Customer Reviews (64)

Dark of the Moon
I am a great fan of author John Sandford, and as usual enjoyed the book. I am waiting to purchase his next book in May through Amazon

A capably written, but unremarkable thriller
Perhaps I am reading too many novels in this genre, but my primary observation about Dark of the Moon, is that it is just too formulaic.The novel opens (as so many crime novels do) with a grisly murder.The protagonist develops a romance with a woman who may or may not be connected to the killings.The killer decides that the detective in charge is getting too close and tries to kill our hero (something that rarely happens in real life, but is becoming all too common in crime fiction).

There's nothing groundbreaking about Dark of the Moon.It follows the playbook to the letter, but that said; the playbook isn't necessarily terrible, it's just getting too familiar.Dark of the Moon is capably written and I think most Sanford fans will find the novel reasonably entertaining.

Dark of the Moon is a solid, if unremarkable mystery/thriller.Whether or not you choose to read this novel may depend on how many novels you read in a year.If you are a voracious reader, you inevitably read a lot of mediocre novels, and while Dark of the Moon is nothing special, it's better than a lot of what's out there.If you only read a few novels a year, you're probably more selective, and Dark of the Moon may not make your reading list.

On a completely irrelevant side note:I was pleased that Flowers wore a Modest Mouse t-shirt in the novel.I'm a big fan of the indie band.Float On!

A great way to continue the Davenport legacy
I was actually prepared not to like this book.I'm a Lucas Davenport fan from the first Prey novel and didn't really look forward to the introduction of a new character to steal the Davenport spotlight.I was pleasantly suprised with how much I enjoyed Virgil's character and the plot of the book itself.

Since, obviously, Lucas Davenport isn't getting any younger, we now have a young, intelligent and witty replacement to enjoy in the Virgil Flowers character.I look forward to reading more novels focused around him.

Would Love to See Another Virgil Flowers Book
I didn't like Sanford's other stand alone but decided to take a chance on Dark of the Moon and was glad I did.Virgil turns out to be a character that can support his own book.I loved the story line and how you weren't really sure of the identity of the murderer until almost at the end.Not really, definitely, for sure.

a good start for Virgil Flowers
I agree with others that the book may have been overwhelmed with too many characters.Nonetheless, Virgil Flowers is an excellent protagonist.He has a good mix of eccentricity and competence (much like Lucas Davenport).Lucas makes only a token appearance, but I think a new series based on Flowers will be a welcome addition for those of us who love the Davenport series.The book does a good job presenting a small Minnesota town and the people in it.Also, much of the dialogue is good and reminiscent of the Davenport books.A matter of concern is that Flowers is a lot like Lucas:former athlete, loves to alley cat around women, good with small-town Minnesotans, and so on.In future books, I would think the author(s) will need to differentiate them more.Nonetheless, I enjoyed the book a lot.At the very least, Davenport fans should check it out. ... Read more

Book Description
In the richest neighborhood of Minneapolis, two elderly women lie murdered in their home, killed with a pipe, the rooms tossed, only small items stolen. It is clearly the random work of someone looking for money to buy drugs. But as Davenport looks more closely, he begins to wonder whether the items are actually so small and the victims so random-if there might not be some invisible agenda at work here. Gradually, a pattern begins to emerge, and it leads him to . . . certainly nothing he ever expected. Which is too bad, because the killers-and, yes, there is more than one of them-the killers are expecting him. Brilliantly suspenseful, filled with rich characterization and exciting drama, Invisible Prey is further proof that Sandford is in a class of his own. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (88)

Good book - nice edition to the series
This is part of the Davenport series. A good detective book with lots of plot twists and turns. You would be happiest reading this novel if you have read the previous ones so that you understand the characters. Worth reading even if you don;t know the characters' pasts.

INVISIBLE PREY
VERY INTRIGUING PREY BOOK, ONE IN MANY AND ALWAYS A GREAT READ, KEEPS YOU GOING TO THE END OF THE BOOK.ANYONE WHO HAS READ ALL THE PREY BOOKS, SHOULD READ THIS ONE, VERY GOOD.

really good read.always enjoy his books
like good story lines..clear and clean language..like to be surprised and his books do all that for me........hope his next one is soon.

A tangled web is weaved when quilting and antiques mix in the Heartland
In the latest by Sandford featuring Lucas Davenport, the death of a rich elderly woman and her maid appears to be the work of random thieves.However, when Davenport begins to look at it more closely, he senses that things are not quite as they seem.When another elderly woman is murdered, her granddaughter comes toDavenport with information pointing to what appears to be a series of similar murders - all radiating from a similar point, having to do with a set of quilts, called the "Armstrong" quilts.What is the real reason for the murders?Can he discover what is going on in time to stop any more deaths?

A heart-stopping pace, and peeks behind the scenes of the antagonists' workings, makes this a book that is hard to put down - I meant to go to sleep hours ago, but couldn't put it down until I finished it!One thing to note, however: Sandford shouldn't be so dismissive of the cutting edge fashion of Twin Cities' optics - he mentions that the niece of the first victim (named Carol Ann Barker) "had glasses that were three fashions ahead of anything seen in the Twin Cities."Now, I happen to know - because when I lived in the Twin Cities I worked there - that there is a shop called The Spectacle Shoppe in the Cities that carries the cutting edge in new and antique eyewear.Their eyewear is even featured in several motion pictures - The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Extra Frills Edition), for example, and Jingle All the Way (Family Fun Edition) - those are the two I can remember off the top of my head.Anyway, The Spectacle Shoppe is just one of the VERY trendy optical shops that can be found in the Twin Cities that carry THE cutting edge in eyewear fashion.Nothing to do with the book, other than it was a fallacious statement about the Minneapple that I felt needed to be corrected!

At any rate - I enjoyed this newest chapter in the Davenport library and am eagerly awaiting the next one - definitely a recommend from me!

Not The Best
I can't add much to what the 2 and 3-star raters said; I'd give this one 2 1/2 stars. It was really slow in parts...stayed with it to read outcome. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Revenge is the engine which powers Sanford's seventh "Prey" thriller starring superslick Minnesota cop Lucas Davenport. When a dangerous female bank robber is killed in a shootout, her even more dangerous husband escapes from prison and begins a campaign of retribution against the families of Davenport and his team. As always with Sandford, excellent writing is the icing on an enjoyable cake. (Other Sandford "Prey" books: Eyes of Prey, Mind Prey, Night Prey, Rules of Prey, Silent Prey, Winter Prey.)Book Description
When Lucas Davenport and his team gun down two bank robbers in the middle of a heist, Davenport falls prey to the purest and simplest criminal motivation: revenge.Download Description
"Davenport falls prey to the purest, simplest criminal motivation: revenge..." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (53)

Full of action and suspense
#8 of the Davenport series-From the book jacket "It begins with a death and ends with one".This was a fantastic book, full of suspense.This is probably the best of the series so far.It took off right from the start with the death of two thiefs.The brother and husband of the criminals, escapes from jail and goes after the cops that killed them.I think Sandford did a great job keeping the action going in this one.It never let up.I stayed up late to finish it.Davenport's character was not as stellar as previous books.Davenport is known to be on top of his game, always one step ahead of the criminal.In this book, you see a more vulnerable side of Lucas.I like the fact that Sandford showed this side.It is a nice change.Looking forward to continuing this series.

Heart-stopping action, breath-taking suspense, gut-twisting . . well, you get the idea
When the attempted arrest of bank robbers goes awry - leaving Georgie and Candy LaChaise dead in a shoot-out - it turns out the media firestorm resulting from it is the least of Minneapolis PD's concerns.Dick LaChaise - Candy's husband and Georgie's brother - has decided to make a break out of jail while attending their funeral and get revenge with the help of a couple of his friends by the name of Crazy Ansel Butters and Bill Martin.And they are going to begin with the spouses of the officers involved in the shooting.

As Lucas and Co. scramble to find LaChaise and his men, they are constantly thwarted - unaware that LaChaise has a man on the inside feeding him information.

Unremitting tension and an unrelenting pace make this a book that is almost impossible to put down once you pick it up.Each of the characters introduced is eventually humanized - although they are completely sociopathic, you get to the point where you feel a bit sorry for them toward the end; doesn't mean you don't want them put down like dogs, but you can't help but feel a little bit sorry for them at the same time.

Then there are Lucas' "women" - Jennifer and Weather.Often throughout the book I was left to wonder just how intensely stupid they could be.They were aware that these guys were gunning for the spouses of the officers they felt were "responsible" in the shooting deaths of Candy and Georgie; they knew that LaChaise and his men were aware of their existence.Yet they refused to change their habits and go into hiding.And it almost gets one of them killed (won't tell you which!) - because it is "boring" in the hotel and she has to do her job.Pfft.Then again, I suppose the plot line demanded it - not like this is real life, right?:-)

Any rate, a definite recommend from me for this most excellent addition to the Lucas Davenport adventures.

Another Solid Prey Book by Sanford
SUDDEN PREY is the eighth book in the "Lucas Davenport" series by John Sandford. The book is enjoyable, but is not the best entry in the series.

The plot of SUDDEN PREY is a little different from the other Prey books.Normally in these novels, Lucas is on the hunt after the killer.But in this book, the killers are after Lucas, out of revenge for a prior killing that Lucas was involved in.As always, the plot is lightning fast, and Lucas has to race against time and capture the killers before they attack him and members of his family.

If you've read other books in this series, you probably won't be disappointed in SUDDEN PREY. You get the same tight plotting, witty dialogue, and smooth writing that Sandford is famous for.In my opinion, this novel isn't one of the best ones, largely due to the stupidity of the villains -- they were ultimately more pathetic than threatening.I also found the whole "crooked cop" subplot to be a rehash of stuff I've seen in earlier books by Sanford.

If you've never read a Prey book before, my advice is to start with the very first one, RULES OF PREY, and then move on to EYES OF PREY, WINTER PREY, and MIND PREY. Those are probably the best four entries in the series.

Another great book in the Prey series!
Lucas Davenport is back in Sudden Prey, another thriller by John Sandford.This is the 8th book in the series and it stands out as a great book in a great series.When Georgie LaChaise is gunned down in a failed bank robbery, inmate Dick LaChaise thinks it was nothing but a planned murder.With the help of crazy friends Ansel Butters and Bill Martin, LaChaise escapes from prison.LaChaise decides to get revenge by going after the loved ones of the cops who killed his sister, Georgie.

LaChaise is able to blackmail a cop to get information on family of the police, and the three men attack violently, killing the spouses of two officers and wounding one.Now, the entire Twin Cities police force is trying to find these crazed killers.Lucas is afraid the cops will target his daughter Sarah, Sarah's mom Jennifer, or his fiance Weather.The book is full of twists and turns as the LaChaise gang always stays one step ahead of the cops with the aid an inside helper.

The thing that sets every Davenport novel apart from others in the genre is the way Stanford writes about the bad guys.In Sudden Prey, you follow every move Dick LaChaise makes and you know where their going.You also see the clues that Davenport and his gang should be able to put together and pray they can put the clues together in time before the LaChaise gang kill more cops.

If you are a fan of the series, this is more of what you enjoy.Not much characterization, Stanford jumps right into the action.The back story is minimal, the plot is the king.There's the usual humor, the abundance of swearing, and the twists and turns.If you haven't read John Sandford, you can read any novel in the series and enjoy it, but don't be afraid to start at the beginning with Rules of Prey.This series excels from the beginning.

FamilyRevenge
Story moves , but not as much as his other prey books ... Read more

Book Description
Number-one New York Times bestselling author John Sandford pits Lieutenant Lucas Davenport against two killers, men as different as night and day-except in the method of their madness. It's all in the eyes...Download Description
Sandford creates "one of the most horrible villains this side of Hannibal the Cannibal" (*Richmond Times-Dispatch) in this chilling entry in the Prey series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (69)

Sandford's Best!
This book pulls you into the dark world of Sandford.It is the best of the "Prey" series.An absolute win!

Enter the mind of an obsessive killer - and an obsessive hunter - is there that much of a difference?
Sandford is a brilliant writer and he shows how Lucas Davenport - the hero of the series - is walking that thin, sharp line between hero and villain right now.Suffering from depression (and likely post-traumatic stress disorder after the events in the preceeding book, Shadow Prey (Lucas Davenport Mysteries)), Lucas lets his temper take control early on while hunting down a young pimp who beat up one of his hookers - a young lady who was one of Lucas' snitches.This subsequently leads to an IA investigation at the worst possible time, because Lucas is then assigned to work on a new case - a well-known doctor's wife (Stephanie Bekker) has been murdered in their home, and her eyes cut out - an anonymous phone call alerted the police. When there is another murder, Davenport begins to suspect there might be a serial killer on their hands - even though he cannot make a connection between the two women.

Things heat up quickly in the novel and I have only given you a very bare bones idea of the plot - I don't want to spoil this novel for anyone who hasn't already read it.I love this series and this book is an exemplary example of why I feel about these books as I do.Lucas Davenport feels like a real person, with real problems that he deals with in a real manner - that is, sometimes self-destructively.I highly recommend this entire series to anyone who enjoys a good thriller, police procedural or murder mystery.You can't go wrong with the Lucas Davenport series.

Sorry, but I really don't like this one
John Sandford is not the best of crime novel writers but he's not bad.I've read a couple other Prey books and have enjoyed them.They're good books to take to the beach or to read on a plane.The nice thing about them is that they don't require much concentration.

I am disappointed in this one.In fact, I'm only half way through and I don't think I'm going to finish it.What's the problem?It drags too much.I want a crime novel that is hard to put down.This one is easy to put down but hard to pick up again.Let me give an example.One of the main characters has a drug addiction.Sandford wastes pages (and virtually chapters) describing this guy's drug induced states.I got the idea the first time so I didn't need these descriptions repeated every couple of chapters.In fact, I've skipped those pages and haven't missed anything.

Other parts of the book are equally slow and boring.I'll try another of the Prey novels but will give up on Sandford if I find the same style.

Another great one
I was thrilled to have another Prey novel to read. Eyes of Prey lived up to my expectations and was a great addition to the Prey series.

Strong Entry in Prey Series
EYES OF PREY is the third entry in the "Lucas Davenport" series, and it's a strong effort.I liked this novel much better than the second in the series, SHADOW PREY, but less than the first in the series, RULES OF PREY.

The major strength of this novel is the villain, who is a truly despicable character.He is an easy person to hate, which makes for a classic "good vs. evil" kind of story.And, of course, Sandford is a highly entertaining writer -- that's what makes this books so popular.All his books are leanly written, fast paced and clever.

I thought the major problem with this novel was the lack of mystery.There is absolutely no question who the villain is and how he commits his crimes.The reader is almost always a few steps ahead of the characters.The only major shocking twist comes at the very end of this novel, but I was hoping for more surprises than I got.

The Prey novels aren't for everyone.If you dislike profanity and morally ambiguous characters, these books aren't for you.But I find them, for the most part, to be enjoyable, fast-paced fun.My advice is to read this books in order to maximize your enjoyment.In particular, read EYES OF PREY before reading SILENT PREY, which is a direct sequel to EYES. ... Read more

Book Description
Michael Bekker, the psychopath Lucas Davenport captured in Eyes of Prey, escapes. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (36)

Bekker back for a Rematch
Taking place approximately 3 months after the events in "Eyes of Prey" have ended, we find Bekker about to have his sentence handed down and Lucas at loose ends.However, unlike Lucas, Bekker has a plan - and he uses it to escape.

At first everyone thinks that Bekker is after Lucas, but as time goes by and nothing happens, everyone relaxes.However, one day Lily Rothenburg (last seen in "Shadow Prey (Lucas Davenport Mysteries)") comes to Minneapolis to ask Lucas to come back to New York City.They believe Bekker has holed up there and is killing people and sending out bizarre quasi-scientific documents about his experiences and experiments.As a side project, Lily tells Lucas that there appears to be a vigilante group within the police department and she would like his help in shutting it down.

Full of twists and turns, this is a satisfying read for anyone who is a fan of the police procedural/thriller genre.

Just Okay
SILENT PREY is the fourth book in the "Lucas Davenport" series, and I thought it was a worthwhile read.This novel is an unofficial sequel to EYES OF PREY, and features the same serial killer villain, who breaks out of prison to terrorize New York.So my first piece of advice is to read EYES OF PREY before reading this novel.

This book is well written, but I thought there was too much plot.Not only is Davenport on the trail of a serial killer, but he's also after a group of police vigilantes known as the "Robin Hoods."The vigilante plot is convoluted and complex, and I had some problems keeping all the names and plotlines straight.The serial killer stuff is essentially a retread of what you read in EYES OF PREY -- the killer pretty much thinks and acts the same way as he did in the prior book.So there's nothing new or original here.

Sandford's a fine writer, but I thought this effort was a relative disappointment compared to some of his other Prey books.This novel is a decent entertainment, but I think there are much better crime novels out there.

Not the greatest, but nothing really to complain about
"Silent Prey" was a solid if unspectacular read.I guess I was a little disappointed that the complexity and richness promised by the set up, where two major plotlines are set in motion, didn't actually come about.Rather, you get a pretty good serial killer plotline (Lucas Davenport's rematch with the psychotic physician Michael Bekker) and a sketchy, not-often-mentioned secondary plot involving police vigilantes.This second plot was also a little gimmicky, relying on 11th hour "aha!" moments in Davenport's head as he pieces together the little details he's accumulated over the course of the story.Not bad stuff, mind you, but I guess I prefer more operatic, sweeping Davenport moments rather than the Sherlock Holmes-style deduction scenes on hand here.

Another quibble: The previous novel, "Eyes of Prey", had a terrific final-page revelation about one of the series major supporting players, so I quickly picked up this next installment to see how Lucas would deal with this person in light of the information he now had about the character.But "Silent Prey" deals only briefly with the issue, and not in the meaty fashion I was waiting for.Oh well, there's always the next book.

To conclude with some of the story's strengths, I once again enjoyed the cop banter (though Lucas is technically only a consultant to the cops this time out), the action scenes, the clever surprises (especially in the Bekker storyline) and the big confrontations.And Lucas' passionate yet troubled interaction with the fairer sex remains compelling.

Perhaps I'll give Lucas Davenport and John Sandford a bit of a break before moving on in this series, as maybe it's a little unfair of me to dive right into each installment with big expectations.So I think I'll first let another thriller writer or two entertain me before heading back to this series to check out "Winter Prey".But I will be back.

enjoyable read
I discovered John Sandford's novels years ago and I am a huge fan.The Prey novels are a fast paced, enjoyable read.I love to read them while laying by the pool.For those of you looking for a thought provoking book, this isn't the way to go.If you are looking for a fun read, I highly recommend this series.A warning to those of you offended by profanity, Sandford uses a lot of it.

Bekker will make your skin crawl.I loved this book!
If you like creepy and scary you will love this!This and Eyes of Prey have been my favorite so far! ... Read more

Book Description
Corporate con games from the #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING author.

On the cutting edge of high-tech corporate warfare, two state-of-the-art con artists find the noose tightening--when their ultimate con turns against them.

Con artist Kidd and his partner-in-crime are about to pull off the perfect sting-until they find themselves on the wrong end of the ultimate con. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (26)

Mark this one "Out of print"
This book was origionally published in 1989.The information in it is hopelessly out of date now (2007).For example, he talks about a 2400 baud modem as if it were cutting technology!
At one time it probably made a good read when the technology was accurate and up to date. However, it's not current.I suggest that you skip this book for something with technology newer than 20 years old!

a great beginning to the Kidd series
I finally got around to read one of my favorite author's early novels, The Fool's Run, by John Sandford.The Fool's Run introduces Kidd (no first name is ever given).Kidd has been featured in four Sandford novels and this is the first (the Empress File is second).He's an artist by day and a computer hacker by night.

Anshiser Corporation has problems.They are developing a new fighter jet for the US Defense Department.Their corporate rival, Whitemark, is also developing a new jet.Whitemark has stolen some technology from Anshiser that threatens to destroy the company.The beautiful Maggie Kahn finds Kidd painting on the riverbanks of the Mississippi and gives him an offer he can't refuse.It seems that Maggie knows all about Kidd's abilities with computers.She offers him a job to destroy Whitemark and reap the rewards of a big payday.

Obviously, the technology in this computer related thriller will be outdated, but that doesn't take away from the fun of reading one of Sandford's first novels.The first thing I noticed is the high quality.Sandford started out great and has remained that way.I enjoyed learning how Kidd and friend LuEllen (full-time thief met).We're also introduced to Bobby, Kidd's hacker friend that gives him some much needed assistance.Fans of Sandford and the Davenport series will love this book.Those of you who have read Dead Watch will have deja vu reading an ambush scene located in the deep woods of West Virginia.

This is a traditional Sandford novel, with a lot of suspense, bad language and sex.Kidd and LuEllen are interesting characters.They are, after all, thiefs, and LuEllen does have a drug habit.Still, you'll find yourself rooting for them as they try and outwit Whitemark and live happily ever after.

Forgettable and sub-par for Sandford
I have been reading John Sandford's Lucas Davenport series for years and find them generally to be excellent, but I had avoided the Kidd series as I had heard that they were lighter in nature and content.

I should have listened to the advice.

The book concerns company sabotage where a company owner hires Kidd and his team to infiltrate and sabotage the computer workings of a rival company.

Now, I am not a computer person so I don't know how much of this hacking business was factual or fanciful so I concentrated on the actual story. I found it pretty dull stuff and maintaining my solidarity behind John Sandford, I skimmed the last 100 pages just to say that I had finished the book, no matter how disinterested I was. I couldn't summon up any interest in the characters or the storylines at all.

One distasteful moment is when the lead characters kill a watchdog. Didn't want to read about the killing at all and left a bad taste in the mouth.

KIDD BOOKS
Can't go wrong with a Sandford book....Love the Kidd series hope to see more.

Mediocre Sandford
This story's main problem is that it is significantly outdated IT wise which detracts from the thrust of the whole thing. Whilst it is an easy 'plane' read and has some of Mr. Sandford's trademark elements, in the end, it is not a satisfying experience as old hat technology merely underpins a flimsy story which suffers from both predictability, and at some points, extreme stetches of incredulity!

Stick with the Prey Series which are in a different league from this unremarable rendition of a very old theme saddled with even older IT elements. ... Read more

Amazon.com
John Sandford's acclaimed Prey novels featuring the brilliant Lucas Davenport have plunged millions of readers into the darkest recesses of the criminal mind. Now Lucas has met his match.His newest nemesis is more intelligent, more deadly, than any he has tracked before: a kidnapper, a violator, and a cruel, wantonkiller who knows more about mind games than Lucas himself.Book Description
Ingenious detective Lucas Davenport knows he's met his match--a wanton killer who knows more about mind games than Lucas himself.

Lucas Davenport risks his sanity in the #1 New York Times bestselling series. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (54)

Disturbing and gripping - this will stay in your dreams. . . or nightmares
John Mail - the antagonist of this novel - is the sort of psychopath of which nightmares are made.Years after being committed by Andi Mannette, he finds himself again obsessing over her; so, he kidnaps her, and both her daughters.Andi is, however, from a wealthy family with many connections, and her estranged husband is also wealthy with connections, so a media storm is immediately created, leaving Lucas Davenport roasting on the spit as he runs to beat the clock and find Andi and her daughters, before it is too late.

There are many scenes that are disturbing and graphic concerning Mail's treatment of Andi; many might find these difficult to get through (I know I did) however, they are not only important to the story but they also get across Mail's attitude toward Andi, which is very ambivalent.

So much happens - this story is so tautly paced - that it seems the events take place over a much longer time frame than just five days, but that is all that goes by.As I noted in the review title - very gripping story.Highly recommended.

Great Quick Read, Very Interesting
Just got into reading the "Prey Series". This book was a quick read and very well written. Looking forward to reading the rest.

One of the Best in the Series
MIND PREY is the seventh book in the "Lucas Davenport" series by John Sandford.It is also one of the best ones.

There isn't a dull moment in this book.The plot is a straightforward kidnapping story, but it still has a lot of exciting twists and turns.MIND PREY is also a whodunit, because the kidnapper is being assisted by someone whose identity isn't revealed until late in the story. There are also some interesting developments in Davenport's personal life in this novel also.

John Sandford is one of the biggest thriller writers out there, and this book demonstrates why he's so popular.MIND PREY is fast paced, fun, and exciting.It's a real pleasure to read.I rank this book up there with Sanford's best, which includes efforts such as RULES OF PREY, EYES OF PREY, and WINTER PREY. My advice is to read the series in order for maximum enjoyment, however.

Victims as victors...
I'll second the other rave reviews of the seventh book in Sandford's Prey series!It IS the best so far (although I have a soft spot for Winter Prey where Lucas meets Weather).Sandford creates ironic suspense as Lucas encounters the game-playing villain but fails to recognize him.The kidnapped psychologist Andi Manette and her daughters Genevieve and Grace are as real as Lucas and John Mail - they're imaginative, resourceful and doggedly enduring in planning to get themselves out of this.No sitting and waiting to be rescued for them! One can't help but remember Kate's gutsy escape from Casanova's den in Patterson's Kiss the Girls, but Sandford's solution is realistic,grindingly slow, and you're not sure they will succeed - much better! Some consider these books too gory and graphic.Maybe so, but the gore is never gratuitous, and there are real heroes/heroines as well as more ordinary pitiable villains.

Mind your keyboard and it's a great read too
It's not necessary to read John Sandford's "Prey" series in order, but the books are so damn good and so well written it seems a pity NOT to give the author his due and admire the development of his many characters.The foremost of course is Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport,Porsche driving, game writing homicide detective.In Mind Prey, number 7 in the series, Davenport is up against a deeply twisted adversary: born a psychopath and created a sociopath, as Sandford points out.John Mail is also a fan of Davenport's games and after kidnapping a psychiatrist who used to treat him, along with her 2 children, he taunts Davenport with clues.The clues precipitate the involvement of one of Sandford's finer creations, Davenport's childhood friend Elle Kruger, a Catholic nun.Its good to see Elle again as she was only mentioned in the previous book.It was also refreshing to find Weather Karkinnen still alive and kicking and in Lucas's sights as wife material throughout this book.

"Mind Prey" is what i have come to expect from Sandford and the reason he is on my permanent order list.It is fast paced, well-plotted and quirky.All the Prey books to date have been definite 'unputdownable pageturners'.One of Sandford's quirks I particularly admire is his fascination, as given expression through Davenport, for technology.Lucas Davenport has made millions developing first role-playing games, then police simulations on computer, and now also has a company producing computer games.We also have a character called "Del Capslock", who was admittedly undercover for a long time. Cute hey!"Mind Prey" comes as highly recommended as all of Sandford's Prey series to date.I'm really enjoying slowly working through the series and the years.Definitely 5 stars all the way for the series so far. ... Read more

Book Description
The haunting, unforgettable, ice-blooded thriller that introduced Lucas Davenport is so chilling that you're almost afraid to turn the pages and so mesmerizing you cannot stop. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (85)

OMG - What a Rush ...
Not your cuddle-up in front of the fire mystery thriller ...

I have previously not given much thought to any of the "Prey" series, considering them too violent, too stereotypical, or something.Boy - was I in for a surprise!Lucas Davenport, the main character of these books, has a well developed persona from the get go.This being the first book of the series, as well as one of John Sandford's earlier works, was refreshingly riveting and I found myself not wanting to be distracted from reading more and more as I got into the book -I just finished this and have already started on the next book, "Shadow Prey" and it is equally as attention-getting as "Rules of Prey".I do love good mysteries - particularly when the characters get to evolve through development in ensuing books.Thank you Mr. Sandford

a good read - not for the faint-hearted

I Wish I Had Read This One First!
I've read a few of the later books in the Prey series and really liked them. As with any good series, they are best read in order. That isn't to say that the books in this series can't stand alone, because they can and they do it well. But the first book gives more insight into Lucas Davenport, his habits and his many not-by-the-book ways. From reading this one and comparing it to the later ones, it is interesting how the character has grown and evolved, at least in his personal life. I look forward to reading more of the earlier books in the series.

Excellent debut to an awesome series
Introducing us to Lucas Davenport, cop and video games creator, "Rules of Prey" is a thrill ride from start to finish.Taking us back and forth from the mind of maddog - a serial killer with a thing for small, dark-haired woman and a penchant for leaving notes with rules for serial killers to follow with his victims' bodies - to Davenport's attempts to track the maddog down, this excellent police procedural is sure to please anyone who likes a good thriller.

Set in the Mini-Apple (Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN), with the sky-ways in the downtown areas and the narrow twisting streets in downtown St. Paul, this book introduces us to many of the players we will see in upcoming books, such as Elle (or Sister Mary Joseph - an old friend of Lucas', a nun and a psychologist), Sloan, Chief Daniels, and Jennifer Carey - just to name a few.

A great book and a great beginning to a great series - don't miss this one!

A real page turner
The first of Sandford's "Prey" series, and still one of his best in my opinion. Serial murderer on the loose, cops gradually closing in, suspenseful chase..a final battle, all the usual elements of a classic page-turner done by a consummate yarn master.

Every Lucas Davenport Prey Book Is Just Fun
I started reading this series a few years ago. I started about half way through the series and wound up buying all the previous books. I love how John Sandford is able to bring humr into a book about hunting serial killers. It is a guilty fun read.

I recommend all of the Prey Series ... Read more

Book Description
A slumlord in Minneapolis. A New York politician. An Oklahoma judge.

Three strangers with one thing in common: each has been butchered with a Native American ceremonial knife by a killer known as Shadow Love. Lucas Davenport and Officer Lily Rothenburg needn't look far for the killer. He's right behind them. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Shadow Prey
The entire Sandford "Prey" serious is great .... having grown up in Mpls it's great fun to ride the streets of Mpls again & see/feel/smell the the familiar sights...plus Lucas is so tuff....great/fun read

Isn't His Best
This is not a good first book to read of John Sandford. I would recommend another one and then go back to this one.I'm glad I didn't read this first but it was still o.k.Better than some I've read.

Complicated plot with satisfying action leads to great second Davenport adventure
Following after Rules of Prey (Lucas Davenport Mysteries), "Shadow Prey" gives us a complex problem to mull over while providing all the action and suspense we could hope for.Murders are taking place - not only in Minneapolis - where the victim's throat is cut and the suspect is Native American.The reader is given the chance to know why these murders are being committed - and the reasoning is strangely compelling, leading one to almost sympathize with the instigators - as well as following the trail with the police.Davenport is often frustrated, as his normal contacts do not include very many Native Americans, and to make things worse, after a near miss he begins to exhibit signs of going through a severe depressive episode, or at the very least post-traumatic stress disorder.As the police follow the trail, bodies begin to pile up and Davenport worries that time is running out for the big finale, whatever that may be.I don't wish to give any more information about the plot than this, so as to avoid spoiling it for anyone.Do yourself a favor and give this wonderful series a chance!

This is my second time reading through the Lucas Davenport mysteries, and they do not disappoint the second time around.I heartily recommend these to anyone who likes a good thriller, police procedural or action-oriented mystery.

One of the best
I think this is an excellent follow-up to "Rules of Prey" and one of the best of the "Prey" series.I like it for a variety of reasones.In addition to being a solid police, crime thriller, it sheds some light on the Native American issues in Minnesota.

I especially like the introduction of the character of Lily.The sexual tension between Lucas and Lily is awesome!She is one of my favorite Davenport women because she "gets" him and is not concerned that he has to occasionally blow away the bad guys.It is refreshing to have her rescue Lucas instead of the other way around. Sandford also shows us Davenport's vulnerability with Lucas' stress reaction to the his near death experience.

Weaker Entry in the Series
SHADOW PREY is the second book in the "Lucas Davenport" series, and I personally believe it's one of the weakest ones.

The pacing of this novel is surprisingly slow in spots, and the villains are relatively dull. The book deals heavily with Native-American issues, but I don't feel that Sandford did a very good job of developing the Native-American characters.As he explains in his introduction, he had to rewrite this novel significantly to eliminate a lot of the social commentary that was contained in the first draft.The result is a novel that seems incomplete -- I didn't fully understand the killers and their motivations as well as I would have liked.

The romance in SHADOW PREY is also somewhat annoying.Davenport is a classic "bad boy" character who is more than happy to sleep with a married woman, and then go back home to his own girlfriend and child without a second thought.I know some readers like this wild aspect of Davenport's character, but I personally found it an unlikable characteristic, especially for a 41-year old man.

I like Sandford's writing style, but my advice is to skip this novel if you haven't read his books before.Start with RULES OF PREY instead. ... Read more

Amazon.com
John Sandford is back with his dapper, dangerous Minneapolis deputy police chief Lucas Davenport for a ninth "preyer" meeting. Fans of the series will be glad to hear that it's full of smart suspense and deduction as well as explosive action. Davenport and his fellow cops are still recovering from the deadly revenge scheme that maimed them in Sudden Prey, which seems to have ended the relationship between Lucas and his doctor lady friend. This accounts for the depression that dogs him as he is sent to investigate the killing of top banking executive Daniel Kresge in a hunting lodge north of Minneapolis. Any of Kresge's four fellow hunters--all employees at his Polaris Bank--could have shot him, and all had motives, as did his almost ex-wife. About halfway through the book we find out who the real killer is, just a few pages before Lucas does, and that villain is a masterful creation, an example of the banality of evil worthy of Hannah Arendt. This is where Sandford's beautifully honed skills at creating suspense really kick in: he keeps us fascinated as Davenport, revitalized by an affair with a jaunty colleague, tries to turn what we all know into hard evidence. --Dick AdlerBook Description
A wealthy banker is shot dead during a hunting trip. Many people wanted him killed-but even Lucas Davenport can't fathom the real reason why.

#1 New York Times bestselling series featuring Lucas Davenport.

When a wealthy banker is shot during a hunting trip, Lucas Davenport suspects murder.Download Description
"The company chairman lay on the cold ground of the woods, his eyes unseeing, his orange hunting jacket punctured by a rifle bullet at close range. Around him stood the four executives with whom he had been hunting, each with his or her own complicated agenda, each with a reason not to be sorrowful about the man?s death. If he read it in a book, Lucas Davenport thought, it would seem like one of those classic murder mysteries, the kind where the detective gathers everyone together at the end and solves the case with a little speech. But it wasn?t going to be that easy, he knew. There were currents running through this group, hints and whispers of something much greater than the murder of a single man. He had felt this way not long before, sensed the curling of an indefinable evil, and not only had it nearly gotten him killed, it had lost him his fiancee, who?d never been able to recover from the violence of the encounter. Sometime soon, unless he could stop it, there would be another death, and then still another, and Davenport couldn?t help but wonder if maybe this time, the final death might not be his own. . . . John Sandford has written extraordinary thrillers before, but nothing to top the startling twists and unrelenting suspense of Secret Prey." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (116)

Lucas is back and better than ever. Humor! Suspense! Intrigue!
In SECRET PREY, a bank executive is murdered while deer hunting, and Lucas Davenport must sort through a myriad of suspects and motives to find out who the twisted killer actually is. I've read all but a three of the "Prey" books, and they all have one thing in common. THEY ARE AWESOME. Don't get me wrong, they aren't perfect. I think there is too much bad language, for one, and, well that's about it. I read a few out of order then started reading the series in order.

Daniel S. Kresge is the CEO of Polaris Bank. Polaris is about to merge with another bank and this merger will cause some people to make a lot of money, and others to lose their jobs. Kresge is shot while hunting and no murder weapon or witnesses are found. Was it a hunting accident or did one of the four people with him kill him. There is Susan O'Dell, a smart women who in her past had an affair with an unamed artist (Sandford's Kidd, I believe). Wilson McDonald has family ties that date back to Polaris for 100 years. He is also a drunk and beats his wife. Robles is a computer geek that let it be known on an internet chat room that it would help him if Kresge died. James Bone, an ivy leaguer, smart, a friend of Davenport, could be next in line now that Kresge is dead. These four all have friends and acquaintences with various hidden agendas. As you can see, the character list is extensive, and at times hard to keep track of. But, don't worry, at the center of it all is Lucas Davenport.

Lucas is still trying to hold it together after his fiance Weather left him. She left him because she was still traumatizes over Lucas ordering a sniper to kill a bad guy whose head exploded only inches away from hers. Lucas is good in this novel, as his cast of friends, Del, Sloan, and Marci. I enjoyed the humor and the interaction between Lucas and his friends. Aside from a few moments, Lucas and co. never seemed in danger.

Aside from changing Lucas from book to book, the hard part in the series is creating new and interesting villians. Stanford's strength and what makes him stand out is the equal point of view time he gives to his villians and suspects. We feel like we know them, and that makes the chase that much more exciting. In SECRET PREY, Stanford once again creates a unique villian and reveals them in an original manner.

Readers considering Stanford will love this book, but I recommend you start at the first, Rules of Prey. It is just as good as all the rest. Also, give his Kidd series a shot. They're a lot of fun as well.

How far would someone go for power and prestige?
The question of how far a person would go to gain power and prestige, especially when that person came from a background of abuse, is answered in this terrific continuation of the "Prey" series by John Sanford, featuring the ever-resourceful Lucas Davenport.When an apparent hunting accident turns into a murder investigation, things begin to heat up as an anonymous tipster points out a pattern of past "accidents" leading straight to a suspect.When that suspect is, himself, killed, the case should be closed.However, someone seems to still be out to get Lucas - Weather's house is firebombed, and his long-time friend Sister Mary Joseph (Elle Kruger) is attacked and brutally beaten.Can Lucas discover who the culprit is in time?

The start is a little slow and, unlike many of the earlier books in this series, we do not know who the culprit is until well into the book - leaving us as much in the dark as the investigators, which quite adds to the suspense.By about half-way through the book, the tension is mounting and the death toll is climbing and it becomes quite difficult to put the book down.I am a fan of this whole series of books and can recommend them all.This is a great piece in the whole puzzle that is the story of Lucas Davenport.

Very Slow Start, Good Twist
This book starts slow but toward the end there's an interesting twist. Wouldn't be my suggestion as your first Sandford book.

Excellant Reading!
I am a big fan of the "Prey" series, and this book is as terrific as all the rest!

Another great Lucas Davenport Novel-Certain Prey
My introduction to Lucas Davenport was a year ago when I read the recently released Broken Prey by John Sandford. I thoroughly enjoyed the story about a tough guy cop who drives a Porche 911. Since reading Broken Prey I started reading the other "Prey" stories in the order they were released. I've finished 9 of the 16, am currently reading Certain Prey and have ordered the remaining stories from Amazon.I enjoy mysteries and the Prey series is excellent.Lucas Davenport is a very good cop who often does things his way. Lucas is similar to other characters I enjoy: Harry Bosch by Michael Connelly and Mitch Rapp by Vince Flynn.If you try the Prey series you'll like it. ... Read more

Book Description
A "chilling" (Publishers Weekly) thriller featuring Lucas Davenport. A family-killer known as the Iceman is freezing the blood of every mother, father, and child in rural Wisconsin.

Lucas Davenport searches the icy woods of rural Wisconsin for a brutal killer known only as the Iceman. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (47)

Winter, Weather ,and the Iceman Cometh
Lucas finds himself at loose ends after being run out of the Minneapolis PD and is taking solace in the cold north woods of Wisconsin when he is called to assist the sheriff's department of Objibway county when a suspicious fire leads to murder and the discovery of a ring of perverts that had been operating in the county for some time.Facing off against a man who calls himself the Iceman, Lucas has to try to find out who is responsible before any more bodies pile up.And pile up they do in this fast-paced 5th book in the "Prey" series.We also are introduced to Weather Karkinnen, a surgeon who immediately steals Davenport's heart.

The Iceman is a pure sociopath - reading this book is often like a train wreck.You don't want to, but you are compelled to keep going as he continues to kill person after person for the most twisted reasons, where if he had left things alone. . . well, you just need to read the book.I love the "Prey" series - this is my second time reading through them.For any who enjoy a good thriller/police procedural/mystery/suspense novel - you can't miss with these.

Lucas Davenport chases a killer in the frozen wilderness
Arguably the best entry among the first five books in this series (though I still have a soft spot for the extreme creepiness and dramatic revelations of "Eyes of Prey"), Mr. Sandford's "Winter Prey" is nevertheless a bracing, knock-out read and inarguably at least the second best among the first five books.Though series protagonist Lucas Davenport is here in all his glory, this one is less concerned with what is going on in Lucas' often troubled life and just wants to give us a moody, bang-up thriller plot.And there's also a slight change in this installment's flavor and tone, which makes for some welcome variety: instead of urban tension, here we get snowstorms, icy temperatures, snowmobiles, and coyotes.But don't worry, you still get one of those nicely written Lucas Davenport romantic sublots, this time involving a tough yet fetching surgeon.And yes, you also get a memorable killer.Laced with intelligent details yet extremely fast paced, "Winter Prey" will not disappoint.

My Favorite Prey Novel
WINTER PREY, the fifth entry in the Lucas Davenport series, is the best of the seven Prey novels that I have read so far.

The plot is straightforward.Lucas Davenport is lured out of retirement to assist in a homicide investigation in a small Wisconsin town.A serial killer is a work, and Davenport has to find him before he strikes again.In the meantime, he develops a serious romantic relationship with a local doctor.

WINTER PREY is suspenseful and exciting.Unlike many of the Prey novels, the identity of the killer is concealed from the reader.So this novel is not just a thriller, but a whodunit (which increases the suspense).All the supporting characters are interesting and likable.I also enjoyed the romantic relationship in this book, which is very well developed.

This book is relatively graphic, and contains a high level of sex and violence.If you're easily disturbed by such content, you should skip this novel.Otherwise, I think you're in for a treat; WINTER PREY is a really entertaining book and I heartily recommend it.

Winter Prey
This is the first "Prey" book I read.It's a great read during the heat of summer as most of the story takes place during a blizzard in northern Wisconsin.I became hooked on Sandford with this book and would not miss reading any of his books.They are real thrillers!

Edge Of Your Seat Thrills and Chills
"Winter Prey" was a great edge of your seat mystery/thriller and the tone very much reminded me of those good old film noirs with Humphrey Bogart. Of course this is a much more modern tale. There was delicious suspense, heart pumping action with wild chases on snowmobiles,shoot outs, good guys to root for, and a villain(who from the beginning and most of the book we only know as "The Ice Man"), as bad and evil as they come. Author Sandford kept me involved and guessing every step of the way, and throws in some great surprises.

It is a blistery cold winter in a small woodsy town in Wisconsin. Everyone knows everyone, and are shocked and frightened to learn of a brutally horrible murder. The cops are questioning and gathering evidence, and it all points to one man. But no one will believe the suspect is guilty. Enter an out-of-town Detective to help with the case. Lucas Davenport knows his stuff. He is fearless and rugged and a reputation for getting his man..one way or another. Time is crucial, the killings have just begun, and all seem to revolve around a photograph that is the only solid clue. A woman Doctor could be the next victim and as Lucas tries his best to protect her while closing in, we also see another side to this tough guy, and the two grow closer, adding a layer of romance to this multi-faceted story as well.

The story would probably be considered R rated. It deals with some very sensitive subject matter(I don't want to give away too much), has quite a bit of violence and language as well. So may not be everyone's cup of tea.

There is a superb Unabridged audio edition with a chilling read by Richard Ferrone. Enter the ISBN of :0788702556 into search if interested.

I know there are other Lucas Davenport Mysteries, but this was my first, and now I am hooked and adding others to my cart.

Highly Recommended for those who love a great suspenseful tale....Enjoy....Laurie

... Read more

Amazon.com
Penzler Pick, June 2000: Easy Prey is the 11th mystery to feature Lucas Davenport, who began his career back in Rules of Prey as a maverick homicide detective reminiscent of "Dirty Harry" Callahan. He did things his way and was often at odds with his superiors in the Minneapolis Police Department. Since those early days, Davenport has mellowed a little, and his background as a computer game-designing, Porsche-driving womanizer has been somewhat reduced. Possibly age has become a factor, or it may be the fact that Davenport has been deputy chief since the sixth book in the series, Night Prey. The character may have changed, but the writing has remained consistently taut: the bad guys creepy, the mysteries suspenseful.

In this newest episode, Davenport is called to a house after an A-list party has taken place there. Alie'e Maison, a top model, has been found strangled, and evidence shows that she ingested drugs and recently made love--most probably to a woman. Before Lucas leaves the house, things get even more complicated: a second body is found stuffed in a closet with a deep dent in the skull. In addition, one of Lucas's own men had been at the party and is now a suspect.

As always, Lucas's own life is not exempt from complications. An ex-lover comes back into his world--a woman he has never been able to forget--and she has secrets of her own. Also making an appearance this time out is a childhood friend to whom he turns for advice about women and life. Sister Mary Joseph, born Elle Kruger, is a professor of psychology and one of the computer brains who helps Lucas design his software. He calls her Nun the Wiser, and he often turns to her for spiritual as well as more concrete advice. Lucas is going to need all the help he can get to unravel his case as secrets pile upon secrets and the ground constantly shifts under his feet.

Easy Prey is another powerful link in this chain of muscular, exciting thrillers by one of the most distinguished practitioners in the field. --Otto Penzler Book Description
The death of a model leads Detective Lucas Davenport to suspect one of his own men.

"You won't want to miss it." (Los Angeles Times)

"Cracker jack suspense." (New York Post)

The past presents a harrowing case and an unsettling personal dilemma for Lucas Davenport when the death of a model leads him to suspect one of his own men. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (173)

He does it again
Again Sanford has come through with an outstanding book.Holds ones interest from the first page to the end and makes one wish it would never end.Enjoyed it just as much or more than the previous Prey books.

Quite a puzzler!
When model Alie'e Maison is found strangled to death in the aftermath of a party - and then a second woman (Sandy Lansing) is found murdered and stuffed in a closet, a media feeding frenzy threatens to cause trouble for Chief of Police, Rose Marie Roux.As Lucas Davenport races to solve the mystery, bodiesbegin to pile up - Alie'e's photographer, her parents, suspects and material witnesses in the case - and meantime time is running out before an all-out media blitz/political war ensues, that could potentially destroy the careers of Lucas and all his friends on the force.

We're kept in the dark as much as those solving the crime in this novel.There isn't much I can say about that without completely spoiling the book for those who haven't read it, other than to say that when the case is finally solved, the perp comes from WAY out in "left field," so to speak.

An engaging book and one I definitely recommend for fans of this series, or of a good mystery/thriller.

Sort of, Kinda, Would BePrey
This Prey novel starts with a so-so premise, with a model getting killed, and Lucas Davenport investigating.The novel has some okay twists, but its nothing special.We get within 20 pages of the end, we think we know who the killer is.Then, out of the blue, they say the killer is some body, who, up untill this point, had never been mentioned.Not by name, nothing.When I first read it, I went, who?All and all, and okay novel, ruined by an awfull ending.

Can hardly get through it....
I have been zipping through the "Prey" series and have been loving every book.And then.....I hit this one and can barely get through it!I'm glad to see I am not the only one.If this is your first attempt at a "Prey" book please just start with the first of the series and don't judge Lucas Davenport or John Sandford by this attempt.

Allmost Prey
This book could be summed up with one word, allmost.It allmost had a decent plot, decent ending, and was allmost a decent Prey edition.The problem?The killer is revealed, tweenty pages from the end.The killers, who's name had never been mentioned before that point.All of a sudden, Wha?Whos that?That's the killer?Where did he come from?Useually, I don't let the ending ruin the book, but this ending was so terrible. ... Read more

Amazon.com
Lucas Davenport's boss is about to lose her job as chief of police, hisfiancée is distracted with wedding plans, and his house-remodeling project is ata standstill. So when the FBI and DEA draft the Minneapolis cop to head off hitwoman Clara Rinker's bloody murder spree, he's glad to oblige. The lady killerand the killer lady have tangled before in Sandford's Prey series, and theirpersonal history seasons this fast-paced story of mayhem, murder, and revenge.After Rinker barely survives an assassination attempt that destroys her unbornbaby and kills her lover, the son of a Mexican drug lord, she sets out todestroy the mobsters who ordered the hit, a journey that brings her intoDavenport's sights again and also puts him back in action alongside a womanagent with whom he was once involved. But it's the grudging respect and evenaffection Sandford hints at between Rinker and Lucas that takes this crisp,confident thriller beyond the limitations of the genre and makes the charactersflesh-and-blood human beings. A standout in a terrific series! --JaneAdamsBook Description
Years ago, Lucas Davenport almost died at the hands of Clara Rinker, a pleasant, soft-spoken, low-key Southerner, and the best hitwoman in the business. Now retired and living in Mexico, she nearly dies herself when a sniper kills her boyfriend, the son of a local druglord, and while the boy's father vows vengeance, Rinker knows something he doesn't: The boy wasn't the target-she was-and now she is going to have to disappear to find the killer herself. The FBI and DEA draft Davenport to help track her down, and with his fiancée deep in wedding preparations, he's really just as happy to go-but he has no idea what he's getting into. For Rinker is as unpredictable as ever, and between her, her old bosses in the St. Louis mob, the Mexican druglord, and the combined, sometimes warring, forces of U.S. law enforcement, this is one case that will get more dangerous as it goes along. And when the crossfire comes, anyone standing in the middle won't stand a chance. . . .

Filled with the rich characterization and exceptional drama that are his hallmarks, Mortal Prey proves that John Sandford just keeps getting better. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (115)

99% Awesome
As an avid reader of John Sandford's "Prey" novels I read through most of this book thinking "this is his best."The book revolves around Lucas Davenport, a Minneapolis cop and Sandford's most famous protagonist, working with the FBI to catch Clara Rinker, a mysterious for-hire killer on a vengeance run.

What's really great about this book, on top of the great writing and storytelling ability of Sandford, is that Lucas Davenport is unleashed.Normally in the Prey novels Davenport is limited in action by his superiors in Minneapolis, by politicians and rules.In this book, because it takes place in a different town, we really see Davenport unleashed.There aren't rules to follow, actions are made "off the record" and it all adds to the excitement of this thriller.

Even better is the antagonist in this novel is a very sympathetic character whom the readrs can identify with.Normally Sandford's antagonists are so evil and one sided the reader can't help but hope for some horrible death at the end of the book.This time it's clearly different, Clara Rinker is an eye-for-an-eye killer with a sense of justice.

Thus, 99% of the novel is great.However, in the final pages of the book everything falls apart.I won't reveal the ending but it is abrupt and anti-climatic.A terrible disappointment for what could have been Sandford's best work.

Mortal Prey
This is the first John Sandford book I have read.The author provides his readers with a well written, action packed, suspenseful story.The Clara Rinker character was well developed.I really liked the twist at the end.I am looking forwarding to reading more of John Sandford's books.

Very Exciting - Couldn't Put it Down!
This book was very exciting. Very real humor and realistic. I love the characters. Difinitely suggest this one!

pretty good... but not very suspenseful
I have read just about all of the 'prey' books and have enjoyed most of them. This is another that was entertaining. However, I feel that this series has long since hit a wall and that one book is pretty much like the last. 'Mortal Prey' takes a step in a new direction by setting up a likable villain in the guise of a female hit-person. This is a character who appeared in 'Certain Prey', Clara Rinker. Rinker has killed a lot of people in her time and Sandford sets her up not as a terrible person, but as someone I personally wouldn't mind having as a best friend or next door neighbor. In fact its hard not to root for her as Davenport tracks her down.

A few things that kind of made me not get overly ecstatic about this book; One is that I really was never at the edge of my seat here. This is supposed to be a suspenseful novel but it wasn't. It just sort of goes along and Davenport comes across clues with little effort. Two is that as I said before, Rinker is just way too likable, nice, and the girl-next-door type. Three, Sanford's formula is getting old. and Four,what the heck was Davenport doing in St Louis or all across North America solving this crime? It makes no sense to have a local cop traipse across the globe hunting down international crime figures and taking on the mob.

Unless you have reached this book in the series and want to continue onwards, I would suggest that you shy away from this. 'No Country for Old Men' by Cormac McCarthy or 'Mystic River' by Dennis Lehane are far superior.

COULD NOT PUT DOWN
I recently finished Mortal Prey and it was a great read from first page to last.Clara Rinker is a great character.Would make an exciting movie; how would Cathy Bates be as Clara?? ... Read more

Book Description
A master thief becomes obsessed with a beautiful woman--then carves her initials into his victims.Download Description
"Lucas Davenport tracks a murderous master thief." ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

Good read!
Like all of Sandford's Prey series Night Prey is tightly plotted and fast paced.For fan's of the thriller/mystery genre' like myself, this is well worth the investment of your time.

Most Disturbing Prey Yet
Sandford, a local Minnesota author with national appeal, gives us one of the most disturbing and terrifying murderers his has ever written about.This is a thrilling work from the very beginning.

A great cops-chase-a-killer thriller that reminds me of an earlier genre classic
A terrific, entertaining page-turner, and- with its mentally deteriorating serial killer, disturbingly bloody crimes, cops putting their heads together to figure out how best to catch the killer, and personal issues facing the cops as they try to do their jobs- very reminiscent of probably my all-time favorite cops-chasing-a-killer thriller, the classic "The First Deadly Sin," by Lawrence Sanders.And while Mr. Sandford definitely gives his own personal stamp to the proceedings, I would find it hard to believe that he didn't read and enjoy that earlier thriller, too; in so many ways this seems to be a tribute to Sanders' immersive thriller about the Ice Axe killer and Chief Detective Edward X. Delaney's attempts to catch him.

But back to "Night Prey"... I enjoyed the nice balance between Lucas Davenport's cop work and his current personal issues (is monogamy truly for him?), the extremely well-drawn character of a cat burglar/crazed killer who starts descending into deeper levels of craziness as a result of an obsession with a woman he previously robbed; the sad situation of Lucas' new female partner; and all the usual cop banter.All very engaging stuff.

But do yourself a favor if you really enjoy this book... pick up Mr. Sanders' early 70's classic.His other novels were also quite readable, including subsequent "Deadly Sins" entries, but oh, "The First Deadly Sin".What a great read.After all, there will be plenty of time to get back to Mr. Sandford's entertaining series after you treat yourself to that true gem of the crime genre.

Many threads tied together in "Night Prey" lead to satisfying read
In "Night Prey," Lucas Davenport is back with the police department - a new police chief is on board and has made Lucas assistance chief.When a body is found thrown in a dumpster, the chief asks Davenport to go take a look and assist in the investigation with Meagan Connell, a BCA cop who is obsessed with the idea that this victim is only the latest victim of a serial killer who has been murdering for years.The only difference with the latest victim (and the ones to follow) is that she has the initials SJ cut into her body.Other than that, she is like all the others - a person who is shy, doesn't have a lot of friends, and not likely to be missed immediately.

As Davenport and Connell close in on the killer, they discover an association with Sara Jensen, a woman who was burgled shortly before the murder of the woman found in the dumpster and who has since felt a though someone has been coming into her apartment when she is away.Is Sara going to be the next victim?

Fast moving and interesting, "Night Prey" creates a truly creepy villain with Koop.Fans of the "Prey" series, police procedurals and/or thrillers will enjoy "Night Prey."

Enjoyable, but Familiar
NIGHT PREY is the sixth book in the "Lucas Davenport" series by John Sandford.The book is entertaining, but is not the best entry in the series.

The plot of NIGHT PREY isn't much different from prior Davenport books.A serial killer (named "Koop") is on the loose, and the reader knows his identity from the beginning.Lucas is on the hunt for him, this time accompanied by a female investigator that's dying of cancer.As always, Lucas has to race against time before the killer strikes again.

If you've read other books in this series, you probably won't be disappointed in NIGHT PREY.You get the same tight plotting, witty dialogue, and smooth writing that Sandford is famous for.This is all good fun, but I felt the plotline was mostly a rehash of scenes from the prior books.If you're looking for something original, you won't get it here. Sandford pretty much sticks to his tried and true formula, for better or for worse.

If you've never read a Prey book before, my advice is to start with the very first one, RULES OF PREY, and then move on to EYES OF PREY and WINTER PREY.Those are probably the best three entries in the series. ... Read more