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John Sandford, author portrait

John Sandford

American
Born 1944
John Roswell Camp (born February 23, 1944), known professionally as John Sandford, is an American New York Times best-selling author, novelist, former journalist, and recipient of the Pulitzer Prize.
On LuvemBooks, we've reviewed Rules of Prey.
1
Books Reviewed

In John Sandford's own words

Author John Sandford discusses his writing career, the origin of his pseudonym, and the creation and title of his breakout novel Rules of Prey.

Uploaded by Storytellers' Studio, 2021 · Watch on YouTube ·

Writing a spin-off novel about Davenport's daughter

Sandford reveals he wrote a novel centered on Lucas Davenport's tough 24-year-old daughter, Letty. While he wanted to title it 'Predator' to riff on the Prey series, the publisher decided to call it 'The Investigator'.

Modeling Lucas Davenport on his own appearance

Sandford gave Lucas Davenport his own height, complexion, and eye color so that he would never have to worry about forgetting his protagonist's appearance across books.

Collaborating to help friends build retirement savings

Sandford notes that he partnered with former newspaper colleagues on novels and split the earnings 50/50. He designed the arrangements to help his friends earn a substantial financial boost right before reaching retirement age.

Excluding explicit sex scenes to preserve velocity

Sandford avoids writing lengthy sex scenes because he believes thrillers depend heavily on velocity and pacing, which romantic interludes disrupt.

Also in this interview

On Rules of Prey

Cover of Rules of Prey
Rules of Prey

4.4/5

reader rating · 20,383 ratings

John Sandford's debut Rules Of Prey pits Minneapolis cop and war-game designer Lucas Davenport against Louis Vullion, a killer who leaves rules for the police. Kirkus Reviews called it a first-rate cat-and-mouse thriller; one reader found it grim and thin.

Reviewed Oct 31, 2026

Ask LuvemBooks about John Sandford

John Sandford is a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist turned novelist, best known for gritty cat-and-mouse thrillers that pit detective Lucas Davenport against killers who play by their own twisted rules — literally, in the case of Rules of Prey, where murderer Louis Vullion leaves written rules for the police. We've reviewed 1 of their books so far, their 1989 debut, which holds a 4.4/5 reader rating from over 20,000 Amazon ratings and earned praise from Kirkus Reviews as a first-rate thriller, even if one reader found it grim and thin.
Where should I start?
Rules of Prey is the natural starting point — it's John Sandford's debut novel and introduces Minneapolis cop Lucas Davenport, who also designs war games on the side. It holds a 4.4/5 reader rating from 20,383 Amazon ratings, and Kirkus Reviews called it a first-rate cat-and-mouse thriller. It's the one Sandford book we've reviewed, so it's where our coverage begins too.
What's their writing style?
Based on our review of Rules of Prey, John Sandford writes in a cat-and-mouse thriller mode, structuring the story around parallel perspectives — detective Lucas Davenport hunting the killer, and killer Louis Vullion operating by his own written rules. The tone can be grim; one reader found the debut grim and thin, while Kirkus Reviews rated it a first-rate thriller. That contrast suggests a darker, harder-edged voice than a cozy mystery reader might expect.
Books we've reviewed
We've reviewed 1 John Sandford book so far: Rules of Prey, their debut novel. It pits Minneapolis cop and war-game designer Lucas Davenport against Louis Vullion, a killer who leaves rules for the police — a first-rate cat-and-mouse thriller per Kirkus Reviews, though one reader found it grim and thin. It carries a 4.4/5 reader rating from 20,383 Amazon ratings.
What genre do they write?
John Sandford writes thrillers — Rules of Prey, the one book we've reviewed, is categorized as a Thriller and follows a police pursuit of a serial killer in Minneapolis. It's crime fiction with a cat-and-mouse structure rather than a whodunit, since the reader knows the killer's identity from early on.
How do readers rate John Sandford?
John Sandford holds a 4.4/5 average reader rating, based on the real Amazon aggregate rather than any LuvemBooks score. For Rules of Prey specifically, that rating comes from 20,383 Amazon ratings — a substantial sample suggesting consistently positive reader reception for their debut.
What should I read after Rules of Prey?
Rules of Prey is John Sandford's debut and the only book we've reviewed, so our coverage ends there — but the novel itself introduces Lucas Davenport, whose story continues in Sandford's wider bibliography. Their notable work Chosen Prey is one title to look at next. We'd recommend checking our hub for updates as we review more.
Who is John Sandford?

Who is John Sandford?

John Sandford is the pen name of John Roswell Camp, born February 23, 1944, an American novelist and former journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize before turning to fiction. A New York Times best-selling author, they're known for crime thrillers including the notable work Chosen Prey. We've reviewed 1 of their books, their debut novel Rules of Prey.

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