Rob’s Book Review - Judgment Prey by John Sandford

Sep 26. 2023

A wealthy federal judge and his two sons are shot to death after a basketball game in the family driveway.  The judge’s widow (a former television star) is grief stricken, but also obsessed with revenge, so she’s in a race with the authorities to catch the killer.  This brings on Lucas Davenport (Federal Marshall) and Virgil Flowers (Bureau of Criminal Apprehension), two of Sandford’s recurring -- and most exceptional – characters. 

A victim of great wealth and power leaves plenty of suspects, so Davenport and Flowers must follow a complex evidence trail while dealing with media pressure and public outrage.  Sandford understands police procedure, intricate sub-plots and knows how to create distinctive personalities, so the result is a compelling fast-paced thriller that you can’t put down.  It’s easy to get bored with a series, whether printed or streaming, but Sanford is a master at keeping his characters fresh and his stories unique, so even after 30 novels, veteran fans will be pleased, and first-time readers will rejoice.