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A Monkeewrench Novel — by P.J. Tracy
Monkeewrench Series in Order: 11 books
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Monkeewrench
Book - 1
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 ...
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Snow Blind
Book - 4
Already major bestselling authors in the UK, the brilliant creators of the Monkeewrench team and their law-abiding counterparts on the Minneapolis PD are setting a new standard for the modern thriller, combining brilliant plotting, razor-sharp dialog...
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Shoot to Thrill
Book - 5
It begins with a floater. When Minneapolis homicide cops Gino Rolseth and Leo Magozzi are called to a derelict stretch of the Mississippi River, they see the bride, facedown, dead in the water. And when the Monkeewrench crew-computer geeks who ma...
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Off the Grid
Book - 6
On a sailboat ten miles off the Florida coast, Grace MacBride, partner in Monkeewrench Software, thwarts an assassination attempt on retired FBI agent John Smith. A few hours later, in Minneapolis, a fifteen-year-old girl is discovered in a vacant lo...
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The Sixth Idea
Book - 7
The Monkeewrench crew returns in a twisty, heart-stopping new thriller. The peaceful Christmas season in Minneapolis is shattered when two friends, Chuck Spencer and Wally Luntz, scheduled to meet in person for the first time, are murdered on th...
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Nothing Stays Buried
Book - 8
The Monkeewrench crew returns to face the city of Minneapolis's worst nightmare -- a rampant serial killer on the loose -- in the electrifying new thriller. When Minneapolis homicide detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth are called to a crime s...
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The Guilty Dead
Book - 9
New York Times bestselling author P. J. Tracy is back with the most addictive installment in her award-winning mystery series. Dead men tell no tales...but their pasts can't keep a secret. Gregory Norwood is Minnesota's most beloved philanthrop...
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Ice Cold Heart
Book - 10
The latest "intense and fast-paced" Monkeewrench police procedural thriller, from New York Times -- bestselling author P. J. Tracy (Library Journal)! Minneapolis detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth join Grace MacBride and Monkeewrench to uncove...
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The Deepest Cut
Book - 11
The Monkeewrench team is back in a brand-new nail-biting thriller from New York Times bestselling author P. J. Tracy.Minneapolis homicide detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth arrest a sadistic pair of killers for the murder of several women with t...
Series Premise
The core premise revolves around Monkeewrench, a small, eccentric software company in Minneapolis founded by a group of brilliant, socially awkward computer geniuses. The company specializes in creating high-end video games, but its members possess exceptional skills in coding, data analysis, and pattern recognition. When brutal serial murders begin occurring in Minneapolis—and the killings eerily mirror scenarios from one of Monkeewrench’s own unpublished games—the team is reluctantly pulled into the investigation. They partner with local law enforcement, particularly the homicide division, using their technical expertise to help track the killer. Over time, the Monkeewrench group becomes an unofficial but invaluable resource for solving complex, tech-related, or unusually patterned crimes, while each member grapples with their own personal demons and the moral weight of their involvement in real-world violence.
Monkeewrench Series Reading Order
🔄 Best Read in Order · Start with Book 1: Monkeewrench
Standalone stories, but characters and relationships develop across the series.
The series is best read in sequential order. Although each book features a self-contained central mystery with its own resolution, the overarching story builds through the evolving relationships between the Monkeewrench team and the police, the deepening backstories of the main characters, and the long-term consequences of their involvement in increasingly dangerous cases. Early books establish the group’s dynamic, their quirky personalities, and their initial collaboration with law enforcement. Later volumes develop these connections further, revealing more about the characters’ past traumas and how their unusual skills continue to draw them into high-stakes investigations. Reading chronologically enhances appreciation for the character growth and the strengthening bond between the civilians and the detectives. That said, the strong procedural elements and clear context make it possible to enjoy individual titles with some independence.
Explanation of reading order types
Monkeewrench Series Characters
The heart of the series is the eccentric Monkeewrench team. Grace MacBride is the brilliant, enigmatic leader and primary programmer, a woman with a mysterious and traumatic past who prefers logic and control. Harley Davidson (yes, named after the motorcycle) is the flamboyant, larger-than-life computer genius with a sharp tongue and a heart of gold. Annie Belinsky brings wit, style, and emotional intelligence to the group. Roadrunner (real name Michael) is the gentle, socially awkward coding savant who designs the games. Magozzi is the lead detective from the Minneapolis PD who becomes their main police contact and gradually develops a deep, complicated relationship with Grace. These core characters form a found family whose loyalty to one another is absolute, even as their personal quirks create constant friction and humor. Supporting and recurring characters include other members of the homicide team, various law enforcement officials who range from skeptical to grateful, and the occasional victim or suspect whose story adds emotional weight to the cases.
Setting of the Monkeewrench Series
The setting is primarily Minneapolis and the surrounding Twin Cities area in Minnesota, a backdrop that feels both modern and grounded. Scenes move between the sleek but cluttered offices of Monkeewrench, the bustling homicide division of the Minneapolis Police Department, crime scenes across the city, and occasional forays into rural Minnesota or other locations dictated by the cases. The atmosphere is crisp and contemporary: snowy winters, humid summers, the glow of computer screens late into the night, and the contrast between the polished corporate world and the gritty reality of police work. The Midwestern setting adds a layer of everyday realism that makes the extraordinary crimes feel all the more shocking.
Tone & Themes of the Monkeewrench Series
Tonally, the books are smart, darkly humorous, and highly entertaining, with a distinctive voice that balances suspense with wit. Expect sharp, often sardonic dialogue, quirky character observations, and moments of genuine tension that never tip into gratuitous gore. The mood is engaging and fast-paced, blending the grim reality of murder investigations with the eccentric energy of the Monkeewrench team. The themes explore the intersection of technology and crime, the moral complexities of using unconventional methods to catch killers, the power of unlikely friendships, the long-term effects of trauma, and the idea that brilliance and social awkwardness often go hand in hand. The series also subtly examines trust, loyalty, and the blurred line between playing a game and living in one.
In the end, the Monkeewrench series by P.J. Tracy is a clever, fast-paced, and deeply satisfying blend of mystery, humor, and human connection. The authors masterfully show that the most effective crime-fighters are sometimes the people society overlooks—the brilliant misfits who see patterns where others see chaos. These books wrap readers in the warmth of an unlikely friendship, the thrill of a well-crafted investigation, and the comforting knowledge that even the darkest crimes can be solved when brilliant minds and loyal hearts work together. For anyone who loves intelligent thrillers with memorable characters, sharp wit, and a perfect balance of suspense and heart, the Monkeewrench series offers a thoroughly addictive experience. It proves that sometimes the best heroes don’t wear capes—they wear hoodies, drink too much coffee, and solve murders from behind a keyboard. In P.J. Tracy’s world, the game is never just a game, and the people who play it best are the ones who refuse to let the monsters win.
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