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cholderly's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
kathydavie's review against another edition
5.0
Sixth in the Lucas Davenport thriller series set in Minneapolis and revolving around the reinstated Detective Davenport. It’s been two years since Lucas was forced to quit.
My Take
Gotta give Sandford credit for this twist: a detective who’s fired, goes off to build his successful gaming company, and comes back to work. Most people would think (including me) that Davenport would be happy enough creating his games and being a millionaire, but Sandford provides a credible reason --- and one that I suspect would apply to most of us --- for Lucas coming back to work as a cop.
Another nice switch is the cooperation that exists in this between law enforcement. These guys actually seem to like each other, and they help each other out. Okay, not the FBI guys. They’re their own mess.
Well, sounds like you can’t be too paranoid about your keys. For Sara Jensen, the nightmare began when one of the movers took an impression of her key and passed it on to a cat burglar. The nightmare continued for her when the stalking cat burglar saw her collect her spare key from a magnetic case under her car bumper. Don’t use the usual. Don’t combine keys. Heck, go with the combination locks instead! This story will also make a girl paranoid about closing those drapes, or never walking around naked?
Koop is another example of why parents need to be licensed. It’s rather depressing how much the cops have to pay heed to the media. How much easier would a cop’s life be if they could simply concentrate on solving the crime and not have to pander to television and newspapers?
Lucas is a complex guy in some respects. Sandford keeps me quietly unsettled with Lucas’ indecision about settling down. We went through this thought process with Jennifer, and now it’s about Weather. Lucas wants to settle down, but worries that he’ll miss the variety, the chase. Yet each time he’s confronted with the possibility, Weather rears up and entices him right back. He wants her, and only her. And I love that Lucas wants to know more about how Weather’s job works.
Oh man, I do love how Sandford keeps it down home with Beneteau’s reaction to Ellie Mae being in the wrong bed.
Sandford does make his psychopaths real, and I will never understand them.
Jesus, that ending. In some ways, it’s a great out with very short-term suffering. It does make me feel grateful for dedicated cops. They hustled in this story. They tracked down every possibility, working it 24/7.
The Story
It’s a race against time for Meagan Connell. She’s the one who put it together. That there’s a serial killer on the loose, and she wants to solve it before she dies.
The Characters
Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport is a political appointee --- he’s just too useful in front of the media, and he has a sixth sense in solving crime. Dr. Weather Harkinnen, a surgeon, is now living with Lucas. Sister Mary Joseph, a friend from his childhood, is a psychologist who also works trial runs of Lucas’ games.
Minneapolis PD
Sloan is with Intelligence. Del Capslock is one of Lucas’ best friends and an undercover operative. Rose Marie Roux is the police chief who took Daniel’s place. She’s more interested in gaining a U.S. senate seat and every case revolves around making her look good. She does look good: a problem solver, a prosecutor, and a liberal state senator with a good rep on race relations. Kupicek; Frank Lester is head of Criminal Investigation Division; Swanson is his deputy; Curt Myer is the new head of Intelligence; Anderson is the department’s computer specialist (he keeps the daily book); Bob Greave is a klutzy misfit who used to be Officer Friendly — the wife didn’t approve; Carrigan is notorious for his “small, fine feet”; Lonnie Shantz is Roux’s press aide; O’Brien; Harvey is running the surveillance van; and, Detective Kershaw is one of the guys who arrests Koop.
St. Paul PD
Sergeant Annalise Jones doesn’t realize how important a knowledgeable deaf interpreter is. Carl Erdrich is a patrolman.
Tom Davis — I think he’s a prison guard — knows D. Wayne Price, a convict, has some information.
Meagan Connell is state, BCA with membership in the state American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) — a big supporter of got a chip on her shoulder that Paul Bunyan would have trouble carrying.
D.T. Helstrom (from Eyes of Prey, 3) is a sheriff’s deputy. Lincoln County Sheriff Sheldon Carr (from Winter Prey, 5) makes a brief appearance and recommendation for Lucas to George Beneteau in Carren County. Ellie Rae runs the diner in Beneteau’s town.
Joan Smits caught Meagan’s attention. Jim Flory is in the wrong place; Jasper is a janitor at their building. Paul Warren is deaf and frustrated with the incompetent translator. Sara Jensen runs her own mutual fund and works at Raider-Garrote, a stock brokerage. Evan Hart is an attorney in the bond department. Harriet Wannemaker, Marcy Lane, and Eloise Miller are victims. Charmagne Carter is a locked-door mystery. Emily Carter is her daughter. Bob Wood was a neighbor and friend. Dex is a witness. Lawrence Wright is a guy Dex ain’t supposed to be hanging near. John Posey is another victim of the moving guy.
Jan Reed is a reporter with TV3 to whom Lucas is attracted. Ned owns the Startled Crane bookshop and is friends with Lucas. Too bad Connell can’t get into the schmooze. Earl Stupella is a bartender, Carl’s brother. Mae Heinz has some information.
Koop is a cat burglar-killer who likes to prey on shy, dispirited women. Junky Doog is a knife man. John Carlson is a drug dealer. Randy Leski is a mean little guy. Specializes in scam repairs. The Joyce brothers, John and George, are slum landlords. Ray Cherry works for them. Just Plain Schulz is a fence.
The Seeds
The Bad Seeds is more like it; a motorcycle gang interested in drugs, prostitutes, and weapons. Very bad boys. Brothers Joe and Bob Hillerod belong to them. Aaron Capella is their lawyer.
The Cover
The cover is a faintly distressed white background with a blocky font for the author’s name and title. It’s that swaying key just above the mold of a key with the red fingerprint that ties the cover into the storyline.
I’m not sure what inspired the title. The bad guy does seem to operate at night a lot, so perhaps Night Prey makes sense.
My Take
Gotta give Sandford credit for this twist: a detective who’s fired, goes off to build his successful gaming company, and comes back to work. Most people would think (including me) that Davenport would be happy enough creating his games and being a millionaire, but Sandford provides a credible reason --- and one that I suspect would apply to most of us --- for Lucas coming back to work as a cop.
Another nice switch is the cooperation that exists in this between law enforcement. These guys actually seem to like each other, and they help each other out. Okay, not the FBI guys. They’re their own mess.
Well, sounds like you can’t be too paranoid about your keys. For Sara Jensen, the nightmare began when one of the movers took an impression of her key and passed it on to a cat burglar. The nightmare continued for her when the stalking cat burglar saw her collect her spare key from a magnetic case under her car bumper. Don’t use the usual. Don’t combine keys. Heck, go with the combination locks instead! This story will also make a girl paranoid about closing those drapes, or never walking around naked?
Koop is another example of why parents need to be licensed. It’s rather depressing how much the cops have to pay heed to the media. How much easier would a cop’s life be if they could simply concentrate on solving the crime and not have to pander to television and newspapers?
Lucas is a complex guy in some respects. Sandford keeps me quietly unsettled with Lucas’ indecision about settling down. We went through this thought process with Jennifer, and now it’s about Weather. Lucas wants to settle down, but worries that he’ll miss the variety, the chase. Yet each time he’s confronted with the possibility, Weather rears up and entices him right back. He wants her, and only her. And I love that Lucas wants to know more about how Weather’s job works.
Oh man, I do love how Sandford keeps it down home with Beneteau’s reaction to Ellie Mae being in the wrong bed.
Sandford does make his psychopaths real, and I will never understand them.
Jesus, that ending. In some ways, it’s a great out with very short-term suffering. It does make me feel grateful for dedicated cops. They hustled in this story. They tracked down every possibility, working it 24/7.
The Story
It’s a race against time for Meagan Connell. She’s the one who put it together. That there’s a serial killer on the loose, and she wants to solve it before she dies.
The Characters
Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport is a political appointee --- he’s just too useful in front of the media, and he has a sixth sense in solving crime. Dr. Weather Harkinnen, a surgeon, is now living with Lucas. Sister Mary Joseph, a friend from his childhood, is a psychologist who also works trial runs of Lucas’ games.
Minneapolis PD
Sloan is with Intelligence. Del Capslock is one of Lucas’ best friends and an undercover operative. Rose Marie Roux is the police chief who took Daniel’s place. She’s more interested in gaining a U.S. senate seat and every case revolves around making her look good. She does look good: a problem solver, a prosecutor, and a liberal state senator with a good rep on race relations. Kupicek; Frank Lester is head of Criminal Investigation Division; Swanson is his deputy; Curt Myer is the new head of Intelligence; Anderson is the department’s computer specialist (he keeps the daily book); Bob Greave is a klutzy misfit who used to be Officer Friendly — the wife didn’t approve; Carrigan is notorious for his “small, fine feet”; Lonnie Shantz is Roux’s press aide; O’Brien; Harvey is running the surveillance van; and, Detective Kershaw is one of the guys who arrests Koop.
St. Paul PD
Sergeant Annalise Jones doesn’t realize how important a knowledgeable deaf interpreter is. Carl Erdrich is a patrolman.
Tom Davis — I think he’s a prison guard — knows D. Wayne Price, a convict, has some information.
Meagan Connell is state, BCA with membership in the state American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) — a big supporter of got a chip on her shoulder that Paul Bunyan would have trouble carrying.
D.T. Helstrom (from Eyes of Prey, 3) is a sheriff’s deputy. Lincoln County Sheriff Sheldon Carr (from Winter Prey, 5) makes a brief appearance and recommendation for Lucas to George Beneteau in Carren County. Ellie Rae runs the diner in Beneteau’s town.
Joan Smits caught Meagan’s attention. Jim Flory is in the wrong place; Jasper is a janitor at their building. Paul Warren is deaf and frustrated with the incompetent translator. Sara Jensen runs her own mutual fund and works at Raider-Garrote, a stock brokerage. Evan Hart is an attorney in the bond department. Harriet Wannemaker, Marcy Lane, and Eloise Miller are victims. Charmagne Carter is a locked-door mystery. Emily Carter is her daughter. Bob Wood was a neighbor and friend. Dex is a witness. Lawrence Wright is a guy Dex ain’t supposed to be hanging near. John Posey is another victim of the moving guy.
Jan Reed is a reporter with TV3 to whom Lucas is attracted. Ned owns the Startled Crane bookshop and is friends with Lucas. Too bad Connell can’t get into the schmooze. Earl Stupella is a bartender, Carl’s brother. Mae Heinz has some information.
Koop is a cat burglar-killer who likes to prey on shy, dispirited women. Junky Doog is a knife man. John Carlson is a drug dealer. Randy Leski is a mean little guy. Specializes in scam repairs. The Joyce brothers, John and George, are slum landlords. Ray Cherry works for them. Just Plain Schulz is a fence.
The Seeds
The Bad Seeds is more like it; a motorcycle gang interested in drugs, prostitutes, and weapons. Very bad boys. Brothers Joe and Bob Hillerod belong to them. Aaron Capella is their lawyer.
The Cover
The cover is a faintly distressed white background with a blocky font for the author’s name and title. It’s that swaying key just above the mold of a key with the red fingerprint that ties the cover into the storyline.
I’m not sure what inspired the title. The bad guy does seem to operate at night a lot, so perhaps Night Prey makes sense.
lizardwaterpuppy's review against another edition
medium-paced
3.0
The book itself was well written, the mystery had its twists. I enjoy Sandfords series. However even though the psychology of it makes sense for the dog to get murdered, I still am so tired of it being a means to explain just how evil people are. Or how crazed they are for that matter. The dog dying trope is old and over used in so many stories now a days. I'm still continuing on with the series it's just my own personal irritation.
thecurseofchris's review against another edition
4.0
This honestly felt like the most "laid-back" of the Prey books so far. Maybe it's because we're starting to see a change in Lucas' character development. Maybe it was because of a killer that, while awful, isn't as "constantly" brutal as the previous ones (in that they have spread out their crimes over time). I felt more invested in the side characters than usual, though I am anxious to get to a point where the author will hopefully experiment a little bit and mix up the formula some.
posies23's review against another edition
5.0
I'd taken a break from the Lucas Davenport series after WINTER PREY, because I was feeling a little burned out by the character. I decided to give the series another try, and, as it turns out, NIGHT PREY is one of the strongest in the series so far.
As usual, Davenport is called on to catch a killer, but this killer is much better developed than several previous ones in the series, and Sandford's attempts to let readers see things through his eyes were more successful than in earlier entries.
Even more welcome is the character growth in Davenport, who actually is starting to become a complicated and intriguing character, and not just a cardboard cutout.
Highly recommended, but not for the squeamish.
As usual, Davenport is called on to catch a killer, but this killer is much better developed than several previous ones in the series, and Sandford's attempts to let readers see things through his eyes were more successful than in earlier entries.
Even more welcome is the character growth in Davenport, who actually is starting to become a complicated and intriguing character, and not just a cardboard cutout.
Highly recommended, but not for the squeamish.
woody1881's review against another edition
4.0
In this installment of the Davenport series, Lucas is on the job as a Deputy Chief trying to help the political ambitions of a Chief who wants to run for Senate. It is another great story and as life allowed I read it quickly. I think I will read book seven now, because if I don't it may be another year before I get to it, and I think Davenport is awesome.
elwoodradley's review against another edition
4.0
Another great entry. Brutal as usual. Sandford is a sick bastard for some of the stuff he comes up with, but damn he can write.
duparker's review against another edition
4.0
Seems a bit off to say, but I enjoyed that this book just concluded. It felt natural that after the hunt and the sleuthing, that the criminal was caught and was dealt with. No real fuss, no muss, just a resolution. This was crisp and clean story, and feels like the series is growing.