teamfreak16's Full Review: John Sandford - Rules of Prey
Pretty, dark-haired women in the Twin Cities should take precautions: a serial killer is targeting women who fit that profile and raping them prior to stabbing them to death. The killer, Louis Vullion—known as the maddog—leaves no trace other than his set of rules, one rule at a time: Never kill anyone you know; never carry a weapon after it has been used, etc. Vullion is a freak, and it’s up to Minneapolis Police lieutenant Lucas Davenport to catch him before he strikes again. Such is the premise of author John Sandford’s 1989 novel Rules of Prey.
It’s an impossible task. Other than his victim’s physical appearance, Vullion purposely follows no set pattern. He has killed, among others, a real estate agent, a wheelchair-bound woman, and a hooker, and he's made an attempt at an artist. The maddog is meticulous; other than his notes, he leaves no clues, and even uses different brands of knives so that authorities can’t trace him back to any specific store. Louis chooses his victims up to a month ahead of time, letting his hunger build before striking. He breaks into their homes prior to the attack, subduing them with a blow to the head with a potato stuffed into a sock—nature’s cosh. After raping them, Vullion kills his victims by stabbing them under the breastbone, up into the heart. It’s such a precise, surgical incision that it leads Davenport to believe that they might be looking for a doctor.
As if that weren’t enough, Vullion has started calling Davenport at home, almost taunting him with how good each killing feels. Lucas’ girlfriend, a local news anchor, is pregnant, but that has not stopped him from becoming romantically involved with the main witness in the case. He also has to spend precious time visiting his numerous street contacts, not about the case, but just so they won’t disappear into the woodwork (Lucas works a lot of drug and vice cases, and his street network is legend in the department.) It’s a full plate for Davenport, and it all makes for a scary, riveting thriller.
Luckily, Lucas Davenport is a strong enough character to carry a novel (and series) such as this. On one hand, Davenport is a dedicated, tough-minded cop. Lucas is a large, handsome man in a scary, rugged sort of way—he sports a cruel facial scar from a fishing accident. He’s wealthy—he writes best-selling computer games in his off hours—and thanks to the extra income, drives a Porsche, unheard of for a police officer. On the other hand, Davenport is not a saint. He sleeps around, and isn’t above attempting to frame a suspect (or beating up a fellow cop in front of a news camera, for that matter.) Overall, he is the type of guy who’s easy to root for, as long as you can overlook his obvious flaws, which only serve to make him more believable.
Vullion, too, seems realistic. A junior-grade lawyer, Louis (pronounced “Louie”) takes great pains to remain low-key in real life. He is somewhat aloof and the sort of fellow that most people won’t think twice about. He seethes inwardly when he sees a pretty woman with a “dangerous” guy, knowing that he, Louis, is the true danger. The maddog is a brilliant serial killer, although he does have weaknesses. He takes offense when the media begins spreading false information about him—egged on by Davenport, a station starts to refer to him as an impotent pig farmer. He craves positive coverage (well, as positive as coverage on a serial killer can be) and feels it necessary to make his late-night calls to Lucas in order to make his voice heard. He is a creepy, worthy adversary for our hero and makes the chase interesting and exciting.
Rules of Prey is a thrilling read, the beginning of a successful series by Sandford (in reality, Pulitzer-winning journalist John Camp.) It has a real-life hero, a frightening villain, and enough plot twists to keep it interesting. Sandford's efforts can be hit or miss, but I would recommend Rules of Prey for anyone in the market for a chilling, suspenseful read.
This very first Prey novel that introduced Minneapolis cop Lucas Davenport is now repackaged, with a new Introduction by the #1 New York Times bestsel...More at Buy.com Marketplaces
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