Quiz Judgment Prey John Sandford

Judgment Prey Quiz: 20 Questions to Test Your Recall

Test your knowledge of John Sandford's 2023 thriller, Judgment Prey. This quiz spans the entire book, from the opening murders to the final confrontation. Whether you're a longtime Lucas Davenport fan or new to the series, these 20 questions will challenge your recall of plot details, character motivations, themes, and bigger ideas. Use the book summary page or the questions and answers page if you need a refresher.

Quiz Questions

  1. At the beginning of Judgment Prey, who is murdered?

    • A) A state senator and his family
    • B) Federal Judge Alex Sand and his two young sons
    • C) A police chief and a lawyer
    • D) Margaret Cooper and her partner Ann Melton

  2. Why does Lucas Davenport first get involved in the case?

    • A) He is asked by FBI Agent Howahkan
    • B) The governor appoints him to a task force
    • C) U.S. Marshal Edie Lamb calls him because the judge was her friend
    • D) He happens to live near the crime scene

  3. What initial motive do Lucas and Virgil consider for the murders?

    • A) A dispute over charitable donations
    • B) Revenge from a prisoner sentenced by Sand
    • C) A real estate development disagreement
    • D) A personal affair with the victim

  4. What important clue does Lucas think he receives from Cheryl Lundgren but cannot immediately identify?

    • (Short answer)

  5. How does Don Hess realize that Margaret Cooper and Ann Melton have broken into his house?

    • A) He finds a hidden listening device
    • B) He sees footprints in the snow
    • C) He notices a tipped-over silk orchid and smells perfume
    • D) His security alarm goes off

  6. At the charity board meeting, what does Noah Heath do when Cooper moves to dismiss him?

    • A) He resigns quietly
    • B) He attacks her with a piece of broken glass
    • C) He calls the police on her
    • D) He offers to pay off the board

  7. How is Don Hess finally captured?

    • (Short answer: describe the key events)

  8. In the final chapter, what does Margaret Cooper do after Hess is arrested?

    • A) She reconciles with her husband’s family
    • B) She kills Noah Heath with a silenced pistol
    • C) She turns herself in for the burglary
    • D) She flees to Malibu with her daughter

  9. Why does Margaret Cooper decide to take the law into her own hands?

    • (Short answer: explain her reasoning)

  10. What is Noah Heath’s primary motivation throughout the novel?

    • A) To become a famous philanthropist
    • B) To cover up his charity fraud and avoid exposure
    • C) To take revenge on Judge Sand for a legal ruling
    • D) To win Margaret Cooper’s affection

  11. Why does Virgil Flowers accompany Lucas on the investigation?

    • A) He is assigned by the BCA as Lucas’s partner
    • B) He wants to write a book about the case
    • C) He is a suspect and wants to stay close
    • D) He is Lucas’s brother-in-law

  12. What is Don Hess’s motive for murdering the Sand family?

    • A) He owed Judge Sand money
    • B) He wanted to steal the family’s valuable art
    • C) He was covering up his child sexual abuse and possession of child pornography
    • D) He was hired by a criminal organization

  13. Why does Ann Melton help Cooper in her vigilante plans?

    • (Short answer)

  14. In the context of the story, what does the recurring image of Arthur Sand’s eyeball symbolize?

    • A) The omnipresence of justice
    • B) The trauma of discovering her son’s body and the guilt she feels
    • C) The idea that the killer is always watching
    • D) The corruption in the legal system

  15. How does the book explore the theme of justice versus revenge?

    • (Short answer: contrast the police approach with Cooper’s final act)

  16. What does the tipping of the silk orchid in Hess’s house represent from Cooper’s perspective?

    • A) A random accident caused by their burglary
    • B) A deliberate signal to Hess that she knows his secret
    • C) A way to distract the police during the investigation
    • D) An act of grief for her murdered sons

  17. When Margaret Cooper calls Lucas and Virgil the “A-Team,” what aspect of their dynamic is she highlighting?

    • A) That they are as dangerous as the criminals they chase
    • B) That she trusts them completely to solve the case
    • C) That she sees them as capable but also wants to remain in control herself
    • D) That they are outmatched by the true killers

  18. Compare the motivations of Noah Heath and Don Hess. How are their reasons for killing different?

    • (Short answer: mention financial fraud vs. child sexual abuse cover-up)

  19. If you were a juror, would you consider Margaret Cooper justified in killing Noah Heath? Use evidence from the book to support your reasoning.

    • (Short answer: present arguments for and against)

  20. How does John Sandford use the Minnesota winter setting to amplify tension and reflect the story’s tone?

    • (Short answer: discuss cold, snow, darkness, and the chase scenes)

Answer Key

  1. B – Federal Judge Alex Sand and his two sons, Arthur and Blaine, are murdered in their St. Paul home. The outline states the killer shot all three.
  2. C – U.S. Marshal Edie Lamb calls Lucas because Judge Sand was her friend. She asks him to investigate despite his injuries.
  3. B – Early in the case, Lucas and Virgil explore the possibility of revenge from a prisoner Sand sentenced, such as Larry Brickell, who had shot at marshals.
  4. A comment about child sexual abuse – In Chapter 15, Lucas recalls that Lundgren’s remark sparked the idea that the motive could be child sexual abuse, which later proves linked to Don Hess.
  5. C – In Chapter 20, Hess smells perfume and sees the tipped orchid, realizing someone has been inside. Cooper tipped it deliberately to signal her knowledge.
  6. B – When Cooper moves to dismiss Heath from the board, he attacks her, cutting her face with broken glass. He is arrested but later released.
  7. Hess shoots Cooper in the leg; Virgil wounds him with a shotgun; he surrenders. In Chapter 28, Hess flees after shooting Cooper. Virgil fires a shotgun, hitting Hess, who then throws down his gun and is arrested. Shells match the Sand murders.
  8. B – In Chapter 29, Cooper fakes recovery, retrieves a silenced pistol, goes to Heath’s home, and kills him. She exits with her baby, completing her vigilante transformation.
  9. She believes the legal system will fail to punish the killer. Even after Hess is caught, Cooper feels justice is incomplete. In Chapter 23, she tells Lucas and Virgil she will kill him rather than rely on a trial that might let him go free.
  10. B – Heath is primarily concerned with hiding his charity fraud. He kills Hinton to prevent exposure and panics when the police investigate. His tears at the crime scene are for the lost donation, not the victims.
  11. A – Virgil is a BCA agent and Lucas’s long-time partner. He assists with the investigation from the start, reviewing files and conducting interviews alongside Lucas.
  12. C – In Chapter 20, Cooper and Melton discover child pornography on Hess’s computers, including a video of Hess naked in a boys’ locker room. The Sand boys may have known about it, prompting Hess to kill them to cover up his crimes.
  13. She is Cooper’s lover and devoted friend, and she believes in Cooper’s cause. The outline notes they had a sexual relationship, and Melton helps with surveillance, burglary, and legal advice because she shares Cooper’s desire for justice.
  14. B – Cooper is haunted by the memory of her son’s eye after his death. The outline describes it as “the most awful thing,” and it surfaces as PTSD, symbolizing her trauma and self-directed guilt.
  15. The police pursue legal justice through warrants and arrests, but Cooper rejects that path. After Hess is captured, Cooper kills Heath herself. The novel contrasts Davenport and Flowers’ lawful methods with Cooper’s personal vengeance, showing the tension between the two systems.
  16. B – Cooper tips the orchid deliberately so Hess will know she has been there. In Chapter 20, she explains, “I’m telling Hess that we’ve been here,” as part of her plan to provoke him into coming after her again.
  17. C – Cooper uses the nickname admiringly but also keeps her own plans secret. She sees them as capable investigators yet insists on taking control of her own revenge. The outline notes she refuses to reveal Hess’s name despite their pleas.
  18. Heath kills for financial self-preservation – he murders Hinton and Doreen to conceal his charity fraud. Hess kills to protect his child pornography activities – he murders Judge Sand and the boys to eliminate witnesses. One motive is monetary, the other sexual.
  19. Possible answers: Yes – Cooper saw that legal loopholes (such as Heath’s strong alibi for the Sand murders) might let him escape. Heath had already killed two people and would likely not face full justice. No – By killing Heath, Cooper becomes a vigilante, undermining the rule of law. She also lies to Lucas and Virgil, putting them in an ethical dilemma. The book leaves the question open.
  20. The cold and snow create physical danger during the chase scenes (Chapter 28’s climax in a blizzard), isolate characters, and mirror the cold-blooded nature of the murders. The darkness and low visibility increase uncertainty and tension, especially when Lucas and Virgil pursue Hess through the trees.

For further discussion of the ending, visit our ending explained page.