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Lucas Davenport #29
Neon Prey
Lucas Davenport tracks a prolific serial killer in the newest nail-biter by #1 New York Times -bestselling author John Sandford.
Clayton Deese looks like a small-time criminal, muscle for hire when his loan shark boss needs to teach someone a lesson. Now, seven months after a job that went south and landed him in jail, Deese has skipped out on bail, and the U.S. Marshals come looking for him. They don't much care about a low-level guy--it's his boss they want--but Deese might be their best chance to bring down the whole operation.
Then, they step onto a dirt trail behind Deese's rural Louisiana cabin and find a jungle full of graves.
Now Lucas Davenport is on the trail of a serial killer who has been operating for years without notice. His quarry is ruthless, and--as Davenport will come to find--full of surprises . . .
Clayton Deese looks like a small-time criminal, muscle for hire when his loan shark boss needs to teach someone a lesson. Now, seven months after a job that went south and landed him in jail, Deese has skipped out on bail, and the U.S. Marshals come looking for him. They don't much care about a low-level guy--it's his boss they want--but Deese might be their best chance to bring down the whole operation.
Then, they step onto a dirt trail behind Deese's rural Louisiana cabin and find a jungle full of graves.
Now Lucas Davenport is on the trail of a serial killer who has been operating for years without notice. His quarry is ruthless, and--as Davenport will come to find--full of surprises . . .
464 pages, Paperback
First published April 23, 2019
8841 people are currently reading
5409 people want to read
About the author
John Sandford
234 books9,649 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 1,733 reviews
May 12, 2019
When it comes to interest and action, there are few better authors than John Sandford. Neon Prey is no exception and another superb effort. 10 of 10 stars
June 30, 2022
I received a free advance copy of this from NetGalley for review.
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. And if what happens is that you get eaten by a cannibal while there you'll definitely be staying in Vegas.
Clayton Deese was an enforcer/hired killer for a loan shark in New Orleans who gets arrested after one of his jobs go wrong. Since Deese has a lot of skeletons in his closet he jumps bail and disappears. Actually, the skeletons are in graves behind his house, and Deese had a habit of cutting prime cuts off his victims and throwing them on the grill. Once that grisly discovery has been made Deese is the country’s most notorious fugitive, and US Marshal Lucas Davenport is brought in to help track him down.
Deese has hooked up with his brother who is running a nasty home invasion crew that Lucas tracks from Los Angeles to Las Vegas as the trail keeps getting bloodier. There’s also a complication that Deese’s old boss is worried that he’ll flip on him if caught so he’s trying to either kill him or make sure he gets out of the country.
This is the 29th book of the Prey series, and it’s got all the usual stuff. The plotting is tight with multiple characters all working their own agendas, the tension builds nicely to some big moments, and we get to hang out with Davenport as he uses a mix of deduction, manipulation, and intimidation to find the bad guys. Sandford even throws a pretty wicked curve ball at the reader about a quarter of the way into the book that literally made me sit up and curse aloud in shock when it happened. Lucas’ new role as a marshal continues to be interesting, and the Vegas setting is used well as the kind of place where trying to follow a suspect through the maze of a casino is a challenge.
However, it doesn’t quite hit the peaks of the series at its best. There’s some great set-up of Deese as a people-eatin’ leg-breaker, but more time is actually spent with other members of the home invasion crew so that he doesn’t come across as the best of the Prey bad guys. It’s a little disappointing that more isn’t done with the cannibal angle. (What? If I read a book where I’m told the villain eats people then I expect somebody to get eaten. Don’t look at me like that. I’m not the only person who watched Hannibal.) In fact, it’s more used for shock factor and almost a running gag than anything. The twist that we get early on doesn’t really amount to much either at the end of the day and is kind of quickly forgotten.
Still, it’s John Sandford so it’s a pretty satisfying thriller that will keep you turning pages even if it isn’t Lucas’s most memorable case.
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas. And if what happens is that you get eaten by a cannibal while there you'll definitely be staying in Vegas.
Clayton Deese was an enforcer/hired killer for a loan shark in New Orleans who gets arrested after one of his jobs go wrong. Since Deese has a lot of skeletons in his closet he jumps bail and disappears. Actually, the skeletons are in graves behind his house, and Deese had a habit of cutting prime cuts off his victims and throwing them on the grill. Once that grisly discovery has been made Deese is the country’s most notorious fugitive, and US Marshal Lucas Davenport is brought in to help track him down.
Deese has hooked up with his brother who is running a nasty home invasion crew that Lucas tracks from Los Angeles to Las Vegas as the trail keeps getting bloodier. There’s also a complication that Deese’s old boss is worried that he’ll flip on him if caught so he’s trying to either kill him or make sure he gets out of the country.
This is the 29th book of the Prey series, and it’s got all the usual stuff. The plotting is tight with multiple characters all working their own agendas, the tension builds nicely to some big moments, and we get to hang out with Davenport as he uses a mix of deduction, manipulation, and intimidation to find the bad guys. Sandford even throws a pretty wicked curve ball at the reader about a quarter of the way into the book that literally made me sit up and curse aloud in shock when it happened. Lucas’ new role as a marshal continues to be interesting, and the Vegas setting is used well as the kind of place where trying to follow a suspect through the maze of a casino is a challenge.
However, it doesn’t quite hit the peaks of the series at its best. There’s some great set-up of Deese as a people-eatin’ leg-breaker, but more time is actually spent with other members of the home invasion crew so that he doesn’t come across as the best of the Prey bad guys. It’s a little disappointing that more isn’t done with the cannibal angle. (What? If I read a book where I’m told the villain eats people then I expect somebody to get eaten. Don’t look at me like that. I’m not the only person who watched Hannibal.) In fact, it’s more used for shock factor and almost a running gag than anything. The twist that we get early on doesn’t really amount to much either at the end of the day and is kind of quickly forgotten.
Still, it’s John Sandford so it’s a pretty satisfying thriller that will keep you turning pages even if it isn’t Lucas’s most memorable case.
August 4, 2019
I am such a Lucas Davenport fan!
I’ve read all 29 books. Lucas Davenport has been a staple in my life forever...
He is brilliant. Dresses well. Likes to hunt killers. What more could you ask for?
If you are not into this series yet, but like homicide detective stories. This is one of the best.
I’m not a big fan of his current US Marshall partners though. Can we have Lukas just going back to being a homicide detective, please ? Otherwise, this book would have gotten 5 stars...
4 out of 5 stars
I’ve read all 29 books. Lucas Davenport has been a staple in my life forever...
He is brilliant. Dresses well. Likes to hunt killers. What more could you ask for?
If you are not into this series yet, but like homicide detective stories. This is one of the best.
I’m not a big fan of his current US Marshall partners though. Can we have Lukas just going back to being a homicide detective, please ? Otherwise, this book would have gotten 5 stars...
4 out of 5 stars
October 14, 2022
Neon Prey by John Sandford has easily passed my old lady reading test. I read a quarter of the book, put it down for two weeks, and then pick it back up to finish. The test: remembering everything I have read and not having go back to refresh my memory. Neon Prey was an easy A+, no going back to refresh my memory of the story or characters.
Yes indeedy ladies and gentlemen step right up and read Neon Prey. You won’t be sorry, unless you don’t like graphic crime stories.
There isn’t a crime I can think of that isn’t present in Neon Prey, and maybe one or two I wouldn’t have thought to include. This is just one more example of Sandford’s genius in keeping the Lucas Davenport series fresh. The other genius, making it possible to jump in anywhere in the series and read as a stand-alone. Be aware though, very aware that you will want to go back to read the prior twenty eight. If I were a new reader, by the end of this book I would be jumpin’ for joy.
Davenport is now a deputy U.S. Marshall without portfolio, so to speak. He has some serious political pull, on both sides of the political aisle and is allowed to do pretty much what he wants. What he wants is to bring in serious killers.
Rae Givens and Bob Matees, fellow deputy US Marshall’s bring Davenport just what he wants, a formerly unknown serial killer who is in the wind. Clayton Deese, has been arrested by the FBI, and has agreed to snitch on a New Orleans boss, Rodger Smith; a serious player in the swamp of New Orleans’s crime.
Instead, Deese, has cut his ankle monitoring device and hightailed it from his south Louisiana property. When Bob and Rae, along with the FBI agent Sandro Tremanty, go a-hunting Deese they find buried bodies; lots of buried bodies.
The chase for Deese lasts for months, collecting more cities, more criminals and more crimes.
The writing as always is meticulous, taking you along on Mr.Toad’s wild ride At the same time the easy humor and dry wit makes you want to ante up a pocketful of quarters and ask for a seat at the table.
Depravity, camaraderie, terror, warmth, distrust, humor are all present and accounted for in Neon Prey. There is a tender yet funny scene where Davenport meets with his eldest daughter who is pondering which path to take after college, a dream job or further education. He tells her he doesn’t like to talk about such things, but basically she is trust fund scum and money should never be a basis for her decisions. A lesson never learned by Deese and his partners.
Sadly, Davenport’s coworkers from the earlier books are barely present. Never fear though, Virgil Flowers, with his usual sobriquet, is present a few times, just not often enough. Sorry Mr. Sandford, I’m sure you hear this complaint in every Davenport book. But ‘me and Mr. Davenport, we got a thing going on’ and that will never change. Flowers is just my backdoor hero.
I have to admit to being intrigued by Deese's use of filé powder in his barbecue rub, but I would use a different meat source.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Yes indeedy ladies and gentlemen step right up and read Neon Prey. You won’t be sorry, unless you don’t like graphic crime stories.
There isn’t a crime I can think of that isn’t present in Neon Prey, and maybe one or two I wouldn’t have thought to include. This is just one more example of Sandford’s genius in keeping the Lucas Davenport series fresh. The other genius, making it possible to jump in anywhere in the series and read as a stand-alone. Be aware though, very aware that you will want to go back to read the prior twenty eight. If I were a new reader, by the end of this book I would be jumpin’ for joy.
Davenport is now a deputy U.S. Marshall without portfolio, so to speak. He has some serious political pull, on both sides of the political aisle and is allowed to do pretty much what he wants. What he wants is to bring in serious killers.
Rae Givens and Bob Matees, fellow deputy US Marshall’s bring Davenport just what he wants, a formerly unknown serial killer who is in the wind. Clayton Deese, has been arrested by the FBI, and has agreed to snitch on a New Orleans boss, Rodger Smith; a serious player in the swamp of New Orleans’s crime.
Instead, Deese, has cut his ankle monitoring device and hightailed it from his south Louisiana property. When Bob and Rae, along with the FBI agent Sandro Tremanty, go a-hunting Deese they find buried bodies; lots of buried bodies.
The chase for Deese lasts for months, collecting more cities, more criminals and more crimes.
The writing as always is meticulous, taking you along on Mr.Toad’s wild ride At the same time the easy humor and dry wit makes you want to ante up a pocketful of quarters and ask for a seat at the table.
Depravity, camaraderie, terror, warmth, distrust, humor are all present and accounted for in Neon Prey. There is a tender yet funny scene where Davenport meets with his eldest daughter who is pondering which path to take after college, a dream job or further education. He tells her he doesn’t like to talk about such things, but basically she is trust fund scum and money should never be a basis for her decisions. A lesson never learned by Deese and his partners.
Sadly, Davenport’s coworkers from the earlier books are barely present. Never fear though, Virgil Flowers, with his usual sobriquet, is present a few times, just not often enough. Sorry Mr. Sandford, I’m sure you hear this complaint in every Davenport book. But ‘me and Mr. Davenport, we got a thing going on’ and that will never change. Flowers is just my backdoor hero.
I have to admit to being intrigued by Deese's use of filé powder in his barbecue rub, but I would use a different meat source.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
March 1, 2020
I've said in previous reviews that I think this long-running series has lost a bit of its luster now that Lucas Davenport has left Minnesota and joined the Marshal's Service, and there's nothing about this book that would lead me to alter my opinion. I continue to believe that Davenport's new running buddies, Bob and Rae, are a pale substitute for the rich characters like Sloan, Del, Shrake and others who inhabited the earlier novels. Additionally, Sandford has long been known for creating complex, interesting and scary villains--antagonists who were worthy of a matchup with Lucas Davenport. That, too, is missing here.
The villain in this novel is a guy named Clayton Deese, who works as a leg-breaker for a New Orleans loan shark. But when an attempt to intimidate a late-paying customer goes wrong, Deese winds up in jail. He promptly skips bail and the marshalls are on his trail. They don't really care all that much about Deese; they're trying to build a case against his boss. But all that changes when the marshals raid Deesse's cabin in the woods and find a number of bodies buried behind the house. Even worse, it appears that Deese has been feasting on the more delectable parts of his victims.
Now a full-scale manhunt is underway with Lucas Davenport leading the search. Deese runs to California where he joins up with his brother and a couple of other guys who are doing brutal but profitable home invasions. Davenport, Bob and Rae will track Deese to California but will lose him and spend the rest of the book trying to track him down.
Deese is not a very interesting villain and, even allowing for the cannibalism, he doesn't come off as particularly scary. He doesn't remotely measure up to some of Sandford's earlier villains and hardly seems worthy of Davenport's attention. He also disappears for much of the time while the story focuses instead on the people he's teamed up with.
The book has its amusing and exciting moments, but there's no mystery about it, and very little tension. The whole story amounts to one extended manhunt and every reader knows that Davenport will get his man in the end, which raises the question, So what? Again, it's not a bad book, but it's not nearly in a league with the earlier Prey novels and a reader fresh to the series, if there is such a person among crime fiction fans, would be well advised to start at the beginning of the series rather that with Neon Prey.
The villain in this novel is a guy named Clayton Deese, who works as a leg-breaker for a New Orleans loan shark. But when an attempt to intimidate a late-paying customer goes wrong, Deese winds up in jail. He promptly skips bail and the marshalls are on his trail. They don't really care all that much about Deese; they're trying to build a case against his boss. But all that changes when the marshals raid Deesse's cabin in the woods and find a number of bodies buried behind the house. Even worse, it appears that Deese has been feasting on the more delectable parts of his victims.
Now a full-scale manhunt is underway with Lucas Davenport leading the search. Deese runs to California where he joins up with his brother and a couple of other guys who are doing brutal but profitable home invasions. Davenport, Bob and Rae will track Deese to California but will lose him and spend the rest of the book trying to track him down.
Deese is not a very interesting villain and, even allowing for the cannibalism, he doesn't come off as particularly scary. He doesn't remotely measure up to some of Sandford's earlier villains and hardly seems worthy of Davenport's attention. He also disappears for much of the time while the story focuses instead on the people he's teamed up with.
The book has its amusing and exciting moments, but there's no mystery about it, and very little tension. The whole story amounts to one extended manhunt and every reader knows that Davenport will get his man in the end, which raises the question, So what? Again, it's not a bad book, but it's not nearly in a league with the earlier Prey novels and a reader fresh to the series, if there is such a person among crime fiction fans, would be well advised to start at the beginning of the series rather that with Neon Prey.
August 2, 2022
Lucas is on the hunt for a cannibal in Neon Prey.
Yes, you heard it right. A man by the name of Clayton Deese is arrested after beating up another man for not paying his debt to a loan shark named Rodger Smith. Instead of cooperating with the police, once he is out on bail, he disappears.
Rae and Bob who are US Marshals and have worked with Lucas on prior cases called him to come over to New Orleans after they find shallow graves on Deese's property. They also find enough evidence that suggests he was cannibalizing his victims. The search is joined by an FBI agent, Sandro Tremanty. Together, they will follow the clues from Louisiana to California and later on to Nevada.
The Marshalls suspect Deese has joined his brother's crew who specializes in home invasions. It will be great to get them all but catching Deese is the sole object in Lucas's mind.
Enjoyable banter, fast-paced action, and interesting characters are some of the reasons why this series is a success!
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Yes, you heard it right. A man by the name of Clayton Deese is arrested after beating up another man for not paying his debt to a loan shark named Rodger Smith. Instead of cooperating with the police, once he is out on bail, he disappears.
Rae and Bob who are US Marshals and have worked with Lucas on prior cases called him to come over to New Orleans after they find shallow graves on Deese's property. They also find enough evidence that suggests he was cannibalizing his victims. The search is joined by an FBI agent, Sandro Tremanty. Together, they will follow the clues from Louisiana to California and later on to Nevada.
The Marshalls suspect Deese has joined his brother's crew who specializes in home invasions. It will be great to get them all but catching Deese is the sole object in Lucas's mind.
Enjoyable banter, fast-paced action, and interesting characters are some of the reasons why this series is a success!
Cliffhanger: No
4/5 Fangs
MrsLeif's Two Fangs About It | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
August 6, 2019
John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport has become one of my favorite series to listen to. The plots are fast paced, with great villains. They are complicated enough to hold my interest but not so convoluted that I can’t keep up on audio. This one is one of his better ones (and I’ve read them all). I highly recommend for anyone looking for a great audio book.
May 4, 2019
To begin with, I think it is only appropriate that I admit to being a fairly avid reader of John Sandford, especially a fan of his Lucas Davenport “Prey” series. A pretty big fan to be honest.
When we last saw our fearless hero, Lucas Davenport, he was getting comfortable in his federal marshal job which afforded him lots of freedom in cases he investigates. He had two agents assigned to him – Bob and Rae - both of whom are witty, hard-working and never lack an opinion. When this book begins, we are introduced to Clayton Deese, muscle and killer for Louisiana lawyer and loan shark, Roger Smith. Smith has a customer who isn’t paying and needs to be taught a sever lesson, and sends Deese to deliver it. However, Deese runs into problems and lands in jail for deadly assault, putting Smith’s illegal operations at risk. Seven months later Dees skips out on his bail and disappears.
In come U.S. Marshals from Davenport’s team – Bob and Rae - who are investigating Smith’s operations and hoping to bring him down by turning Deese against him. But things turn bad quickly when they find a hidden trail behind Deese’s country cabin, leading to a woods area full of unmarked graves. It seems that Deese is a secret serial killer who had been disposing his victims in his backyard for years. And to make it worse, it appears that he has a cannibalistic tendency which get’s Davenport’s immediate attention and puts him and his team on the trail of a sadistic killer on the run from Louisiana to California to Nevada.
In the interest of good faith, I am seeing a vey bad developing pattern with Sandford’s “Prey” series over the last several years. One that is starting to make me nervous. I have always enjoyed his books, albeit some more than others. However, book #27 “Golden Prey” was rather disappointing. The plotting was weak and the last hundred pages was an overly drawn out, anti-climactic ending. We didn’t get to see his family and other familiar characters very much. Then last year, book #28 “Twisted Prey” was much improved, with stronger plotting and more complex character conflict. Lucas had a stronger adversary that challenged him on a higher analytical and emotional level.
Which brings me to this year’s book #29 “Neon Prey” which falls back into the same one-dimensional, weak plotting that “Golden Prey” suffered from. Even worse. This book is a feebler read than that one was. Nothing about the beginning set’s up for an interesting read, especially since they already have the big bad guy figured out and only need to physically catch him. Neither the bad guy or his compadres seem worthy of Davenport’s challenge beyond the length of a short story read. The entire book serves as a basic and somewhat haphazard 390-page manhunt. There are a couple of almost-got-the-bad-guys-but-oh-no-they-got-away-again oh-well moments that just drag things out way too much.
There are other weaknesses in this book, including the poor writing style and treatment of Davenport as being almost a side character. Sandford’s writing style that was once fast-paced, fluid, and sharp, seems more now like a stream of consciousness – one that rambles and is extremely disjointed at times.
Overall, the math is starting to lead me to the old “Star Trek” movie adage, and that is the odd ones are bad and the even ones are good. In my opinion, and it only one opinion, “Neon Prey” is arguably Sandford’s least interesting Lucas Davenport mystery he’s ever written. I am not sure how he went off the rails in two of his last three books, but here’s hoping that next year’s outing (an even numbered book) will bring a reinvigorated plot and worthy adversary for Lucas Davenport to face in his 30th anniversary year… Here’s hoping so…
When we last saw our fearless hero, Lucas Davenport, he was getting comfortable in his federal marshal job which afforded him lots of freedom in cases he investigates. He had two agents assigned to him – Bob and Rae - both of whom are witty, hard-working and never lack an opinion. When this book begins, we are introduced to Clayton Deese, muscle and killer for Louisiana lawyer and loan shark, Roger Smith. Smith has a customer who isn’t paying and needs to be taught a sever lesson, and sends Deese to deliver it. However, Deese runs into problems and lands in jail for deadly assault, putting Smith’s illegal operations at risk. Seven months later Dees skips out on his bail and disappears.
In come U.S. Marshals from Davenport’s team – Bob and Rae - who are investigating Smith’s operations and hoping to bring him down by turning Deese against him. But things turn bad quickly when they find a hidden trail behind Deese’s country cabin, leading to a woods area full of unmarked graves. It seems that Deese is a secret serial killer who had been disposing his victims in his backyard for years. And to make it worse, it appears that he has a cannibalistic tendency which get’s Davenport’s immediate attention and puts him and his team on the trail of a sadistic killer on the run from Louisiana to California to Nevada.
In the interest of good faith, I am seeing a vey bad developing pattern with Sandford’s “Prey” series over the last several years. One that is starting to make me nervous. I have always enjoyed his books, albeit some more than others. However, book #27 “Golden Prey” was rather disappointing. The plotting was weak and the last hundred pages was an overly drawn out, anti-climactic ending. We didn’t get to see his family and other familiar characters very much. Then last year, book #28 “Twisted Prey” was much improved, with stronger plotting and more complex character conflict. Lucas had a stronger adversary that challenged him on a higher analytical and emotional level.
Which brings me to this year’s book #29 “Neon Prey” which falls back into the same one-dimensional, weak plotting that “Golden Prey” suffered from. Even worse. This book is a feebler read than that one was. Nothing about the beginning set’s up for an interesting read, especially since they already have the big bad guy figured out and only need to physically catch him. Neither the bad guy or his compadres seem worthy of Davenport’s challenge beyond the length of a short story read. The entire book serves as a basic and somewhat haphazard 390-page manhunt. There are a couple of almost-got-the-bad-guys-but-oh-no-they-got-away-again oh-well moments that just drag things out way too much.
There are other weaknesses in this book, including the poor writing style and treatment of Davenport as being almost a side character. Sandford’s writing style that was once fast-paced, fluid, and sharp, seems more now like a stream of consciousness – one that rambles and is extremely disjointed at times.
Overall, the math is starting to lead me to the old “Star Trek” movie adage, and that is the odd ones are bad and the even ones are good. In my opinion, and it only one opinion, “Neon Prey” is arguably Sandford’s least interesting Lucas Davenport mystery he’s ever written. I am not sure how he went off the rails in two of his last three books, but here’s hoping that next year’s outing (an even numbered book) will bring a reinvigorated plot and worthy adversary for Lucas Davenport to face in his 30th anniversary year… Here’s hoping so…
March 9, 2019
Only a couple of authors have written separate serial books featuring two different characters I absolutely love, and John Sandford is one of them. For years, law enforcement agents Virgil Flowers and Lucas Davenport have been never-miss favorites. It is the latter who takes center stage here (although happily, Virgil makes a couple of appearances as well).
That said, most characters in long-running series - at least in my experience, and I'll cite as examples works by both Jonathan and Faye Kellerman, J.D. Robb and Janet Evanovich - over the years tend to lose a titch of the pizzazz that hooked me in the first place, and Lucas and Virgil are no exceptions. But hey: most of these characters aren't exactly spring chickens anymore, so slowing down a bit is to be expected (as I approach octogenarian status. I know this all too well).
In fact, in this, the 29th in the series; even Lucas himself has a few moments of self-doubt. But he's still filthy rich (millions earned by gaming software he developed), married (to plastic surgeon Weather, who gets in a few good lines here) and hasn't lost his sense of humor. And while the thrill of the chase may have dropped a notch or two, it hasn't lessened my love of the books, including this one. It begins with a chase to find a hired killer named Deese; the marshals don't find him, but they do find graves filled with dead bodies. That's bad enough, but evidence shows this killer has a particularly nasty habit (let's just say if you put him in a room with Hannibal Lecter, one of the two wouldn't go home hungry and the other wouldn't go home at all).
Lucas has an office in Minneapolis, but he works out of Washington, D.C., for the U.S. Marshals Service. Finding Deese is important to the feds not only because of his eating habits, but because it's believed that he's been hired by a bad guy named Roger Smith (no relation, I presume, to the late husband of Ann-Margret), who's the real target they're after. The chase brings together a few familiar (and likable) characters from previous books as well as a slew of law enforcement agencies from New Orleans to Los Angeles to Las Vegas. One raid in particular turns out not all that well for Lucas (triggering, so to speak, that self-doubt mentioned earlier).
All in all, it's another great adventure that doesn't disappoint (telling more might spoil the fun for other readers, so I won't). I must, however, note one of the highlights for me: The ever-dapper Lucas dressed in cargo shorts. Now that would be a sight to see!
Once again, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
That said, most characters in long-running series - at least in my experience, and I'll cite as examples works by both Jonathan and Faye Kellerman, J.D. Robb and Janet Evanovich - over the years tend to lose a titch of the pizzazz that hooked me in the first place, and Lucas and Virgil are no exceptions. But hey: most of these characters aren't exactly spring chickens anymore, so slowing down a bit is to be expected (as I approach octogenarian status. I know this all too well).
In fact, in this, the 29th in the series; even Lucas himself has a few moments of self-doubt. But he's still filthy rich (millions earned by gaming software he developed), married (to plastic surgeon Weather, who gets in a few good lines here) and hasn't lost his sense of humor. And while the thrill of the chase may have dropped a notch or two, it hasn't lessened my love of the books, including this one. It begins with a chase to find a hired killer named Deese; the marshals don't find him, but they do find graves filled with dead bodies. That's bad enough, but evidence shows this killer has a particularly nasty habit (let's just say if you put him in a room with Hannibal Lecter, one of the two wouldn't go home hungry and the other wouldn't go home at all).
Lucas has an office in Minneapolis, but he works out of Washington, D.C., for the U.S. Marshals Service. Finding Deese is important to the feds not only because of his eating habits, but because it's believed that he's been hired by a bad guy named Roger Smith (no relation, I presume, to the late husband of Ann-Margret), who's the real target they're after. The chase brings together a few familiar (and likable) characters from previous books as well as a slew of law enforcement agencies from New Orleans to Los Angeles to Las Vegas. One raid in particular turns out not all that well for Lucas (triggering, so to speak, that self-doubt mentioned earlier).
All in all, it's another great adventure that doesn't disappoint (telling more might spoil the fun for other readers, so I won't). I must, however, note one of the highlights for me: The ever-dapper Lucas dressed in cargo shorts. Now that would be a sight to see!
Once again, many thanks to the publisher, via NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an advance copy.
March 30, 2020
If Michael Connelly is the most readable crime fiction writer operating today, and I believe he is, then John Sandford must stand proudly in second place. His Prey series is approaching its 30th book and his offshoot series, featuring Minnesota cop Virgil Flowers, is now into double figures. I grab a copy of the latest book from either series whenever I can. Lucas Davenport is now employed by the US Martials Service and thanks to his political connections he gets to largely pick his own cases. I know this is pretty contrived but it does allow Davenport attach himself to manhunts all over the country and to pick the very juiciest cases. In this episode, Lucas gets involved in the chase for a killer, Clayton Deese, who appears to partially eat his victims. Tagged the Louisiana Cannibal, he’s fled his home state as the local police and FBI continue the gruesome task of digging up bodies buried close to his shack.
Lucas teams up with returning characters Rae and Bob (also US marshalls) and pick up a lead that Deese may have headed for Los Angeles to hide out with his half-brother. From here the trail leads them to Las Vegas where the rest of the action is to play out (hence the title of the book). There is always a good sprinkling of humour in these stories in the by-play between the characters but for the most part it’s a fast paced thriller that doesn’t really let up. Deese really is a dastardly character and Sandford milks this for all it’s worth. It’s also worth noting that, as Connelly does so well, the manner in which the investigation and chase is conducted feels real – each step taken is explained and feels logical with the involvement of relevant parties along the way and plausible options being explored. The other thing I really like about these books is the way Sandford allows us to see the story from the point of view of both the chasers and the chased. We see how they try to out-guess and out-manoeuvre each other and view their interactions from both sides. It’s really effective and grabs me every time.
If you enjoy crime fiction and haven’t found your way to Sandford’s books yet, then I’d really urge you to try him out. I think he’s a class act and this book is yet another top quality effort, an easy five-star rating from me.
Lucas teams up with returning characters Rae and Bob (also US marshalls) and pick up a lead that Deese may have headed for Los Angeles to hide out with his half-brother. From here the trail leads them to Las Vegas where the rest of the action is to play out (hence the title of the book). There is always a good sprinkling of humour in these stories in the by-play between the characters but for the most part it’s a fast paced thriller that doesn’t really let up. Deese really is a dastardly character and Sandford milks this for all it’s worth. It’s also worth noting that, as Connelly does so well, the manner in which the investigation and chase is conducted feels real – each step taken is explained and feels logical with the involvement of relevant parties along the way and plausible options being explored. The other thing I really like about these books is the way Sandford allows us to see the story from the point of view of both the chasers and the chased. We see how they try to out-guess and out-manoeuvre each other and view their interactions from both sides. It’s really effective and grabs me every time.
If you enjoy crime fiction and haven’t found your way to Sandford’s books yet, then I’d really urge you to try him out. I think he’s a class act and this book is yet another top quality effort, an easy five-star rating from me.
August 21, 2025
“Neon Prey” isn’t bad but it’s a bit of a chase novel. You know right away who the criminal is, and it’s up to John Sandford’s reoccurring hero, Lucas Devenport, to track him and his criminal friends down. It’s not all that different than other Devenport novels, except for the new location: Las Vegas. Most of Sandford’s novels take place in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
In this one, the gang of criminals are basically robbers, going around wealthy parts of Las Angles, threatening and robbing anyone unlucky enough to encounter them. What makes this group more sinister however, is a nasty twist. One of them is a cannibal, who has killed and eaten multiple people, including children. While the novel does spear us the graphic details of exactly how this cannibal committed his crimes, it does tell us what he did. He could be facing the death penalty if he is caught, and the other in the group face charges, but lesser ones.
This book is, like all Sandford thrillers, a solid page turner. If I was a little more critical, I would say Sandford introduces a ton of new cops and investigators in the new setting of Las Vegas, and it tends to feel like too many characters. I lost track, between the new good guys and the group of bad guys, who is who.
However, it’s still a good read. Sandford is one of our accessible thriller and mystery writers, and he will keep you turning those pages. I’ve been reading Sandford for a lot of years, and I still find his work a thrilling ride worth reading.
In this one, the gang of criminals are basically robbers, going around wealthy parts of Las Angles, threatening and robbing anyone unlucky enough to encounter them. What makes this group more sinister however, is a nasty twist. One of them is a cannibal, who has killed and eaten multiple people, including children. While the novel does spear us the graphic details of exactly how this cannibal committed his crimes, it does tell us what he did. He could be facing the death penalty if he is caught, and the other in the group face charges, but lesser ones.
This book is, like all Sandford thrillers, a solid page turner. If I was a little more critical, I would say Sandford introduces a ton of new cops and investigators in the new setting of Las Vegas, and it tends to feel like too many characters. I lost track, between the new good guys and the group of bad guys, who is who.
However, it’s still a good read. Sandford is one of our accessible thriller and mystery writers, and he will keep you turning those pages. I’ve been reading Sandford for a lot of years, and I still find his work a thrilling ride worth reading.
July 16, 2019
Bit of a disappointment, I'm afraid. Although the mystery/manhunt aspect is good, the dialogue is dull & seems like we've read it all before. There's nothing new here, just a darker plot with vicious bad guys & little humour to alleviate a more violent than usual story line.
March 27, 2020
Clayton Deese is an enforcer for a New Orleans loan shark, Roger “Rog” Smith. Rog wants Deese to send a message to someone who has fallen behind on his payments but things don't work out as planned. Deese gets busted but skips bail. Deese is small time. The FBI would really like to get Smith so an FBI agent along with U.S. Marshall's Bob and Rae go to Deese's home. They don't find Deese but they do discover several graves behind his house. The remains show evidence of cannibalism. Suddenly Deese is no longer small time. Now he is the most wanted man in the country. Bob and Rae call Lucas Davenport. Would he like to get in on the manhunt?
Lucas is a politically connected U.S. Marshall. He can pick and choose what cases he wants. And this is a case that he wants in on. Deese's trail takes Lucas, Bob, and Rae from New Orleans to Los Angeles, to Las Vegas. In L.A. Deese has hooked up with his brother and a home invasion gang. After a botched SWAT raid the scene shifts to Las Vegas. Lucas begins to question his own mortality when he is injured in the botched SWAT raid.
There is always humor to be found in John Sandford's books. Those familiar with Lucas Davenport know that he is a clothes hound. He made a lot of money developing gaming software and he can afford tailored suits. But in L.A. and Las Vegas that is not the best option for how to dress for the heat. Lucas finds himself wearing shorts. Cargo shorts at that. There are a few references to Lucas's legs and knees.
This is the 29th book in the Prey series and I think it holds up well. It is not the best book in the series but it is still very enjoyable. I think the author has managed to keep the series fresh by changing things around. Lucas is now a U.S. Marshall and he has different partners (Bob and Rae). John Sandford doesn't disappoint.
Lucas is a politically connected U.S. Marshall. He can pick and choose what cases he wants. And this is a case that he wants in on. Deese's trail takes Lucas, Bob, and Rae from New Orleans to Los Angeles, to Las Vegas. In L.A. Deese has hooked up with his brother and a home invasion gang. After a botched SWAT raid the scene shifts to Las Vegas. Lucas begins to question his own mortality when he is injured in the botched SWAT raid.
There is always humor to be found in John Sandford's books. Those familiar with Lucas Davenport know that he is a clothes hound. He made a lot of money developing gaming software and he can afford tailored suits. But in L.A. and Las Vegas that is not the best option for how to dress for the heat. Lucas finds himself wearing shorts. Cargo shorts at that. There are a few references to Lucas's legs and knees.
This is the 29th book in the Prey series and I think it holds up well. It is not the best book in the series but it is still very enjoyable. I think the author has managed to keep the series fresh by changing things around. Lucas is now a U.S. Marshall and he has different partners (Bob and Rae). John Sandford doesn't disappoint.
May 8, 2019
Lucas Davenport is now a full-fledged U.S. marshal, who is called upon for special assignments. In Book #29, he is called on for his expertise in tracking down a serial killer, Clayton Deese, who is a hit man for a New Orleans thug. After ditching his tracking device, a slew of dead bodies are discovered in his swampy backyard in Louisiana, with some showing signs of being eaten. Lucas manages to track him to L.A. where he has hooked up with some other nasty dudes in wealthy home invasions. In a horribly botched SWAT raid, Lucas gets hurt and most of the bad guys get away, heading to glitter gulch from tinsel town. Things continue to go badly as Lucas and his team of Bob and Rae once again find Deese and his accomplices only to have the local cops jeopardize another arrest attempt. While the book moved along and was pretty violent, I am not sure there was much character development and Deese was nothing special as a villain.
March 15, 2021
Sanford wins the award for consistency. His writing is crisp, his story-telling briskly-paced, and his characters pop. Every novel is the same: vicious bad guys are loose, and Marshal Lucas is on their trail, tracking, questioning, shooting. Every Sandford novel is also unique, in that Sandford comes up with a different crime wave for each new story, complete with interesting twists. In Neon Prey, the violence is a bit more ubiquitous, the chases more frequent, and the brutality turned up a notch or two. These are minor adjustments in tone. If you like the other novels, this one will not disappoint.
July 29, 2019
Only half of a book, and a repulsive one at that
Review of the Audible Audio edition (2019) narrated by Richard Ferrone
TW = brutal violence, cannibalism, assault
I’m not going to bury the lead here. This book mostly consists of several set pieces where Lucas Davenport and the U.S. Marshals with occasional other police forces are closing in on/and or confronting the villains. These scenes are then completely repeated from the other point of view i.e. first we get the police side in its entirety and then the entire scene is retold from the point of view of the criminals. This technique might be useful if some sort of intriguing insight was revealed, but that is rarely the case. It just begins to feel like padding, a technique to double the length of the material.
The fact that the criminal side is more repulsive than usual just adds to the repellant nature of the results.
I usually find Sandford’s annual Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers crime mysteries to be reliable sources of entertainment with their often engaging banter between the detectives and crafty foes to be detected and defeated. This one just felt off and cheap.
The narration by series regular Richard Ferrone was still excellent though.
Review of the Audible Audio edition (2019) narrated by Richard Ferrone
TW = brutal violence, cannibalism, assault
I’m not going to bury the lead here. This book mostly consists of several set pieces where Lucas Davenport and the U.S. Marshals with occasional other police forces are closing in on/and or confronting the villains. These scenes are then completely repeated from the other point of view i.e. first we get the police side in its entirety and then the entire scene is retold from the point of view of the criminals. This technique might be useful if some sort of intriguing insight was revealed, but that is rarely the case. It just begins to feel like padding, a technique to double the length of the material.
The fact that the criminal side is more repulsive than usual just adds to the repellant nature of the results.
I usually find Sandford’s annual Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers crime mysteries to be reliable sources of entertainment with their often engaging banter between the detectives and crafty foes to be detected and defeated. This one just felt off and cheap.
The narration by series regular Richard Ferrone was still excellent though.
March 3, 2019
Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for this arc.
I've always enjoyed John Sandford's Prey novels and this one (# 29) didn't disappoint. Lucas is still with the Marshall's service and it was great to see Bob and Rae back too as his trusted sidekicks. In Neon Prey, they has to scramble from New Orleans to LA to Las Vegas and points beyond, interacting with all sorts of law enforcement agencies. The action was non-stop and at time pretty grisly. The were bad guys galore, good guys, bad guys trying to be good, good guys going bad, con-artists, and at least one smart cookie. Lucas manages to get shot (again), but this time he noticed it and had to spend some time recovering (He is human!). But Sandford's dry humor was present through-out. Virgil was even present for the final wrap up.
A great fast read from a truly dependable author.
I've always enjoyed John Sandford's Prey novels and this one (# 29) didn't disappoint. Lucas is still with the Marshall's service and it was great to see Bob and Rae back too as his trusted sidekicks. In Neon Prey, they has to scramble from New Orleans to LA to Las Vegas and points beyond, interacting with all sorts of law enforcement agencies. The action was non-stop and at time pretty grisly. The were bad guys galore, good guys, bad guys trying to be good, good guys going bad, con-artists, and at least one smart cookie. Lucas manages to get shot (again), but this time he noticed it and had to spend some time recovering (He is human!). But Sandford's dry humor was present through-out. Virgil was even present for the final wrap up.
A great fast read from a truly dependable author.
April 28, 2019
I have never been disappointed by a John Sandford novel. But with this book, I am flabbergasted. The villain is dumb but lucky, Lucas Davenport shows no special insight and the repartee between Lucas and his colleagues Rae and Bob is flat. Unless you have a compulsion to read every 'Prey" book, avoid this one. 2* because I managed to finished it. This is really strange, considering his previous 'Prey' book - Twisted Prey was excellent.
April 20, 2020
Lucas Davenport doesn’t do snakes. Neither do I! Thank goodness, the threat of snakes does not materialize until....Can’t tell that part, can I? Davenport, a former Minneapolis police detective and BCA investigator, is now with the U.S. Marshalls based in his home city of Minneapolis. He’s wealthy, thanks to a gaming system he developed. When he’s called upon to assist with a case involving a serial killer for hire, he is happy to be reunited with his old pals, Bob Matee and Rae Givens. Their journey begins in New Orleans, where they cautiously search the suspect’s property, ever on the lookout for – sssnnnakes. To Lucas’s and my relief, no reptiles to be found. However, they discover corpses. The trio’s original search had them hoping that their discoveries might lead them to find Deese’s boss, but what they shows them they are not dealing with an ordinary killer. It seems that Mr. Deese is a dangerous killer with a peculiar appetite...
From there, Neon Prey becomes a chase, a game of cat and mouse. Deese hooks up with his brother and his gang of burglars. The pursuit takes them from New Orleans to LA to Las Vegas. Davenport generally doesn’t do cargo pants or shorts, but he bites the bullet and put on shorts in the 100+ degree heat to avoid looking like a cop. The plot sort of becomes like the Hillside Burglars meet Jeffrey Dahmer on steroids. From watching these criminals, especially Deese, I didn’t expect him to be very smart, but the guy has great survival instincts, and he manages to stay half a step ahead. The brother, Beauchamp, and his partners have a pretty good racket going, and Deese is only too happy to go along for a cut of the money so he can disappear. You have to give Sandford credit for coming up with so many ways for these guys to wiggle their way out of trouble with the law breathing down their necks.
The plot held my interest, but compared to the early books in the Prey series that I found so riveting, this is just okay. There is some humor, and the action moves along at a steady speed. Virgil Flowers makes a couple very brief appearances. The final chapter wraps up loose ends, so we learn what happens to all the players. All in all, it didn’t exactly sparkle, but I’ll give it three stars.
From there, Neon Prey becomes a chase, a game of cat and mouse. Deese hooks up with his brother and his gang of burglars. The pursuit takes them from New Orleans to LA to Las Vegas. Davenport generally doesn’t do cargo pants or shorts, but he bites the bullet and put on shorts in the 100+ degree heat to avoid looking like a cop. The plot sort of becomes like the Hillside Burglars meet Jeffrey Dahmer on steroids. From watching these criminals, especially Deese, I didn’t expect him to be very smart, but the guy has great survival instincts, and he manages to stay half a step ahead. The brother, Beauchamp, and his partners have a pretty good racket going, and Deese is only too happy to go along for a cut of the money so he can disappear. You have to give Sandford credit for coming up with so many ways for these guys to wiggle their way out of trouble with the law breathing down their necks.
The plot held my interest, but compared to the early books in the Prey series that I found so riveting, this is just okay. There is some humor, and the action moves along at a steady speed. Virgil Flowers makes a couple very brief appearances. The final chapter wraps up loose ends, so we learn what happens to all the players. All in all, it didn’t exactly sparkle, but I’ll give it three stars.
January 24, 2020
Trigger warning: Graphic depictions of rape.
I almost put this one down a few times. It was very grim reading from beginning to end. Not only do you have a serial killer who eats people (not shown) you then have said killer and others deciding to become robbers and the rape. This book was too all over the place. We have Lucas dealing with getting shot (again) and him trying to get past it. I also felt let down by the ending.
In "Neon Prey" Lucas is sitting around bored. That is until Rae and Bob call him in when it appear a serial killer has been active down south. With his general marshal mission, Lucas can work on whatever, so he decides to track down the serial killer. This takes him to California and then Nevada where it seems the serial killer on the run has hooked up with an even crazier crew.
Sandford spends too much time with the crew. I started to get bored. When we get to some of the more graphic scenes, I had to skip.
Once again things are up in the air for Lucas. I honestly wish he just get back to Minnesota already. There is a weird sub-plot about Letty's future and I hope Sandford isn't trying for some Girl With the Dragon Tattoo mess with her.
I almost put this one down a few times. It was very grim reading from beginning to end. Not only do you have a serial killer who eats people (not shown) you then have said killer and others deciding to become robbers and the rape. This book was too all over the place. We have Lucas dealing with getting shot (again) and him trying to get past it. I also felt let down by the ending.
In "Neon Prey" Lucas is sitting around bored. That is until Rae and Bob call him in when it appear a serial killer has been active down south. With his general marshal mission, Lucas can work on whatever, so he decides to track down the serial killer. This takes him to California and then Nevada where it seems the serial killer on the run has hooked up with an even crazier crew.
Sandford spends too much time with the crew. I started to get bored. When we get to some of the more graphic scenes, I had to skip.
Once again things are up in the air for Lucas. I honestly wish he just get back to Minnesota already. There is a weird sub-plot about Letty's future and I hope Sandford isn't trying for some Girl With the Dragon Tattoo mess with her.
November 26, 2019
Blackstone Audio had this available on their site, so I grabbed it even though the library will get it. Likely it would be 6 months before I got it & I didn't want to wait. Glad I didn't. It was good, about the same as the rest of the later novels. I know some don't like his move into trouble-shooting US marshal. It is a bit over the top, but I like the idea.
One of the things I really appreciated was a really stupid move on Lucas' part & the cooperation with the locals. One time they share & get screwed, other times they're not sharing & not doing the locals (populace or police) any help at all. In fact, they're jerks about it. That tarnishes, or at least mellows, the super-cop pedestal that Lucas has been put on.
I highly suggest reading the series in order, although the books are self-contained. There is character growth. As usual, very well narrated by Ferrone.
One of the things I really appreciated was a really stupid move on Lucas' part & the cooperation with the locals. One time they share & get screwed, other times they're not sharing & not doing the locals (populace or police) any help at all. In fact, they're jerks about it. That tarnishes, or at least mellows, the super-cop pedestal that Lucas has been put on.
I highly suggest reading the series in order, although the books are self-contained. There is character growth. As usual, very well narrated by Ferrone.
June 25, 2019
Another good Davenport story. In this one his team goes after a gang of home invaders which includes one cannibalistic serial killer. The action starts in Louisiana and winds up in the neon city of Las Vegas and the nearby desert. Recommended to Davenport fans.
May 1, 2019
I liked this book a great deal and any other author it would be five stars (more than five stars) but Sanford is up there with my favorite authors and to be fair (and to keep track for my own reference) I rate his books against his others.
This one isn't so much a mystery where Davenport is trying to figure out who is doing all the heinous things to the good people of a small town (or different state) and then trying to catch them. This is just a straight up chase novel. Davenport and his crew are trying to find some extremely dangerous and ugly suspects. I liked all of that part of it.
When writing a novel one of the pitfalls is making a protagonist too perfect, he/she becomes a caricature of a super hero (much like Jack Reacher, which I can not read anymore because of this issue). The last Jack Reacher book I read, a car cut him off on a desolate highway and five thugs stepped out. I put the book down because it was a forgone conclusion what was going to happen. Seven pages of this elbow going in this face, and this foot connecting to that knee and...well you get the idea. Reacher never loses and he never shows emotion (or at least not near enough).
Back to Neon Prey:
Same goes for the antagonist. If he /she is so evil and without any flaws he too turns into a caricature. With a bad guy the way you give him flaws is by giving him just a tad bit of humanity. The bad guy is this novel is wonderfully bad and true to character at all times. He even eats people (and this may have been the bridge too far in the evil category). One or two touches of humanity to this guy and he would have been far more believable. He was painted to be so bad that he had to have a just ending and Sanford paid off in this respect. And that may be because I have a snake phobia.
In any case, this hardcover goes up on the keeper shelf along side all his others. This is the only series I have read twice through, (and I'm on my third lap now).
I can highly recommend this book.
David Putnam author of the Bruno Johnson series.
This one isn't so much a mystery where Davenport is trying to figure out who is doing all the heinous things to the good people of a small town (or different state) and then trying to catch them. This is just a straight up chase novel. Davenport and his crew are trying to find some extremely dangerous and ugly suspects. I liked all of that part of it.
When writing a novel one of the pitfalls is making a protagonist too perfect, he/she becomes a caricature of a super hero (much like Jack Reacher, which I can not read anymore because of this issue). The last Jack Reacher book I read, a car cut him off on a desolate highway and five thugs stepped out. I put the book down because it was a forgone conclusion what was going to happen. Seven pages of this elbow going in this face, and this foot connecting to that knee and...well you get the idea. Reacher never loses and he never shows emotion (or at least not near enough).
Back to Neon Prey:
Same goes for the antagonist. If he /she is so evil and without any flaws he too turns into a caricature. With a bad guy the way you give him flaws is by giving him just a tad bit of humanity. The bad guy is this novel is wonderfully bad and true to character at all times. He even eats people (and this may have been the bridge too far in the evil category). One or two touches of humanity to this guy and he would have been far more believable. He was painted to be so bad that he had to have a just ending and Sanford paid off in this respect. And that may be because I have a snake phobia.
In any case, this hardcover goes up on the keeper shelf along side all his others. This is the only series I have read twice through, (and I'm on my third lap now).
I can highly recommend this book.
David Putnam author of the Bruno Johnson series.
April 9, 2019
I’ll admit that it took me a little bit to get into Neon Prey.
While I love Lucas (and dearly loved our little Virgil “ahem” Flowers cameo), our villain wasn’t exactly the sort we love to hate. Despite his…proclivities…I actually found him a little dull.
However, the action amped up when our chase after one man became a chase after a group of very interesting characters. I was in.
(And a little aside: props on your descriptions of Altadena. I mean, it kind of weirded me out when you basically wrote my every morning drive, but you did well!)
I liked the fact that the author gave Lucas some real danger here and thought our cat-and-mouse game was very well written.
A good entry into the series!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
While I love Lucas (and dearly loved our little Virgil “ahem” Flowers cameo), our villain wasn’t exactly the sort we love to hate. Despite his…proclivities…I actually found him a little dull.
However, the action amped up when our chase after one man became a chase after a group of very interesting characters. I was in.
(And a little aside: props on your descriptions of Altadena. I mean, it kind of weirded me out when you basically wrote my every morning drive, but you did well!)
I liked the fact that the author gave Lucas some real danger here and thought our cat-and-mouse game was very well written.
A good entry into the series!
*ARC Provided via Net Galley
August 13, 2019
This book was written with excitement the whole way through. A new twist on the main bad guy and his demise was gruesome. The detective team together with a new addition working synchronized with a new romance thrown in. I thoroughly enjoy this modern but old style detective writing!
April 30, 2019
Terrific read! From the swamp of Louisiana to Las Vegas strip, Lucas Davenport was on the hunt for a hit man who didn't let good meat go to waste.
The only reason it's not a 5 star is because he didn't beat his previous book goodness: Twisted Prey which I love. Read it if you like crime novels!
The only reason it's not a 5 star is because he didn't beat his previous book goodness: Twisted Prey which I love. Read it if you like crime novels!
July 28, 2019
Good ending; but it was a long, dry read getting there. I know I have said the last couple of books that I feel this series has gotten routine, boring, and I prefer Virgil Flowers. Yet here I am again...
July 18, 2019
Nothing like reading this book where it is HOT and it is HOT here at the same time...
Another great read :) Only now I am sad as I have to wait till next year for a new book.
Another great read :) Only now I am sad as I have to wait till next year for a new book.
September 12, 2019
If you like reading how scumbag, low life criminals get whats coming to them, then read any of John Sanford’s Prey series novels. His key protagonist is super cop Lucas Davenport and I always enjoy his unorthodox ways of catching criminals.
This book is about a particularly nasty scum bag who kills for money, but he also does more with the corpses than is “socially acceptable”. The story begins in New Orleans, moves to LA and then Vegas. Lot’s of continuous action and edge of the seat nail biting. Highly recommended.
This book is about a particularly nasty scum bag who kills for money, but he also does more with the corpses than is “socially acceptable”. The story begins in New Orleans, moves to LA and then Vegas. Lot’s of continuous action and edge of the seat nail biting. Highly recommended.
June 11, 2019
Sandford is one of a handful of authors that, when a new one comes out, I am a glutton. Lucas, a recent hiring as a US Marshall, is asked to look at a case outside New Orleans. His deputy buddies, Rae and Bob, have helped discover several bodies, linked to a local hit man.
Thus ensues a trek to California and Nevada, with a strong armed robbery gang, a serial killer, a dirty attorney and his henchman, and of course, several gunfights.
Thus ensues a trek to California and Nevada, with a strong armed robbery gang, a serial killer, a dirty attorney and his henchman, and of course, several gunfights.
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