Product DescriptionLucas Davenport has had disturbing cases before but never one quite like this, in the shocking new Prey novel from the #1 New York Timesbestselling author.
John Sandfords most recent Davenport novel, Invisible Prey, was hailed as one of his best books in recent memory (The Washington Post); as fresh and entertaining as ever (Chicago Sun-Times); and rivetingly readable (Richmond Times-Dispatch). But this time, hes got something quite special in store.
A widow comes home to her large house in a wealthy, exclusive suburb to find blood everywhere, no bodyand her collegeaged daughter missing. Shes always known that her daughter ran with a bad bunch. What did she call themGoths? Freaks is more like it, running around with all that makeup and black clothing, listening to that awful music, so attracted to death. And now this.
But the police cant find the girl, alive or dead, and when a second Goth is found slashed to death in Minneapolis, the widow truly panics. Theres someone she knows, a surgeon named Weather Davenport, whose husband is a big deal with the police, and she implores Weather to get him directly involved. Lucas begins to investigate only reluctantlybut then when a third Goth is slashed in what is now looking like a Jackthe- Ripper series of killings, he starts working it hard. The clues dont seem to add up, though. And then theres the young Goth who keeps appearing and disappearing: Who is she? Where does she come from and, more important, where does she vanish to? And why does Lucas keep getting the sneaking suspicion that there is something else going on here . . . something very, very bad indeed?
Filled with his brilliant trademark suspense and some of the most interesting characters in thriller fiction, Phantom Prey is further proof that Sandford is in a class of his own (The Orlando Sentinel).
Masterful jewel (Rating: 5 out of 5) Sandford has his hero, Lucas Davenport, currently of the MN Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, musing early that life is just chaotic, happenings that save, or take, lives. Weather, his wife and a medical doctor, believes in cause-and-effect. After a bloodily murderous story, Davenport convincingly restates his position, but in fact Sandford, the author, belies it by crafting a scintillating book that blinds one to the incredibly finely ordered plot lines.
This is a jewel of a book. It contains so artfully crafted a plot and set of characters you only see all the facets after the last chapter, looking back in awe at the smooth and so deceptive flow of words. There are Goths, domestics, big and little drug dealers, snitches, farmers, little old ladies, b---hy ladies, stage and sex actors, ghosts, webmasters, sheriffs, cops, SWAT, athletes...all converging to a bang-up conclusion. At least three, or four, or maybe six different cases are actually going on, of which we see only flashes for many chapters, look-ins on little scenes--until the lights start going on in your head as the intersecting, overlapping crimes and odd happenings begin to sort themselves out. This has got to be the way police really work, numerous cases in varied states of development involving shifting sets of officers. Lucas is in the dark more than the reader, after Sandford reveals the seemingly central killers while yet only half way into his story. So we know, but Davenport doesn't--little good though it does us in recognizing all the other facets of fire and danger that await.
I don't know how Sandford can produce this now-long series, but he just never flags, constantly inventing (discovering?) new ways of criminality and fractured personalities. I enjoyed reading this one so much more than the pathological last one; here the perps are solely sociopaths. It was also fun to see him keep so many threads going inside one novel.
Don't start with this book (Rating: 3 out of 5) If you are just starting to read the Davenport series please don't start with this book or you will probably be turned away. This is not his best work by far, but still fun if you are already a fan. If this would have been my first Sandford novel I don't think I would have read any more, that being said this is about my 18th, so I do enjoy his work. Just do yourself a favor and don't let this be your first foray into the Davenport series.
Phantom Prey (Rating: 2 out of 5) Not up to John Sandford's usual excellent writing. This is the only one of the Lucas Davenport books that I could have skipped. Very disappointing.
Lucas is still hot as every. (Rating: 5 out of 5) John Sandford is still holding his space as best selling author and it shows in his work. Phantom Prey is another Lucas Davenport crime novel. Lucas as always is strong, tough and confused by the madness of the killer or killers. This one takes you through a maze of characters who are or are not what they seem. It is as always a page turner and yes, you will be shocked. Kudo's John Sandford you have fed your readers hunger with this one. Tapping my fingers for the next one.
AngelLesa
Publisher of The Odd Mind magazine
Radio host of The Odd Mind show
Another hit for Sandford (Rating: 5 out of 5) Same old, same old: Great descriptive writing, great characterizations, great story and plot development, great dialogue. I try to read slowly because I don't want to reach the end and have to put the book down, but (once again) was unable to do so. I thought the plot device of having one of the "baddies" a "phantom" was brilliant - and fun. Throughout the book I was kept guessing as to how Sandford was going to have the phantom be the shooter (of Davenport). The resolution was just a bit "Deus ex Machina",but satisfying nonetheless. I hope Sandford stays with us a long time and continues the Davenport saga.