If you’re here because someone told you John Sandford reads like James Patterson or Michael Connelly, that’s a good tip. Sandford has been publishing since 1989, and the main Prey series is now 36 books deep. Sort out the John Sandford books in order before you start, and you’ll thank yourself.
Here’s everything, all series.
TL;DR: Start with Rules of Prey (1989). The Prey series runs 36 books featuring Minneapolis detective (and later US Marshal) Lucas Davenport. The Virgil Flowers series runs 12 books starting in 2007 and shares the same universe. Sandford also has a Letty Davenport series and an older Kidd series. Read all of them in publication order and the storylines line up.
The Prey Series in Order
Lucas Davenport starts as a Minneapolis homicide detective and eventually moves to the US Marshals Service. Sandford has published one Prey book almost every year since 1989. Read them in order because the storylines carry.
- Rules of Prey (1989)
- Shadow Prey (1990)
- Eyes of Prey (1991)
- Silent Prey (1992)
- Winter Prey (1993)
- Night Prey (1994)
- Mind Prey (1995)
- Sudden Prey (1996)
- Secret Prey (1998)
- Certain Prey (1999)
- Easy Prey (2000)
- Chosen Prey (2001)
- Mortal Prey (2002)
- Naked Prey (2003)
- Hidden Prey (2004)
- Broken Prey (2005)
- Invisible Prey (2007)
- Phantom Prey (2008)
- Wicked Prey (2009)
- Storm Prey (2010)
- Buried Prey (2011)
- Stolen Prey (2012)
- Silken Prey (2013)
- Field of Prey (2014)
- Gathering Prey (2015)
- Extreme Prey (2016)
- Golden Prey (2017)
- Twisted Prey (2018)
- Neon Prey (2019)
- Masked Prey (2020)
- Ocean Prey (2021)
- Righteous Prey (2022)
- Judgment Prey (2023)
- Toxic Prey (2024)
- Lethal Prey (2025)
- Revenge Prey (2026)
The Virgil Flowers Series in Order
Virgil Flowers is a Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigator who works cases Davenport feeds him. He’s looser, funnier, and more likely to be found fishing than Davenport. The two series overlap in timeline, but each one stands on its own. If you’re doing both, go in publication order.
- Dark of the Moon (2007)
- Heat Lightning (2008)
- Rough Country (2009)
- Bad Blood (2010)
- Shock Wave (2011)
- Mad River (2012)
- Storm Front (2013)
- Deadline (2014)
- Escape Clause (2016)
- Deep Freeze (2017)
- Holy Ghost (2018)
- Bloody Genius (2019)
The Letty Davenport Series
Letty is Lucas Davenport’s adopted daughter. Sandford launched this series in 2022, and she gets her own investigations, leaning into intelligence work and federal-level cases that feel more like espionage than the core Prey books.
- The Investigator (2022)
- Dark Angel (2023)
The Kidd Series
Sandford’s oldest series, and worth knowing if you want to go further back. Kidd is a hacker and painter who gets pulled into dangerous jobs. Shorter and different in tone from the Prey books, but the same sharp writing.
- The Fool’s Run (1989)
- The Empress File (1991)
- The Devil’s Code (2000)
- The Hanged Man’s Song (2003)
Where to Start
Rules of Prey. That’s the answer. It introduces Lucas Davenport and sets the tone for everything that follows. If you want to start with Virgil Flowers instead, Dark of the Moon works without any Prey background, but most readers come to Flowers after they’re already into the Prey series anyway.
A Few Worth Calling Out
Books 14 through 16 — Naked Prey, Hidden Prey, and Broken Prey, published 2003 to 2005 — are where most readers say Sandford hit his peak. Davenport out of his element, cases that feel genuinely dangerous. If you’re burning through the series and you’re not hooked by then, it’s probably not for you.
About the More Recent Books
From Masked Prey (2020) onward, Davenport moves from the Minneapolis PD to the US Marshals Service. The cases get bigger in scope. The voice doesn’t change. It’s a clean shift if you’ve made it that far.
FAQ
Do you need to read John Sandford books in order? Recommended, especially for the Prey series. Characters evolve, relationships carry forward, and Davenport’s career arc matters. You can jump in mid-series, but you’ll miss context.
How many John Sandford books are there? 36 Prey books, 12 Virgil Flowers books, 2 Letty Davenport books, and 4 Kidd books — over 50 novels across his main series.
What’s the best John Sandford book to start with? Rules of Prey (1989). It’s the right answer every time.
Do the Prey and Virgil Flowers series connect? Yes. Virgil Flowers is introduced in the Prey series before getting his own books. They share a universe and cross over occasionally.
Done here and looking for what’s next? Full reading order guides for James Patterson and Michael Connelly. Or head to the Books, TV & Media hub for everything else.
