Skip to main content
PBS logo
 
 

Book Review of Live Bait (Monkeewrench, Bk 2)

Live Bait (Monkeewrench, Bk 2)
Live Bait (Monkeewrench, Bk 2)
Author: P. J. Tracy
Genre: Mystery, Thriller & Suspense
Book Type: Mass Market Paperback
annapi avatar reviewed on + 334 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3


Excellent sequel to Monkeewrench! Someone is killing senior citizens in Minneapolis, and Detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are puzzled - is this a serial killer? The only link between the victims appears to be that they were all Nazi concentration camp survivors. Magozzi enlists the help of the computer geniuses of the Monkeewrench team, who have created a new software to aid in investigations that sifts through the data and finds links between cases.

While I was disappointed that the Monkeewrench team was featured only marginally in this book, I found the lead characters much more engaging than in the first novel, particularly that of Gino, who previously came across as a bit annoying. I enjoyed the byplay between the detectives, as well as the development in the relationship between Leo and Grace McBride, CEO of Monkeewrench. But it was the compelling story and the handling of the complex issues of revenge that captivated me, particularly as I felt disturbed by my own tendency to commiserate with certain characters' desire for vengeance; yet as the story opened up discussions on the issues of morality and justice and the different detectives' points of view, I felt it did a wonderful job of portraying both sides of the issue without detracting from (on the contrary, enhancing) the thrill and suspense of the book. This series has most definitely become a favorite.