Prey Books in Order

by John Sandford · 36 books · ★ 4.81 average rating · Updated 11 October 2026

An unconventional Minnesota investigator with a knack for outthinking killers hunts predators across decades of cases.

Here is the complete Prey reading order — all 36 books by John Sandford, in the order you should read them:

Reading order

1. Rules of PreyMinneapolis detective Lucas Davenport hunts a meticulous serial killer who taunts police with a set of self-imposed rules for each murder.1989368 pages
2. Shadow PreyDavenport investigates a string of killings targeting abusive men that may be linked to a Native American activist's crusade for justice.1990358 pages
3. Eyes of PreyDavenport tracks a pair of killers, including a surgeon who helps a friend disguise his murders as accidents.1991358 pages
4. Silent PreyDavenport travels to New York to help hunt a killer targeting the homeless, forcing him to confront a case from his past.1992320 pages
5. Winter PreyA brutal killer stalks a small Wisconsin town in the dead of winter, and Davenport is called in to help local police.1993343 pages
6. Night PreyDavenport hunts a night-stalking serial killer terrorizing women in the Twin Cities.1994336 pages
7. Mind PreyWhen a psychologist's family is kidnapped by a dangerous obsessive, Davenport races against time to bring them home safely.1995368 pages
8. Sudden PreyA gang of bank robbers seeks bloody revenge against the police who put them away, putting Davenport and his colleagues in the crosshairs.1996400 pages
9. Secret PreyA calculated killer targets executives at a bank in a case that hits close to home for Davenport's social circle.1998408 pages
10. Certain PreyDavenport faces off against a coolly professional female killer-for-hire in a battle of wits.1999368 pages
11. Easy PreyThe murder of a supermodel pulls Davenport into the glamorous but dangerous world of fashion and photography.2000407 pages
12. Chosen PreyDavenport investigates a predator who preys on women connected to a local university, driven by his own twisted sense of art.2001370 pages
13. Mortal PreyA former associate turned assassin returns to Davenport's world seeking bloody vengeance.2002400 pages
14. Naked PreyDavenport is drawn into a rural Minnesota case involving the murder of two petty criminals, uncovering a web of small-town secrets.2003423 pages
15. Hidden PreyA decades-old Cold War mystery resurfaces when a body is found, pulling Davenport into a case with international stakes.2004325 pages
16. Broken PreyDavenport hunts multiple predators whose crimes intersect in disturbing ways across the Twin Cities.2005390 pages
17. Invisible PreyThe brutal murder of two elderly antique collectors leads Davenport to a ring of thieves willing to kill for valuable heirlooms.2007388 pages
18. Phantom PreyA young woman's disappearance echoes a mother's own troubled past, drawing Davenport into a case shadowed by grief and deception.2008384 pages
19. Wicked PreyDuring a high-profile political convention in Minneapolis, Davenport must stop a heist and a killer operating amid the chaos.2009402 pages
20. Storm PreyWhen a hospital robbery turns violent, Davenport works to protect his wife's colleagues from the men responsible.2010411 pages
21. Buried PreyA cold case from early in Davenport's career resurfaces when the remains of two missing girls are finally found.2011400 pages
22. Stolen PreyA brutal cartel-connected massacre pulls Davenport into a dangerous case involving stolen drug money.2012416 pages
23. Silken PreyA political dirty-tricks scheme forces Davenport to investigate corruption reaching into the state's highest offices.2013430 pages
24. Field of PreyThe discovery of a mass grave leads Davenport to unravel a serial killer's methodical, long-hidden pattern.2014407 pages
25. Gathering PreyDavenport's daughter's friend goes missing after encountering a nomadic group of violent drifters, pulling him into their world.2015428 pages
26. Extreme PreyDuring the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses, Davenport uncovers a plot that could turn deadly for a presidential candidate.2016448 pages
27. Golden PreyNow working for a federal task force, Davenport chases a group of thieves who stole from a Mexican cartel.2017400 pages
28. Twisted PreyDavenport faces off against a ruthless, politically connected killer with a personal vendetta.2018400 pages
29. Neon PreyDavenport tracks a cannibalistic killer and his crew through the Las Vegas underworld.2019400 pages
30. Masked PreyA list of children of prominent politicians found on an extremist website leads Davenport into the world of online radicalization.2020416 pages
31. Ocean PreyA Coast Guard shootout off the Florida coast draws Davenport into a case involving sunken treasure and violent criminals.2021488 pages
32. Righteous PreyA pair of vigilante killers targeting corrupt businessmen forces Davenport to reconsider where justice ends and murder begins.2022416 pages
33. Judgment PreyThe murder of a judge's family pulls Davenport into a case where the killer may be all too easy to identify, and all too hard to prove.2023
34. Toxic PreyDavenport races to stop a scientist plotting to unleash a deadly pathogen.2024440 pages
35. Lethal PreyA cold case reopens when new evidence surfaces in the unsolved murder of a wealthy woman from years earlier.2025448 pages
36. Revenge PreyDavenport is pulled into a case of calculated revenge with deadly, far-reaching consequences.2026

Good news: for this series, reading order and publication order are the same — just read straight down the list.

Upcoming: the next book, Ruthless Prey, releases on 30 March 2027. BookBinge Pro can notify you the day it drops.

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