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Lucas Davenport #7
Mind Prey
From the bestselling author of Night Prey and Winter Prey, Lucas Davenport is back in another great thriller.
It was raining when psychiatrist Andi Manette left the parent-teacher conference with her two young daughters. She was distracted and barely noticed the red van parked beside her, barely noticed the van door slide open as they dashed up to their car. But she did notice the hand reaching out for her and the voice from out of the past. And then the Manette family was gone.
Hours later, deputy chief Lucas Davenport stood in the parking lot, a blood-stained shoe in his hand, the ground stained pink around him, and knew that this would be one of the worst cases he'd ever been on. With an urgency born of dread, he presses the attack, while in an isolated farmhouse, Andi Manette does the same, summoning all her skills to battle an obsessed captor. She knows the man who has taken her and her daughters, knows there is a chink in his armor, if only she can find it. But for both her and Davenport, time is running out.
John Sandford's novels have always been extraordinary for their harrowing twists, unforgettable characters, and crackling prose. Mind Prey tops them all. The work of a true master.
It was raining when psychiatrist Andi Manette left the parent-teacher conference with her two young daughters. She was distracted and barely noticed the red van parked beside her, barely noticed the van door slide open as they dashed up to their car. But she did notice the hand reaching out for her and the voice from out of the past. And then the Manette family was gone.
Hours later, deputy chief Lucas Davenport stood in the parking lot, a blood-stained shoe in his hand, the ground stained pink around him, and knew that this would be one of the worst cases he'd ever been on. With an urgency born of dread, he presses the attack, while in an isolated farmhouse, Andi Manette does the same, summoning all her skills to battle an obsessed captor. She knows the man who has taken her and her daughters, knows there is a chink in his armor, if only she can find it. But for both her and Davenport, time is running out.
John Sandford's novels have always been extraordinary for their harrowing twists, unforgettable characters, and crackling prose. Mind Prey tops them all. The work of a true master.
354 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
2,090 people are currently reading
4,413 people want to read
About the author
John Sandford
194Ìýbooks9,274ÌýfollowersJohn 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 803 reviews
January 6, 2016
Another day, another psychopath�
Andi Manette and her two daughters are kidnapped right outside the girls� school by an evil bastard named John Mail. Andi is a psychologist who once treated Mail while he was in jail, and he has obsessed over her for years. Mail confines them in a room he built in the basement of a remote farmhouse, and he starts ruthlessly raping and beating Andi.
This is the kind of case that brings on massive media attention, and Andi is the daughter of a wealthy and politically connected man. As usual when there’s a high profile shit storm the Minneapolis police turn to Lucas Davenport.
Lucas quickly determines that they're dealing with a wacko, but there are several people who would gain from the death of Andi. Did someone help set her up for John Mail? With the clock ticking, Davenport pulls out every trick he has to find the Manettes, but this time he’s facing an adversary who thinks like he does. Lucas made a fortune designing elaborate games and uses those skills when trying to smoke out bad guys, but Mail is a gamer who sees playing against Davenport as the ultimate test.
I was kind of dreading rereading this one because of the brutal treatment of Andi in the hands of Mail. Fortunately, while Sandford doesn’t shy away from depicting just how awful it is, he also avoids wallowing in the gory details. He tells us enough to let us imagine the worst and leaves it there, but he still makes the reader hate John Mail so much that you’ll be praying that Lucas takes the law into his own hands by the end of this. It also helps that Andi and her girls aren't just passive victims because trying to manipulate Mail and coming up with a way to fight him are big parts of their story.
Sandford has played up the angle of Lucas as game designer since the first book, so it’s a little surprising that he waited until the seventh book in the Prey series before using the premise of Davenport’s adversary being a gamer. The idea that Lucas is a minor celebrity and that Mail couldn’t resist contacting him once he knows he’s on the case helps sell the schtick.
It also shines a light on some of the darker corners of the Davenport character because it’s pretty obvious that he’s getting off on this game of wits. At one point his girlfriend Weather even calls him out on it by noting that despite the stress and the lives of three people depending on him, he seems happy. Lucas reluctantly admits that Mail is interesting, for a nightmare.
Speaking of Weather, there’s� also a personal sub-plot with Lucas considering proposing to her. The normally unflappable Davenport is freaked by the prospect of marriage and worries that he’ll screw up the best relationship he’s ever had just by asking.
Another tense and relentless thriller that should keep most readers on the edge of their seat.
Next: Lucas is the target of revenge in Sudden Prey.
Andi Manette and her two daughters are kidnapped right outside the girls� school by an evil bastard named John Mail. Andi is a psychologist who once treated Mail while he was in jail, and he has obsessed over her for years. Mail confines them in a room he built in the basement of a remote farmhouse, and he starts ruthlessly raping and beating Andi.
This is the kind of case that brings on massive media attention, and Andi is the daughter of a wealthy and politically connected man. As usual when there’s a high profile shit storm the Minneapolis police turn to Lucas Davenport.
Lucas quickly determines that they're dealing with a wacko, but there are several people who would gain from the death of Andi. Did someone help set her up for John Mail? With the clock ticking, Davenport pulls out every trick he has to find the Manettes, but this time he’s facing an adversary who thinks like he does. Lucas made a fortune designing elaborate games and uses those skills when trying to smoke out bad guys, but Mail is a gamer who sees playing against Davenport as the ultimate test.
I was kind of dreading rereading this one because of the brutal treatment of Andi in the hands of Mail. Fortunately, while Sandford doesn’t shy away from depicting just how awful it is, he also avoids wallowing in the gory details. He tells us enough to let us imagine the worst and leaves it there, but he still makes the reader hate John Mail so much that you’ll be praying that Lucas takes the law into his own hands by the end of this. It also helps that Andi and her girls aren't just passive victims because trying to manipulate Mail and coming up with a way to fight him are big parts of their story.
Sandford has played up the angle of Lucas as game designer since the first book, so it’s a little surprising that he waited until the seventh book in the Prey series before using the premise of Davenport’s adversary being a gamer. The idea that Lucas is a minor celebrity and that Mail couldn’t resist contacting him once he knows he’s on the case helps sell the schtick.
It also shines a light on some of the darker corners of the Davenport character because it’s pretty obvious that he’s getting off on this game of wits. At one point his girlfriend Weather even calls him out on it by noting that despite the stress and the lives of three people depending on him, he seems happy. Lucas reluctantly admits that Mail is interesting, for a nightmare.
Speaking of Weather, there’s� also a personal sub-plot with Lucas considering proposing to her. The normally unflappable Davenport is freaked by the prospect of marriage and worries that he’ll screw up the best relationship he’s ever had just by asking.
Another tense and relentless thriller that should keep most readers on the edge of their seat.
Next: Lucas is the target of revenge in Sudden Prey.
April 5, 2017
A decent end is all that saved this to 3 stars. It's not a thrill when detective Davenport and the police are inept and unable to catch someone literally in front of their eyes. Maybe it was all just a trick of the mind. 5 of 10 stars
September 1, 2024
This is one of the earlier books in John Sandford's acclaimed Prey series featuring Minneapolis police detective Lucas Davenport. In this case, Davenport, who has made a fortune writing computer simulations and games, finds himself up against a sociopathic gamer named John Mail.
Mail, who had once been institutionalized, kidnaps Andi Manette, a psychiatrist who had once treated him. Mail grabs Mantette's two young daughters as well. The Manette family is rich and politically connected and so this becomes a very high profile case. Davenport, whose special skill is thinking outside of the box and making intuitive leaps that others cannot see, is on the case immediately.
There appear to be any number of possible suspects and motives, only one of which might be a disgruntled former patient. Davenport is not always known for sticking to the letter of the law when lives are at stake, and in this case he is forced to bend the rules fairly severely because he is up against a very intelligent, if screwed-up foe. As a gamer, Mail recognizes Davenport's name and makes this a personal contest between the two of them.
The story is gripping; Davenport is intense and fun as always, and the climax is one of the best of the entire series. There's also a very entertaining subplot that runs through the story involving an engagement ring that Davenport is carrying around with him and that he may (or may not) ultimately offer to his girlfriend, Weather Karkinnen. As is the case with all of Sandford's books, this should appeal to a large number of readers.
Mail, who had once been institutionalized, kidnaps Andi Manette, a psychiatrist who had once treated him. Mail grabs Mantette's two young daughters as well. The Manette family is rich and politically connected and so this becomes a very high profile case. Davenport, whose special skill is thinking outside of the box and making intuitive leaps that others cannot see, is on the case immediately.
There appear to be any number of possible suspects and motives, only one of which might be a disgruntled former patient. Davenport is not always known for sticking to the letter of the law when lives are at stake, and in this case he is forced to bend the rules fairly severely because he is up against a very intelligent, if screwed-up foe. As a gamer, Mail recognizes Davenport's name and makes this a personal contest between the two of them.
The story is gripping; Davenport is intense and fun as always, and the climax is one of the best of the entire series. There's also a very entertaining subplot that runs through the story involving an engagement ring that Davenport is carrying around with him and that he may (or may not) ultimately offer to his girlfriend, Weather Karkinnen. As is the case with all of Sandford's books, this should appeal to a large number of readers.
March 11, 2020
Excellent thriller!
By far, this one is my favorite book in this series. It has non-stop action. The psycho was a very disturbed monster who gave Lucas a run for his money.
In Mind Prey, Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport is assigned to the abduction of Andi Mannette and her two daughters, Genevieve and Grace.
Andi Manette comes from money, she's also married to money. Her husband George Dunn is rich and powerful and so is her father, Tower Manette. Andi is a prominent psychiatrist who shares a practice with Dr. Nancy Wolfe. When Andi and her daughters are taken after a conference at the girls' school, the abduction becomes a high profile case and Lucas is called in to help solve it.
The perpetrator is all types of crazy. John Mail is a violent man who’s obsessed with Andi. Andi treated him when he was twelve and she sent him away. He never forgot her and became obsessed with her. When he gets the chance at having her, he doesn't think twice.
John is a gamer and he has played Lucas's games. He knows who Lucas is and he believes he's playing a game with Lucas and Lucas is losing since he has the women and Lucas can't find him. Taunting Lucas and calling him on a regular basis is making the game even better.
As a subplot, Lucas is thinking about proposing to Weather Karkinnen, his girlfriend. He carries the engagement ring with him all over the place. He plays with it without realizing it. He's still unsure if he wants to commit or not.
Mind Prey was a sick book. John was a rapist, a sadist, a monster. He was hateful and I wanted nothing more than for Lucas to find him and shoot him dead.
I was satisfied with the ending and the twists. Also, with the resolution of the subplot.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
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July 3, 2024
Mind Prey is the 7th book in the Lucas Davenport series, pitting the Minneapolis deputy chief detective against yet another psychopath. The clock is ticking after a woman and her two daughters were snatched from the street and stashed in a remote location.
Andi Manette is a psychologist who once treated a young John Mail while he was in prison. With almost no redeeming features, Mail is a man who should never have been released, but released he was and he’s now satisfying the obsession-fueled fantasies he’s had over Andi’s treatment.
In what starts off as a tension-packed slow burn, Lucas starts the process of trying to work out who might want to kidnap a mother and her children. Suspects, both known and unknown, are identified and then disregarded.
Meanwhile, we’re taken into the basement prison where Andi and her daughters are being held. The madness of their captor is immediately apparent, as is his ruthless nature which is demonstrated rather violently numerous times.
The narrative descends into manic desperation as Lucas and his team begin to close in on their prey. It’s in this hell for leather race against time that we once again get a demonstration of Davenport’s willingness to flout the rules in order to get a result. When innocent people’s lives are on the line he prefers the “take action first and ask permission later� method.
The amusing subplot that’s maintained through the story centers around a certain ring that Lucas continues to absentmindedly fiddle with as he agonizes over whether or not it would be a good idea to propose to girlfriend Weather Karkinnen. It’s interesting to watch a character who is so driven and confident in his decisions fumble and dither around in such a way.
There’s plenty of good detective work that takes place throughout with a sprinkling of red herrings thrown in to keep you on your toes. This is a hardboiled crime thriller that doesn’t shirk the violent scenes, nor does it pull any punches when it comes to delivering a confronting ending.
Mind Prey is an absorbing story that builds in intensity as it progresses. The title hints at the mental condition of John Mail and the role of psychiatry that ultimately set him on the path to the crimes that he commits. As has become the norm for the series, the antagonist in the story is a thoroughly evil man who you can’t help but hate, almost giving the green light to whatever fate Lucas has in store for him.
Andi Manette is a psychologist who once treated a young John Mail while he was in prison. With almost no redeeming features, Mail is a man who should never have been released, but released he was and he’s now satisfying the obsession-fueled fantasies he’s had over Andi’s treatment.
In what starts off as a tension-packed slow burn, Lucas starts the process of trying to work out who might want to kidnap a mother and her children. Suspects, both known and unknown, are identified and then disregarded.
Meanwhile, we’re taken into the basement prison where Andi and her daughters are being held. The madness of their captor is immediately apparent, as is his ruthless nature which is demonstrated rather violently numerous times.
The narrative descends into manic desperation as Lucas and his team begin to close in on their prey. It’s in this hell for leather race against time that we once again get a demonstration of Davenport’s willingness to flout the rules in order to get a result. When innocent people’s lives are on the line he prefers the “take action first and ask permission later� method.
The amusing subplot that’s maintained through the story centers around a certain ring that Lucas continues to absentmindedly fiddle with as he agonizes over whether or not it would be a good idea to propose to girlfriend Weather Karkinnen. It’s interesting to watch a character who is so driven and confident in his decisions fumble and dither around in such a way.
There’s plenty of good detective work that takes place throughout with a sprinkling of red herrings thrown in to keep you on your toes. This is a hardboiled crime thriller that doesn’t shirk the violent scenes, nor does it pull any punches when it comes to delivering a confronting ending.
Mind Prey is an absorbing story that builds in intensity as it progresses. The title hints at the mental condition of John Mail and the role of psychiatry that ultimately set him on the path to the crimes that he commits. As has become the norm for the series, the antagonist in the story is a thoroughly evil man who you can’t help but hate, almost giving the green light to whatever fate Lucas has in store for him.
February 21, 2019
"You look like you're fifteen and going on your first date. You always do when you get something going. And the more awful it is, and the more tired you get, the happier you look. This whole thing is terrible: and you're getting high on it."
"It's interesting," Lucas admitted. "This kid we're talking to, he's an interesting kid... I mean, you know, for a nightmare."
Mind Prey has Lucas facing off against a fan of his, a gamer who admires his work and is jazzed to pit himself against Lucas's mind: just another nice bonus to the psychopathic thrills of rape, battery, and kidnapping.
The kidnapping of psychiatrist Andi Manette and her two young daughters is guaranteed to bring down a media firestorm. Manette is the daughter of one prominent rich man and the wife of another, both of them highly connected to political movers and shakers, and there's no way the press is going to turn down an upper-class white family being kidnapped practically on the steps of a seemingly safe school. The clock is ticking, and Lucas is drowning in motives and suspects. Manette worked with a lot of extremely unstable patients, some of whom had secrets worth killing for and some of whom have already proven violent, and she's surrounded by people who would ultimately financially benefit from her death. And the reader soon finds out that there are at least two halves to the kidnapping--psychopath John Mail, evaluated by Andi when he was twelve and sexually obsessed with her... and someone who makes the occasional phone call to give him inside information about the investigation. It's a great complication that preserves a mystery for the reader even while giving us the incredibly suspenseful, awful scenes inside Mail's cellar, where Andi and her daughters struggle to survive and maybe even escape. Kidnapped and sexually victimized women are a long-standing genre trope, and sometimes a wearisome one, but I feel like Sandford gives Andi and her kids a lot of presence and makes them much more than just threatened objects for Lucas to heroically rescue. They're resourceful and persistent as well as believably and movingly traumatized, and they have a lot of impact on the plot and certainly on the novel as a whole.
Mail's intelligence and his awareness of the particular turn of Lucas's mind also help to make the book a nail-biter. Even without his inside tips, Mail just has a particular gift for working out when a bit of Lucas's cleverness is just that, and he doesn't fall for a lot of the traps that would have brought other people down. But if that's part of his strength, it's also part of his weakness--his enjoyment of the "game" with Lucas drives him to seek Lucas out, calling him and taunting him, and that fascination makes him vulnerable. Appropriately, there a ton of mind games in this book--between Mail and Lucas (going both ways) and between Mail and Andi Manette, who is mustering every bit of her psychiatric training to influence her captor.
And on a personal level, Lucas has an engagement ring in his pocket that he can't stop fooling around with; his book-long debate about whether or not to propose to Weather, and how to do it if he does, is kind of a mind game he plays with himself. Meanwhile, my mind is preoccupied with how I totally would have lost the ring by that point if I was just keeping it loose in my pocket and messing with it all the time. Sandford also nicely integrates a hard-to-settle issue about medical privacy, and the disagreement over it adds some background richness to the book and also eventually factors into the plot as well, making it a particularly good touch.
"It's interesting," Lucas admitted. "This kid we're talking to, he's an interesting kid... I mean, you know, for a nightmare."
Mind Prey has Lucas facing off against a fan of his, a gamer who admires his work and is jazzed to pit himself against Lucas's mind: just another nice bonus to the psychopathic thrills of rape, battery, and kidnapping.
The kidnapping of psychiatrist Andi Manette and her two young daughters is guaranteed to bring down a media firestorm. Manette is the daughter of one prominent rich man and the wife of another, both of them highly connected to political movers and shakers, and there's no way the press is going to turn down an upper-class white family being kidnapped practically on the steps of a seemingly safe school. The clock is ticking, and Lucas is drowning in motives and suspects. Manette worked with a lot of extremely unstable patients, some of whom had secrets worth killing for and some of whom have already proven violent, and she's surrounded by people who would ultimately financially benefit from her death. And the reader soon finds out that there are at least two halves to the kidnapping--psychopath John Mail, evaluated by Andi when he was twelve and sexually obsessed with her... and someone who makes the occasional phone call to give him inside information about the investigation. It's a great complication that preserves a mystery for the reader even while giving us the incredibly suspenseful, awful scenes inside Mail's cellar, where Andi and her daughters struggle to survive and maybe even escape. Kidnapped and sexually victimized women are a long-standing genre trope, and sometimes a wearisome one, but I feel like Sandford gives Andi and her kids a lot of presence and makes them much more than just threatened objects for Lucas to heroically rescue. They're resourceful and persistent as well as believably and movingly traumatized, and they have a lot of impact on the plot and certainly on the novel as a whole.
Mail's intelligence and his awareness of the particular turn of Lucas's mind also help to make the book a nail-biter. Even without his inside tips, Mail just has a particular gift for working out when a bit of Lucas's cleverness is just that, and he doesn't fall for a lot of the traps that would have brought other people down. But if that's part of his strength, it's also part of his weakness--his enjoyment of the "game" with Lucas drives him to seek Lucas out, calling him and taunting him, and that fascination makes him vulnerable. Appropriately, there a ton of mind games in this book--between Mail and Lucas (going both ways) and between Mail and Andi Manette, who is mustering every bit of her psychiatric training to influence her captor.
And on a personal level, Lucas has an engagement ring in his pocket that he can't stop fooling around with; his book-long debate about whether or not to propose to Weather, and how to do it if he does, is kind of a mind game he plays with himself. Meanwhile, my mind is preoccupied with how I totally would have lost the ring by that point if I was just keeping it loose in my pocket and messing with it all the time. Sandford also nicely integrates a hard-to-settle issue about medical privacy, and the disagreement over it adds some background richness to the book and also eventually factors into the plot as well, making it a particularly good touch.
October 1, 2020
Loved being back in the world of Lucas Davenport in John Sandford's 7th "Prey" novel!
July 12, 2020
Trigger warning for rape.
"Mind Prey" is a hard read to get through. A woman (Andi Manette) and her two daughters are kidnapped by a former patient of hers. It's a race against time for Lucas and his detectives to figure out where she is and save her before she and her daughters are killed. I have to say that the main reason why I gave this four stars is that it's a bit convoluted when you read how the man who kidnaps her was roped into the whole thing. It just seemed ridiculously complicated. I also love though how Manette in the end was instrumental in saving herself and the police were just more background players in this.
“Mind Prey" has a man who after kidnapping Andi Manette and her two daughters decides to play a game with Lucas Davenport when he realizes who he is. Lucas at this time has become pretty famous in the gaming community, and the unknown man wants to show Lucas that he is not as smart as he is. So it's a game of wits between the two men with Lucas coming every closer to capturing the bad guy.
Andi Manette and her daughters are developed very well in this one. I often was cringing inside reading about what was happening with Andi and what she was doing to keep her daughters alive. We find out that she and her husband are having problems and even her partner in her psychiatry practice has something to hide.
The writing was good, the flow was okay, I just felt at times that nothing was happening. We had Lucas and the police chasing after red herrings and it got old after a while.
The ending was changed based on an introduction from Sandford and I have to say thank goodness. It would have been grim.
"Mind Prey" is a hard read to get through. A woman (Andi Manette) and her two daughters are kidnapped by a former patient of hers. It's a race against time for Lucas and his detectives to figure out where she is and save her before she and her daughters are killed. I have to say that the main reason why I gave this four stars is that it's a bit convoluted when you read how the man who kidnaps her was roped into the whole thing. It just seemed ridiculously complicated. I also love though how Manette in the end was instrumental in saving herself and the police were just more background players in this.
“Mind Prey" has a man who after kidnapping Andi Manette and her two daughters decides to play a game with Lucas Davenport when he realizes who he is. Lucas at this time has become pretty famous in the gaming community, and the unknown man wants to show Lucas that he is not as smart as he is. So it's a game of wits between the two men with Lucas coming every closer to capturing the bad guy.
Andi Manette and her daughters are developed very well in this one. I often was cringing inside reading about what was happening with Andi and what she was doing to keep her daughters alive. We find out that she and her husband are having problems and even her partner in her psychiatry practice has something to hide.
The writing was good, the flow was okay, I just felt at times that nothing was happening. We had Lucas and the police chasing after red herrings and it got old after a while.
The ending was changed based on an introduction from Sandford and I have to say thank goodness. It would have been grim.
August 18, 2021
Mind Prey is yet another riveting serial killer story from John Sandford.
There is little to add to Mind Prey that I haven't covered in earlier books. I will try to keep the specifics short.
The protagonist is creepy and totally nuts. The author provides some background for why he ended up that way. Unfortunately for him, there are plenty of people who enable his psychoses without providing help. He is smart and for some reason, wants to play a cat and mouse game with Lucas Sandford. I didn't find any of this particularly interesting since the clues were either red herrings or obscure to the point where you stop caring.
Like a previous book 'Winter Prey', there is enough disturbing stuff here, especially if you are a woman. There is plenty of rape and violence. Again, while I think the scenes add to the tension, I just felt that there were too graphic, since the point was already communicated. I am starting to think that John Sandford is a bit misogynistic, with his cavalier treatment of women. (he does have pretty strong women characters though)
The sub-plot, involving the family, was totally unnecessary since it fizzled out in the end. It needed more effort and emphasis, if he wanted a more complex plot beyond the kidnapping and raping.
I think I am going to make a list of things that this series has been good at so far and copy/past it wherever needed. I just realised that I am not covering all the great aspects of the book and am instead focusing only on the differences from the others, which means that the book ends up being reviewed in a relative sense and not in an absolute sense. So here goes
- decent detective work as always. There aren't any gotchas but rather the routine grind of police work that saves the day (with one or two believable intuitive leaps)
- Lucas is becoming less of an ass with each book. I am in two minds about it since this dilution of his character makes him less unique.
- the action is fantastic and there are places in the book where it feels like you are in the Fugitive or any other classic thriller.
There is little to add to Mind Prey that I haven't covered in earlier books. I will try to keep the specifics short.
The protagonist is creepy and totally nuts. The author provides some background for why he ended up that way. Unfortunately for him, there are plenty of people who enable his psychoses without providing help. He is smart and for some reason, wants to play a cat and mouse game with Lucas Sandford. I didn't find any of this particularly interesting since the clues were either red herrings or obscure to the point where you stop caring.
Like a previous book 'Winter Prey', there is enough disturbing stuff here, especially if you are a woman. There is plenty of rape and violence. Again, while I think the scenes add to the tension, I just felt that there were too graphic, since the point was already communicated. I am starting to think that John Sandford is a bit misogynistic, with his cavalier treatment of women. (he does have pretty strong women characters though)
The sub-plot, involving the family, was totally unnecessary since it fizzled out in the end. It needed more effort and emphasis, if he wanted a more complex plot beyond the kidnapping and raping.
I think I am going to make a list of things that this series has been good at so far and copy/past it wherever needed. I just realised that I am not covering all the great aspects of the book and am instead focusing only on the differences from the others, which means that the book ends up being reviewed in a relative sense and not in an absolute sense. So here goes
- decent detective work as always. There aren't any gotchas but rather the routine grind of police work that saves the day (with one or two believable intuitive leaps)
- Lucas is becoming less of an ass with each book. I am in two minds about it since this dilution of his character makes him less unique.
- the action is fantastic and there are places in the book where it feels like you are in the Fugitive or any other classic thriller.
December 19, 2021
5 Stars. There's something back there. There's some hidden history between the characters. What don't we know? Why were Dr. Andi Manette and her two pre-teen daughters kidnapped from a school parking lot as they left a parent-teacher meeting? Throughout the novel the feeling persists - that relationships in Andi's family or at work somehow play a role in this crime. But it could just be that one of Andi's patients, she's a psychiatrist, has serious ill-feelings towards her. She's the daughter of Tower Manette and the wife of George Dunn, both wealthy and powerful. Her two daughters, Grace 12, and Genevieve 9, don't seem to be an issue here but their lives are very much in jeopardy. One wonders about Andi's partner, Dr. Nancy Wolfe. Is she closer to another participant in this drama than one might first perceive? The final factor in the puzzle is the villain of the piece. John Mail's name is quickly revealed. Davenport's efforts to corner Mail and rescue the three victims with time expiring is one of the best ever. What a story Sandford has woven. There's a plus; you're sure to enjoy Lucas as he stews over how to pop the big question to Weather. Does he actually do it? (December 2021)
January 14, 2013
My heart is still thundering. My god, I think I stopped breathing while reading the last 50 pages. Ooooooh.
A nightmare called John Mail is planning a kidnapping. He tortured and killed animals, and set fires as a child. One of his fires burned down a house killing two people. As a result, a post-doc assignment for a new young psychiatrist, Andi Manette, was to examine the 12-year-old locked up in Hennepin County jail. Mail already was almost full grown, despite his youth, and Andi decided he was insane, her diagnosis sending him to a state hospital. He never forgot her beauty......and now, years later, he's out. His crimes have escalated, but he moved on and he likes his life. And then he is reminded of HER one day - he's going to need a remodeled van.
Andi picks up her kids at their school whenever it is a parent-teacher conference day, and this day has been as normal as any other. Happy, relaxed, they leave the school, and head for Andi's car, next to which a van has pulled up. The next few minutes will change the Manette family forever.
Dr. Andi Manette was a child of privilege, rich and pampered. Her children, 12-year-old Grace and 9-year-old Genevieve, are being raised the same. While she enjoys her wealth, she has decided to make her life matter. As a psychiatrist, she treats seriously mentally ill patients, including child molesters and rapists. Although her father, Tower Manette, has run through most of his fortune, and is with his second wife, Helen, the Manette name still represents importance. Andi's money is in a trust, so it's currently safe from her father, but she is divorcing her husband, George Dunn, and both may still be able to inherit some of her money at Andi's death. Her partner, Dr. Nancy Wolfe, is very protective of Andi as well as their patients, but is it possible the practice could have money problems? These questions have become important because John Mail seems to have insider knowledge, aware of details he shouldn't know, details which he shares when he finally calls, asking for a ransom.
No one believes Mail will return the family alive. Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport, assigned to the case, knows he has a week or less to save them. The clock is ticking. But the only way to discover in time who the kidnapper is and where he has hidden the doctor and her children is to break not only confidentiality rules, he must also break all of the suspects, ignoring their constitutional rights.
Will it all be for naught, too late to save them AND lose his job?
Last but not least, Davenport wants to propose to Weather Karkinnen, his girlfriend. He bought the engagement ring, which he keeps in his jacket pocket, and there it stays. To tell the truth, he'd rather face John Mail then propose to Karkinnen. She might refuse, and then what? Scary.
Love is hard.
A nightmare called John Mail is planning a kidnapping. He tortured and killed animals, and set fires as a child. One of his fires burned down a house killing two people. As a result, a post-doc assignment for a new young psychiatrist, Andi Manette, was to examine the 12-year-old locked up in Hennepin County jail. Mail already was almost full grown, despite his youth, and Andi decided he was insane, her diagnosis sending him to a state hospital. He never forgot her beauty......and now, years later, he's out. His crimes have escalated, but he moved on and he likes his life. And then he is reminded of HER one day - he's going to need a remodeled van.
Andi picks up her kids at their school whenever it is a parent-teacher conference day, and this day has been as normal as any other. Happy, relaxed, they leave the school, and head for Andi's car, next to which a van has pulled up. The next few minutes will change the Manette family forever.
Dr. Andi Manette was a child of privilege, rich and pampered. Her children, 12-year-old Grace and 9-year-old Genevieve, are being raised the same. While she enjoys her wealth, she has decided to make her life matter. As a psychiatrist, she treats seriously mentally ill patients, including child molesters and rapists. Although her father, Tower Manette, has run through most of his fortune, and is with his second wife, Helen, the Manette name still represents importance. Andi's money is in a trust, so it's currently safe from her father, but she is divorcing her husband, George Dunn, and both may still be able to inherit some of her money at Andi's death. Her partner, Dr. Nancy Wolfe, is very protective of Andi as well as their patients, but is it possible the practice could have money problems? These questions have become important because John Mail seems to have insider knowledge, aware of details he shouldn't know, details which he shares when he finally calls, asking for a ransom.
No one believes Mail will return the family alive. Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport, assigned to the case, knows he has a week or less to save them. The clock is ticking. But the only way to discover in time who the kidnapper is and where he has hidden the doctor and her children is to break not only confidentiality rules, he must also break all of the suspects, ignoring their constitutional rights.
Will it all be for naught, too late to save them AND lose his job?
Last but not least, Davenport wants to propose to Weather Karkinnen, his girlfriend. He bought the engagement ring, which he keeps in his jacket pocket, and there it stays. To tell the truth, he'd rather face John Mail then propose to Karkinnen. She might refuse, and then what? Scary.
Love is hard.
August 22, 2011
I have enjoyed all of the "Prey" series so far, but "Mind Prey" has been the best and the most explosive in my opinion. Andi Manette and her two daughters Grace and Genevieve are taken in broad day light in front of the girls' school. John Mail is an psychopath and is very unstable. Andi Manette was John Mail's psychiatrist; she is the one who put him in a mental hospital. Because of this, he has a personal vendetta with Andi.
In walks Lucas Davenport, who in my opinion, is one of the best fictional cop characters of all time. Davenport will do everything in his power to find the three Manette's before they are dead. Every one in Manette's family is a suspect and so is her oldest friend and business partner. Clues come in from Mail and one even points to the fact that one of Andi's daughter's has already been killed. Is it possible that someone who claims to care for Andi could be behind this kidnapping? This book is so fast-paced and so good, you're not gonna want to put it down. I highly recommend it if you love suspense, mystery, and John Sandford.
In walks Lucas Davenport, who in my opinion, is one of the best fictional cop characters of all time. Davenport will do everything in his power to find the three Manette's before they are dead. Every one in Manette's family is a suspect and so is her oldest friend and business partner. Clues come in from Mail and one even points to the fact that one of Andi's daughter's has already been killed. Is it possible that someone who claims to care for Andi could be behind this kidnapping? This book is so fast-paced and so good, you're not gonna want to put it down. I highly recommend it if you love suspense, mystery, and John Sandford.
July 21, 2023
4.5 stars.
I've been reading the series in order, and I'm beginning to like it more and more after this one. At first, I thought Lucas Davenport was a bit too irresponsible, but either he's changing, or I'm getting to know him better. I suppose it's also the period, which was 30 - 40 years ago or so, when times were a bit different.
This story was very satisfying, especially the ending. The villain was basically a bad boy who turned into a bad man. He seemed to be beyond redemption because he had no interest in even trying to be better, and he was smart enough to be especially dangerous.
I liked that his victims, a mother and her two daughters, all fought back in whatever way they could rather than just giving up. But the villain would not agree. He liked to win.
I've been reading the series in order, and I'm beginning to like it more and more after this one. At first, I thought Lucas Davenport was a bit too irresponsible, but either he's changing, or I'm getting to know him better. I suppose it's also the period, which was 30 - 40 years ago or so, when times were a bit different.
This story was very satisfying, especially the ending. The villain was basically a bad boy who turned into a bad man. He seemed to be beyond redemption because he had no interest in even trying to be better, and he was smart enough to be especially dangerous.
I liked that his victims, a mother and her two daughters, all fought back in whatever way they could rather than just giving up. But the villain would not agree. He liked to win.
August 5, 2016
Another great Lucas Davenport story! Number 7 in the series- with more to go. My only 'gripe' is that I feel that Davenport should be the single guy, not the married guy. I really got to get over this, for I 'looked' ahead- and marriage is in the cards for him. Since this book was first published in 1995 , I will spare you the details of this book- other than if you haven't yet picked up the 'Prey' series.... what are you waiting for ?
June 17, 2017
Outstanding! I truly enjoyed this book. The story, as usual from this author, takes you to that dark place and then returns you with feelings of undisguised remorse, anger and shouts f joy for Lucas Davenport's skilled ability to get into the mind of a psychopath, deranged killer or the victim. This story started on a fast track and never slowed down.
I wonder why they never made a movie from this series like they did "Jesse Stone or Spenser."
I wonder why they never made a movie from this series like they did "Jesse Stone or Spenser."
May 11, 2018
Ebook
Good plot that brings about the need for more civil work to be done with mental health vs protecting the citizenry.
Good plot that brings about the need for more civil work to be done with mental health vs protecting the citizenry.
April 18, 2024
After reading this disturbing novel, one can only hope that the author gets the psychiatric help he needs. This novel is about a young woman and her two young daughters who get kidnapped by a psycho. After being totally shocked by a vivid rape scene, I skipped the rest of the pages (which I never do) until the I got to the pages where villain was being pursued by the good guys. Even then, the sadistic author referred that the woman was raped twenty (20)! times, the younger one throw into a cistern to die, while all the time laughing manically.
This author really needs to seek help and ASAP.
This author really needs to seek help and ASAP.
August 19, 2018
Another nut job, but still a good thriller. I really liked the PC gaming industry & cell phones as these were just becoming standard fare. The newness of tracking cell phones & how long it took to trace phone calls was a blast from the past - frustrating for Lucas & company.
A woman & her daughters are kidnapped & held by a madman. Things are bad for them, but it was very well done. Sandford had the decency to make sure we knew how & why they suffered without getting graphic about the acts themselves. A great ending, too.
I'll continue to binge on these.
A woman & her daughters are kidnapped & held by a madman. Things are bad for them, but it was very well done. Sandford had the decency to make sure we knew how & why they suffered without getting graphic about the acts themselves. A great ending, too.
I'll continue to binge on these.
June 16, 2010
John Sandford doesn't really write bad books...he's too seasoned a storyteller for that. Still, the problem with a book like Mind Prey is it lacks spectacle. As book seven in a series, all the tropes are just a little too familiar and the storyline isn't all that different from what we've seen Lucas go up against in the past. Lucas Davenport, the book's main character, is almost never in danger, and Sandford chooses to use an over-abundance of swearing to make the story seem more exciting than it is. For a book titled Mind Prey, there's really not a whole lot of mind games going on here, and the villian is certainly no match for Lucas. Lucas comes close to nabbing the bad guy several times early on in the book, and it feels like the reason he doesn't is simply because Sandford needs for the book to be longer. The story is saved because Sandford has created a lot of interesting characters to work with, but this is the literary equivalent of a episode of "Without a Trace," not another Silence of the Lambs.
June 25, 2016
In the seventh Lucas Davenport novel a psychiatrist and her two children are kidnapped by a deranged ex-patient. Like the best of Sandford it builds suspense in the middle and races as it reaches the conclusion.
August 4, 2018
This was WAY better than the Bekker murders and I loved the ending. Lucas is coming along!
February 27, 2021
When novelist Thomas Harris created Dr. Hannibal Lecter in the 1981 thriller “Red Dragon�, he also created�-and set the standard for�-the serial killer novel, a genre of crime fiction that has not waned in popularity since.
More than a few authors have attempted to dethrone Harris from the top of the genre, and only a few have managed to come close or even surpass Harris. John Sandford is one of those authors.
Sandford’s first thriller to feature his detective Lucas Davenport, “Rules of Prey�, was published in 1989. It’s perhaps not a coincidence that it was published one short year after Harris published his novel “The Silence of the Lambs�, the novel that officially put Harris on the map and revolutionized the genre.
“Mind Prey�, Sandford’s seventh Davenport novel, was published in 1995. It is as intense and suspenseful as a serial killer thriller can get, and its ridiculously fast pace may give some readers a heart attack.
Someone has kidnapped Dr. Andi Manette and her two daughters, in broad daylight. The kidnapper is a man named John Mail. He is, Andi knows, an incredibly sick, violent psychopath. He is also supposed to be dead.
Davenport knows that, in a case like this, the police have only hours not days to find the victims, but there are a few things that are standing in the way of success. One is the fact that Mail is as intelligent as he is sociopathic. This is all a game to him.
The other roadblock is that someone is working with Mail, feeding him information, giving Mail the advantage of always being one step ahead of the cops. Davenport needs to find out who this person is immediately, although it could be any one of a half-dozen suspects that have much to gain from Andi’s death.
The clock is ticking, and John Mail is getting tired of playing.
This is a seriously un-put-downable book, and it’s as good as Harris’s “The Silence of the Lambs�, which�-as anyone who has ever read that book knows�-is incredibly strong praise indeed.
More than a few authors have attempted to dethrone Harris from the top of the genre, and only a few have managed to come close or even surpass Harris. John Sandford is one of those authors.
Sandford’s first thriller to feature his detective Lucas Davenport, “Rules of Prey�, was published in 1989. It’s perhaps not a coincidence that it was published one short year after Harris published his novel “The Silence of the Lambs�, the novel that officially put Harris on the map and revolutionized the genre.
“Mind Prey�, Sandford’s seventh Davenport novel, was published in 1995. It is as intense and suspenseful as a serial killer thriller can get, and its ridiculously fast pace may give some readers a heart attack.
Someone has kidnapped Dr. Andi Manette and her two daughters, in broad daylight. The kidnapper is a man named John Mail. He is, Andi knows, an incredibly sick, violent psychopath. He is also supposed to be dead.
Davenport knows that, in a case like this, the police have only hours not days to find the victims, but there are a few things that are standing in the way of success. One is the fact that Mail is as intelligent as he is sociopathic. This is all a game to him.
The other roadblock is that someone is working with Mail, feeding him information, giving Mail the advantage of always being one step ahead of the cops. Davenport needs to find out who this person is immediately, although it could be any one of a half-dozen suspects that have much to gain from Andi’s death.
The clock is ticking, and John Mail is getting tired of playing.
This is a seriously un-put-downable book, and it’s as good as Harris’s “The Silence of the Lambs�, which�-as anyone who has ever read that book knows�-is incredibly strong praise indeed.
July 17, 2016
Psychiatrist Andi Manette is being watched. So are her daughters. Minneapolis Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport is walking around crime scenes with an engagement ring in his pocket. Gamer, sociopath, sexual deviant, and firebug John Mail kidnaps Manette and her girls. Davenport finds himself up against a smart psychopath who leaves a very cold trail behind with the exception of taunting phone calls and symbolic clues. Trying to stay one step ahead of this freak is difficult enough but the political background of Manette's father and husband raise the urgency of the case and cloud the suspect pool with their acquaintances and connections. Lucas must rely on his influence in the police force, in addition to his wit, to find this ruthless kidnapper.
Mind Prey is truly exciting! Mail is a vicious villain whose actions make the reader cringe and his interactions with Mannette are brutal and barbaric. This makes for some difficult passages but encourages the reader to press on with the hopes that Davenport will find his man. Sandford pulls off some shocking surprises and wonderful twists. For me, this is the first Davenport book in the series in which the plot turns fit the rhythm of the narrative without feeling like they were peppered in for unnecessary shock value or action. The cheesy one liners and forced humor have been toned down a bit as well. There are some corny jokes but Davenport has some decent catch phrases which make the reader do a fist pump and murmur "F-ing A" instead of rolling their eyes.
The scenes involving MPD and their executions of quarantine, show of force, and investigations are the best parts of the book. This couples well with Davenport's ladder climbing in the Department as he can use the MPD like a private army. I'm telling ya, it's badass.
Mind Prey is truly exciting! Mail is a vicious villain whose actions make the reader cringe and his interactions with Mannette are brutal and barbaric. This makes for some difficult passages but encourages the reader to press on with the hopes that Davenport will find his man. Sandford pulls off some shocking surprises and wonderful twists. For me, this is the first Davenport book in the series in which the plot turns fit the rhythm of the narrative without feeling like they were peppered in for unnecessary shock value or action. The cheesy one liners and forced humor have been toned down a bit as well. There are some corny jokes but Davenport has some decent catch phrases which make the reader do a fist pump and murmur "F-ing A" instead of rolling their eyes.
The scenes involving MPD and their executions of quarantine, show of force, and investigations are the best parts of the book. This couples well with Davenport's ladder climbing in the Department as he can use the MPD like a private army. I'm telling ya, it's badass.
May 9, 2022
2nd read -Psychiatrist Andi, along with daughters Grace and Genevieve, are kidnapped by a former patient. This guy is an evil, dangerous antagonist, and Lucas and his team work to backtrack the suspects, along with their motives. First appearance by Marcy Sherrill, a recurring character and future romantic interest for Lucas.
"Beneath it all, she knew her mind simply wasn't functioning correctly. This, she thought during a passing moment of rationality, was insanity. She'd been outside of it for years; this was the first time she'd been inside."
1st read - Davenport is pulled into a kidnapping case involving a high profile psychiatrist and her two daughters. This story is more of a police procedural, and reminds me of a 40s noir. Lucas' dilemma is that he doesn't lack for suspects. The doctor is in the midst of a separation from her wealthy husband; her well-to-do father and his younger wife may have money problems; her business partner had dated her husband before her - jealousy, anyone?
One of them may be in cahoots with the antagonist - a truly reprehensible former patient of the missing doctor. This guy is one of Sandford's most heinous inventions: a rapist/pyromaniac/possible child killer.
"Beneath it all, she knew her mind simply wasn't functioning correctly. This, she thought during a passing moment of rationality, was insanity. She'd been outside of it for years; this was the first time she'd been inside."
1st read - Davenport is pulled into a kidnapping case involving a high profile psychiatrist and her two daughters. This story is more of a police procedural, and reminds me of a 40s noir. Lucas' dilemma is that he doesn't lack for suspects. The doctor is in the midst of a separation from her wealthy husband; her well-to-do father and his younger wife may have money problems; her business partner had dated her husband before her - jealousy, anyone?
One of them may be in cahoots with the antagonist - a truly reprehensible former patient of the missing doctor. This guy is one of Sandford's most heinous inventions: a rapist/pyromaniac/possible child killer.
December 29, 2016
A very good Lucas Davenport story, I would like to be able to give this 4.5 stars. A psychotic sociopath kidnaps a mother and two daughters and Lucas must solve the case before they are killed. Excellent, extremely exciting, lots of action. A winner.
November 19, 2019
When a doctor and her two daughters are abducted, Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport is called upon to take charge. He will become engaged in a cat and mouse games with the abductor while attempted to recover the victim. A good story while allows you to get into the heads of the main characters.
August 23, 2017
This summer I've been rereading author John Sandford's Lucas Davenport "Prey" series. The seventh book from the series, "Mind Prey", is actually one that back in the day (1995) I had missed. Chilling and suspenseful, Sandford spins a really interesting yarn with this one. Where the plot twists and spins in this thriller really it makes for riveting reading. Davenport who's back with the Minneapolis P.D. as a "Deputy Chief" works only the really worst of the worst cases. "Mind Prey", opens with Davenport getting to a bloody crime scene where socialite Andi Manette and her two young daughters have apparently been violently attacked and kidnapped. The hard driving rain storm is quickly destroying Davenport's crime scene losing his best clues to get Andi and her kids back. Before long Davenport realizes he's probably trying to crack the hardest case of his career. Seemingly rushing 24/7 in trying to find the Manette's Davenport thinks his best suspect is someone who has been recorded as dead for years. Sociopath John Mail a "Gamer" (especially loved Davenport's computer/video games), was pure evil and was supposedly really dead. As Andi Manette struggles with her captivity and abuse from her kidnapper she fears for her youngest daughter who was by the kidnapper's words dropped off and sent home. With a crazy climax Davenport and his guys have to set a net for their suspect and move in quickly. Their "prey" however seems to escape the net at will. Of the first seven Davenport's, "Mind Prey" is easily one of the top two or three reads. Author Sandford creates some of the best and most evil of bad guys. He really makes the bad guys really bad. Although I though the opening was a bit slow this one speeds up quickly into a very good thriller. Protagonist Lucas Davenport is no politician when it comes to get the case cracked, and his irreverence towards authority is one of the best parts about this series. I'm giving, "Mind Prey", four stars out of a possible five stars. Although it's really a 4.25-4.33 star book. Packed with action and suspense this series is top notch. With more than 25 books in the series I'm looking forward to rolling through each book. Without question it's classic and not to be missed.
October 8, 2018
Procedural with a bang up ending. Recommended.
December 30, 2020
I figured that this might very well be the last book I complete in 2020 and that I could do a lot worse than pick an early installment in the Prey series by John Sandford. I have come to enjoy this series over time, having begun my Sandford reading with his Virgil Flowers novels. Lucas Davenport, a deputy chief in his department who, at times, will bend/break the rules in order to bring down the evil doer du jour, is a fun character. Written with enough complexity to avoid being easily typecast, Davenport makes the cat and mouse game he plays with a psychopathic but smart killer very entertaining to follow. He also reveals his "softer" side as he debates whether or not to ask his girlfriend, with whom he's living, to marry him. It makes for a running joke throughout the book and a nice tension reliever.
I have a few complaints, mostly with how the bad guy is able to escape detection again and again, even when the combined forces of the Minneapolis PD, the MN state police, and the FBI are all cooperating in order to catch him following his kidnapping of Andi Manette, a high profile psychiatrist, and her two daughters. Sandford makes him out to be both intensely scary and seriously disturbed. Nevertheless, at one point toward the end of the book, he is able to elude untold numbers of police, overpower a shotgun armed officer and escape a massive dragnet. It was about here that I began to feel myself losing some interest, as Sandford had pushed this trope a bit too far.
Fortunately, it all came back together in the end, even though Sandford kept us on tenterhooks as long as possible. The story moves along pretty well and the plot is tight. Dialogue between cops is coarse and believable, and Sandford seems to have the ability to portray people who are angry, frustrated, and cynical with uncanny accuracy. Although I like Davenport better as an unmarried character, his relationship with his lover (now fiancee) is well drawn and offers the author the opportunity to explore another side of Davenport, which he does throughout the series. A worthy member of the series, Mind Prey proved to be a pretty fair novel to close out what has been a pretty awful year. Unless, of course, I find a slim novel between now and the 31st. In either case, Happy New Year.
I have a few complaints, mostly with how the bad guy is able to escape detection again and again, even when the combined forces of the Minneapolis PD, the MN state police, and the FBI are all cooperating in order to catch him following his kidnapping of Andi Manette, a high profile psychiatrist, and her two daughters. Sandford makes him out to be both intensely scary and seriously disturbed. Nevertheless, at one point toward the end of the book, he is able to elude untold numbers of police, overpower a shotgun armed officer and escape a massive dragnet. It was about here that I began to feel myself losing some interest, as Sandford had pushed this trope a bit too far.
Fortunately, it all came back together in the end, even though Sandford kept us on tenterhooks as long as possible. The story moves along pretty well and the plot is tight. Dialogue between cops is coarse and believable, and Sandford seems to have the ability to portray people who are angry, frustrated, and cynical with uncanny accuracy. Although I like Davenport better as an unmarried character, his relationship with his lover (now fiancee) is well drawn and offers the author the opportunity to explore another side of Davenport, which he does throughout the series. A worthy member of the series, Mind Prey proved to be a pretty fair novel to close out what has been a pretty awful year. Unless, of course, I find a slim novel between now and the 31st. In either case, Happy New Year.
April 8, 2012
I've said before that the books in John Sanford's "Prey" series get better as they go along, and Mind Prey continues that trend. It's perhaps the most thrilling one so far, and I can honestly say I hated to have to put it down when things like cooking, laundry and work reared their ugly heads. The threat of horrible killings was present always, and more "suspense" came in the form of not knowing whether lead character and erstwhile womanizer Lucas Davenport finally would pop the question to his live-in surgeon (no, I'm not going to tell you)!
As an aside, somewhere around 60% of the way through the book, I found a gem I'm planning to steal and keep for myself: A TV weatherman in Minnesota, where the book is set, said that the low pressure system responsible for all the rain had "rambled off to the east and presently peeing in Ohio." I'm from Ohio, and I know all about that rambling rain. Gotta love it!
As an aside, somewhere around 60% of the way through the book, I found a gem I'm planning to steal and keep for myself: A TV weatherman in Minnesota, where the book is set, said that the low pressure system responsible for all the rain had "rambled off to the east and presently peeing in Ohio." I'm from Ohio, and I know all about that rambling rain. Gotta love it!
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