Publication
Signet, c2003.
Series
Status
Available
Description
Fiction. Mystery. Suspense. Thriller. HTML:People are dying for the new computer game by the software company Monkeewrench. Literally. With Serial Killer Detective out in limited release, the real-life murders of a jogger and a young woman have already mimicked the first two scenarios in the game. But Grace McBride and her eccentric Monkeewrench partners are caught in a vise. If they tell the Minneapolis police of the link between their game and the murders, they'll shine a spotlight on the past they thought they had erased-and the horror they thought they'd left behind. If they don't, eighteen more people will die... .
User reviews
LibraryThing member mainrun
When I entered this book into LibraryThing, probably back in 2009, I did not remember it. I put two stars on the book, as that was my SOP for this type of novel. In April of this year, 2018, I noticed the average rating was very close to 4.0. I thought I'd try it again. I bumped the rating to three
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stars. Event though I did not recall the details, I wrote down the "who done it" in this "who done it." Big time spoiler. There was no way to figure it out until the end, when the cops found information from the past the reader did not know. The killer was revealed at the end, just before the cops found out, by the evil one pointing a gun at the main character. I felt ,'big deal' as there was no way for the reader to figure out 'who done it,' and also the main character was annoying. I would rather have the person die then live. 1,428 members; 3.9 average rating; 5/27/2018 Show Less
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Monkeewrench is the first book in a crime series written by a mother-daughter team that calls themselves P. J. Tracy. While I quite enjoyed this book while I was reading it, I was a little let down by the ending. I think the authors were trying to insert a big twist with their ending but I felt
The story follows two investigations, a double murder in a small town in Wisconsin and the tracking of a serial killer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When a connection is made between the these two cases, the small town sheriff, Mike Halloran and his deputies come to the larger city and work with the lead detective, Leo Magozzi and his partner Gino Rolseth. The intensity of the story is lightened by both plenty of humor and some romantic entanglements.
Monkeewrench moved quickly even though it was the first in a series and there were many characters to be introduced. I am not sure which of the many characters from this first book will be carried on, so I am looking forward to the second book to finding that out. The idea of a serial killer replicating the deaths from a computer game and the use of an interesting medical phenomena brought a lot of originality to the story and the authors developed their clever plot into a very good thriller.
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that it disrupted the narrative and left too many questions unanswered. That said, I will probably continue on with the next book as I did really enjoy the interplay among the character and the story itself. The story follows two investigations, a double murder in a small town in Wisconsin and the tracking of a serial killer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. When a connection is made between the these two cases, the small town sheriff, Mike Halloran and his deputies come to the larger city and work with the lead detective, Leo Magozzi and his partner Gino Rolseth. The intensity of the story is lightened by both plenty of humor and some romantic entanglements.
Monkeewrench moved quickly even though it was the first in a series and there were many characters to be introduced. I am not sure which of the many characters from this first book will be carried on, so I am looking forward to the second book to finding that out. The idea of a serial killer replicating the deaths from a computer game and the use of an interesting medical phenomena brought a lot of originality to the story and the authors developed their clever plot into a very good thriller.
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LibraryThing member bchase
Wonderful mystery, great action & characters, good humor, wonderful plot!
LibraryThing member nbmars
Setting: St. Paul, MN and Calumet, WI
Protaganists:
MN Detective Leo Magozzi
MN Detective Gino Rolseth
WI Sheriff Michael Halloran
WI Deputy Sheriff Bonar Carlson
WI Police Officer Sharon Mueller
Monkeewrench Programmers:
Grace MacBride
Mitchell Cross
Harley Davidson
Annie Belinksy
Roadrunner
First Line:
Main Action: Minnesota game programmers find to their horror that a real life killer is following the plot of their vitual murder game. Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, a frightening double murder is occupying the Sheriff’s office.
Sub Action: In Wisconsin, Sheriff Halloran is fighting an attraction to Officer Mueller; in Minnesota, Detective Magozzi is fighting an attraction to Grace MacBride.
Main Theme: You always hurt the ones you love, especially if they don’t love you back.
Verdict: Snappy dialogue; plot has both pathos and humor.
(JAF)
Protaganists:
MN Detective Leo Magozzi
MN Detective Gino Rolseth
WI Sheriff Michael Halloran
WI Deputy Sheriff Bonar Carlson
WI Police Officer Sharon Mueller
Monkeewrench Programmers:
Grace MacBride
Mitchell Cross
Harley Davidson
Annie Belinksy
Roadrunner
First Line:
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“The brandy had been absolutely essential.”Main Action: Minnesota game programmers find to their horror that a real life killer is following the plot of their vitual murder game. Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, a frightening double murder is occupying the Sheriff’s office.
Sub Action: In Wisconsin, Sheriff Halloran is fighting an attraction to Officer Mueller; in Minnesota, Detective Magozzi is fighting an attraction to Grace MacBride.
Main Theme: You always hurt the ones you love, especially if they don’t love you back.
Verdict: Snappy dialogue; plot has both pathos and humor.
(JAF)
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LibraryThing member JustAGirl
The first of the Monkeewrench series, this is an impressively plotted crime thriller with three separate groups of characters each unknowingly involved in separate aspects of the same series of murders. The characters are very well drawn, the sense of place in the city and in the rural Minnesota
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county that also features is excellent. There's much more going on in this book than just the plot, which draws the reader in, and in this reviewer's experience, leaves them wanting much more of these great characters. Thank goodness for the rest of the series! Show Less
LibraryThing member Ecfrawg
This book was amazing. It was quite a brainteaser, it only gave you part of the plot and then you had to figure it out all by yourself. I thought it was pretty cool. I also liked how all of the characters were so very different and had their our personal styles, and they were very well descripted.
LibraryThing member reannon
First in the Monkeewrench series. I love the whole series so far, it is excellent, great characterization, great origianl plots. Rather a dark series, with some damaged characters, but excellent nevertheless.
LibraryThing member readingrat
A suspenseful, well-paced story together with a quirky cast of characters (all who just happen to have mysterious backgrounds) makes a book that will have you hooked from the start.
LibraryThing member Djupstrom
I am a new fan of P.J. Tracy!! This book had it all: believable and interesting characters, fast-moving plot, and an unpredictable ending. I am excited to read more of this author.
LibraryThing member daysailor
I walked into a mystery book store and asked for a book for internet geeks. I was handed this book. I found the book enjoyable but much of computer technology discussed was simply inaccurate. You just have to accept that the authors don't know the technology they are writing about particularly
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well. That said, it was an enjoyable mystery and I may buy more by this author. Show Less
LibraryThing member punxsygal
I picked up this book for our mystery tag on the recommendation of a friend--and a good recommendation it was. My face has been in the book all weekend. The world of video games comes up against reality when someone starts replicating the murders in Serial Killer Detective, a new game by
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Minneapolis developers Monkeewrench. In the meantime, a small town sheriff is trying to solve two murders in his up north Wisconsin town, an elderly couple in church. Living in Wisconsin and visiting Minneapolis many times, I enjoyed the recognition of places, speech and mannerism of both. But aside from that, the story moved along so rapidly it was hard to pull away for mundane things like eating or feeding the dog. Show Less
LibraryThing member tonile.helena
A really great, engrossing story about a group of people who find someone living out their new crime computer game is gruesome fashion. The characters and likeable and realistic, and the plot is well designed. I hope to read more in the Grace MacBride series in the future.
LibraryThing member SonicQuack
Want to Play? is an easy going serial killer novel, with good characterisation, clever dual plot lines and sharp dialogue. The central characters are likeable and diverse which creates a flowing narrative; coupled with the fast moving story a page-turning read has been created. A good introduction
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to a series of standalone books - definitely recommended. Show Less
LibraryThing member kayceel
Monkeewrench, a computer software company, is developing a serial killer game, in which the player views crime scene photos in order to try to solve the case. However, when a murderer begins killing innocents in the exact manner depicted in the game, the five members of Monkeewrench know they’re
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in trouble. I really liked the characters, it was extremely suspenseful, and I loved that I didn’t guess who the killer was! Show Less
LibraryThing member Kace
I have to say I was suprised at how much I enjoyed this book. I bought with the idea that it would be one of my filler books, you know, a book to fill the time until I get one I really want. As it ended up, this book was one that was started and finished within a 24 hour period. I stayed up all
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night to finish it, and was amazed that a writing team (mother and daughter) could write such a cohesive, well thought out story. Normally these thriller fillers don't even rate a mention, but this one definitely does. Show Less
LibraryThing member taramatchi
This was just a really fun mystery. It featured a curious group of eccentrics that made video games, that happened to notice that the newest crime scenes in the news looked like the scenes in their new game. Throughout the book, you realize that they are not what they seem and a whole separate
All the characters were enduring from the cops to the side characters like the priest.
I definitely would recommend.
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mystery comes forth. I loved that it left me guessing until the end of the book. All the characters were enduring from the cops to the side characters like the priest.
I definitely would recommend.
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LibraryThing member verenka
nice holiday read for the beach. i like serial killer thrillers and this one was right on, except for the bits when it got a bit sketchy regarding the super-hacker villain.
LibraryThing member jepeters333
Software company creates computer game with murder.
LibraryThing member ReginaR
This book took me by surprise. I haven’t read/listened to a mystery for awhile and I forgot how fun they can be. The setting for this book is northern rural Wisconsin and Minneapolis/ St. Paul, Minnesota. I happen to love this setting because I know it and in books set in locations that are in a
Monkeewrench involved some interesting murders, a few spooky and creepy moments, and great character development. There are nice little details, but not too many of them, despite being a mystery the characters take front row in this book. The humor is speckled throughout, but it is not mean spirited or overly done. The characters are both police officers and highly skilled computer programmers. The contrasting lifestyles and talents make it even more enjoyable to read. If you like audio books, then definitely listen to this one as the narration for the audio is really well performed. Oh, and one thing about this mystery book that I absolutely was so thankful for was that a certain method of storytelling was not utilized – the point of view of the murderer. I hate that story telling method and I usually end up skipping the murderer’s point of view entirely. Thankfully Monkeewrench does not use this style. So if you have an aversion to that method – you will be safe with this book.
The Monkeewrench series is written by a mother and daughter team, which I cannot help but think is a pretty cool gig for a mom and daughter to have together.
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way off beat (like not in New York City or London), make the story more accessible to me. But I am also a midwest gal, so I get a giddy feeling everytime I realize the book I am reading takes place in an area near where I live. So, there is a large cast of characters that are introduced and in the beginning it was slightly hard to keep track of everyone. But within a few chapters I had everyone down because thankfully, the characters are written as distinct three dimensional people. Monkeewrench involved some interesting murders, a few spooky and creepy moments, and great character development. There are nice little details, but not too many of them, despite being a mystery the characters take front row in this book. The humor is speckled throughout, but it is not mean spirited or overly done. The characters are both police officers and highly skilled computer programmers. The contrasting lifestyles and talents make it even more enjoyable to read. If you like audio books, then definitely listen to this one as the narration for the audio is really well performed. Oh, and one thing about this mystery book that I absolutely was so thankful for was that a certain method of storytelling was not utilized – the point of view of the murderer. I hate that story telling method and I usually end up skipping the murderer’s point of view entirely. Thankfully Monkeewrench does not use this style. So if you have an aversion to that method – you will be safe with this book.
The Monkeewrench series is written by a mother and daughter team, which I cannot help but think is a pretty cool gig for a mom and daughter to have together.
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LibraryThing member enemyanniemae
I just finished one of the best mysteries I've seen in quite some time!
Very brief overview: Monkeewrench is a software company in Minneapolis- they do educational things, games and the like. Their newest game, Serial Killer Detective, has the player trying to find and stop a serial killer before
The mother/daughter writing team that is PJ Tracy sculpt a mighty compelling story. The story is solid, multi-layered and buzzing with tension. The characters are wonderfully likeable and I found myself quite invested in their lives. The pace varies but that only adds to the intensity of the mystery as it unfolds. But our authors also know how to lighten things up. The comic relief within the story is some of the best I've come across. A scene in an art gallery where the characters discuss abstract art with a patron will make you laugh out loud. And that levity is definitely welcome in the midst of the nail-biting tension as layer upon layer of the story becomes known. The conclusion of both the mystery was satisfying but the ending of the book itself left me feeling like I've just had Chinese food. It was good and I am satiated... but I will be hungry for more very very soon. I've already ordered the next one in the series.
Definitely recommended!
Very brief overview: Monkeewrench is a software company in Minneapolis- they do educational things, games and the like. Their newest game, Serial Killer Detective, has the player trying to find and stop a serial killer before
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he commits 17 murders. It's just a game, right? Then why are these murder tableaux happening in real life and in exact game order? Meanwhile, in Wisconsin, an elderly couple has been brutally murdered (in a church, no less). Police learn that the couple had moved from place to place and changed their names every time they moved. The Monkeewrench people have similar secrets. Are the killings related and can the police solve what is fast turning into multiple mysteries before anyone else dies?The mother/daughter writing team that is PJ Tracy sculpt a mighty compelling story. The story is solid, multi-layered and buzzing with tension. The characters are wonderfully likeable and I found myself quite invested in their lives. The pace varies but that only adds to the intensity of the mystery as it unfolds. But our authors also know how to lighten things up. The comic relief within the story is some of the best I've come across. A scene in an art gallery where the characters discuss abstract art with a patron will make you laugh out loud. And that levity is definitely welcome in the midst of the nail-biting tension as layer upon layer of the story becomes known. The conclusion of both the mystery was satisfying but the ending of the book itself left me feeling like I've just had Chinese food. It was good and I am satiated... but I will be hungry for more very very soon. I've already ordered the next one in the series.
Definitely recommended!
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LibraryThing member miyurose
I thought this was a good first book in a series. The Monkeewrench group is an interesting mix of characters, forever joined by tragedy. Their lifestyle may be a bit of an over-reaction, but it tells you a lot about them. And for once, the advanced technology used in the book doesn’t seem like
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too far of a stretch. The killer was well-concealed, so I enjoyed the reveal. This is a series I’ll definitely continue. Show Less
LibraryThing member bookwitch24
Great book. Interesting characters & premise. It will keep you guessing until the very end.
LibraryThing member ecw0647
The first in a series about Grace, two Mpls cops, her software gang, and assorted other characters, like Sheriff Michael Halloran, or “Mickey” as Father Newberry calls him, and Deputy Bonar Carlson whose belt hung so low it would never see his belly button and who “ would have to kneel to
It begins quite humorously, with Father Newberry trying to keep down the last creation of the well-meaning Sister Ignatius attempting to serve him with a “proper meal” which in that part of Wisconsin usually meant some mixture of hamburger and multiple canned soups, although on one occasion some kind of “rolled tubes that looked disturbingly like a casserole of severed penises.” Now that line truly brought a chuckle. Off to a good start.
He discovers John and Mary Kleinfeldt in the sanctuary, kneeling in a pew, and he wonders if they are there to yet again, to complain about some imagined homosexual in the congregation. Not this time. Each has a bullet hole in the base of the skull, and Mary has a cross carved in her chest.
Minneapolis detectives are faced with their own crime wave. It would seem that a killer is emulating scenes from a brand new online game designed by the Monkeewrench crew, a team of nerdy misfits who have managed to erase any trace of their former lives and also have the ability to retrieve just about any piece of information one might want about someone. Soon, despite being suspects, they are in league with the cops to track down the bad guy. And there are links to the Monkeewrench gang who seem to have no identify-able backgrounds.
The ending was a bit over the top, but this is the second of the Monkeewrench books I have listened to and will listen to more.
The characters are memorable, some of the lines LOL funny, and they all hate Minnesota winters. I suggest reading this one first as it adds a lot of backstory.
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reach his gun.”It begins quite humorously, with Father Newberry trying to keep down the last creation of the well-meaning Sister Ignatius attempting to serve him with a “proper meal” which in that part of Wisconsin usually meant some mixture of hamburger and multiple canned soups, although on one occasion some kind of “rolled tubes that looked disturbingly like a casserole of severed penises.” Now that line truly brought a chuckle. Off to a good start.
He discovers John and Mary Kleinfeldt in the sanctuary, kneeling in a pew, and he wonders if they are there to yet again, to complain about some imagined homosexual in the congregation. Not this time. Each has a bullet hole in the base of the skull, and Mary has a cross carved in her chest.
Minneapolis detectives are faced with their own crime wave. It would seem that a killer is emulating scenes from a brand new online game designed by the Monkeewrench crew, a team of nerdy misfits who have managed to erase any trace of their former lives and also have the ability to retrieve just about any piece of information one might want about someone. Soon, despite being suspects, they are in league with the cops to track down the bad guy. And there are links to the Monkeewrench gang who seem to have no identify-able backgrounds.
The ending was a bit over the top, but this is the second of the Monkeewrench books I have listened to and will listen to more.
The characters are memorable, some of the lines LOL funny, and they all hate Minnesota winters. I suggest reading this one first as it adds a lot of backstory.
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LibraryThing member reading_fox
Intreguing new series from a mother and daughter combo.
A new computer game is launched, from a novel game designing crew - all misfits from the world for reasons of their own, but drawn togther over time. the game invites players to "solve" a riddled crime scene, but then the bodies start turning
The POV for the book is writen from the police inspector's which makes the book read like a standard crime novel but he hero's are definetly the MonkeyWrench computer team.
The characters are fun, although the plot is a bit contrived in places its an enjoyable read.
Update after re-read.
Not much more to say really - surprisingly undisjointed for a dual author work, the initial chapters are a bit choppy, btu the style quickly settles down as we get introduced to the various key players. Still a very contrived plot, with a few details unexplained, but basically enjoyable. the characters could be improved somewhat, they're personal histories all seem a bit tacked on, but that's better than nothing at all.
A new computer game is launched, from a novel game designing crew - all misfits from the world for reasons of their own, but drawn togther over time. the game invites players to "solve" a riddled crime scene, but then the bodies start turning
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up for the real. The POV for the book is writen from the police inspector's which makes the book read like a standard crime novel but he hero's are definetly the MonkeyWrench computer team.
The characters are fun, although the plot is a bit contrived in places its an enjoyable read.
Update after re-read.
Not much more to say really - surprisingly undisjointed for a dual author work, the initial chapters are a bit choppy, btu the style quickly settles down as we get introduced to the various key players. Still a very contrived plot, with a few details unexplained, but basically enjoyable. the characters could be improved somewhat, they're personal histories all seem a bit tacked on, but that's better than nothing at all.
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LibraryThing member nx74defiant
Very exciting mystery. There is murder in Wisconsin. A serial killer in Minneapolis is doing a video game in real life. Couldn't put it down.
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
045121157X / 9780451211576
Original publication date
2004