14th novel in series delights

By DAVID MONTGOMERY SCRIPPS HOWARD NEWS SERVICE Pulitzer prize-winning journalist John Camp returns to action under his bestselling pseudonym, John Sandford. "Naked Prey" is the 14th novel featuring Minneapolis cop Lucas Davenport and although the book's rugged hero might be starting to show his age, the series certainly isn't. When the last book in the series ("Mortal Prey") ended, Davenport was undergoing some serious life changes. Newly married with his wife expecting their first child, Lucas found himself out of work when Minneapolis elected a new mayor who wanted to put his own people in place at the police department. Fortunately, Lucas always seems to land on his feet and as "Naked Prey" opens, he has restored order to his life. He's now the proud papa to a baby boy, his marriage is going well, and he has followed his old chief to a new job with the state Department of Public Safety. As part of his new position, he and his slightly seedy partner Del Capshaw are called to the frigid wilds of Minnesota to investigate the racially-tinged murder of a young couple. The black man and his white girlfriend were viciously beaten and killed, and left hanging in a deserted field near a lonely farmhouse. The closest thing to a witness is the 11 year-old girl who lives in the ramshackle house with her alcoholic mother. Letty West didn't actually see the crime, but she did see the vehicle that dropped the bodies off. She also knows more about the area and the town than probably anybody else. It's always a pleasure to see Davenport in action. He's not above playing the tough guy, but he's got the wits to solve most cases with his brains, rather than his brawn. The methodical, yet intuitive way he goes about solving his cases never fails to draw the reader in and keep their interest. Del is also a welcome guest, bringing as he does his unique perspective to the case. Capshaw is probably the strongest secondary character that Sandford has created, as he uses him to good effect, as always. Brief appearances are also made by series regulars like Lucas' wife Weather, his boss Rose Mary Roux, and old friend Sister Mary Joseph. As good as it is to see the old familiar faces, Letty is the best thing going in "Naked Prey." Part Huck Finn and part Annie Oakley, she's a hardscrabble waif who can hunt and trap with the best backwoodsman, yet still has enough of the vulnerable kid in her to touch even Lucas' jaded heart. Some readers have feared that the newly domesticated Davenport wouldn't be able to live up to the best of his former freewheeling self. While that might pose a long term danger for his creator, for now Lucas is as engaging as ever. Most series decay over time, particularly when they've been going on as long as this one has. Sandford, though, is a polished pro who knows what he's doing. While "Naked Prey" may not be on the same level as the finest of the series, it still delights.