Just when the reader is thinking that John Sandford's "Secret Prey," is going to be a somewhat predictable story, the author provides his magic touch and the novel soars to a most dramatic and memorable thriller.

Bank president Daniel Kresge is murdered while on a hunting trip. He had been in the process of leading his bank into a merger that would have made him rich but had many of his employees lost their jobs. He was also undergoing a costly divorce so there were many possibilities as to who his killer could be.

The two employees in line to take over the bank begin maneuvering for control while they have another executive placed in charge during the transition.

Deputy Police Chief Lucas Davenport is leading the investigation. Just as he and his team feel that they are close to identifying the killer, another executive is murdered and the police are forced back to the chalk board. The hunt for the killer intensifies as Lucas makes certain moves but the killer counters.

Sandford does a masterful job with this book. He makes the reader wonder who the killer could be and then when the police have narrowed it down to one person, the reader wonders if the police will get the evidence they need in time to stop the next killing.

The characters are excellent and well described. The author portrays Minnesota well and makes it easy to visualize the countryside where the action is taking place.

I enjoyed the novel and recommend it highly.