Lucas Davenport #19
I am SO happy that Letty finally got her dedicated subplot in Wicked Prey! She’s got the fearlessness of a young person combined with the hardness of experience. I enjoyed her ingenuity and loyalty. I know she eventually gets her own series, I look forward to seeing more of her throughout this series.
The group of baddies was supposed to be good at planning and executing precisely, so I found it weird that they went off-script as frequently as they did. The group was fixated on making the score, which explains their deviations. One of the peripheral group members made a choice in the last few chapters of the book that I wholeheartedly enjoyed. I didn’t see it coming at all and I was impressed.
Lucas’s ethics are clearly on display in Wicked Prey. He isn’t willing to compromise his integrity for money or political gain but will bend the rules to protect his friends or family. Lucas would seek revenge on someone who caused harm to his family. The scope would vary depending on the harm done, but there wouldn’t be any particular limitations if he thought they deserved it. I find the idea of revenge difficult to wrap my head around, but I’m also lucky that no one I love has experienced significant, intentional trauma at the hands of another person.
Wicked Prey is another solid installation of the Lucas Davenport series.
Characters
Lucas Davenport – Former Deputy Chief with the Minneapolis Police Department. Currently an agent with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA). I interpret Sandford’s description of him as reasonably handsome and suave at the first glance, but there’s a feral aspect just below his surface that a person is subconsciously aware of. At times he comes across as a little “aw, shucks” and naive, but that’s very misleading.
Randy Whitcomb – this is the second or third appearance Randy has made in a Davenport series. Lucas beat the snot out of him in one of the first books in the series when Randy brutalized one Lucas’s informants, who happened to be a prostitute working for Randy. After Randy’s rehabilitation and incarceration, he’s back to his old ways, but is limited to a wheelchair. Blames Davenport for everything that’s wrong in his life.
Letty Davenport – Recurring character. Lucas and Weather’s adopted daughter. She’s had to grow up before her time which gives her a savviness usually lacking in kids her age. Letty is working at a TV station because she wants to be a journalist. Jennifer Carey, TV director, is her current role model.
Shrake – Recurring character. A BCA investigator. Big, lumbering, usually partnered with Jenkins and assigned to jobs that require intimidation and brawn. Lucas’s “goons”.
Del Capslock – Recurring character. Long time friend of Lucas’s, Del currently still works for the Minneapolis police department, typically on undercover assignments.
Jenkins – Recurring character. A BCA investigator. Big, lumbering, usually partnered with Shrake and assigned to jobs that require intimidation and brawn. Lucas’s “goons”.
Brutus Cohn – head of the Cohn gang, the crew upsetting Minneapolis this book.
Jesse Lane – Another member of the Cohn gang.
Jennifer Carey – While not a recurring character, she’s appeared in 2-5 of the Davenport books. Has a child with Lucas from their relationship, which ended amicably. Current director of Channel 3 TV.
Lindy – Adjacent to the Cohn gang, Lindy is Brutus’s girlfriend.
Rose Marie Roux – Recurring character, formerly the Minneapolis Chief of Police, now the person in charge of investigations at the BCA. Still Lucas’s boss.
Virgil Flowers – A BCA investigator that works for Lucas. Not a “goon” like Jenkins and Shrake, but a junior Davenport. Has his own book series and typically works independently.
Neil Mitford – Officially, the Governor of Minnesota’s executive assistance. Unofficially, he’s the cleanup guy that handles the aspects of jobs that the Governor needs to have plausible deniability on. Liaises with Lucas on this case.
Rosie Cruz – Part of Cohn’s gang. While Cohn might be the ring leader, she’s operations.
Carol – Recurring character, Lucas’s secretary at the BCA. Handles a lot of the communications between Lucas and other members of the BCA.
Lance Barr – Liaises with Lucas regarding activities in LA, an LAPD cop.
Weather Karkinnen – Recurring cast member. Surgeon specializing in reconstructive plastic surgery, primarily on children. Lucas Davenport’s fiancee.
Publication Information
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
First Published: May 12 2009
Format: e-book
Source: Library
Links
John Sandford Reviews
Lucas Davenport Series
#11 – Easy Prey
#12 – Chosen Prey
#13 – Mortal Prey
#14 – Naked Prey
#15 – Hidden Prey
#16 – Broken Prey
#17 – Invisible Prey
#18 – Phantom Prey
#19 – Wicked Prey
#20 – Storm Prey