Certain Prey [Mass Market Paperback]

John Sandford (Author)

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback
• Publisher: Berkely (2002)
• ASIN: B000GYYL5K
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (222 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,869,534 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

John Sandford was born John 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 University of Iowa. He was in the U.S. Army from 1966-68, worked as a reporter for the Cape Girardeau Southeast Missourian from 1968-1970, and went back to the University of Iowa from 1970-1971, where he received a master's degree in journalism. He was a reporter for The Miami Herald from 1971-78, and then a reporter for the St. Paul Pioneer-Press from 1978-1990; in 1980, he was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize, and he won the Pulitzer in 1986 for a series of stories about a midwestern farm crisis. From 1990 to the present he has written thriller novels. He's also the author of two non-fiction books, one on plastic surgery and one on art. He is the principal financial backer of a major archaeological project in the Jordan Valley of Israel, with a website at www.rehov.org. In addition to archaeology, he is deeply interested in art (painting) and photography. He both hunts and fishes. He has two children, Roswell and Emily, and one grandson, Benjamin. His wife, Susan, died of metastasized breast cancer in May, 2007, and is greatly missed.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Different Type of Prey, August 11, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Certain Prey (Hardcover)

I have enjoyed all of the Sanford "Prey" novels, being caught right off the bat with the first one many years ago and this is my favorite.

As opposed to many of the books out this summer this is not about a serial killer, but a contract killer and the character of Clara Rinker is wonderful - smart, a killer with a conscience. And to come at it from both sides, know the plot and the killer up front, but see how the police and FBI figure it out. You wonder in real life how much of crime solving is luck. Probably more than any of us would like to realize.

I was also happy that Lucas seemed not to be in a depressed state. What a pleasant change. I realize that he doesn't have a woman in his life - but neither is he depressed or suicidal because he doesn't. Thank you - sometimes it is possible to be happy and productive alone.

I do miss the character in this book of his friend the nun - but hopefully she will turn up in future books, she's wonderful.

Sanford is very good at giving the minutae of an investigation but keeping the pace taut and the characters smart. Excellent reading as always.

15 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great start, tepid finish, January 8, 2000

By 

Jeffrey T. Saathoff "Jeff S" (Hudson, Il USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Certain Prey (Hardcover)

I love the Lucas Davenport series and wished they would be made into movies, but let's get to the book.

I thought John Sanford created two great villains in the lawyer and the bounty hunter and their interaction early on the book kept me riveted. However, as smart as they were early on in the book, they seemed to lose some of their steam at the end of the book.

I found the last 1/3 of the book to be rather ordinary, and as good as Lucas is, its hard to believe all the pieces fall into place for him during this mystery.

I'll read the next one that comes out, but I hope we see a little more vulnerability back in Lucas in the next one.

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Probably His Best Yet!, February 18, 2000

By 

R. G Huxley (Enon, OH United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Certain Prey (Hardcover)

I am a huge Sandford fan and I love the character, Lucas Davenport. Lucas has always reminded me of Dirty Harry and i like that. In Certain Prey, Davenport must face a smart killer. She has little remorse at times and does what she needs to get the job done. I loved watchign the relationship betweeen the killer and Lucas develop. It was as if they had some respect for the other. Unlike his previous Prey novels, this one seems to focus more on the two female killers and Lucas seems to be more of a supporting character. I really enjoyed this edition to the Prey series. This is classic Sandford and one that I'm sure you will trully enjoy. Do not pass this one up! You can read this and not have read any of the others. I do recommend going back and starting though with Rules of Prey and see how Lucas has evolved as a detective. This one is a real gem!