Professional hit-woman Clara Rinker returns for another shot at Lucas Davenport as the brilliant Prey series reaches 13 with nary a sign of dross on its gloss. What Sandford does as well if not better than any other crime fiction writer is make good villains. Though his Clara Rinker kills for money, he puts so human a face on her it requires an act of will to resist her appeal. We meet her first as victim (shrewd Sandford), ambushed, gunned down in cold-blood. Fatally wounded in the same ambush is her lover, the man whose child she was carrying. Since Paulo was the son of a notorious Mexican crime family, conventional wisdom names him as the mark. During her long convalescence, however, Clara has a chance to rethink that. Back in St. Louis, where she made her world-class reputation, there are five powerful men who regularly hired her gun and who might have begun to worry about how deeply she was clued into their various nefarious operations. She decides they've formed a cabal against her and that it's time to become proactive. At this point, enter series hero Lucas Davenport (Chosen Prey, 2001, etc.), one of the few ever to survive a one-on-one with Clara (Certain Prey, 1999). In his day job, Lucas is Minneapolis's Deputy Police Chief, but the FBI drafts him for an all-out war. Like the talented guerilla she is, Clara strikes with elegant ferocity, taking out her targets as planned, staying an infuriating step ahead of all her adversaries, including Lucas. But Lucas scares her. While she likes and respects him, she knows there's no safety for her until she kills him. Which parallels precisely the way Lucas feels about her. Vivid cast, bristling action, neat surprises-and it's funny. Probably the cop novel of the year.

It's the little things about Lucas Davenport that make him such a kick to follow his ruminations about why a public bus smells like urine, his fear that a cell phone won't work in the bathroom "with all the tile." Davenport is, of course, a marvelous if unorthodox cop from Minneapolis, starring here in his 13th Prey offering, which finds creator Sandford operating at top efficiency and in high style. Clara Rinker, the hit woman extraordinaire who slipped out of Davenport's grasp in 1999's Certain Prey, is now back on the prowl, looking for revenge against old enemies from Kansas City who killed her fianc and shot her in the gut. The bullet spared her life, but not that of her baby. The FBI, knowing she's headed to Missouri, assembles a huge team of shirt-and-tie, laptop-carrying agents, but also taps Davenport to make the trip. Sure enough, Rinker starts knocking off old business partners in creative ways, making the tech-minded FBI look foolish. It's only Davenport and his feet-on-the-street savvy that finally rope Rinker into a furious pursuit and showdown. Sandford's eye for the tell-all character quirk remains finely tuned, as does his deadpan humor, rivaled by few in the crime-drama ranks. Longtime fans should take note that changes are ahead for Davenport. He's marrying his sweetie, Dr. Weather Karkinnen, and they're having a kid. He's also about to leave the city police force, following his boss, Rose Marie Roux, to a job with the state police. (May) Forecast: List veteran Sandford should score high on the charts with his latest a BOMC, Literary Guild and Mystery Guild main selection particularly as it features a showdown between hero Davenport and the original villain of the series. Sandford has just finished touring with his friend Chuck Logan (Absolute Zero) and will embark on his own multi-city tour in May. (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Minneapolis Deputy Police Commissioner Lucas Davenport is preparing for the next stage of his life. He's finally set a wedding date with his soul mate, Weather. Their new house is under construction, and Lucas loves fussing with the details and schmoozing with the workers. He will soon be out as Deputy Commissioner, because his position is a political appointment, and the city administration will change. But as he looks to the future, dark clouds are gathering at his back with the reemergence of world-class assassin Clara Rinker, an old nemesis. Rinker is settled into retirement in Mexico with the son of a drug lord. When the son is killed, the family assumes it was the work of a competitor, but Rinker knows her husband wasn't the target--she was. She also knows who wants her dead and why. She abandons her life south of the border and heads to St. Louis, her old base of operations. As her revenge agenda gathers momentum, the bodies accumulate. Davenport is drafted into the law enforcement response because of his past history with her. The thirteenth Prey novel is among the most ambitious. Sandford integrates the mundane domesticity of Davenport's life--wedding invitations, gown selection--with the terror of a circling killer. More significant is his portrayal of the symbiotic relationship between great cops and great criminals: neither could exist without the other because there would be no standard against which to judge their accomplishments. Davenport and Rinker may not be the equal of Holmes and Moriarity but certainly belong in the family portrait. --Wes Lukowsky

In Mortal Prey, Lucas Davenport is back again, dealing with building his dream house, planning a wedding with the expectant Dr. Weather Karkinnen, and leaving the city police force for a job with the state police. Then bodies start to stack up, and he's drafted by the FBI and the DEA to track down and stop revenge-obsessed hit woman Clara Rinker. The juxtaposition of the great cop with the great criminal creates a startling tale that is filled with rich characterization and exceptional drama. Richard Ferrone continues his excellent tradition of narrating Sandford's "Prey" series, bringing just the right clarity and action to enhance the listener's experience. Highly recommended.DDenise A. Garofalo, Astor Home for Children, Rhinebeck, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.