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Lucas Davenport #11
Easy Prey
A Lucas Davenport thriller by internationally bestselling novelist John Sandford
In life she was a high-profile model. In death she is the focus of a media firestorm that's demanding action from Lucas Davenport. Especially as one of his own men is a suspect in her murder.
But when a series of bizarre, seemingly unrelated slayings rock the city, Davenport suspects a connection that runs deeper than anyone has imagined - one that leads to an ingenious killer more ruthless than anyone had feared...
In life she was a high-profile model. In death she is the focus of a media firestorm that's demanding action from Lucas Davenport. Especially as one of his own men is a suspect in her murder.
But when a series of bizarre, seemingly unrelated slayings rock the city, Davenport suspects a connection that runs deeper than anyone has imagined - one that leads to an ingenious killer more ruthless than anyone had feared...
384 pages, Hardcover
First published April 1, 2000
1,652 people are currently reading
4,189 people want to read
About the author
John Sandford
215Ìýbooks9,334ÌýfollowersJohn Sandford was born John Roswell Camp on February 23, 1944, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He attended the public schools in Cedar Rapids, graduating from Washington High School in 1962. He then spent four years at the University of Iowa, graduating with a bachelor's degree in American Studies in 1966. In 1966, he married Susan Lee Jones of Cedar Rapids, a fellow student at the University of Iowa. He was in the U.S. Army from 1966-68, worked as a reporter for the Cape Girardeau Southeast Missourian from 1968-1970, and went back to the University of Iowa from 1970-1971, where he received a master's degree in journalism. He was a reporter for The Miami Herald from 1971-78, and then a reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer-Press from 1978-1990; in 1980, he was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize, and he won the Pulitzer in 1986 for a series of stories about a midwestern farm crisis. From 1990 to the present he has written thriller novels. He's also the author of two non-fiction books, one on plastic surgery and one on art. He is the principal financial backer of a major archeological project in the Jordan Valley of Israel, with a website at In addition to archaeology, he is deeply interested in art (painting) and photography. He both hunts and fishes. He has two children, Roswell and Emily, and one grandson, Benjamin. His wife, Susan, died of metastasized breast cancer in May, 2007, and is greatly missed.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 716 reviews
January 6, 2021
Lucas Davenport is called to deal with a new case, the murder of Alie'e Maison, one of the most famous models. She has been choked to death at a party after ingesting drugs and having sex with two other women.
Lucas arrives at the scene of the crime and his mind is starting to create a suspect list when a second body is discovered stuffed in a closet. The second body is of another woman. The murder of the young model makes no sense and Lucas's radar starts working non-stop to find the killer of these two women.
In the midst of the investigation, Lucas's romantic life is being pulled from three different angles.
Catrin is his ex-girlfriend from college who is going through a midlife crisis. She is not sure she can continue to stay in her marriage and Lucas might be a nice distraction.
Weather, his recent ex, and the woman he fell in love with. Losing her sent him into almost another depressive episode and a chance at having her back in his life, for good this time, is not something he won't consider.
Lastly, there is a new kid on the block. Jael an ex-model who is part of the current investigation. Someone who intrigues him. Who's a little dangerous herself.
As a whole, this book is not my favorite. I like the last two much more. The action, the bad guys, the resolution were more intriguing than what Easy Prey gave me. What I do love is the camaraderie between the team, the jokes, the little things I have come to appreciate from all the different characters. That's not to say I wasn't worried about a character in particular and I was going to be so upset if the author went the wrong way with it. Glad he didn't ruin it for me.
In regards to Lucas's love life, it is still a mess. He is a mess. I don't think he can be faithful. His mind is always pulling him towards disaster.
Onto the next installment...
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
| | |
Lucas arrives at the scene of the crime and his mind is starting to create a suspect list when a second body is discovered stuffed in a closet. The second body is of another woman. The murder of the young model makes no sense and Lucas's radar starts working non-stop to find the killer of these two women.
In the midst of the investigation, Lucas's romantic life is being pulled from three different angles.
Catrin is his ex-girlfriend from college who is going through a midlife crisis. She is not sure she can continue to stay in her marriage and Lucas might be a nice distraction.
Weather, his recent ex, and the woman he fell in love with. Losing her sent him into almost another depressive episode and a chance at having her back in his life, for good this time, is not something he won't consider.
Lastly, there is a new kid on the block. Jael an ex-model who is part of the current investigation. Someone who intrigues him. Who's a little dangerous herself.
As a whole, this book is not my favorite. I like the last two much more. The action, the bad guys, the resolution were more intriguing than what Easy Prey gave me. What I do love is the camaraderie between the team, the jokes, the little things I have come to appreciate from all the different characters. That's not to say I wasn't worried about a character in particular and I was going to be so upset if the author went the wrong way with it. Glad he didn't ruin it for me.
In regards to Lucas's love life, it is still a mess. He is a mess. I don't think he can be faithful. His mind is always pulling him towards disaster.
Onto the next installment...
Cliffhanger: No
3/5 Fangs
| | |
November 7, 2017
Good series! intriguing,complicated but not a compelling storyline as the others..good writing as always (paperback!)
June 29, 2018
I guess it was inevitable. After the high quality of the previous two Prey novel, a drop off had to come sometime. Luckily Sandford’s average is still higher than most. This time Davenport and his people investigate the murder of a fashion model and a bystander during a party at a socialite’s mansion. The cops get everything wrong but each time still find enough to take the next step in the right direction. Nothing great but still worth the price of admission.
August 2, 2013
Minnesota native Sharon Olson has blossomed into supermodel Alie'e Maison, and she now returns to Minneapolis for a very sexy photo shoot. Following a hard day's work, she spends a hard night partying at the home of a wealthy socialite. Alie'e shoots a little heroin, enjoys some playful sex with two other women, and then suddenly turns up choked to death. When the cops arrive, they discover yet another woman who has been killed and stuffed into a closet. Things are going to get very dicey in a big hurry, which means it's time to call out Assistant Chief Lucas Davenport, the biggest gun in the Minneapolis PD.
As Lucas and his usual team members begin the investigation, there's precious little in the way of evidence and no real suspects. Perhaps eighty people passed through the party where the women were murdered, but none of them stands out as a potential killer. It's possible that a rejected lover killed Maison; perhaps a dope deal went wrong, but there's no way for Lucas to get a handle on it.
But then another person closely tied to Alie'e is murdered, and others will follow. It's possible that one killer is responsible for all of the crimes, but Lucas also realizes that two killers may be involved, working from different motives. The pressure to solve the case is immense. Because of Maison's notoriety as a superstar model, the national press and a variety of other vultures are circling the scene, demanding immediate results. But what evidence there is leads in several directions, presenting Davenport with one of the thorniest cases he's ever had to resolve.
Davenport's personal life is almost as complicated as his professional one. He's still estranged from Weather Karkinnen who had once planned to marry him and for whom he still has strong feelings. Then, out of nowhere, a chance meeting with an old college lover further complicates matters. If that weren't enough, an attractive and interesting woman involved in the case also demonstrates an interest.
If there is a tiny complaint to be made about this book, it would revolve about Davenport's juggling all of these romantic entanglements while in the midst of a complicated investigation where the bodies are falling left and right. That aside, this is another very good entry in an excellent series. As always, Sandford manages to mix just the right amount of humor, much of it politically incorrect, into a very suspenseful tale. It's always fun to spend time in the company of Lucas and his regular crew, and there are a number of other very interesting characters as well.
It's hard to imagine any fan of the series who would not enjoy this book. Lots of other readers would like it as well, but they would be best advised to start with the first in the series, , and work their way forward to this one. They won't regret doing so.
As Lucas and his usual team members begin the investigation, there's precious little in the way of evidence and no real suspects. Perhaps eighty people passed through the party where the women were murdered, but none of them stands out as a potential killer. It's possible that a rejected lover killed Maison; perhaps a dope deal went wrong, but there's no way for Lucas to get a handle on it.
But then another person closely tied to Alie'e is murdered, and others will follow. It's possible that one killer is responsible for all of the crimes, but Lucas also realizes that two killers may be involved, working from different motives. The pressure to solve the case is immense. Because of Maison's notoriety as a superstar model, the national press and a variety of other vultures are circling the scene, demanding immediate results. But what evidence there is leads in several directions, presenting Davenport with one of the thorniest cases he's ever had to resolve.
Davenport's personal life is almost as complicated as his professional one. He's still estranged from Weather Karkinnen who had once planned to marry him and for whom he still has strong feelings. Then, out of nowhere, a chance meeting with an old college lover further complicates matters. If that weren't enough, an attractive and interesting woman involved in the case also demonstrates an interest.
If there is a tiny complaint to be made about this book, it would revolve about Davenport's juggling all of these romantic entanglements while in the midst of a complicated investigation where the bodies are falling left and right. That aside, this is another very good entry in an excellent series. As always, Sandford manages to mix just the right amount of humor, much of it politically incorrect, into a very suspenseful tale. It's always fun to spend time in the company of Lucas and his regular crew, and there are a number of other very interesting characters as well.
It's hard to imagine any fan of the series who would not enjoy this book. Lots of other readers would like it as well, but they would be best advised to start with the first in the series, , and work their way forward to this one. They won't regret doing so.
March 5, 2019
A supermodel is found strangled at a wild house party and her death is guaranteed to create a media frenzy. There are also two other factors complicating Lucas Davenport’s investigation. The first is that a another body is found in a closet at the house, and the second is that one of his cops, an undercover narcotics officer, was also at the party. Lucas will have to put a little overtime in on this one.
With a house full of drugged up fashion industry people there when the model was killed, Davenport has plenty of suspects to check out, and he has to keep the media beast fed with daily distractions and tidbits to avoid it turning its fearsome attention on the police department and consuming it whole. There are other diversions like needing to get a convicted murderer out of prison when his alleged victim shows up alive and well.
And then there are the women. Lucas has always been a bit of a man-ho, but he’s pushing his luck after he runs into an old flame with a shaky marriage as well as flirting with a beautiful ex-model. Then there’s his ex-fiancé who shows up and may be interested in reconciliation.
This is one of the more off-beat books in the Prey series. There’s a surprising amount of humor despite all the death with a running joke about Lucas refusing to turn on his cell phone and numerous funny exchanges between characters. There’s even a slightly shocking admission that occurs after an officer has been hurt when Lucas comments that he’d actually been having fun up until that point because a puzzling high profile murder with intense media and political pressure is his idea of a good time.
This is also one of the few Davenport thrillers where we don’t get much of the killer’s point of view. There are only a couple of interludes where Sandford gave us brief glimpses of what the killer was thinking, and even at the end after it’s been resolved we never get the usual shift to the villain’s outlook so they can explain themselves a bit.
It’s a fun read and enjoyable as a whodunit, but it doesn’t have the same momentum and drive that most of the Prey books did. It almost seems relaxed compared to the others. So while it’s another entertaining Davenport story, it’s far from the best of the series.
Next: Lucas chases an artistic serial killer in Chosen Prey.
With a house full of drugged up fashion industry people there when the model was killed, Davenport has plenty of suspects to check out, and he has to keep the media beast fed with daily distractions and tidbits to avoid it turning its fearsome attention on the police department and consuming it whole. There are other diversions like needing to get a convicted murderer out of prison when his alleged victim shows up alive and well.
And then there are the women. Lucas has always been a bit of a man-ho, but he’s pushing his luck after he runs into an old flame with a shaky marriage as well as flirting with a beautiful ex-model. Then there’s his ex-fiancé who shows up and may be interested in reconciliation.
This is one of the more off-beat books in the Prey series. There’s a surprising amount of humor despite all the death with a running joke about Lucas refusing to turn on his cell phone and numerous funny exchanges between characters. There’s even a slightly shocking admission that occurs after an officer has been hurt when Lucas comments that he’d actually been having fun up until that point because a puzzling high profile murder with intense media and political pressure is his idea of a good time.
This is also one of the few Davenport thrillers where we don’t get much of the killer’s point of view. There are only a couple of interludes where Sandford gave us brief glimpses of what the killer was thinking, and even at the end after it’s been resolved we never get the usual shift to the villain’s outlook so they can explain themselves a bit.
It’s a fun read and enjoyable as a whodunit, but it doesn’t have the same momentum and drive that most of the Prey books did. It almost seems relaxed compared to the others. So while it’s another entertaining Davenport story, it’s far from the best of the series.
Next: Lucas chases an artistic serial killer in Chosen Prey.
December 29, 2018
Gah. Why did Sandford even write this mess of a book?! It made zero sense plot wise, the development of characters was flushed down the toilet, and really we had pages and pages of Lucas angsting over sleeping with someone that had sex (willingly) with her own brother. I just needed a bleach bath after finishing this book.
Look, long story short, "Easy Prey" is about a model and another woman being found murdered. There are a ton of suspects. Nothing makes sense though because Sandford just wrote this book to really be about Lucas and his magical penis again. We have three, count them people, there women who are vying to be with Lucas in this one.
One, is an ex-model that Lucas is attracted to because she has scars on her face. No, I am not kidding.
Second, is his old college girlfriend who he was a massive ass to and screamed on one day. She is going through a mid-life crisis about being in a perfect marriage, with great kids, but still thinking about having sex with Lucas cause, reasons. At least Lucas called her out on her mess though, even if he was still thinking about having sex with her, to just help her out. Gah.
Third, is Weather. Most readers fell for her and thought her and Lucas were perfect together. Now we have her back and seeming to be looking to try again with Lucas after the events that drove them apart. Lucas wants to be with her, but after maybe having sex with woman #1 and #2 a few dozen times. It's gross. The book ends with one of them calling him and so we don't know who Lucas chooses.
There is zero development of anyone else in this one. I got nothing. I am still perplexed at the why behind the murders (because nothing made sense).
This book was a total turkey.
Look, long story short, "Easy Prey" is about a model and another woman being found murdered. There are a ton of suspects. Nothing makes sense though because Sandford just wrote this book to really be about Lucas and his magical penis again. We have three, count them people, there women who are vying to be with Lucas in this one.
One, is an ex-model that Lucas is attracted to because she has scars on her face. No, I am not kidding.
Second, is his old college girlfriend who he was a massive ass to and screamed on one day. She is going through a mid-life crisis about being in a perfect marriage, with great kids, but still thinking about having sex with Lucas cause, reasons. At least Lucas called her out on her mess though, even if he was still thinking about having sex with her, to just help her out. Gah.
Third, is Weather. Most readers fell for her and thought her and Lucas were perfect together. Now we have her back and seeming to be looking to try again with Lucas after the events that drove them apart. Lucas wants to be with her, but after maybe having sex with woman #1 and #2 a few dozen times. It's gross. The book ends with one of them calling him and so we don't know who Lucas chooses.
There is zero development of anyone else in this one. I got nothing. I am still perplexed at the why behind the murders (because nothing made sense).
This book was a total turkey.
August 14, 2022
My 2nd time through, and still enjoyable.
Davenport is pulled into the world of high fashion and art. A gorgeous model has been found dead in an upscale neighborhood during a party. Earlier that day, she had done a photo shoot that bordered on soft porn.
The players: her mom and dad, who pushed the small-town girl into her career and rode her coattails vicariously. Her brother, who is a charismatic preacher in the area. The partiers, where recreational drugs ran rampant. Her girlfriend and her boyfriend.
As the body count rises, Lucas is pulled several directions by his hormones, juggling affections for 3 different women.
Davenport is pulled into the world of high fashion and art. A gorgeous model has been found dead in an upscale neighborhood during a party. Earlier that day, she had done a photo shoot that bordered on soft porn.
The players: her mom and dad, who pushed the small-town girl into her career and rode her coattails vicariously. Her brother, who is a charismatic preacher in the area. The partiers, where recreational drugs ran rampant. Her girlfriend and her boyfriend.
As the body count rises, Lucas is pulled several directions by his hormones, juggling affections for 3 different women.
June 7, 2012
Alie'e (Ah-lee-ah) is a young up and coming model. The new hottest thing in the fashion industry. When she is found murdered at an after shoot party, it is sure to become a media frenzy. Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport is called in to help control the situation and hopefully wrap it up quickly. When a second body falls out of a closet Lucas knows this is not going to happen. It doesn't take long to figure out that drugs play a role in both deaths. Lots of bodies are found over the course of the investigation and they all lead in different directions.
I have read this series twice now, and Easy Prey is my least favorite so far. I know they get much better so I struggled through this one. It was not well written. It almost felt like this book was written by someone else. It was confusing and hard to follow. There were a ton of characters with odd names. You are sent in one direction, only to discover that that is not really who we are looking for, then that character is killed. Then it must be this one, oops that one is now dead too, must have been the first one. It's a big circle, and Lucas makes mistakes he usually would not have made. Then the real killer is not even introduced until the last 30 or so pages of the book!! I hated that. He was not even mentioned. Just a quick way to wrap it up. Lucas' personal life, geez, I know he's a guy but he really doesn't have to sleep with every female character that is introduced, not to mention that she's part of the case he's working. Especially when it looks like his ex-fiancee is willing to start seeing him again. The only woman he claims he every truly loved. Then an old flame from college shows up and he's thinking of sleeping with her too??? Give me a break. I read this one because it's part of the series, and that's just the way I do it. I read the whole series. But really not my favorite.
I have read this series twice now, and Easy Prey is my least favorite so far. I know they get much better so I struggled through this one. It was not well written. It almost felt like this book was written by someone else. It was confusing and hard to follow. There were a ton of characters with odd names. You are sent in one direction, only to discover that that is not really who we are looking for, then that character is killed. Then it must be this one, oops that one is now dead too, must have been the first one. It's a big circle, and Lucas makes mistakes he usually would not have made. Then the real killer is not even introduced until the last 30 or so pages of the book!! I hated that. He was not even mentioned. Just a quick way to wrap it up. Lucas' personal life, geez, I know he's a guy but he really doesn't have to sleep with every female character that is introduced, not to mention that she's part of the case he's working. Especially when it looks like his ex-fiancee is willing to start seeing him again. The only woman he claims he every truly loved. Then an old flame from college shows up and he's thinking of sleeping with her too??? Give me a break. I read this one because it's part of the series, and that's just the way I do it. I read the whole series. But really not my favorite.
August 28, 2023
Pretty typical Lucas Davenport. There were a lot of characters though, which I found a little difficult to keep up with... and half of them were Lucas' love interests. Well, I exaggerate, only about 3 or 4.
April 14, 2022
I liked the storyline quite well in this next Lucas Davenport book. A famous model, originally from Minnesota, is killed at a party, along with another of the party’s attendees. It was a good mystery with lots of surprises and deaths following the original kills in the beginning. I thought I was well on my way to giving this a solid 4 star rating. However, I can’t do that for the following two reasons.
1) When I reached the lackluster ending and the killer was revealed, I realized I had no chance at figuring it out. I hate it when an author does this to me. I would rather know who the killer is right from the beginning of the book than to reach the end and find out I was robbed of the opportunity.
2) Lucas is juggling way too many women in this book, all while sitting at the bedside of another. It just left a sleazy feeling by the time I had finished. Thankfully, I know he will settle down sooner rather than later.
So, only the 3 stars this time and on to the next.
1) When I reached the lackluster ending and the killer was revealed, I realized I had no chance at figuring it out. I hate it when an author does this to me. I would rather know who the killer is right from the beginning of the book than to reach the end and find out I was robbed of the opportunity.
2) Lucas is juggling way too many women in this book, all while sitting at the bedside of another. It just left a sleazy feeling by the time I had finished. Thankfully, I know he will settle down sooner rather than later.
So, only the 3 stars this time and on to the next.
September 15, 2018
I wasn't too keen on this book. It kind of dragged on and on. This story started with 2 murders and ended with half a dozen dead. Lucas Davenport has a keen sense for justice but this story was not interesting to me.
December 20, 2017
I love this series, and I love Davenport--- but, for me , this book just didn't measure up to the first 10- can't love them all - but still not sad that I read it-- on to book number 12 !!
February 5, 2013
As much as I like John Sanford, he can at times be predictable, racist, (who isn't)? cruel, angry, vengeful and appear to derive pleasure of torture and its description. Such is the case in the Prey story. Unless you can’t get enough of the aforementioned, the only parts worth reading or listening to is the last quarter of this novel which actually manages to be creative, exciting and less repulsive. It’s too bad the story didn't start there instead. Because the ending saves this from being a complete turkey of a story, it earns 4 of 10 stars instead of 0.
March 6, 2018
Brilliant. Love the ongoing back and forth for Lucas at this stage of the Prey series, between his bust-up with Weather, and his new interest in Jael and Catrin. Love how life just gets more and more complicated for him, never mind trying to find two killers.
The crime plot is solid as always with the typical twist after twist. This time the ending gets just a bit too crazy for me with the TV stations/hostage scenario, but I don't mind because it's Lucas, and its Sandford, and they're an incredible combo.
The crime plot is solid as always with the typical twist after twist. This time the ending gets just a bit too crazy for me with the TV stations/hostage scenario, but I don't mind because it's Lucas, and its Sandford, and they're an incredible combo.
September 25, 2017
Kind of a disappointing letdown with author John Sandford's eleventh Lucas Davenport series book, "Easy Prey". After the previous two books in this series being extremely solid thrillers this one falls short. The plot itself kept confusing me. With the large number of characters in this yarn it's was sometimes difficult trying to remember who fits in with who. Also the uniqueness of the character's names didn't make it much easier to follow. Coming in at over 380 really too long pages (Paperback), the plot needed a good weed-whacking. "Easy Prey", follows the nine days it takes for Davenport and team to solve murder of model/ upcoming actress and ingenue Alie'e Maison. Originally born 'Sharon Olsen' in rural Minnesota, Alie'e dies one night at a Hollywood type of party that featured drugs of all sorts. Davenport must try to determine if Alie'e O.D.'d herself or had help, and boom a second dead body falls out of a closet. Sometime drug dealer Sandy Lansing had been fatally bashed in the head and locked in a closet during the party. The party's host Sallance Hanson of course pleads ignorance to the huge quantity of illegal drugs floating around her home that night during the party. Alie'e's best friends who are brother and sister Jael Corbeau / Amnon Plain are both devastated. Amnon had a huge crush on Alie'e. The pair are both now in the high and mighty sights of Alie'e's over the top brother Tom Olsen. Tom is some ridiculous preacher wanna- be who uses fire and brimstone to guide his 'flock'. Along the way one of Davenport's key team members gets shot and may die. With team member rushed to hospital Davenport gets to bring ex-love Weather Karkinnen back into his life. However Lucas also bumps into an old college sweetheart at a local gas station ('Catrin'). In addition to the confusing murder plot Davenport gets into an annoying 'love' confusion syndrome. Davenport's wishy-washy love brings book down quite a bit. Davenport still has his uncomfortable relationship with Marcey to contend with. All in all, "Easy Prey", falls to three stars out of a possible five stars. I'm sure hope next book in series, ("Chosen Prey"), make a big rebound. Be forewarned, "Easy Prey", may be one to skip.
March 30, 2023
I thoroughly enjoyed this 11th book in John Sandford's "Lucas Davenport" series!
January 10, 2015
Eleventh in the Lucas Davenport thriller series and revolving around a cop who will do what he must to get the right bad guy. This is set in Minnesota.
My Take
It's plain old police work on this, but Sandford spiffs it up with all the oddities: the drugs, the relationships between all the partiers, Lucas' relationships with new and old girlfriends, and all the manipulating they had to do to keep the press off their backs. Sandford certainly pulled me in easy with this beginning, and it turned out to be an interesting contrast between what I expected and what it was. Nor did I expect that double murder right off the bat. I certainly did not expect all the red herrings! I could'a swore�
Okay, it sounds wrong to say it gets funnier, but it is funny when we find out who that grungy guy was at the party, lol. Then the mayor's reaction to Silly's threat, *more laughter*. More laughter with Lucas and Del's reaction to Lapstrake's comment on why Shaw won't fight. Spoken with all the assurance of a young puppy, lol. Then there are all the "camouflaged" bushes, lol. Oh, lordy, then there's Franklin teaching Jael the intricacies of man cooking.
Only a guy�
Crazy. Del says drugs were swimming around at the party, and yet most of the guests had no idea? How gullible do they think the cops are? Jael's thoughts about heroin are amazingly stupid. It's kind of like saying you can be a little bit pregnant, but not expecting a child at the end of nine months.
Sad bit in here about Lucas' old company, Davenport Solutions. Hard to believe that a mere five years can push you that far out of orbit. And he's back pounding the streets, tossing ideas around for a new game. Lol, I wish it were that easy. Just imagine it and voila, lol. Actually, now that I come to think of it, Lucas never did do any of the programming. He always hired it out, so what is it that Sandford has Lucas going on about?
I do like Amnon's attitude toward drugs � it was his time with Mapplethorpe that did it. Too bad he doesn't have that same approach to his sister. That one kinda squicks me out. I do appreciate his forthright honesty, though. Amnon does have his head on straight.
I can't get excited about Tom's passions, but I can appreciate his love for his sister. How sick he was about what his parents were doing. As for Tom himself, well, many people are conflicted as to whether he's a saint or crazy. I can definitely understand why the cops jump to the conclusion they do.
"Poor" Catrin. Her life is so perfect. How awful. What I don't get is why doesn't she pursue what she wants while she's married? Why does it have to be a separate thing? Does she seriously believe if she leaves her husband that she won't have to deal with her kids at Christmas or Thanksgiving? The poor thing is so conflicted, and while Lucas sounds like he is too, he's really not. He understands what she's going through.
It's curious about that cellphone quirk Sandford has put in. I've not heard of this peculiarity about Lucas before. It does make for an interesting side bit that writers might want to take peek at. Of course I do love the whole "Porsche and zipping down the freeway" thing�*eyebrow waggle & a grin*�
Geez, that ending. Nothing like putting the hook in to make me eager to pick up Chosen Prey !
The Story
It's another high-profile murder, and Lucas is needed for his expertise in handling the press…and the party girls.
The Characters
Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport of the Minneapolis PD has an unorthodox style of detecting. He's running the two-man Strategic Studies and Planning Group for the cops. He has a little girl whom he didn't see in this installment. Sister Mary Joseph, a.k.a., Elle Kruger, is an old friend of his from elementary school days. These days she's a psychology professor at St. Anne's College. Dr. Weather Karkinnen is the lady Lucas wanted to marry. Bone is a banker he met in Secret Prey , 9, with whom he became friends.
Minneapolis PD
Rose Marie Roux is the police chief. Frank Lester is handling the murder investigation while Lucas and his people come in from the side. Marcy Sherrill is with Homicide but Lucas wants her in his Studies group. Tom Black is Marcy's gay partner. Swanson, Allport, Thompson, Hanson, Sloan is the best interrogator, Franklin, Manny Lanscolm, Loring is a street cop, and Hendrix is a born-again Christian. Del Capslock is an undercover cop; Cheryl is his wife. Along with Lane (he'll be working Alie'e's genealogy), Del is part of Lucas' Studies Group. Dorothy Shaw is babysitting Rowena. Lapstrake from Intelligence is heading up the 12-man emergency response team. Lieutenant Jim Jones is from Narcotics; Jimmy Smith and Alex Hutton are also cops from dope. Randall Towson is the county attorney; Tim Long is an assistant county attorney. Dick Milton is the department's media specialist. Angela Harris is the departmental contract shrink. Harold McNeil works in Identification.
St. Paul PD
Officers Pat Stone and Nancy Winter had the watch. Dave Thompson.
FBI, Washington D.C.
Special Agent Louis Mallard can extract a lot more from a computer than Lucas can. Seems Malone is fox-trotting with a potential #5.
The Olsons and Burnt River
Alie'e Maison, a.k.a., Sharon Olson, the hot new model, is the poster girl for what can go wrong when fame hits you. Her boyfriend, Jax, is a human remora; he just likes the pretty girls. His real name is Jim Shue. Lynn and Lil Olson are her parents, pushing her into pageants, encouraging her antics, eager for the money and fame it brings. Tom is her evangelical Christian preacher brother. Ellen and Bud Benton and Mr. and Mrs. Packard are the Olsons' best friends from their hometown of Burnt River. Lester Moore is the editor of their local newspaper. Louis "the Reverend" Friar provides lawn service and is famous for having nailed Alie'e. Martin Scott drives for the Coca Cola company; his boss is Rand Waters. There's at least one person Ray McDonald will never go hunting with again. Pella is going to England and was relying on Lansing.
Amnon Plain is a photographer celebrated for his "decadent, sexually charged fashion art" whose studio is in St. Paul's Lowertown. James "Jimmy" Graf is an assistant. Sandy Smith is a friend. Clark Buchanan is the welder on the shoot. Dieter Kopp is the couture representative. Archer Daniels Midland owns the the barge. Joyce Woo is another tenant in Plain's building who has an odd game she plays with Neil. Jael Corbeau is Amnon's sister, in name only. She'd once been a model; now, she's a professional potter. Don is a friend of hers.
Sallance "Silly" Hanson is a socialite. Catherine Kinsely is an heiress. Rowena Cooper, Martha Carter, and John Dukeljin are guests.
Brown's Hotel is�
…expensive and caters to high-profile clients. Sandy Lansing is a hostess at Brown's Hotel. Arthur Lansing was Sandy's father and had no clue. Derrick Deal is the hotel assistant manager � and an old friend of Lucas'. Jean seems to be the hotel hooker while India is the receptionist. Philip is the hotel manager.
Catrin is an old, old girlfriend of Lucas' from twenty-five years ago � the one he let get away. She doesn't paint anymore, instead she does photography. She has two kids: James and Maria. Her husband, Jack, is a family practice doctor. Lanny Morton was a mutual friend back in the day; he's on his fourth wife. Bill Washington is another. Herb and Verna Clay are friends of Lucas; he's also the owner of the Lund Lucas is bringing in for the winter. Sigh, that Verna…she smells good.
Howard Bennett is a curator at the Walker Art Center. Drs. Gunderson and Hirschfeld are operating on Marcy. Marx is the executive ticked off about his parking space. Melody and Ralph are hostages. Boo McDonald is a paraplegic who monitors police scanners. The Spittle is a rock 'n roll online newsletter.
Trick Bentoin was supposed to be dead. Rashid Al-Balah will certainly be happy to know he's alive. Laziard is Al-Balah's lawyer. George Shaw is a dope dealer about to be sacrificed to the PR gods. Mary Lou Carter is his scary sister-in-law. Just ask Dick Hardesty. Carl Knox is looking at exactly what Louis Arnot is looking for. Roy is the thief. Curtis Logan is an artist; James Bee is a certified financial advisor with RIO Accounting. He's also a major asshole. Just ask his wife, Connie. Larry Outer is a vulnerable dealer. Ralph (who has the beaver problem) is Bee's lawyer. Terrance Bloom is also on the party list. Pat Kelly runs high-end poker games. Richard Rodriguez operates a lotta apartment buildings. Bill Spooner is an assistant vice president in the bank's commercial loans department; Alice is his wife. Reed is the bank president. Mrs. Ellen Feldman will be assigned to handle Rodriguez's accounts. The Miami attorney is Haynes. Kirk Smalley is with Coffey Realty. Herb Scott has a blind phone.
Ginger House is with Channel Three. Ellen Goodrich is with Channel Six. And what is with our society that a little air time makes everything all right??
The Cover and Title
The cover is the purple of night with what appears to be a red laser line of sight targeting the white-blonde-haired woman in the stone-arched window, Alie'e. It's more metaphor than true depiction as the "truth" will be stranger than this bit of "fiction", and whoever is aiming that rifle is way off.
I think the title is about Lucas, with all his, um, lady problems, he's Easy Prey, lol.
My Take
It's plain old police work on this, but Sandford spiffs it up with all the oddities: the drugs, the relationships between all the partiers, Lucas' relationships with new and old girlfriends, and all the manipulating they had to do to keep the press off their backs. Sandford certainly pulled me in easy with this beginning, and it turned out to be an interesting contrast between what I expected and what it was. Nor did I expect that double murder right off the bat. I certainly did not expect all the red herrings! I could'a swore�
Okay, it sounds wrong to say it gets funnier, but it is funny when we find out who that grungy guy was at the party, lol. Then the mayor's reaction to Silly's threat, *more laughter*. More laughter with Lucas and Del's reaction to Lapstrake's comment on why Shaw won't fight. Spoken with all the assurance of a young puppy, lol. Then there are all the "camouflaged" bushes, lol. Oh, lordy, then there's Franklin teaching Jael the intricacies of man cooking.
Only a guy�
"'He's locked in a bulletproof booth with about six hundred Cokes, a hundred pounds of corn chips and Hostess cupcakes, a thousand bucks' worth of cigarettes and a TV.'
'Sounds like a good weekend�'"
Crazy. Del says drugs were swimming around at the party, and yet most of the guests had no idea? How gullible do they think the cops are? Jael's thoughts about heroin are amazingly stupid. It's kind of like saying you can be a little bit pregnant, but not expecting a child at the end of nine months.
Sad bit in here about Lucas' old company, Davenport Solutions. Hard to believe that a mere five years can push you that far out of orbit. And he's back pounding the streets, tossing ideas around for a new game. Lol, I wish it were that easy. Just imagine it and voila, lol. Actually, now that I come to think of it, Lucas never did do any of the programming. He always hired it out, so what is it that Sandford has Lucas going on about?
I do like Amnon's attitude toward drugs � it was his time with Mapplethorpe that did it. Too bad he doesn't have that same approach to his sister. That one kinda squicks me out. I do appreciate his forthright honesty, though. Amnon does have his head on straight.
I can't get excited about Tom's passions, but I can appreciate his love for his sister. How sick he was about what his parents were doing. As for Tom himself, well, many people are conflicted as to whether he's a saint or crazy. I can definitely understand why the cops jump to the conclusion they do.
"Poor" Catrin. Her life is so perfect. How awful. What I don't get is why doesn't she pursue what she wants while she's married? Why does it have to be a separate thing? Does she seriously believe if she leaves her husband that she won't have to deal with her kids at Christmas or Thanksgiving? The poor thing is so conflicted, and while Lucas sounds like he is too, he's really not. He understands what she's going through.
It's curious about that cellphone quirk Sandford has put in. I've not heard of this peculiarity about Lucas before. It does make for an interesting side bit that writers might want to take peek at. Of course I do love the whole "Porsche and zipping down the freeway" thing�*eyebrow waggle & a grin*�
Geez, that ending. Nothing like putting the hook in to make me eager to pick up Chosen Prey !
The Story
It's another high-profile murder, and Lucas is needed for his expertise in handling the press…and the party girls.
The Characters
Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport of the Minneapolis PD has an unorthodox style of detecting. He's running the two-man Strategic Studies and Planning Group for the cops. He has a little girl whom he didn't see in this installment. Sister Mary Joseph, a.k.a., Elle Kruger, is an old friend of his from elementary school days. These days she's a psychology professor at St. Anne's College. Dr. Weather Karkinnen is the lady Lucas wanted to marry. Bone is a banker he met in Secret Prey , 9, with whom he became friends.
Minneapolis PD
Rose Marie Roux is the police chief. Frank Lester is handling the murder investigation while Lucas and his people come in from the side. Marcy Sherrill is with Homicide but Lucas wants her in his Studies group. Tom Black is Marcy's gay partner. Swanson, Allport, Thompson, Hanson, Sloan is the best interrogator, Franklin, Manny Lanscolm, Loring is a street cop, and Hendrix is a born-again Christian. Del Capslock is an undercover cop; Cheryl is his wife. Along with Lane (he'll be working Alie'e's genealogy), Del is part of Lucas' Studies Group. Dorothy Shaw is babysitting Rowena. Lapstrake from Intelligence is heading up the 12-man emergency response team. Lieutenant Jim Jones is from Narcotics; Jimmy Smith and Alex Hutton are also cops from dope. Randall Towson is the county attorney; Tim Long is an assistant county attorney. Dick Milton is the department's media specialist. Angela Harris is the departmental contract shrink. Harold McNeil works in Identification.
St. Paul PD
Officers Pat Stone and Nancy Winter had the watch. Dave Thompson.
FBI, Washington D.C.
Special Agent Louis Mallard can extract a lot more from a computer than Lucas can. Seems Malone is fox-trotting with a potential #5.
The Olsons and Burnt River
Alie'e Maison, a.k.a., Sharon Olson, the hot new model, is the poster girl for what can go wrong when fame hits you. Her boyfriend, Jax, is a human remora; he just likes the pretty girls. His real name is Jim Shue. Lynn and Lil Olson are her parents, pushing her into pageants, encouraging her antics, eager for the money and fame it brings. Tom is her evangelical Christian preacher brother. Ellen and Bud Benton and Mr. and Mrs. Packard are the Olsons' best friends from their hometown of Burnt River. Lester Moore is the editor of their local newspaper. Louis "the Reverend" Friar provides lawn service and is famous for having nailed Alie'e. Martin Scott drives for the Coca Cola company; his boss is Rand Waters. There's at least one person Ray McDonald will never go hunting with again. Pella is going to England and was relying on Lansing.
Amnon Plain is a photographer celebrated for his "decadent, sexually charged fashion art" whose studio is in St. Paul's Lowertown. James "Jimmy" Graf is an assistant. Sandy Smith is a friend. Clark Buchanan is the welder on the shoot. Dieter Kopp is the couture representative. Archer Daniels Midland owns the the barge. Joyce Woo is another tenant in Plain's building who has an odd game she plays with Neil. Jael Corbeau is Amnon's sister, in name only. She'd once been a model; now, she's a professional potter. Don is a friend of hers.
Sallance "Silly" Hanson is a socialite. Catherine Kinsely is an heiress. Rowena Cooper, Martha Carter, and John Dukeljin are guests.
Brown's Hotel is�
…expensive and caters to high-profile clients. Sandy Lansing is a hostess at Brown's Hotel. Arthur Lansing was Sandy's father and had no clue. Derrick Deal is the hotel assistant manager � and an old friend of Lucas'. Jean seems to be the hotel hooker while India is the receptionist. Philip is the hotel manager.
Catrin is an old, old girlfriend of Lucas' from twenty-five years ago � the one he let get away. She doesn't paint anymore, instead she does photography. She has two kids: James and Maria. Her husband, Jack, is a family practice doctor. Lanny Morton was a mutual friend back in the day; he's on his fourth wife. Bill Washington is another. Herb and Verna Clay are friends of Lucas; he's also the owner of the Lund Lucas is bringing in for the winter. Sigh, that Verna…she smells good.
Howard Bennett is a curator at the Walker Art Center. Drs. Gunderson and Hirschfeld are operating on Marcy. Marx is the executive ticked off about his parking space. Melody and Ralph are hostages. Boo McDonald is a paraplegic who monitors police scanners. The Spittle is a rock 'n roll online newsletter.
Trick Bentoin was supposed to be dead. Rashid Al-Balah will certainly be happy to know he's alive. Laziard is Al-Balah's lawyer. George Shaw is a dope dealer about to be sacrificed to the PR gods. Mary Lou Carter is his scary sister-in-law. Just ask Dick Hardesty. Carl Knox is looking at exactly what Louis Arnot is looking for. Roy is the thief. Curtis Logan is an artist; James Bee is a certified financial advisor with RIO Accounting. He's also a major asshole. Just ask his wife, Connie. Larry Outer is a vulnerable dealer. Ralph (who has the beaver problem) is Bee's lawyer. Terrance Bloom is also on the party list. Pat Kelly runs high-end poker games. Richard Rodriguez operates a lotta apartment buildings. Bill Spooner is an assistant vice president in the bank's commercial loans department; Alice is his wife. Reed is the bank president. Mrs. Ellen Feldman will be assigned to handle Rodriguez's accounts. The Miami attorney is Haynes. Kirk Smalley is with Coffey Realty. Herb Scott has a blind phone.
Ginger House is with Channel Three. Ellen Goodrich is with Channel Six. And what is with our society that a little air time makes everything all right??
The Cover and Title
The cover is the purple of night with what appears to be a red laser line of sight targeting the white-blonde-haired woman in the stone-arched window, Alie'e. It's more metaphor than true depiction as the "truth" will be stranger than this bit of "fiction", and whoever is aiming that rifle is way off.
I think the title is about Lucas, with all his, um, lady problems, he's Easy Prey, lol.
August 7, 2022
4 Stars. As usual, I really enjoyed another episode in the life of Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport - his strange and complicated cases, his difficulties with women, his pushing the envelope of the law, and the urgency which develops as the novel reaches for a successful conclusion. Readers can count on John Sandford. Yet I had to take off a star because of left-field, as in, an unexpected aspect coming from that direction. Get ready for the fast life of top-level modelling. The drugs especially. We meet a young woman from northern Minnesota just south of Canada, lovely with green eyes, and charisma. In her late teens, Sharon Olsen became Alie'e Maison, the international sensation. That's "Alley - eh" for those of us unwashed with a preference for "Sharon." When not pocketing $3,000 an hour publicizing the latest fashions, she's all attitude, drugs and sex. One morning after a wild house party, she's found strangled next to Sandy Lansing, her drug contact and possible bedroom partner, also dead. Suspects in the hundreds, including Alie'e's brother Tom, now a roving preacher for the religious-right. There's also a plus - did I mention Lucas's difficulties with women? (July 2022)
January 23, 2022
Oh boy, this was disappointing, it started so great until the plot moved and enters into its lacklustre third act. I wanted to like it so bad, but come on, I felt like I got cheated here, was really expecting that there was much more sinister going on with Alie'es murder and the rest of certain characters that were killed off-page (offscreen) but turns out, it was really just that, a dope business gone wrong or something and some creep nutcase who was heavily obsessed on the model Alie'e ---- goes on a revenge spree for those people who are involved on her murder.
In general, this novel failed to deliver a sense of dread and tension, and for a crime thriller, it barely was a thriller at all.
In general, this novel failed to deliver a sense of dread and tension, and for a crime thriller, it barely was a thriller at all.
September 2, 2012
An inexcusably lazy effort from Sandford. Here's perhaps a spoiler, the story's plot and character development get flushed down a toilet at the end.
It's a very mediocre book, I'm sorry I read it. While some authors grow in one's appreciation for their work over time, my experience with Sandford has been the opposite and I'll probably not read another of his works. I guess he gets well paid for putting enough words down to fill 400 pages or so, he doesn't seem to put much effort or creativity into the stories anymore. Each seems too much like the others.
It's a very mediocre book, I'm sorry I read it. While some authors grow in one's appreciation for their work over time, my experience with Sandford has been the opposite and I'll probably not read another of his works. I guess he gets well paid for putting enough words down to fill 400 pages or so, he doesn't seem to put much effort or creativity into the stories anymore. Each seems too much like the others.
August 25, 2018
Great mystery & depiction of the media dealing with the death of a celebrity. In the midst of this complicated case, Lucas is juggling his love life which was a lot of fun. A lot of action, great characters, & more as usual, especially if read in order. Totally enjoyable.
On to the next!
On to the next!
June 28, 2018
Not bad. Good narration pronouncing Porche and either correctly. Sandford comes up with another dissimilar plot with a hidden mystery.
July 15, 2015
REVIEW OF AUDIOBOOK; JULY 13, 2015
Narrator: Richard Ferrone
This was a mess and not even an exciting mess. It felt as if Sandford threw in a bunch of weirdos with Old Testament names, added lots of red herrings, his now-annoying love life, his entire police department and regurgitated the lot.
I couldn't follow it even though it's just a simple whodunit. Listening to this was like trying to see where the buckshot went - EVERYWHERE! And the choice of killer was so lame as to be laughable. C'mon, after 12 and a half hours and that's who the villain is? Jeez.
And Davenport needs to grow up where his love life is concerned. I like him as a carefree bachelor but once he falls in love and is planning a wedding (even if that got derailed), I do NOT expect him to be still panting over other women or jiggling his testicles over who he should fuck tonight. I mean, Weather-the-only-woman-he's-ever-loved is back in his life nbut Davenport is still sleeping with Jael! And Sandford ends the book with Davenport answering the phone and we aren't told which of the three women Davenport is currently seeing, is the one calling. Oh, he says he's not sleeping with Catrin, but it's Davenport! Give him a few pages and he'll be in her pants.
I hope the rest of the series will have less focus on Davenport's love life, or rather, his internal hand-wringing over which woman to have for that night. I'd rather Sandford let him have ALL the women but focus on the case, please.
Narrator: Richard Ferrone
This was a mess and not even an exciting mess. It felt as if Sandford threw in a bunch of weirdos with Old Testament names, added lots of red herrings, his now-annoying love life, his entire police department and regurgitated the lot.
I couldn't follow it even though it's just a simple whodunit. Listening to this was like trying to see where the buckshot went - EVERYWHERE! And the choice of killer was so lame as to be laughable. C'mon, after 12 and a half hours and that's who the villain is? Jeez.
And Davenport needs to grow up where his love life is concerned. I like him as a carefree bachelor but once he falls in love and is planning a wedding (even if that got derailed), I do NOT expect him to be still panting over other women or jiggling his testicles over who he should fuck tonight. I mean, Weather-the-only-woman-he's-ever-loved is back in his life nbut Davenport is still sleeping with Jael! And Sandford ends the book with Davenport answering the phone and we aren't told which of the three women Davenport is currently seeing, is the one calling. Oh, he says he's not sleeping with Catrin, but it's Davenport! Give him a few pages and he'll be in her pants.
I hope the rest of the series will have less focus on Davenport's love life, or rather, his internal hand-wringing over which woman to have for that night. I'd rather Sandford let him have ALL the women but focus on the case, please.
August 6, 2021
Not a bad read, but I found there were too many characters to keep track of - maybe it's just me. Other than that, a fairly solid read, kind of knew who the bad guy(s) was/were.
4 stars and a thumbs up!
4 stars and a thumbs up!
April 13, 2022
Sanford is an excellent writer who develops a mystery that surprises at the end. Although I enjoyed this one, I believe several of his other are a little better, although I can recommend this one.
February 9, 2019
Easy Prey finds Lucas Davenport on the trail of a killer who murdered a fashion model at a party and stuffed another victim in a closet. The model has some funky family connections that include a holy roller brother whose sermons involve the mysticism of stigmata. Our Porsche driving detective has his work cut out for him as he heads up the investigation while managing the political fallout of such a high profile victim. But...before you know it, suspects and associates are being killed too.
That synopsis covers the first couple hundred pages of the book which was actually compelling and exciting. This entry also focuses on three love interests for Davenport and his inability to turn on a cell phone. These parts of the book water down the interesting ingredients and make Easy Prey a mess. At one point, Sanford uses bullet points to recap the Davenport's findings and there are still a few more twists and turns after that. Bullet points? Cmon bruh! The resolution did not warrant this. Many of the previous Prey novels have a formula that bounces back between Davenport and the killer. This was missed in Easy Prey as extra bells and whistles could have been stripped and edited in order to leave a more satisfying story.
The romance sauce was laid on a little too heavy in this one as well. "He had wicked designs on three women, was worried sick about how he could possibly juggle them ... and he couldn't get a date." Pshaw. This is sooo uninteresting. It would be better served if his hangups with women were actually hangups like he were a sex addict or if these encounters had more of an effect on his life. I'd even take a chapter about how Davenport is trying to get rid of crabs. Something!
Easy Prey would have been a better short story than a book. Too many shenanigans with unnecessary plot twists and sexual encounters leave this one about 250 pages too long. Look, we know it's coming. Get back with Weather already and let's hunt the next serial killer.
That synopsis covers the first couple hundred pages of the book which was actually compelling and exciting. This entry also focuses on three love interests for Davenport and his inability to turn on a cell phone. These parts of the book water down the interesting ingredients and make Easy Prey a mess. At one point, Sanford uses bullet points to recap the Davenport's findings and there are still a few more twists and turns after that. Bullet points? Cmon bruh! The resolution did not warrant this. Many of the previous Prey novels have a formula that bounces back between Davenport and the killer. This was missed in Easy Prey as extra bells and whistles could have been stripped and edited in order to leave a more satisfying story.
The romance sauce was laid on a little too heavy in this one as well. "He had wicked designs on three women, was worried sick about how he could possibly juggle them ... and he couldn't get a date." Pshaw. This is sooo uninteresting. It would be better served if his hangups with women were actually hangups like he were a sex addict or if these encounters had more of an effect on his life. I'd even take a chapter about how Davenport is trying to get rid of crabs. Something!
Easy Prey would have been a better short story than a book. Too many shenanigans with unnecessary plot twists and sexual encounters leave this one about 250 pages too long. Look, we know it's coming. Get back with Weather already and let's hunt the next serial killer.
March 10, 2025
Partially read / partially a DNF lol 😂
I’d started the Prey series wayyyy back when and loved the kick ass main character, how he bent the rules to help himself catch bad guys and of course the awesome villains and psychosâ€�.i had read this I realised yet also realised that early Sandford was much better and as the series progressed it kind of lost it’s grit and edginess unfortunately 🫠ðŸ˜
I’d started the Prey series wayyyy back when and loved the kick ass main character, how he bent the rules to help himself catch bad guys and of course the awesome villains and psychosâ€�.i had read this I realised yet also realised that early Sandford was much better and as the series progressed it kind of lost it’s grit and edginess unfortunately 🫠ðŸ˜
September 1, 2018
I always love dialogue-but the author went a little overboard...I got board, had to put the book down for awhile....I usually cannot stop reading! Huh? Of course the plot was GREAT, action packed, and the “chief� of detectives always has a few woman to juggle.
February 2, 2019
4.3 Stars. Another very good, well written "Prey" novel. I love these books & I haven't really read them in order like i probably should, but i dont think its hampered my enjoyment, you can just pick one at random and know its gonna be a fun read.
May 5, 2013
TEN STARS!!!!
Picture this: Dragnet starring Sean Connery with Bob Hope's writers punching up the dialogue. The last 100 pages have made John Sandford my number one mystery genre recommendation.
"You ever tried phone sex?" She asked.
"Tried once, but it doesn't work. I feel like a silly jerkoff."
"That's sort of inevitable," she said.
"On the other hand, I'm good at giving it. I wouldn't want to use the word brilliant, but then, I'm a modest kind of guy."
"Really? That's interesting," she said. "I mean, how would you start it?"
"Are you still in bed?"
"Yeah."
"What are you wearing?" He asked.
"A flannel nightshirt and underpants and socks," she said.
"Socks? Jesus. That makes it a little harder," Lucas said.
"Come on, Davenport."
"All right. You know that fake Indian dream catcher you've got hanging over your sink?"
"Yeah....?"
"Go get it," he said.
"Go get it? What for?"
"Listen, are you going to do this, or not?"
"Well....I just wanted to know....."
"You're gonna need that hawk feather," he said.
After a moment, she said, "Hang on."
"Wait a minute! You still there?"
She came back. "Yes?"
"Didn't I see one of those Lady Remington leg shavers in the bathroom?"
"Yes?"
"Bring that, too" Lucas said.
"I'll tell you right now, I'm not shaving anything," she said.
"You don't use those things to shave," Lucas said. "You use them to shave? You naive little waif, you."
"I'll be right back," she said.
In essence, that is the scene representing the pure delight I felt in reading this novel.
There are murders, guns, drugs, fast-car chases, favorite characters near death, greedy criminals and reporters and models and artists and religious fanatics, slippery businessmen, red herring clues, twisty plot contrivances, police procedures rampantly broken and used as convenient - and some of the funniest jokes, dialogue setups, scene situations, gags and noir romancing not only in this series, but in ANY mystery series I've read! Plus, Sandford gives Lucas an agonizing choice of three beautiful women who want a hookup with our charming Detective! Worse, Sandford ends the book with the choice being made without revealing which one! The reader MUST go on to 'Chosen Prey' to find out which woman Davenport wants! Chosen prey indeed. Aw, jeez....
Sandford REALLY had fun writing this one. I can't believe it's a middle-of-the-series book! It's absolutely the best one of the series so far.
Picture this: Dragnet starring Sean Connery with Bob Hope's writers punching up the dialogue. The last 100 pages have made John Sandford my number one mystery genre recommendation.
"You ever tried phone sex?" She asked.
"Tried once, but it doesn't work. I feel like a silly jerkoff."
"That's sort of inevitable," she said.
"On the other hand, I'm good at giving it. I wouldn't want to use the word brilliant, but then, I'm a modest kind of guy."
"Really? That's interesting," she said. "I mean, how would you start it?"
"Are you still in bed?"
"Yeah."
"What are you wearing?" He asked.
"A flannel nightshirt and underpants and socks," she said.
"Socks? Jesus. That makes it a little harder," Lucas said.
"Come on, Davenport."
"All right. You know that fake Indian dream catcher you've got hanging over your sink?"
"Yeah....?"
"Go get it," he said.
"Go get it? What for?"
"Listen, are you going to do this, or not?"
"Well....I just wanted to know....."
"You're gonna need that hawk feather," he said.
After a moment, she said, "Hang on."
"Wait a minute! You still there?"
She came back. "Yes?"
"Didn't I see one of those Lady Remington leg shavers in the bathroom?"
"Yes?"
"Bring that, too" Lucas said.
"I'll tell you right now, I'm not shaving anything," she said.
"You don't use those things to shave," Lucas said. "You use them to shave? You naive little waif, you."
"I'll be right back," she said.
In essence, that is the scene representing the pure delight I felt in reading this novel.
There are murders, guns, drugs, fast-car chases, favorite characters near death, greedy criminals and reporters and models and artists and religious fanatics, slippery businessmen, red herring clues, twisty plot contrivances, police procedures rampantly broken and used as convenient - and some of the funniest jokes, dialogue setups, scene situations, gags and noir romancing not only in this series, but in ANY mystery series I've read! Plus, Sandford gives Lucas an agonizing choice of three beautiful women who want a hookup with our charming Detective! Worse, Sandford ends the book with the choice being made without revealing which one! The reader MUST go on to 'Chosen Prey' to find out which woman Davenport wants! Chosen prey indeed. Aw, jeez....
Sandford REALLY had fun writing this one. I can't believe it's a middle-of-the-series book! It's absolutely the best one of the series so far.
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