Neon Prey (A Prey Novel) Hardcover – April 23, 2019

So very, very dissapointed by this sloppy mismash of violence and mayhem serving only one purpose... putting more money in Sanford's pocket. There really should be a return policy for rotten products such as this. The authorities (FBI Police Marshalls) at one turn are competent and then utter fools... depends on where Sanford needs the plot to advance... aggravating and stupid. Sanford has also resorted to Lee Childs (Reacher) tendency to pull "facts" out his arse so the story can progress. Doctor and hospital give a patient prescriptions when the patient refuses to give a name (so a prescription with no patient name???!!!) And then they track the prescription down to a pharmacy when they have no idea what the name is on the prescription. Judas Priest!!!! And with cannibalism, rape, killing on every level, brutality and a body count beyond comprehension, Sanford is showing he has lost the ability to write and should stop, but I would imagine the prospect of more and more money will override his judgement. Really sad to see a good writer go down this path. Stay with Michael Connelly and such who maintain a level of excellence that Sanford never reached and never will. By the way, I've given some of his previous books 4 stars or more, so it's not vitriol I'm writing.

Neon Prey is in Sandford's great police procedural style complete with authentic cop banter. But it's missing any heart. It's just boring. At the climax when someone is yelling "what do we do?" my thought was: I don't care and that sums it up. Maybe too realistic police procedural, a little Keystone Kops running around but with a cannibal and rape...so boring and horrible all at the same time. Just no heart to the story there's no one to care about.

I am a big fan of the Prey novels and have read most of them, and will keep doing so, but I have noticed in the last few novels by John Sandford that his liberalism is showing more and more, come on Sanford do what you do best and write good books without all the liberal garbage in them.

I didn't finish it because frankly - I didn't care. It was so confusing and jumped around too much. There was not enough classic Davenport. Maybe if I would have read it until the end, it would have made more sense. But there are so many books to read and so little time - I just didn't care to stick with something that was so boring. When I find myself skimming and skipping pages, it is time to go on to something else. I'm not giving up on Davenport but hope for a better story next time.

I've read all the Prey books, some of them multiple times. Although I consider Phantom Prey to be the worst book in the series, Neon Prey comes in a close second. I just don't want to hear Lucas Davenport complaining about being old and his coworkers saying he looks old. The villain was flat and uninteresting. It's also time to move on from the Marshals Service and get Lucas back to Minneapolis. Bob and Rae just aren't as compelling as Del, Sloan, Jenkins, Shrake and Marcy. Maybe the next book could take place back when Lucas was with the BCA, which would be more interesting. I've found that several of my favorite authors, Daniel Silva, Michael Connelly, and now John Sandford seem at a loss as to what to to do with their aging characters. Maybe going back to the past when they were younger and setting a book in that time period is the answer.

I’ve read ALL of Sanford, most of it twice, and I found Neon Prey to be less than his best work. It is kind of flat, and it reminds me of the first couple of Virgil Flowers stories that made me suspect that Sandford wasn’t doing all the writing. Bob and Rae are a little two dimensional and the cop banter didn’t pull the reader right down into the circle of cops standing around looking at a body the way only Sandford can. I do like taking the stories all over the country, but I miss all the great characters back in Minn. Neon Prey is also very poorly edited.

I want to believe all Detectives are like Lucas Davenport. He attracts other cops like bees to flowers, and their dialogue is clever and funny! The author, John Sanford raises the bar on Detective books with his great characterizations and his skillful plot construction. In “Neon Prey”, Davenport is asked to help 2 other Marshalls find an especially demented killer, Deese, in New Orleans. Rae and Bob are recurring cast. Even “that f****** Flowers shows up a couple of times. Something shocking happens to Lucas and the long hunt is going to take him to L.A. and Las Vegas and involve lots of twists and surprises. The psychology of the gang hanging out with Deese is very well-done and unexpected. A suspenseful and brutal storyline.Lucas Davenport is my favorite book character! He’s smart, rich, violent to defend the innocent, and loves his family. Weather is his wife, a surgeon. Letty is his daughter in college and a female Lucas. He has two other children, but they’re too young to get into much trouble. Lucas hunts horribly-evil killers with the U. S. Marshall’s Service. I love this series and read every new addition with great anticipation and enjoyment!

Another excellent Lucas Davenport book. Nasty villains, as in really nasty villains, gripping chases, some witty humour, it’s all there. The way JS relates the protagonists conversations make you almost feel you are riding along with them. As with any JS books my only complaint is that they finish too quickly. However a Virgil Flowers book is due for release later this year. Wonderful book.

If you are familiar with the Virgil Flowers series, you’ll know what to expect from Sandford. Characterisation is absolutely spot on. Whether baddie or goodie, Sandford creates tangible and fully fleshed characters for each and every one of his books. Locations are vividly brought to life and there’s always a healthy dose of humour.This being my first Lucas Davenport novel, I must say that I prefer the Flowers series based on what I have read to date. Lucas shows some poor judgement and does not seem as clued up as Virgil.You’ll need to be patient with this novel but the payoff is rewarding. On the trail of a deranged killer who makes steaks from his victims, the full might of the US law enforcement community is brought to the fore. The backstabbing and duplicity between the criminals is particularly well drawn.

As usual, I really enjoyed a Lucas Davenport story. The books always move swiftly and I like that you know both what the baddies and the cops are doing. It can be a bit brutal at times but illustrates the characters so isn't necessarily over the top.This story consists mostly of Lucas and his team chasing down some criminals so maybe not as suspenseful as other books but I like the fact that the books have developed, with ease, to include new, regular characters as well as nods to previous characters.

John finds these characters who are quite dreadful but real. His heroes - a bunch of them - always succeed in the end but have problems along the way. I live in England but know the States a bit and can visualise where the story goes. I think you could do this anyway. I needed something to take my mind away from a number of issues and this did the job wonderfully. I loved it. Let's have more please.

Another excellent read from Sandford in the Lucas Davenport series.!Chasing a serial killer around LA, Vegas etc in a dirty and sometimes gruesome storyline.Lucas alongside Rae & Bob are in excellent form.Well worth reading

Not bad, plenty of pace, a lot of shooting. A silly plot that introduces some characters to be shot later. Worth reading!

John Sandford always writes a brilliant story. From New Orleans to Los Angeles to Vegas, Lucas, Bob & Rae are chasing another bad guy and we readers are along for a wild ride.

Classic Sandford, fast moving plot, criminals that you start to empathise with, the occasional laugh out loud moments. After a couple of weaker books this is Sandford at his best. I still want more Del, Shrake and Jenkins though!

Every bit as good as the others in the series. Love how John Sandford still weaves in favourite characters from previous books, and updates the reader on Lucas' whole life, as well as giving us the excitement and drama of a whole new adventure.

John Sandford is an absolutely wonderful story teller and writer. I love his work and this was great. I enjoyed every moment and could not put it down.

Not as good as some of his offerings, maybe his new partners just are not as interesting.Nonetheless a good read with a predictable end!

Having not read any of the prey series for a long timei'm so glad i have read the latest one as it is upthere with my favourite one's.

Although not as good as early Prey stories.John Sandford is still maybe the best of the American crime fiction writers andhis Prey and Virgil Flowers books are always worth reading.

No spoilers so justto say Sandford is at his bestbhere. Edgy Lucas Davenport the Marshall story. Recommended if you're a fan of the prey series.

Both Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers series never fail to provide a great read, long may they continue, both separately and together.