I know I sound like a broken record, but it's always a treat to discover a particularly good series. This one I've missed by eight-ninths of a mile; it's the ninth of the "Monkeewrench" books. I very much enjoyed reading it and, for those who might be planning to jump in this far along, it stands alone pretty well. That said, I couldn't shake the feeling that I missed out on a whole lot of background "stuff" that would have made it even more meaningful.
About a year before this story begins, the son of filthy rich businessman Gregory Norwood - Trey - died of an apparent overdose. On the anniversary of his death, the father, who had just been told he had terminal cancer, is found dead as well - an apparent suicide. Shooting himself under these circumstances would have been understandable, of course, but a few things just don't add up; the gun was found near his right hand (Gregory was left-handed), and it was totally devoid of fingerprints.
As this is taking place, there's a bit of anticipation at the headquarters of Minneapolis-based Monkeewrench, a software development company that's beta-testing the mother of all security programs. One of the partners, Grace MacBride, is within dropping distance of delivering a baby - a child she share with detective Leo Magozzi, who is investigating the abovementioned murder. Monkeewrench gets a call for help from another law enforcement official who has discovered a possible terrorist bombing plot. Is it possible the new program can be used to discover who and where the terrorists are and, more to the point, what they're trying to blow up?
These two stories run concurrently, but as I suspected, eventually they begin to converge. Along the way, I met some intriguing characters - in particular one or two who work at Monkeewrench with unusual names like Harley Davidson and Roadrunner - who I'd love to see much more of (an example, I suppose, of what readers of previous books already are clued into). Along the same line (and said as a series newbie), I guess I expected there'd be more plot involvement from the folks for whom the series is named. This time out, there seemed to be more emphasis on the cops and less on the computer geeks.
Resolution of both scenarios brings some tense moments, but the loose ends get tied up at the end - well most of them, anyway - making for a very fast-paced, almost edge-of-my seat experience that turned me into an instant fan. I thank the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy. This may be my first Monkeewrench adventure, but it certainly won't be my last.
The Guilty Dead by P.J. Tracy (Crooked Lane Books, September 2018); 336 pp.
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