A solid continuation of the Prey Series. It's just like all the books that came before, yet new and fresh at the same time.

One quibble. The sub-sub-plot about Flowers becoming a novelist and dealing with his literary agent, particularly all the nudge-nudge-wink-wink in-jokes that only a few readers will get, is appallingly sophomoric and completely unworthy of an author whose legacy is one of the truly great American crime fiction series. It should have been edited out.

Another in a long line of interesting, suspense filled Sandford books. Davenport & Flowers are once again together, as they work with the FBI to try and solve a series of murders
targeting wealthy individuals of dubious character and low morals. The easy going relationship between the two draws you right in and keeps you invested in the plot from page one. They criss cross the country following leads as they race to find the assassins before more victims are added to the count. Besides the great dynamic in pairing the two again, Sanford offers a unique perspective on people "getting what they deserve".
With Lucas and Virgil on your trail, karma really is a bitch.
Definitely ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

John Sandford strikes again! Flowers and Davenport are the bust duo going today! If you want a fast paced crime thriller this is for you!

Free ARC from NETGALLEY

#32 books, sounds impossible doesn't it? Normally it is 'ala the Reacher series that has such a mind numbing format but not so here.

Yes, Lucas continues in the end but each story is unique and rich with detail.

He keeps writing and WE ALL should keep reading. Love the book

A good installment in the Prey series. I enjoy Virgil Flowers very much, so I'm always happy when he and Davenport work together.

Wow! This was great! Back to the old Lucas and Virgil, and together they are great! Loved the book, loved the story, loved the characters. Really loved having both my favs together!!! Highly recommend this very exciting, hard to put down book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this review copy!

RIGHTEOUS PREY is the 32nd Prey book by John Sandford, and this is one of the better ones. Both Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are in this, working together to solve a murder spree. A group calling themselves “The Five” are slaughtering people that they (and many others) consider detrimental to society. The victims are considered to be a**holes and consist of rapists, thugs, etc. This twist makes The Five sympathetic characters, despite their murderous impulses.

It seemed there was slightly more Virgil content than Lucas. The banter between the two is as good as it ever was, with lots of ribbing about Lucas’ clothes and Virgil’s burgeoning career as an author. The characters are aging, yes, but also growing, and adding layers to both of their career paths. I hope they continue in law enforcement, because I feel that a lot of their appeal would be lost if Virgil were a full-time author and Lucas decided to retire (the horror!).

There is a new character introduced in the novel; her name is Jasmine Green and she is a cop assigned to help the duo out once they reach a certain point in the investigation. She starts out as a character that I wasn’t sure I was going to like, but as the plot progressed, I was happy she was added to the novel. Sandford does tend to drop new characters in here and there, and I hope we see Green again in the future.

Sandford’s ability to create a gripping plot is legendary. He never runs out of new ideas, and he puts his own special twist out there so you never know how things are going to end. I read through this book quickly and slowly at the same time (is this even possible?) because I wanted to find out what was going to happen to The Five, yet I didn’t want the book to end. Sandford takes too much time between books, if you ask me. This sentiment among his immense following proves what a fantastic writer he is.

I felt that there were no slow portions of the book. As each member of The Five is introduced to the reader, they emerge as intelligent, sardonic, and Type-A people. We get a brief background on them and learn their motivation, which turns out to be a good reason for the murder spree. The reader is invited to think about whether this murky “reasoning” is a good or a bad thing. Not that murder should be condoned – but we have all pictured someone famous and thought Gee, the world would be much better off without him”. This unique spin is another detail that made RIGHTEOUS PREY a bonafide thriller.

Sandford fans should be raving about this book! Lucas and Virgil are beloved characters, and this latest installation is a sure winner. I cannot choose what I liked best about this book – the always funny conversation between the two, or the fast-paced plot that gripped my interest from the first page. Which did you like best?

Another Davenport novel, another home run for Sandford. This is the second Lucas/Virgil partner duo and this one felt less clunky. It had strong a timely plot line kept the story moving; it brought back some familiar faces, but also took Lucas and Virgil across the country chasing a spider web of criminals. Two thumbs up!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

In Righteous Prey, John Sandford teams Lucas Davenport with Virgil Flowers for a case that is truly bizarre. Some nameless group of bitcoin billionaires has decided to kill people they think are scum. To be fair, each one killed would be thought scum by most of the universe.

The first to die has the number 1 Sharpied to his head. The death is followed by a press release from the killers, in which they explain they're "going to murder people who need to be murdered." They plan to kill four more; they will number their heads, and for each killing, they give tens of thousands of bitcoin to a charity. After the third killing, Lucas and Virgil are assigned to the case working around the FBI team.

Vivian Zhao, not a bitcoin billionaire, not even close, goes to their convention and starts listening to conversations to find likely killers. She doesn't have too much trouble. She becomes the point person, and the five killers know only her, not each other.

There is no telling who will be killed next or why. The killings are not contained within a specific geographic area unless the whole USA is specific enough.

Lucas and Virgil are getting good leads while the killers and Zhao are having some issues. Their perfect plan starts to come apart, and the question is whether or not Lucas and Virgil can figure out and avoid the next person from being killed.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Righteous Prey is a stellar effort by author John Sandford. I give him a gold star- right on his forehead. In the novel, a number on your forehead means that you are dead, but a gold star should signify merit! Lukas Davenport and Virgil Flowers work well together and are interesting characters. Flowers is an aspiring novelist, and the inside jokes here are fun.
But it is the murders that make the story. Sandford has them well thought out and paces his story well. There is no honor among murderers it seems, and that makes the novel even more interesting.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC.

As a loyal fan of John Sandford, I was thrilled that Righteous Prey featured both Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers equally. Each characters has his own series, and they often crossover, but usually one is featured more than the other. I immediately started reading as soon as I received this book, and it did not disappoint! Lucas and Virgil team up to track down a self proclaimed vigilante group who publicly take responsibility for serial killings around the country. They're extremely rich, and they're killing some of society's worst. They're not quite as altruistic as they'd like one to believe, though. After each killing, they donate an obscene amount to a related charity. Will the charities take the money? Since these murders are taking place, seemingly randomly, across the country, Lucas and Virgil are recruited to help with the investigations. Can they figure out who is behind it, and stop them before they strike again?
Lucas' sarcastic humor comes out resulting in more fun banter than in a normal Davenport book. While the case, the investigation and the hunt are intriguing, my favorite part of this book is the interactions between Lucas and Virgil. We've gotten to know Lucas very well throughout his series, and this book really delves deeper into Virgil.

Thank you so much NetGalley and Penguin Group for providing me with a copy of this book for my review.

The Lucas Davenport/Virgil Flowers duo just keeps moving along in the latest book in John Sandford’s Prey series. In their latest adventure the two friends are investigating the murder of a woman who appears to be the latest victim of The Five - a group of vigilante killers described as modern-day super heroes, who are apparently quite wealthy as well. Obviously, Davenport and Flowers will have their work cut out for them as they go up against this powerful and mysterious group.

John Sandford has produced another dynamite book. As usual, the writing is crisp, the dialogue entertaining, and the mystery is well-conceived and plotted. This is a series that never fails to entertain. I’m already looking forward to the next book.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing a copy of this book for review.

So GOOD. John Sandford does it again. This book was excellent, changing course when you least expected it. I love when Lucas & Virgil work together. Great chemistry.

Lucas and Virgil are hot on the trail of a cabal of smug Bitcoin billionaires who see themselves as modern-day vigilantes. Each one of The Five is targeting an "a--hole" who in their opinion deserves to be removed from society. The problem is, The Five, plus their ringleader, might be smart but they're human, with all the foibles you'd expect from thin-skinned psychopaths. As they chase their targets, alliances shift and change, and the tension rachets upward. It's really interesting to see the guys on the chase, as usual, and also, so funny! Sandford always delivers cynical humor in his novels, and this was no exception. I thoroughly enjoyed this latest Prey book. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this opportunity.

The biggest problem, when a new John Sandford comes out, is to try and pace myself. I want so badly for it to last longer but I can't help but read it non-stop. And with Righteous Prey I have both Lucas and Virgil working together - how could I stop myself? This round has a strange woman manipulating a series of wealthy vigilantes. They see themselves as ridding the world of really horrible people, and granted the ones they kill are certainly bad guys, The even offer the people that benefit form the deaths, victims and charities, a Bitcoin donation towards their cause. But they also seem to be enjoying themselves a tad too much and our ever fabulous lads are going to stop their game. As usual the "lads" are delightful, brilliant, and never disappoint. Just wish I had more will power to read at a slower pace. My only comfort is I have to many to re-read. Another thank you to Sandford.

Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for a chance to review this book.


Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are back to take on a new set of killers. While I have read every book in both the Davenport and Flowers series they are starting to get less enjoyable. While the characters don't seem to have aged much over the last 20 plus years, it is the damage to their bodies that is becoming unrealistic to me. With a combination of age and the many many times Lucas has been shot they seem get around pretty good. I suppose when you have written as many books in a series as John Sandford has you have to go with what works. Still an enjoyable read and 4 stars regardless.

RIGHTEOUS PREY continues Sandford’s merging the Virgil Flowers/Lucas Davenport series. This is a good idea for the author, as LD is no longer able to carry a series. He’s quite frankly not that interesting anymore. The book is a tale about bored and rich killers, with some bitcoin trading thrown in. Interesting story, and the boys have their hands full hunting down the leads in the case.

Once again, Sandford has done it! How is it possible for one person to write so many great thrillers? I'm not sure, but even after 32 Prey novels, he's showing no signs of slowing down. Possibly even speeding up, with his series expanding to include his sometimes partner Virgil Flowers and now his daughter Lettie. Whatever he's having in his coffee, I hope he keeps it up, and to continue to write such incredible books!
This book reunites the main Prey character, Lucas Davenport, with Virgil Flowers. To watch the way these two play off of each other is worth the price of the book, even without the plot. But, not to worry, the plot is fantastic!
I found it to be impossible to put this book down! The pacing, the tension, the excitement, how could anyone sleep without finishing it? The only drawback is that now I will have to wait several months (please, Sandford, no longer than that!) for the next book.
Incredible read!
Thanks to NetGalley for giving me the privilege to read and review an ARC of this book.

4 and 1 / 2 stars

Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers find themselves involved in a twisty mystery in this latest offering from author John Sanford.

An underground vigilante group calling itself the “Five” communicates online with “Six” who is the leader of the group. They are identified by airport acronyms, so they supposedly don’t know the real identities of their partners in crime. They all, except Six, are extremely wealthy people and decide to get their own against “bad people.”

The first two murders are reported in the news. It is when the third, a wealthy woman with no scruples, is murdered in Minneapolis that Lucas and Virgil get involved, along with the FBI and local police.

The third murderer has made some mistakes which are picked up by our pair of heroes. When things go wrong, the killer sets about attempting to correct his mistakes by murdering more people. Before long, things are wildly out of control.

Lucas and Virgil have a valuable lead and are on the trail.

As an aside, I like the way they gently needle each other throughout the investigation.

The writing, as usual for Mr. Sanford is excellent as is the plotting. The transitions are smooth. The tension in the story is constant as our intrepid officers follow lead to lead. I like that Virgil is now a published author and is working on his next book already. This is an exciting time in his life. He is questioning if he wants to stay in law enforcement. Virgil has always been my favorite Sanford character and I surely hope he doesn’t write him out of the “Prey” series.

I want to thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam/G.P. Putnam’s Sons for forwarding to me a copy of this exciting book for me to read, enjoy and review. The opinions expressed here are solely my own.

I have read all of Sandford's PREY books and RIGHTEOUS PREY is one of his best. Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers try to bring down The Five, a group of bitcoin investors who have sworn to rid the world of the most evil of rich a**holes. As usual, the characters are interesting and the plot suspenseful, but what really makes this book is how Sandford continues to build on Flowers and Davenport's characters. He really brings them to life. Thoroughly enjoyable!