Lucas Davenport investigates a vitriolic blog that seems to be targeting the children of U.S. politicians in the latest thriller by #1 New York Times-bestselling author John Sandford.The daughter of a U.S. Senator is monitoring her social media presence when she finds a picture of herself on a strange blog. And there are other pictures . . . of the children of other influential Washington … influential Washington politicians, walking or standing outside their schools, each identified by name. Surrounding the photos are texts of vicious political rants from a motley variety of radical groups.
It’s obviously alarming–is there an unstable extremist tracking the loved ones of powerful politicians with deadly intent? But when the FBI is called in, there isn’t much the feds can do. The anonymous photographer can’t be pinned down to one location or IP address, and more importantly, at least to the paper-processing bureaucrats, no crime has actually been committed. With nowhere else to turn, influential Senators decide to call in someone who can operate outside the FBI’s constraints: Lucas Davenport.
more
416 pages
3 stars
I didn’t find this book as interesting or engaging as Mr. Sanford’s previous Davenport books. I don’t care much for books about the neo-Nazi movement. Too much b…uh, complaining from that group. Too much hate and disregard for the rest of the citizenry. So, I couldn’t really get into this novel.
It was very well written and plotted, as are all of this author’s efforts. It really wasn’t the writing, it was the subject matter. I hope Mr. Sanford hops back on the train with the next book. I very much am looking forward to it. I really like Lucas and his wife and the rest of his family. I am very glad that he is making a good recovery from being shot.
I want to thank NetGalley and PENGUIN GROUP Putnam/G.P. Putnam’s Sons for forwarding to me a copy of this book for me to read and review.
This book started out as a solid three stars and looked like it might even drop to two. Not good for one of my favorite go-to authors. Sanford took longer than normal to set up his conflict, (the 4 C’s of the story arc, conflict, complication, crisis conclusion). Part of the reason was the complexity of the plot. This is one of his most complex plot lines, the motivation for the, “Why,” which as it turns out was truly brilliant. The bad guy had a motivation (in his own deviant mind) for what he was about to do. The “why,” he came to it was a unique stroke of brilliance by Sanford. Part of it, I’m sure is my law enforcement background. I would have no idea how to go after this bad guy, how to ferret him out. What a wonderful premise. And since the book is in third person with multiple points of view, the reader can see all the wrong turns and how Davenport the main character, keeps going down the wrong rabbit hole trying to solve it. And then…and then (a little bit of a spoiler here), we find out the motivation for the whole story gets flipped on its head. This book had a slow start but then shifted into the standard Sanford fare with a great story concept thrown in. The book continued to get more and more intense as it went along just like it’s supposed to. This book ended with a solid five stars. I highly recommend this one.
David Putnam author of the Bruno Johnson series.
I still remember the very first Prey novel I read. Can it really have been 30 books ago? My, how the time does fly, and so many things have changed. Of course, some things remain the same. Lucas is still one of my favorite detectives with his love of the hunt and determination. He has mellowed a bit over the years, or I thought he had, but Masked Prey gives a new look at the Lucas Davenport who doesn’t always follow the rules and who’s willing to sometimes do the wrong thing for the right reasons. I won’t go into all the details so I don’t spoil anything, but I really enjoyed seeing the darker side of Davenport again, and it was interesting to see the contrast between that guy and the family man he’s become. And no, that doesn’t mean I would be okay with some things in reality, but this is fiction, so I could just enjoy the ride. We do get some page time with Bob and Rae, which is perfect for some witty banter as the investigation moved along. To sum it up, this newest Prey novel is everything I expect from Sandford, and I’ll be looking forward to whatever’s next for Lucas and company. I’ve been recommending this series since the beginning, and this 30th book is just one more reason to continue with that recommendation.
Excellent read as always from John Sanford!
I’ll admit that it took me a good 100 pages to get into this book, in fact, I thought it might be my first “Prey” DNF. As always, the opening chapter hooked me, but then things slowed down or maybe there were too many threads that didn’t seem to sew together, Davenport seems plopped in for no good reason, and I found myself losing interest. Enter Bob and Rae and it’s as if Davenport comes alive. The rest of the book is typical Sandford, fast paced and fun to read, with enough twists and turns to keep you guessing, though at times the signature snappy banter seemed a bit forced. Not my favorite Prey novel, but still an enjoyable escape into the world of Lucas Davenport.
Prey series fans will enjoy this one too. I order Sandford’s books as soon as they come out and this one doesn’t disappoint. This long-running series is a staple on many bookshelves…
Same characters, same formula, but hey, it works! Another fun ride. **SPOILER*** I have to say, Lucas, in the older books, cautioned a friend against talking about killing someone, because looking at a life sentence, someone, even a friend, might tell on you to get a deal. Lucas kind of goes away from this philosophy in this one and I thought it was out of character. Didn’t ruin the book, but took me out of it.
I just love Lucas Davenport.
Always a thriller Lucas Davenport an interesting chsracter
It ‘pained’ me to give one of my most favorite writers a 3* review. However, this was not the usually “grab and not let go” type of story that I’m used to from Mr. Sandford. The subject matter was not something that I’m fond of and really didn’t need to read about at this time of unrest in our country. Davenport and crew still bring a smile to my face when they are working together. Davenport still has his edge even after being shot and recovering, but this just didn’t seem my cup of tea this time. The writing, indeed, was up to par with Sandford’s style and was what kept me hoping the book would get better.
That being said, it will not keep me from picking up the next Prey book when it comes out. I’m about 3/4 way through Sandford’s “Bloody Genius” with Virgil Flowers. who has his own problems with a murdered professor on his hands.
Thanks, Mr. Sandford for continuing these two series.
The best parts of John Sandford’s novels usually involve the relationships between the law enforcement officials. But this book has exceptional sequences from a killer’s point of view, taking you on his journey and giving you insight into his planning with incredible detail. The plotting is, as always, complex and outstanding.
I love all the prey books! The characters John Sanford created make me laugh and cry!
Superior author
Can’t beat this author for interesting stories
Always like a good Lucas Davenport book. I like the characters and the plot of this book. Looking forward to reading the next installment.
Loved it
Great read!
Sanford is back again and in top form.
Seems to have been written maybe 5 to 7 years ago and recently updated.
Great book, great character, great series, great writer. What else is there to say? Sanford gets ALL the stars and Lucas Davenport is his greatest creation.