Editors Reads Verdict
One of the strongest mid-series Prey entries — the rural Minnesota setting is used to maximum effect, and Sandford's depiction of a killer who has hidden in plain sight in a small community is genuinely chilling.
What We Loved
- The rural Minnesota setting is a refreshing change from Davenport's urban cases
- The killer's concealment within a small community creates unusual social tension
- Davenport's personal life and professional relationships are well-developed by this point in the series
Minor Drawbacks
- Book 24 — most effective with some series context
- Less accessible as a standalone entry point than the first book
Key Takeaways
- → Killers who hide within ordinary communities rely on the assumptions that hold communities together
- → The most frightening crimes are the ones that have been happening for years without detection
| Author | John Sandford |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Berkley |
| Pages | 432 |
| Published | May 27, 2014 |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Crime Fiction, Police Procedural, Thriller |
| Difficulty | Intermediate |
| Best For | Prey series readers at Book 24. Also a reasonable entry point for new readers who want to start with a recent strong entry. |
Field of Prey is the twenty-fourth Lucas Davenport novel, featuring one of the most atmospheric settings in the series — a remote Minnesota farm field where the bodies of multiple victims have been buried and concealed for years. Davenport is dispatched by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to investigate what appears to be a long-running serial murder operation hidden in plain sight within a rural community.
The novel draws on the specific texture of small-town Minnesota — how communities operate, what they keep hidden, and how a killer can use the assumptions of neighbourliness as cover — with a precision that reflects Sandford’s journalistic background. By Book 24, Davenport is fully developed as a character, and the novel benefits from that accumulated history without requiring it.
Field of Prey is one of the series’ most consistently cited recent favourites among long-term readers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is "Field of Prey" about?
Lucas Davenport investigates a series of bodies found in an isolated Minnesota field — a killer who has been operating undetected for years in small-town America.
Who should read "Field of Prey"?
Prey series readers at Book 24. Also a reasonable entry point for new readers who want to start with a recent strong entry.
What are the key takeaways from "Field of Prey"?
Killers who hide within ordinary communities rely on the assumptions that hold communities together The most frightening crimes are the ones that have been happening for years without detection
Is "Field of Prey" worth reading?
One of the strongest mid-series Prey entries — the rural Minnesota setting is used to maximum effect, and Sandford's depiction of a killer who has hidden in plain sight in a small community is genuinely chilling.
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