authors are back on track here. It’s a twisty thriller with a smart & alarmingly realistic premise. Catching up with Grace, Harley, Roadrunner & Annie is like seeing old friends & they’re in fine form here. The story moves along at a brisk pace with several good twists that make you do a double-take & rethink what you thought you knew.
Besides the thriller aspect, there’s the added sweetness of finally enjoying the relationship between Leo & Grace. And while the case is wrapped up by the end, it’s clear there some major changes in store for their personal lives.
It’s a fast paced & satisfying read, sure to please fans. Just as an aside, I wouldn’t recommend this as a stand alone or intro to the series. There’s so much history between the cast of regulars you really need to start at the beginning to get the biggest bang for your buck.
In the present, descendants of that original team are dropping like flies. When 2 of them die within hours of each other in Minneapolis, detectives Leo Magozzi & Gino Rolseth are baffled. But their immediate concern is the safety of Lydia Ascher, another descendant who lives in the area. Her grandfather was one of the men in the prologue & all she has is a box of his papers.
In alternate chapters, we listen in as a shadowy group led by a man called Zero prepare to unleash their master plan. It’s been 60 years in the making & entails selectively shutting down power grids around the country.
We also meet an oddly sympathetic Russian named Max. He’s sent to Minneapolis to protect Lydia & the others from the killer. It’s hitman vs. hitman with innocent lives at stake. But the obvious question is if a Russian is trying to save them, who is trying to kill them?
While Leo & Gino try to tie their victims together, it’s clear computers hold the key. Bring on the crew from Monkeewrench. It’s just the kind of tangled challenge they enjoy & Grace & Harley soon uncover disturbing information. It’s all related to something called “The 6th Idea”, the brainchild of Lydia’s grandfather. And the person who owns it could bring countries to their knees by simply touching a keyboard.
I’ve read all the books in this series & was really disappointed in the last one. So happy to say the authors are back on track here. It’s a twisty thriller with a smart & alarmingly realistic premise. Catching up with Grace, Harley, Roadrunner & Annie is like seeing old friends & they’re in fine form here. The story moves along at a brisk pace with several good twists that make you do a double-take & rethink what you thought you knew.
Besides the thriller aspect, there’s the added sweetness of finally enjoying the relationship between Leo & Grace. And while the case is wrapped up by the end, it’s clear there some major changes in store for their personal lives.
It’s a fast paced & satisfying read, sure to please fans. Just as an aside, I wouldn’t recommend this as a stand alone or intro to the series. There’s so much history between the cast of regulars you really need to start at the beginning to get the biggest bang for your buck.
November 23, 2016
Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth, two detectives from the Minneapolis PD, are chasing around 'six ways to Sunday', aided by a bunch of computer geeks known as Monkeewrench, to solve a series of baffling homicides in Minnesota in a plot that really does stretch credulity about a decades-old conspiracy. Full of cheesy dialogue between these two protagonists who love junk food, sticky buns, a dog, a computer analyst Grace MacBride, to such an extent you just cannot help but love 'em! As conspiracy theories go this plot takes the biscuit. It's fast paced, daft in places and compelling enough to read in two days. I believe this is the latest in a series that feature Gino and Magozzi and you know what? I enjoyed it!
July 5, 2017
I was really looking forward to reading another Monkeewrench book and as much as I liked it I didn't love it. I can't quite put my finger on what it was but that book just didn't grab me as much as previous books in that series. I missed having the Monkeewrench team together. They're such an interesting bunch of characters and they were mostly missing from that story. Leo and Gino seemed tired and the actual plot just didn't seem as well executed as in previous stories and didn't seem to have enough depth to keep my interest. I'm intrigued though to see how the series continues in the light of the unexpected twist revealed at the end.
September 4, 2016
I love the Monkeewrench gang and the two Minneapolis homicide cops who benefit from their impressive technical skills to solve crimes. This tale is another breakneck paced thriller with heart stopping moments. Highly recommended with a caution, you may experience a lingering sense of unease from the highly complex case.
August 27, 2016
This was a fun quick thriller. I have read this series from the beginning and always enjoy catching up with the Monkeewrench crew.
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