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Monkeewrench #2
Levend aas
Rechercheurs Leo Magozzi en Gino Rolseth vervelen zich: er is al lang geen moord meer gepleegd. Maar wanneer Morey Gilbert dood wordt aangetroffen, is het met de verveling in één klap afgelopen. Wie zou de bejaarde man hebben willen vermoorden? Hij was een man zonder vijanden, een heilige bijna. Zijn kleine, norse vrouw zorgt niet bepaald voor opheldering, zij zou zelfs een verdachte kunnen zijn. Dan vallen er nog meer bejaarde slachtoffers en krijgen Magozzi en Gino meer werk dan hun lief is.
311 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2004
416 people are currently reading
2383 people want to read
About the author
P.J. Tracy
23 books1,789 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 510 reviews
April 13, 2021
4.5★
“Marty settled onto the couch and sank into cushions that had been softened over the years by all the dead people he'd loved.”
Yes, lots of dead people who have been loved by someone, particularly three old people recently. Marty’s wife was murdered in front of his eyes, and he wasn’t quick enough to stop it. Now, her father has been murdered, executed it would seem, and nobody knows why. He was a much-admired, well-loved pillar of the community who put young orphans through college and that sort of thing.
It seems likely that Morey and Ben and Rose were targeted. All of them had Holocaust tattoos from their time in concentration camps during WW2. I thought to myself that this was going to be a fairly straightforward story, but I was wrong. It was more complex than I anticipated and was really well handled.
I neglected to say that Marty, in the opening chapters, was sitting in his bathtub planning to shoot his brains out when he was interrupted. What that had to do with the death of the elderly old folk, I didn’t know, but I trusted the authors would make a connection.
We see more of the police in this book than we do of the Monkeewrench crew who featured in the first book. Of course, Leo Magozzi is still seriously smitten with Grace MacBride from the previous book, and the authors give just enough background for first-time readers to catch up. She is still paranoid about being stalked, and he is still trying to get her to let her guard down, at least a little.
“‘You know the worst thing about bad people, Grace? It's what they make good people do.’”
And that’s the crux of this story. It gets complicated. Nothing is black and white. That's what makes it hard to figure out.
“Magozzi and Gino always kept their desks pushed together, facing each other, partly because it made passing paperwork easier, partly because Gino had once pronounced that all thought traveled in a straight line from the forehead, and he wanted Magozzi to be in a position to intercept anything he forgot to say out loud.”
I do like the characters and wish we didn’t have to put good people in life and death situations.
“‘Dispatch can't raise [him],’ Peterson called out, tension in his voice. Everyone in the room froze for an instant. [He], like every officer on the job, had a car unit and a shoulder unit, and non-response was one millimeter away from officer down.”
This would be fine as a standalone book if you don’t want to start at the beginning, although I usually try to find the first book of a series if I can. I loved the first one and enjoyed this one, too. I think this could make a good book club read because of the questions it raises.
Now, on to number three!
Link to my review of Monkeewrench #1
“Marty settled onto the couch and sank into cushions that had been softened over the years by all the dead people he'd loved.”
Yes, lots of dead people who have been loved by someone, particularly three old people recently. Marty’s wife was murdered in front of his eyes, and he wasn’t quick enough to stop it. Now, her father has been murdered, executed it would seem, and nobody knows why. He was a much-admired, well-loved pillar of the community who put young orphans through college and that sort of thing.
It seems likely that Morey and Ben and Rose were targeted. All of them had Holocaust tattoos from their time in concentration camps during WW2. I thought to myself that this was going to be a fairly straightforward story, but I was wrong. It was more complex than I anticipated and was really well handled.
I neglected to say that Marty, in the opening chapters, was sitting in his bathtub planning to shoot his brains out when he was interrupted. What that had to do with the death of the elderly old folk, I didn’t know, but I trusted the authors would make a connection.
We see more of the police in this book than we do of the Monkeewrench crew who featured in the first book. Of course, Leo Magozzi is still seriously smitten with Grace MacBride from the previous book, and the authors give just enough background for first-time readers to catch up. She is still paranoid about being stalked, and he is still trying to get her to let her guard down, at least a little.
“‘You know the worst thing about bad people, Grace? It's what they make good people do.’”
And that’s the crux of this story. It gets complicated. Nothing is black and white. That's what makes it hard to figure out.
“Magozzi and Gino always kept their desks pushed together, facing each other, partly because it made passing paperwork easier, partly because Gino had once pronounced that all thought traveled in a straight line from the forehead, and he wanted Magozzi to be in a position to intercept anything he forgot to say out loud.”
I do like the characters and wish we didn’t have to put good people in life and death situations.
“‘Dispatch can't raise [him],’ Peterson called out, tension in his voice. Everyone in the room froze for an instant. [He], like every officer on the job, had a car unit and a shoulder unit, and non-response was one millimeter away from officer down.”
This would be fine as a standalone book if you don’t want to start at the beginning, although I usually try to find the first book of a series if I can. I loved the first one and enjoyed this one, too. I think this could make a good book club read because of the questions it raises.
Now, on to number three!
Link to my review of Monkeewrench #1
July 27, 2023
UPDATE - 28/07/2023 - Still great on second read!
Not quite as gripping as book one but I love the characters so still enjoyed this second installment. I thought it was a reasonably good whodunnit with some gruesome murders for our detective team to investigate. I went straight onto book 3!
CW:
Not quite as gripping as book one but I love the characters so still enjoyed this second installment. I thought it was a reasonably good whodunnit with some gruesome murders for our detective team to investigate. I went straight onto book 3!
CW:
March 24, 2024
Only took two sittings to breeze through this crime procedural which didn’t actually feature much of the odd ball members of Monkeewrench. Rather, I think it was a closure for some of the Minneapolis characters we met in the first book. Too bad because I sure did love Gino and Leo— maybe even more than Grace and her crew.
Concentration camp survivors — victims of what looks to be a professional killer. And that’s just the start of some fairly intertwined and sad story threads.
Great mystery, despite some easy guessing on my part, but not without a few surprises along the way. A solid mystery with loads of personal complications. Messy— just like life.
As the book ends, our computer geniuses are in the driver’s seat— literally— heading out of town. Can’t wait to catch up with them again!!
(Reviewed 1/26/22)
Concentration camp survivors — victims of what looks to be a professional killer. And that’s just the start of some fairly intertwined and sad story threads.
Great mystery, despite some easy guessing on my part, but not without a few surprises along the way. A solid mystery with loads of personal complications. Messy— just like life.
As the book ends, our computer geniuses are in the driver’s seat— literally— heading out of town. Can’t wait to catch up with them again!!
(Reviewed 1/26/22)
December 30, 2016
Minnesota certainly seems to be a very dangerous place to live, and the bodies seem to fall right and left in the North Star State. Happily, though, there seem to be a lot of homicide detectives up there to continually put things right, including of course, Lucas Davenport, Kirk Stevens and Carla Windermere, that F***ing Virgil Flowers, Cork O'Connor, and Leo Magozzi and Gino Roiseth, among others.
The last team inhabits the world of the Monkeewrench series, written by the mother-daughter team, P. J. Tracy. And for Magozzi and Roiseth, if for no one else, things have been a bit slow lately. After their last big case, the Twin Cities seem to have calmed considerably and murder has been taking a holiday. "Homicide is dead," one of the detectives complains.
Which, naturally, falls into the category of Be Careful What You Wish For.
The hiatus is interrupted when Magozzi and Roiseth are called to the scene of a very puzzling murder. An elderly man named Morey Gilbert is found shot to death in the back yard of the plant nursery that he has run for years. It's raining and so his wife, a small elderly woman, thoughtfully moves the body inside and wrestles it up on a table. She shaves the victim and dresses him up so he'll look his best and only then does she call the cops.
In the process, of course, she has (conveniently?) destroyed almost all of the evidence that the detectives might have hoped to find at the scene. Naturally, they wonder why she might have done this. They're also curious about the behavior of the couple's son, Jack. Jack is one of those obnoxious personal injury lawyers who advertises on late-night TV. He drinks heavily and has been estranged from his parents for over two years for reasons that no one will discuss. But, just as the detectives begin to narrow in on the victim's family members, another elderly person who lives just down the street is also murdered. And then another...
Well, you get the picture. Someone is running around this neighborhood, killing elderly citizens and neither Magozzi or Roiseth nor any of their fellow detectives can figure out who or why. All of the victims were much beloved. None of them had any enemies, and there isn't a clue to be found.
In the meantime, over the last few months, Magozzi has been pursuing the world's slowest-moving romance with the troubled computer genius, Grace MacBride, of the Monkeewrench outfit that figured so prominently in the first book in the series. When all other avenues have reached a dead end, Magozzi asks Grace if she will apply her computer skills to the problem, knowing that she will doubtless be prowling through databases where she and the police have no legal right to be. And what she discovers will turn this case upside down.
This is another very entertaining entry in this series. It has it's light and breezy moments and a fair amount of humor. The characters are appealing and the plot is engaging. All in all, a fun read.
The last team inhabits the world of the Monkeewrench series, written by the mother-daughter team, P. J. Tracy. And for Magozzi and Roiseth, if for no one else, things have been a bit slow lately. After their last big case, the Twin Cities seem to have calmed considerably and murder has been taking a holiday. "Homicide is dead," one of the detectives complains.
Which, naturally, falls into the category of Be Careful What You Wish For.
The hiatus is interrupted when Magozzi and Roiseth are called to the scene of a very puzzling murder. An elderly man named Morey Gilbert is found shot to death in the back yard of the plant nursery that he has run for years. It's raining and so his wife, a small elderly woman, thoughtfully moves the body inside and wrestles it up on a table. She shaves the victim and dresses him up so he'll look his best and only then does she call the cops.
In the process, of course, she has (conveniently?) destroyed almost all of the evidence that the detectives might have hoped to find at the scene. Naturally, they wonder why she might have done this. They're also curious about the behavior of the couple's son, Jack. Jack is one of those obnoxious personal injury lawyers who advertises on late-night TV. He drinks heavily and has been estranged from his parents for over two years for reasons that no one will discuss. But, just as the detectives begin to narrow in on the victim's family members, another elderly person who lives just down the street is also murdered. And then another...
Well, you get the picture. Someone is running around this neighborhood, killing elderly citizens and neither Magozzi or Roiseth nor any of their fellow detectives can figure out who or why. All of the victims were much beloved. None of them had any enemies, and there isn't a clue to be found.
In the meantime, over the last few months, Magozzi has been pursuing the world's slowest-moving romance with the troubled computer genius, Grace MacBride, of the Monkeewrench outfit that figured so prominently in the first book in the series. When all other avenues have reached a dead end, Magozzi asks Grace if she will apply her computer skills to the problem, knowing that she will doubtless be prowling through databases where she and the police have no legal right to be. And what she discovers will turn this case upside down.
This is another very entertaining entry in this series. It has it's light and breezy moments and a fair amount of humor. The characters are appealing and the plot is engaging. All in all, a fun read.
December 2, 2016
I read Monkeewrench #1 about a month ago. I enjoyed this, Live Bait, #2 just as much. The four Monkeewrench partners play minor roles in this book, with Grace getting more time than the others. The book mostly features the main detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth along with secondary detectives McLaren and Langer.
There are, of course, homicides to solve involving elderly folks. The investigations were slow and almost used just as a backdrop for developing the characters. Almost every character was richly developed. One character my heart ached for was Marty Pullman. Lots of dialogue included cop humor, sarcasm, and ribbing and that added to my enjoyment.
I'm looking forward to reading #3, Dead Run, soon.
There are, of course, homicides to solve involving elderly folks. The investigations were slow and almost used just as a backdrop for developing the characters. Almost every character was richly developed. One character my heart ached for was Marty Pullman. Lots of dialogue included cop humor, sarcasm, and ribbing and that added to my enjoyment.
I'm looking forward to reading #3, Dead Run, soon.
July 12, 2018
Returning to the second novel in the Monkeewrench series, I am eager to see what P.J. Tracy has in store for readers after an explosive debut. With the Monkeewrench killings complete, Minneapolis Homicide Detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are in a lull. There have been no murders over the past months, leaving them happy to be able to relax and enjoy the weather. However, when a call comes in that an elderly man has been found outside his greenhouse, shot in the head, Magozzi and Rolseth make their way to the scene. Unnerved because the man’s wife has moved and cleaned the body, the detectives are sure they’ll have to try even harder to piece things together. However, Morey Gilbert seems to have been a model citizen; loved by many and respected by all. Who would want to kill such a wonderful man? At the same time, another elderly man is found tied to the train tracks with barbed wire, shot as well. Things have surely grown intense for Magozzi and Rolseth in short order, forcing them to sharpen their skills once again. When other elderly citizens turn up with similar gunshot wounds, the detectives are both baffled and worried about a spree killer. It would seem that Gilbert knew the other victims, tied together by the community of residence and a similar history. When Gilbert’s estranged son—an ambulance chasing, alcoholic lawyer—and son-in-law—a former Minneapolis cop—turn up, things get a little more interesting, though nothing could stop the news that some of the forensics has peeked the interest of INTERPOL. Magozzi cannot determine how to track down the killer or what motive might include this set of victims. Grace McBride, one of the founders of Monkeewrench Gaming has been working on a new forensic program that can synthesize minute facts in the blink of an eye. While she and Magozzi play their cat and mouse game of love, the system may have a lead that no one thought to explore beforehand, pulling McBride into the middle of the case as well. There’s still a killer on the loose and international police forces knocking on the door of Minneapolis Homicide, forcing Magozzi and Rolseth to double down. P.J. Tracy has crafted another stellar novel here and shows that the debut was no fluke. Recommended for those who loved the first novel and readers who enjoy a ‘smaller town’ police procedural.
New to P.J. Tracy’s work, I devoured Monkeewrench and am happy that I have made this series my summer binge. I am hooked by the story and characters, hoping they will continue to evolve. Magozzi and Rolseth return as superior protagonists, working well in a professional capacity while remaining intuitive throughout this baffling case. Their banter is great, sometimes buried in story dialogue, forcing the reader to follow closely so as not to miss anything. This keeps the story moving well and helps flesh out the backstories for all characters, particularly these two detectives. Other characters help develop a stronger narrative and add depth in a fast-paced story. The story moves well, constructed around both criminal and historical matters that should hook the reader from the early stages. The narrative propelled the story forward and the well-crafted characters keep the reader committed from the early chapters. P.J. Tracy, the amalgamation of a mother-daughter writing team, is a great addition to the genre and 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 a second novel worthy of more literary awards. I am happy I have secured the entire series to date and can binge the summer—or at least a few weeks—away!
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/...
New to P.J. Tracy’s work, I devoured Monkeewrench and am happy that I have made this series my summer binge. I am hooked by the story and characters, hoping they will continue to evolve. Magozzi and Rolseth return as superior protagonists, working well in a professional capacity while remaining intuitive throughout this baffling case. Their banter is great, sometimes buried in story dialogue, forcing the reader to follow closely so as not to miss anything. This keeps the story moving well and helps flesh out the backstories for all characters, particularly these two detectives. Other characters help develop a stronger narrative and add depth in a fast-paced story. The story moves well, constructed around both criminal and historical matters that should hook the reader from the early stages. The narrative propelled the story forward and the well-crafted characters keep the reader committed from the early chapters. P.J. Tracy, the amalgamation of a mother-daughter writing team, is a great addition to the genre and 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 a second novel worthy of more literary awards. I am happy I have secured the entire series to date and can binge the summer—or at least a few weeks—away!
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/...
January 26, 2016
The second book in this series and it was every bit as good as the first. The authors really know how to write realistic and entertaining dialogue and it is frequently laugh aloud funny. The story is good with multiple murders and quite a few murderers as well which makes guessing whodunnit very difficult indeed! The relationship between Magozzi and Grace takes a few tentative steps forwards but you need to have read book #1 to understand what is going on there. I am loving this series so far and am looking forward to the next one.
May 28, 2020
“We all walk around with holes in our hearts. But we still walk around.”
“Live Bait” is the second book in the Monkeewrench series. I don’t know if it is a better book than the first one, but I read it quicker and was more into the story. I am not sure what that means. This novel has as its protagonists two detectives who were secondary characters in the first book in the series, and I think that change of focus is part of the reason that I was more caught up in it. Detectives Magozzi and Rolseth are fun characters, who play well off each other.
The premise is clever and even though I figured out mostly what was happening by page 218 of a 340-page book, the premise was craftily enough presented that I enjoyed continuing to read seeing how what I had figured out was brought together. One would suspect that in a mystery/thriller figuring out the conclusion would ruin it, but in this case it didn’t. As one character says, “They’re connected, all right. I just can’t imagine how.”
One thing I really enjoyed about this book and its predecessor is that there are moments of emotion (unexpectedly well rendered) in each text. In addition, occasionally a line/moment that makes you stop for a bit. Lines like, “…thinking briefly of all the history that makes up a man, that you never knew everything about anybody, and that there were monsters everywhere” make you take pause.
“Live Bait” is a quick and engaging read. Perfect for the deck on a summer day.
“Live Bait” is the second book in the Monkeewrench series. I don’t know if it is a better book than the first one, but I read it quicker and was more into the story. I am not sure what that means. This novel has as its protagonists two detectives who were secondary characters in the first book in the series, and I think that change of focus is part of the reason that I was more caught up in it. Detectives Magozzi and Rolseth are fun characters, who play well off each other.
The premise is clever and even though I figured out mostly what was happening by page 218 of a 340-page book, the premise was craftily enough presented that I enjoyed continuing to read seeing how what I had figured out was brought together. One would suspect that in a mystery/thriller figuring out the conclusion would ruin it, but in this case it didn’t. As one character says, “They’re connected, all right. I just can’t imagine how.”
One thing I really enjoyed about this book and its predecessor is that there are moments of emotion (unexpectedly well rendered) in each text. In addition, occasionally a line/moment that makes you stop for a bit. Lines like, “…thinking briefly of all the history that makes up a man, that you never knew everything about anybody, and that there were monsters everywhere” make you take pause.
“Live Bait” is a quick and engaging read. Perfect for the deck on a summer day.
January 27, 2019
Liked this installment, but not quite as much as the first. It seemed like it took a long time for before we started getting answers. Just a lot of around and around. I really enjoyed the humor, and Leo and Gino's easy working relationship. And I'm glad Leo and Grace
February 5, 2025
Live Bait by P.J. Tracy
Synopsis /
When elderly Morey Gilbert is found, lying dead in the grass by his wife, Lily, it's a tragedy, but it shouldn't have been a shock - old people die. But when she finds a bullet hole in his skull, the blood washed away by heavy rain, sadness turns to fear. It looks like an execution.
Soon a whole city is fearful as new victims are found, killed with the same cold precision. All elderly. All apparently blameless. Detectives Gino and Magozzi, race to uncover a connection and their best hope of doing so may be Grace McBride, the beautiful, damaged survivor of an earlier killing spree.
And the answers, it seems, are buried in a terrible past.
My Thoughts /
homicide detectives’ vacations were always contingent on murderers’ vacations, and murderers seemed to be the hardest-working citizens in the country
84 year-old nursery store owner, Morey Gilbert is dead. 89 year-old watch repairman, Arlen Fischer – dead. 78 year-old, Rose Kleber – dead.
With the explosive debut in this series done and dusted and a satisfying conclusion to the Monkeewrench killings sorted, Detectives Leo Magozzi and his partner, Gino Rolseth now find themselves in a murder hiatus. And although the pair have been enjoying this brief respite, when they receive word that nursery store owner Morey Gilbert has been found dead, their quiet period comes to a grinding halt.
After making their way to the scene, Magozzi and Rolseth are shocked to learn that the victim's wife has not only moved, but washed and cleaned the body of her husband, making him 'more presentable' to the homicide detectives. With the crime scene being sanitized of vital evidence, the case just got that little bit harder to solve.
Meanwhile, not far from where the body of Morey Gilbert was found, another crime was called in. This time, the victim, 89 year-old Arlen Fischer was found deceased at the scene – his body had been laid out and tied onto train tracks using barbed wire.
Initial thoughts were that the two cases were unrelated, but, as investigations continued, similarities between both victims are uncovered and the team start to believe that both murders were committed by the same killer.
When a third victim, 78 year-old, Rose Kleber is reported dead, it quickly becomes a race against time for Magozzi and Rolseth to find out the 'who' and the 'why' before the good people of the city of Minneapolis become panicked.
Although not as sharply focused or meticulously carried out as the first in this series, it is, nevertheless, an intriguing narrative. The pacing is a lot slower than the first book and clues are gently teased out as the story progresses. The relationship between Magozzi and Grace McBride (one of our protagonists in the first book) which can best be described as 'the world's slowest-moving romance' is nonetheless developing (if you can call it that!) and it definitely adds a little levity to an otherwise tension filled mystery. Magozzi - baby steps my friend: baby steps!
I would certainly have liked to have seen more of the odd-ball bunch that together, make up the computer game company Monkeewrench, but I think that's coming in the next book Dead Run.
Synopsis /
When elderly Morey Gilbert is found, lying dead in the grass by his wife, Lily, it's a tragedy, but it shouldn't have been a shock - old people die. But when she finds a bullet hole in his skull, the blood washed away by heavy rain, sadness turns to fear. It looks like an execution.
Soon a whole city is fearful as new victims are found, killed with the same cold precision. All elderly. All apparently blameless. Detectives Gino and Magozzi, race to uncover a connection and their best hope of doing so may be Grace McBride, the beautiful, damaged survivor of an earlier killing spree.
And the answers, it seems, are buried in a terrible past.
My Thoughts /
homicide detectives’ vacations were always contingent on murderers’ vacations, and murderers seemed to be the hardest-working citizens in the country
84 year-old nursery store owner, Morey Gilbert is dead. 89 year-old watch repairman, Arlen Fischer – dead. 78 year-old, Rose Kleber – dead.
With the explosive debut in this series done and dusted and a satisfying conclusion to the Monkeewrench killings sorted, Detectives Leo Magozzi and his partner, Gino Rolseth now find themselves in a murder hiatus. And although the pair have been enjoying this brief respite, when they receive word that nursery store owner Morey Gilbert has been found dead, their quiet period comes to a grinding halt.
After making their way to the scene, Magozzi and Rolseth are shocked to learn that the victim's wife has not only moved, but washed and cleaned the body of her husband, making him 'more presentable' to the homicide detectives. With the crime scene being sanitized of vital evidence, the case just got that little bit harder to solve.
Meanwhile, not far from where the body of Morey Gilbert was found, another crime was called in. This time, the victim, 89 year-old Arlen Fischer was found deceased at the scene – his body had been laid out and tied onto train tracks using barbed wire.
Initial thoughts were that the two cases were unrelated, but, as investigations continued, similarities between both victims are uncovered and the team start to believe that both murders were committed by the same killer.
When a third victim, 78 year-old, Rose Kleber is reported dead, it quickly becomes a race against time for Magozzi and Rolseth to find out the 'who' and the 'why' before the good people of the city of Minneapolis become panicked.
Although not as sharply focused or meticulously carried out as the first in this series, it is, nevertheless, an intriguing narrative. The pacing is a lot slower than the first book and clues are gently teased out as the story progresses. The relationship between Magozzi and Grace McBride (one of our protagonists in the first book) which can best be described as 'the world's slowest-moving romance' is nonetheless developing (if you can call it that!) and it definitely adds a little levity to an otherwise tension filled mystery. Magozzi - baby steps my friend: baby steps!
I would certainly have liked to have seen more of the odd-ball bunch that together, make up the computer game company Monkeewrench, but I think that's coming in the next book Dead Run.
June 26, 2018
I'm really enjoying this series, and look forward to reading more. This one had a good mixture of humor, sadness, and philosophy. I felt there were some things to really make us think or rethink our attitudes about revenge, whether someone deserves to die, etc. I can't say much about it without a spoiler, but it really shows how killing someone, even if that person seems to deserve it, can have repercussions that destroy people and families over many years and across many miles. It's sad to see.
The people are all very interesting and multi-faceted. I almost feel like some of them are family already, and I find myself caring about what they do and how things turn out. Fortunately, there's more to come, but I already feel I need to slow down so I won't run out of books in the series too soon.
The people are all very interesting and multi-faceted. I almost feel like some of them are family already, and I find myself caring about what they do and how things turn out. Fortunately, there's more to come, but I already feel I need to slow down so I won't run out of books in the series too soon.
September 5, 2020
Volume 2 in the Monkeewrench series starts with the murders of 4 very old people and develops to a highly suspenseful story with a horrific background.
I highly recommend this entertaining police mystery for friends of this genre.
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In Minneapolis werden kurz hintereinander vier wirklich alte Menschen umgebracht. Magozzi und Gino stehen vor einem Rtsel, bis sie Grace vom Monkeewrench-Team um Hilfe bitten, die ihnen computergestützt unter die Arme greift.
Wie im ersten Band der Reihe erwartet den Leser hier eine hochspannende, aber dennoch eher unterhaltsame Geschichte. Das dahinterstehende Thema ist ernst und grauenhaft, aber den Autorinnen gelingt es dennoch über lange Strecken einen amüsanten Erzählton beizubehalten.
Der erste Band hat mir ein wenig besser gefallen, weil Personen und Romanstruktur besonders neu und aufregend waren, aber auch weil die Monkeewrench-Leute einen weit größeren Anteil an der Geschichte hatten.
Dennoch gibt es für dieses Buch immer noch sehr gute vier Sterne.
I highly recommend this entertaining police mystery for friends of this genre.
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In Minneapolis werden kurz hintereinander vier wirklich alte Menschen umgebracht. Magozzi und Gino stehen vor einem Rtsel, bis sie Grace vom Monkeewrench-Team um Hilfe bitten, die ihnen computergestützt unter die Arme greift.
Wie im ersten Band der Reihe erwartet den Leser hier eine hochspannende, aber dennoch eher unterhaltsame Geschichte. Das dahinterstehende Thema ist ernst und grauenhaft, aber den Autorinnen gelingt es dennoch über lange Strecken einen amüsanten Erzählton beizubehalten.
Der erste Band hat mir ein wenig besser gefallen, weil Personen und Romanstruktur besonders neu und aufregend waren, aber auch weil die Monkeewrench-Leute einen weit größeren Anteil an der Geschichte hatten.
Dennoch gibt es für dieses Buch immer noch sehr gute vier Sterne.
August 21, 2016
Minneapolis has been going through a murder-free period but all that changes when someone starts killing elderly victims. Detectives Magozzi and Rolseth are puzzled about why well-loved, elderly members of the community are being murdered. Making little headway in solving the crimes, they call in Grace from the Monkeewrench software team to use her programming skills to help look for patterns and what they find is very surprising.
I felt the novel was a little slow to get going but once it did the pace and action ramped up. I was also a little disappointed that the Monkeewrench team were not back in action in this novel as I love those quirky, colourful characters, but they do come together at the end of the book and I have a suspicion they may feature more in the next.
I felt the novel was a little slow to get going but once it did the pace and action ramped up. I was also a little disappointed that the Monkeewrench team were not back in action in this novel as I love those quirky, colourful characters, but they do come together at the end of the book and I have a suspicion they may feature more in the next.
September 20, 2024
Well, coincidences are the mother and the father of (almost...) all policiers, as young Jack starts to kill "the commando members" shortly after their final job and Gino & Magozzi burst in the crime scene just in time to gather the scrap.
Nonetheless, The Bait is quite a very good one, fluent, interesting and with some kind of humor. So four stars fit unexpectedly but just perfectly...
Nonetheless, The Bait is quite a very good one, fluent, interesting and with some kind of humor. So four stars fit unexpectedly but just perfectly...
February 19, 2021
It was a decent detective novel but didn't really have anything that drove me into the story, I didn't get attached to the people in it and the crime wasn't that exciting to follow but it was written with a decent skill. While I'm not rushing to read another book from P.J Tracy I might read some in another time.
April 8, 2020
Monkeewrench, #2): An elderly man is seemingly executed in public with a bullet to the head! The city feels under siege when it turns out he was just the first victim found! Detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth, are on the case; what is the connection? PJ Tracy's penned an interesting and at times compelling mystery thriller. 6 out of 12.
January 7, 2019
I really enjoyed myself reading this. It was just afterwards, thinking about what I read and realizing all the improbabilities and impossibilities of the story, that I decide to rate this book with 3.5 stars. Still-- the pleasure I felt while reading hasn't disappeared.
September 1, 2018
3.5 stars rounded up
December 31, 2021
Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are getting bored with cold cases, when a murder case ends up in their laps. Of course, one murder is shortly followed by another, and another. And the question stands: how are they linked? Perhaps it's time to ask Monkeewrench from some help especially as Leo and Grace are still woo-ing each other from afar...
This was PJ Tracy through and through - I confess I'm a fan so I was bound to enjoy this re-read anyway, and I did!
This was PJ Tracy through and through - I confess I'm a fan so I was bound to enjoy this re-read anyway, and I did!
December 18, 2009
This is book 2 in the Monkeewrench series. You could read it first; but if you read Monkeewrench aka Want to Play first, then some parts of the book make a bit more sense. And book #2 does have a few more spoilers.
That said, the Monkeewrench books are going top speed and top notch for me. The dialogie is outstanding, as usual, and the mystery is very well done. The ending was a suprise.
It got a 4 star rating instead of a 5, because I wanted to see much more of the Monkeewrench crew; thought the parts with Leo and Gino were great! The moral dilemma presented was gripping--won't spoil it--just read it!
The first half of chapeter 24, where one of the detective's relives his wife's murder--she is murdered before his eyes--is one of the most gripping, well written scenes I have read in years!
Favorite quote "You know the worst thing about bad people, Grace? It's what they make good people do." (Ch. 32).
Very highly recommended.
That said, the Monkeewrench books are going top speed and top notch for me. The dialogie is outstanding, as usual, and the mystery is very well done. The ending was a suprise.
It got a 4 star rating instead of a 5, because I wanted to see much more of the Monkeewrench crew; thought the parts with Leo and Gino were great! The moral dilemma presented was gripping--won't spoil it--just read it!
The first half of chapeter 24, where one of the detective's relives his wife's murder--she is murdered before his eyes--is one of the most gripping, well written scenes I have read in years!
Favorite quote "You know the worst thing about bad people, Grace? It's what they make good people do." (Ch. 32).
Very highly recommended.
December 6, 2013
Book Info: Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of the genre and series
Trigger Warnings: Violence, murder, hate crimes
My Thoughts: This is the second book in the Monkeewrench series, following Monkeewrench (review here where formatting allowed). I first read this second book in the series soon after it came out in 2005, but didn’t review it at the time. Since I have acquired books 5 and 6 (after having read the first four), I decided to re-read the whole series at a go before book 7 comes out next year, and actually do reviews for all of them this time (I believe I have an old review for Snow Blind out there, which I will share when I do the next one).
One thing of the very few things that bothers me in this book (and series) is the authors’ constant focus on the weight of a couple of the characters. Admittedly, Annie and Gloria are also described as sensual and sexy, with men always tripping over themselves to gain their attention, but neither woman can be mentioned without the additional mention of how heavy she is, like this is terribly important to keep rubbing in the readers’ faces. But that’s just a personal issue, I imagine. The only other thing I have to complain about with this book is the occasional head-hopping that will occur out of the blue. Fortunately, it’s generally only a paragraph and then the narration will return to the regular style used through the book.
None of that is enough to make me change my original assessment of this, given many years ago, as a five-star book. Let me tell you why. One of the truly outstanding things about this series is that the storylines, the ideas presented, they all make you think. Consider this line by Lily, wife of Morey, whose daughter was also murdered.
So, despite any minor annoyances, these books are right up there with the best of the best, and I highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys a great mystery/suspense/thriller. Definitely check them out. Next up: Dead Run.
Disclosure: I purchased first a hardcover and later an e-book version of this book for myself. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Minneapolis detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are bored–-ever since they solved the Monkeewrench case, the Twin Cities have been in a murder-free dry spell, as people no longer seem interested in killing one another. But with two brutal homicides taking place in one awful night, the crime drought ends-–not with a trickle, but with an eventual torrent. Who would kill Morey Gilbert, a man without an enemy, a man who might as well have been a saint? His tiny, cranky little wife, Lily, is no help, and may even be a suspect; his estranged son, Jack, an infamous ambulance-chasing lawyer, has his own enemies; and his son-in-law, former cop Marty Pullman, is so depressed over his wife's death a year ago that he's ready to kill himself, but not Morey. The number of victims—all elderly—grows, and the city is fearful once again. The detectives' investigation threatens to uncover a series of horrendous secrets, some buried within the heart of the police department itself, blurring the lines between heroes and villains. Grace MacBride's cold-case-solving software may find the missing link—but at a terrible price.
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: Fans of the genre and series
Trigger Warnings: Violence, murder, hate crimes
My Thoughts: This is the second book in the Monkeewrench series, following Monkeewrench (review here where formatting allowed). I first read this second book in the series soon after it came out in 2005, but didn’t review it at the time. Since I have acquired books 5 and 6 (after having read the first four), I decided to re-read the whole series at a go before book 7 comes out next year, and actually do reviews for all of them this time (I believe I have an old review for Snow Blind out there, which I will share when I do the next one).
One thing of the very few things that bothers me in this book (and series) is the authors’ constant focus on the weight of a couple of the characters. Admittedly, Annie and Gloria are also described as sensual and sexy, with men always tripping over themselves to gain their attention, but neither woman can be mentioned without the additional mention of how heavy she is, like this is terribly important to keep rubbing in the readers’ faces. But that’s just a personal issue, I imagine. The only other thing I have to complain about with this book is the occasional head-hopping that will occur out of the blue. Fortunately, it’s generally only a paragraph and then the narration will return to the regular style used through the book.
None of that is enough to make me change my original assessment of this, given many years ago, as a five-star book. Let me tell you why. One of the truly outstanding things about this series is that the storylines, the ideas presented, they all make you think. Consider this line by Lily, wife of Morey, whose daughter was also murdered.
“You men. You always want to know who did this or that terrible thing, so someone can find them and make them pay. Always it’s been like this for men, the eye for the eye, as if it would make any difference.”I mean, really think about that, about what that implies, about what that means. It’s wonderful. There are things like this in every single book in this series, something really profound that will make you question your motivations, make you question your beliefs. I love that—I love that they don’t allow you to escape by using easy answers; they insist that you question your beliefs, that you really take a good, hard look at your basic assumptions and then ask, “Is that really who I am? Is that really how I feel? And is that really right?” Not to mention that the authors are wonderful about hiding the villain until they are good and ready to reveal whodunit. That makes these among some of the best mysteries I’ve read since Agatha Christie.
So, despite any minor annoyances, these books are right up there with the best of the best, and I highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys a great mystery/suspense/thriller. Definitely check them out. Next up: Dead Run.
Disclosure: I purchased first a hardcover and later an e-book version of this book for myself. All opinions are my own.
Synopsis: Minneapolis detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are bored–-ever since they solved the Monkeewrench case, the Twin Cities have been in a murder-free dry spell, as people no longer seem interested in killing one another. But with two brutal homicides taking place in one awful night, the crime drought ends-–not with a trickle, but with an eventual torrent. Who would kill Morey Gilbert, a man without an enemy, a man who might as well have been a saint? His tiny, cranky little wife, Lily, is no help, and may even be a suspect; his estranged son, Jack, an infamous ambulance-chasing lawyer, has his own enemies; and his son-in-law, former cop Marty Pullman, is so depressed over his wife's death a year ago that he's ready to kill himself, but not Morey. The number of victims—all elderly—grows, and the city is fearful once again. The detectives' investigation threatens to uncover a series of horrendous secrets, some buried within the heart of the police department itself, blurring the lines between heroes and villains. Grace MacBride's cold-case-solving software may find the missing link—but at a terrible price.
January 16, 2010
Just re-read this one.
P.J. Tracy has a new huge fan in me. I couldn't wait to read this one after the wonderful "WANT TO PLAY". I thought the first few chapters were dull compared to their previous novel, but as "Live Bait" progresses and as the case unfolds dramatically, the pace quickens.
The dialogues are still top-notch. Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are the starts of this book -I love them. I have to say that again all the characters in this story are authentic and human and that's why I give it a 5. It is not often you read that policemen are so cool and dedicated and good-hearted. And for me, another favorite character in this book was definitely Jack Gilbert. Aah, could a character get more genuine than Jack?
Also, I really appreciate how the romantic side of the characters is approached here (well you need to read the books in order to understand their relationship): it's not openly described & steamy on the pages but there so many honest & unvarnished feelings expressed in the thoughts & words of the characters that it has a more profound effect on the reader, in my opinion. The doubts, the fear of getting hurt appeals very much to me. I love the vulnerabitly of Leo & Grace's relationship.
P.J. Tracy has a new huge fan in me. I couldn't wait to read this one after the wonderful "WANT TO PLAY". I thought the first few chapters were dull compared to their previous novel, but as "Live Bait" progresses and as the case unfolds dramatically, the pace quickens.
The dialogues are still top-notch. Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are the starts of this book -I love them. I have to say that again all the characters in this story are authentic and human and that's why I give it a 5. It is not often you read that policemen are so cool and dedicated and good-hearted. And for me, another favorite character in this book was definitely Jack Gilbert. Aah, could a character get more genuine than Jack?
Also, I really appreciate how the romantic side of the characters is approached here (well you need to read the books in order to understand their relationship): it's not openly described & steamy on the pages but there so many honest & unvarnished feelings expressed in the thoughts & words of the characters that it has a more profound effect on the reader, in my opinion. The doubts, the fear of getting hurt appeals very much to me. I love the vulnerabitly of Leo & Grace's relationship.
August 18, 2022
4 sterren - Nederlandse paperback
Rechercheurs Leo Magozzi en Gino Rolseth vervelen zich: er is al lang geen moord meer gepleegd. Maar wanneer Morey Gilbert dood wordt aangetroffen, is het met de verveling in één klap afgelopen.
Wie zou de bejaarde man hebben willen vermoorden? Hij was een man zonder vijanden, een heilige bijna. Zijn kleine, norse vrouw zorgt niet bepaald voor opheldering, zij zou zelfs een verdachte kunnen zijn.
Dan vallen er nog meer bejaarde slachtoffers en krijgen Magozzi en Gino meer werk dan hun lief is.
Ook deze keer weer moeten inspecteur Magozzi (spreekt uit: Magotsie) en zijn team hard aan de slag om een stel koelbloedige moorden op te lossen.
De ontknoping van deze spannende thriller is zoals we van hen gewend zijn weer super spannend met een wending in het verhaal die je versteld doet staan.
Rechercheurs Leo Magozzi en Gino Rolseth vervelen zich: er is al lang geen moord meer gepleegd. Maar wanneer Morey Gilbert dood wordt aangetroffen, is het met de verveling in één klap afgelopen.
Wie zou de bejaarde man hebben willen vermoorden? Hij was een man zonder vijanden, een heilige bijna. Zijn kleine, norse vrouw zorgt niet bepaald voor opheldering, zij zou zelfs een verdachte kunnen zijn.
Dan vallen er nog meer bejaarde slachtoffers en krijgen Magozzi en Gino meer werk dan hun lief is.
Ook deze keer weer moeten inspecteur Magozzi (spreekt uit: Magotsie) en zijn team hard aan de slag om een stel koelbloedige moorden op te lossen.
De ontknoping van deze spannende thriller is zoals we van hen gewend zijn weer super spannend met een wending in het verhaal die je versteld doet staan.
January 4, 2012
I bought this book because I really enjoyed reading Want to Play? (Monkeewrench in the US) by the mother-daughter writing team known as P.J. Tracy but I just didn't manage to get into this one. Nothing much happened in the first 100 pages and then I just lost interest.
June 26, 2017
The 2nd in the series of Minneapolis detectives who this time are on the trail of someone who is killing geriatric citizens in a neighorhood.
The first 2/3 was a slow boil, and the result was not up to par with the initial effort. The last 1/3 ratcheted up the action and segued into the next chapter.
The first 2/3 was a slow boil, and the result was not up to par with the initial effort. The last 1/3 ratcheted up the action and segued into the next chapter.
March 9, 2026
Really enjoyed the writing and the story. I figured this one out really early on, but it was still interesting to read. I read the first in this series 10 years ago! I'm hoping to continue with the rest of this series a lot faster than that.
April 5, 2023
This seems to be a pretty popular series but I just don't understand that, I guess. I think the writing is less than spectacular and the banter has become quite annoying. At least with the first book in the series, Monkeewrench, the storyline was good and kept me interested. This one didn't. There have been some elderly jewish people killed and the Minneapolis detectives from the first book are at a loss for what is going on. Even the Monkeewrench crew was barely in it this time because they're preparing to take their skills on the road. The only thing I can describe this sort of book to is the tv show Psych. It has its moments but the dialogue is a very big turnoff; it just seems foolish and juvenile. Instead of all the characters dribbling on and on, half the book could have been cut out and shortened. I do have a few more of these but will probably not read them.
February 28, 2022
This one is quite awful. I am ashamed to admit I speed-read this one because 90% of it is useless dialogue that did nothing to move the plot along. Now that really disappoints me because I really liked the first book, so now I feel obligated to give it another chance.
There's an attempt to make all the supporting characters three-dimensional and it worked but the characters are the problem because they're really dead-ass boring and I didn't care about any of them even after all the backstory.
The two things I liked are: (1) how the roles were reversed - I always like stories that present moral dilemma for the characters and the readers and (2) the climax, not because it put me on the edge of my seat or surprised me with the twist, but because of what Gino did to the body (how it came full circle). Other than that, the pace is slow, there is no traction, dialogues too lengthy and useless, and the interesting characters only appear at the end.
I also missed the grounding presence of Sheriff Halloran from the first book, and what does it say about the main characters if I liked Halloran and Sharon more than Magozzi and Grace? The latter had a stiff, almost-nonexistent chemistry which was weird. The guy had more chemistry with his partner than with his love interest.
Hopefully the next one is a lot better or I'll give this series up. Such a promising first installment.
There's an attempt to make all the supporting characters three-dimensional and it worked but the characters are the problem because they're really dead-ass boring and I didn't care about any of them even after all the backstory.
The two things I liked are: (1) how the roles were reversed - I always like stories that present moral dilemma for the characters and the readers and (2) the climax, not because it put me on the edge of my seat or surprised me with the twist, but because of what Gino did to the body (how it came full circle). Other than that, the pace is slow, there is no traction, dialogues too lengthy and useless, and the interesting characters only appear at the end.
I also missed the grounding presence of Sheriff Halloran from the first book, and what does it say about the main characters if I liked Halloran and Sharon more than Magozzi and Grace? The latter had a stiff, almost-nonexistent chemistry which was weird. The guy had more chemistry with his partner than with his love interest.
Hopefully the next one is a lot better or I'll give this series up. Such a promising first installment.
July 30, 2015
**4.5 stars**
Awesome, awesome book. As usual with this series, I laughed a lot (the characters are so damned funny) but I also cried my ass off. There were some very moving parts in this book.
The mystery was really good but the overall theme of of the story had a deeper message: the nature of right and wrong, and how good people can do terrible things for what they think are the right reasons.
I loved the progression of the relationship between Magozzi and Grace. With her past, it's obvious that she just couldn't become 'normal' overnight and I'm glad that her steps to recovery were addressed.
And now we come to my favorite character in this series. I <3 Gino! This is the second book I've read in a row with an amazing best friend (and in this case also partner) and it doesn't get old. Gino is so freaking funny - he would say things that had me laughing hysterically - and sweet at the same time. Like when he asked Grace what where her intentions with Magozzi. The way he put it was simply hysterical but it also showed that he much he cared about his friend.
As usual, Buck Schirner nailed the narration. I don't usually listen books in a series back to back but I'm really tempted with this one. That tells you how much I enjoyed this book. :)
Awesome, awesome book. As usual with this series, I laughed a lot (the characters are so damned funny) but I also cried my ass off. There were some very moving parts in this book.
The mystery was really good but the overall theme of of the story had a deeper message: the nature of right and wrong, and how good people can do terrible things for what they think are the right reasons.
I loved the progression of the relationship between Magozzi and Grace. With her past, it's obvious that she just couldn't become 'normal' overnight and I'm glad that her steps to recovery were addressed.
And now we come to my favorite character in this series. I <3 Gino! This is the second book I've read in a row with an amazing best friend (and in this case also partner) and it doesn't get old. Gino is so freaking funny - he would say things that had me laughing hysterically - and sweet at the same time. Like when he asked Grace what where her intentions with Magozzi. The way he put it was simply hysterical but it also showed that he much he cared about his friend.
As usual, Buck Schirner nailed the narration. I don't usually listen books in a series back to back but I'm really tempted with this one. That tells you how much I enjoyed this book. :)
September 6, 2007
LIVE BAIT (Police Procedural) – VG
P.J. Tracy – 2nd in series
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2004 – Hardcover
When elderly, well-loved Morey Gilbert is murdered, Milwaukee Dets. Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are called to investigate a sad, but basic murder. However, when other elderly people in the same neighborhood and with a common history are also murdered, it’s clear there more going on than first seemed.
***The Tracy’s have a wonderful voice with interesting characters. Grace and the gang from the first book, MONKEEWRENCH do appear, so you might want to read it first. But it’s the Detectives who are the major players here, and we certainly benefit from them. There is an excellent sense of place, wonderful dialogue, humor, suspense and a couple very well done twists along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed this book
P.J. Tracy – 2nd in series
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2004 – Hardcover
When elderly, well-loved Morey Gilbert is murdered, Milwaukee Dets. Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are called to investigate a sad, but basic murder. However, when other elderly people in the same neighborhood and with a common history are also murdered, it’s clear there more going on than first seemed.
***The Tracy’s have a wonderful voice with interesting characters. Grace and the gang from the first book, MONKEEWRENCH do appear, so you might want to read it first. But it’s the Detectives who are the major players here, and we certainly benefit from them. There is an excellent sense of place, wonderful dialogue, humor, suspense and a couple very well done twists along the way. I thoroughly enjoyed this book
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