As Winter Prey by John Sandford commences, a biting chill envelops the desolate landscape of Northern Wisconsin, echoing the somber tone that will escort us through this gripping tale. Ice and snow envelop the little town where our central figure, Lucas Davenport, a former Minneapolis detective, now turned recluse, has sought solitude in his cabin. A masterly woven tale, the winter is not the only thing that is cold in this tale; the hearts of certain ominous characters feel as frosty.
But the biting winds carry secrets, and soon Lucas is drawn into an enigmatic investigation when a family is brutally murdered. He’s up against a sinister adversary known as The Iceman, whose cold-hearted calculation and stealth rival the hunter’s instinct that Lucas possesses. The Iceman leaves no trace but the frost and the faint whisper of the biting cold.
As Lucas traverses the snow-covered roads, the town’s motley crew of personalities lends their own tones to this engaging thriller. The local law enforcement, led by the resolute Sheriff Carl, harbors suspicions about this outsider poking around in their territory. The fetching physician Weather Karkinnen attracts Lucas’s interest and proves to be an invaluable ally with her medical expertise. The townsfolk, including the Loessers and the LaCours, contribute their share of mysteries, alliances, and enmities.
While we follow Lucas’s pursuit, let’s not forget that John Sandford, the author, has authored Buried Prey and Mortal Prey too. In Winter Prey, the plot is replete with spine-chilling twists, where the echo of crunching snow beneath boots becomes the soundtrack to a deadly game of cat and mouse. The shrewdness of The Iceman throws Lucas into an abyss of shadows and deception. As the dark woods cloak them, a fierce snowstorm promises to either cleanse the town of its ghosts or bury its secrets forever.
Richard Ferrone’s spellbinding voice ensnares you as he narrates the book. He expertly weaves the chilling winds into the very fabric of his speech, making the characters spring out of the pages with voices as crisp as the frozen landscape. His nuanced portrayal of Lucas Davenport – the somber yet relentless seeker of truth – is a haunting tribute to Sandford’s deft characterization.
The climactic resolution of Winter Prey is as piercing as the icicles hanging by the windows of the homes guarding their secrets. The revelations in this chilling winter’s tale leave one pondering the very essence of good and evil, the shadows we conceal, and the storms we weather in the pursuit of truth.
