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Certain Prey |
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 Certain Prey byJohn Sandford Berkley Books 368 pages, 1999 ISBN 0425174271 Reviewed by PJ Nunn Lucas Davenport returns once again, but he’s changing. One of the most popular hardboiled police protagonists, he’s been the object of reader scrutiny for some time now. Is he too dark? Too depressed? Too old? Sandford has definitely taken a new turn with Certain Prey. The book opens with the introduction of Clara Rinker and the three events that are responsible for a major change in her life. The cold-blooded, calculated killing of a wealthy socialite causes the convergence of Clara’s path with Davenport and attorney Carmel Loan. The three form an invisible and unlikely trio of adversaries in a convoluted tale of murder, feminine style. Davenport is drawn into the case to work alongside Sherrill as they search for a female hired killer who’s executing an odd, seemingly unrelated, group of people with terrifying, sadistic accuracy. Rather than concentrating on Davenport’s quest for answers, Sandford takes us inside the mind and life of the killer and the one that hired her. While it’s not an entirely new approach, the effect may be disconcerting for long time Davenport fans who are hoping for more resolution in his personal life. Certain Prey is not a whodunit, but more of a psychological profile of why people make the choices they make and how they deal with life changing events. It is intriguing from the first page and becomes even more intense as the tables are turned and the killer is stalking Davenport. Has the hunter finally become the prey? Die hard fans who’ve tracked Davenport’s tragedies and triumphs through previous editions will be pleased to see that his downward spiral is at an end, and that the melancholy dark cloud that has plagued him seems to be dissipating. Those who have never met Davenport before will find him brash and attractive, but will find the focus of their attention on Clara and Carmel. It’s hard to say what Sandford was attempting, but the finished product is a riveting thriller that will certainly inspire interest in additional Davenport outings. |
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