Synopsis
Silent Prey picks up where Eyes of Prey ends, with Lucas and Bekker squaring off once more. The deranged killer escapes the courthouse and disappears, if only for a moment. Set primarily in New York, Lucas is recruited by his former partner (and love interest) Lily Rothenburg to once again get the murderer off the streets.
The plot thickens considerably as Lucas learns of a secret fraternity of vigilantes, thought to be cops, involved in as many as 40 murders of some of the city's most prolific criminals.
As the two complex story lines merge in the final few chapters, Sanford delivers some of his most ingenious twists and surprises. * * *
My Two Cents Worth
I am a Sanford fan and I appreciate his storytelling skills. He can engage a reader and deliver a satisfying array of characters, clever dialogue, and cohesive plot lines. But let's face it - they can't all be blockbusters.
As I am apt to review the book and not the entire series, I did not read Eyes of Prey prior to picking up the sequel.
I thought the book started well - the first 42 pages presented a compelling courtroom scene and a clever escape plan, which set the story on a fast pace. The following 82 pages, however, slowed to a crawl as the complex subplot was introduced and the relationship between Lucas and Barbara Fell was developed. The dialogue between the cops was convincing, but the pace suffered. At about page 124, the action resumed and the story gained momentum that was maintained throughout the remainder of the book. The final 48 pages were riveting as the plots came together nicely and completely.
I thought the author's descriptions of Bekker's thoughts were very interesting when he was hallucinating through the drugs while enduring his psychotic murder plans.
My biggest complaint with this book was the way Sanford seemed to outsmart himself with the complexities of the plot and subplot. I got lost for a while among the numerous characters and their involvement with the action. The "Robin Hood" story line was a little confusing and not well established throughout the book. I found myself referring to my notes far too often for comfort.
Also of note, I do not mind the colorful language in moderation - it adds to the realism of the characters- but I was offended by the liberal use of the G-D phrase.
I enjoyed the book and did not feel hindered by not having read the sequel - the characters and plot survived on their own merit. The beginning and end were terrific, but the middle chapters were cloudy.
Paperback
358 pages
5 hours
Silent Prey picks up where Eyes of Prey ends, with Lucas and Bekker squaring off once more. The deranged killer escapes the courthouse and disappears, if only for a moment. Set primarily in New York, Lucas is recruited by his former partner (and love interest) Lily Rothenburg to once again get the murderer off the streets.
The plot thickens considerably as Lucas learns of a secret fraternity of vigilantes, thought to be cops, involved in as many as 40 murders of some of the city's most prolific criminals.
As the two complex story lines merge in the final few chapters, Sanford delivers some of his most ingenious twists and surprises. * * *
My Two Cents Worth
I am a Sanford fan and I appreciate his storytelling skills. He can engage a reader and deliver a satisfying array of characters, clever dialogue, and cohesive plot lines. But let's face it - they can't all be blockbusters.
As I am apt to review the book and not the entire series, I did not read Eyes of Prey prior to picking up the sequel.
I thought the book started well - the first 42 pages presented a compelling courtroom scene and a clever escape plan, which set the story on a fast pace. The following 82 pages, however, slowed to a crawl as the complex subplot was introduced and the relationship between Lucas and Barbara Fell was developed. The dialogue between the cops was convincing, but the pace suffered. At about page 124, the action resumed and the story gained momentum that was maintained throughout the remainder of the book. The final 48 pages were riveting as the plots came together nicely and completely.
I thought the author's descriptions of Bekker's thoughts were very interesting when he was hallucinating through the drugs while enduring his psychotic murder plans.
My biggest complaint with this book was the way Sanford seemed to outsmart himself with the complexities of the plot and subplot. I got lost for a while among the numerous characters and their involvement with the action. The "Robin Hood" story line was a little confusing and not well established throughout the book. I found myself referring to my notes far too often for comfort.
Also of note, I do not mind the colorful language in moderation - it adds to the realism of the characters- but I was offended by the liberal use of the G-D phrase.
I enjoyed the book and did not feel hindered by not having read the sequel - the characters and plot survived on their own merit. The beginning and end were terrific, but the middle chapters were cloudy.
Paperback
358 pages
5 hours
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