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Lucas Davenport #21
Заровени жертви
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Mystery & Thriller (2011)Вече двайсет и пет години изчезването на две малки момичета тормози ченгето Лукас Девънпорт. Навремето цялата полиция е вдигната на крак, но без резултат. Днес, при разрушаване на стари сгради в покрайнините на Минеаполис, телата им случайно са открити. Което го връща към престъплението – и към кошмара, още по-мрачен отпреди.
В далечната 1985-а той участва в неуспешното издирване на двете сестри. Тогава шефовете му обявяват случая за приключен, но младият и напорист Лукас не е съгласен с тях. Сега има шанса да довърши разплитането на загадката, но колкото по-надълбоко рови, толкова по-ясно става едно: заровени са не само техните тела, заровена е истината.
„Експертно изпипаният сюжет и приковаващият финал нареждат романа сред най-добрите на Сандфорд."
Пъблишърс Уикли
„Джон Сандфорд е във върхова форма.“
Уошингтън Поуст
В далечната 1985-а той участва в неуспешното издирване на двете сестри. Тогава шефовете му обявяват случая за приключен, но младият и напорист Лукас не е съгласен с тях. Сега има шанса да довърши разплитането на загадката, но колкото по-надълбоко рови, толкова по-ясно става едно: заровени са не само техните тела, заровена е истината.
„Експертно изпипаният сюжет и приковаващият финал нареждат романа сред най-добрите на Сандфорд."
Пъблишърс Уикли
„Джон Сандфорд е във върхова форма.“
Уошингтън Поуст
368 pages, Paperback
First published May 10, 2011
2961 people are currently reading
8349 people want to read
About the author
John Sandford
234 books9,627 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 1,582 reviews
October 5, 2016
In the best of the John Sandford’s Prey novels, there are usually two or three scenes where he brings the reader to a kind of momentum nirvana. This is a point where you’re turning the pages as fast as your eyes can scan the words. These aren’t necessarily action scenes, although Sandford can do action as well as anybody. More often these are times in the story where some break in the case has happened or some other critical event has left the police scrambling. People are being rousted out of bed. Phones are being shouted into. Police cars are rushing around with sirens blaring. The hunt is goddamn ON! And more than once I have found myself rising out of my chair or sitting up in bed with the urge to shout, “Go! Go! Go!”
With over 30 books to his credit, including this 21st Prey novel, you’d think Sandford would have started to run out of gas at some point. He’s managed this with only a few duds along the way and maintained a level of sheer entertainment that's pretty amazing. Even more surprising is that that I think the last two books he wrote, this one and last year’s Bad Blood, are among his very best.
When Lucas Davenport was introduced way back in 1989 in Rules of Prey he was a hot shot Minneapolis police lieutenant who got called into the high profile shit storm cases that sold newspapers and cost politicians elections. Lucas is smart and tough as well as a master manipulator with a natural feel for media and politics that helps him make his bosses look good, but what he really lives for are the cases that allowed him to hunt the worst kinds of killers. Over the years he’s advanced in law enforcement and settled down a great deal while still loving to jump into the interesting investigations. Here, Sandford gives us a look at Lucas before we met him in that first book.
In present day Minneapolis, the bodies of two girls are found buried in a basement during a housing demolition. The case goes back to the ‘80s when Davenport was still a patrolman. Young Davenport liked being a cop but was starting to find patrol boring and thinking about a career change. When the two young girls went missing he was temporarily assigned to the detectives and sent to go around knocking on doors. Thanks to a little luck and his own ambition Davenport ended up being a key figure in the case, and his career took off. Lucas wasn’t satisfied with the resolution at the time, and with the discovery of the bodies he fears that he’s responsible for letting a child killer roam free for over twenty years.
The first half of this book is a flashback to the younger Davenport, and as a long time fan of the character it’s a helluva a lot of fun. Sandford shows us a younger, hungrier Lucas who still has the qualities we’ve always known in the older character, but he makes him a bit rougher along with being more ruthless and reckless. Younger Davenport is still figuring out the detective game, but this first case is his introduction to the thrill of the hunt. It’d turn him into a stone cold junkie for the chase, and Davenport’s addiction to catching bad guys is still present as a middle aged husband and father. This also functions as a soft reboot of the Davenport timeline that allows Sandford reduce the character's age a bit.
Sandford is still my favorite of the thriller writers you’ll see on the best seller lists, and he doesn’t show any signs of slowing down yet.
* Update 10/5/16 - I didn't catch this the first time I read this, but I've been going through a few of the Sandford books again lately, and there's an absolute whopper of a continuity error here.
Next: Lucas gets mugged and investigates the massacre of a family in Stolen Prey.
With over 30 books to his credit, including this 21st Prey novel, you’d think Sandford would have started to run out of gas at some point. He’s managed this with only a few duds along the way and maintained a level of sheer entertainment that's pretty amazing. Even more surprising is that that I think the last two books he wrote, this one and last year’s Bad Blood, are among his very best.
When Lucas Davenport was introduced way back in 1989 in Rules of Prey he was a hot shot Minneapolis police lieutenant who got called into the high profile shit storm cases that sold newspapers and cost politicians elections. Lucas is smart and tough as well as a master manipulator with a natural feel for media and politics that helps him make his bosses look good, but what he really lives for are the cases that allowed him to hunt the worst kinds of killers. Over the years he’s advanced in law enforcement and settled down a great deal while still loving to jump into the interesting investigations. Here, Sandford gives us a look at Lucas before we met him in that first book.
In present day Minneapolis, the bodies of two girls are found buried in a basement during a housing demolition. The case goes back to the ‘80s when Davenport was still a patrolman. Young Davenport liked being a cop but was starting to find patrol boring and thinking about a career change. When the two young girls went missing he was temporarily assigned to the detectives and sent to go around knocking on doors. Thanks to a little luck and his own ambition Davenport ended up being a key figure in the case, and his career took off. Lucas wasn’t satisfied with the resolution at the time, and with the discovery of the bodies he fears that he’s responsible for letting a child killer roam free for over twenty years.
The first half of this book is a flashback to the younger Davenport, and as a long time fan of the character it’s a helluva a lot of fun. Sandford shows us a younger, hungrier Lucas who still has the qualities we’ve always known in the older character, but he makes him a bit rougher along with being more ruthless and reckless. Younger Davenport is still figuring out the detective game, but this first case is his introduction to the thrill of the hunt. It’d turn him into a stone cold junkie for the chase, and Davenport’s addiction to catching bad guys is still present as a middle aged husband and father. This also functions as a soft reboot of the Davenport timeline that allows Sandford reduce the character's age a bit.
Sandford is still my favorite of the thriller writers you’ll see on the best seller lists, and he doesn’t show any signs of slowing down yet.
* Update 10/5/16 - I didn't catch this the first time I read this, but I've been going through a few of the Sandford books again lately, and there's an absolute whopper of a continuity error here.
Next: Lucas gets mugged and investigates the massacre of a family in Stolen Prey.
February 13, 2022
Probably one of my favorite in this series.
On Buried Prey, we get to meet Lucas when he was just a young man. He is getting bored with his job as a patrolman and he is either thinking of climbing the ladder or leaving and going to law school instead. We see that Lucas was a womanizer and his love for good clothes was present already there but also his skill for digging into an investigation and tying the details together to find his target.
Lucas finds himself assisting in the investigation of two young girls who have gone missing. All clues point to a homeless man but Lucas believes there might be more to the story.
In the present, the bodies of both girls had just been discovered and Lucas knows he needs to catch the real killer before he does it again.
Most of the time, I'm not a fan of going back in time but I think John Sanford did an outstanding job at it. It was a blast meeting young Lucas and learning more about his aspirations, his love of the chase, his early manipulative behaviors as well as meeting a younger Del.
Even though this is one of my favorites, there is a great loss in this one. So be prepared.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
On Buried Prey, we get to meet Lucas when he was just a young man. He is getting bored with his job as a patrolman and he is either thinking of climbing the ladder or leaving and going to law school instead. We see that Lucas was a womanizer and his love for good clothes was present already there but also his skill for digging into an investigation and tying the details together to find his target.
Lucas finds himself assisting in the investigation of two young girls who have gone missing. All clues point to a homeless man but Lucas believes there might be more to the story.
In the present, the bodies of both girls had just been discovered and Lucas knows he needs to catch the real killer before he does it again.
Most of the time, I'm not a fan of going back in time but I think John Sanford did an outstanding job at it. It was a blast meeting young Lucas and learning more about his aspirations, his love of the chase, his early manipulative behaviors as well as meeting a younger Del.
Even though this is one of my favorites, there is a great loss in this one. So be prepared.
Cliffhanger: No
5/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
May 19, 2011
The best thing about this installment is the 170 pages or so when you get to go back to 1985, three years before the first Prey novel takes place. Lucas is 23, and he's spent three years as a uniformed patrolman. He finally gets his chance to make his bones as a plainclothes homicide dude. This is when he's first getting to know some of our favorite characters like Del Capslock and Sloan. Loved it!
That first case from 1985 resurfaces (so to speak, heh heh) in the present day, and Lucas is all over it.
As always, Sandford writes the absolute best "just among us guys" dialogue EVER. Realistic and sometimes hilarious. Some of the male/female dialogue is pretty stinkin' funny, too.
I have to add that this is the only book in the Prey series that has ever made me cry. I can't say why. It would be an enormous spoiler. If you read it I'm sure you can guess what got me choked up.
Oh, one other thing. I now know more than I ever wanted to about the finer points of peeing off a fishing boat, male version.
That first case from 1985 resurfaces (so to speak, heh heh) in the present day, and Lucas is all over it.
As always, Sandford writes the absolute best "just among us guys" dialogue EVER. Realistic and sometimes hilarious. Some of the male/female dialogue is pretty stinkin' funny, too.
I have to add that this is the only book in the Prey series that has ever made me cry. I can't say why. It would be an enormous spoiler. If you read it I'm sure you can guess what got me choked up.
Oh, one other thing. I now know more than I ever wanted to about the finer points of peeing off a fishing boat, male version.
July 24, 2011
This is the twenty-first John Sandford novel to feature Minnesota detective Lucas Davenport, and it's one of the best books in a truly great series.
Twenty-five years ago, Davenport was a beat cop with a taste for fine clothes, fast cars and attractive women. He was also smart, ambitious and determined to excell, preferably as a detective, but if not, perhaps as a lawyer. He gets the chance to prove himself when two young girls go missing. Lucas, along with some other patrolmen, is assigned temporarily to plain clothes to assist in the investigation.
Davenport is determined to make the most of the opportunity and he attracts the attention of a powerful patron who's impressed with Davenport's early work on the case. Sadly, though, the missing girls are never found. A suspect is identified and the case is declared closed, although Davenport is not entirely comfortable with the official solution to the crime.
In the years that follow, Lucas becomes a local legend and becomes the most brilliant detective the state of Minnesota has ever produced, occasionally bending the rules and sometimes meting out his own rough justice, but always getting results. Through the years, he has risen through the ranks and is now head of the state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. And finally, after all that time, the bodies of the two missing girls are uncovered, buried under a concrete slab in a building that is being demolished.
Davenport finally has the chance to revisit the crime that got him started as a detective and the solution to which has always bothered him. This time, he will let nothing stand between himself and the truth, no matter the consequences.
The consequences are indeed painful, and those readers who have followed this series since Rules of Prey are in for a great ride. Like all of Sandford's books, this one has great comic moments that never detract from the serious business at hand. It has some great action scenes, a very interesting climax, and in the end, it may just break your heart. But once you start it, you won't put it down and you'll never forget it.
Twenty-five years ago, Davenport was a beat cop with a taste for fine clothes, fast cars and attractive women. He was also smart, ambitious and determined to excell, preferably as a detective, but if not, perhaps as a lawyer. He gets the chance to prove himself when two young girls go missing. Lucas, along with some other patrolmen, is assigned temporarily to plain clothes to assist in the investigation.
Davenport is determined to make the most of the opportunity and he attracts the attention of a powerful patron who's impressed with Davenport's early work on the case. Sadly, though, the missing girls are never found. A suspect is identified and the case is declared closed, although Davenport is not entirely comfortable with the official solution to the crime.
In the years that follow, Lucas becomes a local legend and becomes the most brilliant detective the state of Minnesota has ever produced, occasionally bending the rules and sometimes meting out his own rough justice, but always getting results. Through the years, he has risen through the ranks and is now head of the state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. And finally, after all that time, the bodies of the two missing girls are uncovered, buried under a concrete slab in a building that is being demolished.
Davenport finally has the chance to revisit the crime that got him started as a detective and the solution to which has always bothered him. This time, he will let nothing stand between himself and the truth, no matter the consequences.
The consequences are indeed painful, and those readers who have followed this series since Rules of Prey are in for a great ride. Like all of Sandford's books, this one has great comic moments that never detract from the serious business at hand. It has some great action scenes, a very interesting climax, and in the end, it may just break your heart. But once you start it, you won't put it down and you'll never forget it.
May 27, 2013
With all the grocery-store thrillers cramming the wire racks, few are really worth the time and effort. BURIED PREY is not like those cheap knock-offs. Unlike those other stories, John Sandford's novel has depth, great characterization, superb plotting, and enough twists and turns to keep the reader thinking and engaged.
This is only my second Lucas Davenport novel, so my expertise in this series is limited. The other one I read was RULES OF PREY. In the review for RULES OF PREY, I lauded Sandford's ability to make reading fun for the reader, bring them to a place that few escapist novels accomplish yet taut so boldly. BURIED PREY brought me back to that wonderful reading-fantasy-place of police detection. Plus, BURIED PREY offers a great history of who Lucas Davenport was before becoming a supercop for the the BCA, which was a bunch of fun to read. It's nice to know that a character such as Davenport had a fairly routine back story.
The story itself is one that has been told countless time: psychopath killer of children gets away from the police's initial investigation and ups the body count because of this blunder, but must remain a few steps ahead of passionate detectives that harbor misgivings about not fully exploring all leads. In the capable hands of John Sandford, this story line becomes unique. It's not that Sandford does something new; he doesn't. But what he does do--and does well, by the way--is engage the reader so they want to flip pages as fast as their eyes are able to scan the page. In a way, Sandford's storytelling abilities kidnap the reader and makes them want to ignore everything else important until the final sentence has been read. I sound like a gushy fanboy, but who doesn't love reading like that?
At 450 pages, BURIED PREY is a quick read. But be forewarned: Once you enter this world, it is very difficult to leave before reaching the end.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
This is only my second Lucas Davenport novel, so my expertise in this series is limited. The other one I read was RULES OF PREY. In the review for RULES OF PREY, I lauded Sandford's ability to make reading fun for the reader, bring them to a place that few escapist novels accomplish yet taut so boldly. BURIED PREY brought me back to that wonderful reading-fantasy-place of police detection. Plus, BURIED PREY offers a great history of who Lucas Davenport was before becoming a supercop for the the BCA, which was a bunch of fun to read. It's nice to know that a character such as Davenport had a fairly routine back story.
The story itself is one that has been told countless time: psychopath killer of children gets away from the police's initial investigation and ups the body count because of this blunder, but must remain a few steps ahead of passionate detectives that harbor misgivings about not fully exploring all leads. In the capable hands of John Sandford, this story line becomes unique. It's not that Sandford does something new; he doesn't. But what he does do--and does well, by the way--is engage the reader so they want to flip pages as fast as their eyes are able to scan the page. In a way, Sandford's storytelling abilities kidnap the reader and makes them want to ignore everything else important until the final sentence has been read. I sound like a gushy fanboy, but who doesn't love reading like that?
At 450 pages, BURIED PREY is a quick read. But be forewarned: Once you enter this world, it is very difficult to leave before reaching the end.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
July 7, 2012
I chose a John Sandford - Lucas Davenport book to cleanse my palate after reading too much of a more contemporary novel. Sometimes a girl just has to go slumming. Delving into a Lucas Davenport book is like eating a big double cheeseburger. You know you should choose something more chic, but the dialogue and the internal monologues of the character just can't leave your mind. I read the dialogue in Sandford's books with a certain amount of awe. He could write a book with only dialogue and it would be exceptional - that's how good his dialogue is. Funny, ironic, enlightening. All that plus it illuminates the relationship between the speakers better than all the descriptive prose in the world.
Lucas was reliving a cold case and we got to see what the young Lucas was like. Well, a lot like the older Lucas except with a smidgen less confidence in his job although not in his dealings with women. Let's face it, he was born a hound dog. I enjoyed the interplay between past and present and the red herrings were skillfully done. I don't care what you like, Lucas Davenport beats Virgil Flowers any day. I wanted to rush out for the next Davenport, but I'll save it for a time of need when I want comfort food.
Lucas was reliving a cold case and we got to see what the young Lucas was like. Well, a lot like the older Lucas except with a smidgen less confidence in his job although not in his dealings with women. Let's face it, he was born a hound dog. I enjoyed the interplay between past and present and the red herrings were skillfully done. I don't care what you like, Lucas Davenport beats Virgil Flowers any day. I wanted to rush out for the next Davenport, but I'll save it for a time of need when I want comfort food.
April 7, 2019
So I can't talk about this book without spoilers. That's how freaking annoyed I am. I may just give up reading anymore books in this series or ensuring they are library borrows. Lucas is not the end all be all for women everywhere. The fact that Sandford cheapens Marcy's death by forgetting her backstory and having her thinking about Lucas in a someday romantic style made me heave. And then of course everyone is not focused on Marcy. Oh hell no, everyone must be focused on preventing Lucas from murdering the serial pedophile murderer since everyone knows that he loved Marcy and must get his revenge. His freaking teenage daughter even talks to him about making sure he gets revenge. This book was a hot mess after we leave the "before" timeline and go back to the "present" timeline. That book ends in a whimpering mess.
"Buried Prey" starts off strong. We have Lucas standing by when the bodies of two young missing girls are found. These girls were the first case of a serial killer (he doesn't know that yet) that Lucas worked on as a cop back in 1985. This case had initially haunted Lucas, but he put it away. Now though he hopes to find the man who killed these girls.
Sandford takes a different approach here. We follow Lucas back in 1985 (he sucked) and how he met some people we know now. And then we go back to the present day with Lucas working the case. We also get third person POVs of the serial killer and with Marcy. We only get Marcy for a bit though and then it becomes apparent why. Sandford decides to follow the age old formula of fridging a woman for a male character's development. Yes I booed long and hard on it. Heck if Sandford wanted it to hurt readers, he should have killed off Weather or even Letty (I would have cheered).
I am annoyed about the fridging for a variety of reasons. First, it makes zero sense that Marcy would be traveling solo. Second, Sandford in the last book had shown us that Marcy was married and had a toddler named James. In this one, Marcy is still single, not finding the one, and still thinking about Lucas. She even muses about getting with him again if something should happen to Weather. Third, Marcy ceases to matter after being murdered. Her death is an inconvenience because with her dead, Lucas may do something really really bad and that's the last 1/3 of the freaking book. People talking about Lucas and trying to prevent him from killing a serial killer. Though Sandford throws in a scene there with Letty asking Lucas how is he going to get the guy and kill him. I 100 percent hate this character.
In the end though things don't matter. Lucas decides he's going to try to choke a guy out who has a gun and it causes one of his friends to shoot the guy and then he's dead. I mean forget the fact that he murdered and raped little girls. the most important thing is that Lucas isn't going to go to jail for killing him.
Sandford could have done so much more with this book. We don't even have Lucas following up with the parents in the present day. That would have been nice to see how their marriage fell apart after losing their kids. Maybe they would have blamed Lucas or the police for what happened. We could have had more heart in this one. The girls and the other victims felt like after thoughts.
"Buried Prey" starts off strong. We have Lucas standing by when the bodies of two young missing girls are found. These girls were the first case of a serial killer (he doesn't know that yet) that Lucas worked on as a cop back in 1985. This case had initially haunted Lucas, but he put it away. Now though he hopes to find the man who killed these girls.
Sandford takes a different approach here. We follow Lucas back in 1985 (he sucked) and how he met some people we know now. And then we go back to the present day with Lucas working the case. We also get third person POVs of the serial killer and with Marcy. We only get Marcy for a bit though and then it becomes apparent why. Sandford decides to follow the age old formula of fridging a woman for a male character's development. Yes I booed long and hard on it. Heck if Sandford wanted it to hurt readers, he should have killed off Weather or even Letty (I would have cheered).
I am annoyed about the fridging for a variety of reasons. First, it makes zero sense that Marcy would be traveling solo. Second, Sandford in the last book had shown us that Marcy was married and had a toddler named James. In this one, Marcy is still single, not finding the one, and still thinking about Lucas. She even muses about getting with him again if something should happen to Weather. Third, Marcy ceases to matter after being murdered. Her death is an inconvenience because with her dead, Lucas may do something really really bad and that's the last 1/3 of the freaking book. People talking about Lucas and trying to prevent him from killing a serial killer. Though Sandford throws in a scene there with Letty asking Lucas how is he going to get the guy and kill him. I 100 percent hate this character.
In the end though things don't matter. Lucas decides he's going to try to choke a guy out who has a gun and it causes one of his friends to shoot the guy and then he's dead. I mean forget the fact that he murdered and raped little girls. the most important thing is that Lucas isn't going to go to jail for killing him.
Sandford could have done so much more with this book. We don't even have Lucas following up with the parents in the present day. That would have been nice to see how their marriage fell apart after losing their kids. Maybe they would have blamed Lucas or the police for what happened. We could have had more heart in this one. The girls and the other victims felt like after thoughts.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2020
Number 21 in the Prey series, and it was one of the best.
I love when a book takes us back in time to a point we have never known before, and this volume does exactly that. Twenty-five years ago, Davenport was a beat cop, a ladies' man, and an ambitious streak. He has his eyes set on being a detective. He already loves the fine things in life.
Two girls go missing and Davenport gets the chance to prove himself. He is assigned to a temporary duty assignment, assisting in the investigation. Davenport succeeds in attracting the attention of some powerful people, however the girl are never found. The case is declared closed when a suspect is identified, and Davenport never gets resolution or feels confortable with the outcome.
Now the head of Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the case is revived when the bodies of the two girls are found. Davenport is determined that the case will finally be resolved.
This volume of the series is like the others in that it has some fun action, a complex story and villain, a little humor, and even some real emotion. It is a great read. I would say I enjoyed this one as much as the two books that featured Clara Rinker.
I love when a book takes us back in time to a point we have never known before, and this volume does exactly that. Twenty-five years ago, Davenport was a beat cop, a ladies' man, and an ambitious streak. He has his eyes set on being a detective. He already loves the fine things in life.
Two girls go missing and Davenport gets the chance to prove himself. He is assigned to a temporary duty assignment, assisting in the investigation. Davenport succeeds in attracting the attention of some powerful people, however the girl are never found. The case is declared closed when a suspect is identified, and Davenport never gets resolution or feels confortable with the outcome.
Now the head of Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the case is revived when the bodies of the two girls are found. Davenport is determined that the case will finally be resolved.
This volume of the series is like the others in that it has some fun action, a complex story and villain, a little humor, and even some real emotion. It is a great read. I would say I enjoyed this one as much as the two books that featured Clara Rinker.
February 23, 2023
2nd reading - Still a great adventure, this starts with the unearthing of the bodies of two pre-ad girls. We have flashback scenes, as this is one of Davenport's beginnings in detecting. Back in the 80's, his boss enlists him in the door to door witness search in the disappearances of the girls. The cop intuition and hunches were already strong, as he is not sold on the easily manufactured case against a homeless man with mental health issues.
We see many of the characters as Lucas first meets them in the series, and if you are invested in the novels, there is a heart-breaking scene 2/3 of the way through that reverberates.
1st reading - Awesome Davenport story, starting when Lucas was on patrol and gets involved with the search for two young missing sisters.
We see many of the characters as Lucas first meets them in the series, and if you are invested in the novels, there is a heart-breaking scene 2/3 of the way through that reverberates.
1st reading - Awesome Davenport story, starting when Lucas was on patrol and gets involved with the search for two young missing sisters.
September 13, 2018
Wow! Another great story, even though it's #21. Probably better for that since I'm so invested in the characters. This one starts in the present, has a longish flashback to Lucas' early days on the force & how he got into plain clothes, & then takes up again. Lucas is feeling guilty because he knew that first case wasn't so easy, but his position & politics demanded closure at the time. Now it's ripped open again & becomes an overriding mission for him. The way his friends & family react to that is fantastic. I'm getting into spoiler territory, so I'll quit. Just read it. It's one of the best yet.
June 4, 2011
I finished John Sandford's Buried Prey yesterday and immediately ordered Dark of the Moon, an early addition in the Virgil Flowers series.
Buried Prey, from the get-go is a thrill ride, NO kidding...Lucas is drawn back into a case that has troubled him since his early days as a detective, and troubled him plenty. The bodies of 2 young girls, missing for many years turn up suddenly beneath a house being torn down for new construction. Politics, egos and attitudes played a big part in the wrongful assumption that a homeless guy in the area at the time was the killer. Lucas knew better then and he knows better now, 10 years later, though it'll take some convincing and Lucas style police work on his part to get the case on the front burner. He knows bungling the case years ago, something he is not totally responsible for, may have cost more young girls their lives and this case resurfacing drives him harder than he's ever driven himself before.
In this latest entry in the "Prey" series Sandford spins a multi layered high octane thriller with such fluid and tight writing it's a virtual author "how-to" clinic. Setting his edge straight out of the gate, and with little preamble we are thrust into a developing discovery, one that stops the police and the entire city in it's tracks as they realize a serial killer has gone undetected for over a decade. He, Sandford, blends a lengthy back-story section into the action seamlessly allowing us personal insight into Davenport that we have not seen before.
Sandford's recurring characters are vivid,determined and likable. The bad guys are so very hateable but well and deeply developed by masterful description, and dialogue. Humor in this book is a beautiful thing to behold, the quips, dry comments, playful jabs among the highly stressed investigators and support characters. Well played sir, well played....
We see little of "that F'n Flowers" in this edition but he makes an appearance here and there. We see through Lucas' eyes as our main POV but again, Sandford is on a level of expertise in this area too that truly gives this book the depth and appeal as we stay in the action, the ups and downs and the chase. As a writer, reading a piece on this level, I can't help but walk away the better for it and feeling like I've been in the presence of a master. I mean this sincerely. I read a lot, I write a lot and I've been around the block more than a couple of times. I can't recommend this book enough.
You know where to find me.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
I couldn't wait, couldn't help it. Once you get on a roll with John Sandford's books, well, it's like perpetual motion, physics. I grabbed a spankin' new hardcover of "Buried Prey" yesterday on a bike ride to the beach and still sweating, started reading it right away. Lucas is yanked back into a case from his early days, a case he has deep regrets about. The bodies of 2 young girls, murdered years earlier, wrapped in plastic and buried under a house are discovered as our story opens. Lucas intends to find out who and why and he won't stop till he does. I'll let you know as I race through his latest edition of the Davenport "Prey" series. I can tell this is going to be a great ride!
Buried Prey, from the get-go is a thrill ride, NO kidding...Lucas is drawn back into a case that has troubled him since his early days as a detective, and troubled him plenty. The bodies of 2 young girls, missing for many years turn up suddenly beneath a house being torn down for new construction. Politics, egos and attitudes played a big part in the wrongful assumption that a homeless guy in the area at the time was the killer. Lucas knew better then and he knows better now, 10 years later, though it'll take some convincing and Lucas style police work on his part to get the case on the front burner. He knows bungling the case years ago, something he is not totally responsible for, may have cost more young girls their lives and this case resurfacing drives him harder than he's ever driven himself before.
In this latest entry in the "Prey" series Sandford spins a multi layered high octane thriller with such fluid and tight writing it's a virtual author "how-to" clinic. Setting his edge straight out of the gate, and with little preamble we are thrust into a developing discovery, one that stops the police and the entire city in it's tracks as they realize a serial killer has gone undetected for over a decade. He, Sandford, blends a lengthy back-story section into the action seamlessly allowing us personal insight into Davenport that we have not seen before.
Sandford's recurring characters are vivid,determined and likable. The bad guys are so very hateable but well and deeply developed by masterful description, and dialogue. Humor in this book is a beautiful thing to behold, the quips, dry comments, playful jabs among the highly stressed investigators and support characters. Well played sir, well played....
We see little of "that F'n Flowers" in this edition but he makes an appearance here and there. We see through Lucas' eyes as our main POV but again, Sandford is on a level of expertise in this area too that truly gives this book the depth and appeal as we stay in the action, the ups and downs and the chase. As a writer, reading a piece on this level, I can't help but walk away the better for it and feeling like I've been in the presence of a master. I mean this sincerely. I read a lot, I write a lot and I've been around the block more than a couple of times. I can't recommend this book enough.
You know where to find me.
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________
I couldn't wait, couldn't help it. Once you get on a roll with John Sandford's books, well, it's like perpetual motion, physics. I grabbed a spankin' new hardcover of "Buried Prey" yesterday on a bike ride to the beach and still sweating, started reading it right away. Lucas is yanked back into a case from his early days, a case he has deep regrets about. The bodies of 2 young girls, murdered years earlier, wrapped in plastic and buried under a house are discovered as our story opens. Lucas intends to find out who and why and he won't stop till he does. I'll let you know as I race through his latest edition of the Davenport "Prey" series. I can tell this is going to be a great ride!
April 29, 2015
Another well written book in the series.
November 10, 2018
4 stars.
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June 24, 2011
I newer realize the depth of my midwestern roots so keenly as when I read John Sandford. In every one of his novels he includes a description or reference which makes me think, "Oh, yes, I know what you mean, or the place you're describing." In this one, near they end, Lucas Davenport describes a motel clerk who speaks with a Fargo accent. The details adds nothing to the plot, but I love such reminders of my old home. This novel begins with a horrifying opening scene, followed by a long flashback to the beginning of Lucas" career as a policeman. I was glad when the narration returned to the present for a thrill a minute (or page) finale. If you're not from Minnesota, or Fargo, you may not enjoy Sandford's books as much as I do, but he tells a gripping tale which you won't want to put down till you're finished.
February 5, 2013
Too long and too murderous. If the author focused more on the main characters successes instead of their failures and the loss of innocent lives, it would be more fulfilling. 5 of 10 stars
September 22, 2018
Audio and ebook No reason not to give it five. The story was well written,tight, and very interesting. No excess filler. It was hard to take breaks. Sandford keeps delivering for his fans.
January 21, 2015
I almost feel badly rating this book at three stars since others, for whom I have great respect, have rated it four or, even, five stars, but like the old baseball umpire (maybe Bill Klem) said, "I call 'em like I see 'em."
The plot was pretty interesting in that the bodies were discovered of two young girls killed many years earlier. As luck would have it, they were the victims in Lucas Davenport's first real murder case and he felt that he flubbed it (my word, not his). As a result, about half of the book is a flashback to Davenport's work on this case, early in his career. That part of the book was quite interesting as it showed elements of his development not seen before.
Then, back to present day and the pursuit of the killer. This portion of the book was, in my opinion, Sandford boilerplate and, as a result, undistinguished and predictable.
But the greatest problem that I encountered was the fact that the book seemed unedited. There was mistakes in grammar, which I found very distracting. There were also things that just made no sense. For example, in one place, a character asked a question and them answered that question, not as if he was in dialogue with himself or thinking out loud but simply as a mistake in the writing.
For these reasons, I have chosen to give this book three stars. On my 1 to 10 enjoyment scale (1 = didn't enjoy it; 10 = couldn't wait to get back to it each evening), I would give Buried Prey a 6.
The plot was pretty interesting in that the bodies were discovered of two young girls killed many years earlier. As luck would have it, they were the victims in Lucas Davenport's first real murder case and he felt that he flubbed it (my word, not his). As a result, about half of the book is a flashback to Davenport's work on this case, early in his career. That part of the book was quite interesting as it showed elements of his development not seen before.
Then, back to present day and the pursuit of the killer. This portion of the book was, in my opinion, Sandford boilerplate and, as a result, undistinguished and predictable.
But the greatest problem that I encountered was the fact that the book seemed unedited. There was mistakes in grammar, which I found very distracting. There were also things that just made no sense. For example, in one place, a character asked a question and them answered that question, not as if he was in dialogue with himself or thinking out loud but simply as a mistake in the writing.
For these reasons, I have chosen to give this book three stars. On my 1 to 10 enjoyment scale (1 = didn't enjoy it; 10 = couldn't wait to get back to it each evening), I would give Buried Prey a 6.
June 20, 2012
Sandford remains in great form in this, the 21st in his "Prey" series. It begins with the unearthing (literally) of the bodies of two young girls who were believed to be kidnapped and murdered in 1985 - a case to which neophyte cop Lucas Davenport was assigned. A killer was unearthed (figuratively) as well, but Davenport had his doubts.
The discovery means a second chance to find the real killer, who Davenport is sure hasn't stopped his murdering ways. In an interesting plot twist, Sandford spends several chapters early on taking readers on a flashback to the 1985 case through Davenport's eyes, giving us more insight on how these early experiences have shaped the character he's become.
Then it's back to the present, where, as usual, we learn who the killer is and watch as Davenport figures out what we already know. Things take a unexpected and upsetting turn, though, with a loss that's painful and personal to Davenport (and those of us who've been following the series).
The discovery means a second chance to find the real killer, who Davenport is sure hasn't stopped his murdering ways. In an interesting plot twist, Sandford spends several chapters early on taking readers on a flashback to the 1985 case through Davenport's eyes, giving us more insight on how these early experiences have shaped the character he's become.
Then it's back to the present, where, as usual, we learn who the killer is and watch as Davenport figures out what we already know. Things take a unexpected and upsetting turn, though, with a loss that's painful and personal to Davenport (and those of us who've been following the series).
November 20, 2019
Oh man. People, this one was a doozy. Sandford made like one of his antagonists and came out of the shadows unpredictably fucking up your life. That’s right, this is what we’ve been paying the cover for—THE LUCAS DAVENPORT ORIGIN STORY.
It’s 1985 in Minneapolis. Prince is still Living Emperor on His Undying Purple Throne, hot on the heels of Purple Rain. Kiki Camarena is murdered in a distant country, as witnessed in the unrelated-but-still-essential Power of the Dog. Hüsker Dü release two classic Twin Cities records.
That said, you’re really gonna include a cameo from the Soul Asylum guy, Sandford? Really? But I digress...the ultimate plot in this one is that Lucas (predictably) didn’t do his homework pre-Rules and now has to suffer. That’s right, the ineffable Davenport sacrificed justice for selfish gain and now pays the price.
It’s 1985 in Minneapolis. Prince is still Living Emperor on His Undying Purple Throne, hot on the heels of Purple Rain. Kiki Camarena is murdered in a distant country, as witnessed in the unrelated-but-still-essential Power of the Dog. Hüsker Dü release two classic Twin Cities records.
That said, you’re really gonna include a cameo from the Soul Asylum guy, Sandford? Really? But I digress...the ultimate plot in this one is that Lucas (predictably) didn’t do his homework pre-Rules and now has to suffer. That’s right, the ineffable Davenport sacrificed justice for selfish gain and now pays the price.
September 15, 2017
HUGE inconsistency with previous installments re: Marcy Sherrill. Last I heard she had gotten married and popped out a kid (another book referenced she and Weather competing for cutest kid). In this one she's single and wondering what her future holds in terms of family. A very minor part of the book but it rankled.
Anyway, this book itself was mostly a flashback to a much earlier case from when Davenport was still in uniform. It was a lazy entry in the series.
Anyway, this book itself was mostly a flashback to a much earlier case from when Davenport was still in uniform. It was a lazy entry in the series.
May 24, 2011
Boring- Flat-Commercial--
This is the lowest rating I have given to a Sandford novel--and I have read them all--
John must have had a contract obligation to fulfil-- this was so not his style-- just a story that you might hear at the park-- no surprises -- just a flat story--and flat plot-and a flat ending--
Booooooo
This is the lowest rating I have given to a Sandford novel--and I have read them all--
John must have had a contract obligation to fulfil-- this was so not his style-- just a story that you might hear at the park-- no surprises -- just a flat story--and flat plot-and a flat ending--
Booooooo
July 9, 2020
This is the best Prey novel I have read. This novel starts with the discovery of the Jones girls remains a case Lucas wad involved with. Flash back to Then and we get to see the young Lucas Davenport get his first taste of detective work and it was clear even then what type of cop and man he is as he hunts for the kidnapper of the Jones girls.
Flash forward now and Lucas is on the hunt again for the one that got away. This is the first time my heart has ever truly broken for Lucas. It was refreshing to see his vunerable side and his display of emotion, he csm come across as somewhat imhuman soemtimes but not in this book. I didn't think it was possible to love him anymore but there you go, I was wrong.
We also get to see a side of Del, Shrake and Jenkins that we have never seen before, I loved those guys as well but man damn if their stock didn't go up in this one.
Add to all of that a "Damn Sandford are you kidding me" moment and what you get is a book that is impossible to put down and a five-star read.
Flash forward now and Lucas is on the hunt again for the one that got away. This is the first time my heart has ever truly broken for Lucas. It was refreshing to see his vunerable side and his display of emotion, he csm come across as somewhat imhuman soemtimes but not in this book. I didn't think it was possible to love him anymore but there you go, I was wrong.
We also get to see a side of Del, Shrake and Jenkins that we have never seen before, I loved those guys as well but man damn if their stock didn't go up in this one.
Add to all of that a "Damn Sandford are you kidding me" moment and what you get is a book that is impossible to put down and a five-star read.
June 22, 2018
This is an older Lucas Davenport book...one that I was sure I had probably read but soon discovered I had not. Turned out to be a very good read. Pretty much read it cover to cover, stopping only when forced to.
May 19, 2011
Lucas Davenport just knows how to find his guy and solve a mystery doesn’t he? I really love this novel for so many reasons, let me count the ways. But first, let’s just jump into the synopsis:
“A house demolition provides an unpleasant surprise for Minneapolis-the bodies of two girls, wrapped in plastic. It looks like they've been there a long time. Lucas Davenport knows exactly how long.
In 1985, Davenport was a young cop with a reputation for recklessness, and the girls' disappearance was a big deal. His bosses ultimately declared the case closed, but he never agreed with that. Now that he has a chance to investigate it all over again, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: It wasn't just the bodies that were buried. It was the truth. “
The flashback for me was really fun and exciting to read: a young Davenport making his way through a crime, going from the streets to detective and showing up the best they have right off the bat. The insights into his character, the trip back down memory lane, and the regrets that have burden him those many years, all great stuff and fuel for the present as he tracks down a killer that had gotten away. The action is tense, the story moving, the pages just kept turning; the cast of characters is just amazing. Time in and time out the “Prey” novels just keep growing and growing. Whether or not you groove on Lucas Davenport like I do, there are far too many good, strong supporting characters here not to like many of them. The fact that John Sandford can also weave a nice, tense, plotline into all that is an added bonus. I like that although there was a heinous crime to be solved in this one, the complexity of the characters and their emotional makeup was more the central part of the novel. I really enjoyed the evolution of the cast, the care that was displayed, and the level of skill and deft hand used by the author.
Things have changed around here. I am now the published author of “Down Low- Dead” with Vincent Zandri, “The Jersey Shore Has Eyes” with Big Daddy Abel”, “G.S.I Gelati’s Scoop Investigations Psychotic Detectives” with Thomas White, and the soon to be released “Who Whacked The Blogger” with Benjamin Sobieck, “Thad and The G-Man’s Most Awesome Adventure” with Thad Brown and “Hotel Beaumont” with B.R. Stateham. All the stories are available @ Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and Smashwords. I am also the host of the wildly popular The G-ZONE blogtalk radio show. Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
“A house demolition provides an unpleasant surprise for Minneapolis-the bodies of two girls, wrapped in plastic. It looks like they've been there a long time. Lucas Davenport knows exactly how long.
In 1985, Davenport was a young cop with a reputation for recklessness, and the girls' disappearance was a big deal. His bosses ultimately declared the case closed, but he never agreed with that. Now that he has a chance to investigate it all over again, one thing is becoming increasingly clear: It wasn't just the bodies that were buried. It was the truth. “
The flashback for me was really fun and exciting to read: a young Davenport making his way through a crime, going from the streets to detective and showing up the best they have right off the bat. The insights into his character, the trip back down memory lane, and the regrets that have burden him those many years, all great stuff and fuel for the present as he tracks down a killer that had gotten away. The action is tense, the story moving, the pages just kept turning; the cast of characters is just amazing. Time in and time out the “Prey” novels just keep growing and growing. Whether or not you groove on Lucas Davenport like I do, there are far too many good, strong supporting characters here not to like many of them. The fact that John Sandford can also weave a nice, tense, plotline into all that is an added bonus. I like that although there was a heinous crime to be solved in this one, the complexity of the characters and their emotional makeup was more the central part of the novel. I really enjoyed the evolution of the cast, the care that was displayed, and the level of skill and deft hand used by the author.
Things have changed around here. I am now the published author of “Down Low- Dead” with Vincent Zandri, “The Jersey Shore Has Eyes” with Big Daddy Abel”, “G.S.I Gelati’s Scoop Investigations Psychotic Detectives” with Thomas White, and the soon to be released “Who Whacked The Blogger” with Benjamin Sobieck, “Thad and The G-Man’s Most Awesome Adventure” with Thad Brown and “Hotel Beaumont” with B.R. Stateham. All the stories are available @ Amazon, Barnes & Nobles and Smashwords. I am also the host of the wildly popular The G-ZONE blogtalk radio show. Thanks for stopping by today; We will see you tomorrow. Have a great day. http://www.gelatisscoop.blogspot.com
October 25, 2021
4.5 and 2 thumbs up!
Liked the format for this story, gives a great background on Lucas Davenport during his days as a patrolman.
Plenty of action and some unexpected twists.
Liked the format for this story, gives a great background on Lucas Davenport during his days as a patrolman.
Plenty of action and some unexpected twists.
June 6, 2011
Sandford cranked it up a notch in this book, first by using and interesting then & now structure to the book. He uses the modern day event of uncovering two girls' bodies to bring us back into Lucas Davenport's life as a patrol man just starting to get exposure with the homicide's detectives. The author obviously has great affection for the Eighties time frame, and writes of it effectively with nice musical grace notes like when Madonna first got hot.
Sandford continues to push this book above his usual standard with a plot that finds two ways to reach past the "same old, same old" challenge for a series character. We get a material change in a key character's life from the book's action, and a major shift in the way key characters interact with Lucas himself near the end. Both devlopments flow naturally from the plot.
In my opinion, Sandford should be praised for stepping out of the comfortable and lucrative practice of "one more time" with such a prominent franchise. The author stretched and found a more compelling book by doing so.
If you like traditional murder mysteries with an emphasis on realism in a contemporary setting, you need to read this book.
Sandford continues to push this book above his usual standard with a plot that finds two ways to reach past the "same old, same old" challenge for a series character. We get a material change in a key character's life from the book's action, and a major shift in the way key characters interact with Lucas himself near the end. Both devlopments flow naturally from the plot.
In my opinion, Sandford should be praised for stepping out of the comfortable and lucrative practice of "one more time" with such a prominent franchise. The author stretched and found a more compelling book by doing so.
If you like traditional murder mysteries with an emphasis on realism in a contemporary setting, you need to read this book.
February 7, 2014
Probably my favorite Prey book so far. I think this is mostly due to the fact that the format was a bit different. Sanford brings us back to the late 80s when Davenport was new to the force and 2 young sisters go missing. Nearly the first half of the book involves the beginning of that investigation and the revelation that investigation is a natural ability for Davenport. He also meets and works with Del for the first time. While he learns alot, there is one major mistake made. I think I just like that way of looking at life - if you'd just done one thing differently or made one decision a different way, how would things have played out? Sadly, the mistake led to more fallout but, as always, Davenport gets his suspect.
February 5, 2017
Bodies of two young girls are found in a building being demolished, and they date back to the mid 80's when Davenport was a new police officer on that case. Although the case was officially declared solved, he never felt right about who was pegged as the killer. With new evidence the case is reopened and Davenport tries to re-solve the case. We have a lengthy flashback to his early years, which was interesting, as the author has slowly aged his character, so we get to see a younger original Lucas. There is a poignant death of a character we know well, and the case ends on a melancholy note.
November 19, 2016
One of the better entries in this always good series. I really liked the segment set back in 1985 with the young Lucas on patrol trying to make detective. I thought the present day plot was also good and I always enjoy the supporting characters. Listened to the audio version which was narrated by Richard Ferrone who did his usual excellent job.
August 22, 2015
Twenty-first in the Lucas Davenport detective mystery series and revolving around a cop who does it his own way in getting the bad guy. The story takes place in Minneapolis and involves a cold case.
My Take
We all have regrets, and Lucas has a big one. It's a place we've been ourselves, questioning our bosses in our heads, not wanting to make waves, worrying about the right move. It's this case that helps push Lucas into learning to be a better cop. A case whose end provides extra weight to the dichotomy between what Lucas thinks is right and how the original investigation ends. And Del Capslock will show Lucas another side to policing, empathy, which is so different from the street cop side.
The story is broken into Then and Now, and we get an intense back story on Lucas' early days, including why he likes Homicide. That time with Narcotics that left a bad taste in his mouth as opposed to Del's experience. The reality with which Lucas sees himself, his ambition to get better or change careers. It also goes into how Lucas got into the gaming business.
That was clever. Yes, macabre as well, but I got a chuckle out of Lucas reminiscing about that summer with all the bands, the music, the concerts and then that reference to the girls being back for their summer reunion tour
People like that post office bureaucrat would drive me nuts, and I LOVE the laydown Lucas puts on him.
One thing I did like about Daniels was his interest in learning how other people think. I do like Letty. She runs more to Lucas' attitude when it comes to revenge and protecting family. Weather is more concerned about law and order, with taking a softer approach, although this time around, she doesn't care if the bad guy gets shot. As long as it's not Lucas.
Sandford's insight into Scrape's mind was fascinating, and so very, very sad. To know that you're nuts and not be able to do anything about it. Jesus. Knowing that is almost enough to drive you nuts!
I don't understand about Marcy. In Storm Prey , 20, she was married to a medium big shot at General Mills, and she had a son, James. Now she's dating and thinking of running for state senate? What happened to her kid? Her marriage?
As for the case, it's the little pieces that add up. It's what I love about reading mysteries. How the clues come together. Heck, how they figure out how to find the clues! And Lucas' character is a treat and a half. He has his flaws — and that sense of humor — along with those unexpected aspects of his character that we wouldn't think a cop would embrace, at least not like Lucas does, LOL. It's that funny side of Lucas, the cop humor, and the support he gets from his friends that help alleviate some of the horror of Buried Prey.
The Story
It was way back when. Back when Lucas was still a street cop, anxious to prove himself, to get that promotion to detective. He caved.
It started with two missing girls and a need to put all hands on deck, and Lucas is ordered into a shirt and tie to fill the ranks.
The Characters
Lucas Davenport, a rich former hockey player with a love for fine clothing and poetry, works for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and is the most influential cop in the state what with his troubleshooting for the governor. He's also respected by his fellow cops. The pregnant Dr. Weather Karkinnen is his wife and a plastic surgeon (we first met her in Winter Prey , 5). Letty is their adopted daughter ( Storm Prey , 20).
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA)
Sandy is Lucas' very excellent researcher who has pulled up some info: Kelly Bell's attempted abduction in 1991. Virgil *that fuckin'* Flowers had once dated Sandy; he's tapped for his boating expertise. Del Capslock is taking a photography class. John Retrief is an imaging expert. Shrake and Jenkins play a very pivotal role in this. Norman Johnson and Delores Schmidt are crime scene techs. Gerald Taski is the lab director with ground-breaking DNA results.
John Simon is the BCA director with almost no control over Lucas' unit. Judge Paulson used to date Marcy. Judge Carsonet would be tougher.
Anoka County PD
Detective Dave Carson talks about the DNA. Kelly Bell is married now to Todd Barker, and they live in Bloomington. She's become a professional interviewee while her husband is overly fascinated with guns. Idiot. Nathan Dunn was the good Samaritan who picked Kelly up off the road.
Minneapolis PD
Captain Marcy Sherrill runs Homicide, and she's thinking of running for the state senate. She has a boyfriend, Rick?? I thought she was married and had a kid? John Rimes will run her murder scene. John Kling is the police chaplain. Homicide Detectives include Buster Hill, Clark Richards, Les MacGride, and Clarence Hill. Bob Hillestad is a friend of Lucas'. Detective Hote is working the cold case full time. Deputy Chief Marilyn Barin runs Professional Standards and Internal Affairs. Cody Ryan and John Seat work IA. Seat had once investigated Officer Willard Packard.
St. Paul PD
Detective James Hayworth just got back from Quantico.
Woodbury PD
Detectives Dan Ball and Bill Garvey.
Lake Vermilion PD
Deputy Clark Childress is investigating the report that retired Detective Brian Hanson fell out of his fishing boat. His buddies are Tony Cole and Bill Kushner. Sedakis is Hanson's daughter. Darrell is her brother, who looks just like Fell; Carol is his wife. Jim is Darrell's attorney. Roger Hanson is a cousin. Mark and Debbie Jansen are Hanson's neighbors at his lake cottage.
St. Louis Park PD
Lieutenant Carl Wright lets Lucas into Hanson's house. The entry team leader is Johnston.
Betty Ludwig is a short-term hostage.
Red Lake Falls School
Superintendent Lawrence Olafson has been at Red Lake Falls for years. Steve Little and George Anderson were fellow teachers.
Bone is an old friend of Lucas' whom we first met in Secret Prey , 9, and again in Easy Prey , 11. Fred Carter is still out there, working as a security guard at the Capitol. Ignace Ruffe is a moderately trustworthy reporter with the Star Tribune.
A tip comes in about a Robert Sherman. Erik Berg is a ticked-off neighbor. SWAT has barricaded Donald Brett (a hometown psycho self-medicating too often), his wife, Roxanne, and their kids inside their house. Xavier Cruz is the guy in charge.
Then
Minneapolis PD
Captain Quentin Daniel was the head of Homicide back then and anxious to be chief of police. He didn't care how he closed a case unlike Lucas who wanted the truly guilty caught. Detectives John Malone, Frank Lester, Brian Hanson, Cherry, and McGuire are all on the case. As is the newly minted Detective Harrison Sloan who's married with two girls. Harmon Anderson is already on the police computers.
Fred Carter is Lucas' unambitious partner. Phil Blessing is the head of uniforms. Del Capslock caught Billy Smith's murder and needs help. Officers Morgan, Willis, and Sally are involved in small bit parts. Detective Park Brubaker is past history even in this. He was a very bad boy.
Stacy
Sheriff's Deputy Ron Howard helps out in Stacy. Officer Ted Hughes was part of the sewer search team. Chip and Russ are the sewer guys.
John Fell works at Letter Man, a silkscreening place in Stacy. Ron Packard is the manager. His daughter, Kate, thinks she knows Fell. Dave is a local city councilman.
Nancy and Mary Jones were kidnapped. George and Gloria Jones are their parents. He's a Vietnam vet who belongs to an organization of veterans against the war, so he has some good contacts.
The hookers are Mary Ann Ang and Lucy Sandry who figures Dorcas "Sally" Ryan might know where to find Fell who is always telling jokes. Owned by Steve and Margery Gardner, Kenny's is a bar where Fell hangs out. Kenny Katz is the manager. Katie Darin had some insight into student housing. Other residents include the Lees who are studying medicine and Bobby and Vicki Arens. Art and Alice Prose used to see him sliding under a fence to get to his cardboard cave. Dave Pirner is the lead singer in Soul Asylum. Karen Frazier, with Lutheran Social Services, is a social worker for the homeless. Mark Chakkour is Target's homeless shelter liaison. Jack Lacey owns Tom's Pizza. XTC is a gentleman's club. Mayer and his roommate were the girls' neighbors. Ronald Rice is a stabbing victim. Catherine Brown works at the Star Tribune. Millard is another witness with helpful, maybe, information.
DeeDee McAllister is a lawyer, married to Mark who has a nice gun collection, and she's sleeping with Lucas. Jared Michael was a fellow hockey player.
Carlos O'Hearn is one of the asshole brothers that include Enzo and Javier; Mother O'Hearn is an excellent example of why parents need to be licensed. Justice Johnson is a wife beater. Gene is the idiot post office bureaucrat. That damned Randy Whitcomb shows up again! ( Eyes of Prey , 3; Chosen Prey , 12; and, Wicked Prey , 19) Delia White has it in for her brother-in-law, El-Ron Parker, whom she thinks killed her sister. George Danner is a friend of Delia's.
Terry Scrape is crazy and he knows it.
The Cover and Title
The cover is eerie and makes me want to pull a blanket over my head, around my body, or just slink off and find a warm bar with lots of people and lots of light. A deserted road with puddles forming a trail, road signs and trees obscured by the mist, your attention caught by the fuzzy glow of red light in this dark and desolate corner.
The title is what is found, Buried Prey, that should have been found years ago.
My Take
We all have regrets, and Lucas has a big one. It's a place we've been ourselves, questioning our bosses in our heads, not wanting to make waves, worrying about the right move. It's this case that helps push Lucas into learning to be a better cop. A case whose end provides extra weight to the dichotomy between what Lucas thinks is right and how the original investigation ends. And Del Capslock will show Lucas another side to policing, empathy, which is so different from the street cop side.
The story is broken into Then and Now, and we get an intense back story on Lucas' early days, including why he likes Homicide. That time with Narcotics that left a bad taste in his mouth as opposed to Del's experience. The reality with which Lucas sees himself, his ambition to get better or change careers. It also goes into how Lucas got into the gaming business.
That was clever. Yes, macabre as well, but I got a chuckle out of Lucas reminiscing about that summer with all the bands, the music, the concerts and then that reference to the girls being back for their summer reunion tour
People like that post office bureaucrat would drive me nuts, and I LOVE the laydown Lucas puts on him.
One thing I did like about Daniels was his interest in learning how other people think. I do like Letty. She runs more to Lucas' attitude when it comes to revenge and protecting family. Weather is more concerned about law and order, with taking a softer approach, although this time around, she doesn't care if the bad guy gets shot. As long as it's not Lucas.
I liked Daniels' comment about his golf handicap. "It's his swing."Lucas is lucky in his friends and his wife when they take steps to protect him, for they're not sure they can trust Lucas with his life. Loved that crack from the doctor at the end. He reckons if Weather Karkinnen is Lucas' wife, he'd better do his best work.
Sandford's insight into Scrape's mind was fascinating, and so very, very sad. To know that you're nuts and not be able to do anything about it. Jesus. Knowing that is almost enough to drive you nuts!
I don't understand about Marcy. In Storm Prey , 20, she was married to a medium big shot at General Mills, and she had a son, James. Now she's dating and thinking of running for state senate? What happened to her kid? Her marriage?
As for the case, it's the little pieces that add up. It's what I love about reading mysteries. How the clues come together. Heck, how they figure out how to find the clues! And Lucas' character is a treat and a half. He has his flaws — and that sense of humor — along with those unexpected aspects of his character that we wouldn't think a cop would embrace, at least not like Lucas does, LOL. It's that funny side of Lucas, the cop humor, and the support he gets from his friends that help alleviate some of the horror of Buried Prey.
The Story
It was way back when. Back when Lucas was still a street cop, anxious to prove himself, to get that promotion to detective. He caved.
It started with two missing girls and a need to put all hands on deck, and Lucas is ordered into a shirt and tie to fill the ranks.
The Characters
Lucas Davenport, a rich former hockey player with a love for fine clothing and poetry, works for the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and is the most influential cop in the state what with his troubleshooting for the governor. He's also respected by his fellow cops. The pregnant Dr. Weather Karkinnen is his wife and a plastic surgeon (we first met her in Winter Prey , 5). Letty is their adopted daughter ( Storm Prey , 20).
"Still a little worried about the short sleeves."Jennifer Carey is an ex-girlfriend and the mother of Lucas' oldest daughter. She works at Channel Three and got Letty a job there as an unofficial intern.
Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA)
Sandy is Lucas' very excellent researcher who has pulled up some info: Kelly Bell's attempted abduction in 1991. Virgil *that fuckin'* Flowers had once dated Sandy; he's tapped for his boating expertise. Del Capslock is taking a photography class. John Retrief is an imaging expert. Shrake and Jenkins play a very pivotal role in this. Norman Johnson and Delores Schmidt are crime scene techs. Gerald Taski is the lab director with ground-breaking DNA results.
John Simon is the BCA director with almost no control over Lucas' unit. Judge Paulson used to date Marcy. Judge Carsonet would be tougher.
Anoka County PD
Detective Dave Carson talks about the DNA. Kelly Bell is married now to Todd Barker, and they live in Bloomington. She's become a professional interviewee while her husband is overly fascinated with guns. Idiot. Nathan Dunn was the good Samaritan who picked Kelly up off the road.
Minneapolis PD
Captain Marcy Sherrill runs Homicide, and she's thinking of running for the state senate. She has a boyfriend, Rick?? I thought she was married and had a kid? John Rimes will run her murder scene. John Kling is the police chaplain. Homicide Detectives include Buster Hill, Clark Richards, Les MacGride, and Clarence Hill. Bob Hillestad is a friend of Lucas'. Detective Hote is working the cold case full time. Deputy Chief Marilyn Barin runs Professional Standards and Internal Affairs. Cody Ryan and John Seat work IA. Seat had once investigated Officer Willard Packard.
St. Paul PD
Detective James Hayworth just got back from Quantico.
Woodbury PD
Detectives Dan Ball and Bill Garvey.
Lake Vermilion PD
Deputy Clark Childress is investigating the report that retired Detective Brian Hanson fell out of his fishing boat. His buddies are Tony Cole and Bill Kushner. Sedakis is Hanson's daughter. Darrell is her brother, who looks just like Fell; Carol is his wife. Jim is Darrell's attorney. Roger Hanson is a cousin. Mark and Debbie Jansen are Hanson's neighbors at his lake cottage.
St. Louis Park PD
Lieutenant Carl Wright lets Lucas into Hanson's house. The entry team leader is Johnston.
Betty Ludwig is a short-term hostage.
Red Lake Falls School
Superintendent Lawrence Olafson has been at Red Lake Falls for years. Steve Little and George Anderson were fellow teachers.
Bone is an old friend of Lucas' whom we first met in Secret Prey , 9, and again in Easy Prey , 11. Fred Carter is still out there, working as a security guard at the Capitol. Ignace Ruffe is a moderately trustworthy reporter with the Star Tribune.
A tip comes in about a Robert Sherman. Erik Berg is a ticked-off neighbor. SWAT has barricaded Donald Brett (a hometown psycho self-medicating too often), his wife, Roxanne, and their kids inside their house. Xavier Cruz is the guy in charge.
Then
Minneapolis PD
Captain Quentin Daniel was the head of Homicide back then and anxious to be chief of police. He didn't care how he closed a case unlike Lucas who wanted the truly guilty caught. Detectives John Malone, Frank Lester, Brian Hanson, Cherry, and McGuire are all on the case. As is the newly minted Detective Harrison Sloan who's married with two girls. Harmon Anderson is already on the police computers.
Fred Carter is Lucas' unambitious partner. Phil Blessing is the head of uniforms. Del Capslock caught Billy Smith's murder and needs help. Officers Morgan, Willis, and Sally are involved in small bit parts. Detective Park Brubaker is past history even in this. He was a very bad boy.
Stacy
Sheriff's Deputy Ron Howard helps out in Stacy. Officer Ted Hughes was part of the sewer search team. Chip and Russ are the sewer guys.
John Fell works at Letter Man, a silkscreening place in Stacy. Ron Packard is the manager. His daughter, Kate, thinks she knows Fell. Dave is a local city councilman.
Nancy and Mary Jones were kidnapped. George and Gloria Jones are their parents. He's a Vietnam vet who belongs to an organization of veterans against the war, so he has some good contacts.
The hookers are Mary Ann Ang and Lucy Sandry who figures Dorcas "Sally" Ryan might know where to find Fell who is always telling jokes. Owned by Steve and Margery Gardner, Kenny's is a bar where Fell hangs out. Kenny Katz is the manager. Katie Darin had some insight into student housing. Other residents include the Lees who are studying medicine and Bobby and Vicki Arens. Art and Alice Prose used to see him sliding under a fence to get to his cardboard cave. Dave Pirner is the lead singer in Soul Asylum. Karen Frazier, with Lutheran Social Services, is a social worker for the homeless. Mark Chakkour is Target's homeless shelter liaison. Jack Lacey owns Tom's Pizza. XTC is a gentleman's club. Mayer and his roommate were the girls' neighbors. Ronald Rice is a stabbing victim. Catherine Brown works at the Star Tribune. Millard is another witness with helpful, maybe, information.
DeeDee McAllister is a lawyer, married to Mark who has a nice gun collection, and she's sleeping with Lucas. Jared Michael was a fellow hockey player.
Carlos O'Hearn is one of the asshole brothers that include Enzo and Javier; Mother O'Hearn is an excellent example of why parents need to be licensed. Justice Johnson is a wife beater. Gene is the idiot post office bureaucrat. That damned Randy Whitcomb shows up again! ( Eyes of Prey , 3; Chosen Prey , 12; and, Wicked Prey , 19) Delia White has it in for her brother-in-law, El-Ron Parker, whom she thinks killed her sister. George Danner is a friend of Delia's.
Terry Scrape is crazy and he knows it.
The Cover and Title
The cover is eerie and makes me want to pull a blanket over my head, around my body, or just slink off and find a warm bar with lots of people and lots of light. A deserted road with puddles forming a trail, road signs and trees obscured by the mist, your attention caught by the fuzzy glow of red light in this dark and desolate corner.
The title is what is found, Buried Prey, that should have been found years ago.
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