Silent Prey [Mass Market Paperback]

John Sandford (Author)

Book Description

Series: Prey | Publication Date: June 12, 2000

Michael Bekker, the psychopath Lucas Davenport captured in Eyes of Prey, escapes.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

This streamlined thriller is a rematch for Minneapolis homicide cop Lucas Davenport and the insane killer he caught in Sandford's earlier slasher novel, Eyes of Prey. After psychotic pathologist Dr. Mike Bekker escapes from a New York courthouse and begins a killing spree, NYPD Lt. Lily Rothenberg asks Davenport, her former lover, to come to Manhattan and help the investigation. Despite Bekker's ruined face (courtesy of an enraged Davenport), the killer eludes capture and the bodies keep piling up, each with the eyelids cut off so that Bekker could photograph his victims as they died. Rothenberg gives Davenport an additional, undercover assignment--to ferret out the "Robin Hoods," a clandestine police vigilante group responsible for perhaps three dozen deaths, one of which was that of a fellow cop who might have been onto them. Paired with possible Robin Hood Det. Barbara Fell, Davenport taunts Bekker in the media, hoping to goad him into a mistake, but the grisly murders continue. As the momentum gathers, readers will speed through the surprise twists and confrontations of the last chapters. Although the story never drags and Sandford delivers his usual punch, the devices in his winning formula are becoming familiar.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Kirkus Reviews

Sandford's sixth thriller--including two under his real name of John Camp--since July 1989. It's no surprise, then, that this fourth in his bestselling Prey series shows some stretch and strain, bringing cop-hero Lucas Davenport away from Minneapolis to Manhattan to tangle again with the homicidal maniac of Eyes of Prey (1991). But it's not just drug-crazed pathologist Michael Bekker- -infamous for cutting out his victims' eyelids as he torture-kills them to capture the moment of transition from life to death--that tests Davenport here. Weeks after Bekker escapes from a Minneapolis courthouse in the novel's fierce kickoff, Davenport is visited by old flame Lily Rothenberg of the NYPD (Rules of Prey). Not only is Bekker running amok in N.Y.C., Lily says, but so is a cabal of vigilante cops who've killed perhaps dozens of the Big Apple's most vicious worms. Will Davenport help snare Bekker and at the same time secretly sniff out the bad cops? Davenport's exploration of Gotham's mean streets dramatically points up the metropolis as an inferno of the damned--dealers, fences, junkies--as seen by a small-city cop; but Davenport himself seems less the appealingly brooding, game-playing genius of previous novels than a devious bully with a penchant for extralegal tactics, including intimidation and burglary. Meanwhile, Bekker pops pills and reaps victims under Davenport's nose until a major twist reveals why the killer remains invisible. As Davenport closes in, he also finds himself looking hard at friends old and new as possible vigilantes: Lily, her cop-lover, another top cop, and Davenport's own new bedmate, a feisty ``cowgirl'' cop named Barb Fell. The two cases close out in predictable but tense climaxes fraught with poetic justice. Solid cop-action with well-drawn minor characters, but lacking the high cleverness or suspense of some earlier Preys. And recycled villain Bekker is no Hannibal Lecter. -- Copyright ©1992, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Berkley (June 12, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0425137562
• ISBN-13: 978-0425137567
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #595,508 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

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Doctor Death, January 4, 2004

By 

Louise (Copenhagen V, Denmark) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Silent Prey (Mass Market Paperback)

Doctor Death is back. The serial killer Michael Bekker aka Doctor Death is back. After being arrested and beaten up by Lucas Davenport in a previous novel, Bekker escapes prison and sets himself up in New York. Bodies start turning up, and Davenport's ex-lover New York cop Lily Rothenburg calls to Davenport for help. He is not working with the Minneapolis Police anymore, but uses his time developing computer games. He welcomes the chance to work with Lily, and goes to New York. He soon finds out that Lily and her chief of Police O'Dell hsa a hidden agenda. Davenport is not called to New York only to solve the Bekker case, there is a "Robin Hood" on the loose in New York, killing "bad guys" and everything points to someone inside the police department. Davenport is asked to figure this mystery out, while he officially works solving the Bekker case.
The story is great, and the plot smart. Although you know who the killer is from page one, you keep guessing almost to the end, how does he do it, how does he manage to keep hiding? And who is the Robin Hood? Is it Lily herself, killing off bad guys from the streets of New York? There are many layers in this story, but it never becomes boring, and the characters are likeable or realistic. A good read in the Lucas Davenport series.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sequel to Eyes of Prey is Okay, April 19, 2005

By 

Bill Garrison (Oklahoma City, OK USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Silent Prey (Mass Market Paperback)

I've read maybe half of the "Prey" series by John Sandford and one of its biggest strengths is Sandford's ability to create new, unique plots each time out. Based on reading other authors, it seems sometimes a series can be difficult to keep fresh and new. Silent Prey is one of two books that I know of that carry over a villian from one book to the next.

Michael Becker is the evil surgeon who Lucas Davenport mutilated but didn't kill at the end of Eyes of Prey. Becker escapes from prison and moves to New York and begins killing again. Lucas is called to consult on the case by ex-lover NYC cop Lily Rothenburg. Lily also wants Lucas to investigate some cops that are killing bad guys one the side. These guys went overboard and killed Lily's friend who was investigating them.

So, Silent Prey is somewhat repetitive with the Becker case but Stanford mixes in the police case equally well. This is another solid thriller by Sandford with believable police work and sustainable suspense.

Like all books in the series, the word "Jesus" is used more than in the bible and the "F-word" is used more than 99% of all R-rated movies. I don't know how realistic this is but it must be what Sandford's world is like. Still, this is a fun series and this entry doesn't disappoint.

One final note; Eyes of Prey ended with a sudden revelation of who Becker's wife's lover was. In Silent Prey the action ends then Sandford writes 3 more chapters filling the readers in on some of the unanswered questions. I appreciated that because many authors leave clues then fail to conclude them at the end.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Ordinary Entertaining Prey Book., November 15, 2004

By 

Art Cornell (Texas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Silent Prey (Mass Market Paperback)

John Sandford's Silent Prey was an entertaining read. The most interesting thing about Silent Prey was the complexity of the plot. The plot in Silent Prey was complex because there were actually two cases of serial murder happening at the same time. One serial killing was by Dr. Michael Becker, a brilliant but insane pathologist; the other was by a group of vigilantes killing petty crooks and criminals. Lucas was called in by Lily Rothenburg (old friend) to help work on both cases. The rest of the story involves Lucas`s attempt to solve both cases and contains a nasty breach of trust.
I disliked the fact that Lucas Davenport seemed amoral in this story. Lucas showed no qualms for killing other people. At the start of Silent Prey, Lucas wanted to get into a bar fight just for fun. He threatened and physically abused people to get information. Bekker was also simply too good at committing crimes and escaping capture. And the fact that Bekker appeared almost supernatural reminded me that I was reading fiction.
Silent Prey was a fun read. I recommend it to people who like detective novels and thrillers.