Authors: P. J. Tracy
Monkeewrench
Monkeewrench
into the works—and see what people say.…
“A sizzling thriller … a killer read in every way … with its menacing suspense, snappy dialogue and techno edge.… Thriller fans will go ape.”
—
People
(Critic’s Choice)
“[A] standout … written with such skill and polish that you would think it could be Tracy’s tenth.… The Minneapolis setting of
Monkeewrench
and the expertly rendered search for a serial killer are reminiscent of the fine work of best-selling author John Sandford, whose fans definitely will want to pick this one up. Tracy represents a strong new voice in the thriller genre.
Monkeewrench
is clearly positioned atop the ranks of debuts so far this year.”
—
USA Today
“[A] smart thriller.… Grace and her four geek partners in the software company they call Monkeewrench add real flavor to the proceedings with their colorful jargon and quirky personalities. These technonerds may be freaks—and one of them may even be a killer—but they have style.”
—
The New York Times Book Review
“Fast, fresh, funny, and outrageously suspenseful,
Monkeewrench
is the debut thriller of the year.”
—Harlan Coben
“
Monkeewrench
is funny and convincing. P. J. Tracy’s taut storytelling makes me jealous.”
—Robert B. Parker
“An exhilarating roller-coaster ride of a story, a novel that has both edge-of-the-seat suspense and a cast of fascinating, intriguing characters. When I realized that I was holding my breath as I turned the pages, I knew I had been hooked.…
Monkeewrench
made me an instant P. J. Tracy fan. Can’t wait for the next book!”
—Jayne Ann Krentz
“Not only original but genuinely
funny.
The characters are fresh, the plot is intricate, and the ending is absolute dynamite … a truly satisfying, terrific read.”
—Nevada Barr
“Even the most overly confident reader will be delightfully surprised at the ending. A.”
—
Entertainment Weekly
“A thriller to remember … an exciting first novel.”
—
New York Daily News
“A fresh and exciting talent … [an] inventive, deftly written, and thoroughly satisfying thriller.”
—
The San Diego Union-Tribune
“A resounding, page-turning success. The writing is both assured and seamless.… Exceptional character development, dialogue and lots of local detail make
Monkeewrench
a winner.”
—
Minneapolis Star Tribune
“A soundly plotted thriller that fires on all cylinders.… Tracy covers all the bases in this debut thriller: an accelerating, unpredictable plot that combines police procedural with technogeek-speak, an array of well-drawn characters, and, most important, witty repartee.”
—
Publishers Weekly
(starred review)
“Fast, fun … highly readable.… The writing is bright and fast.… The characters are well realized, and the many subplots swirling around the main plot are fun to follow.”
—
Tallahassee Democrat
“In addition to the unusual premise, Tracy has peopled this mystery with likable, colorful characters.… Tricky plotting, unique suspects, and believable cops have been cleverly interwoven into a first-rate first novel.”
—
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
“Clever plot twists … [an] impressive first-time thriller.”
—
San Jose Mercury News
“Smart, stylish, suspenseful, surprisingly funny, and wholly satisfying. Inventive, too. Tracy … deftly juggles several plotlines and a large cast of well-differentiated characters.”
—
The Orlando Sentinel
“Some great characters, clever dialogue, and suspense.”
—
The Daily Oklahoman
“The two teams of detectives—one from the big city and one from the small town but both with their own quirks, love interests, and insights—provide the sparkle in this engaging debut thriller by a mother-daughter writing team who lace their suspense with humor à la Harlan Coben.”
—
Booklist
“[An] entertaining nail-biter.… Late-night alert: Don’t settle down with this … at your bedside till you’ve cleared your schedule for the following morning.”
—
Kirkus Reviews
“A stylish debut thriller incorporating secrets old and new that keep the reader guessing into the last chapter.… This is a well-written novel with an imaginative premise, which uniquely combines the disparate elements of a technothriller with the conventions of a murder mystery.”
—
The Boulder Daily Camera
“The best first novel I have ever read, an exciting thriller filled with misdirection and secret agendas … a suspense thriller that allows no time-outs.”
—
Midwest Book Review
“An exceptional debut thriller. Each and every character is well crafted.… This book is not just for fans of the suspense genre but for everyone who enjoys a really good read. I predict that P. J. Tracy will soon be a household name and rightfully so.”
—
Rendezvous
“A breakout first novel.”
—
The Rake
(Minneapolis)
A SIGNET BOOK
SIGNET
Published by New American Library, a division of
Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street,
New York, New York 10014, U.S.A.
Penguin Books Ltd, 80 Strand,
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Penguin Books Ltd, Registered Offices:
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First published by Signet, an imprint of New American Library, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc. This is an authorized reprint of a hardcover edition published by G. P. Putnam’s Sons. For information address G. P. Putnam’s Sons, a division of Penguin Group (USA) Inc., 375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014.
First Signet Printing, April 2004
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Copyright © Patricia Lambrecht and Traci Lambrecht, 2003
A Conversation with P. J. Tracy copyright © Penguin Group (USA) Inc, 2004
Excerpt from
Live Bait
copyright © Patricia Lambrecht and Traci Lambrecht, 2004
All rights reserved
ISBN: 978-1-101-64300-6
REGISTERED TRADEMARK—MARCA REGISTRADA
Printed in the United States of America
Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright owner and the above publisher of this book.
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For Edie and Don Hepler
We remember
Chapter 1
T
he brandy had been absolutely essential. It always was on Sunday nights, when Sister Ignatius took it upon herself to cook and serve Father Newberry a “proper meal.” In this part of Wisconsin, that usually translated to hamburger cooked in canned cream soup.
The shape varied with the good sister’s whims—sometimes meatballs, sometimes meat loaf, and on one memorable occasion, rolled tubes that looked disturbingly like a casserole of severed penises—but the basic ingredients and the resulting indigestion were always the same.