Extreme Prey

April 18, 2016
A Hillary Clintonâlike presidential candidate is slated for death in bestseller Sandford's average if topical 26th Lucas Davenport thriller (after 2015's Gathering Prey). Lucas has quit the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, but the state's governor, Elmer Henderson, needs his help. Henderson is running for president in the primaries against Michaela Bowden, who's seeking to be the first woman to hold that office. Henderson expects her to win and hopes that she will name him as her running mate. However, he fears that she may be assassinated after two people separately approach him and advise him to "be ready for the nomination" in case something were to happen to Michaela. With little more than a bad photograph of one of the two to go on, Lucas must identify the plotters before it's too late. Sandford reveals the plans of the would-be assassins, Marlys Purdy and her son, Cole, from the opening chapter, and the plot follows a familiar path toward the dramatic resolution that suggests a new direction for the long-running series. Readers who are looking for yet another assassination thriller that paints within the lines will be satisfied. Agent: Esther Newberg, ICM.

Narrator Richard Ferrone's deep, gravelly voice brings yet another Sandford thriller to life. If you like your cops with a midwestern style--drinking Leinenkugel, fishing for muskie, and putting jam on their bagels--Sanford is for you. His tough-guy characters are relentless in their pursuit of evil (except for occasional stops for greasy road food). Ferrone's performance is measured and clear. He conveys Davenport's world-weariness without tiring the listener. Sandford's thrillers contain lots of dialogue, and Ferrone does it well, although his women sound similar. This time, Davenport and his law enforcement colleagues crisscross Iowa pursuing the killer of a potential presidential candidate. F.C. © AudioFile 2016, Portland, Maine