Book Escapes

I'm a voracious reader. I spend most of my time with history books and literary fiction, but sometimes I just want to be entertained, and there are a couple of authors I can always rely on for a few hours of fun.
Most recently I've been snatching up titles by John Sandford. You've probably seen his work in bookstores and super-market check out lines; lots of books with Prey in the titles...Mind Prey, Naked Prey, Invisible Prey, and so on. The Prey series revolves around a Minnesota cop named Lucas Davenport; a smart, hard-edged guy with a heart of gold. The novels are intricately plotted, with snappy dialog and occasional humor (though not as much as say, Elmore Leonard or Carl Hiassen books) and usually keep me guessing until late in the game. Just what you'd want in a thriller.
Sandford has recently spun-off the Prey books with another series that features Detective Virgil Flowers, a bit player in some of the Davenport books. I've read two of the three entries and really liked both of them. Virgil is an odd-ball, a literary guy who writes for outdoor magazines on the side, who has a taste for vintage rock and roll t-shirts and serial relationships...he's been married a number of times and is always on the prowl. I'm looking forward to digging in to the latest offering.