Six months ago, Lucas Davenport tackled his first case as a statewide troubleshooter, and he thought that one was plenty strange enough. But that was before the Russian got killed. On the shore of Lake Superior, a man named Vladimir Oleshev is found shot dead, three holes in his head and heart, and though nobody knows why he was killed, everybody - the local cops, the FBI, and the Russians themselves - has a theory. And when it turns out he had very high government connections, that's when it hits the fan." A Russian cop flies in from Moscow, Davenport flies in from Minneapolis, law enforcement and press types swarm the crime scene - and, in the middle of it all, there is another murder. Is there a relationship between the two? What is the Russian cop hiding from Davenport? Is she - yes, it's a woman - a cop at all? Why was the man shot with ... fifty-year-old bullets? Before he can find the answers, Davenport will have to follow a trail back to another place, another time, and battle the shadows he discovers there - shadows that turn out to be both very real and very deadly.
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"This is another mystery series I read when I can't settle on something else at the library. I'd place John Sanford with James Lee Burke and early Elizabeth George at the top of my mystery series heap. The characters are complex, the stories not too predictable, the pace breakneck. Necks are broken, too. I've read four or five of the "Prey" series. They don't disappoint."
— Marguerite (4 out of 5 stars)
“Sandford has outdone himself, plotwise, not only in terms of ingenuity but also in sheer perversity…It’s just good, dark, perverse, bloody fun. There are crime writers who are more challenging than Sandford, who plunge more deeply into the human condition, but it’s hard to think of anyone who is more consistently entertaining. You want to know the only thing wrong with this guy? He makes it look easy.”
— Washington Post“Hidden Prey is a welcome change from the avalanche of thrillers about Islamic terrorists.”
— New York Daily News“Intriguing…That Sandford makes this unlikely plot believable is a mark of his mastery of the technical aspects of the mystery form and a testament to his overall writing skills. Readers will be pleased with this relaxed version of the moody Minneapolis investigator.”
— Publishers Weekly“Deft, action-packed, and slyly funny. Just when you thought the silky smooth Sandford couldn’t possibly get better, he does.”
— Kirkus Reviews (starred review)“The sixteenth Prey novel is less harrowing and not as dark as many of its predecessors. It’s also more humorous…with deft Davenport observations on the curious behavior of the opposite sex in general and on Russian women in particular. Similarities to previous Preythrillers: high entertainment value; deftly rendered characterizations; and clever, believable dialogue.”
— BooklistRelentlessly swift...genuinely suspenseful...excellent.
— Los Angeles TimesSandford is a writer in control of his craft.
— Chicago Sun-TimesExcellent...compelling...everything works.
— USA TodayGrip-you-by-the-throat thrills...a hell of a ride.
— Houston ChronicleCrackling, page-turning tension...great scary fun.
— The New York Daily NewsEnough pulse-pounding, page-turning excitement to keep you up way past bedtime.
— Minneapolis Star TribuneOne of the most engaging characters in contemporary fiction.
— Detroit NewsPositively chilling.
— St. Petersburg TimesJust right for fans of The Silence of the Lambs.
— BooklistOne of the most horrible villains this side of Hannibal.
— Richmond Times-DispatchIce-pick chills...excruciatingly tense...a double-pumped roundhouse of a thriller.
— Kirkus Reviews" I am thoroughly addicted to John Sandford’s Prey books Richard Ferrone delivers another wonderful narration "
— KMW, 8/20/2024" More like 3 and 1/2 stars. This was a random grocery store pick up and well worth the read. I don't normally read crime novels but I will read more. "
— Jonathan, 2/18/2014" Old crimes lead to new murder. Impossible to put down. "
— Ann, 2/17/2014" Not too bad, but if you're reading John Sandford for the first time, don't read this. It's slow moving compared to the others and the plot is a tad more complicated. "
— A.g., 2/12/2014" Excellent. I am on a roll. I love this series. So exciting. Cannot put down. "
— Glynda, 2/8/2014" I thought the book was very interesting and well written. "
— Emily, 2/1/2014" Interesting premise, but difficult to swallow. I like Sandford's writing style and the main character, Lucas. This story line seemed a bit implausible, but still entertaining. Tho one ended with some open issues that perhaps could surface in later novels. "
— John, 1/24/2014" Yet another Johns Sandford, Lucas Davenport novel. It was as good as all the rest. "
— Ethan, 1/22/2014" Really enjoyed it! Very well written! "
— Sara, 1/14/2014" I liked the whole "spy" thing and the way Lucas has a double standard for himself and everyone else "
— Daniel, 1/2/2014" An awesome story of murder, espionage, sex and did I mention murder? Sandford's Lucas Davenport at his crime solving best! "
— Dave, 12/25/2013" Admittedly, this wasn't my favorite book among the Prey series. This one involves a murdered Russian, spy rings, and a Russian cop tagging along with Davenport to catch the killer. It moves along quickly enough, but the storyline just wasn't as interesting to me as past Prey books. "
— Julie, 12/3/2013" It was a good mystery with some surprises ... fun read "
— Donna, 12/3/2013" This is a good one! It's one of those books that you can't seem to put down. Great character development and a gripping plot that will keep you on the edge of your seat. I hope Sandford's other "Prey" books are just as good. I can't wait to read the next one. "
— Lee, 11/27/2013" Though I liked the Russian idea, I thought this was a bit weaker than the previous couple of books in the Prey series that I've read. It was a bit difficult to get behind the complex group of family bad guys. "
— Herzog, 11/23/2013" As usual, John Sandford delivers a fast pace book with characters that you can root for, as well as a few twists thrown in. "
— Renne, 11/6/2013" The first John Sandford I've read. There will be more! "
— Katherine, 10/3/2013" One of the better one's in the middle. None will be as good as Rules of Prey. "
— Lara, 9/29/2013" I'm sure it's fine, but when the tape I was listening to broke, I couldn't get into the book on the page. I usually like his stuff, but the Russian angle wasn't super compelling. "
— Jen, 9/23/2013" This was a fun read for me-like mental floss for a rainy day. I'm guessing I jumped into the middle of a series, but it can stand alone I think. Like I said-perfect mental floss. "
— Jeff, 9/16/2013" This is the second "Prey" book I've read (the first was Mortal Prey). I like this character. He's a straight up cop with a talent for solving crime. I plan on reading more of these. "
— Mitch, 8/3/2013" Another solid Lucas Davenport thriller. The ending felt too sudden, but the plot was original and Sanford created another great villain in Burt. "
— Jon, 7/23/2013" I have read almost all of John Sandford's Lucus Davenport books. The lanuage gets pretty rough in some of his books, not so much in this one so it was easier to read. A secret Soviet cell in Minnisota? Humm interesting. "
— Donna, 5/8/2013" My second reading as I go through the bookks in the order he wrote them "
— Jim, 4/29/2013" Good book, writing is a little disjointed at times. "
— Mary, 4/26/2013" Really great and kept me coming back for more. Wonderful character development, even cameo characters. Would definately read another from this author. "
— Pat, 4/3/2013" Russian spies and Davenport? Of course it works! Another brilliant book in the series. "
— Roman, 3/18/2013" As always, another fine Prey book from the master of action-packed thrillers, John Sandford. "
— Jenn, 2/18/2013" Parts of it was really good but then Mr. Sandford would get off track and start on something to me that wasn't even relevant to the story but whenh he followed the plot it was very intense. "
— Elvis, 2/2/2013John Sandford is the pseudonym for the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist John Camp. He is the author of more than thirty Prey novels, as well as novels in the Kidd series and the Virgil Flowers series, among other books.
Richard Ferrone recorded over 150 audiobooks including thrillers, romances, science fiction, and inspirational novels. He won the prestigious Audie Award and was a finalist for four Audie Awards, including for Best Solo Male Narrator. He was named an AudioFile "Voice of the Last Century" and a "Rising and Shining Star." He earned many AudioFile Earphones Awards, including being named the 2011 Best Voice in Mystery and Suspense as well as the 2009 Best Voice in Science Fiction and Fantasy. A science fiction fan, he narrated Kim Stanley Robinson’s Mars trilogy. He also narrated works by James Patterson, Walter Mosley, John Sandford, Eric Van Lustbader, and Stuart Woods.