Rating: 
Summary: Impossible to put down
Review: In this installment to John Sandford's Prey series, Sandford introduces Clara Rinker, a professional hit woman who's past has led her into a life as a killer, who also happens to own her own bar. While Rinker kills in a chilling, cold-blooded fashion, she still has a likeability about her that makes her hard to resist. Her client however, Carmel Loan, an attorney who retains Rinker's services to kill the wife of the man she is in love with, is more cold and unlikeable than the killer herself. Minneapolis Deputy Chief Lucas Davenport steps in and begins to put the pieces together. As he draws closer to catching the pair. As the stakes get higher, the action increases at a break neck pace. I couldn't put this book down for the life of me and was sad when I was finished.
Rating: 
Summary: Certain Prey
Review: Sandford's writing style is gripping, virtually pushing you through his book. As a woman, myself, I thought Clara and Carmel were a shocking duo. Sandford does an excellent job of making the incredible credible with these two villainesses.
Rating:
Summary: Blond Ambition
Review: Certain Prey's plot is gripping and suspenseful, although a bit far fetched. The two villianesses are the most interesting characters, especially mafia hit-woman Clara Rinker. Clara is achingly intelligent and I found myself rooting for her throughout the book, even when she was killing people. Her partner in crime, lawyer Carmel Loan, is a little over the top in that she commits such horribly despicable acts. For all of Clara's endearing qualities, Carmel matches them with negative ones. She is truly a hateful character. This novel is almost completely unrealistic, but nevertheless, the storyline and interesting characters keep the pages turning until the end.
Rating:
Summary: Terrific Thriller
Review: I read Certain Prey when it first came out; in fact I wrote a review here which got lost in the vastness of virtual space somehow. Usually I don't re-read thrillers; most of the joy is in the plot for works like these and they aren't really studies in characterization. But I recently found myself looking for a quick read and unwittingly grabbed it again; within two sentences I remembered the plot but was intrigued enough to go through the whole thing again, and honestly enjoyed it more the second time around. Sandford's dialogue is snappy, at least as good as Robert Parker's is. His protagonist, Lucas Davenport, feels like a real character once you get past the millionaire cop thing. Thriller readers will undoubtedly have noticed a similarity between Davenport and James Patterson's Alex Cross; but Cross is a family man who becomes more perfect with every novel. Davenport lives alone (by this novel); he's grumpy at times and not above planting evidence if it will get him his killer. And the killers--I do find the plethora of killer pairs in modern fiction getting to be tedious, and I think that is one of the major weaknesses of this novel. Not only are there paired killers, but they are women--quite a stretch in the believability department. Sandford does his best and is moderately successful at making their motives, personalities, and subsequent bonding seem possible. Loneliness is a powerful force, and he evokes it successfully. When I first read Certain Prey I thought that one of these characters, the Mafia hitwoman Clara Rinker, almost seemed to be written to be played by Jodie Foster; a kind of evil version of Clarice Starling from Thomas Harris's Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal. That probably won't happen given her reticence to appear in Hannibal; but why the Prey series hasn't been filmed I really don't understand. Hopefully Hollywood will come around soon.
Rating:
Summary: Sandford is always a good read.
Review: Excellent Prey book. You will actually like the bad guy and hope for a return appearance. Charged with contemptuous women who will do just about anything to get their way. Very clever. You'll love the car scene.
Rating:
Summary: GLAD THERE'S ALWAYS SOME PREY
Review: The Prey series has just built a life of it's own. Unlike some of the tired and tried crime series out there, author John Sandford (Camp) has made each entry in his series quite unique. Some of the books have given us a serial killer (Rules of Prey, Eyes of Prey), others handle action (Sudden Prey, Shadow Prey), others allow a cat-and-mouse storyline (Mind Prey, Silent Prey), and still others move right into a straight mystery (Winter Prey, Secret Prey). Sandford keeps things fresh while constantly making each novel stand on it's own strengths. The constant of the series is of course central character Lucas Davenport. Millionaire cop? Sure. But once you get past this, show me one man out there who wouldn't want to be Lucas. Smart. Sexy. Rich. Adventurous. I know I'd like to be him. All this of course leads to this entry in the Prey series - CERTAIN PREY. Much like Eyes of Prey, this story gives Lucas two antagonists to deal with. One is a smart, rich, borderline psychopath. The other is a strong, skilled, borderline sociopath. Killings happen. Clues are left. And the characters match wits...and keep the reader turning the pages. I recommend this book. It is definately one of the stronger entries in the series.
Rating: 
Summary: not as good as the first Prey books
Review: This book as a good read, and if it hadn't been by Sandford I would have given it another star. But I didn't think it was as good as the first Prey books. I always look forward to another Lucas Davenport adventure. But somehow I have the feeling he is getting a little wimpy. Summing up: Sandford is one of my favorites, and I look forward to his next book! I just didn't think Certain Prey was one of his best.
Rating:
Summary: Certain Prey
Review: Billy Bippus
October 3, 2001
Certain Prey
Certain Prey, a novel written by John Sandford, keeps you flipping page after page where you never want to put it down. Lucas Davenport, John Sandford's main character throughout all of his Prey books, has his hands full in Certain Prey. Lucas gets the call to cover a case that would go deeper than he would have ever expected. Clara Rinker and Carmel Loan would give Lucas the ride of his life.
Clara and Carmel team up and go on a series of killing sprees. Lucas figures out a pattern, but that is about all he can get. As the book continues certain people get slaughtered and Lucas has a hunch that it is Carmel. One thing leads to the other, and Lucas is in her apartment trying to get her to confess that she killed all of those people. All of a sudden she walks out and comes back while Lucas is standing in the hallway, and starts shooting at him. He gets hit a few times, but not by the major blast. However, she does not stop there, and comes into her room and fires at him there too. In the mean time he did get off one shot that hit her right in ribs, but she escapes and gets to her car. It ends up that she runs her car into a concrete building and kills herself. Time passes and Lucas still can not find Rinker. However, as the book is coming to a close Rinker calls Lucas and tells him where she is and where she is going. He knows she will never come back, and that she will never be caught, but they do part on good terms when she says "I'm faster then you", then he says "No way, sweetheart."
Lucas Davenport would be considered a flat character, but a guy who is generally well liked. To me he would even be a realistic and plausible type person. I could definitely see I guy like him walking down the road. Certain Prey really did not have any meaning to us in today's society it was more of escape fiction, just for fun reading. In my opinion there was not much that John Sandford could have said or written to make this book any better. I would highly recommend this novel to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: Faced Paced, Gripping Til The End...
Review: I've been reading the 'Prey' novels out of sequence and have found them most enjoyable. The 2nd Michael Bekker was a favorite, as was this last one I read "Certain Prey". I found it a quick and interesting read that really got your mind turning about how one would cover up their tracks if they were in a bit of trouble. I found reading how a professional killer might live and think interesting (as I'm a novice in that field) and was glad one of them (not telling who) got away in the end: you almost feel you were rooting for her. Great read; ready to read more Sanford!!
Rating:
Summary: Lucas Davenport is my dream man!
Review: I have read EVERYONE of the "Prey" novels. I tell my husband it is a good thing Lucas is in a book because he would have troubles :-)...I can not imagine living without reading the "Prey" novels. I have probably read 2000 books in my adult life and John Sandford's books are on the top of my list. Start from the beginning "rules of prey" and fall in love with Lucas too!! OK even men love these books!!
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