Lucas Davenport and his daughter Letty are once again thrust into a dangerous game of cat and mouse as they race to stop a brilliant and deranged scientist from unleashing a deadly virus upon the world in Toxic Prey, the latest novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author John Sandford.
Dr. Lionel Scott can’t just sit by and do nothing. That sort of attitude led to Earth’s problem in the first place. Now, something has to be done, and drastic results require drastic actions. A renowned expert in tropical and infectious diseases, Scott understands that humanity is killing the earth, starving it of self-sustaining vital resources. The only path forward that doesn’t lead to Gaia being entirely destroyed is a drastic reduction of the Earth’s population. And Scott, given his area of expertise, is just the man to step in and save the day.
On the other side of the pond, Letty Davenport, who works for Homeland Security, is tasked with investigating the disappearance of British infectious disease expert Lionel Scott and heads to London to talk with his colleagues. It doesn’t take long, though, for red flags to start flying, and as alarm bells sound, Letty quickly requests the involvement of the U.S. Marshals. That, of course, means that her adopted father, Lucas Davenport, is now on the hunt, too.
As Lucas and Letty—who form a team that includes a sniper, an MI5 agent, and another federal marshal—search for Scott, each new clue to the man’s whereabouts underscores the importance of finding the mad scientist before he can act. His plan, they fear, is to unleash a virus far worse and exponentially more deadly than COVID-19. It’s believed that should Scott be successful, half of mankind would die almost immediately, and that’s just the beginning. Even those who might initially survive the weaponized virus would have long-lasting health problems, rendering everyone unsafe from the engineered-to-kill pathogen. Estimates suggest as much as 80% of the earth’s population would end up dying off, which means that the fate of humanity is literally hanging in the balance, and one wrong move could lead to the end of the world.
Now thirty-four books into his beloved Lucas Davenport series, there aren’t many topics that John Sandford hasn’t touched on. Still, the veteran author continues to keep things fresh by incorporating new characters into the fold. And no move has proven to be more genius than placing Letty into Lucas’ world, allowing the father-daughter duo to work side-by-side. It’s certainly great for readers, who have undoubtedly enjoyed seeing their relationship develop on the page. For her part, Letty has emerged as a formidable protagonist capable of carrying her own series should Sandford ever decide to retire Lucas or, much like he did with Virgil Flowers, create a spinoff franchise. Time will tell if that’s something the author may be considering, but for now, this is by far the most high-stakes, high-pressure case the duo has faced together, with the familial bond between Letty and Lucas lending emotional resonance to their perilous journey as they confront not only external threats but also their own vulnerabilities as they fight to save the world.
Though it might be easy to compare Toxic Prey to other thrillers that feature baddies weaponizing viruses—both Michael Crichton’s The Andromeda Strain (1971) and Dan Brown’s 2013 Inferno come to mind—Sandford does a fine job introducing elements and plot points that make his novel feel difference and unique. At the heart of the story lies Dr. Lionel Scott, a character whose convictions border on fanaticism. His belief in the Gaia hypothesis, coupled with his radical solution to save the planet, allows Sandford to explore the darker side of environmentalism and scientific ethics. One major advantage Sandford has over Crichton and Brown is that his book is coming out after readers have experienced a real-life pandemic themselves, which means that the subject matter is now frighteningly real, making it even harder to put down.
John Sandford delivers yet another unputdownable reading experience in Toxic Prey, a gripping thriller that combines nail-biting suspense with thought-provoking commentary on the intersection of science, morality, and environmentalism. Longtime fans of the Lucas Davenport series will devour this one.
Book Details
Author: John Sandford
Series: Lucas Davenport #34
Pages: 400 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 0593714490
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons
Release Date: April 9th, 2024
Praised as “One of the hardest working, most thoughtful, and fairest reviewers out there” by New York Times bestselling author Lisa Scottoline, Ryan Steck has “quickly established himself as the authority on mysteries and thrillers” (Author A.J. Tata). Steck also works full-time as a freelance editor and is building a growing community on Twitch. His debut thriller, FIELDS OF FIRE, which #1 New York Times bestselling author Jack Carr says “will leave you speechless and begging for more,” is now available. His second novel, LETHAL RANGE, is also in bookstores, and his third book, OUT FOR BLOOD, comes out on June 4th. For more information, be sure to follow him on Twitter and Facebook. To interact with other readers and talk about your favorite books and authors, join The Real Book Spy’s Discord server.