Thank you NetGalley for the eARC of Judgment Prey by John Sandford. I always look forward to the next installment in the Prey series. Add Virgil Flowers and it definitely goes to the top of my TBR pile. This was not my favorite in the series mostly due to the case they were trying to solve. I really couldn't buy into it. I also did not care for any of the other characters in the book, lacked a lot of depth for me.
The abrupt ending is what made this one drop from 4 to 3 stars. I actually thought the last chapter was missing pages, such a let down.

.John Sandford is one of my auto-buy authors. I have read every Prey novel and Virgil Flowers novel and I have enjoyed them all. I love how Mr. Sandford has developed and evolved Lucas and Virgil through the years. The books in these series are all so well-written. About halfway through the series, 30-plus Prey and 12-plus Virgil novels, I started listening to the audio versions instead of reading the book. As the long-time Prey narrator, Richard Ferrone has passed away, I was scared to listen to this first release with a different narrator, Robert Petkoff. With big shoes to fill, Mr. Petkoff does a great job. I highly recommend this book, whether reading in print or listening on audio, as always is the case with Sandford's novels, this book checks all the boxes for me. He sets the bar in the police procedural/thriller genre.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an advanced digital copy. All opinions are my own

Sanford is a master storyteller and never disappoints. This novel had me gripping the pages, or rather my tablet from early on and kept me enthralled to the last turn of the page.

I really Love John Sanford' books, I have read them all. This one was lacking, I understand Maggie wanted justice but it dwelled so much on her wanting revenge more than it felt lke we were trying to find the killer. I was really disappointed.

Started off slowly but finished well. I have enjoyed multiple Davenport/Flowers books. They are always enjoyable

First sentence: A sullen wedge of gunmetal-colored clouds rolled in from the west, autumn’s jackboot crunching down on the Twin Cities.

My thoughts: This is my 2nd read from Sanford's Prey series (I know I'm doing it wrong, but I can tell you with certainty that reading them out of order doesn't take away the magic from his main characters Flowers and Davenport and the mystery at hand.)

From the first sentence, we know a murder is coming. I just wasn't expecting it in the opening scene when we are introduced briefly to the judge and his two sons, and then they are murdered leaving us in shock with so many questions.

I love an intricate crime novel. Judgment Prey is a tangled mess from start to finish. With a triple homicide and then 2 other murders, Lucas and Virgil always seem one step behind. The real magic comes from watching them work the case together. I really enjoy the witty banter, their friendship, and trust.

Halfway through this book, Sandford reveals the murderer. In the remainder of Judgment Prey, the question becomes: will the murderer kill the judge’s wife before Davenport finds him, or will the wife enact her revenge? And are the 2 other murders related? And did the same person murder all of these people?

My real question is... When is this duo going to get a tv series? I would be a faithful watcher should that ever come to fruition.

Many thanks to Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for a thought-provoking excellent story.

When wealthy federal judge Alex Sand and his two sons are shot and killed one evening the community is up in arms. Sand was getting ready to donate s substantial sum of money to a worthy cause but with him gone everyone wonders if his wife will go through with the donation. His wife Margaret doesn't understand who would kill her family and is looking.for answers to why it happened. When it begins to look like someone might get away with murder Lucas and Virgil are brought into the investigation. The two start at the beginning and look at every avenue that might lead them to a killer. Follow along as the two begin to make cracks in the case, will they find a murderer before anyone else ends up.dead? This is a fabulous series with characters that only get better with age. I look forward to seeing what new mystery the author puts them up against next!

My thanks to Penguin Group, John Sandford and Netgalley.
I've been reading Sandford books since the 1990's. I actually discovered him the same day I found John Connolly. So, of course Davenport and Charlie Parker are somehow entwined. For me at least.
Another thing. I've read many, many series of books from famous authors and eventually tired of them. You know how it is. Some people who find a good character eventually gets complacent. They don't change much and run that character into the ground.
Who am I speaking of? Well, Jonathan Kellerman, Janet Evanovich, Stuart Woods and Jeffrey Deaver are the first that come to mind.
Sandford has managed to keep me reading for 30+ years. How? Sheesh! Please, fuck if I know! Then he added Virgil Flowers. Love! But I also enjoyed his Kidd books. So, it's safe to say that I, of course was over the moon to read a new Davenport and Flowers!
This is everything I want from them. I tend to think of Lucas and Virgil as two men that I'd have no problem being stark staring naked with!
Make me a meatball, between ....oops
Oh! Forgot this was a book review there, for a moment!
It's Virgil and Lucas. It's always going to be a great time.

Judgment prey is the 33rd entry in the prolific prey series and follows Davenport and Virgil flowers as they investigate the execution style murder of a judge and his two sons. What follows is classic sandford and I mean that in the best way possible. The story twists and turns around the judges widow and ties to a charitable foundation. How it all connects makes for a fun ride with trademark sandford humor and wit. The novel is quickly paced and expertly plotted as usual.

Always an enjoyable ride! Thanks to the publisher for providing the arc via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Another winner. Book kept me interested throughout. Fast reading. Good storyline with interesting characters.

Book #33 in the "prey" series but the stories never get old or dull. When Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are on the case, things.....lots of things.....happen. When a judge and his sons are gunned down in front of their home, the police call in every 3 letter law enforcement agency they can. But in the end, they call Lucas and Virgil. These two have been friends and co-workers for many years and can almost read each other's minds. The interactions between the two of them lend heavily toward the enjoyment/ entertainment of the stories. This one does have few twisty moments that are "what did I just read" events and when the killer is caught, I had to turn back pages looking for clues. Another 5 star read for me.

In yet another great Prey novel, Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are eventually allowed to apply their special skills and knowledge to resolve a brutal multiple murder that no one else has been able to solve. Putting together limited and speculative evidence, these two sleuths do what they do best, provide results. The twists and turns in this story will keep you guessing, as will the many players and motives. Could not put this down until the last page!

I received an ARC for free, but leave my honest opinion voluntarily.

Lucas and Virgil team up when a prominent Judge and his sons are murdered. They are trying to figure out the motive for the murder. Maggie, the wife and mother of the victims, has her own thoughts and plans for the killer. There also appears to be something going on with a charity that Alex Sand was thinking of investing in. The head of the charity is being accused by one of Alex's financial advisers as running a scam. Lucas and Virgil take on many different angles. In the usual Sandford wit, they have an easy friendship and know they are there for each other through thick and thin. Their banter makes these books enjoyable to read. I don't want to say what happens since the book was very entertaining. I will say that if you have enjoyed the other books in this series, you will definitely enjoy this one.

Wow! That was a wild ride and I am always here for a Lucas Davenport & Fucking Flowers combo! I wish I had gotten this ARC as an audiobook b/c I love the narrator of them and feel that it adds so much more depth to the book. But I didn't and STILL loved this book! In my mind, I can get behind this mother & wife's vengeance but morally not so much! Another great read by John Sanford. This is one of my favorite series of all time!

#JudgmentPrey
#NetGalley

Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are back in Judgement Prey from John Sandford.

"A federal judge and his two young sons are gunned down in their home. Lucas is still recovering from being shot but he and Virgil are called in to assist. The judges widow, Maggie, seems to have information about the case she shouldn't have. There's some weird things going on in some Twin City charities. And still no leads on the killer. When he goes after Maggie, Lucas and Virgil realize they have to break something loose before anyone else is killed."

It amazes me how Sandford can still write a thrilling narrative after so many books with the same character. This is number 33 in the series. I did not want to put this book down. Sandford keeps the pace going and never lets up the whole book. Lucas and Virgil solves crimes in a way that they do best. The dialogue between them is great and Letty, now a Homeland Security agent, also makes an appearance.

Another wild ending - actually two wild endings. If you haven't read Sandford this can be read as a stand-alone, but don't miss out on one of the great fictional detectives in Lucas Davenport.

Add this to your Fall reading list. Great new crime fiction from Sandford.

Lucas and Virgil are recovering from their last case. Virgil is doing better than Lucas and this concept plays out through the whole book. Who has killed this father and two sons and why? This is a really interesting book and the why comes very late in the story and keeps you guessing. Highly recommend!

Judgement Prey by John Standford is another of his police procedurals featuring Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers. Davenport is still on leave following being shot on his last assignment. Recovery has been slow so when his boss at the Marshal’s Service calls and tells him of the murder of a federal judge and his two young sons and asks him to go take a look, he jumps at it. His brain is fine, it’s just his body that is wanting. Virgil Flowers has retired and his writing his second novel. It is really his fourth but the first two didn’t count and the third was in its way to publication. He is always anxious to get back in the game. What Davenport sees at the judge’s home appalls him. Eight shots, four in the judge and two in each son. Clearly an amateur. The assumption is made that the judge was the target. His wife was a drama professor and his daughter an infant so he seemed like the prime target. So of course, they started with him. Davenport was just watching. There were plenty of other law enforcement on the job who would start theses investigations. Then he called Virgil.

These books are worth reading for the repartee between Davenport and Flowers, if nothing else. This was a high quality murder investigation, featuring two experienced investigators who thought outside the box. There were plenty of twists and turns in the story, starting with the wife, not that she was ever the suspect, but she was interesting none the less. She had secrets. One of which was how she knew so much about what was going on in the investigation. Their investigation took them far and wide and they didn’t necessarily keep the other investigators in the loop. It is interesting that the most popular fictional cops behave exactly as the public decries in real cops. Both terrific characters. Davenport has been married for years to the same woman, while Flowers has had several wives and is again contemplating marriage with the mother of his twins. Great plot. It is a compelling and exciting read.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Judgement Prey by Penguin Group Putnam, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #PenguinGroupPutnam #JohnStanford #JudgementPrey

They are the perfect A-team. Anytime Lucas and Virgil are together you know it is going to be good! Another great book in a must read series!

This is another installment in the Lucas Davenport series, one of my favorites. I read this in one day, couldn’t put it down.
In this novel, Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers are investigating a couple crimes which may or may not be related. First is the murder of a federal judge and his sons. During that investigation, other murders occur. Davenport and Flowers have to unravel who did what and why.
I used to live in MN so I do enjoy reading books that contain places I can relate to. The interactions between Davenport and Flowers are hilarious. I love their sarcastic banter. And one way or another, they always get their man. Of course, along the way someone usually gets shot, rules are broken but that’s just the way Davenport rolls.
I received this book free as an ARC and am voluntarily leaving this review.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fast-paced, suspenseful and fascinating. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more books by this author.