years ago when Fisk murdered a co-worker at the accounting firm where she was then employed. The victim, Doris Grandfelt, was having an affair with the man Fisk was dating (and would later marry.) Fisk killed Grandfelt and dumped the body miles away in a secluded park, making the crime look like a random assault. The case soon went cold and lay dormant for 21 years.

Doris’s murder might have remained a cold case for another 21 years, but her twin sister, Lara, is determined to bring the killer to justice. Since she’s a well-connected multimillionaire in the financial services industry, Lara establishes and publicizes a $5 million reward for whoever catches the killer. That reward soon gets nationwide media coverage and draws the attention of dozens of amateur true-crime enthusiasts and podcasters who flock to Minneapolis to “assist” in the investigation. It also attracts the attention of Amanda Fisk, who decides she needs to eliminate people who might offer actual help to the new investigation, beginning with her husband, who soon suffers a fatal “accident.”

Lethal Prey has a somewhat unusual structure in contrast to with many Prey novels. Recognizing the potential political implications of the case, a U.S. Senator puts pressure on the law enforcement authorities to assign Lucas Davenport (who was not in law enforcement at the time of the original investigation) and Virgil Flowers to the case. At first, neither man seems interested in the assignment, which first involves essentially serving as sheepherders for the podcasters. Virgil seems particularly ill-suited for the assignment, as he must try to limit his use of R-rated language when video cameras are present. However, Davenport eventually persuades the podcasters to set aside their rivalries and assume the more mundane investigative aspects of the case, such as record searches (in exchange for a share of the reward). More significantly, Davenport and Flowers realize that the crime is the work of a clever killer rather than a random thug, which sparks their interest in solving puzzles.

Unlike many Sandford novels, Lethal Prey has relatively little action. The most action occurs in an early sequence when Davenport assists in the arrest of a pair of Iowa bootleggers (and that’s more of an extended stakeout than anything else). However, the Grandfelt investigation heats up when a podcaster with the odd name of Bud Light discovers the murder weapon (a knife) near where Doris’s body had been found years earlier. Further, Davenport and Flowers learn Doris had been an unofficial escort before her death, going on dates (and sometimes more) with well-to-do men in exchange for gifts. That discovery led to the identification of several additional suspects. (It also provides another unofficial investigation helper in the person of a psychiatrist who theorizes about the killer’s psyche and kinks.)

Lethal Prey resembles a typical police procedural rather than the one-on-one showdown thrillers that many readers appreciate in Sandford novels. Amanda Fisk’s name isn’t even mentioned in connection with the investigation until about two-thirds of the way through the book. However, I enjoyed seeing how the case developed, beginning with finding the first real forensic evidence (the murder weapon) and the police hypotheses that changed as additional facts emerged. While the book is easy to follow standalone, longtime series fans will appreciate the time the author spends with Davenport and Flowers’ families (including one significant development). Also, despite the sometimes grim nature of the crimes, the author inserts his usual humor into the work. For example, at one point, Davenport passes some downtime by reading a thriller novel and is peeved that the book often refers to “flat-screen” TVs.

I enjoyed the author’s insertion of social media into the plot of Lethal Prey. Davenport and Flowers don’t seek out true-crime podcasters, but they eventually make good use of them. The initial chapters, in which the investigation became somewhat of a turf war among competing podcasters looking for fame and reward money, were quite entertaining. Several unique personalities emerged. I wish the author had involved them more in his discussion of the investigation’s later stages. Instead, they became nameless grunts, like the individual technicians in many police procedurals.

Many readers will be upset by the book’s ending. It’s not a traditional cliffhanger, but it is indeterminate. (Imagine a typical episode of TV’s Law and Order that somehow ends at the show’s 30-minute mark.) That’s how actual police work often concludes, but it lacks the finality Sandford’s readers expect. Once I got over my initial surprise, I realized that the ending was perfectly in keeping with Amanda Fisk’s personality and skills that the author had carefully developed throughout the story.

Lethal Prey is enjoyable, although it’s not at the level of Sandford’s best work, especially the recent Toxic Prey. I think the reason may be that the author is searching for a final resolution for his characters and his own writing career. He mentions Davenport’s age (nearly 60) and Flowers’ burgeoning side hustle as a best-selling thriller writer. Also, the storyline involves the pair on both a personal and professional level. The author hasn’t yet resolved those issues, and this indecision makes some of the writing slacker than usual. Finally, my opinion may be affected by a natural letdown from the author’s excellent previous Prey novel. Still, Lethal Prey is a worthy addition to John Sandford’s bibliography and considerably better than most similar novels genre readers will find.

NOTE: The publisher graciously provided me with a copy of this book through NetGalley. However, the decision to review the book and the contents of this review are entirely my own.