Toxic Prey by John Sandford really brings the action and craziness of attempting to prevent a new world wide pandemic. This book in the Prey series combines Lucas Davenport and Letty Davenport into having to work together with a team of other players into tracking down the scientist who may or may not be suicidal enough to want to start a pandemic in hopes of saving Gaia aka the Earth. This book reminds me a bit of Robin Cook and his ability to weave medical into thrillers. I love that the medical portions of the book were accurate as far as I can tell. The pacing of this book is good, I found myself staying up late just wanting to read one more chapter. This book is another one with Letty as the main character and I am just saying I love it and want more.
I would like to thank #NetGalley and Penguin Group, Putnam for the digital ARC for my review.

Oh. My. Gosh!

As a longtime fan of the Lucas Davenport series, and all of the spinoffs (Virgil F****ng Flowers, Letty Davenport, etc) I understand how hard it is to maintain a series when you are over 30 books into a particular series - well....actually well over 50 books with all of the spinoffs. With that being said, the latest books were still good....just not as good as some of the ones in the earlier years.

I am thrilled to be able to say........THE DAVENPORTS ARE BACK!!!

This book has Letty pulling in her father to work with her and a core group of people that long time readers have come to know and like. There was Lucas, Barb, Rae, Senator Colle, Billy, and we get to meet a new character - Alec Hawkins from MI5. The group is pulled together because of a new threat - one truly pulled from today's current environment - a threat of a deadly virus being developed and released and causing a deadly global pandemic. One that would make Covid look like child's play.

I'm not really sure what it was about this book that was so different, but this book is filled with non stop action. Once the action starts, not only doesn't it stop; it gets more and more intense, and things begin to build and build until we finally get to the crazy and emotional climax. This book had me staying awake for <i>"one more chapter"</i> just like the earlier books always did. I really had a hard time putting it down, so I read through the night.

I'm not going to go into any spoilers - this is a book that you just want to jump in to and then hold on for the ride (and it is a doozy).

I really liked Letty in this book. The last couple of books have had me a little on the fence with how talented and good she was at everything, even though she is young and new at her position, but during this situation it seemed like she truly came into her own.

So, don't hesitate. If you are a fan, you will love this book. If you are new to the series, this can totally be read as a stand alone. One thing I will say though, if this is your first Davenport book, you will be missing a whole lot of wonderful backdrop and history with some fantastic characters - so read this one and then you can go back and start at the beginning.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. The opinions above are mine and mine alone.

Rounded up to 3.5 ⭐️

I’m a BIG fan of John Sandford…I’ve read about a dozen or so of his Lucas Davenport novels. Unfortunately this wasn’t one of my favorites (but still enjoyable!) it’s been a few years since reading anything in the “prey” collection so I’m not sure how the stories have evolved but this was very different from previous reads. It took a little under halfway through to fully grasp the plot line and start to get into it BUT once it got rolling I was hooked. All in all a good read!!

THANK YOU to the author (one of my favorites!), Netgalley and Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC in exchange for my honest review

I did not want this book to end. It was like the best rollercoaster ride where you just wanted to keep hitting those peaks and valleys. First - I love Lucas Davenport, but his daughter Letty - on another level! Smart, smartass and a definite chip off the old block. I'm not sure how John Sanford comes up with these tantalizing stories time after time, but the intrigue, the suspense and the spellbinding storyline for Toxic Prey just keeps getting better and better with each page. To give a brief synopsis - A British (mad) scientist, Dr. Lionel Scott believes that Gaia (the earth) is dying because of global warming, misuse of fossil fuels and all the wonderful things that the modern world enjoys, and he embarks on his mission to save Gaia by destroying humanity. He is based at Los Alamos doing research when he suddenly disappears - setting off alarms. Letty Davenport is asked to look into this and is sent to England to see what can be done to find him. She meets Alec Hawkins from M15 and the two hit it off. When she gets back to the States and things start to unravel - with Scott now working with others to save Gaia in his scheme to infect the world with a disease deadlier than Covid, Letty is sent to track him down. She enlists the help of her father, Lucas and his partner Rae, and as things escalate, they bring in Hawkins. They need to stop these vigilantes before they kill off 80% of the worlds population. There are so many twists and turns to this story you will be glued to it, not knowing what will happen next but knowing that things will continue to escalate. The book is long - about 400 pages, but it will keep you glued to it and wanting more. I really wish it didn't end. It was that good! Thanks so much to NetGalley for allowing me to preview this book. Loved every minute of it.

As a fan of John Sandford’s work, I was looking forward to reading his latest novel. The book has a very frightening premise loosely inspired by the recent Covid pandemic. The story begins with Letty Davenport meeting a man in London and the repartee and sexual tension between the two is tremendous! Some of the language used is terrific and extremely descriptive — for example, “……tasted like beer that had been recycled through somebody’s kidneys.” Another quote about halfway through the book is “Nothing happened fast enough.” That is precisely what this reader felt — the book was very slow reading and even somewhat boring before the predictable conclusion.
I thank NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read and review this book prior to publication.

This is the 34th in the Lucas Davenport Series. I have always loved Sandford's Prey series, but I especially enjoy them when they also include Letty, Lucas’s adopted daughter. Once I started reading this book, I couldn’t put it down. One thrill after another. What a ride Sandford took me on. This is a suspense/medical thriller that I hope doesn’t happen in the future, but with our advances in science, it is a possible way to eliminate the population by half if not three-quarters. Especially with what happened with Covid. Lucas and his team plus Letty and Hawkins (MI6 agent) are trying to locate Dr. Lionel Scott before he lets loose a deadly virus to eliminate some of the world’s population. Both Lucas and Letty have been told by the President of the US that if they need to shoot to kill then they have the okay. They are to do what they need to do to stop Scott and this deadly virus. Read to find out if Lucas, Letty, and their teammates find Dr. Scott, destroy the virus and save the world population. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for providing an advanced reader’s copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this dual Davenport book. I love the recurring characters, the call outs to Kidd and I always miss Virgil Flowers when he’s not included. This had a very good plot that hits a bit different in 2024 than it might have in 2019. I felt tense the whole time I was reading it but enjoyed it.

really good book in the Prey series. So glad Lucus and Letty get to work together. This read was nerve racking it could happen

Toxic Prey is Book 34 in the Lucas Davenport series from John Sandford. This book is a Letty and Lucas story with just a mention of Virgil Flowers.

"Dr. Lionel Scott knows that the earth is dying - Gaia is dying. There are too many people. As an expert in infectious diseases, he knows just how to take care of the problem.
When Scott disappears, Letty is tasked with tracking him down. Scott's research into virus spread has people in multiple governments nervous. Letty enlists the help of Lucas and the Marshals Service and MI6.
It soons becomes a race to stop him before the virus is unleashed on the world."

This is not a new idea. Lots of books have someone creating a virus to reduce population. But Sandford puts his characters and fantastic pace into it and makes this a page-turning story. The action never lets up. And Sandford (who is masterful at writing bad guys) takes us into the middle of some true believers. Scary people who think nothing of killing billions.
The ending is disturbing - Sandford doesn't hold back. I hope people in charge are paying attention.

Can totally be read as a stand-alone. Another great story from Sandford.

Sandford keeps churning the fun and entertaining reads. This time we find Lucas with his daughter and up and coming star in her own right, looking for a small group bent on killing civilization in the name Climate Change using a virus. Hmmmm sounds familiar?

Its a classic Sanford novel, fast paced, thrilling and some great lines. Enjoy

This was a great addition to the prey world. I loved the joining of Lucas & Letty. The novel was interesting & suspenseful. Sandford writes a cop book like no other, keeping it compelling the whole time! Had a great time with all these characters! I’m always excited to read a prey novel, and this did not disappoint.

Oh my goodness - what a book!
We were snowed in this weekend in New England - and I could not stop reading this book!
A long time fan of this series, I was thrilled to get an advanced copy. Thank you to NetGalley!

This book was action packed right from the start and never let up. This was edge of the seat thriller. I do not want the Lucas Davenport series to end - and even better, he was teamed up with Lettie!

Thank you NetGalley! This was 5 stars for me!

FANTASTIC book! I couldn't put it down. The author has long been a master at his craft, but has outdone himself with this novel - a crime/medical thriller that kept me on the edge of my seat and turning pages just as quickly as possible.

The premise of this book is absolutely sinister and likely to give me nightmares. I truly hope the author took extreme creative license and that the things contained in this book are not possible.

I loved that Lettie and Lucas worked together in this book, along with some other favorite characters from prior books.

If you are looking for a novel to keep you on the edge of your seat, you have found it. This one is a must read for fans of the genre. The author is on my must read authors' list.

I dropped everything I was reading to dive into Toxic Prey and I’m very glad I did! From the first page to the last, this book is one amazing thrill ride. Letty Davenport returns as the heroine, working in tandem with a new British heartthrob and with her father, Lucas. Fast, intense, clever, brilliant, amusing, entertaining…a perfect action read!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the opportunity to read this exciting ARC.