P. J. Tracy

I checked this out from my local library as a book club read.

I don't read much mystery/suspense, but this proved to be an intriguing, fast read. The writing was excellent; there were deep characterizations, and Los Angeles itself proved to be a vibrant character. The end, though, felt flat. The bad guy was too obvious from early on--and I kept wondering why the main characters didn't pick up on the hints. A subplot involving a serial killer was really unsatisfying, the resolution feeling crammed in at the very end. Still not a terrible read, but I'm not encouraged to continue.… (mer)

The fifth entry in the Monkeewrench series of crime novels, Shoot to Thrill gathers all the usual characters and has them investigating an unusual series of murders. These murders are announced in advance on the internet and then actual filmed footage of the crime is posted afterwards. Of course the perpetrators are ensuring that these messages are untraceable but the geniuses at Monkeewrench are working hard at discovering their identity.

We are introduced to a newcomer to the series, FBI agent John Smith, who actually hits it off with the Monkeewrench crew and with Grace in particular. In fact, at the end of the book, John and Grace make a big change to their lives, which will certainly impact the next book. Detectives Magozzi and Rolseth are in fine form and there is plenty of high tech puzzles for the Monkeewrench crew to work on, but for me this was probably my least favorite book of the series so far. As there are still plenty of Monkeewrench novels to come, I am hopeful that the mother/daughter team will bring the series back to it’s excellent level with the next book.… (mer)

Still writing as PJ Tracy, the Maggie Nolan series is written entirely by Traci Lambrecht and is a worthy companion to the co-authored Monkeewrench series. This third book is mainly Maggie's story as Sam only makes a couple of cameos, but his absence doesn't diminish the book (and based on the ending, it's possible that he will have a bigger role in future installments). A good read that spans police procedural and Hollywood satire. If you like the Monkeewrench novels, you must pick up this!

Thanks to St Martin's Press for access to a digital ARC on NetGalley.… (mer)