Sandford, John. Rules of Prey (1989). In John Sandford: Three Complete Novels
G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 725 pages, hardcover
ISBN 0-399-14007-7
In this introductory novel Minneapolis homicide detective Lucas Davenport, creator of computer games in his spare time, faces an intelligent serial killer who leaves behind messages stating his rules for avoiding detection. As the chase escalates, the killer, known as maddog, tries to outwit Davenport by doing something other than what Davenport will expect him to do. At the same time Davenport pursues maddog by thinking like a computer gamer.
Davenport’s income from computer games allows him to drive a Porsche, but his personal life is a mess. When his girlfriend, newspaper reporter Jennifer Carey, tells him she’s pregnant, Davenport immediately says they should get married. But Jennifer refuses; she knows that Lucas is not cut out for marriage and traditional family life. Davenport wastes little time in proving Jennifer correct.
© 1997 by Mary Daniels Brown
