Revenge Prey by John Sandford

Published by  ‎ G.P. Putnam's Sons on April 7, 2026

Revenge Prey is the 36th entry in the Prey series. I’ve read most of them and have never been disappointed. While some are more gripping than others, I always enjoy them. John Sandford meets that standard in Revenge Prey. The action gets an early start and never lets up, but the plot avoids the eye-rolling heroic deeds that have come to characterize modern thrillers.

Leonard Summers, his wife Martha, and their son Bernard defected from Russia. Formerly known as the Sokolov family, they have been given new identities and a house in Minnesota. The CIA is using the U.S. Marshal’s office for witness protection, but Putin has ordered Leonard’s death so the witness protection agents need backup from someone who has experience with shootouts. Lucas Davenport is in one or two shootouts in every book, so he gets the assignment.

Davenport meets CIA Agent John Sherwood as the Sokolov family arrives at their new residence. As the Sokolovs investigate the house, a shooter tries to take out Leonard. Davenport springs into the novel’s first shootout as he engages a Russian hit squad.

More gun battles ensue as the Russians make additional attempts to assassinate Leonard. The Russians always seem to know where Leonard will be, so Davenport and Sherwood suspect that a leak needs to be plugged in one of their agencies. The nifty resolution of the leaker’s identity adds a surprising twist to the story.

This is very much a Lucas Davenport story, with only the briefest cameos by his friend Virgil Flowers and daughter Letty (they each star in their own thriller series). Davenport is partnered with Shelly White, a fellow U.S. Marshal, but she doesn’t contribute as much banter as Sandford’s better supporting characters.

Sherwood is a better supporting character. He’s snarky, smart, competent, horny, and capable of ruthless action. He vibes well with Davenport. Sherwood is in touch with Letty near the novel's end, so I suspect Sandford will bring him back, perhaps in a Letty Davenport novel.

The Russians also benefit from strong characterization. The government guards Leonard more carefully after the first assassination attempt, so the two assassins have accepted the risk of being outgunned as they continue their efforts to kill him. The third Russian is a sleeper agent providing logistical support. He enjoys the benefits of American life and isn’t looking forward to being recalled to Moscow if the mission doesn’t end well. Each character is convincing. Sandford even makes it possible to feel a measure of sympathy for the Russians, if it’s possible to work up such feelings for assassins.

The plot moves quickly, in part because Revenge Prey is an action story. The plot is not much more than a vehicle for Davenport to get into gunfights. Sandford doesn’t complicate the story in a way that would slow its pace, but he fills the pages with interesting characters and offbeat dialog. If you like Sandford, you’ll probably like Revenge Prey.

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