Mortal Prey

Starred review from March 18, 2002
It's the little things about Lucas Davenport that make him such a kick to follow—his ruminations about why a public bus smells like urine, his fear that a cell phone won't work in the bathroom—"with all the tile." Davenport is, of course, a marvelous if unorthodox cop from Minneapolis, starring here in his 13th Prey offering, which finds creator Sandford operating at top efficiency and in high style. Clara Rinker, the hit woman extraordinaire who slipped out of Davenport's grasp in 1999's Certain Prey, is now back on the prowl, looking for revenge against old enemies from Kansas City who killed her fiancé and shot her in the gut. The bullet spared her life, but not that of her baby. The FBI, knowing she's headed to Missouri, assembles a huge team of shirt-and-tie, laptop-carrying agents, but also taps Davenport to make the trip. Sure enough, Rinker starts knocking off old business partners in creative ways, making the tech-minded FBI look foolish. It's only Davenport and his feet-on-the-street savvy that finally rope Rinker into a furious pursuit and showdown. Sandford's eye for the tell-all character quirk remains finely tuned, as does his deadpan humor, rivaled by few in the crime-drama ranks. Longtime fans should take note that changes are ahead for Davenport. He's marrying his sweetie, Dr. Weather Karkinnen, and they're having a kid. He's also about to leave the city police force, following his boss, Rose Marie Roux, to a job with the state police. (May)Forecast:List veteran Sandford should score high on the charts with his latest—a BOMC, Literary Guild and Mystery Guild main selection—particularly as it features a showdown between hero Davenport and the original villain of the series. Sandford has just finished touring with his friend Chuck Logan
(Absolute Zero) and will embark on his own multi-city tour in May.

January 1, 2002
Lucas Davenport ends up joining forces with a hit woman who came perilously close to doing him in.

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2002
Minneapolis Deputy Police Commissioner Lucas Davenport is preparing for the next stage of his life. He's finally set a wedding date with his soul mate, Weather. Their new house is under construction, and Lucas loves fussing with the details and schmoozing with the workers. He will soon be out as Deputy Commissioner, because his position is a political appointment, and the city administration will change. But as he looks to the future, dark clouds are gathering at his back with the reemergence of world-class assassin Clara Rinker, an old nemesis. Rinker is settled into retirement in Mexico with the son of a drug lord. When the son is killed, the family assumes it was the work of a competitor, but Rinker knows her husband wasn't the target--she was. She also knows who wants her dead and why. She abandons her life south of the border and heads to St. Louis, her old base of operations. As her revenge agenda gathers momentum, the bodies accumulate. Davenport is drafted into the law enforcement response because of his past history with her. The thirteenth "Prey "novel is among the most ambitious. Sandford integrates the mundane domesticity of Davenport's life--wedding invitations, gown selection--with the terror of a circling killer. More significant is his portrayal of the symbiotic relationship between great cops and great criminals: neither could exist without the other because there would be no standard against which to judge their accomplishments. Davenport and Rinker may not be the equal of Holmes and Moriarity but certainly belong in the family portrait. (Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2002, American Library Association.)