Storm Prey

Description

The brilliant new Lucas Davenport thriller from the #1 New York Times-bestselling author.

"Sandford's track record as a bestselling author is amazing, but it's not an accident," wrote Booklist of Wicked Prey. "His plotting is sharp, his villains are extraordinarily layered, and his good guys are always evolving.

And this time, there's a storm brewing...Very early, 4:45, on a bitterly cold Minnesota morning, three big men burst through the door of a hospital pharmacy, duct-tape the hands, feet, mouth, and eyes of two pharmacy workers, and clean the place out. But then things swiftly go bad, one of the workers dies, and the robbers hustle out to their truck-and find themselves for just one second face-to-face with a blond woman in the garage: Weather Karkinnen, surgeon, wife of an investigator named Lucas Davenport.

Did she see enough? Can she identify them? Gnawing it over later, it seems to them there is only one thing they can do: Find out who she is, and eliminate the only possible witness...

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Customer Reviews

Lots of action and clever prose too
It's not his case, but with his wife Weather Karkinnen's life at risk, Lucas Davenport, of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, pulls out all the stops, making for Sandford's 22nd snappy, fast-paced, well-plotted "Prey" thriller.

The novel opens with a pharmacy robbery at the hospital where Weather is a plastic surgeon. Masterminded by a cokehead doctor and carried out by a local biker gang with various degrees of smarts, things go wrong, a pharmacy worker dies, and suddenly the robbery is a murder.

Weather, on her way to a big surgery - the separation of twins joined at the skull - hardly registers the panicked vanload of criminals as they pass her. Or the tall doctor who rides up in the elevator with her. But they have noticed her.

Viewpoint switches primarily among the thugs, the coked up doctor, the spooky skinhead hit man they hire, Lucas and Weather. Virgil Flowers (who has a series of his own) has a role as one of the skilled crowd Lucas summons to watch over Weather.

The action heats up as the body count rises. Privy to everyone's plans, the reader is step or two ahead of Lucas and the cops, but all we can do is sit on the sidelines and bite our nails as the pages fly by. There's nothing new here, but the surgery subplot, likable protagonists, witty dialogue and very creepy killers make this another winner in a top-notch series.

2010-07-27 (Marathon, FL USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Still Going...
I started the Prey series at the beginning, but I haven't read the last few, so it was notable that this one--the 20th in the series--could stand alone. It was, initially one of my favorite series, and is still a quick, easy, engaging read. Unlike, in my opinion, some authors, (John Patterson comes to mind), who have become unrecognizably sensational and somehow still tediously formulaic in their endless series', Sandford still seems to be holding his own, but this novel definitely lacked the thrill of some of the earlier work.

2010-07-27 | Bookish in California (Sacramento, CA United States) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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Storm Prey ~ an Jon Sandford success!
I am so glad that Lucas Davenport and friends are back ~ and you will be, too! The story is well written (as usual) and and will keep you on-edge until the very end!

2010-07-26 (Mansfield, MA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Horrible Book
I have been reading John Sandford since the Prey series started. This has got to be the worst book he has written to date. I normally read one, two and sometimes three books a day and it took me four days to finish this one. It was the most boring book and dragged on and on. I kept hoping it would get better but never did, don't waste your money on this one, hope the next one is much better, it couldn't be much worse.

2010-07-26 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 1

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Sandford is Perfect Again!
"John Sandford rolls a perfect strike again with this combined Lucas Davenport/Virgil Flowers team that guards Davenport's wife who was almost an eyewitness to the hospital pharmacy robbery."

2010-07-26 (Nashville, Tn United States) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Bad Blood: a Virgil Flowers novel

Description

The brilliant new Virgil Flowers thriller from the #1 New York Times-bestselling author.

One late fall Sunday in southern Minnesota, a farmer brings a load of soybeans to a local grain elevator- and a young man hits him on the head with a steel bar, drops him into the grain bin, waits until he's sure he's dead, and then calls the sheriff to report the "accident." Suspicious, the sheriff calls in Virgil Flowers, who quickly breaks the kid down...and the next day the boy's found hanging in his cell. Remorse? Virgil isn't so sure, and as he investigates he begins to uncover a multigeneration, multifamily conspiracy-a series of crimes of such monstrosity that, though he's seen an awful lot in his life, even he has difficulty in comprehending it...and in figuring out what to do next.

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Wicked Prey (Lucas Davenport Mysteries)

Product Details

• ISBN13: 9780425234600
• Ready: New
• Notes: BUY WITH Reliance, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and advantage to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Description

Out of Lucas Davenport's past comes a psycho nursing a violent grudge. But why go after Davenport for revenge when Davenport's young daughter is so close-and so vulnerable?

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Customer Reviews

Never ending twists!
Wicked Prey was the first book I had read by John Sandford. I had read a good review of this book in our local newspaper so I bought it. It was great! Good character development in that you really felt you could picture each one. Great story line for a mystery with lots of surprising twists and turns and in the end (whew!) everything comes out together. Lots of different emotions and tensions kept me riveted. Look forward to reading more of John Sandford.

2010-07-24 | Veggie | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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mystery
I watch for John Sandford books. He is always entertaining with strange characters and just plain good mystery fiction.

2010-07-02 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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A veiw on the Prey Series
John Sandford is the master of a great mystery writer. He is the master of a great mystery writer. The Lucas Davenport Mysteries series is my favorite.

However, the use of family members driving the suspense of the story line isn't my choice of how to keep a plot flowing. The reason, is most readers want a story line that doesn't imply their hero's family is in danger. The readers have enough family problems and just want a time to escape from "life" for a few moments of time. I was disappointed with this novel because of this story line.

2010-06-28 | System Manager (Kansas) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 3

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I was bored by the book
I'm a big fan of the "Prey" novels. I enjoy amongest things their vivid characters and crisp dialogue. In this novel making a 14 year old girl a main character slowed the book down for me. I found myself skipping sections of the book when ever she appeared.

2010-06-23 | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 3

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wicked prey
typical sandford book easy reading, you don't want to put it down and as usual another good davenport story

2010-06-16 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Rough Country (Virgil Flowers)

Product Details

• Brainwash: New
• ISBN13: 9780399155987
• Notes: BUY WITH Poise, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and employment to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed

Description

It's a joy to announce that John Sandford is still doing everything right," wrote the Cleveland Plain Dealer about the second adventure of Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator Virgil Flowers. "Virgil acts like the best series protagonists-becoming someone we just enjoy spending time with."

Virgil's always been known for having a somewhat active, er, social life, but he's probably not going to be getting too many opportunities for that during his new case. While competing in a fishing tournament in a remote area of northern Minnesota, he gets a call from Lucas Davenport to investigate a murder at a nearby resort, where a woman has been shot while kayaking. The resort is for women only, a place to relax, get fit, recover from plastic surgery, commune with nature, and while it didn't start out to be a place mostly for those with Sapphic inclinations, that's pretty much what it is today.

Which makes things all the more complicated for Virgil, because as he begins investigating, he finds a web of connections between the people at the resort, the victim, and some local women, notably a talented country singer. The more he digs, the more he discovers the arrows of suspicion that point in many directions, encompassing a multitude of motivations: jealousy, blackmail, greed, anger, fear. Then he finds that this is not the first murder, that there was a second, seemingly unrelated one, the year before. And that there's about to be a third, definitely related one, any time now. And as for the fourth . . . well, Virgil better hope he can catch the killer before that happens. Because it could be his own.

Rich with the brilliant plotting and compulsively readable prose that are his hallmarks, Rough Country is another immensely satisfying tale by one of our very best suspense writers.

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Customer Reviews

Good Story
Rough Country is a well plotted book. A women is killed at a women's outdoor resort. As the story unfolds there are more past murders connected to the victim. Virgil Flowers investigates and becomes involved with one of the suspect's sister. The story moves fast and muder ending is a surprise ,but there were clues along the way. The romantic ending is funny too. A very good mystery. I like Virgil Flowers much better than his too cool boss Davenport.

2010-07-08 | viviankosiba (Central Islip, NY United States) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 4

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super
most entertaining. big sandford fan. some better than others but never disappoints. this one shows u can still get a good read without graphic violence and sex. thoroughly enjoyed.

2010-05-29 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Virgil Flowers is Sanford's New Exciting Character
John Sanford has done it again. His primary character, Lucas Davenport, is still a vital law enforcement official and still capable of creating suspense in his own right. But one must admit, he is getting a little long in the tooth. there was a need for another Sanford character .. . younger and more vital . . . testosterone running at full tilt . . . one who could attract the ladies and bed them when called upon . . . yet close the cases which flowed his way.

Virgil Flowers, a stalwart member of the states law enforcement team is back on the job. Solving a mystery with few clues by doggedly following the case as it unfolded . . . a Sanford trademark.

Did Virgil get the girl, also? Read the book!

In the meantime, readers are anxiously awaiting the latest Davenport thriller in Sanford's Prey series. I know I am.


Ed Benjamin, author of "Cash In on the Obama $3 Trillion Spending Plan!: How to make large amounts of money by conducting business with or receiving grants from federal, state, and local governments"

2010-05-09 | author, "Cash In on the Obama $3 Trillion Spending Plan" (Texas) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Fun at times but hard to take seriously
On the one hand, the pages of this mystery spin-off of Sandford's popular Prey series do turn easily enough. On the other hand, it definitely has the feel of being an afterthought side project between Prey novels. It relies too much on entertaining dialog (which sometime succeeds, but not always) and titillation, and not enough on plot or plausibility.

Minnesota Bureau of Crimes detective Virgil Flowers makes up his own rules as he conducts a solo investigation of the murder of a lesbian advertising mogul at an upstate women's-only retreat. With the local police ostensibly all tied up searching for a missing 15 year-old, it is left to Flowers alone to investigate this high-profile murder. Which he does, making the occasional check-in phone call to his off-screen boss Lucas Davenport (of the Prey novels), by essentially ignoring all standard law-enforcement procedure and common sense. Although he does Mirandize a witness or two, basically he spends his days driving around asking the locals obtrusive questions without making any record of his interviews. To read about Flowers, you'd never guess that most cops spend half their time doing paperwork.

Then after putting in one of his six-hour days, he'll drop by the home of a suspect with a six-pack. He gets personally involved, in a number of different ways, with various people involved in the case. His actions would taint any real-life investigation beyond the hope of a prosecution. In comparison to the highly realistic style that dominates contemporary mystery fiction, this book reads more like a modern take on the amateur detective who ruled crime fiction 80 to 100 years ago.

I thought the resolution was the weakest part of the story. It's basically a cheat: there is a key sign to what is really going on visible to everyone, although in the story, only Flowers is able to spot it. Yet the reader is not (until late in the game) given an equal chance to see the obvious because it depends on just that, being able to actually see the characters. If this book were developed as a movie and cast accurately, it would be obvious to all viewers what had happened within five seconds. Yet the non-Flowers characters (and even Flowers himself, for several days and several more shootings) don't notice what's right in front of their eyes.

Admittedly there is plenty of other evidence pointing toward a highly suspicious character who turns out to be guilty, but the original murder would and should have been resolved long before any of that came out.

I mentioned titillation: the book is rampant with hot young lesbian and bisexual women (and the occasional straight, if married, woman), and this keeps hound dog Virgil pointed in the wrong direction much of the time. Lingering on the sex aspects of the quasi-lesbian resort, the promising young alt-country band made up of cute young things who'll do anyone with a pulse, and even the local bi CPA, definitely comes across as exploitative. And gratuitously so, as this part of the story has little if anything to do with its resolution.

Also annoying to me after a while was Flowers's (and therefore Sandford's) relentless trick of dropping the names and prominently flaunting the t-shirts of various trendy indie bands. It smacks of a desperate need for approval in author, character, or both. Unless of course, Sandford was trying to make an "ironic" statement about the sort of people who urgently need to demonstrate their independence from mainstream musical taste to total strangers. I don't think that's it, as Sandford has been prone to doing the same thing re Davenport.

Other than those false notes, the book is a good enough plane or beach read. But it doesn't have anything like the staying power of even the later Prey novels. If Sandford really wants to set up an eventual successor to the settled Davenport, I think someone a little more believable than Flowers would be a better choice. Davenport's eccentricities and his superiors' tolerance for them were based in part on Davenport's financial independence and in part in the 1980s' style of fiction being different than the 2010s'. I don't think in a CSI world you can have a freewheeler like Flowers just make it all up as he goes along and then argue that the successful ends justify any flaky means. Not when a more realistic end than an arrest and conviction would be: Case dismissed due to investigatory playfulness.

2010-05-02 (Miami, FL United States) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 3

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I haven't even read it yet, and I love it!
I'm holding my breath! I haven't even read this latest of Virgil's adventures, and I know I love it! How clever of John Sandford to create Virgil -- young, virile, adventurous, and OMG spiritual! -- as he allows Lucas to mellow and settle down! John Sandford, you write 'em and my husband and I will read 'em! You are a character developer to be dealt with! (So when can we get it unabridged on CD? We travel a lot and love to listen to your books on our MP3 players as we drive.)

2010-04-19 | SueCoach (Houston) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Heat Lightning (Virgil Flowers, No 2)

Description

Fresh from his “spectacular” (Cleveland Plain Dealer) debut in Dark of the Moon, investigator Virgil Flowers takes on a puzzling—and most alarming—case, in the new book from the #1 bestselling author.

John Sandford’s introduction of Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator Virgil Flowers was an immediate critical and popular success: “laser-sharp characters and a plot that’s fast and surprising” (Cleveland Plain Dealer); “an idiosyncratic, thoroughly ingratiating hero” (Booklist). Flowers is only in his late thirties, but he’s been around the block a few times, and he doesn’t think much can surprise him anymore. He’s wrong.

It’s a hot, humid summer night in Minnesota, and Flowers is in bed with one of his ex-wives (the second one, if you’re keeping count), when the phone rings. It’s Lucas Davenport. There’s a body in Stillwater—two shots to the head, found near a veteran’s memorial. And the victim has a lemon in his mouth.

Exactly like the body they found last week.

The more Flowers works the murders, the more convinced he is that someone’s keeping a list, and that the list could have a lot more names on it. If he could only find out what connects them all . . . and then he does, and he’s almost sorry he did.

Because if it’s true, then this whole thing leads down a lot more trails than he thought—and every one of them is booby-trapped.

Filled with the audacious plotting, rich characters, and brilliant suspense that have always made his books “compulsively readable” (Los Angeles Times), this is vintage Sandford.

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Customer Reviews

Virgil is a surprise
I thought Lucus Davenport was the premire character in the John Sandford novels. Virgil f---ing Flowers may be even more fun. Taking after my own heart, Virgil is a fisherman first, serious crime solver second - sort of. This novel takes Virgil to new levels, testing him through a love affair, old murders tied to the Vietnam War and racial tentions involving the resident Native American population in Minnasota. Fast moving, tense, and entertaining, with a dash of good old Lucus, this book was a nice surprise. I will definately be looking forward to the next in the seriesJohnny's Jacket.

2010-06-21 | James M. NAUGLE "Author of Johnny's Jacket" (Petaluma, Ca.) | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 5

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Pretty Good
This was a petty good, quick read. Virgil Flowers is an enjoyable character; good sense of humor. The plot had plenty of interesting twists and turns; kept my interest. Good ending. I also enjoyed the international slant. Its a good great but not great; I've read better books from John Sanford. While reading it, I just had the feeling that it was written quickly. The writing seemed clipped. The characters and sense of place could have been developed further. I enjoy reading John Sanford's books. But this one is not on top of my list of favorites. Probably a good book to read on a long flight.

2010-06-20 (Flower Mound, TX USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 3

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Excellent Service
Condition of book was as advertised, shipment was prompt and packaging was great. Book was another Sandford thriller which I thoroughly enjoyed.

2010-06-05 (New Hampshire, USA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Fine story, horrible formatting
I like Sanford's style. They're usually quick, smart reads that leave you mostly satisfied. This one wasn't any different story wise. This is the first Sanford book I've bought for my Kindle tho, and I have to say, the formatting was AWFUL!!!! Someone needs to clean this one up in a big way.

2010-03-20 | Labrynth (Atlanta, GA) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 3

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Hear Lightening a book by John Sandford
Excellent book. Virgil Flower is a new characteer to me but is well developed in this story. I will read mo4e Sandford.

2010-01-31 | Leigh Hamilton (Waldport, Oregon) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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Dark of the Moon (Virgil Flowers)

Product Details

• ISBN13: 9780425224137
• Notes: BUY WITH Poise, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and care to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
• Accustom: New

Description

Three murders in just as many weeks in the quiet rural town of Bluestream is unheard of. It’s also no coincidence. And it’s not over: Detective Virgil Flowers is about to be pulled into the middle of a killer’s violent personal vendetta.

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Customer Reviews

Don't waste your time!
After managing to get three-quarters of the way through this book I decided to go back to the first few pages inside the front cover and re-read the reviews. I'm sure those reviews were written about a different book than the one I was reading.

This story-line is uninspired, boring, and does nothing to make you care about any of the characters.

The reviews say it's "Fast Paced," think- turtle races. The reviews say "non-stop action," think- grass growing (in August).

I only finished reading the book because, well, I don't know why I finished it. But I did.

Instead of reading this book, do something exciting, Watch paint dry.

2010-07-08 (Itasca, IL) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 1

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Great Story - Horrible Book
The actual story was very good, no complaints there. It was interesting to see Virgil Flowers as the main character in a story. He seemed like he would be worthy of having his own spin-off series. I hope that happens.

My complaints are with the physical condition of the book itself. I spent a few extra bucks and got a hardcover edition. The book looked liked it had been stored outside and had been exposed to the elements. Many pages had obvious water stains...at least I HOPE they were water stains, the front and back cover were warped, the inside covers were torn, showing evidence that the original exterior cover had been peeled off, and so far I have discovered one page that actually had a hole in it.

I just have one question. Is Amazon selling badly used books and trying to pass them off as new?

2010-03-21 (Catonsville, MD) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 1

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couldn't they afford an editor ?
i've enjoyed the prey novels & when i saw the third book in this series on a 10 best list for 2009 i decided to check out the series with the first book.

i liked the setting and was intrigued by virgil flowers, part time outdoorsman writer.

but i was sorely dissappointed by the unveiling of the mystery and by the insult to the reader, me, in the sloppy editing...at one point a character opens a door late at night fearful of hearing bad news about one of his adult children. when the police arrive after he's killed they tell flowers the man was childless.

really!!! if you wonder how little a writer can respect his readers...check out john sanford's virgil flowers series and find out..

2009-12-26 | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 2

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Well Worth It
The only negative thing I can say is that shipment seemed to take forever. The product is as described and I'd buy it again.

2009-12-24 | Savvy Senior (Spring Valley, CA United States) | Helpful Votes: 0 | Rating: 5

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don't bother
This has to be the worst book that Sanford has ever penned. I kept waiting for the
"knockout punch" and it never happened. A major waste of my hard earned dollars.

2009-12-24 | Helpful Votes: 1 | Rating: 1

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