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Storm Prey

(Lucas Davenport #20)

John Sandford,

Richard Ferrone (Reading)

4.17 · Rating details · 18,466 ratings · 942 reviews

Unabridged CDs, 10 CDs, 12 hours

Read by Richard Ferrone

The brilliant new Lucas Davenport thriller from the #1 New York Times-bestselling author.

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Audiobook, 1 page

Published May 18th 2010 by Penguin Audio

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Start your review of Storm Prey (Lucas Davenport, #20)

Jun 15, 2010 Kemper rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 5-0, lucas-davenport, crime-mystery, thriller, 2016-reread, medical

Storm Prey is the twentieth entry in the Prey series. Add in the four books about Kidd, three with Virgil Flowers, two stand-alone novels, and that’s a total of twenty-nine John Sandford novels. I’ve read them all, and I’ll probably keep reading if he writes another twenty-nine. So yeah, I guess you could say I'm a fan.

When a group of bikers rob a Minneapolis hospital pharmacy for a fortune in drugs it seems like the perfect plan. Except that they manage to kill a hospital employee in the proce Storm Prey is the twentieth entry in the Prey series. Add in the four books about Kidd, three with Virgil Flowers, two stand-alone novels, and that’s a total of twenty-nine John Sandford novels. I’ve read them all, and I’ll probably keep reading if he writes another twenty-nine. So yeah, I guess you could say I'm a fan.

When a group of bikers rob a Minneapolis hospital pharmacy for a fortune in drugs it seems like the perfect plan. Except that they manage to kill a hospital employee in the process, and one of them gets spotted without his mask by a surgeon, Weather Karkinnen. Weather just happens to be the wife of Lucas Davenport, the Minnesota state cop and hero of this series.

With a felony murder charge hanging over all of them the thieves turn on each other, and a young psycho biker gets brought in to act as an ad hoc hit man. Despite concern for Weather’s safety Davenport and his people quickly identify the gang and seem on the verge of wrapping up the whole thing when an unexpected act by of one of the thieves surprises the cops and kicks off a string of ever more violent murders. It’s every man for himself, and Lucas and his friends (Including Virgil Flowers popping in from his own series.) will have to try and figure out who is killing who while watching Weather’s back. And they’ll also have to keep an eye out for the inside man at the hospital.

At this point reading a new Davenport book is like getting a visit from an old friend. Sandford is still a master at plotting the cat-and-mouse game between the cops and the criminals, and he still keeps me turning pages way past my bedtime to see what happens next.

My only complaint is that this is the second book in a row to feature a threat to Davenport’s family. He’s used that plot device before in other books so it’s more than a little repetitive that he goes to it again so soon, and it won't be the last time he'll play that card. I do give credit to Sandford for coming up with a logical reason why the very wealthy Davenport simply doesn’t fly Weather out of the country while they deal with the threat. She’s a key member of a surgical team doing a series of tricky operations to separate two conjoined babies so she can’t leave town. That subplot also adds some more drama to the story and helps keep Weather as a vital character and not just a damsel in distress.

Summing up: Smart, tough and funny cops. An innocent surgeon in danger. A motorcycle gang. A cold blooded killer. A drug addicted doctor. Conjoined babies. Operating room drama. Robbery. Drugs. Shoot-outs. ‘Roid rage. And hand grenades. All set during a brutal Minnesota winter.

What more could anyone ask for in a crime thriller?

Next: Lucas flashbacks to the case that made him a detective in Buried Prey.
...more

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Jan 25, 2018 Liz rated it really liked it

Shelves: audio

“The problem is we’re stupid people.”
Well, that pretty much sums up the plot of this book. Things go from bad to worse with the robbery of a hospital pharmacy. Lucas leads the charge trying to figure out who’s responsible.
Another worthwhile effort by Sandford.
I listened to this and Ferrone did a great job with the narration.

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Aug 30, 2020 Tim rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Not one of the better stories in this series. Too much stereotyping for me. For example, an innocent black man going home from work shot and killed. Davenport presumes, "some gang thing," usually a code for "black" and not the case at all. 4 of 10 stars ...more

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Mar 19, 2011 James Thane rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: crime-fiction

As I've said before here, I'm a huge fan of John Sandford's "Prey" series. I think that Lucas Davenport, Sandford's main protagonist, is a marvelously-imagined character, and Sandford has surrounded him with a great supporting cast. I especially love the humor in the books, which seems appropriate even in the darkest situations. If this isn't the way cops actually talk to one another, it probably should be. Additionally, Sandford has written some really good plots, often making it impossible to As I've said before here, I'm a huge fan of John Sandford's "Prey" series. I think that Lucas Davenport, Sandford's main protagonist, is a marvelously-imagined character, and Sandford has surrounded him with a great supporting cast. I especially love the humor in the books, which seems appropriate even in the darkest situations. If this isn't the way cops actually talk to one another, it probably should be. Additionally, Sandford has written some really good plots, often making it impossible to put one of these books down once you've started it.

That said, I wasn't all that knocked out by Storm Prey. I enjoyed reading it, but it's certainly not one of the better books in the series. It opens with the robbery of a hospital pharmacy. And this just happens to be the hospital where Davenport's wife, Weather Karkinnen, works as a surgeon. As it further happens, Weather is coming in early to perform a delicate surgery and catches a glimpse of a couple of the men who may have been involved in the robbery. A hospital employee is murdered during the course of the robbery and the robbers conclude that Weather must be eliminated so that she cannot identify them. The story then centers principally on the robbers' attempts to kill Weather while Lucas Davenport tries to protect her.

I'm never very happy when a writer puts into jeopardy a family member or close friend of his protagonist. Whenever this happens, I always assume that the creative juices were off on vacation in Mexico and, rather than calling them back, the writer decided instead to resort to a tired old plot device. And as much as I love these books, Sandford has done this a lot. Over the course of this series virtually everyone close to Davenport has at one time or another been targeted by some nasty antagonist, and to see it happen yet again just makes you want to groan.

To further complicate matters, the villains in this book are a gang of Really Dumb Guys. They are among the least interesting and least scary villains that Sandford has ever created--and he's created some great ones. But not for a moment is any reader ever going to believe that THESE are the guys who are finally going to outwit Lucas Davenport, penetrate his defenses, and do serious harm to someone he loves.

Ultimately, it's the interaction between Davenport, Weather and the rest of the cast that saves the book and makes it an enjoyable read in spite of these shortcomings. It's a fun way to spend an evening or two, although someone coming fresh to the series would probably want to start with one of the earlier books in the series. For my own part, I still eagerly await Lucas Davenport's twenty-first outing. I'm just praying that it doesn't open with Davenport's infant son, Sam, being kidnapped on the way to his nursery school. ...more

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Apr 07, 2019 Obsidian rated it liked it · review of another edition

Honestly not too much to say about this. The POVs with the bad guys in this one don't work. It was good to get more of Weather's POV though and I realize it's been a while since Sandford had her actually part of the story besides going to work and getting Lucas out of his bad moods. Other than that though, this book really doesn't work. The bad guys are some of the stupidest people ever. The fixation on killing Weather makes zero sense. And then there's an update about a character in this one th Honestly not too much to say about this. The POVs with the bad guys in this one don't work. It was good to get more of Weather's POV though and I realize it's been a while since Sandford had her actually part of the story besides going to work and getting Lucas out of his bad moods. Other than that though, this book really doesn't work. The bad guys are some of the stupidest people ever. The fixation on killing Weather makes zero sense. And then there's an update about a character in this one that Sandford totally forgets about in the next book.

"Storm Prey" has Weather preparing for a really big medical case. She and her colleagues will be operating on conjoined twins. While getting to the hospital she happens to spy some men in an van and without realizing it, has seen men who have just robbed and murdered someone at the hospital. Once Lucas and others figure out what has happened, Weather and her family are under instant protection. Things intensify when Weather is almost gunned down while driving. Lucas, Marcy, Del, and others work almost 24/7 to figure out who the men are before Weather can be hurt.

Lucas is Lucas in this one. There is no serial killer to chase, but he's hell-bent on keeping Weather safe after someone comes after her. There are some updates on Marcy (happily married with one child) and Del (who just had his child too) and others we have gotten to know. Virgil shows up in this one too. There is the usual lousy cop jokes, but with more seriousness in this one since no one is going to let Weather, Letty, or Sam get hurt. There is also a discussion among Lucas and Weather about having another child. You think after adopting Letty they be good, but they and everyone else seems to find her charming. She's still a hot mess to me dancing towards being a psychopath.

The only good parts which is the main reason why I gave this 3 stars is that we get to get in Weather's head in this one. And that's been a long time since we have done that since she's been introduced to readers. She's focused on saving the twins and that Lucas and everyone else will keep her safe.

The writing was okay, but switching to the multiple POVs with the multiple bad guys did not work. I started getting sick of reading them after a while and skimmed and dismissed. The flow wasn't great either. The first part was fine, but after that the whole book drags until we get to the end.

The ending was a surprise though and I don't know what else to say about it. I felt pretty indifferent towards things as soon as we got to the end. ...more

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Nov 01, 2010 Mike rated it liked it · review of another edition

Recommended to Mike by: aggie_mike2003@yahoo.com

Shelves: great-thriller-reads, fiction, xcharity-2012, crime

Storm Prey is a stupid 3 Stars. Honestly that is not a put down. The theme of stupid criminal runs throughout, actually is the backbone of the plot. Where Sandford used to have really devious and brilliant adversaries, he gives us a bunch of Darwin award winners for criminals here. The robbery of the hospital pharmacy begins a chain of events that puts Lucas's wife Weather in harm's way, brings Virgil Flowers into the main story, and reunites a bunch of the old gang of "Prey" characters. There i ...more

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Jan 29, 2013 Kenneth Hursh rated it did not like it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

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Sep 04, 2018 Jim rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 3series, 2fiction, mystery-thriller

A good, but not stunning addition to the series. There were a lot of twists & turns as the bad guys tried to get out from under while Lucas & company closed in, but they often caused their own problems since they were running when no one even knew who to pursue, so they drew attention to themselves. Pretty dumb, maybe too dumb at times. Definitely too coked up. I had trouble believing that the doctor could function unnoticed.

The twins & their operation were interesting. The weather (& Weather) w ...more

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Jun 13, 2010 Amanda rated it liked it · review of another edition

I am stupidly dedicated to the Prey series and I will probably always love me some Lucas Davenport. And Virgil Flowers. But I've been wondering: what happened?? Why is the Prey series now a run of the mill mystery?

Lucas is incredibly intelligent, shrewd and will kill you if he needs to. He used to go up against some intelligent, shrewd killers in previous books but the last few have been disappointing. He's having to go against some of the dumbest damn people ever. There's no mystery or challeng ...more

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May 22, 2014 Mike rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

2nd reading - In Minneapolis, at the hospital our protagonist's wife works at, a crew plans to break in to the the pharmacy and steal muy hospital-grade drugs. Complications arise - a worker who's been tied up gets an arm loose and attempts to dial 911. Bad guy hurts him, and he later dies. The hunt is on, but Lucas's wife has seen some of the creeps.

Marcy and Flowers are featured significantly, and the story zooms along like a crazy snow plow.

1st reading - Pretty good Lucas/Weather/Virgil/Marcy ...more

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Aug 26, 2018 IslandRiverScribe rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: z-read-2018, police-american

As we begin John Sandford's 20th entry in the Lucas Davenport series, we know, from past experience with that series, that we will experience three effects. First, the story will be a thriller, not a mystery, as we will be introduced to the bad guys at the very beginning of the book. In this case, a doctor, a biker bar owner, the bar owner's brother, and two biker friends plan and execute a pharmacy robbery at a major hospital. They strip every drug from the pharmacy and strip the life from the As we begin John Sandford's 20th entry in the Lucas Davenport series, we know, from past experience with that series, that we will experience three effects. First, the story will be a thriller, not a mystery, as we will be introduced to the bad guys at the very beginning of the book. In this case, a doctor, a biker bar owner, the bar owner's brother, and two biker friends plan and execute a pharmacy robbery at a major hospital. They strip every drug from the pharmacy and strip the life from the pharmacist. Then they nearly smash into Weather Karkinnen, Davenport's surgeon wife, as they flee the hospital's parking garage at oh-dark-thirty in the morning. And they know she has seen them eyeball-to-eyeball.

Secondly, we will be in on the thoughts and actions of the bad guys, in real time, throughout the book. Therefore, we are always one or more steps ahead of Davenport and his team, knowing when they are right and also when they are heading off into the weeds.

And thirdly, we will be dropped into a secondary sub-plot that is actually a mystery. In this novel, it is the surgery surrounding the separation of two twin girls, conjoined at the skull, but having separate brains. Unfortunately, one of these girls has a congenital heart condition that threatens not only her life but the life of her normal twin. And it threatens the progress of the surgeries involved, already expected to take over 20 hours in OR time and utilizes a 40-member surgical team. Weather is the opening/closing surgeon for each stage of the process which is why she just happens to be in the path of the robbers that particular day at that particularly early hour. For the entire book, we will follow the operations and their problems, wondering every minute if one or both of the children will survive both the operations and the stalker determined to keep Weather from identifying the bad guys.

At first glance, these robbers seem too stupid to evade Davenport for too very long. They've been seen, one of the thugs left DNA under the fingernails of the pharmacist he killed and, except for the doctor, none of the guys has much formal education. But Davenport doesn't know what we know: the bar owner - who actually planned the robbery - and his brother were raised from the crib to be thieves, fences and non-using drug dealers. Their IQ's may not be that high but their street cred is impeccable. Basically, Davenport underestimates his quarry and believes that he is hunting a different level of robber/killer than he really is. And it takes 6 bodies and 300 pages for him to realize what we have known since somewhere around page 25: there is a 6th player, a cleaner (and I don't mean a Molly Maid, either.)

As the story progresses, we get to spend time with all the members of Davenport's team, especially Virgil Flowers, Shrake and Jenkins. We even get to catch up with Marcy Sherrill, now a deputy chief in the Minneapolis PD. And we get a liberal sprinkling of the witty repartee that Sandford throws in during conversations between the main characters.

For me, the best episode in that vein - the one that had me chuckling for several minutes afterward - occurs several days into the investigation. Weather was nearly assassinated the evening of the robbery and now must endure a 24-hour bodyguard situation. She is escorted to and from the hospital in an armed convoy. Either Virgil, Shrake or Jenkins is always outside the OR door or hovering around any office or waiting room that Weather frequents, even the cafeteria. Weather takes it pretty much in stride but at one point, the following conversation occurs:
Weather: Give me a half hour. I need one more consult.
Jenkins: Right here?
Weather: Upstairs.
Jenkins: I'll come along.
Weather: Jenkins . . .
Jenkins: Look, if you get killed, Lucas is gonna pound me on my annual review. Okay?

Good writing, well-plotted villains, lots of nail-biting scenarios, reasonable and believable investigative paths even when they were flawed due to stress and linear thinking (like believing that the only people who have a French accent are from France - oops, that cost some time and a life or two!) Oh well, not even Davenport is perfect. ...more

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Jan 18, 2017 Nancy rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: thriller

Another Davenport family in peril story. Now instead of Letty in danger, Weather is the one targeted by a biker gang no less. Sub plot about Weather's part in surgically separating conjoined twins was vaguely interesting. ...more

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May 30, 2010 Ilsa Bick rated it liked it · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I've read every Prey book--many several times over. I have to agree with other reviewers who have noticed a decline in the overall quality of Prey books. Beyond copy-editing issues, there are several times where there are point-of-view shifts between multiple characters in the same scene. Sandford would never have done this in earlier books. The plotting isn't THAT intricate either. Not only are the villains not much of a threat--they're actually pretty incompetent and dumb--there's really no se I've read every Prey book--many several times over. I have to agree with other reviewers who have noticed a decline in the overall quality of Prey books. Beyond copy-editing issues, there are several times where there are point-of-view shifts between multiple characters in the same scene. Sandford would never have done this in earlier books. The plotting isn't THAT intricate either. Not only are the villains not much of a threat--they're actually pretty incompetent and dumb--there's really no sense of urgency here (not even in the relatively distracting B-storyline about the operation-which was pretty much of a snooze, even if technically correct).

I think the problem here is what Sandford has Lucas realize midway through the book: Lucas is happy. (And another baby? Please, say it isn't so. I can see it now; Lucas retires because he realizes he wants to be around for his kids and/or Weather nags him into a guilt trip about it.) The problem here is that a happy Lucas doesn't make for a compelling read. Nothing really shakes him up; no one's really in danger; he doesn't stand to lose much (the threat to Weather was no threat at all); and no character is very interesting for long without conflict or something to lose. There is none of that here. (This was the problem with the last book, too. You knew nothing was REALLY going to happen to Letty--which was a shame because I'd been waiting for a Letty book since Naked Prey.)

Also, it was pretty obvious to me that this novel felt like an excuse to have Virgil Flowers trot onto the stage--a pretty bald attempt to get readers accustomed to him and, perhaps, ready to embrace him when Sandford decides that Lucas has to retire. Certainly, if Sandford's tired of writing about Lucas, you can understand that; it's a Conan Doyle kind of thing. But that doesn't mean that Virgil Flowers can really take Lucas's place. Flowers just doesn't do it for me--a surfer-looking dude with a gun and rock band t-shirts who likes to think about God at night is pretty uninteresting. I don't think the Flowers books are nearly as well-written as the Prey books either--even the not-so-great Prey books--and Lucas's seal of approval for Flowers isn't reason enough for me to climb on the Flowers bandwagon.

And I also agree that the ending of this book is pretty lame--yet another problem that didn't use to be. I think about the endings of books like Mortal Prey and Sudden Prey--and I just want to weep.

Phantom Prey was a pretty good Prey book, but the last *decent* Prey book before that was Broken Prey (which was a fabulous exercise in misdirection and I think the only one where Sandford kept us ALL in the dark about the killer's identity until nearly the very end). Problem is: a couple of years between good Prey books is just too darned long to wait.

I used to preorder all of Sandford's books, but next time I'm gong to wait until I snag a copy at the library. You can't keep churning out a substandard product and expect people to keep buying out of loyalty. I feel guilty saying this because I've been a Sandford fan from the beginning, but his writing is just getting sparer and sparer and the spark is gone. Don't know if he'll find it again, but I sure hope so. ...more

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Jul 03, 2010 Joe rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I started reading the "Prey" series years ago, and after about 5 I said I was done and yet here I am reading yet another. This time, Sanford decided to add many more pages of implausible plot and stick characters to his latest. All I can say is that I could hardly wait until it was over and I am certain that this will be my last ...more

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Aug 23, 2017 Laurie Stoll rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: john-sandford, paperback-gave-away

As with all the books in the Lucas Davenport series, the story is always face paced, well written, and filled with suspense.

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Jul 10, 2010 Julie rated it really liked it

I kind of had the hots for Lucas Davenport in that Book Boyfriend way. He's a freaking fantastic character. Intelligent, cocky, vain, hard as nails when needed, a total man-whore, and unapologetic as Hell. I admire an author who can write someone like that without constantly trying to explain it or justify it.

Lucas had gotten kind of stagnant since he's settled down with Weather. I liked him better single, though I see where him being married with kids adds another layer to his character. Howeve ...more

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Apr 28, 2011 Kathy Hiester rated it it was ok · review of another edition

This volume of John Sandford's Prey series gives more attention to the criminals and to Lucas' wife, the surgeon Weather Karkinnen, is part of the team that is separating two Siamese twin babies. Lucas is not in total control of the murder case, he makes mistakes.

A non-too-smart Lebanese ER physician at Weather's hospital is abusing drugs and is out of money. He persuades some bungling low-level crooks to steal about a half million dollars worth of drugs from the hospital pharmacy. They do so, b ...more

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Jun 23, 2010 Jackie rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I absolutely could not finish this. I was so weary of the foul language that contributed nothing to the plot/action/reading enjoyment.

I couldn't even find anything to like about the characters. Yes, I understand Lucas Davenport is a hero, but really....Why couldn't he figure out that if his wife could describe the villains she saw, they could also identify her and come after her? What kind of "smart" guy is this?

And that was just one of the things that put me off so much I finally said: Enough! ...more

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Dec 22, 2014 11811 (Eleven) rated it liked it · review of another edition

3.5 but it's Christmas so maybe it was just a mood thing. ...more

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Apr 26, 2015 Kay rated it really liked it

Shelves: mystery, thriller, audiobook, fiction, crime, suspense, john-sandford

So good you don't want it to end. ...more

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Sep 08, 2018 William rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Good believable story with the exception of Letty operating in the adult world. Davenport becomes bit more 'less' violent and Virgil becomes a bit more professional. ...more

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Mar 28, 2017 Todd Hickman rated it liked it · review of another edition

I guess I expected more from a "#1 New York Times Bestselling Author." I read the hardback version of "Storm Prey" and was not overly impressed. I guess I was supposed to have read his other books like "Shadow Prey," "Wicked Prey" and so on. Lucas Davenport is the good guy and Weather Karkinnen is his doctor wife. She is a witness to a robbery of a hospital pharmacy and a series of bad guys try to rub her out. And these are really bad guys. They commit a series of grislymurders without any trace ...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Jack Rochester rated it liked it · review of another edition

I’m hooked on John Sandford’s “Prey” novels, featuring the emotionally complex Lucas Davenport, and have several friends who are as well. Last year’s Storm Prey was the 20th. The first, Rules of Prey, came out in 1989. That puts him at a book a year, except he’s launched two other series, Kidd and Virgil Flowers and has written a couple others besides. The point is, John Sandford has fallen prey to the New York publishing mill, turning out more and more and, at least for me, satisfying less and ...more

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Feb 27, 2020 Michael Adamchuk rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-crime, fiction, sandford-john, read-2013

Four guys, Lyle & Joe Mack and 2 others rob the hospital pharmacy where Lucas' wife, Weather, is a surgeon. As a potential witness, she is now in danger. One of the robbers got scratched and left some DNA. Trying to tie up loose ends, the Macks hire Cappy to kill the others. As the bodies start to show up, Lucas think they are actually tying up the loose ends, he's also worried about Weather. The bodies fall and there's one man left standing. Ok story. ...more

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Sep 04, 2017 Lesley rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: mystery-thriller

this was a descent enough mystery that I would read more. apparently this author been around and I have never read the other 28 or so books.
gangsters
drug raid
murders

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Jul 05, 2020 Joanne rated it really liked it

Weather find a herself under fire in this novel when she inadvertently see something she shouldn't. We get a great insight into Weather world as the story unfolds. Add to that we get plenty of Virgil and what you have a cracking Davenport read. That being said let's hope that this novel is the last book where we find the Davenports under fire for a while. ...more

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Sep 14, 2017 Carol rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The 20th entry in the Prey books, is titled Storm Prey, as Lucas Davenport faces a truly thick and unsophisticated team of guys who one morning rob the hospital pharmacy – the same morning when Weather Karkinnen, Lucas’s wife goes in early for an important surgery. The author dedicated quite a few pages to this extraordinary surgery. Indeed, separating of Siamese twins is quite spectacular. The author did a good job researching it and keeping it understandable and interesting for readers who hav ...more

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Apr 02, 2013 Michelle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: books-i-ve-reviewed

Published May 2010 408 pages
Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
ISBN 9781101187715
From my personal library (read in Sony Reader format) Rating: 4 - Really liked this
Storm Prey is number twenty in John Sanford's Prey series. Rules of Prey, published in 1989, is the first book in the series. It introduced our hero Lucas Davenport, a Minneapolis cop. Davenport is my favorite character in the mystery genre. He's intelligent, funny, sexy, fearless and perfectly smooth. Davenport is a man of appetites.
Sto Published May 2010 408 pages
Penguin Group (USA) Incorporated
ISBN 9781101187715
From my personal library (read in Sony Reader format) Rating: 4 - Really liked this
Storm Prey is number twenty in John Sanford's Prey series. Rules of Prey, published in 1989, is the first book in the series. It introduced our hero Lucas Davenport, a Minneapolis cop. Davenport is my favorite character in the mystery genre. He's intelligent, funny, sexy, fearless and perfectly smooth. Davenport is a man of appetites.
Storm Prey was published 20 years after Rules of Prey and finds Davenport promoted to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. His wife is Weather Karkinnen - the most fabulous name ever, yes? She is a plastic surgeon and saved Davenport's life a few books ago by performing an emergency tracheotomy in the middle of nowhere on a frigid Minnesota winter night.
Storm Prey begins with the robbery of a pharmacy in the hospital where Weather practices. As the robbers are making their escape from the parking garage Weather pulls in and gets a good look at them. The robbers decide to eliminate the only witness. Lucas calls in all of the old characters, Shrake, Del, Virgil Flowers, Jenkins, to protect Weather. At this point the book takes off and the suspense doesn't let up as Lucas and his merry men take off in pursuit of the bad guys.
There is a subplot involving an operation to separate conjoined twins in which Weather is a key member of the surgical team. I'm not sure why this subplot is necessary. I found it a little distracting. The author is a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and obviously did his homework regarding the separation of conjoined twins. A little research of my own finds that Sandford published a book in 1989 titled Plastic Surgery: The Kindest Cut. Perhaps this is where he got his inspiration.
My favorite thing about these books, besides my crush on Davenport, is the dialogue. It is quick, funny, smart and fun to read. Sandford describes the robbers as "hard men." Spare but enough. In the context of that scene you know exactly what he means. Another hallmark of the Prey books is the bad guys. They are multi-dimensional. They have pasts and personalities and you can see the pathology of their thinking. The author spent a month at a prison in Minnesota interviewing inmates. He came to the conclusion, stated in an interview, that most criminals turn out ultimately to be mundane; nothing special, although they would dearly like to believe they are.
I highly recommend this book (and the entire Prey series) for fans of quality mysteries. And for what it's worth I would read the Prey series again and that's very rare for me.
Also, as a cool tidbit, I have included a link to a list of Lucas Davenport's favorite songs from Sandford's web site. Enjoy! http://www.johnsandford.org/prey16x1.... ...more

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Dec 04, 2010 Heather G rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I've sat on this book for some time now - Sandford is my favorite author and I just wasn't ready for to turn the final page without knowing when I'd be able to get my hands on the next in the series (which I now see is early 2011).

Unfortunately this book never made it up to par with the titles in the earlier series, but that's been the case since Davenport lost some of his his appeal by getting married, having kids, etc. And the characters just aren't as intriguing as some of the criminals of pa ...more

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Jul 02, 2010 Kristin rated it really liked it · review of another edition

John Sandford is such a guy's author- the language is coarse, the jokes are dirty, and the style of writing is very blunt- but I love him anyway. There's something so appealing about a protagonist who is as flawed as Lucas but who I find myself rooting for anyway. The great thing about these books is how the narrator lets us in on everything- there's really no "whodunit" aspect, in fact we usually know whodunit in the first 50 pages, but I am still glued to every page in anticipation. Every char ...more

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About John Sandford

John Sandford

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See also John Camp

John Sandford was born John Roswell Camp on February 23, 1944, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He attended the public schools in Cedar Rapids, graduating from Washington High School in 1962. He then spent four years at the University of Iowa, graduating with a bachelor's degree in American Studies in 1966. In 1966, he married Susan Lee Jones of Cedar Rapids, a fellow student at the Univer ...more

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Lucas Davenport (1 - 10 of 31 books)

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