Snow Blind

Monkeewrench #4

by P.J. Tracy

The Dead of Winter...

Minneapolis, winter's first white flakes; a park full of snowmen. But the layers of packed snow hide a goulish surprise ...

First, the bodies of two cops are found inside the snowmen and then a day later, in the countryside to the north, Sheriff Iris Rikker makes a similarly shocking discovery. Soon Detectives Gino and Magozzi are sent north through the worst blizzard Minnesota's seen for years to find what else links the investigations.

But some secrets you don't want to uncover. And as the cases unravel, it seems snowmen aren't the only ones with something to hide ...

Genres: Mystery, Crime, Thriller, Fiction, Mystery Thriller, Suspense, Detective

320 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

PJ 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

Reviews

[Claude's Bookzone · Rating 4 out of 5]

UPDATE 01/08/2023 - Pretty chilling storyline...see what I did there? Enjoyable reread.

Bodies hidden inside snowmen? That's next level.

Another great book in this series. I love the Monkeewrench crew and sadly they didn't feature as heavily in this one. What I do love about this series is they introduce so many new characters who also get to take centre stage for large parts of the story. You see different types of police officers, detectives, sheriffs etc from different parts of the country so everything always feel fresh and interesting. On to book 5!

CW: murder crime scenes descriptions, domestic abuse

[PattyMacDotComma · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5★
“‘I hate these damn SUVs,’ he said. ‘We're too damn high. Bet we tip over twenty times on the way up there.’

‘Can't tip over,’ Magozzi said. ‘The ice ruts under the snow are too deep.’

It’s unbelievably cold and hazardously snowy, yet detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth plough on, regardless, with Leo driving and Gino hanging on. Magozzi’s knuckles are white on the wheel as he negotiates a corner by sliding sideways, close to the edge of the narrow country road.

“‘Are we gonna go through that one sideways, too?’

‘You want to drive?’

‘I don't even want to be in a car in this stuff. We pass any kind of a hotel, just drop me off, pick me up in April.’”

Snow and ice make for scary driving, as anyone who’s familiar with real winters knows. But bodies have been discovered inside snowmen at a local snowman competition with families and little kids, so the law is quick off the mark.

Unfortunately, the local sheriff is a newly-elected English teacher who was surprised to win the election. Nice woman, but zero experience. To top it off, the victims are both cops.

A recently-released prisoner, a wife-abuser, is suspected, so there’s the usual questioning of those connected to him or his case and/or to the victims. There is very little of the eccentric Monkeewrench crew in this, until they are asked to hack into some private chat rooms and confidential records.

The detectives, risking life and limb on the treacherous roads, discover histories of battered women and a town-sized private refuge out in the country. It has extraordinary security, with high fences, cameras and guards - all women. Oh yes, the Monkeewrench logo is on some of the equipment, so I guess the gang did get another mention there.

I like the way the authors can sum up a character in just a few sentences. Steve Doyle is the parole officer who is waiting for the parolee to attend his scheduled meeting.

“He'd started this job as a young, devout Christian hopeful, believing absolutely that every criminal was merely a misguided victim in his own right, and that single-handedly he and God could reform any sinner. Five years in, he was a cynical agnostic thinking maybe the death penalty wasn't such a bad idea. Ten years later he was a diehard atheist with a .357 in his desk drawer, because half of these guys scared him to death.”

They would scare me to death too, almost as much as careening off the edge of one of those hilly, snowy roads in Minnesota! I did have trouble with everyone so keen all the time to jump in vehicles in such relentless, snow-blinding conditions, but perhaps that’s artistic licence.

I was reading along, anxious to figure out who was doing what, and whether a third body found in a snowman was a copycat killer or part of some conspiracy, but there was so much back and forth, dashing through the freezing snow, that I got bogged down. I still enjoyed Gino and Leo, but I missed the banter and camaraderie of the five Monkeewrench crew.

The subject matter is thought-provoking, but it began to seem less like a mystery and more like the story was written to draw attention to the issues. For that reason, I was disappointed, especially in the ending, but I will probably read the next one eventually.

Incidentally, although this would work okay as a stand-alone, I'm not sure it would be as enjoyable without having developed a feeling for the characters already. If this had been my first, I probably wouldn't choose more.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another solid read from the writers of the Monkeewrench series, although the Monkeewrench crew themselves only play a minor role with their detective friends doing most of the leg work. Set in the midst of horrific winter weather in Minnesota, this episode made me feel very cold indeed. Following a massive snowstorm, a snowman building competition is disrupted by the discovery of two MPD officers dead inside two of the snowmen. Detectives Magozzi and Rolseth are called in to investigate but have few clues to go on. When a third body is found inside a snowman in a nearby county (with a brand new inexperienced sheriff) they wonder if they have a serial killer on their hands or a copy-cat killer on their hands. Their investigations lead them to a very unusual isolated town and to some ethical dilemmas of whether to pursue truth at all costs or let sleeping dogs lie. A good mystery with touches of humour from P.J Tracy (particularly at the expense of the new county sheriff), but I do hope we get to see more of the Monkeewrench crew next time.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

P.J. Tracy continues to pull me in with this fourth novel in the series, set during a cold snap that makes me remember my childhood. In the middle of the coldest part of winter, Homicide Detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are preparing for the Minneapolis PD’s snowman festival. However, as they examine some of the other entries, it becomes apparent that there are two bodies within other snowmen. These bodies are soon identified as fellow MPD officers, making it apparent that there is a killer on the loose and children will likely never want to see another Frosty-type image. As they begin their investigation, they cannot guess how many other bodies there might be hiding in plain sight or who might be the next victim. In a rural Minnesota county, Iris Rikker is ready to begin her first day as sheriff, having won a contentious election to unseat her longtime predecessor. As she is trying to get acclimated, a snowman body is found and she’s forced to start her new job on the wrong foot. The victim is a parole officer and it would appear that parolee Kurt Weinbeck took offence to something, having left him frozen solid and surrounded by snow. Magozzi and Rolseth see the similarities and make their way out to see Rikker, who soon learns that there is more to the story. Weinbeck is on the hunt for his ex-wife, Julie Albright, who is in hiding after being an abuse victim for too long. The MPD Detectives agree to tag along during a visit to Albright, to check on her welfare with Weinbeck on the lam and a potential killer. Locating Albright in Bitterroot, Rolseth is anything but pleased about the community, which offers a unique style of protection. Magozzi seems more accepting, but no matter how protection is offered, Weinbeck is on the loose and must be stopped. Back in Minneapolis, members of Monkeewrench discover someone’s been bragging about the snowman killings in a chat room, hours before the bodies were discovered. Might the killer be found through technological means and could this narrow the future victim pool? Tracy offers up another wonderful thriller that is sure to pique the interest of the series fan and those who love quick police procedurals with a difference.

I simply cannot say enough about P.J. Tracy’s work as I binge my way through this series! The stories reel me in each and every time and these characters continue to evolve, with new ones introduced in each book. Magozzi and Rolseth are back in the driver’s seat, using their banter and sleuthing skills to keep the reader keen on what they will find. Introducing the Sheriff Iris Rikker storyline is not only useful, but plays right into the larger theme of the novel, which can only do good things, should she reappear in future novels. As always, the Monkeewrench crew is present, though they seem to sit in the background for much of the story, popping up only when their usefulness adds depth to the plot. Secondary characters do, as always, offer some interesting flavours, and Tracy is able to effectively utilise them to push home a key point needed to better tell the story. The narrative flows well and the reader is treated to some superior writing that is not always found within the genre, while also staying grounded. Moving away from the traditional police procedural, P.J. Tracy entertains the reader with strong storylines, perfect for a vacation or summer binge. I am eager to keep racing through these books to see what other mysteries come up in the numerous cases that follow.

Kudos, P.J. Tracy, for another wonderful piece. I am so happy to have found this series and hope 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/...

[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another great installment! Even worked with a switch in narrators. I don't know why, but this series seems to switch back and forth between Buck Schirner and Mel Foster, but both have done a great job with all the voices in the Monkeewrench books so that's fine with me.

I'm on a real roll here with this series, definitely hooked, and I'm tempted to pick up book four tomorrow!

[Phrynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book number four in the Monkeewrench series and I am now officially a fan! I started this one without even reading the blurb so I was suitably surprised and delighted by the unusual premise. As usual the authors supplied a great story, entertaining characters and realistic dialogue. The Monkeewrench team are supplementary characters in this book and the action takes place largely around Magozzi and the police team but this is good too. I like the way each book takes a different angle and can therefore stand alone as well as be part of an excellent series. I liked it all very much indeed and it will not be long before I pick up the next one.

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story has one of the most original premises I've seen in awhile. Hiding murder victims in plain sight, using the weather to disguise the bodies was unsettling. Everyone loves a snowman and to defile something so treasured was gruesome.

The investigation was interesting, too, especially when it began to center around the newly elected sheriff of Dundas County, Iris Rikker. What was even more fascinating was the reactions of the other law enforcement professionals working the case. See, Iris unseated a man who'd been Sheriff for many years and, aside from some basic textbook and classroom training, she had no practical experience beyond her previous role as a dispatcher. This was her first day on the job.

The change in narrators was so subtle it was hardly noticeable and the voices of the characters seemed to stay the same.

There are some very strong and controversial themes in this story, most centered around women. The loudest messages stemmed from Detective Gino Rosfeld, who's sexist attitudes were hard to bear. He was a distraction to the story, even though in the end, he looked foolish. But, his attitude and that of other recurring characters have bugged me in earlier stories and continue to do so, especially as they're never countered. There are too many competent women surrounding these men for them to perpetuate such Neanderthal thinking. It undermined what would have been a compelling story with a psychologically and emotionally complex ending. 3.5 stars

[Len · Rating 3 out of 5]

In some ways an annoying novel. It is as if the authors, having thought of a hard-hitting and emotive plot, were unable to decide whether to go for frank reality or dilution with a playful sense of humour. The result seems to be a dark comedy with someone banging a moral drum incessantly in the background.

The detective duo of Magozzi and Rolseth may have been there to lighten the scenes yet, when their wisecracking banter persists even when events turn ever more tragic, it seems more and more out of place. The character of Sheriff Iris Rikker, while attractively drawn, goes much the same way. As a sideline into obscurity, why does the name Ryker, or Riker, or Rikker appear so often in American fiction? There is even a Riker in Star Trek: The Next Generation. Back to the plot: Ms. Rikker's struggle to prove herself against a misogynist and, as it turns out, at least partly criminal police force becomes jokey and frivolous - the helpless and hapless woman batting her eyelids to get advice from sexually flattered males in order to save herself from professional embarrassment. That is, until the bullets start flying in her direction and the plot becomes more adult for a while.

The main theme is male violence against women, particularly husbands against wives, and the responses of a male dominated officialdom and of women as individuals and as a united community fighting repression. It could have been a very powerful storyline set against a bleak midwinter snowstorm in Minnesota. Then it wobbles, again and again. Two cops toying with each other's friendship with their mock sarcastic banter. The corpses of murder victims found hidden in mounds of snow and disguised as snowmen in the middle of a children's snowman building competition. And a refuge for the victims of male violence built as a fortified village compound by someone who must have watched too many James Bond movies: fenced in, security on the gate - all female, patrolled by armed guards - all female, protected by spy cameras and intruder detectors. It doesn't work in the end. Freezing snow, blizzard conditions, and an enraged maniac with wire cutters sees to that. Never put all your trust in technology when it's easier, though not necessarily legal, to shoot first.

The ending is something of a let down. We know who did it. The police know who was responsible for doing it. The criminals know, of course, and little remorse is shown even when it is disclosed that one of the murder victims was not violent towards women - he only worked with someone who was. Despite all of that the case is allowed to drift into a state where nothing happens. Justice is not done in any direction. There are no lessons learned and the brutal status quo of violence will continue once the thaw comes.

The stars of the show should have been respect, love and freedom from fear. It turned out it the main feature was the snow and the cold which received more credits in the text.

[Kandice · Rating 1 out of 5]

Mysteries are meant to be solved. A mystery should have a crime, an investigation, and a resolution. What should have been a book worth 4 or 5 stars became a book worth only 1. The authors couldn't seem to resolve their own mystery and took the easy way out by making it an ethical dilemma with no "real answer."

When victims are killed and stuffed in snowmen, the police eventually decide they have either a serial killer or one killer and several copycats. Eventually the investigation leads to Bitterroot, a company that employs, protects, and houses women of domestic violence. The police and the Monkeywrench team come to believe that women from Bitterroot are killing their past abusers. But instead of continuing the investigation to find the killers, the police decide to let it drop due to the ethical dilemma. (Should women be allowed to protect themselves by killing their abusers? What if it gets out of hand and they start killing all abusive men? And do you shut down a good facility because of a bad few?) Also, the police have a very handy scapegoat to hang the crimes on so why pursue it further?

I can't begin to say how disappointed I am in this writing team. I have really enjoyed the prior books in the series. And I'm all for ethical dilemmas in books. However, this mystery finished with the writers just ending it because they couldn't seem to figure out where to go with it. At this point, I seriously don't know if I'll be reading any more books in this series. Again, what a disappointment!

[Marty Fried · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good read from the Monkeewrench gang. This one was a bit more serious than the last one, but similar with the mix of humor and suspense. There's a bit of philosophy mixed in - the question of whether it's OK to break a law for a good reason. But you'll have to decide for yourself just as the characters in the story need to decide - although it's not certain what decision they come up with.

[Cynnamon · Rating 3 out of 5]

For English version please scroll down

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Interessantes Thema, kaum Monkeewrench-Beteiligung

Beim jährlichen Schneemannwettbewerb der Polizei von Minneapolis werden in zwei Schneemännern tote Männer gefunden.

Rolseth und Magozzi ermitteln und landen in einem Dorf im Hinterland, das ganz anders ist als erwartet.

Die Story ist wirklich interessant, wenn auch nicht innovativ, aber ich habe sie gern gelesen.

Was mich ein wenig verstört hat, war folgendes: dieses Buch wurde von zwei Frauen geschrieben und macht sich für - besonders verletzbare – Frauen stark. Wieso zum Geier lassen die Autorinnen dann Gino immer wieder sexistischen Blödsinn von sich geben? Wieso ist eine Figur eine Frau, die zum Sheriff gewählt wurde, aber im Prinzip Angst vor ihrem eigenen Schatten hat, keinerlei Ahnung von Polizeiarbeit hat und ihre Mitarbeiter auf sich rumtrampeln lässt? Da hilft es auch nichts mehr, dass sich dieselbe Frau innerhalb von 3 Tagen zum kompetenten Cop mausert (ganz davon abgesehen, dass das vollkommen unglaubwürdig ist).

Und dann kommt noch mein ganz persönlicher Schmerz dazu. Die Monkeewrench-Crew kommt nur ganz am Rande vor. Ich lese diese Reihe jedoch wegen der Leute von Monkeewrench. Ohne die wäre es für mich einfach eine mittelgute Krimireihe wie tausend andere.

Deshalb kann ich diesmal nur 3 Sterne vergeben für einen ganz anständigen Krimi mit einem interessanten Plot und ein paar Schwächen. Unterhalten hat mich das Buch trotzdem.

---------------------

Interesting topic, hardly any Monkeewrench participation

Dead men are found in two snowmen at the Minneapolis Police Department's annual snowman competition.

Rolseth and Magozzi investigate and end up in a village in the hinterland that is completely different than expected.

The story is really interesting, if not innovative, but I enjoyed reading it.

What upset me a little was the following: this book was written by two women and stands up for women who are particularly vulnerable. Then why the hell do the authors let Gino utter sexist nonsense again and again? Why is a character a woman who has been elected sheriff, but is basically afraid of her own shadow, has no idea about police work and lets her employees trample over her? It doesn't help that the same woman turns into a competent cop within 3 days (quite apart from the fact that this completely lacks credibility).

And then there is my very personal pain. The Monkeewrench crew is only marginally featured. However, I read this series because of the Monkeewrench people. Without them it would be just a medium-quality crime series for me like a thousand others.

Therefore this time I can only award 3 stars for a very decent crime thriller with an interesting plot and a few weaknesses. The book entertained me anyway.

[Kristin · Rating 2 out of 5]

In book number four, we return to Minneapolis and a winter wonderland that doesn't want to quit. I've lived in Minnesota for 35 years - Mpls for 20 of those and Duluth the remainder. If you get a snowfall as described, you won't be driving all over the state. Major highways will be difficult to navigate. Minor highways probably impassable. County roads...best to stay home. City streets will not be plowed yet (snow emergency first day, then secondary streets, and the rest the third. Be prepared to spend a lot of time shoveling out your car.)

Yet, we find our good homicide detectives making repeated trips to this northern county because everything keeps pointing them to a secluded business that is more than it appears. What is a corporation on the outside, hides a refuge for 400 battered women behind its fences. A small enclave kept secret from the wider populace, designed to protect and shelter, has now been thrust into the limelight of a murder investigation.

I had some difficulty with the plausibility of book number four between the snowstorm and this secret enclave called Bitterroot. 400 people living, working, raising kids, doing day to day activities - in a county not all that far north of a major metropolitan area – simply could not be kept under wraps. That’s a fair sized community. Kids talk. Increased traffic of both commuters and supply trucks. Planes that fly over. Just didn’t quite make the bell ring true for me.

The blurb also describes this as being a Monkeewrench novel: When the corpses of three police officers are discovered entombed in snowmen, Grace MacBride and her team of crime-busting computer jocks at the Monkeewrench firm are called in to assist. What they discover is a terrifying link among the victims that reaches beyond the badge and crosses the line between hard justice and stone cold vengeance. I found their roll in this book to be pretty minimal; it’s not about Grace McBride and the gang, it’s about Bitterroot and what hides behind those fences.

So. Why am I still reading? Darn it if I don’t like the characters and the humor. Some of the one liners and observations are just brilliant. I also give points for the unconventional ending; which I won’t describe because that would be a major spoiler.

[Mike · Rating 4 out of 5]

Entertaining, twisted story of Minnesota area killings of law enforcement officers, who are turned into snowmen.

[Kerri Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

I dig a compelling mystery and this book definitely had moments of brilliance. It also had moments of "Wait, did I just read that?" Clichéd phrases in otherwise interesting stories are so painful.
Also, for a book written by two women as part of a series featuring a strong female protagonist there were too many parts that felt decidedly (and distractingly) anti-woman.

I'm also of the mind that fictional mysteries should include resolutions. Mostly because I think creating a mystery is a whole lot simpler than seeing that mystery through to its big reveal. If that makes me an unereasonable and/or needy mystery reader, so be it.

Ultimately, this was a quick and not unenjoyable read, and I'm never going to look at snowmen the same way, so there's that.

This story also gets bonus points in my book for being written by a mother/daughter duo who wrote the book together via alternating chapters. I find that equal parts amusing and impressive, and not just because it was something I once tried to do with a friend in college (before quickly realizing I wasn't as interested in where our would-be story might be going as much as I was befuddled by the pieces he added to it).

[Three stars for easy-to-turn pages.]

[Trilby · Rating 2 out of 5]

Maybe if I did not live in Minneapolis, I would've liked this mystery better. However, if I didn't live in Minneapolis, I probably would not have read this.
My gripe with the book is that the weather aspects are completely preposterous. The winter weather that grips the state is more like that of Churchill, Manitoba. The book starts out with a snowstorm that drops a foot of the white stuff. But instead of bringing the city to a halt for a day or two (as such a storm would in reality), the next day hundreds of people are out and about at a winter carnival in Theodore Wirth Park. Other chapters show police officers driving north during a blizzard that would have closed down the interstates. The entire novel is one tsnownami after another, yet criminals and cops get around as if it were a day in May.

Call me picky, but this Minnesota winter mythology overkill ruined the story for me. The characters are fun, but again, completely unbelievable.

Maybe I've been reading too many Scandinavian cop-and-killer novels, but to me this homegrown one was too silly to warrant more than two stars.

[Susy · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Monkeewrench is a great series but I must confess I don’t like the computer nerds much. My heart goes to Gino and Magozzi, so this is my book, because they are the pivotal characters. Snow falls through the book, while the two policemen look for the murderer of two policemen which were converted into snowmen in a children’s contest. The plot is as solid as the ice surrounding everything. There is a new character, a green newly elected sheriff with just being a teacher in her curriculum. It’s a jewel; I hope she returns to the series. Women abuse runs for the last half of the novel and the clues are planted delicately by the Mom/daughter team. I cannot understand why I forgot to get this book for 3 years.

[Katy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please note: Sections of my new review will be under spoiler tags. There is just no way to adequately discuss this book without laying down a trail of clues that will ultimately spoil a bit of the mystery in the story. After the “Disclosure” section I’ll paste my original review from 2006, and if you prefer to avoid spoilers, then stop there, because even with the spoiler tags there might be sections that will give you clues. I do not plan to post this review anywhere else, to avoid spoiling this story for anyone, so my Goodreads peeps are the only ones reading my full review.

Book Info: Genre: Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Reading Level: Adult
Recommended for: fans of series, fans of genre
Trigger Warnings: Violence against women (mostly implied)

Disclosure: I purchased this book in first hardcover and then e-book format for myself. All opinions are my own.

My Original Review, written Sept. 10, 2006: I started this series pretty much by accident after receiving Monkeewrench in a box of books I was given by a co-worker; however, I haven't looked back since reading that first book. Gino and Leo—the two Minneapolis detectives around whom the series revolves—and the Monkeewrench crew—the computer programmers who are the secondary cast—are wonderfully crafted and lovingly developed.

Snow Blind is beautifully done and the story is developed in such a way as to leave you guessing until well into the book as to what has actually happened. Once you figure it out, you are left just as conflicted as everyone else. Is this particular story completely resolved? Not really—but due to the nature of the set up, it can't be; not and have true justice be done. I can't give any more details than that without ruining it for you, but you will understand once you have read it—believe me, you will not be disappointed.

My Thoughts (new review written Dec. 2012): This is the fourth book in the series, following Dead Run (review here). I originally read and reviewed this book on Amazon September 10, 2006, and that original review is above so you can see it. This is the last of the books I have already read in this series—the next two ( Shoot to Thrill and Off the Grid ) will be new to me. I remember this one fairly well, though—it is another of the books in this series that tackles a seriously inflammatory issue (domestic violence, and taking justice into one’s own hands), and as such I know it will not be for everyone, but I absolutely loved that it made me question all my assumptions about right and wrong, good and evil, justice and vigilantism.

A Twin Cities’ institution is mentioned in this book—Kramarczuk’s. It’s a Polish butcher shop, and a person can buy the most amazing sausages there. If you enjoy some high-quality sausages and are in the Twin Cities, then you have to check the place out.

Ultimately this story absolutely twisted me in knots. I could not help but empathize with the murderers in this book—I had to ask myself: what would I do if someone I loved were being abused by their partner? Would I take justice into my own hands and just kill the bastard myself? I think maybe it’s because of my own background, but I really do think I actually would, and what does that ultimately say about me? So, I really liked this book mostly because it raised these sorts of questions, and made you really think about them. Highly recommended. Next up: Shoot to Thrill , which I have not yet read.

Synopsis: Nothing's bleaker than Minneapolis during the winter, the season that, to some longtime residents, lasts eleven months of the year. So what better way to bring a little cheer to the good people of the city than by sponsoring an old-fashioned snowman-building contest? In a matter of hours, a local park is filled with the innocent laughter of children and their frosty creations. But things take an awful turn when the dead bodies of Minneapolis police officers are discovered inside two of the snowmen—sending the MPD and Detectives Magozzi and Rolseth on high alert. The next day, Iris Rikker, the newly minted sheriff of rural Dundas County, comes across another dead cop (Please note: this is incorrect; he was not a cop, but a parole officer). Fearing that Rikker's inexperience will hamper the investigation, Magozzi and Rolseth head north-in a blizzard-to hunt for clues. As Grace MacBride and her crack computer jocks at Monkeewrench comb cyber-murder websites for connections, a terrifying link emerges, connecting the dead cops, Magozzi and Rolseth, and Monkeewrench—a link that must be broken, before it's too late.

[Carolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another page turner. I am SO enjoying this series!!!

[Siobhan · Rating 3 out of 5]

A relative let me borrow a handful of her books, included were Dead Run and Snow Blind. I was tentative about reading them as they were part of a series – and not the first books – yet I went ahead and read Dead Run in the hope the story would make sense to me without the first two books.

Yes, the story made sense. No, I did not enjoy the book.

Due to this, I opted not to read Snow Blind. Then, along came festival season. I needed something to take with me to read on the journey. At that moment in time, I was part way through Stephen King’s Insomnia. I would have gladly taken it with me… except it was my mother’s original hardback version. Such is not a thing to take to a festival with you, not unless you want a book that size to be damage. Thus, I ended up picking up Snow Blind with extremely low expectations.

In all honesty, this one was so much better than Dead Run. Dead Run earned two stars, with there being countless one star moments. Snow Blind earned a full three stars, almost making it to four stars. For me, this was a much better story than the first one.

Don’t get me wrong, it wasn’t enough to leave me wanting to read more by the author – unfortunately I will not be picking up more of the series as I’m not really all that bothered, if I’m honest – yet it was enough to convince me Dead Run was not the best reflection of what to expect from them.

Overall, a much better read than I had expected (almost enough to leave me knocking Dead Run down to one star to show just how much of a difference there is between the two).

[LJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

SNOW BLIND (Police Proc-Minneapolis-Cont) – VG
Tracy, PJ – 4th book
Putnam, 2006- Hardcover
*** Homicide detectives Leo Magozzi and Gina Rolseth take the lead in this wintertime murder investigation set in Minneapoilis. A major snowfall has come to provide the material for a snowman-building content. But a couple snowmen are different from the others in that they contain the bodies of murdered men, and policemen at that. Another snow-man, found on an iced over lake outside Minneapolis, turns out to be a missing parole officer. It is discovered that the link between the three men is a paroled convict who has been asking after his ex-wife, whom he had nearly beat to death.
*** The mother and daughter team who make up PJ Tracy certainly know how to write a page-turning book. Of their alternating protagonists, I actually prefer the detectives, but that’s a personal choice. I appreciate the humor in their writing, offsetting the very serious subject of abuse with the completely inexperienced new Sheriff in Dundas County. The writing is tight, dialogue crisp, and characters engaging. The stories are fast-paced and make you want the next book as soon as you’ve finished the one. If you looking for an enjoyable Sunday afternoon read, this is it.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A new and inexperienced sheriff was elected in a small town and, on her first day in the job, she gets some help from detectives Magozzi and Rolsuth because there might be a connection to the snowman murders in Minneapolis. And it’s so cold! Lots of fun comments about snow, ice, driving and fishing in same, and mosquitoes (because many consider them the MN state bird) in this one!

Detectives Magozzi and Rolsuth get a little help from the Monkeewrench team but this is mostly about policing, the close-knit bonds between officers who must have each other’s backs at work, how that often bleeds into their personal lives, and a serious problem at the heart of many PDs today.

[Regina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. I enjoyed this installment in the Monkeewrench series. Like the others, I listened to the audio. It is not the best in the series, it is definitely shorter but I enoyed it. Unfortunatley, there is not enough of the Monkeewrench crew for my tastes but P.J. Tracy introduces some new characters -- rural sheriffs and officers -- and an interesting twist to their serial killer theme.

This book can be read as a standalone. The mystery was easy to figure out and it was not very scary or thrilling. But still, Tracy writes characters well and ultimately, despite this being a mystery series the books are character driven. Decent, not great -- but good entertainment.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a while to get into the book but then I started to enjoy the plot and it was improving. However let down significantly at the end because it didn't come to a resolution. As a result this lost at least a star for the ending and this spoilt the book for me. It is not always easy reading as it does relate to domestic abuse and there is a lot of sexism present in the attitude towards the new sheriff. In the end I gave this 2.5 stars. For me each book has got weaker and the authors need to reverse this trend as Monkeewrench is one of my favourite books.

[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good read. The thing about these books, they start slowly, but once the story starts moving you can't stop reading. I love the characters in this series, the Monkeewrench crew, the police team, everyone. I particularly liked the plot of this book and the way it all worked out. There were many conflicts and decisions to be made, moral decisions. I found it all very interesting. These books are a quick, easy read and perfect for in between deeper, more intense novels.

[Ben Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

The monkeewrench books started out promising and unique. The problem is that the characters are ultimately caricatures and are ultimately unsustainable. By the time you get to the third book, you really don't care about the Monkeewrench gang anymore. The story is interesting and reasonably well written, and it's entertaining enough - but it's probably time to put this series to bed.

[Harry Lane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Police procedural. Well written with the focus in this entry on the detectives Magozzi and Rolseth; the Monkeewrench gang plays only a cameo role. Well plotted with good characterization and dialog, and an extraordinary ambiguous ending.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn’t enjoy this as much as the others. Sometimes all the body talk about the female characters and the leering by the male characters surprises me, since this series is written by two women. The male characters aren’t horrible—I actually really like Gino and Leo—they’re more like men I might be friends with but would also think are due for enlightenment about how to interact with women in the workplace. I’m not easily offended, and I still found parts of this book vexing.
I’m sucked into the series enough now that I’ll continue. Not every book’s a homerun for anyone, so I’m hoping for better things with the next. I did find the actual mystery intriguing, and I’m curious if Sheriff Rikker will show up in future books.

[CD {Boulder Blvd} · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good book in the Monkeywrench series. I'm so glad I found this series as so far I've liked or loved every single book. Great characters, solid plot and good pacing. This one does leave you with the question "What if they deserved it?" The moneywrench team had a smaller role this time around. I like that their hacking can get some pieces to the pie but that it's not a magical wand. There still is some solid police work that has to occur.

[Michael Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

An issue of social awareness buried for a bit in this mystery of murder and revenge. In the end it is the driving force behind this tale of dead police and abused women. The monkeewrench team again are minor actors in this tale as our lead detectives hunt for a cop killer in a major winter storm throughout. Still not fully behind the one cops personality but that is part of the dynamic of the teams relationship to themselves and their profession.

[Matt]

Fun premise and the pages were easy enough to turn—and sometimes that's enough. Was it great? No. But it was fine, and that's more than plenty of thrillers can say. (I say this having edited plenty of thrillers lately. Snow Blind has a reasonable floor.)