I. Why This Murder Book Will Grab You (A Summary)
The bodies of two young girls, missing for 20 years, and presumed dead, have been discovered buried in a construction site. Lucas Davenport, who worked the original case when the girls first disappeared, has long been convinced that the wrong man was held responsible for these grisly murders. Terry Scrape, a homeless, paranoid schizophrenic, was deliberately set up to take the fall. This man was a real patsy if there ever was one.
As the investigation gets underway, you can sense the guilt that Davenport feels. This guilt has it's origins in the fact that 20 years ago, Davenport was encouraged by his superiors to put aside his misgivings.
In reading this, I felt Davenport's frustration; this is one of the few times I've encountered a Lucas Davenport who actually doubts himself. He simply can't give himself a break, and remember that he'd only been a cop for about 3 years. This was his first assignment in plain clothes. He wasn't even a detective at this point.
The first half of this murder book is a flash-back to 20 years earlier when the girls first disappeared. I must admit that at first I wasn't in the mood for a stroll down memory lane. After all, I've been a fan of Standford's "Prey" series since the beginning.
But, as I continued to read, I was reminded of the importance of one central figure in Davenport's life and career: Del Capstock.
Everyone needs mentor-ship, and I suspect Del was that for Lucas. Del was a 9-year veteran when he was teamed up with the young rookie. Davenport always had raw talent as an investigator, with his persistence, thoroughness, and enthusiasm for the work. But, like all youngsters, he needed seasoning.
Working with Del in the early years taught the young investigator-to-be, empathy, patience, and the ability to gain the cooperation and respect of neighborhood people when he need help.
Another important character in the first half of this book is Quentin Daniel, the homicide lieutenant. I didn't like Daniel much. Although he was smart, and ambitious, I found him to be the kind of person who would rather safely navigate his career path than to listen to the ideas of a young, inexperienced "rookie".
This was especially true once Davenport began to have doubts as to the guilt of Terry Scrape. When Scrape was shot and killed by a police officer, quite frankly, Daniel was relieved that the "suspect" had been stopped. He made it pretty obvious that he really wasn't interested in pursuing the investigation any further. Case Closed!
On a plus note, Davenport's association with Daniel was a boost to his career. Although still technically a uniformed cop, he would continue to work in plain clothes until he was promoted to detective soon afterward. He would continue to work the case in his spare time, but eventually he would reluctantly let it go.
The second half of this murder book brings us back to the present. The bodies of the two girls have been found, and Davenport is determined to reinsert himself into the case.
He can hardly help himself. The two dead girls haunt him even in his dreams. He sees "their bony smiles through the yellow plastic at the bottom of the condo excavation."
Technically, this case belongs to the Minneapolis PD, and Davenport's friend and former associate, Marcy Sherrill.
There is the traditional rivalry between agencies. In this situation it is the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension vs. The Minneapolis and St. Paul police departments.
This is all complicated by the fact that Davenport genuinely likes and respects Sherrill. There is much history between the two. He worked with her when he was with Minneapolis. They also had a brief love affair at some point. She's a rough and tumble veteran cop who more than proved herself back in the days when women in the force were at best tolerated.
Davenport must taper his excitement for the hunt, mindful not to step on the toes of Sherrill, whom he feels does not share his enthusiasm. He just knows that Del and he will give this cold case the attention that it deserves.
It is in the second half of this murder book that we are finally introduced to the real killer. This man is a grossly over-weight, under-achiever, who has never succeeded at anything he's attempted.
He's sleep-deprived, and Xanax addicted. His computer is filled with child pornography, and on top of everything else, he is flat broke. He targets young girls, or women, who look very young. There is no remorse inside him, even when he kills one of his own relatives.
He has a turned-down pout of a mouth which says: "I'm mad at the world which is forever disappointing me."
There are other characters in this murder book which have lesser roles to play. There is Lucas's adopted daughter Letty who understands and encourages his desire for the hunt. She's tough and wise beyond her years and I wish she had more to do here.
Then there is Davenport's wife, Weather. In this book I find her annoying. I think she nags a bit too much, especially at the end when the killer is bought down. Personally, if I'd seen less of her, I'm sure I wouldn't have missed much.
Finally, there are Jenkins and Shrake, who, along with Del, have been partners with Davenport from the early days. They're good men, who'd go to the wall for Lucas, but I find their personalities are less developed then Del's.
II. Why You Should Read This Murder Book: (The Judgment)
Like many of you reading this, I've been a fan of John Sandford's "Prey" series since the very beginning. However, in recent years, I feel that the series has been slipping a bit. I think a lot has to do with the fact that Sandford may be getting a bit bored with his creation. That's just my humble opinion, and I certainly have no way of knowing for sure if that's the case or not.
However, I think that "Buried Prey" brings the Davenport saga back into focus. As I said before, I thought that the "flash-back" part of the book would bore me (and it did, initially), but after really getting into it, it reminded me of where Lucas came from, and how he became the top-rate investigator that he is.
I should also mention that a major character in the series will be killed. I won't say which one, but (unfortunately) this kind of thing adds to the realism factor. Yes, cops lose their lives trying to protect the rest of us. That is an accurate (although tragic) part of the life they lead.
I also appreciated the fact that Davenport's personal life was kept a bit in the background. In some murder books (in my opinion) the main character's love life, family difficulties, etc. can distract from the main focal point of the story.
Sandford avoided this in "Buried Prey". Yes, there was mention of Weather's pregnancy. And yes, Letty and Weather gave their opinions about the case and Davenport's involvement in it.
Weather, especially put her two cents in (I acknowledge that as his wife she can do that). And the little stunt she pulled at the very end (as in removing stitches from Lucas's back) was childish to the core.
But, at least we didn't get bogged down with a lot of domestic drama. This is, after all, a murder book.
Sandford stayed on point, and I, for one, appreciated it. I think you will, too.
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