Certain Prey by John SandfordLucas Davenport #10

Title: Certain Prey

Series: Lucas Davenport #10

Author: John Sandford

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Attorney Carmel Loan is beautiful, intelligent, ambitious - and used to getting what she wants. When she becomes infatuated with fellow barrister Hale Allen, she isn't going to let a little thing like his being married get in the way. So, through the contacts of an ex-client, she hired professional killer Clara Rinker to get rid of Allen's wife. Smart, attractive Rinker is the best hitwoman in the business - but things go wrong, and the shooting of a witness, a cop, brings DI Lucas Davenport into the case. Carmel Loan and Clara Rinker team up to clean up the loose ends - which includes getting Davenport off their backs by whatever means necessary.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Back in Lucas Davenport's world, two women are going to make his life quite interesting.

The assassination of attorney Hale Allen's wife and subsequent police officer's death will bring Lucas and his squad to dig deeper. At first, everything points to Hale Allen but there is just one problem, the man is too dumb to have planned it. 

Allens wife's murder is a perfectly executed hit with a 22 by Clara Rinker, a professional hitwoman and when the FBI comes calling and wanting a piece of the action, Lucas knows this case is bigger than he thought. He also suspects that attorney Carmel Loan is involved in all this and he will do everything in his power to prove it. Although this time, the brains and the beauty might get away with it.

I have come to enjoy Lucas et al. Yes, he breaks the law and does dubious things and might be a psychopath himself but he entertains me throughout. The secondary characters are by now so well known to me that is like visiting family. I want to know what they are up to since the last book.

I love seeing how Lucas's mind works, how he unfolds the mystery for the reader to follow. As for his personal life, he's a mess. He's still a womanizer but I have come to terms with his douchery.

My thoughts on the ladies: Carmel was not very likable but she was all sorts of smart. On the other hand, I really liked Clara. She was a perfect antagonist. Too bad she can be a Lucas' love interest since he might not last long with such a professional next to him and also there is the little issue of her having killed quite a few people already. Pfft. 

On to the next....

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs