by Bonnie Meridieth

Created on: December 16, 2009

John Sandford is a new author to me with Mortal Prey, but he won’t remain new long.  This man can write!  Mortal Prey is what I would call suspense at its best.  Most book endings are relatively predictable, but the puzzle pieces of this book didn’t click into place until the last 35 pages of this novel, and still, you couldn’t predict the ending, literally, until Mr. Sandford wanted you to know it.

Throughout Mortal Prey, trying to figure out which of the conflicting character’s you want to come out on top is out of your control.  You just can’t decide.  The FBI, or the Police.  They work together, but of course each feels better than the other, and the personal jabs between them keep you laughing.  You can’t help but applaud both.

The same goes for the other conflicting character, Clara Rinker, who is a brilliant, respected, dead on accurate killer.  Unbelievably, you can’t help but respect her.  In spite of being abused at a tender age, she has pulled herself up, worked to make herself better, and has a heart.  She believes in tit for tat, and avenging those she loves.  Clara’s on a spree, and you best stay out of her way until she has finished what she came to do.

Who is the hero?  Who is the villain?  What’s going to happen when they inevitably collide?  Is it going to go how you want?  The problem is, you don’t know how you want it to go!  You cheer for Clara.  You cheer for the Police Chief, Lucas.  You cheer for the lead FBI, (Mallard and Malone), and you wonder what Clara’s going to do to the next person who’s done her, or someone she loves, wrong.

The unexpected bond between Clara and Lucas makes you wish there was some way to mend fences, for Clara to come to the right side of the law, but it's too late for that.  Is it possible to save her?  Will Lucas do just that, given the chance?

I was afraid the ending would be disappointing because I really couldn’t figure who to like to come out on top, but I wasn’t.  The ending couldn’t have been orchestrated better.

Mortal Prey is the book that makes you look forward to the time that you have to sit and read.  You won’t be disappointed until you realize it’s time to find another John Sandford novel.

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