admin
22 December 2023
It’s been a long, hot summer, and about the only thing to do to stay cool is stay inside and read. It’s been a good season for books so far, and John Sandford’s latest, Broken Prey, is one of the best I’ve read this summer.
Last year’s \"Prey\" novel was just okay; it seemed kind of watered-down, and I thought that maybe Lucas Davenport was just getting older like the rest of us and settling into a rut. But Broken Prey is back on track, and Lucas has regained his edge.
Probably one of the most gruesomely descriptive books that I’ve read of Sandford’s, the story begins, of course, with the discovery of the first of several horrifying murders. Although Lucas has lately been more of a desk man, he is once again called into the thick of this investigation. Charlie Pope, recently released from a prison hospital for the criminally insane, soon becomes the prime suspect.
If only it were that simple.
Doubt and confusion cause Lucas, whose wife and children are in London for the duration of this book, to become more and more obsessed with the case.
Broken Prey is a fast-paced, brutal story-- a page turner, if you will. But it also has a weird little side story going on. As a birthday gift, Lucas’ wife, Weather, gave him an iPod and a gift certificate for one hundred songs from the Apple website. He has challenged himself to make a list of the best one hundred songs of the rock era. So, in between finding bodies and chasing down bad guys, Lucas and his friends spend a fair amount of time coming up with and debating the list. One rule he has made (that I’d have to disagree with) is that there can be no Beatles songs. The whole list thing sounds like it would be distracting, but actually adds much-needed respite from the violence. The book ends with the complete list-- an interesting mix.
I think that John Sandford fans will enjoy this new addition to the series, but I would also recommend Broken Prey even if you haven’t read the previous sixteen novels. The variety of characters and the fast-paced storyline should give even new readers a story to sink their teeth into. It’s a novel that is well worth coming in out of the heat for.
artid
3332
Old Image
8_1_mawatchman.jpg
issue
vol 8 - issue 01 (sep 2005)
section
entertainmental