Social Media Icons

Saturday, August 5, 2017

#allthebookreviews: Nothing Stays Buried by P.J. Tracy @putnambooks

Nothing Stays Buried
by P.J. Tracy
G.P. Putnam's Sons 

Book #8 in the Monkeewrench series brings a serial killer who uses a deck of cards as his calling card.  Can they catch him in time before he kills again? 




Big thank you to G.P. Putnam Son's / Penguin Books for our copies in return for our honest reviews.


Goodreads Synopsis:

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 scene in a heavily wooded city park, everything about the setting is all too familiar. And when they discover a playing card on the victim's body, their worst fears are confirmed there s a serial killer operating in the city for the first time in years.


Across town, Grace MacBride and her unconventional partners at Monkeewrench Software find themselves at both personal and career crossroads. Weary of the darker side of their computer work for law enforcement, they agree to take on a private missing-persons case in a small farming community in southwestern Minnesota.


As the violence accelerates in Minneapolis, Magozzi and Gino soon realize their killer is planning to complete the deck, and they enlist Monkeewrench to help stop the rampage. As a baffling tangle of evidence accumulates, the cops and Monkeewrench make the unlikely connections among a farmer s missing daughter, a serial killer, and a decades-old stabbing that brings them face-to-face with pure evil."
  


My Thoughts: 


Magozzi and Gino are after a serial killer who leaves a spade playing card on each of his victims. They're afraid he's trying to get through the whole suit or deck before he stops his killing spree. They bring in Grace (who happens to be pregnant with Magozzi's first child) and her Monkeewrench team who use their computer skills for law enforcement. As more and more evidence accumulates, they're in a race to catch this killer before he kills again.

Book 8 in the series, I was hesitant as I prefer to read series books in order. This does work as a standalone though I do wish I had a little bit more background on Magozzi and Grace. I love their relationship, how different they are and how well they play off each other. The banter between most of the characters in this novel is fun to read and they feel like family. I wish there had been more from the killer's point of view. While we do get a glimpse into his mind, I needed just a bit more. I love the idea of the playing cards as calling cards. I'm not sure why this was so intriguing to me. Maybe the tattoos as reminders also made it a bit more sinister. The ending felt a bit abrupt and too easy for a couple of reasons but I won't spoil you by going into that. Overall, I thought the book was well done and flowed nicely. What I enjoyed the most about this book was the relationships between the characters over the main storyline.
 
★★★ 1/2

Jessica's Thoughts:



While this was book 8 in the Monkeewrench series, I couldn't pass up a murder mystery/thriller based in Minnesota! NOTHING STAYS BURIED by mother-daughter duo known as PJ Tracy (PJ and Traci Lambrecht) could definitely be read as a standalone. I was worried that I'd be completely lost that far into a series, but I wasn't. I definitely want to go back and read the first books so I can get to know the Monkeewrench gang better!

The body of a young woman is found in a park and unfortunately for Detectives Leo Magozzi and Gino Rolseth, the crime scene is all too familiar. Months prior, a woman was found in a similar setting, but the killer was never found. Now the body count is rising and they have no leads. To make matters harder, a few FBI agents show up in Minneapolis to help, but their motives aren't completely revealed.

Meanwhile, at Monkeewrench Software, they are trying to find a new case to solve. Harley finds an old missing persons case that has gone cold. Marla, daughter of farmer Walk Gustafson, went missing without a trace 2 months ago and no one has any clue as to what could have happened to her, or where she could have gone.

It was very interesting reading about the characters that many other readers have grown attached to. While I didn't have the same connection to them as some, I felt that the character development was great even in book 8. Leo and Grace are having a baby together and they're excited for their new life that is about to begin - I'm sure there is a lot to this relationship that I have missed, but I'm definitely wanting to go back and read the other books. In this book it's definitely more focused on how these two investigations are affecting the lives of everyone involved. These killings are continuing, with no leads, and then is this missing persons case somehow tied in?

I did enjoy the few chapters that were from the killer's perspective. Definitely a dark and twisted individual. I will always love serial killer thrillers that dive into the mind of the killer. Even if it's just a little glimpse into their thought process or their motives. I find it fascinating - especially when an author does it so well. If it doesn't make you cringe or feel uncomfortable, then it's not a good enough serial killer!
Overall, I loved this! I loved it being set in Minnesota and knowing the areas they were referencing. Even the weather! This was a great thriller and mystery - no doubt about it that I'm going to find the first book, MONKEEWRENCH, now!
I give this 4.5/5 stars!









5 comments:

  1. Hello! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I truly enjoy reading your articles. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same subjects? Appreciate it! facebook sign in

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Werner!! Thanks so much! I really appreciate your words! There are SO many!! Look up Jessicamapreviews, Crime By The Book, The Suspense is Thrilling Me.... and there's more! But these 3 are definitely a go to!

      Delete
  2. I appreciate you sharing this wonderful content with us. Thanks for adding value and click on the link to apply for an urgent visa to India from Australia. Now it is easier to apply for an e-visa to India.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thank you for this brief explanation and very nice information. This post gives truly quality information. Hope to see you again. The Turkish government provides electronic Turkey visa USA which is travel authorizations to United States citizens. It is for people who want to travel to Turkey without applying for a visa in advance and is different from a standard visa.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I love the way you explain your article. It's easy to read and understandable. I want to know articles like this. People have the option to apply for a Turkey e visa online which is a hassle free process. And its time and cost saving also.

    ReplyDelete