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Lucas Davenport #34
Toxic Prey
Lucas Davenport and his daughter, Letty, team up to track down a dangerous scientist whose latest project could endanger the entire world, in this thriller from #1 New York Times bestselling author, John Sandford.
Gaia is dying.
That, at least, is what Dr. Lionel Scott believes. A renowned expert in tropical and infectious diseases, Scott has witnessed the devastating impact of illness and turmoil at a critical scale. He is certain that society as it exists is untenable and is directly linked to Earth’s death spiral; population levels are out of control and people have allowed disarray and disorder to run rampant. While most are concerned about deadly disease, Scott knows that it is truly humanity itself that will destroy Gaia. His conclusion? It’s only by removing this threat that the planet can continue to prosper, and luckily, Scott is just the right man for the job!
When Scott disappears without a trace, Letty Davenport is tasked with tracking down any and all leads. Scott’s connections to sensitive research into virus and pathogen spread has multiple national and international organizations on high alert, and his shockingly high clearance levels at various institutions, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory, make him the last person they’d like to go missing.
As the web around Scott becomes more tangled, Letty calls in her father, Lucas, to help her find Scott ASAP. But soon their worst fears are confirmed, and it quickly becomes a race to find him before the virus he created becomes the perfect weapon.
Gaia is dying.
That, at least, is what Dr. Lionel Scott believes. A renowned expert in tropical and infectious diseases, Scott has witnessed the devastating impact of illness and turmoil at a critical scale. He is certain that society as it exists is untenable and is directly linked to Earth’s death spiral; population levels are out of control and people have allowed disarray and disorder to run rampant. While most are concerned about deadly disease, Scott knows that it is truly humanity itself that will destroy Gaia. His conclusion? It’s only by removing this threat that the planet can continue to prosper, and luckily, Scott is just the right man for the job!
When Scott disappears without a trace, Letty Davenport is tasked with tracking down any and all leads. Scott’s connections to sensitive research into virus and pathogen spread has multiple national and international organizations on high alert, and his shockingly high clearance levels at various institutions, including the Los Alamos National Laboratory, make him the last person they’d like to go missing.
As the web around Scott becomes more tangled, Letty calls in her father, Lucas, to help her find Scott ASAP. But soon their worst fears are confirmed, and it quickly becomes a race to find him before the virus he created becomes the perfect weapon.
400 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 9, 2024
3555 people are currently reading
3796 people want to read
About the author
John Sandford
237 books9,660 followersJohn Sandford is the pen name of John Roswell Camp, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and bestselling author known for his gripping thrillers and popular crime series. After earning degrees in history, literature, and journalism from the University of Iowa, Camp began his writing career as a reporter, first at The Miami Herald and later at The Saint Paul Pioneer Press, where he earned critical acclaim for in-depth series on Native American communities and American farm life. His work won him the Pulitzer Prize for Feature Writing in 1986.
In 1989, Camp transitioned into fiction, publishing two novels: The Fool's Run under his real name and Rules of Prey under the pseudonym John Sandford. The latter launched the long-running “Prey” series, starring Lucas Davenport, a sharp, fearless investigator navigating politically sensitive crimes across Minnesota and beyond. The series grew to include spin-offs and crossovers, notably featuring characters like Virgil Flowers, a laid-back BCA agent with a sharp wit, and Letty Davenport, Lucas's equally determined daughter, who stars in her own series starting in 2022.
Sandford’s books have consistently appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, with over two dozen debuting at number one. Known for his dynamic storytelling, fast pacing, and keen attention to detail, Sandford combines his journalistic roots with a gift for character-driven narratives. He remains an avid reader and outdoorsman, and continues to write compelling fiction that resonates with readers who enjoy intelligent thrillers grounded in realism and driven by memorable protagonists.
In 1989, Camp transitioned into fiction, publishing two novels: The Fool's Run under his real name and Rules of Prey under the pseudonym John Sandford. The latter launched the long-running “Prey” series, starring Lucas Davenport, a sharp, fearless investigator navigating politically sensitive crimes across Minnesota and beyond. The series grew to include spin-offs and crossovers, notably featuring characters like Virgil Flowers, a laid-back BCA agent with a sharp wit, and Letty Davenport, Lucas's equally determined daughter, who stars in her own series starting in 2022.
Sandford’s books have consistently appeared on the New York Times bestseller list, with over two dozen debuting at number one. Known for his dynamic storytelling, fast pacing, and keen attention to detail, Sandford combines his journalistic roots with a gift for character-driven narratives. He remains an avid reader and outdoorsman, and continues to write compelling fiction that resonates with readers who enjoy intelligent thrillers grounded in realism and driven by memorable protagonists.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,569 reviews
February 25, 2024
It’s been a while since population explosion and control has been at the heart of any thriller I’ve read. But in this, the 34th Lucas Davenport book, a scientist has decided the only way to save the planet is to significantly reduce the number of people living on it. Lionel Scott has spent his career studying infectious diseases, how they spread and the ability to make them more infectious. Now, he’s gone missing.
In truth, the book is a Letty and Lucas story and Letty is at the forefront in the action. Lucas and Rae are brought in because of their ability to hunt down people.
The book moves along at a brisk clip as the team tries to outthink the villains. For me, it’s important that thrillers stay on this side of the believability line. This one does that, especially given our recent experience with Covid. It works well to have a high level of tension, but with the inevitable downtime. Sandford realizes that even action heroes need to eat and sleep. The action is all within the realm of the possible. Sandford’s writing style is such that it’s easy to envision every scene.
I also liked that Sandford has toned Letty down so she’s not some super girl character she displayed in her earlier books.
Unlike some of Sandford’s other books, there’s not a lot of humor here.
And while this is part of a long standing series, it can be read as a stand-alone.
My thanks to Netgalley and Putnam Group for an advance copy of this book.
In truth, the book is a Letty and Lucas story and Letty is at the forefront in the action. Lucas and Rae are brought in because of their ability to hunt down people.
The book moves along at a brisk clip as the team tries to outthink the villains. For me, it’s important that thrillers stay on this side of the believability line. This one does that, especially given our recent experience with Covid. It works well to have a high level of tension, but with the inevitable downtime. Sandford realizes that even action heroes need to eat and sleep. The action is all within the realm of the possible. Sandford’s writing style is such that it’s easy to envision every scene.
I also liked that Sandford has toned Letty down so she’s not some super girl character she displayed in her earlier books.
Unlike some of Sandford’s other books, there’s not a lot of humor here.
And while this is part of a long standing series, it can be read as a stand-alone.
My thanks to Netgalley and Putnam Group for an advance copy of this book.
May 30, 2024
4.5 Stars.
New narrator and I still need some getting used to. If you're a fan of audiobooks and have been listening to this series, give this new narrator a chance. It's hard after listening to the same narrator for 32 books. Great mystery and writing as always by Sandford, I like Letty being a part of Toxic Prey.
🎙️❤️🩹
New narrator and I still need some getting used to. If you're a fan of audiobooks and have been listening to this series, give this new narrator a chance. It's hard after listening to the same narrator for 32 books. Great mystery and writing as always by Sandford, I like Letty being a part of Toxic Prey.
🎙️❤️🩹
May 5, 2025
Action, suspense, and a race against time keep readers of
Toxic Prey
by John Sandford rapidly turning the pages. It’s the thirty-fourth book in the Lucas Davenport series and the third book in the Letty Davenport series. When the father and daughter join forces to track down a dangerous scientist whose latest project could endanger most of the world’s population, you know you’re in for an exciting tale.
Dr. Lionel Scott, a British expert in tropical and infectious diseases has accepted the theory that suggests the Earth's living and non-living components function as a single, self-regulating system that is dying. He believes the planet can prosper if the humanity threat is removed. When he disappears, Letty is tasked with tracking him down. Scott’s connections to sensitive research into virus and pathogen spread has multiple national and international organizations involved. As the picture becomes clearer, Letty, along with members of the U.S. Marshall’s service (including Lucas) and other U.S. agencies, plus the United Kingdom’s domestic counter-intelligence and security agency create a task force of specialists to handle the situation.
Letty is smart and determined, with a somewhat warped sense of humor and a tendency to be rash at times. She also takes after Lucas in several ways including her proficiency and knowledge of guns and her love of fashion. Lucas has plenty of good qualities and always tries to do the right thing, but I sometimes dislike his methods. Alec Hawkins (from England) is smart and funny, but unused to some of America’s procedures and processes. Scott is the known antagonist throughout the book. Readers get his point of view along with Lucas, Letty and a couple of others. However, there are a lot of characters in the novel and some of them are not as well developed.
The story is part investigation and part action thriller. The opening prologue is strong, chilling, and impactful. This event hooked me and immediately drew me into the novel. The suspenseful narrative provides plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong. A strong sense of place caused me to feel transported to New Mexico where most of the action occurs. The final action scenes are riveting and high-powered. The author is a superb storyteller who kept me on the edge of my seat as the operation and action unfolded. The final action scenes are riveting and hauntingly memorable.
Overall, this was suspenseful, thought-provoking, and action packed with compelling characters that kept me engaged throughout. If you enjoy thrillers, then look no further than this novel. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in both series.
All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
------------------------------------------
My 4.45 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
Dr. Lionel Scott, a British expert in tropical and infectious diseases has accepted the theory that suggests the Earth's living and non-living components function as a single, self-regulating system that is dying. He believes the planet can prosper if the humanity threat is removed. When he disappears, Letty is tasked with tracking him down. Scott’s connections to sensitive research into virus and pathogen spread has multiple national and international organizations involved. As the picture becomes clearer, Letty, along with members of the U.S. Marshall’s service (including Lucas) and other U.S. agencies, plus the United Kingdom’s domestic counter-intelligence and security agency create a task force of specialists to handle the situation.
Letty is smart and determined, with a somewhat warped sense of humor and a tendency to be rash at times. She also takes after Lucas in several ways including her proficiency and knowledge of guns and her love of fashion. Lucas has plenty of good qualities and always tries to do the right thing, but I sometimes dislike his methods. Alec Hawkins (from England) is smart and funny, but unused to some of America’s procedures and processes. Scott is the known antagonist throughout the book. Readers get his point of view along with Lucas, Letty and a couple of others. However, there are a lot of characters in the novel and some of them are not as well developed.
The story is part investigation and part action thriller. The opening prologue is strong, chilling, and impactful. This event hooked me and immediately drew me into the novel. The suspenseful narrative provides plenty of opportunities for things to go wrong. A strong sense of place caused me to feel transported to New Mexico where most of the action occurs. The final action scenes are riveting and high-powered. The author is a superb storyteller who kept me on the edge of my seat as the operation and action unfolded. The final action scenes are riveting and hauntingly memorable.
Overall, this was suspenseful, thought-provoking, and action packed with compelling characters that kept me engaged throughout. If you enjoy thrillers, then look no further than this novel. I’m looking forward to reading the next book in both series.
All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.
------------------------------------------
My 4.45 rounded to 4 stars review is coming soon.
March 25, 2024
My thanks to Putnam Group, John Sandford and Netgalley.
I love the characters. I've finally developed a soft spot for Letty, and if course Lucas is my main man!
But, I hated the whole entire plot. Everything about it just was very bland. I know it was supposed to be scary, but?
Also, I've always been very firmly in the camp of the idjits who were behind this whole plot! I have no issue with killing off humanity.
I love the characters. I've finally developed a soft spot for Letty, and if course Lucas is my main man!
But, I hated the whole entire plot. Everything about it just was very bland. I know it was supposed to be scary, but?
Also, I've always been very firmly in the camp of the idjits who were behind this whole plot! I have no issue with killing off humanity.
December 17, 2024
According to the Gaia hypothesis, the Earth is a living organism with the overall thrust of life being cooperative. Life on Earth self-regulates its environment to create optimum conditions for the advancement of life. The correct balance is held in place, perhaps cruelly, through population limiting disease. But some believe that this balance is at threat as the world’s population expands, unchecked. Could it be that Gaia is now being destroyed. If that’s the case, how can this imbalance be addressed?
Doctor Lionel Scott, a British subject now working in America, had studied viral and bacterial diseases before working in a series of Third World countries. He’d subsequently found his way to the U.S. Army Medical School of Infectious Diseases and has, for the past year, been working at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico – a primary research facility into diseases that might be weaponised by an enemy. But now Scott is missing, and very high-ranking people are worried.
Letty Davenport works for the Department of Homeland Security and is asked to undertake some background investigation into Scott, to ascertain whether he’s someone who might possibly go off the rails and, in essence become an existential threat. Her investigations begin in Oxford, England, where Scott began his studies. There, she makes contact with a weather-beaten but handsome MI5 agent, Alec Hawkins. Before long they’ve assessed that Scott may well pose a threat – a very serious threat.
Letty’s dad, Lucas, is brought in as a member of a team whose mission is to find Scott and deal with any threat he poses. Also in this group are several other carry-over characters from previous books. Lucas is a natural hunter, and he’s in his element here, but Letty is a hard nut in her own right and is also never far from the heart of the action. They each have a role to play, and I think Sandford just about pulls off the trick of ensuring their partnership here doesn’t feel forced or false. However, events quickly escalate, and soon, the group is faced with a potential crisis.
Sandford is a consummate storyteller, and once again he’s come up with an intelligent plot to grab his audience: it’s at once outlandish but also spookily plausible. In Lucas and Letty he’s developed characters who are clever, relentless, and unafraid of conflict. In addition, there’s always humour in his stories, and here’s it’s largely provided by Lucas as he’s forced to deal with Letty’s ambiguous relationship with Hawkins. It’s all cleverly balanced: I couldn’t help but be grabbed by the seriousness of the challenge faced, and yet a grin was also never far from my face.
I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the prospect of Lucas and Letty working together (something that’s felt inevitable for a while), but it really does work well here. That said, I hope this isn’t something that he repeats too often as I do like the subtle distinction he currently draws between books featuring his major characters (Lucas, Letty, and Virgil Flowers). Overall it’s another winner from one of the top crime fiction writers operating today.
My thanks to Penguin Group Putnam for providing an ARC of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Doctor Lionel Scott, a British subject now working in America, had studied viral and bacterial diseases before working in a series of Third World countries. He’d subsequently found his way to the U.S. Army Medical School of Infectious Diseases and has, for the past year, been working at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico – a primary research facility into diseases that might be weaponised by an enemy. But now Scott is missing, and very high-ranking people are worried.
Letty Davenport works for the Department of Homeland Security and is asked to undertake some background investigation into Scott, to ascertain whether he’s someone who might possibly go off the rails and, in essence become an existential threat. Her investigations begin in Oxford, England, where Scott began his studies. There, she makes contact with a weather-beaten but handsome MI5 agent, Alec Hawkins. Before long they’ve assessed that Scott may well pose a threat – a very serious threat.
Letty’s dad, Lucas, is brought in as a member of a team whose mission is to find Scott and deal with any threat he poses. Also in this group are several other carry-over characters from previous books. Lucas is a natural hunter, and he’s in his element here, but Letty is a hard nut in her own right and is also never far from the heart of the action. They each have a role to play, and I think Sandford just about pulls off the trick of ensuring their partnership here doesn’t feel forced or false. However, events quickly escalate, and soon, the group is faced with a potential crisis.
Sandford is a consummate storyteller, and once again he’s come up with an intelligent plot to grab his audience: it’s at once outlandish but also spookily plausible. In Lucas and Letty he’s developed characters who are clever, relentless, and unafraid of conflict. In addition, there’s always humour in his stories, and here’s it’s largely provided by Lucas as he’s forced to deal with Letty’s ambiguous relationship with Hawkins. It’s all cleverly balanced: I couldn’t help but be grabbed by the seriousness of the challenge faced, and yet a grin was also never far from my face.
I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about the prospect of Lucas and Letty working together (something that’s felt inevitable for a while), but it really does work well here. That said, I hope this isn’t something that he repeats too often as I do like the subtle distinction he currently draws between books featuring his major characters (Lucas, Letty, and Virgil Flowers). Overall it’s another winner from one of the top crime fiction writers operating today.
My thanks to Penguin Group Putnam for providing an ARC of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
May 31, 2024
"Society as it exists is untenable."
In Toxic Prey, Lucas Davenport partners with his daughter, Letty, to locate a scientist who plans to launch a globally devastating terrorist attack. Dr. Lionel Scott and his followers believe that thanks to humanity, Earth is dying and the only way to save it is to release a virus that will kill half of the world's population. It MUST be done if our planet Earth is to be saved.
It was an interesting premise but the pacing seemed so slow, drawn out, and repetitious, to me. Toxic Prey just wasn't one of my favorite John Sandford books.
Many thanks to both #GPPutnamsSons and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of #ToxicPrey. This book is #34 in the #LucasDavenport series, with an expected publication date of April 16, 2024.
#LettyDavenport
In Toxic Prey, Lucas Davenport partners with his daughter, Letty, to locate a scientist who plans to launch a globally devastating terrorist attack. Dr. Lionel Scott and his followers believe that thanks to humanity, Earth is dying and the only way to save it is to release a virus that will kill half of the world's population. It MUST be done if our planet Earth is to be saved.
It was an interesting premise but the pacing seemed so slow, drawn out, and repetitious, to me. Toxic Prey just wasn't one of my favorite John Sandford books.
Many thanks to both #GPPutnamsSons and #NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of #ToxicPrey. This book is #34 in the #LucasDavenport series, with an expected publication date of April 16, 2024.
#LettyDavenport
March 2, 2025
Could happen!
Dr. Lionel Scott has a radical belief: Gaia, our planet, is dying, and the only way to save it is through a drastic reduction in the human population. His method? A deadly virus, spread rapidly among unsuspecting victims.
When Dr. Scott vanishes and the threat of a new epidemic looms large, Letty Davenport is tasked with finding him. It becomes clear that Scott is preparing to unleash the virus, prompting an urgent call for Lucas Davenport to join the manhunt. Time is of the essence, and the odds are stacked against humanity.
Can Letty and Lucas stop this madman in time?
"Toxic Prey" is packed with tension. The only thing missing that would have made it more compelling would have been the inclusion of Virgil Flowers in the investigation.
Lucas and Letty's relationship shines through, showcasing a strong bond and formidable teamwork. Bad guys should definitely beware!
Cliffhanger: No
3.5/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Dr. Lionel Scott has a radical belief: Gaia, our planet, is dying, and the only way to save it is through a drastic reduction in the human population. His method? A deadly virus, spread rapidly among unsuspecting victims.
When Dr. Scott vanishes and the threat of a new epidemic looms large, Letty Davenport is tasked with finding him. It becomes clear that Scott is preparing to unleash the virus, prompting an urgent call for Lucas Davenport to join the manhunt. Time is of the essence, and the odds are stacked against humanity.
Can Letty and Lucas stop this madman in time?
"Toxic Prey" is packed with tension. The only thing missing that would have made it more compelling would have been the inclusion of Virgil Flowers in the investigation.
Lucas and Letty's relationship shines through, showcasing a strong bond and formidable teamwork. Bad guys should definitely beware!
Cliffhanger: No
3.5/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
January 22, 2024
Okay, let me get my nitpick out of the way first. And it is a teeny nitpick – not a star destroying complaint. Ready? Okay…
I miss Virgil (expletive-ing) Flowers. I want Virgil. Not a Virgil reference. Not an ‘as Virgil Flowers would say’. The books need Virgil.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way (#sorrynotsorry), I will tell you that I loved this book! It’s a big story – a terrifyingly plausible possibly world-ending story and I was so there for it.
Letty has definitely come into her own as a character and I’m all for it. She’s a complete badass and I get a kick out of her relationship with her dad.
The book moves along at breakneck speed and I was sorry when it was over. I wanted more.
Happily awaiting whatever comes next!
• ARC via Publisher
I miss Virgil (expletive-ing) Flowers. I want Virgil. Not a Virgil reference. Not an ‘as Virgil Flowers would say’. The books need Virgil.
Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way (#sorrynotsorry), I will tell you that I loved this book! It’s a big story – a terrifyingly plausible possibly world-ending story and I was so there for it.
Letty has definitely come into her own as a character and I’m all for it. She’s a complete badass and I get a kick out of her relationship with her dad.
The book moves along at breakneck speed and I was sorry when it was over. I wanted more.
Happily awaiting whatever comes next!
• ARC via Publisher
April 16, 2024
Always interesting and well written, even post covid.
June 24, 2024
The death of one man is a tragedy. The death of a million is a statistic.
John Sanford, Toxic Prey (Page 9)
This is a seriously scary story.
With memories our recent pandemic still fresh we have a story about a scientist trying to start another pandemic. He is a follower of Gaia, a cult that worships the earth as the mother of all living things. But Mother Earth is dying from damage to her climate. The cult believes that Mother Earth has a virus, and that virus is humans. The scientist wants to save Mother Earth by developing a virus that will kill off half the world’s population.
The Department of Homeland Security, where Letty Davenport is now working, catches wind of this plot. Letty enlists the help of her father, Lucas, and the chase is on. Several characters readers will be familiar with from previous stories join the hunt, which adds to the enjoyment.
The really scary part of this story is that given our poor response to the COVID pandemic we are prey to this type of conspiracy. Once again we have a thrilling, fast-action ending and there is a significant bodycount in this story, but it does not reach the statistic level.
This was another enjoyable Sanford book. Like all the Agatha Christie books there is similarity to them, but they always seem to have an interesting scenario.
April 11, 2024
I struggled to get into this book and keep track of the development of the plot, largely because the author introduces a multiplicity of characters, an abundance of unnecessary descriptions, and if that wasn’t enough his unmistakably progressive political views on global warming and the imperative need to reduce our planet’s population by half through the continual release of lethal viruses like Covid. As if we aren’t fed up by now with this leftist ideology currently and constantly being rammed down our throats on social media and other media outlets.
In this book you will stumble across blood-boiling passages like this:
«… But suppose it (Covid) had killed billions of people? Suppose it killed five billion people? More than half the power generation is unneeded. Half the cars are gone. Half the houses don’t need heat in winter. Global warming stops, is even reversed.»
These political views coincide with the leftist ideology that the current UN defends. Supposing that half of the population on this planet is obliterated by an impending virus being concocted in some remote laboratory before its release onto humanity, I can only hope that all of these leftists get affected by it sooner than the innocent people who don’t deserve to die of it in order «to save» this planet that only seems to belong to those who embrace such nefarious ideology.
It is for these reasons that I do not recommend this book.
In this book you will stumble across blood-boiling passages like this:
«… But suppose it (Covid) had killed billions of people? Suppose it killed five billion people? More than half the power generation is unneeded. Half the cars are gone. Half the houses don’t need heat in winter. Global warming stops, is even reversed.»
These political views coincide with the leftist ideology that the current UN defends. Supposing that half of the population on this planet is obliterated by an impending virus being concocted in some remote laboratory before its release onto humanity, I can only hope that all of these leftists get affected by it sooner than the innocent people who don’t deserve to die of it in order «to save» this planet that only seems to belong to those who embrace such nefarious ideology.
It is for these reasons that I do not recommend this book.
April 18, 2024
Lucas vs an Expected "Inferno"
Review of the Penguin Audio audiobook edition (April 9, 2024) narrated by Robert Petkoff of the simultaneously released G.P. Putnam's Sons hardcover/eBook.
John Sandford's Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers novels have often been annual favourites of mine in the suspense thriller genre. They often feature good comic banter to keep the mood light even when the main plots are police procedurals focusing on the pursuit of dangerous criminals. Very rarely there has been a dud along the way, the last being Neon Prey (#29 - 2019) which I reviewed as Only Half a Book, and a Repulsive One at that. Although Toxic Prey is certainly disturbing, I didn't totally dislike it. A 3-star "Liked It" would be a step too far though, so a 2-star it is.
Toxic Prey finds Lucas Davenport and fellow U.S. Marshal Rae Givens together with Davenport's adopted daughter Letty from Homeland Security and MI-5 agent Alec Hawkins seeking to stop a planned world-wide death pandemic virus lab-engineered by a mad scientist and his fellow cult of eco-terrorist believers. This is the tie-in to my lede which hints at Dan Brown's Inferno (2013) which had a similar plot of a population reduction virus.
The engineered virus (a fictional hybrid between Marburg and Measles) is expected to be so deadly that it would wipe out half the earth's population. This leads to some rather disturbing moral choices along the way. The several members of the cult have both infected themselves (having produced their own vaccine ahead of time) and are carrying several vials of the virus with the intention to spread it in transportation hubs such as airports.
The authorities are thus forced into situations of "shoot on sight", as even approaching the suspects becomes a guaranteed further spread of the possible infection. Though the cult is obviously mentally disturbed and dangerous (one is definitely murderous to begin with), it is not quite the same as hunting down vicious criminals. It just left me feeling empty somehow. That is not the feeling I usually expect in a Sandford book. Perhaps the absence of Virgil Flowers from this book also lowered the usual comic relief of cop banter. It became more of a cold-blooded hunt instead.
The audiobook edition is well narrated by the continuing new narrator Robert Petkoff, who takes over duties from the series regular narrator Richard Ferrone (1946-2022). I still miss Ferrone's gravelly voice which always added an additional gravitas to Davenport's voice.
Soundtrack
I didn't notice any musical references during this book unlike the previous book. However, in keeping with the theme, here is a listing of Best Apocalyptic Songs. Add your selections in the comments if you like.
Trivia and Links
There is an April 17, 2024 interview with author John Sandford about Toxic Prey by Barbara Peters at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore's YouTube channel which you can watch here.
Review of the Penguin Audio audiobook edition (April 9, 2024) narrated by Robert Petkoff of the simultaneously released G.P. Putnam's Sons hardcover/eBook.
John Sandford's Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers novels have often been annual favourites of mine in the suspense thriller genre. They often feature good comic banter to keep the mood light even when the main plots are police procedurals focusing on the pursuit of dangerous criminals. Very rarely there has been a dud along the way, the last being Neon Prey (#29 - 2019) which I reviewed as Only Half a Book, and a Repulsive One at that. Although Toxic Prey is certainly disturbing, I didn't totally dislike it. A 3-star "Liked It" would be a step too far though, so a 2-star it is.
Toxic Prey finds Lucas Davenport and fellow U.S. Marshal Rae Givens together with Davenport's adopted daughter Letty from Homeland Security and MI-5 agent Alec Hawkins seeking to stop a planned world-wide death pandemic virus lab-engineered by a mad scientist and his fellow cult of eco-terrorist believers. This is the tie-in to my lede which hints at Dan Brown's Inferno (2013) which had a similar plot of a population reduction virus.
The engineered virus (a fictional hybrid between Marburg and Measles) is expected to be so deadly that it would wipe out half the earth's population. This leads to some rather disturbing moral choices along the way. The several members of the cult have both infected themselves (having produced their own vaccine ahead of time) and are carrying several vials of the virus with the intention to spread it in transportation hubs such as airports.
The authorities are thus forced into situations of "shoot on sight", as even approaching the suspects becomes a guaranteed further spread of the possible infection. Though the cult is obviously mentally disturbed and dangerous (one is definitely murderous to begin with), it is not quite the same as hunting down vicious criminals. It just left me feeling empty somehow. That is not the feeling I usually expect in a Sandford book. Perhaps the absence of Virgil Flowers from this book also lowered the usual comic relief of cop banter. It became more of a cold-blooded hunt instead.
The audiobook edition is well narrated by the continuing new narrator Robert Petkoff, who takes over duties from the series regular narrator Richard Ferrone (1946-2022). I still miss Ferrone's gravelly voice which always added an additional gravitas to Davenport's voice.
Soundtrack
I didn't notice any musical references during this book unlike the previous book. However, in keeping with the theme, here is a listing of Best Apocalyptic Songs. Add your selections in the comments if you like.
Trivia and Links
There is an April 17, 2024 interview with author John Sandford about Toxic Prey by Barbara Peters at The Poisoned Pen Bookstore's YouTube channel which you can watch here.
April 13, 2024
I didn't see this coming. I'm about as close to a John Sanford fanboy as they come. Not every one of his books is a home run, but quite a few are and the ones that aren't are often doubles or triples. I've enjoyed the Prey Series. I've enjoyed the Flowers Series. I've really enjoyed the new Letty Series. I enjoyed his Sci-Fi book and I enjoy his YA series. I enjoyed the Kidd books. I've enjoyed it all and throughout all of it I don't think there was a book that I didn't like...until now.
Finally, after 33 successes, Sandford has laid an egg. Toxic Prey is officially my least favorite book he's written.
Where to start? First of all, this is a Letty Davenport book, not a Prey book. Lucas is the main character of this book. He doesn't share the spotlight with Letty equally. It's her case. She's the main character and he's part of the supporting cast. There's absolutely nothing about this book that requires him to be there. He could have been replaced by a new character and nothing about this story changes. Now, I don't mind it being a Letty book, but let's call it part of that series then.
This is also a Letty story. This isn't Lucas investigating. It's spy stuff. At no point does he break the case. In fact, he hears something. That's it. That's the big break. It's coincidence that he solves problem. You could replace Lucas without even having to change much of the dialogue. If this is your first introduction to Lucas you'd come away asking what's the big deal? How has this character made it to 34 books?
It's also improbable. Don't get me wrong, you have to be willing to suspend some serious disbelief to get past how many serial killers Lucas has caught so that comes with the territory, but the way this book comes about--the fact that Letty, Lucas and their crew are the ones who are tasked with saving the world gets more and more improbable. At many points I asked myself, why isn't the full weight of the US Government being put into action here?
The pacing was off too. Sandford's books usually hum. They start a bit slow but then at some point, they go downhill hard to the finish. I usually have to try to make the books last. I struggle to make them last more than 2 days though. They are that good and that well paced. This took me 4 days to read and I had to force myself to read on at some points and was never excited about picking it back up again.
My biggest disappointment was that I actually liked this book the first time I read it. Only it was written by Dan Brown as part of the Robert Langdon (DaVinci Code) series in 2013. In fairness, it wasn't my favorite book by Brown either but it got more than 2 stars, I can tell you that. It felt more plausible. And look: it's not that because one guy writes about a noble virus spreader trying to save the world by killing off half the population so that means no one else can, but Brown's books are pretty popular, as are Sandfords and I've never caught him borrowing before. If there had been some new tilt to it, if he had taken the sub-genre to a new place or given it a new twist I'd say fine, but if my memory serves me correct, there are a LOT of similarities and not too many new distinguishing ideas.
I'm going to wipe this one from memory. Every author deserves a clunker once in a while and considering it's been over 50 books without one, Sandford gets an automatic pass from me. But I don't recommend this one. And I can't give it more than 2 stars. I'd suggest starting the Prey Series from the beginning. Anyone who's ever taken that suggestion from me has thanked me (and cursed me for all the books they had to buy or take out at the library). I've enjoyed every other Prey Book. This one? It was Toxic.
Finally, after 33 successes, Sandford has laid an egg. Toxic Prey is officially my least favorite book he's written.
Where to start? First of all, this is a Letty Davenport book, not a Prey book. Lucas is the main character of this book. He doesn't share the spotlight with Letty equally. It's her case. She's the main character and he's part of the supporting cast. There's absolutely nothing about this book that requires him to be there. He could have been replaced by a new character and nothing about this story changes. Now, I don't mind it being a Letty book, but let's call it part of that series then.
This is also a Letty story. This isn't Lucas investigating. It's spy stuff. At no point does he break the case. In fact, he hears something. That's it. That's the big break. It's coincidence that he solves problem. You could replace Lucas without even having to change much of the dialogue. If this is your first introduction to Lucas you'd come away asking what's the big deal? How has this character made it to 34 books?
It's also improbable. Don't get me wrong, you have to be willing to suspend some serious disbelief to get past how many serial killers Lucas has caught so that comes with the territory, but the way this book comes about--the fact that Letty, Lucas and their crew are the ones who are tasked with saving the world gets more and more improbable. At many points I asked myself, why isn't the full weight of the US Government being put into action here?
The pacing was off too. Sandford's books usually hum. They start a bit slow but then at some point, they go downhill hard to the finish. I usually have to try to make the books last. I struggle to make them last more than 2 days though. They are that good and that well paced. This took me 4 days to read and I had to force myself to read on at some points and was never excited about picking it back up again.
My biggest disappointment was that I actually liked this book the first time I read it. Only it was written by Dan Brown as part of the Robert Langdon (DaVinci Code) series in 2013. In fairness, it wasn't my favorite book by Brown either but it got more than 2 stars, I can tell you that. It felt more plausible. And look: it's not that because one guy writes about a noble virus spreader trying to save the world by killing off half the population so that means no one else can, but Brown's books are pretty popular, as are Sandfords and I've never caught him borrowing before. If there had been some new tilt to it, if he had taken the sub-genre to a new place or given it a new twist I'd say fine, but if my memory serves me correct, there are a LOT of similarities and not too many new distinguishing ideas.
I'm going to wipe this one from memory. Every author deserves a clunker once in a while and considering it's been over 50 books without one, Sandford gets an automatic pass from me. But I don't recommend this one. And I can't give it more than 2 stars. I'd suggest starting the Prey Series from the beginning. Anyone who's ever taken that suggestion from me has thanked me (and cursed me for all the books they had to buy or take out at the library). I've enjoyed every other Prey Book. This one? It was Toxic.
March 19, 2024
As I said back in 2022 when Letty Davenport, the adopted daughter of U.S. Marshals Service officer Lucas Davenport and his physician wife, Weather, got a starring role for the first time in The Investigator, I enjoyed the book but kind of hoped it was a one-off. That's because I never really connected with Letty - maybe because I loved her dad (and mom and their friend Virgil Flowers) so much that I saw and resented her as some kind of intruder. Well, after reading the second book, both Letty and I grew up (well, she got older and wiser; as an octogenerian, I was already there physically, at least) and now we're cool.
Anyhow, this story hits a timely - and frightening - topic of biological warfare. Early on, we see Dr. Lionel Scott, a fervent believer in "Gaia" - the theory that all living things on the planet interact with each other to create and maintain a synergetic system. Now, he is certain, the human side of that equation has gone out of control, thus threatening its delicate balance. To that end, he's come up with a deadly solution.
But oops, he's nowhere to be found. Fortunately, Letty is reachable; she's called in to find him even before anyone realizes the consequences of his disappearance and the potential fallout thereof, so to speak. Since Scott is British, Letty is first sent to London, where she meets hunky (well of course!) M-15 agent Alec Hawkins, who will accompany her to Scott's alma mater, Oxford, to learn more about the guy - plus a few hangers-on who have drunk Scott's version of Kool-GaiAid. And what they learn is terrifying; immediately, Letty calls in the big guns including her father, Lucas. From that high-level meeting of the minds comes a plan to contain a deadly virus before it kills millions of unsuspecting and innocent people - even if it means killing more than a few unsuspecting and innocent people in the process.
The rest of the book, really, is Lettie and all the "good" guys and gals trying to figure out how to outwit the "bad" guys and gals before they set loose a viral killer that could wipe out half of the world's population. Pretty heady stuff that sure grabbed my attention. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.
Anyhow, this story hits a timely - and frightening - topic of biological warfare. Early on, we see Dr. Lionel Scott, a fervent believer in "Gaia" - the theory that all living things on the planet interact with each other to create and maintain a synergetic system. Now, he is certain, the human side of that equation has gone out of control, thus threatening its delicate balance. To that end, he's come up with a deadly solution.
But oops, he's nowhere to be found. Fortunately, Letty is reachable; she's called in to find him even before anyone realizes the consequences of his disappearance and the potential fallout thereof, so to speak. Since Scott is British, Letty is first sent to London, where she meets hunky (well of course!) M-15 agent Alec Hawkins, who will accompany her to Scott's alma mater, Oxford, to learn more about the guy - plus a few hangers-on who have drunk Scott's version of Kool-GaiAid. And what they learn is terrifying; immediately, Letty calls in the big guns including her father, Lucas. From that high-level meeting of the minds comes a plan to contain a deadly virus before it kills millions of unsuspecting and innocent people - even if it means killing more than a few unsuspecting and innocent people in the process.
The rest of the book, really, is Lettie and all the "good" guys and gals trying to figure out how to outwit the "bad" guys and gals before they set loose a viral killer that could wipe out half of the world's population. Pretty heady stuff that sure grabbed my attention. Many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review a pre-release copy.
April 23, 2024
New virus concocted by mad scientist to inject, spread virus & kill many people in order to save the world.
Taos, New Mexico, is locked down.
Many have potentially been infected.
All the people of Taos are agitated.
Will the mad scientist & his associates escape?
How?
The Davenports, sheriffs, government officials + are all trying to stop the potential killers & help those possibly infected by the deadly virus.
Well written.
Great dialogue.
Good story (but scary to think about situation).
I do hope we see more of Letty Davenport in the future. She’s a smart and strong woman.
I recommend this book.
Taos, New Mexico, is locked down.
Many have potentially been infected.
All the people of Taos are agitated.
Will the mad scientist & his associates escape?
How?
The Davenports, sheriffs, government officials + are all trying to stop the potential killers & help those possibly infected by the deadly virus.
Well written.
Great dialogue.
Good story (but scary to think about situation).
I do hope we see more of Letty Davenport in the future. She’s a smart and strong woman.
I recommend this book.
October 18, 2025
5 Stars. Wonderful read. I loved the chase. But I wasn't sure about it. After reading the GR description, I thought Sandford had taken Lucas and Letty Davenport into the science fiction world. A step too far for this mystery and thriller lover. Not the case. The antagonist is Dr. Lionel Scott, a virus scientist, who is concerned about the impact our species is having on the planet; he refers to the earth as Gaia. His hypothesis is that the earth and its biosphere is one living, self-regulating organism. It's a theory which was developed by James Lovelock in the 1970s. Is it nonsense as one character suggests? Letty rebukes him with, "It doesn't make any difference .. if Scott thinks it's real." We all know how dangerous the measles virus is and most of us know that mass vaccination will keep it in check. It's very contagious and prevalent everywhere. Scott wants to combine it with the less contagious but 80% fatal Marburg virus from Africa and spread the new virus across the globe through airports! Thus eliminating at least half the people on earth. And saving Gaia. Letty and Lucas try to find Scott and his crew in Taos, New Mexico. Can the town be locked down? I'll read it again! (Oc2025)
October 29, 2024
Disclosure: Received an uncorrected ARC of this book from NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons/Penguin Random House LLC (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.
Lucas AND Letty? Squee! I love, love, loved this book. No spoilers to ruin it for other readers but I will share that they do team up as they race against the clock to try to stop a madman who thinks he is saving the world in a truly horrific way. The pacing and tension of the story had me perched at the edge of my seat and it was incredibly difficult to put this book down, so much so I was sneak reading it during the Superbowl!
The closer I got to the end of this book the more I did not want it to end. While there are a plethora of prior Lucas Davenport Prey novels and a few Letty Davenport novels you need not have read any of them to enjoy this novel. Really! While this is listed as the 34th Prey book it felt a bit more like a Letty novel, don't misunderstand, both are prominently featured but from my perspective it came across as weighted slightly more towards Letty.
In addition to the suspenseful and thrilling storyline, I also appreciated that it shines a light on a host of difficult to solve issues, like climate change, that we should be thinking about. And as with his prior novels, the author continues to write and include powerful female characters.
Past characters from both series also make appearances. If you are a longtime reader like me, you might miss that Virgil (f*cking) Flowers isn't part of the caper this time around, but you will appreciate that late in the novel there is a tidbit tucked in regarding how he is doing while we await the next installment of his series.
Lucas AND Letty? Squee! I love, love, loved this book. No spoilers to ruin it for other readers but I will share that they do team up as they race against the clock to try to stop a madman who thinks he is saving the world in a truly horrific way. The pacing and tension of the story had me perched at the edge of my seat and it was incredibly difficult to put this book down, so much so I was sneak reading it during the Superbowl!
The closer I got to the end of this book the more I did not want it to end. While there are a plethora of prior Lucas Davenport Prey novels and a few Letty Davenport novels you need not have read any of them to enjoy this novel. Really! While this is listed as the 34th Prey book it felt a bit more like a Letty novel, don't misunderstand, both are prominently featured but from my perspective it came across as weighted slightly more towards Letty.
In addition to the suspenseful and thrilling storyline, I also appreciated that it shines a light on a host of difficult to solve issues, like climate change, that we should be thinking about. And as with his prior novels, the author continues to write and include powerful female characters.
Past characters from both series also make appearances. If you are a longtime reader like me, you might miss that Virgil (f*cking) Flowers isn't part of the caper this time around, but you will appreciate that late in the novel there is a tidbit tucked in regarding how he is doing while we await the next installment of his series.
April 16, 2024
The old pandemic shtick has been overdone. We see it in movies, books and TV shows. It has been a constant presence and will continue to be so. Does this novel solve the "Nothing is new under the Sun" dilema?
Not really. It is fast paced as it should be, what with time running out etc. As fast as it is, the story line goes nowhere. Jumping from different venues with the same results does not a thriller make. There is no international intrigue except for Letty reverse cowgirling it with an MI5 guy in England. Just boring New Mexico is all you get.
I could go into the lefty woke message of reducing populations blah, blah, blah but I have better things to do like shove a fork in my eye.
The character development is good, especially with Packer. The rest ho-hum down the procedural trail. An entertaining read that lacks story line creativity. I think the author is writing in this vein in hopes that it will be picked up and sold for movie rights. Kind of like the Master of Sellouts, Lee Child.
Not really. It is fast paced as it should be, what with time running out etc. As fast as it is, the story line goes nowhere. Jumping from different venues with the same results does not a thriller make. There is no international intrigue except for Letty reverse cowgirling it with an MI5 guy in England. Just boring New Mexico is all you get.
I could go into the lefty woke message of reducing populations blah, blah, blah but I have better things to do like shove a fork in my eye.
The character development is good, especially with Packer. The rest ho-hum down the procedural trail. An entertaining read that lacks story line creativity. I think the author is writing in this vein in hopes that it will be picked up and sold for movie rights. Kind of like the Master of Sellouts, Lee Child.
April 10, 2024
Time to retire Lucas Davenport
I am avoiding spoilers, but the plot in this book has been used a dozen times before by other writers. The books is filled with highly unlikely events, including almost instant cooperation among myriad government agencies generated by paper thin evidence. The characters are types that can be found in any second rate thriller. The Davenport series has been going downhill for a while, and it is time for Sandford to call it a day on Davenport.
I am avoiding spoilers, but the plot in this book has been used a dozen times before by other writers. The books is filled with highly unlikely events, including almost instant cooperation among myriad government agencies generated by paper thin evidence. The characters are types that can be found in any second rate thriller. The Davenport series has been going downhill for a while, and it is time for Sandford to call it a day on Davenport.
July 20, 2024
TOXIC PREY is #34 in the long-running Lucus Davenport series, and the first one I’ve read that includes his daughter, Letty Davenport, as a major character in the investigation. (It is #3 in the Letty Davenport series.) After a number of lacklustre entries in the Lucus Davenport series, this one shines, although I feel there was too much padding and 100 pages could have been cut from the book to enhance its readability.
The villains of the story subscribe to the Gaia hypothesis—that the earth is dying because there are too many people. Exploding population levels have resulted in disastrous social unrest and rampant diseases. A group of like-minded individuals have come together to solve this crisis by distributing a virus that will kill a majority of the world’s human inhabitants, leaving only small clusters of those who are naturally immune to the virus. The person who is developing this virus, Dr. Lionel Scott, is actually a compassionate individual whose work as an expert in topical and infectious diseases has led him to believe that there is no alternative to the plan developed by his fellow cult members who have come together through internet discussions.
Scott has disappeared from his high profile job at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Letty Davenport, who works for the Department of Homeland Security, is asked to locate him. She starts her search in the U.K. because Dr. Scott is British, and soon teams up with a hunky M-15 agent, Alex Hawkins. Together they decide that Scott may pose a major threat.
Because Scott has disappeared, Letty calls in her father, Lucas Davenport, to help find him, as finding people is what her father does as a U.S Marshal. From then on the story switches between (1) Letty and Scott, (2) Lucus and fellow Marshal Rae Givens, and (3) a group of fellow cult members—Scott, Callon, and Callister. When the interactions between members of one set become boring, the story switches to another.
I liked best the comic banter between Lucas and Givens, although even that, after a while, became repetitious. I didn’t find Letty’s portions very interesting and won’t be reading any more books featuring her as a main character. The villains Scott, Callon, and Callister were interesting, but again there was too much repetition. As mentioned at the beginning of this review, 100 pages could have been cut from this book to avoid the redundancy which slowed down the action.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for others in this series:
Masked Prey (Lucas Davenport, #30)
Ocean Prey (Lucas Davenport, #31)
Righteous Prey (Lucas Davenport, #32)
Judgment Prey (Lucas Davenport, #33)
Eyes of Prey (Lucas Davenport, #3)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to the Greater Victoria Public Library for providing the ebook copy that I read.
The villains of the story subscribe to the Gaia hypothesis—that the earth is dying because there are too many people. Exploding population levels have resulted in disastrous social unrest and rampant diseases. A group of like-minded individuals have come together to solve this crisis by distributing a virus that will kill a majority of the world’s human inhabitants, leaving only small clusters of those who are naturally immune to the virus. The person who is developing this virus, Dr. Lionel Scott, is actually a compassionate individual whose work as an expert in topical and infectious diseases has led him to believe that there is no alternative to the plan developed by his fellow cult members who have come together through internet discussions.
Scott has disappeared from his high profile job at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, and Letty Davenport, who works for the Department of Homeland Security, is asked to locate him. She starts her search in the U.K. because Dr. Scott is British, and soon teams up with a hunky M-15 agent, Alex Hawkins. Together they decide that Scott may pose a major threat.
Because Scott has disappeared, Letty calls in her father, Lucas Davenport, to help find him, as finding people is what her father does as a U.S Marshal. From then on the story switches between (1) Letty and Scott, (2) Lucus and fellow Marshal Rae Givens, and (3) a group of fellow cult members—Scott, Callon, and Callister. When the interactions between members of one set become boring, the story switches to another.
I liked best the comic banter between Lucas and Givens, although even that, after a while, became repetitious. I didn’t find Letty’s portions very interesting and won’t be reading any more books featuring her as a main character. The villains Scott, Callon, and Callister were interesting, but again there was too much repetition. As mentioned at the beginning of this review, 100 pages could have been cut from this book to avoid the redundancy which slowed down the action.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My reviews for others in this series:
Masked Prey (Lucas Davenport, #30)
Ocean Prey (Lucas Davenport, #31)
Righteous Prey (Lucas Davenport, #32)
Judgment Prey (Lucas Davenport, #33)
Eyes of Prey (Lucas Davenport, #3)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks to the Greater Victoria Public Library for providing the ebook copy that I read.
August 2, 2024
I would gladly nominate TOXIC PREY as the best summer beach read of 2024, but that is purely subjective and I haven't read enough that would classify as summer beach reads to be qualified to say so. But, in my opinion, this is clearly the best of the Prey novels in a long time.
Thankfully, Sandford has his characters age as the series progresses, and the Prey formula was getting a little bit formulaic. The introduction of Letty Davenport, Lucas Davenport's adopted daughter, as a new character working for Homeland Security seems to have injected some new blood into the formula. All of the Letty Davenport novels, this being the third, have been exciting reads. This one is the best, although because of all the other characters involved in the story, Letty doesn't get as much of a spotlight as the other novels.
This time she's paired up with her father investigating the disappearance of an offbeat scientist and the possibility that he's about to unleash a fatal biological threat to humanity in the form of a virus he may have developed. TOXIC PREY is a real page turner. The stakes have never been higher, and this is an intense read. I loved it. Highly recommended.
Thankfully, Sandford has his characters age as the series progresses, and the Prey formula was getting a little bit formulaic. The introduction of Letty Davenport, Lucas Davenport's adopted daughter, as a new character working for Homeland Security seems to have injected some new blood into the formula. All of the Letty Davenport novels, this being the third, have been exciting reads. This one is the best, although because of all the other characters involved in the story, Letty doesn't get as much of a spotlight as the other novels.
This time she's paired up with her father investigating the disappearance of an offbeat scientist and the possibility that he's about to unleash a fatal biological threat to humanity in the form of a virus he may have developed. TOXIC PREY is a real page turner. The stakes have never been higher, and this is an intense read. I loved it. Highly recommended.
December 16, 2025
Wow, this one was the crime of the century for Lucas, and his daughter Lettie, who I have also come to really like. Together, it's a treat.
In this one, a mad scientist decided that the only way to save the earth was to get rid of the people, or at least a large number of them. Too bad a bunch of innocents have to die along the way, but that's just collateral damage for a good cause. They've come up with a way to piggy-back a deadly, air-born disease on top of the measles virus, and plan to spread it around some hub airports where people will carry it all over the world. It would make covid look like a walk in the park. Amazingly enough, they don't see anything wrong with this, and truly believe it's the only way.
In this one, a mad scientist decided that the only way to save the earth was to get rid of the people, or at least a large number of them. Too bad a bunch of innocents have to die along the way, but that's just collateral damage for a good cause. They've come up with a way to piggy-back a deadly, air-born disease on top of the measles virus, and plan to spread it around some hub airports where people will carry it all over the world. It would make covid look like a walk in the park. Amazingly enough, they don't see anything wrong with this, and truly believe it's the only way.
November 16, 2024
5 Stars. I heard a bunch of bad things about this one and for me, they were wrong. People don’t like Letty. I do. My guess is the subject matter bothered some people’s politics, which is nothing new in this wonderful world we find ourselves living in today.
For me, it was frightening and all too realistic. I truly hope that it doesn’t play out in my lifetime but I’m not holding my breath given recent events. I like Letty. She’s definitely her father’s daughter and I welcome more books with her if Sanford wants to give them to us. The Prey novels will always be in my top ten series, probably towards the top.
For me, it was frightening and all too realistic. I truly hope that it doesn’t play out in my lifetime but I’m not holding my breath given recent events. I like Letty. She’s definitely her father’s daughter and I welcome more books with her if Sanford wants to give them to us. The Prey novels will always be in my top ten series, probably towards the top.
January 14, 2024
Rounded up to 3.5 ⭐️
I’m a BIG fan of John Sandford…I’ve read about a dozen or so of his Lucas Davenport novels. Unfortunately this wasn’t one of my favorites (but still enjoyable!) it’s been a few years since reading anything in the “prey” collection so I’m not sure how the stories have evolved but this was very different from previous reads. It took a little under halfway through to fully grasp the plot line and start to get into it BUT once it got rolling I was hooked. All in all a good read!!
THANK YOU to the author (one of my favorites!), Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for my honest review
I’m a BIG fan of John Sandford…I’ve read about a dozen or so of his Lucas Davenport novels. Unfortunately this wasn’t one of my favorites (but still enjoyable!) it’s been a few years since reading anything in the “prey” collection so I’m not sure how the stories have evolved but this was very different from previous reads. It took a little under halfway through to fully grasp the plot line and start to get into it BUT once it got rolling I was hooked. All in all a good read!!
THANK YOU to the author (one of my favorites!), Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for my honest review
April 19, 2024
Great read but I just say I do miss the smaller scale stories about Lucas trying to find a killer in the Twin Cities.
April 9, 2024
*** Happy Publication Day ***
John Sandford has done it again: written a fiendishly clever book whose plot is both plausible and frightening. How does he sleep at night? Continuing to combine characters from his other series with the main character of the "Prey" books, Sandford has created another super crime-fighting duo in Lucas and his daughter, Homeland Security agent Letty Davenport. Together, they set out to save the world—literally.
Dr. Lionel Scott, an expert in infectious diseases, views the world as being on the precipice of death due to overpopulation. With no solution in sight, Scott takes it upon himself to solve the problem by developing a highly contagious virus that, once released, promises to kill off eighty percent of the world's population. Surrounded by a small group of like-minded followers, he disappears into the wilds of northern New Mexico to perfect his virus and plot its release. His disappearance from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, with its research into highly classified projects, does not go unnoticed, however, and soon Homeland Security agent Letty Davenport is charged with finding Scott. The more Letty learns about Scott, the more concerned she becomes. Enlisting the help of her father, U. S. Marshall Lucas Davenport, and an MI5 agent from Scott's home country of Great Britain, the hunt is on.
This is a powerful, fast-paced novel that raises some ethical and moral questions. It is not "preachy," but it does highlight an issue that should be cause for concern. Sandford does such an excellent job of character development that there were times I was sympathetic to Scott and his followers—a horrible thought, I know.
Thank you, NetGalley and G. P. Putnam's Sons, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is April 9, 2024.
John Sandford has done it again: written a fiendishly clever book whose plot is both plausible and frightening. How does he sleep at night? Continuing to combine characters from his other series with the main character of the "Prey" books, Sandford has created another super crime-fighting duo in Lucas and his daughter, Homeland Security agent Letty Davenport. Together, they set out to save the world—literally.
Dr. Lionel Scott, an expert in infectious diseases, views the world as being on the precipice of death due to overpopulation. With no solution in sight, Scott takes it upon himself to solve the problem by developing a highly contagious virus that, once released, promises to kill off eighty percent of the world's population. Surrounded by a small group of like-minded followers, he disappears into the wilds of northern New Mexico to perfect his virus and plot its release. His disappearance from the Los Alamos National Laboratory, with its research into highly classified projects, does not go unnoticed, however, and soon Homeland Security agent Letty Davenport is charged with finding Scott. The more Letty learns about Scott, the more concerned she becomes. Enlisting the help of her father, U. S. Marshall Lucas Davenport, and an MI5 agent from Scott's home country of Great Britain, the hunt is on.
This is a powerful, fast-paced novel that raises some ethical and moral questions. It is not "preachy," but it does highlight an issue that should be cause for concern. Sandford does such an excellent job of character development that there were times I was sympathetic to Scott and his followers—a horrible thought, I know.
Thank you, NetGalley and G. P. Putnam's Sons, for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. The publication date is April 9, 2024.
April 12, 2025
I haven't read any of the books in the Lucas Davenport series of which this is a spin-off. However, I have enjoyed all 3 books in this series, featuring Lucas' daughter Letty. They are fast paced with a lot of action and quirky characters with a touch of humour. The stories have also been very interesting.
In this one, Letty teams up with her father to track a 'mad scientist' Lionel Scott who believes in the Gaia hypothesis and is convinced that the planet can only be saved by deliberately eliminating large numbers of the population via the spread of a killer virus.
The action shifts from Letty and Lucas and other high profile members of the task force to Scott and those who believe in what he is doing so it's like following two different participants of a race from start to finish. I enjoyed the excitement and all the banter in the midst of the tension. Letty is a very cool character and I hope there are more books featuring her.
In this one, Letty teams up with her father to track a 'mad scientist' Lionel Scott who believes in the Gaia hypothesis and is convinced that the planet can only be saved by deliberately eliminating large numbers of the population via the spread of a killer virus.
The action shifts from Letty and Lucas and other high profile members of the task force to Scott and those who believe in what he is doing so it's like following two different participants of a race from start to finish. I enjoyed the excitement and all the banter in the midst of the tension. Letty is a very cool character and I hope there are more books featuring her.
February 8, 2024
FANTASTIC book! I couldn't put it down. The author has long been a master at his craft, but has outdone himself with this novel - a crime/medical thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat and turning pages just as quickly as possible.
The premise of this book is absolutely sinister and likely to give me nightmares. I truly hope the author took extreme creative license and that the things contained in this book are not possible.
I loved that Lettie and Lucas worked together in this book, along with some other favorite characters from prior books.
If you are looking for a novel to keep you on the edge of your seat, you have found it. This one is a must read for fans of the genre. The author is on my must read authors' list.
The premise of this book is absolutely sinister and likely to give me nightmares. I truly hope the author took extreme creative license and that the things contained in this book are not possible.
I loved that Lettie and Lucas worked together in this book, along with some other favorite characters from prior books.
If you are looking for a novel to keep you on the edge of your seat, you have found it. This one is a must read for fans of the genre. The author is on my must read authors' list.
April 11, 2024
Although there's an intimidating number of books in this series, this can be read by itself, as can most any book in this setting.
Lionel Scott is an utterly deranged Malthusian who believes that the only way to save Gaia, Earth, is to rid it of the parasites killing it, humans. To that end he has developed a hybrid virus to eliminate almost all of humanity. Now he and his crew of misanthropes will sacrifice everything they are to cull the population to a sustainable level. Their plan is to infect several major airports in the US so that there's a worldwide pandemic before there can be any time for countermeasures, let alone containment. They know that what they do is righteous and for the greater good. The many must die so that the few may live, preferably including their selves if possible. When suspicions arise about Scott's disappearance The Department of Homeland Security tasks one of their agents, Letty Davenport to investigate. She assembles a team that includes her father, U.S. Marshal Lucas Davenport, and several other major characters from recent books. Somehow, the fate of the world may now be their responsibility. A cat and mouse game with the highest possible stakes has now begun.
I was surprised by how much the stakes increased with this book. The series really has come far from its beginnings. From investigations of murderers with a victim or two to the possibility of human extinction is quite the change in scope and scale. It's not as surprising once you know that despite the name, this is more of a Letty than Lucas book, but even by the standard set by Letty's first book, this is quite the change. The main problem I have with that is that the Letty books are more serious and science oriented, which Sandford does admirably well with given that he's 80 years old, but there are times where the science is stuck in the 1970s and it made me groan. I really dislike the Malthusian argument, whether it's made by Thanos, Scott, or anyone else. Aside from the outdated science and questionable motivations of the antagonists I don't have any significant complaints. The chronology, it's all but stated that it's 2023, is a mess as usual, but that doesn't really matter.
Most of my usual complaints about the series aren't present here. The characters are fun and pleasing to read about, the narrative is tense and engaging, and it was immersive enough to where I was able to believe that it could have any possible ending. That allowed for an emotional rollercoaster and I appreciated that. I'm impressed by how Sandford writes books that are often quite different each time while also remaining much the same. That hasn't always worked, though this time it has. I have to wonder what comes next and whether this is a sign that the series conclusion is nigh. Maybe it even ended in this book. If you haven't read it or the FAQ on his website, you don't know. That being said I'm eager for whatever comes next, even after having read 50 books in this setting, which I find to be rather remarkable.
Lionel Scott is an utterly deranged Malthusian who believes that the only way to save Gaia, Earth, is to rid it of the parasites killing it, humans. To that end he has developed a hybrid virus to eliminate almost all of humanity. Now he and his crew of misanthropes will sacrifice everything they are to cull the population to a sustainable level. Their plan is to infect several major airports in the US so that there's a worldwide pandemic before there can be any time for countermeasures, let alone containment. They know that what they do is righteous and for the greater good. The many must die so that the few may live, preferably including their selves if possible. When suspicions arise about Scott's disappearance The Department of Homeland Security tasks one of their agents, Letty Davenport to investigate. She assembles a team that includes her father, U.S. Marshal Lucas Davenport, and several other major characters from recent books. Somehow, the fate of the world may now be their responsibility. A cat and mouse game with the highest possible stakes has now begun.
I was surprised by how much the stakes increased with this book. The series really has come far from its beginnings. From investigations of murderers with a victim or two to the possibility of human extinction is quite the change in scope and scale. It's not as surprising once you know that despite the name, this is more of a Letty than Lucas book, but even by the standard set by Letty's first book, this is quite the change. The main problem I have with that is that the Letty books are more serious and science oriented, which Sandford does admirably well with given that he's 80 years old, but there are times where the science is stuck in the 1970s and it made me groan. I really dislike the Malthusian argument, whether it's made by Thanos, Scott, or anyone else. Aside from the outdated science and questionable motivations of the antagonists I don't have any significant complaints. The chronology, it's all but stated that it's 2023, is a mess as usual, but that doesn't really matter.
Most of my usual complaints about the series aren't present here. The characters are fun and pleasing to read about, the narrative is tense and engaging, and it was immersive enough to where I was able to believe that it could have any possible ending. That allowed for an emotional rollercoaster and I appreciated that. I'm impressed by how Sandford writes books that are often quite different each time while also remaining much the same. That hasn't always worked, though this time it has. I have to wonder what comes next and whether this is a sign that the series conclusion is nigh. Maybe it even ended in this book. If you haven't read it or the FAQ on his website, you don't know. That being said I'm eager for whatever comes next, even after having read 50 books in this setting, which I find to be rather remarkable.
June 17, 2024
Toxic Prey is the first pairing of Lucas & Letty Davenport as professional equals, and it worked well. The story revolves around a British scientist, who believes that Gaia aka Mother Earth, needs to be cleansed of most of the worldwide population to recover. He and other radicals develop an incredibly deadly virus and plan to unleash it through airports so it spreads quickly. Letty is first called in to find this missing scientist and is paired with a British MI5. They figure out the ramifications of the scientist's work and her father Lucas and other high-ranking government workers are set into action and narrow down his whereabouts to Taos, NM. They then work to find him and his supporters before it's too late. Normally, I wouldn't be a fan of a germ warfare storyline, but the narrative felt very plausible and I liked the realistic conclusion. In fact it felt so realistic, that I briefly was worried that a mad scientist would use it as a blueprint for their own evil plans, but I'm guessing it's unlikely that a scientist with the knowledge and money to put together a similar scenario, is not looking to copy a popular author's speculative plot ;)
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