Publication
New York : G.P. PUTNAM'S SONS, 2013.
Collection
Call number
Fiction S
Physical description
406 p.; 24 cm
Status
Available
Call number
Description
At 1:15 a.m, a Minnesota political fixer answers his doorbell. The next thing he knows, he's waking up on the floor of a moving car, lying on a plastic sheet, his body wet with blood. When the car stops, a voice says, "Hey, I think he's breathing," and another voice says, "Yeah? Give me the bat." And that's the last thing he ever knows. Lucas Davenport is investigating another case when the trail leads to the man's disappearance, then--very troublingly--to the Minneapolis police department itself, and then--most troublingly of all--to a woman who could give Machiavelli lessons. She has very definite ideas about the way the world should work, the money, ruthlessness, and sheer will to make it happen. No matter who gets in the way.
Subjects
Genres
User reviews
LibraryThing member auntmarge64
Davenport jumps right into the action in the series' latest entry. This is a pleasant change from recent titles in which there were lengthy introductions of the bad guys, because who wants to pay attention to them when we could be reading about Davenport and his sidekicks closing in on their
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nefarious "prey"? This is Davenport at his best. It's always a pleasure to watch him outwit the criminals and he chases them in his Porsche and exchanges witty repartee with colleagues. Reacher fans unfamiliar with the Prey series are in for a treat, but give yourselves an even greater gift and start with the beginning of the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Jarratt
So here' s a political suspense thriller without much politics, suspense, or thrills. Early on, we know who did what, now it' s just a matter of Lucas Davenport finding out himself.
"Silken Prey" is about a Republican incumbent US Senator, Porter Smalls, who's caught with child porn on his computer
I was a huge fan of Sandford and his Minneapolis cop Davenport 20 years ago. But after multiple books with pretty much the same plot (and of course nearly the same titles), I tired quickly. At least this one isn't about a serial killer...not really, anyway. But most of the characters (aside from the cops) were pretty unlikable, so when they start to turn on each other, you're just hoping few are left standing. In other words, there's a small part where one killer is going after another. Will Davenport stop it from happening? Gee, I kinda hope not. So it was hard to root for anyone.
A subplot of this book involves a couple who Davenport uses for information. The husband is a hacker who can get into any database anywhere (really?!). And if it weren't for a silly stunt his wife pulls, the case may never have been solved. This plot pushes credibility to the extreme while making it easy for Sandford to tie up loose ends. Not well done.
I received this book as a part of LibraryThing's Early Reader program.
"Silken Prey" is about a Republican incumbent US Senator, Porter Smalls, who's caught with child porn on his computer
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at his campaign office. The Democratic governor, who knows Smalls well, calls in Davenport to investigate because he thinks Smalls has been framed. Taryn Grant, the Democratic opponent for Smalls' seat, denies any involvement. And again, it's not too long before the reader finds out what's going on; we're just waiting on the cops to put the pieces together.I was a huge fan of Sandford and his Minneapolis cop Davenport 20 years ago. But after multiple books with pretty much the same plot (and of course nearly the same titles), I tired quickly. At least this one isn't about a serial killer...not really, anyway. But most of the characters (aside from the cops) were pretty unlikable, so when they start to turn on each other, you're just hoping few are left standing. In other words, there's a small part where one killer is going after another. Will Davenport stop it from happening? Gee, I kinda hope not. So it was hard to root for anyone.
A subplot of this book involves a couple who Davenport uses for information. The husband is a hacker who can get into any database anywhere (really?!). And if it weren't for a silly stunt his wife pulls, the case may never have been solved. This plot pushes credibility to the extreme while making it easy for Sandford to tie up loose ends. Not well done.
I received this book as a part of LibraryThing's Early Reader program.
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LibraryThing member YogiABB
Silken Prey is John Sandford's newest book. It stars Lucas Davenport, star detective of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, ("BCA"). Davenport has his work cut out for him this time. Murder, child porn, and politics all mixed up into a first class mess that he has to untangle.
(I love
Along the way he has to contend with a female bodyguard who invites him to bed, a couple ex special forces body guards who are not quite that inviting and a Minnesota gubernatorial candidate who will literally do anything to get elected.
Check out Sanders web site for a better synopsis of the story. The bottom line is that this is a very good book, very readable, and not quite enthralling cuz at the end things get kind of confused and messy and loses its coherence. It is still a great beach read though. I give it four stars out of five.
From the Redneck Riviera, I'm trying to singlehandedly keep all the sunscreen manufacturers prosperous. And failing.
(I love
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palmettos. We don't have too many of them in Oklahoma.)Along the way he has to contend with a female bodyguard who invites him to bed, a couple ex special forces body guards who are not quite that inviting and a Minnesota gubernatorial candidate who will literally do anything to get elected.
Check out Sanders web site for a better synopsis of the story. The bottom line is that this is a very good book, very readable, and not quite enthralling cuz at the end things get kind of confused and messy and loses its coherence. It is still a great beach read though. I give it four stars out of five.
From the Redneck Riviera, I'm trying to singlehandedly keep all the sunscreen manufacturers prosperous. And failing.
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LibraryThing member alanteder
The latest John Sandford Lucas Davenport novel "Silken Prey" wasn't one of my favourites of the ongoing Prey series which is otherwise one of the most reliable that I know. I don't want to create any spoilers so I'm just going to bullet-point the areas that were a letdown.
- Davenport wasn't enough
- The case has Davenport recruiting Sandford's otherwise abandoned series characters Kidd & Luellen (the last book in their series was 2003's The Hanged Man's Song) and the normally sharp Davenport seems clueless as to who he's dealing with.
- Key case points and plot turns mostly come from the Kidd & Luellen antics and not from anything clever that Davenport does or observes.
- Virgil Flowers makes his usual cameo appearance but there is hardly any of the regular Davenport-Flowers banter that I enjoy.
- I'm not a fan of the Weather the Doctor and the Letty the Kid Reporter subplots, but the Davenport family angle was almost completely missing this time, and I did miss that lack of a human interest side to the book.
- The final resolution is completely unsatisfying. Can't really say more about that.
This was still 3 stars, which is still favourable, but it just wasn't in the usual 4-5 stars Sandford / Davenport area for me.
- Davenport wasn't enough
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of the central force of the plot. This was mostly because: - The case has Davenport recruiting Sandford's otherwise abandoned series characters Kidd & Luellen (the last book in their series was 2003's The Hanged Man's Song) and the normally sharp Davenport seems clueless as to who he's dealing with.
- Key case points and plot turns mostly come from the Kidd & Luellen antics and not from anything clever that Davenport does or observes.
- Virgil Flowers makes his usual cameo appearance but there is hardly any of the regular Davenport-Flowers banter that I enjoy.
- I'm not a fan of the Weather the Doctor and the Letty the Kid Reporter subplots, but the Davenport family angle was almost completely missing this time, and I did miss that lack of a human interest side to the book.
- The final resolution is completely unsatisfying. Can't really say more about that.
This was still 3 stars, which is still favourable, but it just wasn't in the usual 4-5 stars Sandford / Davenport area for me.
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LibraryThing member norinrad10
Having been a fan of Lucas Davenport since the first Prey book, I've always looked forward to May and his newest adventure. In the beginning I would tear through these books in 2 days. As the series progressed it started taking me longer. Silken Prey took me six weeks. Truth is, the story is just
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not that compelling. It's got a sort of kitchen sink feel to it, as every character Sanford has ever written shows up in this book. Here's hoping next May is better. Show Less
LibraryThing member BLBera
John Sandford is a good storyteller; he not only keeps the action moving, he has a sense of humor and has let his characters evolve as he moves through the Lucas Davenport series. In [Silken Prey], he also brings together characters from other series: Virgil Flowers and Kidd.
The story begins when
The story begins when
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the governor asks Lucas to investigate possible political dirty tricks that have smeared the Republican candidate for the US Senate. The politics eventually move to a murder investigation. We learn who the guilty are fairly early on; the suspense comes from the question of whether Lucas will be able to prove the guilt. All good fun. Show Less
LibraryThing member retlibrary
Disappointing. Lots of detailed description of conversations, actions, etc. But I HATED the ending. Absolutely flat with no satisfaction. Pretty much a cop-out on Sanford's part. His stuff has been getting weaker in last 3-4 years. This does not restore his appeal.
LibraryThing member Twink
Silken Prey marks the 23rd (!) entry in John Sandford's long running series featuring Lucas Davenport.
Lucas is still working for the BCA in Minnesota, but he's the go-to-guy for many politicos. This time, its the governor himself who wants Lucas to do some quiet investigating. The current state
We know who the culprit is from the beginning. The fun lies in following along with Lucas and his team as they try to figure it out. Shrake, Capslock, Jenkins and......yes that ****ing Flowers are all on the case. (I just wait to see when someone is going to utter that phrase!) One of Sandford's other recurring characters, computer whiz Kidd, also plays a large role in Silken Prey.
I enjoyed the political machinations in Silken Prey. The ending has left the door open for a further confrontation with one of the senators. The secondary plotline with Kidd and his wife was excellent. I thought the way the two came together was great fun.
I chose to listen to this latest book on the way back and forth to work (a disc each way works out pretty good!) The reader was Richard Ferrone. He's got a wonderfully gravelly, raspy voice that works so well for the image I have of Davenport. He comes up with different and believable voices for the rest of the players as well. I was able to easily know who was 'talking'. By listening to the book, I really 'heard' the snappy dialogue Sandford has written. Some of the best scenes are between Lucas and his team.
I have read every last entry in this series, and the others Sandford writes, as well. There have been some I've liked better than others, (I quite liked this one) but even after twenty three entries, I still really enjoy this character. I'll be waiting for number twenty four.
Lucas is still working for the BCA in Minnesota, but he's the go-to-guy for many politicos. This time, its the governor himself who wants Lucas to do some quiet investigating. The current state
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senator has been caught with child porn on his computer. Thing is - the governor thinks he's innocent. And as Lucas digs a littler deeper, it looks like he could be right. We know who the culprit is from the beginning. The fun lies in following along with Lucas and his team as they try to figure it out. Shrake, Capslock, Jenkins and......yes that ****ing Flowers are all on the case. (I just wait to see when someone is going to utter that phrase!) One of Sandford's other recurring characters, computer whiz Kidd, also plays a large role in Silken Prey.
I enjoyed the political machinations in Silken Prey. The ending has left the door open for a further confrontation with one of the senators. The secondary plotline with Kidd and his wife was excellent. I thought the way the two came together was great fun.
I chose to listen to this latest book on the way back and forth to work (a disc each way works out pretty good!) The reader was Richard Ferrone. He's got a wonderfully gravelly, raspy voice that works so well for the image I have of Davenport. He comes up with different and believable voices for the rest of the players as well. I was able to easily know who was 'talking'. By listening to the book, I really 'heard' the snappy dialogue Sandford has written. Some of the best scenes are between Lucas and his team.
I have read every last entry in this series, and the others Sandford writes, as well. There have been some I've liked better than others, (I quite liked this one) but even after twenty three entries, I still really enjoy this character. I'll be waiting for number twenty four.
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LibraryThing member SunnySD
It's politics as usual in Minnesota - which is to say that only days before a big election someone's framed the Republican incumbent with kiddie porn and knocked off a political dirty trickster. None of the signs point to the Dems' fair-haired, billionaire candidate, but something about the
With Kidd and Lauren playing a larger role, and Weather, Letty and Del making only spotty appearances, this is both a weightier than usual, and somewhat less satisfying. Too much politics, maybe?
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situation is making Davenport's instincts itch. And of course, the reader's are in on the villains' secrets from page one. The only question is, how soon with Davenport find all the answers.With Kidd and Lauren playing a larger role, and Weather, Letty and Del making only spotty appearances, this is both a weightier than usual, and somewhat less satisfying. Too much politics, maybe?
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LibraryThing member everfresh1
John Sandford's novels are always done well, although some are better than others - like this one. Interesting plot, well written, fast paced, easy read. Somehow author manages to deliver after so many books - usually I get fed up after a few books starting the same characters. Author's branching
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out to other characters (Kidd, Flowers) helps and I like how he keeps all it together, where characters that were focus of the story in other novels are having background role here. But it all comes together nicely. Show Less
LibraryThing member librarian1204
Haven't read a "Prey" book in awhile.?i thought this was a good one.i liked the political plot and plotting. Always good for a fast and fun read.
LibraryThing member jamespurcell
Fun to read. Sanford tells a great story. Good to see Kidd back with his very skilled housebreaker and wife Lauren.
LibraryThing member Brenda63
Another great novel from John Sandford! This is the 23rd in the "Prey" series featuring Lucas Davenport. THis one takes some wild political twists and turns and the ending is quite a shock. Can't wait to read the next one.
LibraryThing member Draak
Another great Prey book with Lucas and all the gang including Virgil Flowers. This one was political with a murderous twist and a lot of assumption and it worked. I will say the ending was maybe just a little disappointing and I won't give anything away by saying how, I just wish it had ended
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different. But anything with Lucas Davenport and Virgil Flowers is going to highly entertaining and difficult to put down. I loved it. Show Less
LibraryThing member rdurant1217
This book starts and finishing with a thrill. it's a great ride and a suspenseful read that took me through a 6 hour plane ride no problem. Like his other Lucas novels, John Sandford slides easily into the characters here, taking you on a good story with your old friends. loved it!
LibraryThing member satchmo77
John Sandford’s Silken Prey doesn’t disappoint. Lucas Davenport and his crew are trying to find out who framed a Senator with child porn. The investigation leads to murder. Davenport has mellowed over the years, but still gets the job done in his own way.
LibraryThing member susanamper
Silken Prey is a pleasant surprise. I have found recent Prey/Lucas Davenport novels to be disappointing. Silken Prey is a good read; fast paced with a great villainess and Lucas Davenport in fine form. There's murder, scandal, political intrigue, and more murder. There isn't much about Davenport's
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family, which is all to the good, as far as I'm concerned. A most enjoyable read. Show Less
LibraryThing member rufusraider
Silken Prey by John Sandford is a very good political thriller. It is set in the Twin Cities and features a US Senate campaign in the final weeks. It features dirty tricks, murder, double crosses, etc. Virtually everything you could want in a political thriller. The story is very well told and
Coming from Illinois, I wish out politics involved these features rather than just screwing the voter/taxpayer everytime you turn around. I really enjoyed the book. I will have to read some of the earlier books in the series.
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flows in a logical manner even with all of the twists.Coming from Illinois, I wish out politics involved these features rather than just screwing the voter/taxpayer everytime you turn around. I really enjoyed the book. I will have to read some of the earlier books in the series.
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LibraryThing member cmeilink
Long a Lucas Davenport fan, I dove into the latest installment by John Sandford--Silken Prey.
A political who done it, this book has it all. Murder, blackmail, a big frame-up, romance, and robbery--yes, a little something for everyone.
When a senator running for reelection is caught with child porn
This book does not disappoint. I appreciated the fact that it doesn't tie everything neatly together at the end. After all, how often in life does everything get solved and all the bad guys get punished?
Received from Librarything Early Reviewers.
A political who done it, this book has it all. Murder, blackmail, a big frame-up, romance, and robbery--yes, a little something for everyone.
When a senator running for reelection is caught with child porn
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on his computer, the governor himself gets involved to get to the truth and calls in one of the few people he can trust--Lucas Davenport.This book does not disappoint. I appreciated the fact that it doesn't tie everything neatly together at the end. After all, how often in life does everything get solved and all the bad guys get punished?
Received from Librarything Early Reviewers.
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LibraryThing member juliebean
I've read all of the "Prey" novels by Sandford, and this one is a great addition to the series. I like Sandford's writing style. The book is an easy read and it it's a page turner, which is sometimes all you really want from a book. I was worried that Sandford might have lost his touch, because the
This isn't the best Sandford novel, but it's a nice entertainment, and I wouldn't protest against reading it again down the line.
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last Prey novel wasn't that great. But this one was fun again, even though it was about political intrigue, which is not a plot focus I generally like. However, the plot really wasn't about the political intrigue itself, but about all the actions surrounding it, which made the story palatable for me. As others have noted, it's just fun to catch up with characters we've read about for years; that's why series characters draw in so many devoted readers.This isn't the best Sandford novel, but it's a nice entertainment, and I wouldn't protest against reading it again down the line.
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LibraryThing member rob80ert
It was the first book I've read in a long time where there were absolutely no surprises. It was so interesting to know everything about the story yet I was still in suspense as to what would happen. I'm going to read the first one now!
LibraryThing member Camellia1
I received this book from the Early Reviewers program.
This is the latest entry in John Sandford's series about Lucas Davenport, a police officer in Minnesota and an all around tough guy. In this book, Lucas is asked by the governor to investigate a case of child porn on a politician's computer.
This is the latest entry in John Sandford's series about Lucas Davenport, a police officer in Minnesota and an all around tough guy. In this book, Lucas is asked by the governor to investigate a case of child porn on a politician's computer.
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It's always fun to catch up with Lucas and his friends and coworkers. The story lets the reader know early on who committed the crime, which I sometimes find irritating, but here it was entertaining to read along as Lucas figured it all out too. Show Less
LibraryThing member frogprof
I don't think I've ever read a Sandford book I didn't LOVE, and this one didn't disappoint. It's the latest in Sandford's "Prey" series starring Lucas Davenport, and the detective and the author just get better with time.
Lucas is assigned to find out if one politician (Taryn Grant) was playing
If you don't know the "Prey" series (oh, and Sandford manages a three-way crossover among his series, with Virgil ["that f***ing Flowers"] and Kidd showing up in minor roles), this one stands alone ... but give yourself the treat of starting at the beginning with Rules of Prey. If you like mystery/suspense novels, this is a wonderful series.
This was an Early Reviewers book.
Lucas is assigned to find out if one politician (Taryn Grant) was playing
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"dirty tricks" on another (Porter Smalls) when child pornography is found on Smalls's computer at his campaign office. Turns out that this was the case, but when the man who planted the porn goes missing, Lucas's case expands. There's a bit of twisting and turning, but things end up pretty much the way we think they will ... but with Sandford, the ride is half the fun. Lucas enjoys his work -- he also enjoys the money he made from selling his computer-simulations company -- and most of the people with whom he works. The casual banter between Davenport and his colleagues is fun and never seems forced, unlike in other books I've read recently.If you don't know the "Prey" series (oh, and Sandford manages a three-way crossover among his series, with Virgil ["that f***ing Flowers"] and Kidd showing up in minor roles), this one stands alone ... but give yourself the treat of starting at the beginning with Rules of Prey. If you like mystery/suspense novels, this is a wonderful series.
This was an Early Reviewers book.
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LibraryThing member shazjhb
His books do not get old. There is always an interesting twist or two. Not everyone is "caught"
LibraryThing member phoenixcomet
One of the best Lucas Davenport novels I've read in a long time. Davenport is investigating a political scandal when Senator Porter Smalls is framed for child pornography. First, Davenport must prove he's been framed and second, he must figure out who is responsible a week before the Senate race.
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To boot, contender Taryn Grant is a narcissistic, self-absorbed, dangerous woman to be around. Show Less
Awards
Language
Original publication date
2013-05-07
ISBN
9780399159312