Shadow Prey
by John Sandford
Copyright: 1990
Pages: 342
Rating: 3/5
Read: Oct. 8 – Oct. 16, 2013
Challenge: Off the Shelf Challenge; RIP VIII; 2013 Sequel Challenge
Yearly count: 43
Format: Print
Source: Personal copy
Blurb: A slumlord and a welfare supervisor butchered in Minneapolis . . . a rising political star executed in Manhattan . . . an influential judge taken in Oklahoma City . . . All the homicides have the same grisly method — the victim’s throat is slashed with an Indian ceremonial knife – and in every case the twisted trail leads back through the Minnesota Native American community to an embodiment of primal evil known as Shadow Love. Once unleashed, Shadow Love’s need to kill cannot be checked, even by those who think they control him. Soon he will be stalking Lucas Davenport — and the woman he loves…
Review: This is the second book in the Lucas Davenport series.
Last year I read and reviewed the first book, Rules of Prey. I gushed and gushed about how wonderful that book was. For whatever reason, I never picked this one up (and it’s been sitting on my shelves for a long time).
Unfortunately … this one wasn’t as great as the first book. I wouldn’t necessarily say that it was terrible, but it definitely wasn’t wonderful. I had a really hard time getting into the actual storyline. And that really made it difficult to push through. But I never thought about abandoning it, I was going to finish it (even if it did take me forever…). I also had a problem with Lucas’ womanizing in this installment. I knew that Lucas was a womanizer after reading the first book, but it was really bad this time around. I suppose it’s because he has a new baby girl, Sarah, with Jennifer and he had supposedly offered marriage numerous times to her (she keeps denying him), and yet he hops into bed almost immediately with his partner from New York. And he pretty much tells Lily and Jennifer that he just can’t help it. I don’t know, it bothered me. It just didn’t ring true to me.
Overall, I’m not going to be giving up on this series just yet. Mr. Sandford’s writing is really good. I think I just really had a problem with the storyline in this one. It just didn’t work for me.
Not a bad book, but not one I would highly recommend.
Tales of a Book Addict 
I liked “Rules of Prey.” I have this book on my short list of books to read. Thanks for the review. I love a good thriller. I just finished the best one called, “No One Can Know” by Adrienne LaCava. http://adriennelacava.com/ The book is set in the backdrop of the 1960s during the JFK assassination, which begins as a CIA agent as a witness who must now go into hiding at the ranch. The story shares multiple POVs with differing perspectives on 1960’s issues. It’s a real nail biter, and I advise that you set aside an entire day to read this book!
I’ve read them all, well, I;m currently reading this year’s installment. I like Lucas and I like that his character does progress and grow. Some are better than others and they so start to feel similar, but I consider them comfort visits with a friend 🙂