This was an entertaining read but not as good as the previous PJ Tracy books.... it moved around characters so much you didn’t really get a chance to get a look into one in particular,, which is something the other books did very well.

All of our favorite characters are back! And all hell is breaking loose!

Magozzi and Grace are about to have a new baby any day now. and Monkeewrench has come up with new software to track possible terror threats. Things are humming along and then they are going at a break neck speed to find a killer and maybe a terrorist cell.

Last year Gregory Norwood, wealthy businessman and famous in Minnesota, lost his only son Trey to a heroin overdose. Or so the police say. But Gregory doesn't believe it. Months before the anniversary of his death, Gregory hires a PI to investigate. But on the anniversary, Gregory is found dead, an apparent suicide.

But Magozzi and Gino aren't quite sure how that would work since the man used his right hand to pull the trigger when he is left-handed. Their digging uncovers more questions than answers and when a second body is discovered, things get crazy.

As Grace and Harley and Crew are working with the Feds to try out their new software the first hit they get is chatter about City Hall. And outside the bodies keep piling up. But are they related to Norwood's death or the terror threat?

In a race against time they will all have to work together to make sure they stay alive and find the truth.

Reading P.J.Tracy is like going on a roller coaster ride! Twists, turns, round and round and she still manages to give us rich characters and a great story!

This is the first book out with just P.J., following her mother's death in 2016 and I think she would be very proud of this one! I for one am looking forward to the next one!

Netgalley/September 11th 2018 by Crooked Lane Books

I love P.J. Tracy's Monkeewrench series. They are fast paced thrillers with believable, likable characters. This one is no exception. Highly recommended.

This book covers it all. Just when you think you know what the story is about something else is thrown into the mix. The characters are down to earth and they have the same problems and demons that everyday people have. The story centers around the death of a trustee child by the name of Trey. On the eve of the anniversary of his death his father is contemplating his life since he has been diagnosed with cancer and doesn't have long to live. His life is cut short by a bullet. Who pulled the trigger and are the 2 deaths connected. Is the murder of a young girl which happened 12 years previously tied in. This is the basis of the story. New discoveries with each chapter. Who, what and why were these horrendous crimes committed. Just when you think you know the tables turn. Excellent reading.

I will never lose my love for the Monkeewrench group of brilliant, paranoid-with good reason-computer maven misfits. I will never lose my admiration for Minneapolis homicide cops detective Leo Magozzi and Gino Roseth. So I am always delighted for a new book from P.J. Tracy,
The Guilty Dead is no exception.
Magozzi and Roseth have a suicide to investigate. Gregory Norwood has a number of excellent reasons to commit suicide; but since Norwood is a wealthy philanthropist who has been very generous to the MPD, all of the i’s must be crossed and the t’s dotted; or something like that. The i’s and t’s explode landing Magozzi and Roseth on one of their most intricate homicide investigations with ramifications far beyond the death of one man.
Meanwhile Monkeewrench has once again been applying their considerable talents to finding better software for predicting a terrorist attack, which fits in nicely with FBI S/A Dahl who contacts them, having recently formed the same concerns specifically for Minneapolis.
There has been tremendous growth over the course of the series. The most damaged member of Monkeewrench, Grace MacBride, has gone from super paranoid, trigger ready to expecting a child with Magozzi. Other characters have grown and opened their lives to possibilities. This continues in The Guilty Dead.
There are twists and turns aplenty, along with healthy doses of surprise and suspense.
This particular book is action-packed as are most Monkeewrench books, my only quibble is this book is canted more toward the detectives than Monkeewrench.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange of a fair and honest review.

I still really enjoy the Monkeewrench Gang, but they are missing something since P.J.'s death. The fact that Traci is able to go on after her mother's death cannot be easy for her. I'm sure they will get better and better as time passes. I look forward to the next book.
With this newest installment, Grace has a baby at the end, so can't wait to see what other changes happen as time goes by.

Fast paced thriller with great characters with differing personalities who interact in a great way. It became obvious fairly early on who the guilty parties were but still a great read.

The Monkeewrench guys were doing their thing helping out and everyone was giving Grace the side eye wondering if today was going to be baby day. The later was fun to see how everyone acted around Grace. Some of them tip-toed, some just took her like normal. I was a bit worried at one point for Grace, in fact I started talking to the book/author, saying you better not and thank goodness they listened to me.

Gino and Leo's case seemed pretty straight forward at the start, but the more they dug the more they found and things became anything but easy. By the end I found myself shaking my head. So many people paid a high price for stupid reasons. I think Gino and Leo are right, Rosalie would be ok, forever marked but ok.

I loved the quiet family time at the end, loved that maybe some of our characters have found peace.

A life taken so young. A young man's quest for revenge will leave sadness and destruction behind. A well known businessman commits suicide but it looks like murder so who wanted him dead? His family is already grieving a loss and now their lives are going to be filled with more questions and so much more pain. Will Magozzi & Gino be able to solve this case before Grace gives birth to their first baby? But the case has taken another turn looks like they have a homegrown terrorist on their hands and the more that they dig the more their cases become intertwined. But who is the target and will Monkeewrench be able to help the FBI find the terrorist before it is too late? Who will find all the answers in the end and how much damage will be done? A great read so good to see how far Grace & Leo have come and knowing that everyone else are all still together and fighting a good fight even when their methods are abit out of the box. Charlie is well and just loving all the attention. Goes to show you never know what secrets your family might be hiding. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley and the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.

Book #9 in this series opens with a deadly prologue you just know is going to come back to haunt you. Fast forward 1 year & a wealthy local philanthropist dies in questionable circumstances. When Minneapolis cops Leo Magozzi & Gino Rolseth get involved, the past returns as they proceed to dig into the life of Gregory Norwood, his family & close friends.

Over at Monkeewrench HQ Harley is contacted by Dahl, a frustrated FBI agent. He’s heard mutterings of a possible terrorist attack & wants the crew to use their considerable tech skills to help narrow the search.

Their are several threads running in tandem, not the least of which is the impending birth of Leo & Grace’s baby. We spend a lot of time with them as they prepare….Grace calm, Leo on pins & needles.

The investigative side of the story is intricate & full of interesting characters. The villain is no surprise but the “why” will keep you guessing as the pace picks up for an action packed conclusion.

I’ve read all the books in this series & this is a solid entry. Leo & Gino’s case takes up the bulk of the story while the Monkeewrench crew take a back seat. I missed their presence here & the suspense that inevitably develops from their high tech antics. It’s a much more character driven book with less intrigue than previous outings. It’s purely a matter of taste & fans of the Leo/Grace story line will find much to enjoy here.

Thanks to the Netgalley and the publisher for letting me review this book.
Although this is a book in a series It can be read as a stand alone also.
I found it to be a taught fast paced psychological thriller that I enjoyed.
I will definitely go back and read more in this series.

The Guilty Dead is a fast paced psychological thriller. I have not read the previous books in this series and didn’t feel at a disadvantage. I enjoyed the characters and the plot. The author’s style is good and I definitely will be reading more of this series. I received an arc from the publisher via Netgalley and this is my unbiased review.

The Monkeewrench series has become one of my favorites, and this one did not disappoint. As usual, the people make up a large part of the story, but the plot was really strong, too. And there is the usual humor in the banter and thoughts of the characters that make it so much fun to read. It was sad that some good people had to die, but the humor made it much easier to handle. And as is often the case with their stories, the lines between good and bad people are somewhat blurred.

If you've never read any other books in this series, I advise you to start at the beginning. Get to know the characters, especially the Monkeewrench crew, and homicide detectives Gino (Gino Rolseth) and Magozzi (Leo Magozzi, but everyone calls him Magozzi). These characters are all featured in subsequent books.

Monkeewrench is a software company made up of mysterious but highly intelligent programmers who start out writing games, but are also very good at hacking into secure sites, writing custom security and facial recognition software, etc. that are useful to law enforcement. Nobody there is really what they seem. Harley looks like a Hells Angel, Grace carries a gun everywhere, Annie is fat and sexy, always wears high heels, makeup, fancy clothes, and Roadrunner is a tall, skinny vegetarian bicyclist. Somehow though, they all get along and work miracles on their computers.

It was nice to see so many people working together to solve the crimes in this case - Monkeewrench, the FBI, and the MPD all cooperating without egos getting in the way. It almost seems like everyone just wants to solve the case, not boost their egos.

Of course the highlight of the book is Grace's pregnancy. Who would have ever thought at the start of the series that this would ever happen, and that she would actually be happy and optimistic about this. Everyone is excited - Harley wanted her to stay in bed starting at about the 2nd month; Magozzi and Gino have a bet on when it will arrive. And when it does, Magozzi thought she "was without question the most beautiful child ever born." When it's time to pick a name, all he can think of is “Nothing’s good enough. Except maybe Grace Junior.” Poor Grace - her pedestal is so high she's probably going to be afraid to move lest she fall off. But it seems like Magozzi thinks anything she does is perfect even if it isn't, so it probably won't matter.

Well, until the next one comes out (hopefully), I guess it's time to catch up on some other series that have been on my back burner for a while.

3.5 Magozzi and Gino are called to the scene of a suspected suicide of a well known businessman. The Monkey wrench crew is working on new software which will greatly aid police departmens and other agencies to find out where acts of terrorism are being planned. Grace and Magozzi anxiously await the birth of their child, Grace now eight months pregnant. Of course things are not as simple as they appear, and soon everyone is up to their eyeballs in mayhem and madness.

I enjoy this series, all the characters are unique, with their own ticks and different personalities. This book certainly moved quickly, but as I read I kept wishing the Monkey wrench crew was more in the forefront. The ending though was action packed, everyone involved, though for some things didn't turn out as they planned.

ARC from Netgalley.

I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley. This book had me from the very beginning. I love that it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. I would highly recommend this book to my fellow readers. Thank you for the chance to review this book!!!!

While I had not read any of the prior titles in the Monkeewrench series of mystery/thrillers, "the Guilty Dead" (the 9th in the series) was riveting and I did not feel I'd missed anything by jumping in the middle of the series. Some character development and background, obviously, but this title was enjoyable on its own, enought that I'll keep P.J. Tracy in mind when my "too read" pile diminishes a bit.

Monkeeshines is a private software firm in Minneapolis, where much of this title is set. The plot revolves around the apparent suicide of philanthrapist Gregory Norwood, one year after his son Trey's death by overdose. But a pair of detectives soon noticed disturbing clues at the scene and determine this gun shot wound was not self inflicted. Meanwhile, Monkeeshines' new software discovers a terrorist plot against Minneapolis City Hall, and some unconnected deaths in the area. Slowly, a master plot links all together and leads to a manhunt and uncovering long buried secrets of the Norwood family and a condidate for MN govenor.

Would recommend to fans of psychological thrillers, espionage plots and the like. Similar to author Harlen Coben.

You don’t need to have read the eight previous Monkeewrench books to enjoy The Guilty Dead. I read the first ones when they came out and found them enjoyable and 9 volumes in, they are still as addictive. There was much backstory that I had missed but it didn’t really matter because the dynamics are very clear and it’s very easy to see the relationships between characters. The plot is solid gold: murders, terrorism and threats to national security shock the Monkeewrench gang. Some of the characters are going through big life-changing events, and that made me wish I’d read the previous volumes, as I was missing out on who these people were before. Still, it really doesn’t limit the enjoyment of the novel. The ending was very surprising and satisfying. I will be picking up the volumes I missed to rediscover this awesome team.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Crooked Lane Books!

The Monkeewrench team is at it again in book #9 of the series. This time the team is working to perfect technology that will allow law enforcement to research and detect possible terrorists in a more-timely manner. A possible attack in Minnesota has been detected and the team will use all of their assets to determine where the attack will take place and find the terrorists. Our favorite detectives, Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth, are working the possible suicide of Gregory Norwood, a well-respected and wealthy businessman. They notice a few inconsistencies in the crime scene and begin investigating what may turn out to be a homicide. Gregory had been despondent after the overdose death of his son, Trey, the year before. Could he have taken his own life? Or was he murdered? In the meantime, Grace MacBride, Monkeewrench’s founder and computer guru, is awaiting the birth of her and Leo’s first child. There is action, mystery, humor, and nail biting suspense as the team works alongside the detectives to solve these interwoven cases. Author P.J. Tracy is adept at grabbing your attention with a marvelous story and continuing series characters. I have read the entire series and eagerly await the next book. I received a free copy of this book and voluntarily chose to give an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)

Well, one thing that helps me to quantify the results [the stars] in any review, is character development.
For me, I want to know the characters.
Here I am, for the first time reading a P.J. Tracy book; number nine in the award-winning 'Twin Cities' or 'Monkeewrench' series of books. Now the story reads well as an individual story, and I don't feel like I've missed anything in not reading any of the first eight. I don't feel compelled to read other books in the series to know more. That's too bad, because as a reader I should want to know more. And as an author, or in this case co-authors, you should hope to engage my curiosity as well.
That's why, I think, character development and character growth are the things that engage me the most when I'm reading a series.

The book is excellently written. Young love between teenagers: Romeo and Juliet; rich and poor. It leads to a murder that exacerbates and festers, affecting both families; leading to more murder and intrique. And in the end it affects a whole city in different ways.

Not long ago, I decided that I needed a little more structure to properly review books.
It makes it easier to apply the star system that most sites want to use.
Here are my criteria for applying the star system:

1 star. There is no 0 star, so I applied a 1.
Couldn't get into it; couldn't finish it.
Poor storyline. No storyline.
This is a waste of paper.

2 star. An attempt that failed.
Some things don't make sense.
Poor start. Poor middle. Poor end.
Could have been a 3 or 4 star if certain things had been done.
Errors caused by poor editing contributed to a lower rating.

3 star. Entertaining.
It was well written.
Good story; maybe could have been better.

4 star. Great read.
Interesting characters.
Memorable.
I'd endorse this book if asked for a recommendation in this genre.

5 star. Fabulous.
Shout it from the rooftop!
I'll tell my friends about reading a great book.

So now that I've applied this list of criteria, it's made it much easier to apply a star rating.
And you can see that my list makes it hard to get to the five star rating. I think too many people give the 5 away too easily.

Now the question I ask myself, do I want to read more of the series?
I would say 'yes'; not an overwhelming yes, but a yes nonetheless.
For me, I reluctantly give this four stars; probably more like a seven out of ten.

I want to thank Crooked Lane Books and Netgalley for this opportunity to provide an unbiased interview.

As a Minnesotan, I always enjoy PJ Tracy's work because I recognize the settings in her novels (which used to be written by a mother/daughter team, but now just written by the daughter). But like most good writers of crime fiction, Tracy's real gift lies in her creation of interesting characters that grow and change just as we do. THE GUILTY DEAD is an exciting and timely read that played on my worst fears of Minnesota being a great target for a terrorist attack.