Monkeewrench by P.J. Tracy

About the book: 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...

Paperback: 432 pages
Publisher: Signet (April 6, 2004)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 045121157X
ISBN-13: 978-0451211576

First line: The brandy had been absolutly essential.

My Thoughts: I read a couple of negative reviews of this book but decided to go ahead and read it. Boy am I glad I did. This has to be my new favorite thriller and I intend to get on with this series as soon as possible. It kept me engaged, pulling me along with a couple of subplots and several twists. I enjoyed the nuggets of humor that shined in the twist of a phrase or the observation of an incident. The characters were colorful and likable. The dog, Charlie, went straight to my heart. I'm hoping that Jackson, a boy who had a bit part, will be more fully reaalized in the next book. Get it, you'll like it.

Rating: A