Status
Available
Call number
Call number
F Tra
Series
Genres
Collection
Publication
G.P. Putnam's Sons (2005), Edition: Reissue, 400 pages
Description
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.… (more)
Subjects
Original publication date
2004
Similar in this library
User reviews
LibraryThing member SimonW11
Not as good as the first book. Senior citizens are being killed .Detectives Magozzi and his team investigates. For I suspect contractual reasons Grace McBride and the monkeewrench gang make occasional appearances that never contribute anything worthwhile to the plot. However the introductory
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chapter to the next in the series that was appended had me totally hooked so I expect to read the next. Show Less
LibraryThing member reading_fox
A different outing, 6 months later. The Monkeywrench crew hardly feature which is a shame. Deputies Halloran and Sharon Mueller don't make it in either which is also a shame as they had some real chemistry in the last book. instead we have the increasingly guilt laden Aaron Langer. Not an
After a summer quiet on the homicide front Gino and Leo get called to a bizare murder of one of Minneapolis' unkown saints. Someoen who everybody who knew claimed was goodness personified. But somebidy evidently didn't think so, and the bodies quickly mount as Leo and Gino try to find out what connects the killings of various old people in the same part of town.
Unsurprisingly a dramatic thunderstorm moves in just at the final scene. This is usually a TV drama trick, and doesn't work so well in print.
The plot is well detailed, skipping theodd inconvenient explanation here and there but nothing to distracting, the characters haven't mproved much from the last outing, but the incidental charcters are described better than average, the whole Gillian family are noteworthy.
Enjoyable, readable, fast moving. With a dramatic twist at the end.
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improvement.After a summer quiet on the homicide front Gino and Leo get called to a bizare murder of one of Minneapolis' unkown saints. Someoen who everybody who knew claimed was goodness personified. But somebidy evidently didn't think so, and the bodies quickly mount as Leo and Gino try to find out what connects the killings of various old people in the same part of town.
Unsurprisingly a dramatic thunderstorm moves in just at the final scene. This is usually a TV drama trick, and doesn't work so well in print.
The plot is well detailed, skipping theodd inconvenient explanation here and there but nothing to distracting, the characters haven't mproved much from the last outing, but the incidental charcters are described better than average, the whole Gillian family are noteworthy.
Enjoyable, readable, fast moving. With a dramatic twist at the end.
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LibraryThing member reannon
Excellent book. Continues the wonderful characterization of the first book with an even better plot.
LibraryThing member JustAGirl
One of the Monkeewrench series, this has a plot that keeps on surprising right down to the wire. The regular characters continue to delight, they work very well together, even the supporting characters like the Chief are nicely rounded, three-dimensional people in their own right. Possibly the best
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plot of the books, with the same high quality narrative depth, this book manages to be stunning, shocking and heart-warming all in one. Show Less
LibraryThing member PermaSwooned
I didn't read Monkeewrench first, but know I would enjoy the whole series. The murder of Morey Gilbert and other elderly neighbors is very well plotted, and not easy to figure out. The characters are good. I really liked Lou and Gino and Grace and look forward to reading about them again.
LibraryThing member bookwitch24
Another interesting read. We get to learn more about the characters from Monkeewrench, along with another interesting mystery to try & solve. It will definitely keep you guessing.
LibraryThing member Libbeth
Enjoyed this series of books but still haven't got hold of the first one yet. They can be read perfectly well as stand alones.
LibraryThing member SonicQuack
A fairly straightforward and entertaining crime read. The writers make good use of the genre's elements of mystery, surprise and well-hidden plot twists. There is a lack of emotion for the victims, although the central characters introduced in 'Want to Play?' are still a diverse and enjoyable
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collective. There is wasted effort to introduce each member of the Monkeewrench team in Live Bait, for the plot does not revolve around them, and their inclusion is clearly secondary. Overall, Live Bait is a quick and easy read, enjoyable enough, but lacks the cohesion of 'Want to Play?' or the originality of 'Dead Run' (the next one). Show Less
LibraryThing member kayceel
Leo and Gino, the Minneapolis homicide detectives introduced in Monkeewrench, are sad to see the murder ‘drought’ end when a beloved elder member of the community is discovered murdered. When several more old persons in the community wind up murdered as well, Leo and Gino race to discover the
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truth before more die. Also very good (though not as good as 1st book), I figured out a big clue early on and was frustrated that the characters couldn’t see it… Show Less
LibraryThing member librarygirls
This second book in the Monkeewrench series by the Minnesota mother and daughter writing team was gripping from beginning to end. My fascination grew as each layer of the mystery was revealed. The characters from the 1st Monkeewrench series continued to evolve as did my understanding of them. I
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listened to the audio version that was read by Buck Schirner. He was an excellent reader who added to my enjoyment of the story. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookappeal
I'd actually forgotten about P.J. Tracy's first book, Monkeewrench, until I was browsing in the bookstore and came upon this sequel. While Monkeewrench focused more on computer genius Grace MacBride and her team, Live Bait features homicide detective Leo Magozzi and his co-workers. A homicide lull
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is broken by several deceased senior citizens who appear to be pillars of the community, or at least nice people. The detectives are at a loss so they feed information to Grace who is helping police across the country solve cold cases with a new computer program that looks for missing links. A combination of technology and good old-fashioned detective work helps crack the case. The novel blends excellent plotting, multi-dimensional (but too numerous!) characters, clever dialog, and a puzzling mystery. Very enjoyable. Show Less
LibraryThing member SandyLee
LIVE BAIT is the second in the Monkeewrench series featuring detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth. Someone is killing senior citizens yet the only link is the concentration camp tattoos found on the victims. The death of Morey Gilbert is the most puzzling of all because everyone loved him and
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didn’t believe he had an enemy in the world. But he has an estranged son, a son-in-law still grieving after the death of his wife and on the verge of suicide, and a wife who not only moved the victim before the police arrived, but also bathed and re-dressed him. Her lack of remorse makes Gino suspicious. Grace MacBride is part of a four member computer geek squad who crunches data which helps out the Minneapolis police department. Although her expertise isn’t used as much in this installment, it is the banter between Leo and Gino, and Leo and Grace that is as enjoyable as the investigation itself. Show Less
LibraryThing member EvilynJ
When their vehicle breaks down, the Monkeewrench women find themselves stranded in a small Wisconsin town where every living thing has mysteriously vanished.
The perfect combination of a suspenseful plot and quirky characters. Third in a series. Highly recommend.
The perfect combination of a suspenseful plot and quirky characters. Third in a series. Highly recommend.
LibraryThing member fishhook7
I have read mediocre or sorse reviews of this writing team. But I just don't agree. Could be that I am reading purely for pleasure and I just read what I like and not to be critical. Could be that I have yet to read one of the books in this series that some didn't like. I really like their style
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and I liked this book. I will look for more in this series. Show Less
LibraryThing member verenka
I'm a bit annoyed by the author duo that is P.J. Tracy at the moment, even though I'm not sure it is even their fault. I took a different book by them on a trip and only when I opened it and started to read I realised I had read the book before, only two months ago, under a completely different
Despite my misdirected anger I ended up liking this book by the authors. I was in the mood for a thriller and that's what I got. Even better: they don't let all the good guys survive and kill off all the bad guys. I appreciate these little remains of darkness in an otherwise rather clean, tidy and American thriller.
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title. I hate it when that happens. Even worse was that I had already read all other books I brought on the trip and I was stuck in a small town at the end of the world in which all shops were closed at 8 pm, even the railway station bookstore. I had to endure a 10 hour overnight train trip without anything to read because this book was renamed and published again. What a waste!Despite my misdirected anger I ended up liking this book by the authors. I was in the mood for a thriller and that's what I got. Even better: they don't let all the good guys survive and kill off all the bad guys. I appreciate these little remains of darkness in an otherwise rather clean, tidy and American thriller.
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LibraryThing member wcath
I did not like Live Bait nearly as much as the other books in the Monkeewrench series. There just seemed to be something lacking. Perhaps it was partly because Live Bait features Detectives Magozzi and Rolseth and the Monkeewrench crew is only marginally involved in the action. As much as I like
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the detectives, I think that Grace, Annie, Harley and Roadrunner are what make these books interesting. Show Less
LibraryThing member m_e_l_a_n_i_e
I received a copy as a giveaway from Goodreads. Some parts of the story would have made more sense if I had read the first book, but it is still a well-written novel for anyone interested in crime mysteries.
LibraryThing member 26kathryn
Ok, but kind of boring. Also, the ending seemed to be a bit dragged out. The cops had solved the crimes but the book still went on and it just seemed like the authors had tacked an extra bit on the end just for the sake of it.
I don't think I'll be bothering to read the other books in this series.
I don't think I'll be bothering to read the other books in this series.
LibraryThing member sushicat
The team at Monkeewrench have turned from a game focusing on catching a serial killer to developing a software machine that will help the police sort through the host of information available on the web to come up with the clues that will lead to resolutions. After a number of cold cases, their
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expertise is needed when a number of senior citizens is murdered in the same neighborhood. This means more encounters with the quirky Monkeewrench team and snarky dialogue on the police force. Still enjoying this very much. Show Less
LibraryThing member Olivermagnus
Minneapolis homicide detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are dealing with cold cases because there hasn't been a murder in the Twin Cities in several months, when the murder drought suddenly ends. Lily Gilbert finds her husband Morey, the 85-year-old owner of a plant nursery, dead and lying
Magozzi has been seeing Grace MacBride, one of the principals of the software firm known as Monkeewrench. Grace and her partners are developing very sophisticated recognition software and other aids to help police find missing persons. Leo asks Grace to dig into the databases and come up with the connection to help find who is responsible.
I didn't enjoy Live Bait as much as Monkeewrench (apa Let's Play) but I thought it was a good solid police procedural with likable characters and a plausible plot. Unfortunately, the members of the Monkeewrench group that kept the first book lively only pop up occasionally this time. The interplay between the detectives adds a lot of comic relief and it's great series. I'm definitely in for the rest of them. Next up......Dead Run.
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face up in the rain near his greenhouse. Not only that, another pair of homicide detectives, Aaron Langer and Johnny MacLaren, are investigating the murder of 89-year-old Arlen Fischer whose body is later found on the railroad tracks. Eventually two more senior citizens are killed and the only apparent connection among the four is their age. Magozzi has been seeing Grace MacBride, one of the principals of the software firm known as Monkeewrench. Grace and her partners are developing very sophisticated recognition software and other aids to help police find missing persons. Leo asks Grace to dig into the databases and come up with the connection to help find who is responsible.
I didn't enjoy Live Bait as much as Monkeewrench (apa Let's Play) but I thought it was a good solid police procedural with likable characters and a plausible plot. Unfortunately, the members of the Monkeewrench group that kept the first book lively only pop up occasionally this time. The interplay between the detectives adds a lot of comic relief and it's great series. I'm definitely in for the rest of them. Next up......Dead Run.
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LibraryThing member bookwormteri
Three elderly Jewish people in the same small town are murdered within days of each other. Who would have wanted them dead?
I like these books. They are fun and the characters well written. I have to admit that I have trouble telling the two detectives apart, but I love the Monkeewrench team.
I like these books. They are fun and the characters well written. I have to admit that I have trouble telling the two detectives apart, but I love the Monkeewrench team.
LibraryThing member mitabird
Live Bait was pretty good, but it was not as good as Monkeewrench. Detectives are trying to figure out who is killing the elderly in the same neighborhood. I have to say that I was surprised by some of the twists and turns. It was an entertaining read and I came to care about the characters in the
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book. Show Less
LibraryThing member pgchuis
The second in this series, and not really featuring the Monkeewrench team much at all, apart from Grace inventing a pioneering (for 2005) facial recognition system, and the others kitting out an RV. Instead the police investigate the murders of elderly Jews who had survived concentration camps. The
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plot was once again borderline unbelievable, but nevertheless a page turner. Perhaps not quite as amusing as the first, but I'm going to keep going. Show Less
LibraryThing member Barnabas-Collins
How well do you know your neighbours? Really well! Read this book and you may have to have a rethink.
LibraryThing member kmartin802
Minneapolis is in the midst of a murder dry spell and Magozzi and Rolseth are getting bored. But all that changes one night when Morey Gilbert, the elderly owner of a greenhouse, is found murdered and, that same night, Arlen Fischer, another elderly man in the same neighborhood, is found murdered
Magozzi and Rolseth are assigned the death of Morey Gilbert, the greenhouse owner. They find that his elderly wife had moved his body and washed and shaved him before calling the police. This makes her a suspect. Their estranged son Jack, who is a personal injury lawyer, is also a suspect. So is their son-in-law Marty Pullman who is a former police officer who left the force after his wife was murdered. Otherwise, Morey seems to be the local saint offering help to anyone who needs it. He is even putting one of his young workers through college. Everyone loved him.
Before they can get a handle on the crime, another elderly grandmother in the same neighborhood is also found murdered. And, a day later, Ben Schuler, one of Morey's best friends, is also found murdered. Magozzi and Rolseth are baffled. They try to connect the victims but they can't find any connection between Morey and Rose Kleber, the grandmother except that they were both Jewish and both survivors of concentration camps. So was Ben Schuler.
Even turning all of their information to Grace MacBride at Monkeewrench to run through her new computer program that quickly finds connections doesn't really help. Magozzi and Grace are tentatively working their way to a relationship which is being hampered by the aftereffects of Magozzi's divorce and Grace's paranoia based on the way she was treated by the FBI when some murders happened around her many years earlier. Grace and the rest of the Monkeewrench gang are getting ready to take off around the US in a tricked out RV to share their crime fighting software with small, understaffed police departments with unsolved crimes.
The more Magozzi and Rolseth investigate the more they discover that Morey and his friends Rose and Ben had deep secrets. Of course, so do many of the other characters including some of the police officers investigating one or the other of the crimes.
This was an entertaining mystery. I especially liked the Minneapolis settling and the many times the quirks of Minnesotans became part of the story.
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and tied with barbed wire to a train track. Magozzi and Rolseth are assigned the death of Morey Gilbert, the greenhouse owner. They find that his elderly wife had moved his body and washed and shaved him before calling the police. This makes her a suspect. Their estranged son Jack, who is a personal injury lawyer, is also a suspect. So is their son-in-law Marty Pullman who is a former police officer who left the force after his wife was murdered. Otherwise, Morey seems to be the local saint offering help to anyone who needs it. He is even putting one of his young workers through college. Everyone loved him.
Before they can get a handle on the crime, another elderly grandmother in the same neighborhood is also found murdered. And, a day later, Ben Schuler, one of Morey's best friends, is also found murdered. Magozzi and Rolseth are baffled. They try to connect the victims but they can't find any connection between Morey and Rose Kleber, the grandmother except that they were both Jewish and both survivors of concentration camps. So was Ben Schuler.
Even turning all of their information to Grace MacBride at Monkeewrench to run through her new computer program that quickly finds connections doesn't really help. Magozzi and Grace are tentatively working their way to a relationship which is being hampered by the aftereffects of Magozzi's divorce and Grace's paranoia based on the way she was treated by the FBI when some murders happened around her many years earlier. Grace and the rest of the Monkeewrench gang are getting ready to take off around the US in a tricked out RV to share their crime fighting software with small, understaffed police departments with unsolved crimes.
The more Magozzi and Rolseth investigate the more they discover that Morey and his friends Rose and Ben had deep secrets. Of course, so do many of the other characters including some of the police officers investigating one or the other of the crimes.
This was an entertaining mystery. I especially liked the Minneapolis settling and the many times the quirks of Minnesotans became part of the story.
Show Less
Pages
400