Davenport and Flowers together and in the thick of it! Clever criminals keep things moving in standard "Prey" fashion, these characters have grown over the years, always a good investigation.

Another fast and fun read from Sandford with Flowers and Davenport. Sandford always writes a good book and this continuation in the Prey series doesn’t disappoint. There were actually a couple of lines that made me laugh out loud. It’s the relationship of the two main characters that make this such a good series. The plot is really secondary but it was a good story too. A group of 5 people who are all wealthy and have agreed to kill some really awful people, while publicizing what they’re doing.

Many thanks to G.P. Putnam's Sons and to NetGalley, for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Righteous Prey.

This book tells the story of a vigilante group calling itself "The Five". They are bound and determined to wipe out what they consider the worst of society- rapists, murderers, and thieves. Oh, and they are Bitcoin billionaires! Can Virgil Flowers and Lucas Davenport stop this smart and carefully choreographed group, when they have no apparent direct connection to the victims??

The plot of Righteous Prey was gripping and for the most part, moved along at a fast pace. Much of the dialogue was humorous and entertaining. The last part of the book definitely had me biting my nails!! I love quirky characters and there was no shortage of them in this book. In my opinion, Righteous Prey can be read as a stand-alone.

Isn't it funny what bothers one person but not another? I read a review written by someone who was offended by the end of the book because Weather and Frankie expressed their opinions on guns. That didn't bother me at all. On the other hand, all of the f-bombs drove me crazy. I started feeling as though these characters couldn't speak a sentence without one or two. Page after page. I wanted to yell "Use your words! You're being lazy!!" I'll bet there are a lot of readers who couldn't care less about f-bombs on every page and in nearly every conversation, right? There is no pleasing everyone!! ;)

#RighteousPrey #NetGalley

Excellent book. I have read everything in both series and really enjoy them. This is a favorite because the two main characters work together throughout the entire book. I love these guys. Interesting story line., especially when bad guys turn on each other. Ending maybe continuing in next book. I highly recommend

Righteous Prey – John Sandford

They call themselves The Five – a group of individuals who have decided on a list of persons who need to be killed. They describe themselves as doing a service for the American people and acknowledge the thrill in hunting – and being hunted themselves for the crimes. With the first murder comes a press release…” We are pleased to announce the death of…” along with their rationale for the selection, a donation made to a charitable organization, in Bitcoin, and a hint of who their Number 2 victim will be – a politician. A week later, another body, and press release, and shortly after that, The Five make their first mistake – they commit a murder in Minnesota…

Virgil Flowers, of the Minnesota BCA, is putting the finishing touches on his third novel – this one he hopes to sell – when the phone rings. His boss is ordering him to a homicide scene – but not just any scene – this is victim Number 3 – in nearby Minnetonka – and the ‘press release’ is already out. As Virgil arrives on scene, he sees none other than his old buddy Lucas Davenport, now a US Marshall, already on scene. As they investigate, they find little to work with, other than an incidental sighting of a Subaru in a neighborhood known for its upscale tastes.

With little else to go on, Lucas & Virgil dive headfirst into the investigation, as they assist the FBI who has now commandeered the case. As they follow a lead, however slim, they somehow manage to ID one of the killers, sending her on the run. With these two hot on her trail, it’s only a matter of time… From one end of the country to the other, they’ll stop at nothing to being this slick group of killers down.

I’ve been a long-time fan of John Sandford and both the Lucas Davenport & Virgil Flowers series, and I am never disappointed - they just keep getting better and better! It was a real treat to have both characters get equal billing in this novel! I never tire of the witty repartee between these characters and the overall laugh-out-load commentary courtesy of Lucas! A Prey book is like having a great friend stop by for a visit – but the visit doesn’t last nearly long enough!!

I received this book as an Advance Reader Copy from Netgalley & Penguin Group Putnam in exchange for an objective review. Do you love to read?? Visit netgalley.com and start reviewing books today!!

In the middle of a Minnesota winter Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers team up to stop a group of bitcoin millionaires from their killing spree. The killings start in San Francisco, move to Texas and when the third is in Minneapolis Lucas and Virgil begin their search. The novel turns into a fast paced chase with Lucas and Virgil going from city to city always one stop behind the multiple killers. The settings are vivid, and the repartee between Lucas and Virgil entertaining.

But, Sandford jazzes up this fairly straightforward crime novel with some laugh out loud comments about writing. Virgil has moved on from writing magazine articles to writing a novel and sending it off to an agent. When they’re not chasing killers, Lucas and Virgil have discussions about other writers, the title of the book, and how much of an advance Virgil might get. One conversation includes the following “Years ago, there was a thriller hero named Travis McGee, author was John D. Macdonald.” “It’s a good model. At least you won’t be stealing stuff from C. J. Box.” “And there is already a cop writer in the Cities.”

Sandford at age 78 has written 32 of the Prey books, a dozen of the Virgil Flowers novels, plus many other books. But, his writing remains crisp and enjoyable.

John Sanford never disappoints. All of his books are great but the ‘Prey’ series featuring Lucas Davenport has always been my favorite. In ‘Righteous Prey’ we get the dynamic duo of Lucas and F%!?ing Flowers together for this next adventure. Though very different people, the chemistry between the two is undeniable and makes for an engrossing story from the start.

This well developed story started out with a bang. The murder that kicks the story off was thought provoking for me. It provided the killers moral justification for the murder of a reprehensible human being, with more murders to come. Never fear though, the value of justice for all is alive and well here. Lucas and Virgil bring their A-game and work through the intricate puzzle to solve the crime.

I read a lot of books. Some are entertaining in the moment but forgettable. Some carry you along only to the extent that you are able to suspend disbelief. The great books, that have a solid plot, well developed characters and a strong sense of place are not that common. For me, ‘Righteous Prey” hit all those notes. One tiny dissatisfaction is the sidelining of Weather. She was one of those well defined characters in the earlier books and has since faded into a bare mention.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for the advance read of this book.

This is a well done and engaging read. Although the 32nd in the series (I have only read one other the first one), but still works well as a stand alone novel. The story involves Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers who are the two ongoing characters in the book series. This one involves an unusual murder club of sorts. I will eventually go back and read all of the series in order.

I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon and my nonfiction book review blog.

Sandford pursues a very clever premise with now-familiar and very likable protagonists. Well-plotted with great dialog, as usual.

I can't wait to read Lucas Davenport and Birgil Flowers books...in this one they paid up closely to methodically solve a group of five killers. Appreciate their methodical 'pound the pavement' approach snd thrir camaraderie. Keep them coming John Sanford!

Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers, two of the best investigators in Minnesota (and sometimes Wisconsin) team up again to bring a dangerous, exceedingly well-funded group of self-styled vigilantes to justice. As with all Sandford novels, I was quickly swept up by the story, and was gripped from start to finish. One of the most reliable crime authors writing today.

In Righteous Prey, Sandford does a very good job of showing how even the best intentions/politics can be twisted by psychopathy into something deadly. The group of vigilantes at the heart of the novel are a bunch of bored, wealthy self-identifying “lefties” — sort of. It’s “left” in a very American way, in that they are against much of what the Republicans are for (guns, in particular). However, each of them is clearly messed up in their own ways, and decide to take it upon themselves to use that which they oppose to make their political points. It’s an intriguing premise, and one that Sandford pulls off rather well. It also takes us into the world of bitcoin millionaires — Sandford’s always been good at tapping into something contemporary that’s making waves/news, and injecting it into his novels in some way, while also passing comment on it.

It’s not entirely clear what one can say or write about Righteous Prey that I haven’t written and said about many of Sandford’s previous novels: his prose and plotting is excellent, tightly composed and engaging throughout. His characters are well-drawn and realistic. The story has some good twists, and the antagonists are an appropriately objectionable bunch. In many ways, Righteous Prey is the typical Sandford novel — gripping, well-written, and near-impossible to put down once you’ve started. This is all to be cheered, of course, but damn if it doesn’t make it tricky coming up with something original to write in a review…

The novel has a very good conclusion, but one that leaves the door open for a directly-connected follow-up (something Sandford has done a few times over the course of this series, but is not the norm). I’m certainly looking forward to that book, whenever it happens to surface.

I started reading John Sandford’s novels about 20 years ago. It is really quite something that he continues to write crime thrillers that not only grab one’s attention, but also never feel like they’re treading water or repeating themselves. The police work is always interesting to read, the “action” scenes are well-composed and not excessive (even if there is a rather intense, Heat-like shoot-out in this book). His characters continue to grow and be affected by what they experience with each new novel, which is one of the best things about the series. I can’t wait to read the next one in the series.

This series remains very highly recommended to all fans of crime fiction.

Righteous Prey, by John Sanford. Oh wow! Simply oh wow! I absolutely loved the action in Lucas and Virgil’s endless pursuit of psychotic murders. Once again the writer shared with his readers the detailed story from the pointed view of Lucas, whose a Marshal and Virgil who works for Lucas team of law enforcement.
This wonderful developed story laid out a scripted suspense story that touched on so many levels of a freaking good crime book. Right from the beginning a murder happens and Lucas is thrown in the chaos. What makes this book even better is that Lucas has invited Virgil along on the hunt for a killer. I was elated to read how Lucas and Virgil were exact mirrors of each other, not in the physical aspect, but in the mentality. They were like twins with that telepathy thing going on.
I was very confident that John Sanford would give me a good thriller story that would have me turning the pages all night, just to get to the end where I know Lucas will wrap this story up into a nice little bow. I throughly enjoyed this book, until next time my fellow readers… read on!

John Sandford's RIGHTEOUS PREY is another solid entry in his Virgil Flowers / Lucas Davenport world. It has the usual Sandford problems (repeating information because we already know everything from the bad guys' POV, chapters where little happens, sections where the story drags). But it also has his strengths: dry humor, solid prose, engaging characters, and clever ideas. Fans will not be disappointed, and it's a double pleasure to have both of his characters working together in this book.

Virgil and Lucas are back, working together on a task force that is searching for a group of killers who are gleefully killing people they consider "assholes" and sending press releases about the kills and urging others to join them.

The identities of the killers are known from the beginning. The question is how many get killed before Lucas and Virgil can figure it out and stop them. The investigative techniques shine as the reader sees the duo make the correct (and sometimes incorrect) connections and intuitive leaps.

The good: the relationship between Lucas and Virgil is absolute gold. The dialogue is witty, fun, and spot on for two exceptional investigators who have worked together for years. Even though they come at a problem or an investigation from different viewpoints, they work seamlessly together.

The not-so-good: the story begins - and continues through three-fourths of the book - as a fascinating look at vigilante justice by people who are not quite right in the head (and know it). Each person in the group of killers is unique - different motivations, different life circumstances, different kill methods. But then... suddenly this turns into a diatribe about gun violence. The last section of the book preaches on the evils of guns - the height of hypocrisy by an author who has made his living (this is book #32 for Lucas's character) on violence. Not every killer uses a gun in this story. It's not just the hypocrisy that's the problem. If you want to preach on gun violence, do so (see also Masked Prey). But don't switch the theme of the story at the end. Bad form.

Not family friendly due to profanity and violence.

I am a huge Virgil Flowers fan and I have read everything that he is featured in. He and Lucas Davenport, a fellow law officer and Virgil's mentor, make a great team. This suspenseful story has Lucas and Virgil tracking down a group of bit coin billionaires who have decided to eliminate people that they have identified as bad actors in business, government, or entertainment, contributing bit coins to organizations that are favorable to their causes after each murder.. Virgil and Lucas become involved when one of the murders happens in Minneapolis, their home base They team up with the FBI and other agencies to track down the bad guys. This story has lots of action and adventure and will please fans of Virgil and Lucas both. If you haven't met these characters yet, this would be a great introduction..

I always enjoy the Davenport/Flowers books! Their banter, their friendship, and the trouble they always find themselves in. This newest story can easily be read as a standalone, though having read the previous books will make this one a little more fun. This installment brings about 5 (plus one) people who have decided that there are some "assholes" that need to die and go about making it happen. As can be expected, these people are not professionals and make many mistakes that quickly put good 'ole Davenport and Flowers on the case.

Worth picking up! Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4731608565

Righteous Prey is book 32 in the Lucas Davenport series, and once again Lucas teams up with Virgil Flowers as they investigate a series of murders being committed by a group that calls itself The Five. Solid police procedural, in typical Davenport fashion, with no shortage of action, an intriguing plot, and longtime readers get the pleasure of seeing the 2 onetime partners working together again. Series readers will love it, and the author makes no secret of the underlying issue of gun control throughout the story. I received an ARC of this book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I couldn't put this book down - it grabbed my attention from the very first page and kept it until the very end. This is a fast paced thriller that's a bit unusual in that we know who did it, but not how the chase will unfold.

The author has crafted a tight woven story that fans of the genre will love. He has a unique way of combining an engaging thriller with humor. Despite the murders, there were moments where I laughed out loud. I love the characters and especially love when Davenport and Flowers are paired together....while they always seem to win in the end, it's seldom without mayhem along the way.

Fans of the genre will want to put this one at the top of their TBR list. While this is part of a series, this is a stand alone novel. The author is on my must read authors' list.

My thanks to Penguin Group/Putnam, John Sandford and Netgalley.
No review. Thousands will do that.
This is Virgil and Lucas. They always rock!

Disclaimers: I am a die-hard fan of the Prey and F'ing Flowers Series so I really don't think I can be objective at this point; received this as an advance copy via Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam’s Sons (Thank you!!)

As you may expect, I really enjoyed this book. If you are already a fan of John Sandford then you too will likely enjoy this novel, it's got everything you've come to appreciate when reading a Lucas Davenport or Virgil Flowers story. You don't need to have read any of the prior novels to enjoy this novel and if you've never read one of the prior books in the Prey series, if you like smartly written crime fiction, you can start here and once you do, you will have the other 31 books in this series, as well as 12 more from the Virgil Flowers series, to read afterward (lucky you!).

in this story Lucas and Virgil team up once again to track and capture some bad folks. If you want more details of the crime aspect, there are other reviews that offer that up, I prefer to not know these details going in, makes reading the book more enjoyable, so no spoilers here. That said, this book does provide cleverly written action, suspense and murder.

To give you a sense of what to expect, Lucas is a gristled, well heeled (from a software company he foundered a long while back) US Marshall. Virgil is an Agent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension but doesn't give off that vibe, unless he's with Lucas, who he used to work for before he became a Marshall. He's also an avid fisherman and writer, and tends to wear obscure band t-shirts. The two have a comfortable repartee and both think outside the box, which is what makes them excellent lawmen.

One thing I do appreciate with these novels is that they include strong female characters too. In addition to the main character's significant others, Weather and Frankie, the author includes several female law women as the investigation progresses. I also appreciated that this novel shines a spotlight on bump stocks and the issues that surround them.

All and all, this was yet another page-turner and the only thing that bummed me out was knowing once I finished it, I don't know how long it'll be before there'll be a new Sanford novel (be it Virgil, Lucas, or now Letty!).