Rating: 
Summary: Sandford is a master
Review: John Sandford is, in my opinion, the master of the cop-thriller. It's not a genre I was particularly interested in. But I picked up one of his "Prey" novels out of desperation for engrossing fiction. I've now read about six or so of the "Prey" series.
Lucas Davenport is one of the best-developed fictional characters to be found. He is human. He is an imperfect man in search of justice. He is smart, but not a genius. Sometimes he loses battles on his way to winning the war. And perhaps best of all, Davenport grows a bit, changes a bit in each "Prey" novel.
In "Hidden Prey," Davenport has to resolve a series of murders. The first involves a Russian, so a Russian investigator joins Minnesotan Davenport on the case.
Sandford's plots are beautifully constructed. I haven't found a one yet that required a suspension of belief, not a one that jarred a reader's senses.
Sandford is simply a master and a delightful read.
Jerry
Rating: 
Summary: One of the worst in the series.
Review: A man named Rodion Oleshev is found dead with three bullets in his head and heart. Nobody knows for sure why this man was killed, but everyone from the local cops, to the FBI and even the Russians themselves have theories. Lucas Davenport is asked investigate with the aide of a female Russian cop from Moscow.Lucas and Nadezhda, begin their investigation to find the victim was a man with high government connections, and he was killed with fifty-year old bullets. Why was this man killed and why was he killed with the old bullets? These are the questions that Davenport and his partner must answer, but in order to do so they must follow a trail that will take them to another place and time, one that holds deadly secrets. 'Hidden Prey' is not the best novel in the Prey series; it's a little confusing, somewhat boring and slowly paced. Over the years the Prey series has lost it's spunk and that's due mainly in part to the changing of plot style. The early novels in the series were page-turning thrillers about twisted killers, but the new ones are slow paced mysteries that have replaced the page-turning thrills and twisted killers with boring Russian conspiracies and female assassins among others. Die-hard fans of the series may find this new book acceptable, but fans of exciting thrillers, or exciting Prey novels such as 'Mind Prey', 'Rules of Prey', 'Eyes of Prey' or 'Winter Prey' to name a few of the better titles in the series, will be disappointed. Nick Gonnella
Rating: 
Summary: The Best of Prey
Review: As John Sandford goes, this one is actually a pretty good, there are some believable characters, the plot is fine, and the action is going.
Do not get me wrong, Sandford is his usual moronic self: bad guys are on rampage; the body count is going up by an hour; the police, the FBI, the Russian SVR, and Lukas himself all are watching helplessly; on top of all of this we learn that there is a "conservative" governor in Minnesota, but it is clearly the best in the "prey" series.
Rating:
Summary: Not the John Sandford I'm accustomed to
Review: God knows where Sandford got this plot from. As a firm devotee of his "Prey" series I struggled to get through it. Not the usual taut, faced-paced and intelligent crime genre novel that one is used to if one admires Sandfor's writing and his character Lucas Davenport. Stick to real violence John, and leave the subtle plot notions alone.
Rating:
Summary: A little too hidden!
Review: Hidden Prey was a fair read. This was my 3rd Prey book and I got thru it rather quickly. I am not a fan of Lucas Davenport, nor his wife Weather but the other characters in this book are very interesting.
I really enjoyed Certain Prey and Mortal Prey better, but this book held my interest. Trey, the bag lady, turned out to be the one to really mystify Lucas, and I am glad he didnt try to mess with her too much. Lucas is getting boring and I may try another of Sanford's heros for a change in personalities.
Rating:
Summary: --John Sandford does it again!
Review: HIDDEN PREY, brings back Detective Lucas Davenport, who's still smart and street wise, but now a little calmer and not quite so testy. His wife and young son seem to have turned Lucas into a happier man. He's still a detective, but he now works for the state government and reports directly to the Governor of Minnesota.
When the murdered body of a Russian sailor is found on the docks of Duluth, Lucas is called in to supervise the investigation. Policewoman, Nadya Kalin is sent by the Russian government to assist Lucas. Nadya`s involvement complicates the investigation since Lucas doesn't trust her motives and believes that she's keeping information from him.
This is a very fast paced story with a host of quirky characters, including a ring of Communist spies who have been living in Minnesota for decades. Their leader is a very determined former KGB colonel who happens to be 92-years old.
I listened to the recorded book that was well read by Richard Ferrone. He has become the voice of Lucas Davenport! As an added bonus, on the last tape, there's an interesting interview with the author.
Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I adore Lucas and have read each "Prey" novel and enjoyed all of them. Sadly, the best word I can use to describe this one is BORING! Who cares about aging Russian spys? And too many characters with hard to remember foreign names. Please John, take us back to nasty serial killers and psychological mysteries!
Rating: 
Summary: Don't waste your money.
Review: I am a die hard Lucas Davenport fan. Where was he in this book? Where were the INTERESTING STORY LINES? Has Sanford forgotten how to write this way, or has he just become lazy? Or maybe Lucas's marriage to Weather (who personally I just don't care for), taking on the cool and street smart young girl, Letty, from "Naked Prey" as his ward, and being a father to his young son Sam totally wiped out and mellowed away all that was fun, exciting and interesting about Lucas and his work. Something sure happened, and it wasn't good. If I did not have and love every other book in the "Prey" series I wouldn't even keep this one. I'm hoping Sanford brings back Lucas and his crew of Del, Marcie and the "interesting" criminals and plots of former novels. Perhaps it's a subliminal (or whatever, if not so subtle) message from Sanford, who is in fact a minister. Maybe he is trying to tell us the settling down is more important than fighting crime and that family and friends are all that counts in the end...or maybe it's more important than writing an interesting novel? Yeck, I don't know what he was doing. I guess they'll publish anything, no matter how bad, if it's from a successful series like this one. If they had had a "0" Star for me to choose from, that is what I would have rated this book. And if this is the "oh, so boring!" route Sanford intends to follow with Lucas...hell, I may end up tossing this one and all future books. That way I will always have the real "Lucas Davenport" in my library. I dragged myself through reading it, constantly waiting for SOMETHING TO HAPPEN and thinking they had replaced Lucas with something like a reverse version of "The Stepford Wives." Sorry guys, I'm ticked: I want the real Lucas Davenport back.
Rating:
Summary: Very disappointed!!!
Review: I have read every book in the "Prey" series and I found this one very difficult to finish. The story line is far fetched and boring. Usually I finish a book in about 3-5 evenings and it took me more than 6 weeks to finish this book....
Rating:
Summary: Winding down..in more ways than one
Review: I kinda agree with the general feeling on this one...the plot is thick and slow and sluggish and the ending is a major let down. The subtle hints that Davenport is looking into new careers and is tired of the politics hints that the series is winding down. Maybe, maybe not, but that's no excuse for sloppy and lazy writing. I love Sandford's other books (except for shadow prey, never could get interested enough in that one to finish it) and it's sad to see him turn out trash. It does continue the story though, and for that I was thankful. It was nice to be back in Davenport's Minnesota and visit with him and Weather and Del and Andreno. It's like coming home. This is nowhere near the caliber of Mind Prey (which is by far the best in the series, fighting for top spot with Mortal Prey) but it's a Davenport book nonetheless. Enjoy...and if nothing else read this just because it continues the story.
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