Unfortunately I didn’t enjoy this book, the storyline didn’t interest me and the characters did not come to life. I stopped reading halfway through as was not getting any better. The use of language in the book was quite offputting and unnecessary.

Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth, homicide detectives of the Minnesota Police Department are called out for what they think is a routine sign-off on a suicide. The victim is Gregory Norwood a wealthy businessman on the one-year anniversary of his son’s overdose. The situation turns into anything but routine after reviewing the facts of the scene, and the discovery of another body. What they find is a tragic history and many twists.

At the same time the Monkeewrench team, a private cyber security/investigative company/expert hackers (from what I gather) are on high alert after their contact in the FBI enlists their help searching for terror suspects because the FBI knows something big is about to happen but can’t narrow down the suspects or target.

This is book nine in the series and I haven’t read the previous books, but it wasn’t necessary for the current mysteries. There were some personal relationships that I didn’t witness from the beginning, Grace (a Monkeewrench specialist) and Leo Magozzi’s (a Minnesota Homicide Det.) was featured prominently here, but still it was more of a side story than the main gig. And their scenes were very touching even without reading about them previously. I’d like to go back and find out how they came together. Grace seems to have issues from the past that makes it difficult to let people in, yet she’s with Leo and having his baby. Love more history!

This was very much a crime procedural, the homicide and terror cases being front and center, with bits of personal relationships featured. I’m a sucker for a good crime procedural, solving the crime right along with the detectives piecing things together. I had a character under suspicion early on which panned out, but I wasn’t sure of their motivations, so I had fun getting to the whys.

The Guilty Dead was a fast-paced page turner with danger, action, and revelations at every turn! Thrilling and entertaining! I’m interested in going back and reading from the beginning!

The Guilty Dead by P. J. Tracy is an excellent work of fiction that will keep you guessing right along to the end. Gregory Norwood is a wealthy businessman whose son died from an overdose a year ago. Now, on the anniversary of his death a photographer and journalist wants to get his picture and when he finds Mr. Norwood he is dead of an apparent suicide. There are many factors as well as characters in this book and one could easily get lost and confused if you do not pay attention in the beginning as was the case with me. I had to read it again to fully understand the situational circumstances involved. This story’s ending is not what you would expect and just when you think you have it figured out, you don’t so I rcan ally would not even try. I highly recommend this novel.


Thank you to netgalley as well as the author for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

5 stars ⭐️ out of 5

I received this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
THE GUILTY DEAD is the 9th book in the Monkeewrench series but I have not read them yet. Though, after reading this one, I can’t wait to read the rest!
THE GUILTY DEAD is a crime fiction novel that is filled with suspense and intrigue (and a whole bunch of murders😱). A wealthy businessman has apparently committed suicide so Magozzi and Gino are called to the scene but as they soon discover not all is as it seems. This book was fast paced and action packed with diverse characters. However, there were a lot of storylines happening which could have been a bit much but it was for sure a page turner!
Lovers of crime fiction would devour this series!

Suicides, murders, assisted deaths... It's a dark world. Review to come later. Looking forward to the author's next novel.

4 solid stars - A highly readable, entertaining Minneapolis mystery
The Guilty Dead by P.J. Tracy is my favorite Monkeewrench series book.
The strong opening gave a solid summation of the main characters without being superfluous. I was happy to become reacquainted with the ‘friends’ so far outside my suburban Twin Cities experiences. It is not necessary to have read other books in the series to enjoy it.
Tracy uses multiple story lines and a ‘nicely complicated plot’ (this reviewer’s term), which never become convolutedly confusing. Delicious judicious foreshadowing by the ‘bad guy’ sped the plot and my reading along. The author creates a sinister feeling without unnecessary graphic gore.
Accurate Minnesota references contribute to the story. “The one thing Gino hated more than cold and snow was heat and humidity. That left his touchy constitution with one or two comfortable months out of the year when he had to find something else to complain about.“
Tracy’s occasional humor blends in without being forced. “I don’t own a Vita-Mix and I don’t drink my vegetables. I prefer them intact, as God intended.” “There was a fine line between privacy and national security – a little something called the Constitution.” The Minneapolis detectives and Monkeewrench computer crew share amiable banter, an often-lost communication skill nowadays.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for granting access to an arc of this book for an honest review.

This book was a fascinating read. I had never read any of the previous books in the Monkeywrench series, but I was quickly engrossed in the story. It was a little confusing at first until I got to know the characters and how they all blended together into the story. P.J. Tracy did a fabulous job though of providing enough background that you could quickly catch up. What it did was make me want to go back and start at book one so I didn’t miss any of the characters background stories.
In the book there are two story lines which I was unsure if they were going to meld together in the end. One being the death of a prominent figure in Minnesota, and the other a possible terrorist attack in Minneapolis. Both story lines keep you riveted in your seat. The characters in the book are so well written that you become invested in their daily lives. This book was so well written, I am going back to find book one to see how the whole story begins.
Thank you to Netgalley for an advanced copy of the book to review.

I love these books where you think you know who-done-it, then wham.. I was wrong! I hate predicting books right off the bat, and while there were a couple predictions, I was definitely left shocked. This is my first book by this author but I will definitely be back for more. I loved it!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story, although initially it confused me, there were so many characters it took me a while to sort out who fitted where in the story. Once I had sorted that out I found it quite unputdown-able. The two detectives Magozzi and Gino were very well written, you could understand the sheer hard work and frustrations of their job, following leads that didn't seem to be helping, too much junk food, eaten in the car because they had no time to stop and eat properly, and anxieties in their personal lives that also needed their time. They were looking for a murderer, but colleagues were looking for terrorists, and the two different sides were closely interwoven without anyone realising for a while. There were many twists and turns, so that when the climax came it was a completely different story than everyone had suspected.

The writing is excellent, you can visualise all these characters they are so well written. Well worth reading. I will look out for this writer again.

4 stars
Thanks to Crooked Lane Books for sending me this eARC through NetGalley. This book is a well done thriller with one criminal identified early on. As the story unfolds, the reader learns the others. Minneapolis detectives Magozzi and Gino piece together a series of murders with help from the FBI and Monkeewrench, a software company. Magozzi's wife works for Monkeewrench and is very pregnant. There is a bittersweet ending that ties up the plot very well. This is book 9 in the series, but I found it ok as a stand alone.

This is a well-written book but I think I would have enjoyed it more if I'd read previous books in the series and been familiar with the characters. There are a LOT of characters and sometimes it was hard to keep them straight. The plot was a bit far-fetched, but it was an enjoyable read - especially for fans of the series..

The drug-addict son of a wealthy businessman dies of an apparent overdose, and on the anniversary of his death, his grief-stricken father commits suicide. At first glance, it’s an open and shut case. Until the detectives on the scene realise the gun is by the right hand of the left-handed victim, and wiped clean of all prints.

Something is obviously off, and as Detectives Gino and Magozzi investigate, every thread pulled leads them further down a rabbit hole of conspiracy theories, domestic terrorism and years-old crimes. Somebody is trying to right a wrong, and they don’t care who else gets caught in the crossfire.

This is the ninth book in the Monkeewrench series, and the first one I’ve written, but it was pretty easy to figure out that the Monkeewrench crew are basically top-level hackers with strong ties to law enforcement - Detective Magozzi and Grace are lovers and expecting a child together. The two sides of the cae - the law enforcement side and the Monkeewrench crew’s hacking - tied together seamlessly, though I was a bit thrown to reach the end of the book and realise the whole thing took place in a period of just a couple of days. Knowing the sometimes-glacial speed at which law enforcement works, this seemed a bit unrealistic, as did the coincidental nature of Monkeewrench’s new software going on line precisely at the right time to tie the two cases together.

The biggest problem I had, though, was all the characters. Someone who has been following the series from the beginning would probably have no problem keeping everyone straight, but there were times when I was utterly confused and couldn’t remember who was who or why they’d done what. If you’re already a devotee of this series, you’ll probably love it, especially a big emotional payoff moment for Magozzi and Grace near the end, but I wasn’t all that fussed on it. Three stars.

A Five Star Thriller - Kept me guessing till the end:
"The Guilty Dead" is the latest in the "Monkeywrench" novels and what a thriller it is! Monkeywrench are a group of software gurus whose hearts are on the right side of the law, even if their methods occasionally stray from the straight and narrow.
The novel also features Detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth. Monkeywrench's assistance is sought to track down terrorists which the FBI have cause to believe are about to hit Minnesota. The FBI lack the know-how to breach the darknet's encryption which Monkeywrench's latest software product can.
From the murder of a prominent statesmen to a terror plot this novel had me gripped - I read it in one session. This is not one to miss.
This is the first novel I have read by P J Tracy (formerly a writing partnership) and I look forward to reading more of the Monkeywrench novels. The novel can be read as a standalone book there is no need to have read the earlier books.
With terrorism, murder, suicide, politics and romance thrown in, all in the right balance to make this novel a real treat to read.

I really enjoyed reading this book! I love the way it was written and I found the characters very likeable and endearing. I am now going to start reading the Monkeewrench series from the beginning. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, which could be a bit confusing at times, but I loved the mystery and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time! Fun read!

Gine and Magozzi are my favorite detective pairing, and with the addition of the Monkeewrench crew make a fantastic read every time. This is no exception.

Wow, this is the 9th Monkeewrench and I'm so glad it has been picked up by Crooked Lane. If you are new to this wonderful series I will say, yes, it can be read out of order but be sure to be prepared to line up the previous 8 and play catchup. This is one very, very good mystery series. When the authorities have a case that involves complicated computer 'stuff', The Monkeewrench group is called upon for help.
There is a lot going on in this mystery, lots of favorite characters are present, Grace is very pregnant and her Monkeewrench team is on the case. The twists and turns had me wondering how on earth it was going to come together but I needn't have wondered, it comes together just fine. As usual. Bodies, past and present are all over the place. A suicide that isn't one plus terrorist threats. There is a bit of everything going on in this mystery and it all ties together very well. I'm looking forward to reading the next book.

Lately I’ve been picking up a lot of books mid series. Sometimes it’s worked out and sometimes it hasn’t. It’s not that I like picking up books mid series, I hate missing out on all the action, but what I love about book blogging is that sometimes I get approached to read a book and even though it’s mid series, I find a new series or character that I love and want to read more of.

That’s why I decided to pick up this book when it came across my desk for review. Sure it’s nine books into a series, but who knows maybe this would be a new series or character that I would love. The premise of the book sounded intriguing and I decided to give it a go!

Gregory Norwood is Minnesota’s most beloved philanthropist, and the story of his son’s overdose was splashed across the front page of all the papers. When a photojournalist sets out to get a candid shot of the highly successful businessman on the one year anniversary of his son’s death, he’s shocked to find Norwood dead with a smoking gun in his hand.

The city is devastated, and Minneapolis detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are called in to handle the delicate case. It should be open and shut, but something is not right. Norwood’s death is no suicide.

With no suspects and an increasing tangle of digital evidence that confounds the Minneapolis Police Department’s most seasoned cops, Magozzi calls on Grace MacBride, Monkeewrench Software’s founder and chief computer genius and the soon to be mother of their child together.

She and her motley crew of partners begin to unravel connections between Norwood’s death and an even larger plot. Norwood wasn’t the first, won’t be the last, and by the end, may be just one of many to die. The breakneck, high stakes race to find his killer and save the lives of hundreds make P. J. Tracy’s The Guilty Dead her most outstanding novel yet (summary from Goodreads).

From what I gather, this is a very popular book series, and I can see why. The characters are highly developed and interesting. It’s evident that this has to do with the fact that this book is ninth in the series, one would except the characters to be highly developed at this point in the game.

Did the fact that I picked up this book so late in the series make me feel lost in the plot? No, not at all. I thought the author did a great job and keeping the reader up to speed. Were there things that I probably missed having picked up this one so late—-sure, but I never felt like I couldn’t read this book or appreciate.

I loved getting to know this kind of strange mixture of characters. The Monkeewrench crew is interesting and quite a mixture of unique and memorable characters. I rather enjoyed getting to know them and am curious to see how they all came about. As I mentioned before, I love when I find a new series or characters that capture my attention and make me want to read the series from the beginning and that’s exactly what happened with this one!

The mystery itself was interesting and I was hooked from the prologue. Immediately I was curious how this was going to tie in and come back again within the story. I thought it was a great little hook. The only thing that I was a little surprised by was how much was going on within this one particular book. A mystery, some romance, a baby, new characters. Just a lot going on. I wonder if all the other books are like that or just this one?

Overall I thought this was a good read but I think reading the other books would help me fully appreciate this book a little ore than I did the first go around.

Challenge/Book Summary:

Book: The Guilty Dead (Monkeewrench #9) by P.J. Tracy

Kindle Edition
Expected publication: September 11th 2018 by Crooked Lane Books (first published August 23rd 2018)
ASIN B07CWY7TRW
Review copy provided by: Publisher/Author in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Recommendation: 4 out of 5
Genre: mystery, contempo lit, thriller
Memorable lines/quotes:

This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

"The Guilty Dead" is book number 9 in the Monkeewrench series, written by a mother-daughter writing duo.
I remember over more than 10 years ago I stumbled upon "Want to Play?" at the bookstore. I was hooked from page one. About a group of misfit genius programmers who became each others family through life traumas. Since then the Monkeewrench team has become a valuable partner to the homicide detective team of Minneapolis.

It’s in the middle of a very hot and humid summer and Grace is ready to give birth to her baby with cop Detective Leo Magozzi. They have settled in a stable albeit a bit unusual relationship. Grace still has her past demons and her trusty sig saur 9mm close at hand. Leo has accepted this and they are in their own happily ever after. Of course, danger is never far and soon the Monkeewrench team is chasing leads to a possible terrorist threat in Minneapolis while Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are investigating a high profile suspected suicide.

A trail of bodies starts turning up plus past murders while everyone is still grasping at straws about the who and why. In the end, it all comes to blow. Needless to say, I couldn’t stop reading until I finished.

Monkeewrench is one of the few series I’m keeping up with and hopefully there will be more books. You should read the whole series or at least book 1 to understand the dynamics. Especially the Monkeewrench team has a lot of history that explains their current life and work.

I hope the next installment will be more focused on the Monkeewrench team. After 9 books there is still much mystery surrounding their past.

This is the ninth book in a series and I have not read any of the prior ones, so was worried that I would be lost. The author's amazing writing and ability to provide the backstory and details of each character really helped this first time read get invested quickly. This was a great read and I am going to go back and read the rest of the series.

This is the ninth in the Monkeewrench series but the first that I've read. This can be read as a stand-alone but since it has a lot of characters that I knew nothing about, I wish I would have read at least the first one to get some more background. This is fast-paced, with lots of action. With two storylines going on at the same time, I really had to focus. Great read! Recommended!