Series · thriller
Prey
The Prey series by John Sandford has 36 books and is best read in publication order, starting with Rules of Prey (1989).
- Books
- 36 books
- First published
- 1989
- Status
- ongoing
- Last checked
Start here: Rules of Prey (1989) — then read straight through in publication order.
Reading order
The order the books were released — the default way to read the series.
- Book 1:
Rules of Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Rules of Prey - Book 2:
Shadow Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Shadow Prey - Book 3:
Eyes of Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Eyes of Prey - Book 4:
Silent Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Silent Prey - Book 5:
Winter Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Winter Prey - Book 6:
Night Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Night Prey - Book 7:
Mind Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Mind Prey - Book 8:
Sudden Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Sudden Prey - Book 9:
Secret Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Secret Prey - Book 10:
Certain Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Certain Prey - Book 11:
Easy Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Easy Prey - Book 12:
Chosen Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Chosen Prey - Book 13:
Mortal Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Mortal Prey - Book 14:
Naked Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Naked Prey - Book 15:
Hidden Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Hidden Prey - Book 16:
Broken Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Broken Prey - Book 17:
Invisible Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Invisible Prey - Book 18:
Phantom Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Phantom Prey - Book 19:
Wicked Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Wicked Prey - Book 20:
Storm Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Storm Prey - Book 21:
Buried Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Buried Prey - Book 22:
Stolen Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Stolen Prey - Book 23:
Silken Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Silken Prey - Book 24:
Field of Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Field of Prey - Book 25:
Gathering Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Gathering Prey - Book 26:
Extreme Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Extreme Prey - Book 27:
Golden Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Golden Prey - Book 28:
Twisted Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Twisted Prey - Book 29:
Neon Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Neon Prey - Book 30:
Masked Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Masked Prey - Book 31:
Ocean Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Ocean Prey - Book 32:
Righteous Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Righteous Prey - Book 33:
Judgment Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Judgment Prey - Book 34:
Toxic Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Toxic Prey - Book 35:
Lethal Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Lethal Prey - Book 36:
Revenge Prey
Alternative text for cover: Cover of Revenge Prey
About the Prey series
The Prey novels follow Lucas Davenport, a wealthy, short-fused Minneapolis cop (later a Minnesota state investigator, then a U.S. Marshal) who hunts serial killers, political conspirators and organized predators using unconventional methods and a willingness to bend or break the rules when the law can't stop someone who deserves to be stopped. John Sandford (the pen name of journalist John Camp) alternates the story between Davenport's investigation and the killer's point of view, so most books are as much a study of the antagonist's psychology as a procedural — a structure that has defined the modern serial-killer thriller since Rules of Prey kicked the series off in 1989.
Across thirty-six novels the series ages Davenport in something close to real time: he marries surgeon Weather Karkinnen, becomes a father, moves between agencies, and hands off scenes to a recurring ensemble that eventually spun off its own spin-off series (Virgil Flowers). The books are fast, plot-driven, dryly funny about Minnesota and cop-shop politics, and reliably violent without being gratuitous. Fans of Lee Child, Michael Connelly or Harlan Coben who want a long-running, one-book-a-year procedural with a genuinely dangerous antagonist in every installment are the natural audience.
How to read this series
Publication order, starting with Rules of Prey. Davenport's career, marriages and family life change substantially across the series, and later books assume you know his history, so reading in order is strongly recommended. New readers intimidated by 36 books can also reasonably start around Certain Prey (1999) or Broken Prey (2005), both often cited as strong entry points, then backfill the 1990s run — but the full emotional arc (his first marriage, Weather, his daughter Letty) only pays off in sequence. Sandford's separate Virgil Flowers series, which shares Davenport's world and occasionally crosses over, is not required reading but rewards Prey fans who want more.
Frequently asked questions
How many books are in the Prey series?
There are 36 Lucas Davenport novels as of Revenge Prey (April 2026).
What order should I read the Prey books in?
Publication order, starting with Rules of Prey (1989). Davenport's personal life and career evolve across the series, so reading in sequence matters.
Is there a new Prey book coming?
No new Prey novel is currently scheduled following Revenge Prey (April 2026), though John Sandford has published roughly one Davenport book a year for over three decades.
What's the difference between Prey and Virgil Flowers?
Both are John Sandford series set in the same world; Prey follows Lucas Davenport, while Virgil Flowers is a separate spin-off series starring a Davenport colleague, with occasional crossovers between the two.
Do I need to read Prey in order?
It isn't strictly required since each book's central case is self-contained, but Davenport's relationships and career arc build steadily, so publication order gives the fullest picture.
Reading order last verified .