Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The latest Prey installment from John Sandford is another entertaining read. While the series has become rather formulaic in its execution, I continue to appreciate the chemistry of the core characters. Any time that Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers get to work a case together, you know that there will be plenty of sarcasm and snarkiness.

This book deals with a serial killer of sorts who has managed to get away with a murder for twenty years until the victim's twin sister puts up an $5 million reward and all of the true crime enthusiasts come out of the woodwork to solve the case. Davenport and Flowers are put in charge of weeding through the findings of the group and follow up on solid leads. In the typical cat and mouse fashion that happens, they are able to deduce who the killer is. I will say that I wonder whether the end in the ARC is really the end as it wasn't really an ending. It was abrupt and left things a bit unsure as to what happens which isn't the usual closure for these books. I'll be curious to check when the book is released as to whether it was intentionally ended the way that it was.

Overall, this was a solid book in the series, and I'd recommend it.

I love the Lucas Davenport series and blazed through the entire series (as well as the spin off series with Lettie and that f*ckin Flowers) a couple of years ago, so I knew I had to pick this one up. I liked the idea of bringing in "helpers" from the true crime buffs in the community to help solve a cold case. Loved seeing old characters back again because they are super compelling, which is why I'll read every book in this series and associated series. That said, I was annoyed by the ending because it didn't have the expected payoff that I wanted. It's too bad because I enjoyed the rest of it very much.

John Sanford’s Prey series is one of the best in the thriller genre. The plots are tight with lots of action. The characters are likable and believable, and despite 35 books in the series, few have disappointed me. In Lethal Prey (G.P. Putnam's Sons 2025), U.S. Marshall Lucas Davenport is pulled into a cold case by a woman willing to pay five million dollars to find the killer of her sister. There isn’t a lot of fresh evidence so Lucas calls on his oft-partner, Virgil Flowers, from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, to help him think outside the box. They turn to crime bloggers for investigative work and a fresh outlook on twenty-year old clues and get far more than they expected. Thanks to these inveterate individuals, the cold case grows legs which I can't reveal for fear of giving too much away. I will say crowd sourcing a case--that's something I haven't seen in any other novel. Sandford doesn't just touch on it. He digs into it with a gusto for the reader so I become as absorbed by how the online crime busters work as how normal channels solve old crimes. It produces lots of surprises including one huge one at the end. And it’s not what you think.

Everything is excellent which is why I have it 5/5. My problem is Virgil. Virgil used to be a great crime solving character with a clever brain that connected dots like no one else. He hooked up with a pretty cool woman who didn’t much like law enforcers but the relationship seemed to work. Recently I wonder. He's taken an anti-gun, anti-law enforcement tone in the last few books. This is odd for a crime thriller. I'm not giving anything away if I say Virgil continues to consider leaving his job and becoming a full time crime fiction writer on the coattails of his successful early books. That occupies his mind more in this book than finding justice for the little guy. This could be a simple character growth curve where Virgil evolves out of one job into another. What I don't get is changing his core values. Not sure that's what happening, but when I look back through my last reviews of Virgil's books, it seems to be. I will say, in this book there was less than earlier books.

Reading a novel about Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers is like visiting with old friends —- it is a very comfortable experience. Their repartee is always fascinating and this book is very different from others in the series. We know who the guilty party is right from the start and are both curious and amazed by the investigative techniques employed to apprehend the culprit. Once started, it is impossible to put this book down. I highly recommend this novel and thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read and review this novel prior to publication.

A great addition to the Flowers and Davenport series. A fast paced story that allows you to see the investigation as well as the perpetrators process to conceal their identity.

Read it if you like dual pov, police procedurals, and smart dialog.


Thank you NetGalley for my early e-arc of this book.

Sanford reunites Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers into one of his best works in the last decade! A wonderful mix of old and new characters weaved into, not a who done it, but how do they catch the bad guy??? Don’t miss this web of intrigue, violence, humor, and gum-shoe detective work by loyal crime-solving mystery fans. This one definitely leaves an ending begging for a sequel! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

John Sandford knocks it out of the park again with Lethal Prey, the 35th installment in the gripping Prey series. Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers teaming up is always a treat, and this time, they are called in to tackle a 20-year-old cold case. The plot weaves expertly through twists and turns, keeping the pages turning and the suspense high. Sandford’s signature style—sharp dialogue, rich characters, and detailed storytelling—is on full display here.

I loved the flashbacks, which added depth to the story, and it was a pleasant surprise to see a couple of familiar faces from earlier novels reappear. It felt like reconnecting with old friends. The ending left us hanging a bit, but that just means there’s more to look forward to in future books. If you’re a fan of the series, this one won’t disappoint, and if you’re new, it’s a thrilling introduction to Sandford’s world.

I love Sandford novels. LOVE them. But this time, I did not. In fact, I'm writing this review before I have my morning coffee because I don't want to go all scorched earth. It was a great book. It was even nuanced (Flowers' journey away from cop work). I'm all for ambiguity and I understand real life isn't certain, there are always fifty-fifty/sixty-forty outcomes and the bad guys get away with things. But in a Sandford novel, there's a great ending. A satisfying wrap-up.

This book has no ending. There is a stopping, but no ending. I don't know what happened to the psychopath. Oh, sure, I can guess; I can imagine. But that's not my job.

I even wondered if the publisher uploaded the wrong version of the manuscript. I'm not going to review it anywhere else until I know if that's the case.

This is a Lucas and Flowers investigation. Lucas comes at it from one angle and Flowers comes from another. It ties into old murders and just continues their storylines that you have been reading about their lives and the cases they are working on. Sometimes you get information about past cases. A very interesting read!

Lethal Prey is Book 35 in the Lucas Davenport series from John Davenport.

"Twenty years after the unsolved murder of her sister, Doris, Lara Grandfelt has dumped all of the case files onto every true crime blog she can find. And she offering a $5 million reward to find the killer. Dozens of true-crime bloggers show up looking for evidence and clicks. Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are called in to review anything that looks like a new lead. When a blogger finds the murder weapon, Lucas and Virgil start finding out more about the killer's identity. As they get closer to the truth, they become targets when the killer feels threatened."

Sandford doesn't write who-done-its? You know who the killer is right away and Sandford lets you inside their psychopathic head. This is a typical Sandford fast-paced story. I flew through it. Sandford has both good and bad comments on the true-crime blogger community.

A big no-no for me is that the story ends in a bit of a cliff hanger - maybe more that part of the story is not resolved. I want a book's story to have a definite ending.

Still a great story from Sandford. Amazing that he can still find ways to keep a character fresh after 35 books.

Review: This is NOT a mystery. This follows Flowers and Davenport around while they make snarky social commentary. The process is mainly characterization coupled with narrowing the field as a psychopath gets more and more agitated.

I like a good whodunnit, yet sadly most novels are going the procedural route as they are less complicated to develop. I still really enjoyed this novel, as I found myself laughing throughout. Davenports clinging perspectives doused in mild depression are really pointed. The "should I masturbate or kill a fly" to the mysoginystic gains that Flowers makes, is epic.

I hope Fisk returns as an arch nemisis.

I received this ARC for an honest review.

4.7/5

Thanks to John Sandford, Penguin Group Putnam, and NetGalley for access to the Advanced Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This is the 35th book in the Prey series and it is a worthy addition to the canon. In this story Lucas and Virgil Are called in on a cold case where they encounter a smart and challenging murderer who turns out to be a serial killer.

For fans of the series, the killer in this book brought Clara Rinker of Certain Prey and Mortal Prey to mind as they encounter this new deadly opponent. Like Clara Rinker, Amanda Fisk is a ruthless killer who is willing to do whatever it takes to get what she wants and to avoid prison.

As with all the Prey books, this is a well written and fast paced story that will leave you anxious for the next one in the series. The dialog and the relationships between the characters are top notch. Recommended.

Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers team up again in this latest page-turning thriller and I really loved the storyline in this one! Without giving anything away, the story is centered around solving a 20-year old cold-case murder. The victim's sister manages to revive interest in the case by releasing the investigation file online and offering a $5 million reward to identify the murderer. When the true-crime bloggers show up en masse, Lucas and Virgil are tasked with managing the case.

You need not have read any of the prior books in the Davenport Prey or Virgil Flowers series to enjoy this one, it really does stand on its own. And if you have read all the other books leading up to this one you will appreciate the continuing evolution of both Lucas and Virgil over their long careers.

I was also intrigued by the new characters introduced in this novel, especially the murderer. The book ends a bit abruptly without the usual wrap-up so I am hoping this isn't the last we will be hearing about this vile character.

Disclosure: Received an uncorrected ARC of this book from NetGalley and GP Putnam's Sons/Penguin Random House LLC (Thank you!) in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the advanced reader copy, all opinions are my own.

Hard to believe I've been reading the Prey books since the mid 1990s. 35 books in, and Lucas Davenport has never lost his place as my favorite fictional character. John Sandford has a winning combination here with Lucas and Virgil Flowers, as they get pulled into tracking down the murderer of Doris Grandfelt 20 years ago. The victim's twin sister hasn't been able to rest not knowing who killed her sister, and so she offers a $5 million dollar reward for leads to the killer. Lucas and Virgil decide to utilize the services of the true crime junkies, who have followed the case for years.

People who love true crime shows/podcasts will LOVE this book, as those personalities feature prominently in a majority of the book, highlighting how that whole industry - as well as social media - has really forced law enforcement to adapt. As usual the pairing of Lucas/Virgil is seamless, although Virgil's life definitely features more prominently in this episode.

I think, without a doubt, Sandford's greatest strength in the series is the female perpetrator..his female villains have been the most memorable (and enjoyable) and certainly that remains the case with this book and Amanda Fiske may be the best one yet.

Thank you John Sandford for making me pull another all nighters with this book.♡

John Sanford is one of my top 3 favorite authors. I loved this "Prey" book. When Davenport and Virgil work together you never know what will happen

Thank you netgalley and the publishers or this ARC of this book. This was a thriller that had me hooked with plot twists that I didn’t see coming. The character development was what hooked me, and the story’s plot kept me engaged. The pacing and themes throughout the story were well developed and I definitely will be recommending this to my book club in 2025.

The “Prey” series is the first set of books that began my love for thriller novels, so needless to say, John Sandford has done it again with another fantastic instillation to the series.

The story flowed well and the characters were well developed. I recommend this book and look forward to more from this author.


****Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for my honest review****

Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers join forces to track down a ruthless killer who will do whatever it takes to keep the past buried!! Fantastic read!! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book! Wow! What a thriller!! Lots of crazy twists and turns! It also had great suspense, intriguing, brutal murder, mystery, serial killers, arson, and a great who done it! The story was very interesting! I highly recommend reading this book! It was well worth reading! Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sharing this book with me!