It's possible that you haven't read a Lucas Davenport novel recently. The series has been consistently good throughout its run, but some of the early books were better than the ones that followed. If you've been away for a while or have never encountered John Sandford's Minneapolis police investigator, the time is nigh to jump on with MORTAL PREY --- right now. It's the latest in the series and is, bar none, the best.

Davenport is a complicated character, not entirely likable; he's maybe a bit too self-satisfied and ostentatious while lacking the charm to offset it. In other words, he's extremely realistic. His personality flaws, however, are somewhat tempered this time around by his pending domesticity. MORTAL PREY finds him on the threshold of becoming a husband to Weather, his on-again, off-again, significant other. This turn of events is occasioned, in part, by Weather's pregnancy. Davenport actually appears to welcome this turn of events without any regret (though there is some momentary wistfulness). His preoccupation with the building of a new home and the upcoming wedding is suddenly diverted, however, with the return of Clara Rinker, the hitwoman from CERTAIN PREY, who almost killed Davenport. Sandford sets up her return here very neatly, running Rinker and Davenport on parallel paths.

When we encounter Rinker she is in Mexico, living under another name and coming as close as she ever has to living a normal life. She is engaged to the son of a Mexican crime lord and is carrying their child. Her happiness is abruptly shattered when a sniper's bullet kills her fiance and unborn child and leaves her gravely wounded. It appears initially that the bullet was meant for Rinker's future husband; Rinker, however, knows that the bullet was meant for her. Rinker slowly recovers and plots a rough and terrible justice against the perpetrators, her former employers in St. Louis. Davenport is brought in by the FBI to assist them in apprehending Rinker and protecting her potential victims --- but Rinker has plotted very well. She seems to be three steps ahead of her pursuers at all times and appears to be unstoppable.

Sandford, all the while, keeps things moving at a frenetic pace. The ingeniousness with which Rinker attacks her targets leaves the reader, as well as Davenport, grudgingly admiring her methodology. Make no mistake, MORTAL PREY is as much about Clara Rinker as it is about Lucas Davenport. Sandford skillfully brings the two of them on a collision course that will leave the reader wondering --- and quickly reading --- right up to the end.

MORTAL PREY is Sandford's 14th Davenport, aka "Prey" novel, and demonstrates that he will probably run out of words to pair up with "Prey" before he runs out of ideas. With Davenport on the verge of personal and professional changes in his life, Sandford will undoubtedly keep readers coming back for a long time to come.

   --- Reviewed by Joe Hartlaub

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