Lesa's Book Critiques: TOXIC PREY BY JOHN SANDFORD

 Lesa's Book Critiques: TOXIC PREY BY JOHN SANDFORD

Review: Judgement Prey by John Sandford

It is October as Judgement Prey by John Sandford opens and Lucas Davenport is still dealing with the aftermath of the violent events of earlier in the year. He still has some pain from his various injuries. The bigger issue is the nightmares of the shootout that killed FBI agents, wounded others, and damn near killed Virgil Flowers and himself. The pain is worse at night, as is depression, but he is making slow progress. Getting back physically is slightly ahead of getting back mentally. When he is not trying to exercise, he spends his days reading or watching way too much tv while thinking about how close he and Virgil came. Everything could have easily ended that night. It very well might have been his closest call yet in his long law enforcement career.

Then U.S. Marshal for the Minnesota District, Eddie Lamb, calls and claims that she is just checking on how he is doing. They both know that is not at all why she called. What she really wants to know is if Lucas can work. She wants him to take a look at a murder scene nearby. Lamb is out of town or she would probably do it herself. A federal judge who she very much liked and respected is dead and she is mad.

Federal Judge Alex Sands and his two sons were murdered a few hours ago in their home. The only reason his wife and newborn daughter are also not dead is because they were not home. Unfortunately, they were also the first to discover the bodies.

St. Paul Police, The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and the FBI are all there at the scene, among others. It is a bad deal and Lamb is sure that the various members of the assembled law enforcement still have no idea who did it or why. She gets that Lucas is in no shape yet to be actively chasing a fugitive. All she wants is for him to get out of the house, go over to the nearby crime scene, and take a look while making the presence and interest of the U. S. Marshal Service known to all. The FBI is the lead agency and they have the case. He may see something or suggest something they are not coming up with and can show the flag. The plan is for him to be present in an advisory capacity and nothing further.

Lucas is bored as things stand and is immediately interested in the case. Long time readers know that when Lucas is interested in a case, he always stays involved. It isn’t long after he reviews the scene that he is actively working it, alongside Virgil Flowers, and back doing what he does so well--- hunting killers.

What follows is a complicated and fast-moving thriller that works well in all areas. While, as with any other series it is best to read in order, if you don’t mind knowing major details of the last book-- Righteous Prey  – via the extensive recap in the first pages here, then you could start with this read. It is a solidly good one and recommended.

 

 

My reading copy came by way of the publisher, G.P. Putnam's Sons, through NetGalley.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2023

Review: Righteous Prey by John Sandford

In Righteous Prey by John Sandford, somebody is taking out some very successful people who are also the worst of the worst. In fact, there is an organized group of folks doing it. Known as “The Five” they are taking out targets across the country and issuing press releases and donating monies to charities as they kill.

The third killing, this time in Minnesota, brings Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers in on the hunt. For U.S. Marshal Lucas Davenport, a politician that he owes wants him involved and makes it happen. That roll downhill as Lucas wants Virgil Flowers and those in charge at Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension can read the tea leaves and agree. Less than thrilled are some folks at the FBI, but they recognize the fact that Lucas and Virgil are going to be hunting and will do their own thing. That hunt starts turning up leads and soon goes coast to coast. It also becomes increasingly violent at the same time the group begins to fragment from within.

Righteous Prey follows the same format of many of the recent thrillers from this author. Readers know from the start most of the players, who is killing and why, and are shifted back and forth as both the good guys and the bad guys are followed in their movements. The group of bad guys begins to fall apart as the pressure of law enforcement increases. Things are escalating, on both sides, and on a collision course. The only question is the setup of the eventual violent final confrontation.

You have to read the book for the answer to that question and the read is very well worth it. Righteous Prey is marketed as the 32nd book in the series and it is another fast, very intense, read.

For another take on the book, make sure you read Lesa Holstine’s review from early October here.

 

My reading copy came by way of the OverDrive/Libby app via the Dallas Public Library System.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2022

Lesa's Book Critiques: RIGHTEOUS PREY BY JOHN SANDFORD

 Lesa's Book Critiques: RIGHTEOUS PREY BY JOHN SANDFORD

Review: The Investigator: A Letty Davenport Novel by John Sandford

Many of us longtime fans of the Lucas Davenport series by John Sandford have expected a spin off series featuring his adopted daughter, Letty. That series is now here with the first book, The Investigator: A Letty Davenport Novel which releases in April.

In the aftermath of a black bag style operation for Senator Christopher Colles, Republican of Florida, Letty Davenport is getting some blow back from his staff. She accomplished the mission she was sent to do, skirted the lines legally, and got the goods. Some of his staff have questions about her methods. It does not help that she comes from a radically different life experience, dresses nothing like her Washington, D. C. coworkers, and has absolutely nothing in common with them. They bore her. She does not fit in or play well with others and is sick of the internal crap from folks who don’t see the world and people like she does. Her unique childhood gives her a different perspective. It also gave her a set of skills that she has built on over the years with the help of her father.

Letty hates her job and plans to quit. The recently completed assignment in Tallahassee was the most interesting thing she has done during her tenure working for Colles. It also serves a reminder that it is time to quit and find something else to do. Instead of allowing her to quit, Colles has an idea about a different job that could be far more interesting.

Senator Colles sits as Chairman of the Homeland Security and Government Affairs committee. That means he is very aware of numerous issues in the Department of Homeland Security. What he wants is for her to stay, become his liaison to the Homeland Security Inspector General’s Office, label her a “researcher” (code for Investigator), and turn her lose on cases that Colles believes are important and fit her skill set. The Inspector General’s will give her carry permit. That means she can carry a gun to protect herself. She won’t have arrest powers, but she will be able to work cases and investigate things. Colles will give her own small office and freedom to do her job. The rest of the staff will, for the most part, leave her alone.

It isn’t long before her and DHS agent John Kaiser are grating each other’s nerves due to age and far different life experiences while headed south to work a case. First stop is Oklahoma City where they get a slew of briefings about oil thefts that are happening in the Permian Basin of West Texas. Somebody is stealing a little bit here and there from various operators. While it is not hurting or endangering the big operators who are losing a very small percentage of their oil, for the person doing it and getting the money, the financial haul could be huge.

Where the oil is going, who is selling it, and what that money being raised is used for, are three important questions. Especially the final question in this time of concern over domestic terrorism. Letty and Kaiser need to identify the thieves as well as their method and their endgame.

That means a trip to the oil fields in Texas, stakeouts at night, and day time surveillance while dealing with the locals, civilians and police. It isn’t long before they are in the thick of it with many lives, including their own at stake.

The Investigator: A Letty Davenport Novel by John Sandford is a fast moving and enjoyable read. Folks who believe the author is a left leaning idiot who hates the right, far and otherwise, will no doubt righteously scream on social media about how they quit very early in the book and will never read another.  Those of us born and raised Texans will see some of the obvious criticism about life here, wince a little, and nod as the criticisms are accurate. Those who expected, as this reader did, a more obvious distinction between a Letty novel and a Lucas Davenport novel might be a little disappointed. If one removes the flash back scenes, the book reads as if it is a Lucas Davenport novel and not a separate series.

Though in the big picture that is a good thing. Letty can hold her own when she finds herself in violent confrontations. The Investigator: A Letty Davenport Novel by John Sandford is a violent action filled read, that moves forward at a steady pace as events escalate. As often happens in Sandford’s books the last few years, the bad actors are identified early on, and readers soon understand why they are doing what they are doing.

The result is a solidly good novel and a good foundation for what should be an interesting series. The Investigator: A Letty Davenport Novel by John Sandford is well worth your time. Might just make you think about things as well, regardless of your pollical party lens.

 

 

My reading copy was an ARC via NetGalley. Published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons, the book is currently scheduled to be released on April 12^th in a variety of formats.

 

Kevin R. Tipple ©2022

Lesa's Book Critiques: OCEAN PREY BY JOHN SANDFORD

 Lesa's Book Critiques: OCEAN PREY BY JOHN SANDFORD

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Masked Prey by John Sandford

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Masked Prey by John Sandford: We are delighted to present another review from Kevin Tipple, author and avid reader.  He maintains a review and information blog wh...

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Neon Prey by John Sandford

Bookblog of the Bristol Library: Neon Prey by John Sandford: Guest reviewer Kevin Tipple is back with his review of a mystery novel.  Check out his blog Kevin's Corner for more book reviews an...

Review: "Storm Front: A Virgil Flowers Novel" by John Sandford

Virgil Flowers is on a case about fake antique lumber when his boss Lucas Davenport calls him with another assignment. An Israeli investigator is on the way and needs to talk to a professor who lives in the area. In addition to being a professor the man, Elijah Jones, is also a Lutheran minister. The investigator wants to talk to the professor who apparently stole an important artifact from a dig in Israel and smuggled it back home.

The investigator, Yael Aronov, isn’t telling Virgil everything she knows and Virgil knows it. He also quickly figures out that far more is going on than what he has been told or what Lucas led him to believe. It isn’t the first time Virgil has had to work two cases at the same time and he does it again here with both the lumber situation and the missing artifact.

At least the lumber does not involve Mossad, Hezbollah, and even worse---Texans.

Co-written with his partner, Michele Cook, the latest novel in this series from John Sandford is what one expects in a book featuring Virgil Flowers. His investigative actions are sometimes unorthodox; he will have a vigorous sexual fling with at least one character as well as the occasional fantasy about at least one other female, and the will be plenty of action and use of occasionally graphic language. Storm Front: A Virgil Flowers Novel is a fast, fun read that is not meant to be taken seriously or break new ground in terms of character development. The multiple storylines featuring fraud and deceit at home and abroad gradually weave together to a satisfactory and rather surprising conclusion. It’s another good, if not spectacular, read in the series which can be read as a stand alone or as part of the overall series.

Storm Front: A Virgil Flowers Novel

John Sandford

http://www.johnsandford.org

G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Group, USA)

http://www.penguingroup.com

October 8, 2013

ISBN# 978-0-399-15930-5

Hardback (also available in e-book and audio book)

384 Pages

$27.95

I received an ARC of this title due to my participation in the “LibraryThing Early Reviewers” group for my use in an objective review. As such, my above review appeared there first last Saturday before appearing here on the blog.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013

Review: "Silken Prey: A Novel" by John Sandford

Politics is seen by many as a life and death situation. In the latest in the Lucas Davenport series from author John Sandford, Silken Prey: A Novel, it is literally true as a political operative by the name of Tubbs is dead. Tubbs occasionally was a fixer, sometimes a bagman, and sometimes he did dirty tricks projects. Now he is missing and presumed dead by Lucas Davenport.

Not that Lucas knows about Tubbs initially when gets the call from Governor Henderson. Nine days out from the election and the Republican candidate for Senator has had his campaign torpedoed by allegations of kiddy porn. Porter Smalls was winning until disgusting images on his computer at his campaign office were accidentally found by a young campaign staffer. Lucas doesn't care for politics and doesn't care that Porter Smalls is now in huge trouble. But, the Governor does and wants Lucas to investigate the situation.

Elmer Henderson, a Democrat, is the Minnesota Governor and in four years just might be a legitimate Vice Presidential candidate. He has good reasons to want to see conservative republican Porter Smalls go down in flames. But, the governor is absolutely sure Smalls isn’t into kiddie porn. He wants Lucas to investigate. Not only because it is the right thing to do and Smalls was quite possibly framed. If he was framed this is taking things way too far and everyone, no matter their party, is at risk. Once this sort of thing happens, you never come back from it, and media never fixes things after they destroy you.

 “’You’re saying the media is dangerous, immoral, and anti-democratic?

 “Well…yes,” Henderson said. “They don't recognize it in themselves, but they're basically criminals. In the classic sense of that word.’” (Page 16)

While readers know early on how the storylines connect together (as we usually do in the recent books of the series) it takes Lucas and others a bit longer to start to put the pieces together. A secondary storyline involving the actions of a computer hacker and his wife who still has the itch to steal competes for equal attention with the primary storylines by the end of this enjoyable 400 plus page novel.

While the novel does not chart new ground for Lucas and the other characters one does not expect anything new in that regard this deep in the series. Everyone is locked into who they are---both professionally and personally. No one is about to have a midlife crisis, dump everything for a fancy sports car, and hit the open road. These characters are firmly established and, as such, change is going to have to come from outside of them.

Politics has often been a major component of the Prey series and clearly is a huge element in Silken Prey which is the 23^rd novel in the series going back to Rules of Prey. While again in this novel Lucas claims to not care about politics and has virtually zero interest in the subject, much of what he does in pursuit of suspects has definite political motives to it. He makes deals with everyone about what he will say and do in the investigation and expects others to wheel and deal with him. As in previous books, Lucas is once again working all the angles to ensure that the guilty parties are caught in this solidly good read. It is a dangerous minefield to pursue the guilty when they are rich and powerful. That time is coming when the politics will take Lucas down as Rose Marie warns:

  “’A lot of people in the Department of Public Safety and over at the BCA don't like this kind of thing, the political stuff. And you've been doing a lot of it. When I'm not here to protect you, when Elmer's not here...”

  “Ah, it’s all right, Rose Marie,” Lucas Said. “I’ve been fired before. Stop worrying about it.’” (Page 21)

Silken Prey: A Novel

John Sandford

http://www.johnsandford.com

G.P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Group)

http://www.penguin.com

May 2013

ISBN# 978-0-399-15931-2

Hardback (also available as e-book and audio book)

$27.95

416 Pages

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System. If you are in the area and would like more information about Plano libraries go here.

Kevin R. Tipple ©2013

Review: "Stolen Prey: A Novel" by John Sandford

After 23 novels in the series there isn’t much Lucas Davenport has not seen before. This scene is a new one and very disturbing. The Brooks family home has been turned into a scene that screams of terror and desperation. The dogs were just killed. The family, a dad, wife, and two kids were tortured and eventually killed. Left behind written on a wall, most likely using the blood and one of the dad’s cut off fingers, is a chilling message-- “Were Coming.”

What the missing apostrophe means and who is coming are just two of the many questions the brutal crime scene raises for Lucas Davenport and others in various law enforcement agencies. Considering the carnage and the likely assumption that the family was tortured for information it has all the appearances of the work of Mexican Drug Traffickers. However, the family does not appear the type to be involved with that sort of thing. The husband, Patrick Brooks, ran a software company while the mom, Candice Brooks, was potentially a state senate candidate. There certainly isn’t anything at all to explain the massacre. A massacre that becomes major news, not just in Minneapolis/St Paul, but across the nation in this day and age of cable news that eats this kind of story up.

A story that quickly comes to the attention to all of those who started this murder ball rolling.  While the killers are happy to see word of their ongoing exploits on TV, those who orchestrated the plan and unknowingly triggered events now know they have a huge problem.

This latest in the series continues the recent trend of heavy action, short scenes, constant changes in pov, and a relentless pace that moves rapidly things forward for over 400 pages. There isn’t any new character development for Lucas Davenport and his home family. None is expected after so many books. As for his law enforcement family, all the regulars such as his Del, Shaffer, Rose Marie, Sandy and other make their usual appearances. Even Virgil Flowers makes an appearance in a secondary story line that eventually provides several chuckles towards the end.

Some “reviewers” have publicly speculated that this novel was not written by John Sandford. Beyond the fact that they have provided zero evidence of such a dubious claim, this novel is exactly the tone and style of the recent books. Clearly this reviewer was not present to watch the master at work (would have been a wonderful experience), but the idea that it is not his work is laughable after reading the novel.

Stolen Prey: A Novel is another hard hitting action read in this enjoyable series. Much like the Porsche Lucas drives, the story roars wide open providing readers yet another high octane mystery ride.

Stolen Prey: A Novel

John Sandford

http://www.johnsandford.org

G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Group-USA)

http://www.penguin.com

May 2012

ISBN# 978-0-399-15768-4

Hardback

402 Pages

$27.95

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano Texas Public Library System. Again this year the summer reading challenge for adults and kids is now underway. For more information go to

http://www.plano.gov/Departments/Libraries/Pages/default.aspx

Kevin R. Tipple ©2012

Review: "SHOCK WAVE: A Virgil Flowers Novel" by John Sandford

Virgil Flowers returns in SHOCK WAVE and the read is a good one. This is the fifth novel of the series and this time he is chasing a bomber. Virgil is based in Mankato, Minnesota and therefore routinely covers the southern part of the state for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. He also goes whether his boss, Lucas Davenport, sends him. Virgil has quite the reputation, not just with the ladies, and always gets the job done.

The latest bombing was of a construction trailer located at the site of a planned PyeMart store. PyeMart is a major grocery and more type chain store deal and somebody is trying to stop their latest venture. This just hours after the company’s board room in their very secure office tower was blown up killing one and wounding another. Like the office tower bombing, the destruction of the construction trailer has killed one and wounded another. Lucas Davenport sends Virgil to the small town of Butternut to deal with the problem in typical Virgil Flowers fashion.

That means both traditional police work and a reliance on the unorthodox methods when traditional police work does not give Virgil Flowers the answers he needs. Butternut is one of those small towns where everyone pretty much knows everyone else. That means everyone knows who the folks on the edge are and also know that most of those types can’t pull these bombing off successfully. Yet, somebody is doing it because it keeps happening.

As expected, Virgil does finally solve the case in a fast paced book that also occasionally provides a laugh out loud moment. No new ground in terms of character development is broken here. Instead, the focus is on the case and chasing a bomber that is striking again and again in the area. In a refreshing change from recent books in this series, discussions and observations about sex and sexual perversions are almost non-existent making for a much better read. The focus is on the case, the suspects, and how to stop the attacks. The read moves very quickly with a minimum of character exploration. That is especially obvious in the way the secondary subplot is handled as it could have easily been expanded some to add some complexity to the book. Despite that minor nit, there are plenty of twists and turns in this nearly 400 page novel to give you a good read.

SHOCK WAVE: A Virgil Flowers Novel

John Sandford

http://www.johnsandford.org

G. P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Group)

http://penguingroup.com

2011

ISBN# 978-0-399-15769-1

Hardback

388 Pages

$27.95

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2011

Reviewing: "Buried Prey: A Novel" by John Sandford

Years ago, Lucas Davenport was a young patrol officer who wanted off the streets. He was bored and not sure what he was going to do if he could not get out of patrol. The case that became known as “The Jones Case” was his way off the streets and into working homicides. Theoretically, it was sort of solved back in 1985 with the death of the main suspect but the bodies of the two missing girls were never found.

 

The discovery of the skeletonized remains of the two girls on a site being cleared for redevelopment brings the past to life for Lucas Davenport. He never totally accepted the idea of who did it back then and the discovery brings a wave of self-doubt. Lucas feels tremendous guilt for not fighting harder at the time and has a horrifying theory. If the dead man accused of the crime did not do it all those years ago that means that the child killer probably struck again and again over the intervening years and Lucas is at least partially responsible for those murders.

The past has always been a major issue in this series and certainly is here both in terms of the case as well as writer technique. Breaking the mold of the last several books where readers knew who the bad guys were in the first few pages, John Sandford instead gives readers the discovery of the bodies followed by an extensive flashback sequence. Titled “Then” the flashback sequence lasts for nearly 170 pages and details the case, the manhunt, and the mindset of Lucas Davenport all those years ago.  A mindset that continues to present day where he will still cut corners and manipulate others while working to solve a case. For Lucas Davenport the ends usually do justify the means and occasionally have unintended and devasting consequences.

This latest in the series is a good one and provides readers an interesting tale of suspense and mystery. The clues are many and varied and the identity of the killer is not suggested to late in Buried Prey creating a puzzle for readers to solve right along with Lucas. Author John Sandford breaks the formulaic mode he had fallen into over the last several books of this series and the result is a refreshing change of pace that breathes life into the series.

BURIED PREY: A NOVEL
John Sandford

http://www.johnsandford.org

G.P. Putnam’s Sons (Penguin Group)

http://www.penguin.com

2011

ISBN# 978-0-399-15738-7

Hardback

390 Pages

$27.95

Material supplied by the good folks of the Plano, Texas Public Library System.

Kevin R. Tipple © 2011