This was a great addition to the Prey series! Exciting and clever. Lucas Prey and John Sandford do not disappoint.

I read this book based on the recommendation of a friend, and my conclusion was this was not one of John Sandford's best books. The writing is very disjointed and focuses mainly on fighting and chase scenes. There is not much character development or plot. The book opens with one of the character being described as smelling like ferret feces. This was not a book that I enjoyed reading, but I will try some of the author's other books before I give up on him.

Another great story from John Sandford. New Orleans to LA to Vegas with Lucas Davenport again leading the charge. I like the change of venue from Minnesota (nothing against it) which makes the storyline more entertaining. I have enjoyed all the books by John and looked forward to the next one.

From the first book in the “Prey” series to this, the latest, Sanford always delivers a great and suspense-filled read.

Lucas Davenport seems to find himself in a jam quite often. It's a good thing John Sanford knows how to get him out of them.
Lucas has been around for awhile. He's an old friend to many readers of all ages. This episode in the Davenport chronicles finds our hero working a bail jumping case that suddenly turns into much, much more. Of course, he will solve this dilemma while getting into and out of several scrapes that make us gasp! As a Lucas Davenport/ John Sanford fan I may be prejudiced but this is a great book.

Review featured at www.books-n-kisses.com

3.75 Hearts This is the 29th… Yes 29th… in the series and while you would think it has gotten old but it really hasn’t.. Mostly.

After 28 other stories some of the personality of Lucas has crossed over a time or two but that being said the story really holds up even after so many stories. The serial killer Lucas is after this time is a cannibal that the FBI has been after for a while.

I have to say the storyline was a bit dark but still an enjoyable read. And even though it is #29 you can read it as a stand alone.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

John Sandford never disappoints. Just when you think every crime imaginable has been written about he comes up with something new. This time it's a cannibal, who would have thought. Love all the characters.

Neon Prey is the 29th novel in the prey series and the 29th Lucas Davenport story that I have read. The novel opens with a vivid description of the book's antagonist, Clayton Deese, a vicious killer, who, the reader later finds out, eats his victims. Deese is the hired assassin of a New Orleans loan shark, on the run after a hit goes wrong. Lucas Davenport is called to the scene when a graveyard of partially-eaten bodies is discovered on Deese's property. From there, Lucas and his associates, Bob and Rae, are on the trail of Deese and the armed robbery crew whom he joined up with. The marshals chase Deese across the west coast, each time narrowly missing capturing their target.

While the frame of the story is well-constructed, I felt that this Davenport novel didn't have quite the, "can't put this book down" allure of Sandford's previous novels. I would have liked more imagery where Deese was concerned, even a flashback or two, about the background of the bodies that were discovered on his property. A bit more action throughout the book would have also helped to grab my attention.

The story is written in the omniscient point of view so the reader is aware of all the characters' thoughts, which helps to build the plot and develop the characters. The action really builds in the second half of the book and that is when I became truly invested in the story and couldn't wait to find out how it would end.

Sandford made sure to tie up all lose ends so the reader isn't left wondering the fate of the characters that they have become connected to. The end of the novel leaves the door open for the next Davenport novel, which I will certainly be reading.

What a great book. This is my first John Sandford book, and I love Lucas Davenport.

It’s very easy to see why the series has so many successful entries.

In this book a hitman is on the run and it’s Davenport’s job to track down one of the country’s most sought fugitives. In addition to Davenport, the hitman is also on the run from his boss who is trying to prevent loose lips.

The book has great action and some nice surprises. I think I have easily found a new series to enjoy.

Thanks to NetGalley.com, the author and publisher for my ARC.

Neon Prey
by John Sandford
(Lucas Davenport #29)
I love Lucas and the gang! The dialogue is always snappy and entertaining even when they are chasing a cannibal named Deese. The U.S. Marshalls are hunting a serial killer from Louisiana to L.A. and then, Las Vegas. The plot movies along quickly as they hunt down the bad guys. After everything Deese does, the ending is quite satisfying. I can't wait for the next installment.

Well-known, respected, and excellent author - check. Familiar characters from the series - check. Lots of chases and gun battles and violence - check. Creepy bad guys - check. Disgusting crimes - check.

Fans of John Sanford will love this book and people who have never read Sanford before will now have a new favorite author. For true crime stories told with a dash of humor, nobody does it better. The characters are unique and memorable, the locations well-described and interesting, and the story is non-stop action.

Another good one from John Sanford.

Published by G.P. Putnam's Sons on April 23, 2019

Neon Prey is the kind of book that John Sandford can write on auto-pilot and still entertain. The novel is filled with chase scenes and shootouts and banter. The plot has no substance to speak of, unless you count chase scenes and shootouts as a substantive plot, but Sandford does action scenes so well that the reader needs nothing more. At this point, Prey novels are just an excuse to check in with familiar characters to see how their lives are going. Suffice it to say that their lives are exciting.

Sandford’s Prey novels are light with patches of darkness. Neon Prey (Neon because much of the action is in Vegas) might be darker than most, simply because a fair number of characters (innocent and guilty alike) die, and characters who don’t die take a bullet. Even darker is the cannibal. Yes, there’s a cannibal and yes, that's been done before, in both fiction and the real world.

Lucas Davenport and Marshal buddies Bob and Rae are joined by an FBI agent who resembles a young Davenport, much to Rae’s delight. The plot involves a killer named Deese who is arrested after beating a man who refused to pay his debt to a loan shark. Deese is charged with furthering a racketeering conspiracy and is released on bail. Getting bail on a federal violent crime isn’t easy, but the judge gets a piece of the action so everyone’s happy. Everyone except Deese’s victims, because Deese is the aforementioned cannibal.

Deese cuts off his monitoring device in Louisiana. Federal Marshals Rae Givens and Bob Matees are searching Deese’s property when they find a bunch of buried bodies. The number and condition of the bodies and the contents of Deese’s grill are, to say the least, disturbing. Bob and Rae ask Lucas to use his clout to get the Marshals assigned to find Deese because they know the FBI isn’t good at finding people. For that matter, they don’t think FBI agents are good at anything.

From there, the story involves tracking Deese, who hooks up with a home invader and a young woman who is along for the ride (and the drugs). Deese and his accomplices go on a crime spree, staying a step ahead of the Marshals and FBI for much of the novel, but keeping them busy with shootouts and rising body counts and some clever schemes to avoid being captured.

The Prey stories are darkly amusing because of Davenport’s nonchalant joking with Bob and Rae in the face of mayhem. After 29 Prey novels, readers know what to expect, and Neon Prey is exactly what a series fan expects to read. There’s nothing new or different here, but the action, dialog, and skillful storytelling are enough to sweep the reader along, as they always are in a Sandford novel.

RECOMMENDED

There aren’t many authors whose latest book I eagerly await, and who maintain a consistently high level in terms of plot, character, and entertainment value. John Sandford has been one of those (along with Michael Connelly, Michael Robotham, Robert Crais, and Elizaeth George (OK, a few clunkers in the Lynley series, but overall still a fave). I was a bit surprised to realize that his latest, Neon Prey, is #29 in the Lucas Davenport series. I’m pretty sure I have read them all, and over the years I’ve come to know and love Lucas and some of his cronies, so I was happy to receive a copy of Neon Prey from Penguin Group/G.P. Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Lucas is now working for the U.S. Marshals Service, based in Washington, D.C., although he continues to live with his wife Weather, a plastic surgeon, in Minneapolis. He’s still got a boatload of money along with political clout and connections in various law enforcement agencies across the country. He also still has his buddy Virgil Flowers, although Virgil isn’t a major character this time around. The Marshals get involved in a search for a hired killer named Clayton Deese, and when they get to Deese’s place in the Louisiana bayou, they start finding graves filled with dead bodies. Evidence shows Deese, a truly disgusting man, has a Hannial Lecter streak, and the feds want him both because he is a nasty cannibalistic serial killer and even more because he works for a long-time target of theirs named Roger Smith. Deese is basically a creepy guy: “When a normal law-abiding citizen looked at Clayton Deese, his first thought was that Deese belonged in jail. Not that Deese ran into many normal citizens.” In addition to Bob and Rae, characters from previous books, Lucas works with various LEOs in LA and Las Vegas as well as Louisiana as they all hunt for Smith and Deese.

I’ve spent time in both LA and Vegas, and I loved Sandford’s descriptions of both places. In Vegas, Lucas and crew wander through some of the big casinos on the Strip, including Caesars, where they find themselves in the Forum shops. “The Forum was an absurd place, gigantic statues of big-breasted nude Roman women and Greek gods with fountains spraying water over them. Tourists wandered around, taking selfies and eating crap.” PERFECTLY SUMS IT UP!!

No spoilers, but the chase is fairly long and full of action with some classic Sandford humor thrown in. Solid recommendation! Four solid stars.

Neon Prey is the 29th book in the Lucas Davenport series, and this collection just keeps getting better and better. The book follows US Marshal Davenport’s attempts to apprehend a fugitive cannibalistic serial killer. There is constant action, as the reader follows along with Davenport and his familiar crew as they chase their prey. Any fan of the series will be pleased with the book, and any first time readers will be instantly hooked, as I was several “prey” novels ago. I can’t stop reading this series - the writing is crisp, with attention to detail, well placed humor, and great storylines. Easily a 5 star plus book, and the best I’ve read in the series so far. Can’t wait for the next installment. Thank You to @NetGalley and @PutnamBooks for the advanced digital ARC

After something like 40 books between the Prey and Flowers series, I'm always thinking that there's not going to be a unique storyline or that I'm going to be sucked into the book like I've been in the past. I was so wrong about that. This is my favorite Davenport book yet!

There's so much suspense. I was, at times, literally on the edge of my seat. In true Lucas fashion, there were plenty of times that I was laughing and I even shed a tear or two.

I'm already hype by the next book in this series. I can't wait to see what shenanigans this crew gets up to next.

Neon Prey is the 29th book in John Sandford’s Lucas Davenport series. In this installment, we are reunited with deputy U.S. Marshall Davenport and two of his co-workers, Bob and Rae.

Clayton Deese is a hired goon who failed to make a required appearance while on bond. When law enforcement went looking for Deese at his Louisiana home, they instead found numerous graves with murdered, cannibalized remains. Just the sort of case to interest Marshall Davenport. Suspecting that Deese has fled to his half brother in Los Angeles, Lucas takes the hunt – and Bob and Rae – first there and later to Las Vegas.

As always, it feels good to be back with our old friend Davenport; but, this Prey book is a bit different from prior installments. There is no real mystery, or crime to solve, in Neon Prey. We basically know who did what. Rather, the plot focuses more on where the perpetrators are and how Lucas finds them. We are treated to Sandford’s methodical, step by step progression of Lucas’s hunt; there are no leaps in logic, no unrealistic surmises involved. This Prey installment has Sandford’s typical good writing, as well as some of his humor. However, Neon Prey feels more superficial than the earlier books. Although the plot is detailed, there is only a mention of some of Davenport’s family and old friends like Flowers, Jenkins, and Strake. Although this may not trouble many new Prey fans, to a long time Davenport devotee, this feels like the picture of Lucas portrayed in Neon Prey is flat or missing a dimension.

Nonetheless, I enjoyed my visit with Marshall Davenport, and I look forward to Sandford’s next installment in the series.

Neon Prey by John Sandford has easily passed my old lady reading test. I read a quarter of the book, put it down for two weeks, and then pick it back up to finish. The test: remembering everything I have read and not having go back to refresh my memory. Neon Prey was an easy A+, no going back to refresh my memory of the story or characters.
Yes indeedy ladies and gentlemen step right up and read Neon Prey. You won’t be sorry, unless you don’t like graphic crime stories.
There isn’t a crime I can think of that isn’t present in Neon Prey, and maybe one or two I wouldn’t have thought to include. This is just one more example of Sandford’s genius in keeping the Lucas Davenport series fresh. The other genius, making it possible to jump in anywhere in the series and read as a stand-alone. Be aware though, very aware that you will want to go back to read the prior twenty eight. If I were a new reader, by the end of this book I would be jumpin’ for joy.
Davenport is now a deputy U.S. Marshall without portfolio, so to speak. He has some serious political pull, on both sides of the political aisle and is allowed to do pretty much what he wants. What he wants is to bring in serious killers.
Rae Givens and Bob Matees, fellow deputy US Marshall’s bring Davenport just what he wants, a formerly unknown serial killer who is in the wind. Clayton Deese, has been arrested by the FBI, and has agreed to snitch on a New Orleans boss, Rodger Smith; a serious player in the swamp of New Orleans’s crime.
Instead, Deese, has cut his ankle monitoring device and hightailed it from his south Louisiana property. When Bob and Rae, along with the FBI agent Sandro Tremanty, go to re- arrest Deese, they find buried bodies; lots of buried bodies.
The chase for Deese lasts for months, collecting more cities, more criminals and more crimes.
The writing as always is meticulous, taking you along on Mr.Toad’s wild ride At the same time the easy humor and dry wit makes you want to ante up a pocketful of quarters and ask for a seat at the table.
Depravity, camaraderie, terror, warmth, distrust, humor are all present and accounted for in Neon Prey. There is a tender yet funny scene where Davenport meets with his eldest daughter who is pondering which path to take after college, a dream job or further education. He tells her he doesn’t like to talk about such things, but basically she is trust fund scum and money should never be a basis for her decisions. A lesson never learned by Deese and his partners.
Sadly, Davenport’s coworkers from the earlier books are barely present. Never fear though, Virgil Flowers, with his usual sobriquet, is present a few times, just not often enough. Sorry Mr. Sandford, I’m sure you hear this compliant in every Davenport book. But ‘me and Mr. Davenport, we got a thing going on’ and that will never change. Flowers is just my backdoor hero.
I have to admit to being intrigued by Deese's use of Filé powder in his barbecue rub, but I would use a different cut of meat.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Neon pray by John Sanford is another diverting and regaling entry in the Lucas Davenport Minneapolis-based series. This time out Lucas who is now a federal marshal is on the trail of a vicious serial killer reminiscent of one of the all-time greats, Hannibal Lecter. It seems that his prey has killed multiple people and buried them in a Louisiana bayou. Now the serial killer is on his way to Los Angeles as well as to Las Vegas both cities full of depraved criminals’, witnesses and others who make this book a joy to read. As usual, Sanford writes an entertaining procedural chock full of images that translate well to the movie playing in the readers' mind. Great characterizations and a generous amount of violence and some sex render neon prey and outstanding procedural written by one of the true masters in the field.

Just like always, John Sandford delivers in Neon Prey. I love the Lucas Davenport books, and this one did NOT disappoint!! Sandford has done a fantastic job over the years and many many Davenport books later he is still at the top of his game. This book has a fast pace to it, and it was incredibly enjoyable!

Lucas Davenport, U.S. Marshal, enters into the case of Clayton Deese, an apparent small time criminal who gets himself arrested when one of his jobs “teaching someone a lesson” for not paying his debts goes awry. The victim manages to take a bite out of Deese’s leg which leads to his arrest. Deese manages to post bail and then fails to show at the trial, and the subsequent search at his home uncovers a number of bodies. Deese is apparently employed by an elusive, big-time criminal, Roger Smith. So Davenport teams up with FBI agent Sandro Tremantry, who has tried to catch Smith for years, and assisted by fellow agents Bob and Rae, the search takes them to Las Vegas. And what looks like a fairly simple apprehension keeps running into complications. Now a ruthless criminal, joined by a few not quite as ruthless abettors, is creating a perplexing case for Davenport and friends.

This is the 29th book of Sandford’s Prey Series, and he just keeps on chugging. The pages just keep turning and the humor between Lucas Davenport and his associates is always fun. A good addition to the series. Thanks to G.P.Putnam’s Sons and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.