Abandoned by Booklikes

Wow. So this was really really good. I loved the idea of the two investigations that end up becoming entwined due to Lucas's involvement with both. I also died laughing when Weather pretty much called Lucas an idiot for not realizing how much antiques cost. And I loved the idea of the antique circles turning deadly. I personally still have a velvet bench that belonged to my grandmother (my father's mother) and it's old and very 1930s. I have no idea how much the thing costs, I just love it and now use it as the bench I use in my home office and sit on when typing, paying bills, etc. The ending was freaking good too. I loved what happened and think that even though Lucas thinks the case won't stay with him, I think it will. 

"Invisible Prey" has Lucas being asked to assist when a wealthy woman is found dead in her home. She and her housekeeper were found murdered and it appears the assailant or assailants did it with a pipe. Once the police realize items are missing, the question becomes if the housekeeper's relative may have had something to do with it. I was initially afraid this was going to be a case of the black man did it, but instead, the housekeeper's relative has such a good eye and is able to help put Lucas and the detective working the case on the right track, that some very expensive things are now missing from the home. Eventually Lucas's case ends up being linked to two others and he wonders if someone is systematically killing elderly people with antiques. To make things even more complicated, Lucas is stuck on a political case with an older Senator being accused of statutory rape. 

Lucas was really good in this one. You get why a lot of criminals end up fearing the guy. He has a way of looking at a case and it clicks together. The later books haven't made him Sherlock or even Detective Goren (go watch Law & Order Criminal Intent) but he has a way of doggedly putting things together in an almost haphazard way and solving things. He's quite happy with his wife, the two kids at home, and the daughter spoken of but never seen. Weather and Lucas work and I love how she ends up in her own way helping him with his cases. 

This is the first book I read with Virgil Flowers (who Sandford ends up spinning off) and I actually like the character. Flowers is involved with the Senator's case and you can see he cares about the young girl whose mother used her to make a buck. I maybe hard cringed through the whole story line. The discussion about the differences between Republicans (committing crimes of a sexual nature) and Democrats (stealing money and being corrupt) made me roll my eyes. I plan on reading the first book in Flowers series when I have a chance since I always need a new series to read. 

Unfortunately we have Sandford back to his old writing style so we know who the bad guys like within the first 10 pages. I also hate that part because it makes any scenes with them less interesting. They also seem quite stupid and the sex scenes that happened made me go blergh.  

The writing is typical Sandford with the book following Lucas and the bad guys until all is revealed. The flow was good, but I have to admit I started to get annoyed with the bad guys in this one and didn't give a good shit about what they were up to. It may have been good to switch over to Flowers. 

The ending was really good though. I don't know what I would have done in the same circumstances, but you end up feeling like the case ended the only way it could have for all involved.