Below is the complete list of John Sandford books in order. For this series, the chronological reading order is the same as the order of publication.
Publication Order of Prey / Lucas Davenport Books
- Rules of Prey (1989)
Rules of Prey was published in 1989 and is listed as book #1 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Shadow Prey (1990)
Published in 1990, Shadow Prey is listed as book #2 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Eyes of Prey (1991)
Eyes of Prey is a 1991 release and appears as book #3 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Silent Prey (1992)
In the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, Silent Prey is book #4 and was published in 1992. - Winter Prey (1993)
Winter Prey was first published in 1993; within the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, it is listed as book #5. - Night Prey (1994)
Night Prey was published in 1994 and is listed as book #6 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Mind Prey (1995)
Published in 1995, Mind Prey is listed as book #7 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Sudden Prey (1996)
Sudden Prey is a 1996 release and appears as book #8 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Secret Prey (1998)
In the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, Secret Prey is book #9 and was published in 1998. - Certain Prey (1999)
Certain Prey was first published in 1999; within the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, it is listed as book #10. - Easy Prey (2000)
Easy Prey was published in 2000 and is listed as book #11 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Chosen Prey (2001)
Published in 2001, Chosen Prey is listed as book #12 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Mortal Prey (2002)
Mortal Prey is a 2002 release and appears as book #13 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Naked Prey (2003)
In the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, Naked Prey is book #14 and was published in 2003. - Hidden Prey (2004)
Hidden Prey was first published in 2004; within the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, it is listed as book #15. - Broken Prey (2005)
Broken Prey was published in 2005 and is listed as book #16 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Invisible Prey (2007)
Published in 2007, Invisible Prey is listed as book #17 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Phantom Prey (2008)
Phantom Prey is a 2008 release and appears as book #18 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Wicked Prey (2009)
In the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, Wicked Prey is book #19 and was published in 2009. - Storm Prey (2010)
Storm Prey was first published in 2010; within the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, it is listed as book #20. - Buried Prey (2011)
Buried Prey was published in 2011 and is listed as book #21 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Stolen Prey (2012)
Published in 2012, Stolen Prey is listed as book #22 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Silken Prey (2013)
Silken Prey is a 2013 release and appears as book #23 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Field of Prey (2014)
In the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, Field of Prey is book #24 and was published in 2014. - Gathering Prey (2015)
Gathering Prey was first published in 2015; within the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, it is listed as book #25. - Extreme Prey (2016)
Extreme Prey was published in 2016 and is listed as book #26 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Golden Prey (2017)
Published in 2017, Golden Prey is listed as book #27 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Twisted Prey (2018)
Twisted Prey is a 2018 release and appears as book #28 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Neon Prey (2019)
In the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, Neon Prey is book #29 and was published in 2019. - Masked Prey (2020)
Masked Prey was first published in 2020; within the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, it is listed as book #30. - Ocean Prey (2021)
Ocean Prey was published in 2021 and is listed as book #31 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Righteous Prey (2022)
Published in 2022, Righteous Prey is listed as book #32 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Judgment Prey (2023)
Judgment Prey is a 2023 release and appears as book #33 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series. - Toxic Prey (2024)
In the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, Toxic Prey is book #34 and was published in 2024. - Lethal Prey (2025)
Lethal Prey was first published in 2025; within the Prey / Lucas Davenport series, it is listed as book #35. - Revenge Prey (2026)
Revenge Prey was published in 2026 and is listed as book #36 in the Prey / Lucas Davenport series.
Publication Order of Virgil Flowers Books
- Dark of the Moon (2007)
Dark of the Moon was published in 2007 and is listed as book #1 in the Virgil Flowers series. - Heat Lightning (2008)
Published in 2008, Heat Lightning is listed as book #2 in the Virgil Flowers series. - Rough Country (2009)
Rough Country is a 2009 release and appears as book #3 in the Virgil Flowers series. - Bad Blood (2010)
In the Virgil Flowers series, Bad Blood is book #4 and was published in 2010. - Shock Wave (2011)
Shock Wave was first published in 2011; within the Virgil Flowers series, it is listed as book #5. - Mad River (2012)
Mad River was published in 2012 and is listed as book #6 in the Virgil Flowers series. - Storm Front (2013)
Published in 2013, Storm Front is listed as book #7 in the Virgil Flowers series. - Deadline (2014)
Deadline is a 2014 release and appears as book #8 in the Virgil Flowers series. - Escape Clause (2016)
In the Virgil Flowers series, Escape Clause is book #9 and was published in 2016. - Deep Freeze (2017)
Deep Freeze was first published in 2017; within the Virgil Flowers series, it is listed as book #10. - Holy Ghost (2018)
Holy Ghost was published in 2018 and is listed as book #11 in the Virgil Flowers series. - Bloody Genius (2019)
Published in 2019, Bloody Genius is listed as book #12 in the Virgil Flowers series. - Ocean Prey (2021)
Ocean Prey is a 2021 release and appears as book #13 in the Virgil Flowers series. - Righteous Prey (2022)
In the Virgil Flowers series, Righteous Prey is book #14 and was published in 2022. - Judgment Prey (2023)
Judgment Prey was first published in 2023; within the Virgil Flowers series, it is listed as book #15.
Publication Order of Lucas Davenport vs. Lincoln Rhyme Short Stories/Novellas Books
- Rhymes With Prey: Lincoln Rhyme vs. Lucas Davenport (2014)
(With: Jeffery Deaver)
Rhymes With Prey: Lincoln Rhyme vs. Lucas Davenport was published in 2014 and is listed as book #1 in the Lucas Davenport vs. Lincoln Rhyme Short Stories/Novellas series.
Publication Order of Letty Davenport Books
- The Investigator (2022)
The Investigator was published in 2022 and is listed as book #1 in the Letty Davenport series. - Dark Angel (2023)
Published in 2023, Dark Angel is listed as book #2 in the Letty Davenport series.
Publication Order of Kidd Books
- The Fool’s Run (1989)
The Fool’s Run was published in 1989 and is listed as book #1 in the Kidd series. - The Empress File (1991)
Published in 1991, The Empress File is listed as book #2 in the Kidd series. - The Devil’s Code (2000)
The Devil’s Code is a 2000 release and appears as book #3 in the Kidd series. - The Hanged Man’s Song (2003)
In the Kidd series, The Hanged Man’s Song is book #4 and was published in 2003.
Publication Order of The Singular Menace Books
- Uncaged (2014)
Uncaged was published in 2014 and is listed as book #1 in the The Singular Menace series. - Outrage (2015)
Published in 2015, Outrage is listed as book #2 in the The Singular Menace series. - Rampage (2016)
Rampage is a 2016 release and appears as book #3 in the The Singular Menace series.
Publication Order of Standalone Novels Books
- The Night Crew (1997)
The Night Crew was published in 1997 and is listed as book #1 in the Standalone Novels series. - Dead Watch (2006)
Published in 2006, Dead Watch is listed as book #2 in the Standalone Novels series. - Saturn Run (2015)
Saturn Run is a 2015 release and appears as book #3 in the Standalone Novels series.
About John Sandford
John Sandford is the pen name of American author and journalist John Camp, best known for his bestselling crime and thriller novels. His work is widely associated with the long-running Prey series, which follows Minnesota investigator Lucas Davenport as he pursues complex criminal cases. Over several decades, Sandford has built a reputation for fast-paced storytelling, sharp dialogue, and detailed depictions of modern investigative work.
John Camp was born on February 23, 1944, in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He grew up in the Midwest and later attended the University of Iowa, where he studied American studies and journalism. His career initially developed in the field of reporting rather than fiction. After graduating, he began working as a journalist and eventually joined the St. Paul Pioneer Press, where he became known for his investigative reporting.
During his journalism career, Camp won the Pulitzer Prize in 1986 as part of a reporting team recognized for a series of investigative stories about agriculture and business practices. His background in investigative journalism had a lasting influence on his fiction, particularly in the way he portrays police procedures, legal systems, and the complexity of criminal investigations.
Camp began writing novels in the late 1980s under the pen name John Sandford. His breakthrough came with Rules of Prey (1989), the first book in the Lucas Davenport series. The novel introduced readers to Davenport, a highly intelligent and unconventional investigator working for the Minneapolis Police Department. Unlike many traditional detectives, Davenport combines sharp analytical thinking with a willingness to take calculated risks while tracking dangerous criminals.
Reading John Sandford’s books in publication order reveals the steady development of the Lucas Davenport character and the evolving world around him. In the early novels, Davenport works primarily as a homicide detective in Minneapolis. As the series progresses, his career expands into broader investigative roles within Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, allowing him to pursue cases across a wider geographic and political landscape.
The Prey series is known for its strong focus on criminal psychology. Many of the novels present readers with detailed portraits of both investigators and offenders, often revealing the motivations and thought processes behind complex crimes. Sandford’s ability to portray both sides of an investigation contributes to the tension and realism that define his storytelling.
In addition to the Lucas Davenport novels, Sandford created the Virgil Flowers series, which follows another Minnesota investigator with a very different personality and investigative style. Virgil Flowers, who first appears as a supporting character in the Prey books, later becomes the protagonist of his own set of mysteries. The two series occasionally intersect, reinforcing the shared fictional world that Sandford has developed.
Sandford has also written standalone thrillers and historical novels, demonstrating his versatility beyond police procedurals. Regardless of the setting, his books typically emphasize tight pacing, layered investigations, and characters whose professional lives intersect with personal challenges.
Another hallmark of Sandford’s work is the strong sense of place that comes from his Midwestern background. Many of his novels are set in Minnesota and the surrounding region, drawing on the landscapes, cities, and communities he came to know during his years as a journalist.
Over the course of his career, John Sandford has produced dozens of novels and maintained a consistent presence on bestseller lists. Following his books in publication order highlights how the Lucas Davenport series evolved from a straightforward detective story into a broader thriller franchise that explores crime, justice, and investigative work across multiple decades of storytelling.