Winter Prey [Hardcover]

John Sandford (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 24, 1993

Called in to assist the sheriff from a remote, rural area of Wisconsin in his investigation into a brutal triple homicide, Lucas Davenport begins to uncover a shocking series of vicious crimes that stun even Davenport with their evil intent. By the author of Eyes of Prey.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The author of four previous mystery thrillers starring Lucas Davenport ( Rules of Prey , etc.) evokes with precision and clarity two disparate, but equally unsettling types of harshness: the raw power of nature and the pitilessness of certain human beings. In a rural area of northern Wisconsin, a family of three is savagely wiped out by the Iceman, who then torches their house. In pursuit of a damaging photograph--a snapshot of him in a sexual situation with a local boy--this fiend puts no value on human life. Enter Davenport, the laconic, slightly cynical ex-cop from Minneapolis, who uncovers several disturbing truths before determining the Iceman's identity. The wintry climate is practically palpable here; numbing cold and blizzards prove as threatening as the Iceman's malevolence. Despite its chilling moments (literally and figuratively), this forceful narrative is tempered with an unexpected humanity, as evidenced primarily in the mature, slowly blossoming romance between Davenport and a local doctor. The moments of tenderness and humor shared by the rugged detective and this worldlywise Mother Earth figure stand in vigorous counterpoint to the surrounding events. Sandford casts a keen eye, too, on small-town life: he knows that everyone's peccadillos are grist for the rumor mill, and that secrets can quickly sour. A compelling vitality suffuses this novel, arguably the finest in a sterling quintet.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Kirkus Reviews

Vastly entertaining fifth entry in Sandford's popular Prey series (Silent Prey, 1992, etc.). This time, ex-cop and master- gamesman Lucas Davenport takes on a crazed killer ravaging a small Wisconsin town. The killer, who calls himself ``the Iceman'' for his sang- froid, debuts in the creepy opening pages by stalking an isolated house, gunning down the woman inside, chopping up her husband, and torturing their daughter--all in a failed attempt to retrieve an incriminating photo that's fallen into the victims' hands. It's a gruesome start, but Sandford splatters the gore mostly off-page, relying on suspense--and there's plenty of it--to jangle readers' nerves. When the bodies are found, the local sheriff calls in Davenport to help. Arriving in town, Davenport, who's at loose ends in his life, finds himself facing two enemies: the Iceman, but also record cold and snow that's frozen the town into a death-trap. His investigation--which hinges on retrieving the photo before the Iceman does--stalls in the face of challenging puzzles centering on time-of-death and a seemingly reluctant witness, but it also butts him up against some marvelous characters, including a female M.D. with whom he falls eagerly in love. Meanwhile, the Iceman slays anyone who might know about the photo--which, it turns out, shows him having sex with a local boy, his first victim: The Iceman heads a child-porn ring. When Davenport--who's been revitalized by the case--at last recovers the photo, the Iceman's surprising identity is revealed, leading to a furious climactic chase on snowmobiles through dark woods and howling wind--and to Davenport and the Iceman each having a tˆte-…-tˆte with death. Crackling action, a clever mystery, and characters who breathe make this great fun: one of the best Preys yet and a must for thriller fans. -- Copyright ©1993, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 336 pages
• Publisher: Putnam Adult; First Edition edition (March 24, 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0399138153
• ISBN-13: 978-0399138157
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (69 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #112,453 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

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Disturbing and Scary Whodunit -- Sandford's Masterpiece, June 20, 1999

By A Customer

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

John Sandford's first 4 novels were certainly varied and assured enough to distinguish themselves as worthy entries in their genre. Yet, as interesting as the villians in those pieces were, the plots didn't have a lot of momentum to them, mostly because Sandford gave the reader too much information ahead of his lead character, Lucas Davenport. So, instead of keeping us on the edge of our seats, we basically waited for Davenport to discover what we already knew, diluting the immediacy and urgency of the plot.

Luckily, with WINTER PREY, Sandford has changed his structure to the better, creating a nerve-frying tale of terror that ranks with the finest of the decade. The eerie snowbound locations lend plenty of isolated, creepy texture to the plot, while Sandford brilliantly elicits a disturbing, menacing atmosphere that puts us right into the story, giving us ingenious clues and surprise plot revelations to keep us glued to the pages all night long. Lucas Davenport emerges as a fully realized individual, while the supporting characters are first-rate, as are the action scenes and forensic details. A masterpiece.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Edge Of Your Seat Thrills and Chills, February 22, 2007

By 

L. Shirley "Laurie's Boomer Views" (Huntington Beach,CA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

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

"Winter Prey" was a great edge of your seat mystery/thriller and the tone very much reminded me of those good old film noirs with Humphrey Bogart. Of course this is a much more modern tale. There was delicious suspense, heart pumping action with wild chases on snowmobiles,shoot outs, good guys to root for, and a villain(who from the beginning and most of the book we only know as "The Ice Man"), as bad and evil as they come. Author Sandford kept me involved and guessing every step of the way, and throws in some great surprises.

It is a blistery cold winter in a small woodsy town in Wisconsin. Everyone knows everyone, and are shocked and frightened to learn of a brutally horrible murder. The cops are questioning and gathering evidence, and it all points to one man. But no one will believe the suspect is guilty. Enter an out-of-town Detective to help with the case. Lucas Davenport knows his stuff. He is fearless and rugged and a reputation for getting his man..one way or another. Time is crucial, the killings have just begun, and all seem to revolve around a photograph that is the only solid clue. A woman Doctor could be the next victim and as Lucas tries his best to protect her while closing in, we also see another side to this tough guy, and the two grow closer, adding a layer of romance to this multi-faceted story as well.

The story would probably be considered R rated. It deals with some very sensitive subject matter(I don't want to give away too much), has quite a bit of violence and language as well. So may not be everyone's cup of tea.

Here is a superb Unabridged audio edition with a chilling read by Richard Ferrone:Winter Prey {Unabridged} {Audio} {Cd}

I know there are other Lucas Davenport Mysteries, but this was my first, and now I am hooked and adding others to my cart.

Highly Recommended for those who love a great suspenseful tale....Enjoy....Laurie

also recommended:
Deadly Vision

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best Of The Prey Series, December 21, 2000

By 

David B. Erickson - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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

Lucas Davenport ain't never going to be Harry Bosch, but he's a good enough morally ambivalent character that you care about what he does and why he does it. Of the Prey series, this is a standout for its plot about ugly sexual behavior in the sticks and for its detailed evocation of Minnesota in the dead (no pun intended) of winter. Mystery aficionados already know this book, and they'll tell you that another great thing about it is that Sandford plays fair with the plot. Things get strange, but there's a logical thread throughout. Superior reading for long-distance air travel.