Product Description
Former hotshot jockey Sid Halley landed a position with a detective agency, only to catch a bullet from some penny-ante thug. Now, he has to go up against a field of thoroughbred criminals--and the odds are against him that he'll even survive. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Great beginning to his trilogy!
I have searched high and low for this book for years before I finally found it online - for some reason it seems to have gone out of print and every copy at the library is always checked out! It's the beginning to his Sid Halley trilogy - the only trilogy ever done by Dick Francis. Great book, although I do believe he re-used some of the elements in other books - or I read the book a long, long time ago and don't remember. As always, Francis leaves you guessing until the end! He is one of the few authors I have found that I cannot always predict who did it and why - the reasons are almost as great as the person who did it! Definitely recommend it, as I do with all of his books - and this series just gets better!

Odds Against
This book was shipped quickly, reasonably priced and in excellent condition. I am very pleased with this purchase.

One crash too many
Champion jumping jockey Sid Halley lost the use of one hand in a terrible fall - and with it his career. His marriage is over as well. When we meet him, he's been on the payroll of a detective agency for two years, and has just been shot in the gut by a small time crook. Loveless, crippled and injured, Sid has lost his enthusiasm for life.

Despite the failed marriage, Sid's father-in-law, retired Rear Admiral Charles Roland, still likes and respects Sid. Charles invites him to convalesce at his country home - and there unveils a challenge that he hopes will shake Sid out of his apathy.

A rich investor is plotting a hostile takeover of Seabury Racecourse, so it can be torn down and the land sold to developers. How would Sid like to save this grand old institution? He'll have to investigate its recent spell of bad luck that has everyone convinced the place is jinxed. Sabotage may be a factor.

Overnight Sid is transformed from a lethargic employee to a dynamo of detection. The resourceful, observant strategist who once won race after race is back.

If you're feeling a bit low or having a bad day, this is the book to read. Sid's resilience in the face of all kinds of loss is an inspiration.

New Career
A 38 slug enters Sid Haley's side and he is jerked out of a deep depression as he has watchedhis arm, his career and marriage ground under flashing hooves. Thus Dick Frances introduces one of his most popular characters in ODDS AGAINST.
Sid is working in a detective agency at the instigation of his ex-father-in-law, while trying to put his life of steeplechasing behind him. A small set up goes haywire and Sid is pitched into the world of racing from the outside of the rail. A job he thinks he hates until it is almost destroyed.
Fast action, great prose, tense drama, and the reader enters Sid's world. Mystery fiction at its best, told by a master of the genre.
Nash Black, author of TRAVELERS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

One of his early novels
This is one of the author's early novels and the first one in the series about ex-jockey turned PI Sid Halley.This novel introduces the character, his past, his father-in-law, his work associates, etc.The first three novels about Halley, Odds Against, Whip Hand, and Come to Grief, can also be found in the combined omnibus edition, Win, Place, or Show.The novel is very good and has survived the test of time, i.e., it is still an interesting plot 40 years after it was written.

Sid Halley came from an impoverished background and had to leave school as a teenager.He was apprenticed as a jockey and by the time he was 18 her was a success.He made good investments and is also moderately wealthy.An accident ended his career as a jockey, and he has been employed, more or less, in a PI firm.Events lead him into a case involving an unscrupulous businessman who is trying to acquire racetrack property for personal profit.Like many businesses, the assets (in this case land) are undervalued in relation to the stock price, making a racetrack a takeover target.

There are some surprises as the story progresses.The novel deals with adult situations.There is little sexual content, mostly by reference, but considerable violence. ... Read more

Product Description
Horse racing can be a dangerous sport, but it becomes a deadly one when a champion is killed. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

The best race description in all Dick Francis'
Dick Francis' first is one of my favorite three novels of his, the others being For Kicks and Blood Sport. Being an unabashed Dick Francis fan, and having read all his novels, I haven't come across a better description of a race than this. In the openingpages where Admiral comes close to winning the race but comes a cropper with his owner and rider getting killed is simply incredible: the thundering horses, the challenges of the course itself, and theearly morning mist, with the tension and the atmosphere, with the climax hitting you with the impact of a sledgehammer all make this my favorite passage in all of Dick Francis. Read it. You'll be hooked.

Perfectly paced
Admiral is dead cert to win, but the horse falls for no visible reason, and the jockey is crushed to death.

Bill Davidson's accident just doesn't look right to his best friend Alan York, and after winning the race Bill should have won, Alan goes back to check the fence. Sure enough he finds a bunch of wire on the ground. But before he can bring the police to the scene, the wire disappears. So it's up to Alan to find the murderer.

Alan is an appealing hero. At 24 years old, he's an astute commodities analyst who works three days a week in London at his very wealthy father's Rhodesia-based trading company. But other days generally find him on a racehorse. He's quite an accomplished amateur jockey.

The plot is rich in quirky characters, atypical thugs and subtle red herrings - with a love story mixed in. Romance is yet another obstacle course for Alan York to run.

Dead Cert is Dick Francis' first novel, but I'd class it as one of his best. it has all the confidence and narrative finesse of a mature work.

Fair
There was no mention that the dust cover was missing and that the print was a lot smaller than normal.It was a pretty hefty price to pay for not having all the information.We were disappointed when we received the book and saw what we got for the money we paid.

Why do I bother reviewing Dick Francis?
Author author! Dick Francis can do no wrong. I didn't know what Dead Cert meant. Won't say. I hate spoiler reviews. As always his images and prose are breath taking and quite addictive.

GREAT!
THIS BOOK "DEAD CERT" WAS DIFFICULT TO PUT DOWN UNTIL IT WAS FINISHED.DICK FRANCIS IS A MOST ENTERTAINING WRITER AND I'M READY FOR HIS NEXT BOOK. ... Read more

Product Description
In this newly repackaged novel from the master of crime fiction and equine thrills, pilot Matt Shore is hired to fly four racing buffs to the track-and then forced to make an emergency landing just minutes before his plane explodes. Luckily, no one is hurt, but it isn't long before Matt realizes that he's caught up in the rat race of violent criminals who are dead-set on putting anyone who stands in their way on the wrong side of the odds. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (15)

Rat Race
Dick Francis is always a good read.His good guys are brave and tenacious.His bad guys are bad but he doesn't usually resort to horrible language or gratuitous violence to portray them. Francis was a jockey and each of his books have some form or racing in them but don't let that put you off.Each book is written about a main character that has a unique occupation.In this book it is about a man who flies racing enthusiasts back and forth to race tracks in a small plane. He always has me holding my breath to see how he is going to get out of the present mess he is in.His books are good on tape or cd too.

A Good Read
All books by Francis are excellent reads. I'm so sorry there won't be any new ones from him. Unlike the "ghosted" novels wriiten by some unknown and advertised as the work of Patterson, when Francis does this, the quality is still there and you aren't sorry you bought the book. Personally, I think maybe Dick Francis is acting the mentor for young writers while Patterson is simply greedily milking a franchise. I won't buy another by Patterson.

Francis takes to the air
First Sentence:I picked four of them up at Whit Waltham in the new Cherokee Six 300 that never got a chance to grow old.

Matt Shore's life and career as a pilot have been on a downward spiral.His latest job is with a flying taxi service for racecourses and his first flight ends with the plane exploding after he lands from sensing a problem with the aircraft.Although all the passengers are safe, it's another black mark on Matt's career and he wants to know why.

Although I've not read this particular book since January 1977, it reminds me why I became such of fan of Dick Francis' writing.

The protagonist, Matt Shore, is so appealing and one of a style I appreciate--the "common" man caught up in an uncommon situation.He is not perfect.He is intelligent without being egotistical, attractive without being overbearing, and heroic without being macho. And, he gets the girl, but you know there are painful incidences along the way.

In spite of the opening portent, the story captivates you from the very first page and never lets you go.The pacing between suspense and respite is every effective.The writing is masterful--not a term I use lightly--and imminently readable.I was surprised how much of the plot I remembered after all these years, and that's a real tribute to the author.

Whether Dick or Mary Francis was the primary author of this, and the other books by Dick Francis, I frankly don't care.All I know is that it was a great read when I read it the first time, and it is a great read now.

RAT RACE (Ama Sleu-Matt Shore-England-Cont) - VG+
Francis, Dick - 10th in series
Harper & Row, ©1971, US Hardcover - ISBN: 978-0060113223

Francis takes flight
Dick Francis flew fighters and bombers in the Royal Air Force in World War II. Later he and his wife ran a small air-taxi operation for a while, flying jockeys, trainers and owners to racecourses among other things. Rat Race draws directly on this experience.

The hero, Matt Shore, is a pilot who knows nothing and cares less about horseracing. But he's drawn into a horsy mystery through his horsy passengers. Like the other Dick Frances heroes I've encountered, Matt is attractive, intelligent and courageous in a fight. Although down on his luck, he's a perfect gentleman when it comes to romance.

In his first flight with the racing set, his plane blows up at a stopover. No one's hurt, but the airplane is a goner. And lots more trouble is on the horizon.

Usually I'm not that astute at penetrating mysteries before the author wants me to, but this time I foresaw the motivation for the bombing early on. I also found some of the unpleasant characters in the book a bit exaggerated. Despite these flaws, I enjoyed Rat Race because of the good writing and the very likeable narrator.

airplanes, horses and bombs - what's not to love?
The Dick Francis stories are slower moving than modern mystery/thrillers, and I rather enjoy that.It's not a constant shoot-'em-up action and as a result there's more time to get to know the characters.In this book, Matt Shore has been hired on to replace an air taxi pilot who is leaving the country.It's just his good luck to have for his first major taxi job several people who appear to be at one another's throats, a terribly moody jockey and - from a stop along the way - one of the most famous jockeys in England.Things just go from bad to worse when, on the flight back he notices a problem with steering the plane and puts down to check it out - only to have the plane explode.Soon Matt finds himself in the middle of a complex web of schemes and secrets - with people who aren't afraid to kill to keep the schemes secret.

An excellent read - highly recommended! ... Read more

Product Description
Wine merchant Tony Beach has expertly catered his latest society soiree, but the fun's over when a team of hit men crash the party...literally. The event leaves Tony with a bitter aftertaste of suspicion--and sets off a mystery that's an intoxicating blend of deception, intrigue, and murder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (19)

A very satisfying mystery that doesn't get old
The opening chapter introduces the widowed wine merchant Tony Beach and may seem a bit mauldling but keep on reading. This is peopled with people you would love to hang with and people you would hate to meet. It is exciting and as usual, the author plays fair by introducing information in a timely manner. A very satisfying mystery, it gets better with every page.

Proof, a good book
I enjoyed reading Proof.I found it hard to put it down before I finished it as is usually the case with any Dick Francis book.I am trying to buy any old ones I don't have since he won't be writing any more.i will miss reading them.

Proof proves how much we love Dick Francis
"Proof is facinating. I found it to be the best I have read yet even if there was not as much tract time as usual. You never knew where Dick Francis was going to lead us. This time he told a story about a crime in involving wine & malt liquor. Does it ever cease to amaze how Francis always was took an air of authority about is subjects? I found this story highly entertaining because it is plausible & some of the tragedies in this book are my tragedies.

Once again I whole heartedly complain about spoil book reviews. Chatting about the plot is fine, giving away the end of the book is unforgivable.

G-d bless Dick Francis. We will always love him & the wonderful stories he wrote."

Proof proves how much we love Dick Francis
Proof is facinating. I found it to be the best I have read yet even if there was not as much tract time as usual. You never knew where Dick Francis was going to lead us. This time he told a story about a crime in involving wine & malt liquor. Does it ever cease to amaze how Francis always was took an air of authority about is subjects? I found this story highly entertaining because it is plausible & some of the tragedies in this book are my tragedies.

Once again I whole heartedly complain about spoil book reviews. Chatting about the plot is fine, giving away the end of the book is unforgivable.

G-d bless Dick Francis. We will always love him & the wonderful stories he wrote.

Tasting wine & courage
Most Dick Francis heroes are models of cool-headed courage. Although Tony Beach comes from a family of daredevil military men and a mother who rides to hounds, Tony has no interest in fighting or hunting or any other display of bravery. He studies the wine business in France and becomes a wine merchant.

His young wife has died recently, and the reader can see that he's handling that with some courage, but in the world of macho attitudes and endeavors, courage is a sore point with Tony. Circumstances are about to give him a different picture of himself.

Tony's carefully cultivated ability to tell one wine from another and identify various brands of scotch lures him into helping with an investigation. Tankers of raw scotch and wine are being stolen, and purveyors of fine food and wine are serving not-so-fine wine under fake labels.

If you read this story with attention, you'll learn a tremendous amount about the booze business. Dick Francis delights in educating his readers. Or you can let the alcoholic content wash over you pleasantly and mainly enjoy the adventure - and the psychological insights into the workings of courage. ... Read more

Product Description
From the acclaimed master of mystery and suspense comes the story of a self-imposed outcast who must refresh his detection skills in order to save himself and his family.Amazon.com Review
There's less horseplay in the 35th thriller by former jockeyFrancis, but as much suspense and pain as ever. Alexander Kinloch is apainter who lives in rural Scotland, and somebody thinks he knowswhere the jewel-encrusted, solid gold-handled sword of Bonnie PrinceCharlie is hiding. It wouldn't be a Francis book without lots ofbeatings and torture, but you'll also find out how to run a brewery,paint a landscape and yes, hide a racehorse, in this thoroughlyenjoyable outing from the Cigar of fiction. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (38)

This just doesn't have Francis' usual zip
I usually find myself finishing a Dick Francis novel in one sitting, but found myself plodding through this one.It starts well enough with a great opening paragraph and a good hook early on with a brutal beating for an unknown reason.But then it slows down with family squabbles, legality, and business concerns.The introduction of a rather oddball but highly competent private detective adds a little spark, but lacks interest until the final chapters, If you're a fan of the author, as I am, you will read this, but if you haven't read any previous Francis books, I recommend starting with one of his earlier ones.

one of Dick Francis's best
Vintage, excellent Dick Francis, with extra bonuses for readers who care about golf, Scotland, painting, or bagpipes. As a master of novel writing, he hooks the reader in the first paragraphs, and the movement through the complicated but believable landscape of events and challenges never lets up. I just recommended this book to friend who has a Kindle, and at the Kindle price, this is a Must-Download-and-Enjoy item. And for equine addicts, there are the almost inevitable horsey elements, too.

I envy those of you who will read this soon for the first time. It has borne many re-readings, with unadulterated pleasure.

Bonnie Highland hero
Weird, long-haired, 29-nine-year-old Alexander Kinloch is so appealing, you'll want to marry him, adopt him, befriend him or be his blood brother - depending on your age and sex.

Made of the tough stuff of legendary Highland clansmen, Alexander lives alone on a windy Scottish mountainside, plays ancient laments on the bagpipes at dawn and dusk, and earns his living painting "the perseverance of the human spirit" (disguised as pictures of golf). Despite his solitary nature, he's well connected. His uncle lives in a castle. His father-in-law owns a brewery.

Alexander is good at hiding things, and too many people have heard this. One day four thugs beat him up to find out where "it" is. The "it" might be anything from the hilt of the ceremonial sword of Bonnie Prince Charles to King Alfred's purported gold cup. Alexander's titled relatives keep asking him to tuck away their treasures somewhere safe.

On top of these burdensome obligations, Alexander's dying father-in-law entrusts him with the job of saving his bankrupt brewery. Not pleasant, since several rather violent people want control of the business.

Yes, there are horses in the plot, although Alexander is not much of a horseman. And the terrific cast of characters includes my all time favorite private eye, a chameleon who never stops delighting the reader with his costume changes.

Dick Francis outdid himself on this one. I plan to re-read it often.

Great Introduction to Dick Francis
This is the first DF book I've read, and it won't be my last. I'm usually pretty good at figuring out who the villian is, but I ended up being wrong with this book, which was a pleasant surprise.

The characters were all very well developed, and likable. It was a quick read mainly because I had a hard time putting it down. I would highly recommend it.

thriller mystery combined with art--perfect combination
When you look forward to sitting down of an evening and reading a book you know it's good. I am always in search of mysteries with an art angle and this fits the genre. Likeable characters, not a totally predictable ending and a large cast of characters that don't get muddled up in one's mind as some novels do.

Well written. I am a Dick Francis fan and this is one of the best even though the horses play second or third fiddle. ... Read more

Product Description
Jump in the saddle with a sure thing.

Writer John Kendall travels to England to interview a racehorse trainer with something to hide-a secret that could threaten Kendall's life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (17)

One of Francis' best!
I have read every book that Dick Francis wrote and this and Hot Money are my favorites.If you like mysteries and horses, you will love his books.

Good to Re-Read
Dick Francis is my favorite thriller writer. I enjoyed Longshot because the character is a writer in a realistic situation for a writer -- poverty! This is another horse mystery. A writer of outdoor adventures needs quick cash and a place to live and so he accepts the commission to write a biography of a well established horse trainer.

Trouble comes when the body of a young girl is found in the woods nearby. Is her death related to the trainer's life story? As the danger gets closer to home, it is a longshot that you will be able to put this page-turner down!

A Classic Among Classics........ reviewer:Renee S.,N.Y.C.
LONGSHOTis my second favorite among all of Dick Francis' books - and I have read all of them, several times over.My favorite is STRAIGHT, not yet available on Kindle.(Hint)
It is the classic Francis formula, stalwart but modest hero dropped into a strange situation where he must make sense of a suddenly chaotic world and win the day, which he, of course does.What made this one of my favorites is that Francis branches out here, showing us something of a new field, although horses are never completely out of the picture.
John Kendall is a writer of Survival books, a soon to be published novel, and has been commissioned to write a biography of one of the most famous and accomplished of racing trainers, living in the man's home amidst the family while he does so.You can take it from there.This is a tightly plotted, ever twisting and surprising mystery, and a joy to read, through the very last page.My only regret, as another reviewer remarked, was that I would have liked there o be more.I wasn't finished with John and the other characters when Mr. Francis was.

Most highly recommended!

"Survival is a state of mind"
I've fallen in love with many Dick Francis heroes, but John Kendall is perhaps the most appealing of all on many levels: physical, intellectual, psychological.

John at thirty-two years old has written six guidebooks on how to survive in the desert, on the ocean, in the jungle, in the Arctic and so forth.

Alone in the wild he's eaten fried worms and rattlesnake, caught fish and trapped game. He can pack enough miniaturized survival tools in his belt to survive almost anything anywhere.

He'll need every skill he has, and all his inner resources, to survive the plot of Longshot.

When we meet John Kendall he's just abandoned travel writing for serious literature. But he's ended up starving and freezing in an attic, so he decides to warm up with an interim job: a commission to write a biography of Tremayne Vickers. Tremayne is famous in the world of racing and has trained a thousand winners.

Once established in the spacious Vickers household to do research, John finds himself dragged into a murder investigation. The unassuming, chatty, subtly crafty detective in charge appreciates John's insightful views of people and events. John has to choose which side he's on: the cops or his new friends.

John Kendall is a wonderful combination of quiet, compassionate observer and man of action.

With Longshot, Dick Francis has written an adventure story as well as a murder mystery. And he's even managed to slip in some deep thoughts about existence. I loved this book and recommend it wholeheartedly.

Enjoyable
While the story itself and the horseracing and murder aspect was enjoyable, I actually found the survivalism aspect more fun (and educational) to read about. I enjoyed reading about the trips to the wood as the author was teaching his boss' son and his friend various survival techniques in the woods, and other survival trivia learned from the accident at the boathouse, for example. It was fun to read about what you would need and what kind of kit to carry with you. Overall a fun book. ... Read more

Product Description
Free choice? There's no such thing, according to Lee Morris. Choice is pre-ordained by your personality. Stratton Park racecourse faces ruin in the hands of a squabbling family. Lee is slowly sucked into the turmoil, unwillingly on the surface but half-understanding the deep compulsions that influence his decisions. One road leads to safety, another to death. How do you know which is which? Lee's choices and their consequences bring deadly results, but the road out of the quicksand is there, if he can find it. Horses and racing are familiar ingredients, but this time there are also children, houses, roots and decisions. Danger? Naturally. Stratton Park racecourse is worth multi-millions, and all of the Stratton family are playing to win. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Outstanding book from fabulous author
This is the first Dick Francis I've read in about 15 years, having started nearly 40 years ago.This one is well up to par and is as gripping and well researched as all the others. ... Read more

Product Description
A smash hit novel now in trade—from “a rare and magical talent… who never writes the same story twice.”(San Diego Union-Tribune)

In Decider, inheriting a small share in a successful racetrack means trouble for architect Lee Morris, especially when he finds himself in the middle of a family feud—and the target of a ruthless killer… ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

One of the best mysteries by a great mystery author
Dick Francis, the well known mystery author who has woven horse racing as the common thread of his mysteries, has written a gem of a tale in Decider. I have read several of his efforts. This is one of his best. For those who like Dick Francis, or if you are looking for a good mystery, this book provides an interesting mystery with several unexpected plot changes.

Excellent!Dick Francis holds you in the book right until the finish.
One of he best british mysteries

Dick Francis, faboules writter.I was introduced to his works by my son in law, ande his Uncle Noel Wooden, who wrote "Jonce", about a jockey's life, I would also recommend Jonce, as a good read also. I keep a running list of the Francis' published books and purchase any that I can find that I haven't read.After reading them, I forward on to my son in law, Robert.

A Super Read! Reviewer:Renee S. N.Y.C.
Lee Morris is an unlikely hero for a Francis novel since he is married and has six sons, but he nevertheless lives up to the Francis standard.He is a quiet, thoughtful man, intelligent, of course, who is able to take control of a difficult situation and bring it to a successful conclusion.If this seems a bit stodgy, it isn't at all.There is Francis' usual drama and action, breathtaking at points, and a very satisfying ending. A super read! ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A Dick Francis Fan
A wonderful way to get a week of Dick Francis' work...with our temps in the higher 90s, an air conditioner working, and a glass of ice tea...who could ask for a better way to spend your time! ... Read more

Product Description
A man doesn't publicly shoot himself in the head in broad daylight with no warning. But Art Mathews did. Pip Pankhurst found his shin bone sticing out of his leg, and his rides over for the season. Grant Oldfield needed help. The kind a psychiatrist gives. It was as though there was a hoodoo on the whole jockey tribe. Then Robb Finn started riding losers. Too many to be a coincidence. Thirteen out of fifteen too many. Finn needs to know just what the hell is going on. However no one is talking. but Finn soon realises he is alone in a world where the only pointers are violence, dope, and the malignant force of twisted envy..."Superbly exciting" - "Daily Express". ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Can't put it down!
Every time I think Dick Francis cannot keep me interested anymore he does it again. I loved this story. He is the jockey in this one. There is the strangest love interest. As usual it gets really scarey!

Up All Night!
Nerve by Dick Francis kept me up long past my bedtime because I just had to know "how it was done!"This has happened to me before when reading Francis' books.Like always, the tale takes place amid the hustle and bustle of the horse racing scene and it never ceases to amaze me that he can write so many complex mysteries while never leaving the race track.This story is about rumors that are wrecking jockeys' careers.Once started, they grow like a monstrous virus, destroying careers, lives and men who are helpless to defend themselves against the unrelenting whispers.Mean spirited gossip changes quickly into dangerous malice when the evil tongues start trying to tear down a man who knows he hasn't lost his nerve.Rob Finn may have doubts about some things, but he has none about himself, at least not in the beginning.Then a strange run of bad luck begins to chip away at his confidence.Unraveling the mystery Rob figures out how and why jockeys are being ruined and by whom.Then I still couldn't go to bed, because now I just had to know what Finn was going to do about it!

Sweet revenge
Rob Finn is a misfit in his family of accomplished professional musicians. Somehow he was born totally unmusical. Pretty much ignored by his parents, he learns to ride knocking around Australia and South America. Back in England he gets hired as a jockey.

Trainers give him horses to ride that nobody else wants. Rob is fearless, even with the worst tempered animals.

Meanwhile, strange things are happening in the racing world. One jockey commits suicide. Others are losing their jobs because of rumors of dishonesty, unreliability or poor judgment. Rob himself is suddenly accused of loosing his nerve. He can't figure it out. The horses he's riding are unresponsive, and he loses one race after another.

Rob thinks there's a sinister influence behind all this. And since he's stopped getting any work, he has plenty of time to investigate. Dick Francis heroes are not usually bent on revenge, but in this case, Rob wants payback for all his jockey friends who have suffered grievous harm.

As he battles a truly twisted, nearly impregnable enemy, Rob also finds time to woo his cousin Joanna, who turns out to be quite handy in a crisis.

I'd rate NERVE quite highly among Dick Francis novels.

Early Dick Francis
This book is responsible for my love of Dick Francis. The story of an up and coming jockey who finds himself in a slump, who is responsible and how he gets himself out of it is riveting.
He writes beautifully and gives such good characterizations that his books are a delight to read.

Rob Finn - one of my favorite Francis protagonists!
Dick Francis has written so many bestselling mysteries, it's mindboggling. He excels in crafting enormously engaging, civilized whodunits, which go down smooth as cognac. Mr. Francis has a habit of introducing elements from the racing world into his novels (for those not in the know, Francis used to be a jockey). Yes, it's true that his heroes all come from the same mold and the stories do contain certain formulaic elements, but I think Francis's magic lies in the humanity and empathic nature with which he cloaks his protagonists. His heroes are all too human, all too flawed, and uniformly unassuming and Britishly reserved. Yet, without exception, they all have unexpected pluck, hidden strength, and the inner fortitude to do the right thing. In four decades, Mr. Francis has written some of my favorite mysteries: Forfeit, Rat Race, Reflex, Hot Money, The Edge, The Danger, Decider, and To the Hilt. And then there's Nerve.

Nerve holds a special place in my heart. I first stumbled across Dick Francis's mystery books years ago when I was a kid thumbing thru a Reader's Digest book. That book contained a condensed version of Nerve, which I went thru in a flash. As soon as I could, I wentto the public library and borrowed the full-length version and tore thru that one, too. Since then, I've readeverything that Dick Francis has ever written and I've enjoyed every one tremendously (even his anthology Field of Thirteen), but, thru the years, I've come back again and again to Nerve and its charismatic hero Rob Finn. It's just such a darn good story.

Nerve, published in 1964, was only Francis's third novel at the time. Yet, even back then, he had what it took to tell a captivating, suspenseful story. The quick plot breakdown of Nerve: Rob Finn has started to make a name for himself as a jockey when he is kidnapped, tortured, and left for dead. Torn up and bleeding, he manages to escape and get help. He then coldly plans his revenge on the bloke what did him wrong. Sounds like a simple plot, but Francis uses his narrative skills to lure the reader into following Rob Finn as he attempts to get back at his disturbed tormentor. It's gripping stuff. Francis's detailed breakdowns of Finn's pain-filled efforts to get back to racing form so soon after he was tortured will make you cringe, as you wholeheartedly pull for the fella. Our hero is very human, vulnerable, and very relatable. Yet, Francis is talented enough as a writer that, by the end of the book, you'll feel some sympathy towards the dastardly villain. And, as an added bonus, Francis throws in one of those unrequited love subplots, as Finn, who has been eternally in love with his beautiful, talented cousin, Joanna, bittersweetly continues to carry his torch. Joanna, alas, does not reciprocate.

I don't know how Dick Francis does it. I'm not into horses or horse racing. Yet, his books never get old for me, and the horse racing elements actually become interesting stuff. I really, really believe Dick Francis's gift, when it gets boiled to its essence, is how well he's able to make the reader relate to his lead character. Every one of 'em is immensely rootable. Before I read Nerve, I mostly read fantasy and sci-fi novels. Nerve introduced me to the world of mystery novels. So, for that reason and also because it's a crackling good tale, Nerve will always be one of my favorites.

Also, glad to hear that Dick Francis has a new book (Under Orders, starring Sid Halley) coming out in a few weeks. I cannot wait.

... Read more

Product Description
Australian horse breeder Daniel Roke had resisted the exorbitant sum of money offered by a suave Englishman to investigate a scandal involving drugged racehorses. But after another investigator dies mysteriously, Roke agrees to fill his shoes--and learns that men who would give drugs to horses are capable of doing much worse to human beings. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (16)

Francis Never Disappoints!
For Kicks by Dick Francis is one of those wonderful English murder mysteries that keeps you glued to the book until the last page.This tale takes place mainly in the stables and not the race track like most of the writer's other stories and it is interesting in that it shows just how much back breaking work is involved in caring for the valuable race horses.Dan Roke, an Australian, is lured away from his quiet, successful life and whisked into a very different existence, trying to uncover a race fixing scheme.While the story is loaded with suspense and menace it is the character of the man that stays with you after the book is finished.Roke is a very original fictional creation, unique among the templated heroes that fill most modern thrillers.In the chaos of modern living it is nice to know there are authors like Dick Francis, whose work never disappoints.If his name is on the cover the story is going to be unlike anything else you've read and a satisfying experience.

Dick Francis at his very best
For Kicks is a wonderful read, for those who love Dick Francis' style and substance, and for those who are discovering him for the first time. Thisis my favourite, along with Blood Sport and Dead Cert. All his early books reek of the specialatmosphere of British racing, and his understated, self-deprecating manner is still delightful, if increasingly out of vogue. You knowwhat you are going to get, when you read a Dick Francis, but the joy is in rediscovering what you like, in a slightly different cocktail. What I like most about him is his no-fuss attitude, and the gentle, almost unnoticeable ease with which his tough guy heroes fall in love. I'd say his heroes would fit the Bogey film image like a glove.
The very best author to read on long, endless holidays, together with PG Wodehouse!

Fun undercover story
The Earl of October visits Daniel Roke, owner of a prosperous stud farm in Australia. The Earl belongs to the group that governs National Hunt racing in England. They're having a problem with the doping of racehorses. Some kind of substance or method is being used that's undetectable in testing. The Earl wants Dan to impersonate a stable hand and investigate - for 20,000 British pounds.

Dan at 27 years old is the sole support of three young siblings who are still at school. Obviously the money would come in handy. But he takes on the Earl's challenge, not because of the exorbitant pay, but because he feels trapped by his responsibilities and the dull predictability of his life.

In England Dan finds himself living and working at the bottom of the social scale (a shock to his pride) and tangling with some truly horrible characters (a danger to his continued existence). When as part of his role he grows his hair and wears a black leather jacket, he turns out to be devilishly attractive to women. This adds to the difficulty of his undercover job.

FOR KICKS rises above its corny title, and is a fun read from beginning to end.

GREAT!!
Dick Francis is one of my very favorite writers and therefore, you guessed it, it was great!I am always looking and waiting for one of his books to come out.I recommend it.

Dope is for Horses
Daniel Roke has spent his life being responsible for his siblings after the death of their parents. He is seduced by the Earl of October to leave Australia and enter to world of English racing to uncover a ring who are fixing races with an undetectable substance.
Dick Francis in FOR KICKS digs deep into the working arena of stakes racing for a look at the grueling life of a stable lad. The road isn't easy for Daniel as in the end he fights for his life.
Frances's characters are set as self-reliant beings who slough off adversity and get the job done. A great read for the thriller fan.
Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS and QUALIFYING LAPS.
... Read more

Product Description
A successful painter who loves going to the track finds himself in the biggest race of his life as he works to clear his cousin's name-and trap a ruthless killer before the killer traps him. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Unlikely action hero
There's plenty of horseracing in this novel, but only as a background. No jockeys, owners or trainers hold center state. The hero, Charles Todd, is an artist - a painter of horses.

Todd visits his cousin Don only to find himself at a crime scene. Don's house has been stripped of its valuable antiques. Even the wine cellar has been emptied - a small fortune in wine vanished. Don's wife, who unexpectedly interrupted the burglars, has been murdered.

The police are determined to blame the husband. He must have hired the robbers in order to cash in on the insurance. Don is too devastated to defend himself.

And so his quiet, unassuming cousin Todd undertakes the daunting job of finding the real criminals. This involves an event-filled trip to Australia.

Every Dick Francis book seems to have a pivotal scene where the hero gets beat up. The reader almost looks forward to it, knowing that the hero will emerge messed up but totally fixable, and still determined to get the bad guys. Dick Francis heroes have marvelous recuperative powers.

Theft and fraud in the work world is an interesting subject, and Dick Francis has researched the technicalities of painting very conscientiously. Sometimes he can't resist showing off his knowledge a bit, but that's forgivable.

All in all, a very satisfying thriller.

Dick Francis is a master
This book is a great adventure, with a mystery and attempted murder to go with it.

The book that started it all (for my family)
Dick Francis is a huge hit in my house."In The Frame" was the first of his books that my wife ever read.She loved it so much she started looking for more of his books.Now, several years later, our office houses every book in the Dick Francis catalog.

But, enough about my wife.I have never been a reader.Prior to 2005, I had never read a book for pleasure.My wife pushed me to give the Francis book "The Edge" a read because it is set on a train (and she knows I'm a sucker for trains).I gave it a try and haven't stopped reading the Francis catalog since.

To date, I have read about three quarters of the Francis collection.So far, I have only come across three kinds of books in his catalog, good ones, great ones, and incredible ones."In The Frame" is one of the incredible ones.

If you'd had told me four years ago that I would become hooked on books set around English Steeplechasing in the coming years, I'd have considered you insane.But, here I am, and thanks to Dick Francis, I am completely hooked.

HAPPY CUSTOMER
THIS BOOK ARRIVED IN GOOD CONDITION AND CAME IN A REASONALBE AMOUNT OF TIME.I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS VENDOR.

4.5 stars--one of the best of the 12 I've read
I enjoyed this book--a fast read.Has his trademarks:
1. amateur hero with lots of courage who gets beat up, usually more than once
2. expositions on some specialty kind of work--in this case painting
3. some connection with horse racing--the artist paints horses & meets other characters at the races.
4. interesting characters & esp. their descriptions or statements.

In this book, most of the bad guys are provided early, but not all--& the mystery surrounds the murder itself.Most of the interesting quotes this time could be lumped together as Todd's Laws (p. 115 of 230 in the 1976 HB ed:

"One shouldn't make judgments form afar.You haven't actually got to be swallowed by a shark before you believe it's got sharp teeth,' Sarah said.`You can believe what other people see.'`It depends from where they're looking.Facts are not judgments, and judgments are not facts,' Jik said.`A bit of Todd's Law from way back...Emotion is a rotten base for politics.He used to say that, too,' Jik said.`Envy is the root of all evil.What have I left out?'`The most damaging lies are told by those who believe they're true.'"

This novel is available in a number of collections: 'In the Frame' and 'Dead Cert' (Omnibus Edition): Dead Cert & In the Frame by Dick Francis, Blood Flies Upwards by E. X. Ferrars, and Murder in Mimicry by Anne Morice (Detective Book Club). ... Read more

Product Description
A smash hit novel now in trade—from “a rare and magical talent… who never writes the same story twice.”(San Diego Union-Tribune)

A New York Times Notable Book

Slay Ride finds British investigator David Cleveland betting on foul play when a champion jockey disappears—right before a big race and the birth of his child… ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Northern Lights on the Track
Dick Francis's main character is not a jockey in Slay Ride. The story takes place in Norway which is not really known for it's horse racing. I wondered if it would be a good read or just dropped in the basket for things that go to a second hand store. The story is so good it would make a fabulous movie. David Cleveland, the main character is a skillful investigator who is humble. The story is fun & has some history in it.

A cold end in Norway
Dick Francis always teaches the reader something, and in Slay Ride we learn that there aren't many homebred jump jockeys in Norway. The population is small, with not enough racing going on. So English jockeys are often invited to ride in races.

One of these jockeys, Bob Sherman, is accused of stealing the day's take at the Øvrevoll racetrack. He's disappearing with sixteen thousand kroner. Feeling somewhat embarrassed by the incident, the British Jockey Club sends its investigator, David Cleveland, to Norway to look into the matter.

David is the usual appealing Dick Francis hero, but with charms all his own. At thirty-three, he barely looks twenty-five, so he gets no respect (at first) from the bigwigs. In fact, he's a skilled fact finder. He's trained himself to watch the movements of people's eyes, and even to sense slight disturbances in the atmosphere caused by fear or aggression in others. His carefully cultivated jungle instincts are destined to come in handy.

David's inquiry into a fairly minor theft uncovers a much bigger game. So big that he has to deal with several attempts on his life.

The cast includes some wacky characters. Like David's chauffeur, a left-wing Norwegian who drives like a maniac, his Great Dane calmly ensconced in the back seat. And then there's the paranoid Norwegian security guy who's always looking over his shoulder for attackers. And David's weird neighbor in London who can't bear noise. Women enter the picture, too, giving our hero a chance to have healthy male thoughts, politely controlled.

I knocked this book down in a day, unable to stop reading. I'd certainly recommend it, along with everything else by Dick Francis!

Horse Racing
When you read a Dick Francis novel you know that you are not only getting a great read but you are also getting a book written by a writer who knows his subject. Dick Francis was one of the world's greatest jockeys. Talk about horses and racing - he knew his subject. He was also Queen Elizabeth's and her mother's rider for many years. A great athlete!

horse racing and murder in Norway
British Jockey Club investigator David Cleveland travels to Norway investigating the disappearance of British jockey Robert Sherman. It's presumed that he'd stolen the day's take from the racecourse and vanished. However, neither he nor the money has turned up, and some of the evidence doesn't quite fit together.

Things get complicated fairly quickly, and instead of a straightforward case of theft, Cleveland finds himself with a murdered witness, and his own life in danger.

If you like horses and horse racing, you'll probably enjoy this (and all of Dick Francis's books, for that matter) more than I did. In Slayride, there's a lot of detail about the Norwegian racing world, and how it differs from, say, the British.

I enjoyed the logical unraveling of clues--my favorite type of mystery. At times, this made the book seem a bit plodding, as Cleveland followed false leads, but it also felt realistic.

Best, though, was the twists and turns. The reader gets to experience them along with Cleveland--that is, they're not telegraphed or obvious... at least not to me.

I tend to mildly enjoy Dick Francis's books, and Slayride was no exception. He does a good job of crafting a mystery, but I get bored with the horse stuff after a while. So he's an occasional read rather than an author I collect.

Dunk in a fjord.
SLAY RIDE follows the normal Francis formula, but the life threatening assault on the hero, David Cleveland opens the story. This doesn't leave much time to develop the suspense that characterizes most Dick Francis novels. It was too easy to figure out "who-done-it", which spoils the fun, for the reader, of a mystery.
The betrayal by a friend is sad, but plodding like a hard run race that didn't make it. But by all means read SLAY RIDE for the interest of knowing an author who stands head above the rest at a low point, it gives you insight into his power of storytelling.
Nash Black, author of WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.
... Read more

Product Description
This thriller involves a kidnapping of an amateur jockey and accountant and is written by the former National Hunt Jockey and author of many thrillers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (12)

Risk
Dick Francis did it again; he kept me on the edge of my seat.Because the protagonist is an accountant, I was especially interested as my daughter is one also.I did not figure out the reason for Britten's abduction until the author revealed it.Fascinating and satisfying.I want my daughter to read it.

Horses and accountants
An accountant who is an amateur jockey finds himself being a target.
The usual good writing and interesting characters we have come to expect from Dick Francis.

Horses and accountants
Hard to dislike anything Dick Francis writes. He writes so well.
Risk, like all his books, is definitely worth a read and probably a re-read, but it is not one of his best.
The story line is about an accountant who is an amateur jockey. Enjoy it and get another one by him to enjoy even more.

Dick Francis is the Master
Dick Francis never disappoints. He never writes the same story twice, though his protagonists all have in common some sort of inner battle. If you don't like to fly and need something to completely absorb your attention, you can always count on Dick Francis to provide a page-turner. Do another flier a favor when you finish and leave the book on a seat in the waiting area when you get off the plane. Great rainy-day reading. Francis always researches his topics carefully and even if you're not particularly enamoured of horses, you'll still enjoy a GOOD READ.

Another Francis hit
Much, much better than I'd hoped :)
Young accountant Roland Britten is kidnapped (twice!) and has no clue as to why this should've happened to him - a non-descript, normal, guy. But as old enemies and friends seem suddenly to change their behaviour towards him, he begins to suspect foul play. The only problem is - he doesn't know how best to avoid the traps that await him, before something really terminal happens...
I didn't know I'd enjoy this book so much - from the reviews it was supposed to be more average than it proved. Even if I'm a fan of Mr. Francis', I am trying to be objective - and I think this one stands on the same row as "The Danger", "Rat Race" and "Proof".
A very enjoyable mystery.
... Read more

Product Description
After his friend is killed in a horse-racing accident, up-and-coming glass artisan Gerard Logan finds himself embroiled in a deadly search for a stolen videotape--a videotape that just might destroy his own life.Amazon.com Review
After 41 novels, most writers run out of energy before the finalgallop. But Dick Francis's latest thriller is as good as his earliest. Perhaps it's because this one is dedicated to the Queen Mother, whocelebrated her centennial in 2000, and who, like her famously horseydaughter, shares Francis's passion for the races. Or maybe he's just foundhis stride again, after a few less-than-outstanding starts. Here hedoes one of his best tricks: lures you into a somewhat arcane area youmight know little about and explicates it so brilliantly that you don'teven realize how much you've learned (in this case, about glass blowing) while a mystery is unraveled, a crime is solved, and the hero gets the girl.

This time the mise en scène is the glass blowing studio owned by Gerard Logan, friend of the late Martin Stukely, a jockey who takes a fatal fall at the Cheltenham steeplechase during the last race of the century. Still mourning Martin, Gerard is savagely beaten, his workshop ransacked, and his life threatened by a gang of thugs. Investigating, Gerard discovers that the gang includes a domineering woman who's the daughter of Martin's valet and a scientist who's stolen valuable data from the laboratory that formerly employed him. They believe Gerard has possession of a videotape entrusted to him by Martin before his death and that the secrets on the tape are worth Gerard's life.

It's a good set up, with just enough of the usual horse lore and a pleasant love story involving Gerard and a pretty policewoman, neither of which overshadow the taut pacing and the well-worked-out plot. Francis's protagonists may be accidental heroes, but they're not antiheroes; they're usually eminently decent, likable men, and their sense of self is always interesting. Here's Gerard at home, in a break from the action, thinking about the new woman in his heart in a typical Francis love scene:

I walked deliberately through all the rooms, thinking about Catherine, wondering both if she would like the place, and whether the house would accept her in return. Once in the past the house had delivered a definite thumbs-down, and once I'd been given an ultimatum to smother the pale plain walls with brightly patterned paper as a condition of marriage, but to the horror of her family I'd backed out of the whole deal, and, as a result, I now used the house as arbiter and had disentangled myself from a later young woman who'd begun to refer to her and me as "an item" and to reply to questions as "we." We think. No, we don't think.

Customer Reviews (64)

Even if not quite top tier for a D Francis book, this still a good story.
I am a big fan and reread all of his books regularly.Even the less successful books are worth reading for the storyline.Always a new setting, many likeable characters and some clever plots keep these books favorites.I am sorry that Mr. Francis passed away this year but look forward to his son picking up the writing mantle.

Shattered as glass can be shattered...
The tie-in to horse racing isn't as strong in this mystery as it usually is in Francis mysteries although it does start with the death of a jockey and has a horse owner and a trainer as characters.Instead, Francis takes us into the world of glass blowing while giving us the usual strong hero who gets battered along the way, a light love interest, and a couple of really dastardly villains.This isn't the greatest from the author, but his fans shouldn't be disappointed.

Shattered, Dick Francis
I loved this story.It has a lot of twists and turns, so you have to pay attention.I catch new details every time I listen to it.I love his stories.

Glass and loyalty shatter
Martin Stukely died, falling in a steeplechase.The horse, Tallahasee, was owned by Lloyd Baxter.Priam Jones was the trainer.The narrator of the story is Gerard Logan, glass artist and owner of a concern selling glass wares.

Glass artist and jockey met while serving on a jury.So, a friend witnesses the accidental death of a friend.The narrator is an objective observer, not being in the horse racing business.Each friend had been used to confronting danger.Molten glass is dangerous stuff.Glassblowers are arrogant.This is understandable since the skill is difficult to learn.

Subsequently Gerard learns that someone is searching for a recording tape formerly in the possession of Martin Stukely.An arrogant person is needed to solve the mystery Martin hoarded.People are willing to employ violence to get their hands on the secret(s).Dick Francis's secondary charcters are colorful.The characters include a police officer, Catherine Dodd, Martin's wife, Bon-Bon, her mother, Marigold, her chauffeur, Worthington, a boy, Victor, and Adam Force.

Typically, this is well-crafted and fun to read.

Back in the saddle again
I enjoyed this much more than Francis' previous novel, Second Wind. It's set in England again, displaying Francis' talent for plot and terse writing, brutality and standoffish lovers. Horse racing is present of course, as in his previous 38 novels, if marginally here. Instead, the art of glassblowing is a fascinating feature, used to explosive effect as the occupation of still another of Francis' stalwart amateur sleuths, forced into the role by a pathologically violent woman and her gang. Gerard Logan is typically unwilling, quiet, talented, determined, slow to fury, and looking for a love of his life. Could Francis' novels stress physical abuse of puzzled protagonists because English crimes are rarely committed with guns, requiring despicable villains to get infuriatingly close, within an Englishman's personal space? Although the characters travel around quite a bit, I don't get much feel for the appearance of the places they visit. I think Francis is writing more for an English audience, familiar with all the race courses, the highway numbers, the main streets, and the like, than thinking of his large number of overseas readers. ... Read more

Product Description
Common sense said that the whole idea was crazy...but when offered huge sums of money to move to England and help the Earl of October uncover a suspected racehorse dope scandal, Danny Roke finds the proposal intriguing. Swapping his job as proprietor of an Australian stud farm to work undercover as a stable hand in Yorkshire, Danny soon has his hands full. Whilst the Earl's attractive daughters Patricia and Elinor draw his attention, he finds himself ever more deeply involved with the vicious swindlers he is out to entrap. And if neither the money nor the swindle will keep his mind on the job, maybe the death of the Earl's original investigator, Tommy Stapleton, will...Amazon.com Review
This first collection of short stories by Dick Francis (author of 10 Lb. Penalty and more than 30 other horseracing mysteries) pulls together five new tales witheight that have appeared scattered in periodicals over the last threedecades.One of the pleasures of his stories is witnessing the breadth andvariety within Francis's racetrack milieu. In "Dead on Red," a jealousjockey named Davey Rockman hires Emil Jacques, a French assassin and guncollector, to kill the famed rider who stole his job; but Rockman ishaunted by his deed much in the same way as is the protagonist in Edgar Allan Poe's "TheTell-Tale Heart." "Raid at Kingdom Hill" tells of Tricksy Wilcox's schemefor a not-so-bright bomb scare, a plan that still might yield the payoff ofa lifetime."Collision Course" is free of murder but frames a delightfulconflict between an out-of-work newspaperman and a bounder whose fauxmanners threaten to bring him down at the peak of his racing syndicatecareer.The Kentucky Derby story, "The Gift," follows Fred Collyer, adrunken writer who overhears plans for a major racing swindle and strugglesagainst alcohol to publish the story by his deadline.And the collectionends with a what-if story called "Haig's Death" that examines theconsequences of the sudden passing of Christopher Haig, an animal feedconsultant and race-meeting judge.

Poe, who most historians of literature credit as the creator of the shortstory, declared that a good short story should have nothing extraneous. Francis's stories, for the most part, obey Poe's dictum.Each character anddescription fits tightly into an unfolding plan so that the mystery ortwist is revealed with a satisfying economy of words.While Field of13 will appeal to Francis loyalists, newcomers, too, will find much torelish in the short fiction of this mystery grand master. --PatrickO'Kelley ... Read more

Customer Reviews (32)

A must read for Cick Francis and horse race afficianados
Nobody has captured the fascination of the racetrack like Dick Francis. Although the setting is Britain, American race goers will also love these short stories which take a different slant than his basic crime fiction. Eight of these stories have been previously published in various magazines including Sports Illustrated while five have been written recently.While only one has a murder in it, most of them involve crime of some sort.All are full of Francis' love for the "sport of kings".

Fatal Number
Dick Frances brings to the short story a same wit and veer he as mastered so well in the field of fiction. Short of time to tackle a full-length novel, stick FIELD OF THIRTEEN in your pocket or purse and be prepared to entertain yourself while waiting for something. The delightful thing about a short story is you can master it before they call your number.
The lengths vary and may be read at random; the same way Mr. Francis describes their selection.
This volume is the perfect companion for a brown bag lunch, even in the winter. It gives you the chance to get lost in the world of racing, crooks, nice-guys, and fools.
Nash Black, author of SINS OF THE FATHERS and QUALIFYING LAPS.

Undercover in British racing
An Australian horse breeder goes undercover to find the cause of some unexplained race finishes.
The usual Dick Francis twists and turns, some of which stretch the imagination a little.
Also the usual good writing and characters we have come to expect from Dick Francis.

Entertaining enough, but really just so-so
I've read a couple of Dick Francis' novels some years back and remember very much enjoying them.I like horses, so the racing hook always gets me.And the plot, character development, and little twists and turns keep me turning page after page.The writing style is easy to get lost in.

So when I picked this one up (I bought a lot of his works at library book sales; they are waiting patiently to be read) I was excited to see I'd get to read thirteen short stories.But I think the short story venue is just not the best for Francis' writing style.He seems to feel like he has to cram a lot of description into a small space, so he tells us what would be better shown (or even just left implied).And then he winds up with a pretty thin plot or a lame twist right at the end.

But really the stories were amusing enough.I guess if I'd been expecting "twisteries," which these stories were, instead of mysteries, I'd have been better prepared to enjoy the collection.As it was, I did read all the stories and enjoyed them well enough.

I echo another reader's confusion as to why the one character tried to raise all his bail cash instead of seeing a bondsman, and I'll add another cross-Atlantic blooper:Nashville is nowhere near the Mississippi River.A small point maybe, but it just points up a basic laziness -- all the bloke had to do was look at a map!He knows his racing cold, but maybe should recognize that other things need to be scoped out a bit.

Still, read it, especially if you're a fan.

Baker's Dozen
This is a short story collection mostly of previously published stories, but with a few new ones as well.All are fun to read IMHO.Many are poignant.They are unpredictable & center on unusual characters, themselves rather unpredictable--reminds one a bit of Poe.The characters do tend to be black or white--with a few pangs of guilt, perhaps.Francis always provides some psychological view of his characters--with heavy emphasis on personal interest leading to self-deception & rationalization.On the other hand, some of his characters are highly enviable for their authenticity & character.I thoroghly enjoyed the book--it was a very fast read for me.But, I like short stories; some readers don't.So, this is a great change of pace for Francis which some of his readers may decry.IMHO though, risk is admirable, so trying something new and/or different is worthy of respect.That said, as short stories with twist endings, don't expect lots of character development or a mystery with sufficient clues for readers to figure out.These are not that kind of story. ... Read more

Product Description
Veteran horseman Randall Drew travels to Mosow to help the Russian royal family--but ends up caught in a world of jealousy, sabotage, and murder. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Horse Racing
When you read a Dick Francis novel you know that you are not only getting a great read but you are also getting a book written by a writer who knows his subject. Dick Francis was one of the world's greatest jockeys. Talk about horses and racing - he knew his subject. He was also Queen Elizabeth's and her mother's rider for many years. A great athlete!

When the Cold War was raging
This 1991 novel is set, as are all of Francis' stories, in the horsey set. Talented but myopic amateur jockey Randall Drew had been forced out of racing.Eyeglasses had just been banned for jockeys and Drew was unable to wear contact lenses, his only options in those days before Lasix surgery.At loose ends he finds himself drafted to investigate some dirty tricks being played on a royal who wants to compete in the Moscow Olympics.Once in Russia Drew finds that the Russians are definitely fighting dirty even in the venue of Olympic sports.

Those who are fans of Francis novels will enjoy this one, despite the dated premise.As with all of Francis' work we know that their will be a hero suffering from a tragedy (although banned from racing is minor compared to some other Francis heroes) which he will stoically endure.There will be a love interest, probably a doomed to failure and that the hero will suffer through great ordeals before he triumphs.Francis talent lies in the way he manages to work this very strict formula into an exciting tale that will keep the reader turning page after page.

Giving Francis a trial run
This is the first Dick Francis novel I've read.It was okay.Not brilliant, but entertaining enough to keep me turning pages.To me it seemed more spy story than mystery, but that is probably due to the fact that the action takes place in the USSR.It was a nice change of pace from the traditional English cozies I usually go for.Based on the strength of this book, I'll be reading more Dick Francis in the future.

Bad Weather for Racing
TRIAL RUN by Dick Francis doesn't make it to rave status. Randall Drew accepts an assignment from the Prince to do some undercover investigating for Johnny Farringford. The Prince's brother-in-law wants a world class horse to ride in the Olympics, but circumstances must be checked before the games begin.
Being in Moscow maybe out of Francis natural habitat, but in several places the plotting is contrived and plodding. Combine this with a love affair that doesn't go anywhere and murder left far behind, the Prince's last line, "Johnny grow up!" makes the appeal standard of Francis if it doesn't deliver the satisfaction.
Nash Black, author of WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

From Russia with...worth 3.5 stars IMHO
This book resulted from a trip Dick & Mary Francis took to Moscow in the summer of 1977.They were invited into the homes of Russians.This book reflects the Francis's experiences there.As usual the hero is an ex-jockey turned sleuth who gets attacked & wounded but bears it rather stoically.The mystery plays itself out naturally, but only because of the hero's racing background.The love interest is unusual & interesting, but it's described without much detail.Somehow, the mystery seems too readily resolved here, but the atmosphere of communist USSR seems well-depicted--though I do not know from personal experience.Still, when I visited (after Glasnost), the grayness remained.As usual, unlike many Agatha C. novels, the reader is not challenged to discover the culprit.Per many modern "mysteries" it's more story than whodunnit.I enjoyed the book as light fiction but it's not one of his best IMHO.Still, he makes some interesting observations (near the end of the book) about democracy etc. that might awaken some needed thankfulness in Americans today.As the song goes, "You don't know what you've got until you lose it."Enjoy the character & the characters. ... Read more

Product Description
Sid Halley's glory days as a jockey are over, but he still finds a certain satisfaction in successfully solving a case. His latest one, though, could prove to be his undoing. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (18)

Horse racing
This is a mystery novel about a horse jockey that is a detective. Good details about the horse racing industry, good mystery. I added a picture of the book above.

Heroism examined
WHIP HAND is a sequel to ODDS AGAINST, featuring champion jumping jockey Sid Halley. Sid has turned detective after an accident that robbed him of the use of his left hand and his career as a jockey.

I'd suggest that ODDS AGAINST be read first, to get the full flavor of Sid's intelligence and courage.

In this book, Sid is handling three investigations at once. First, a trainer's wife asks him to protect a horse training in their stables that's expected to win the Two Thousand Guineas. Three other favorites before this one have fizzled out mysteriously at a race they were certain to win.

Second, the head of security for the Jockey Club asks Sid to look into syndicates. A staff member has approved several that turned out to have undesirable members.

Third, Sid's ex-wife Jenny is in trouble for her involvement in a direct mail charity fraud. Her lover was the real culprit, but unless this guy can be found and exposed, Jenny could go to jail.

For my taste there's an excess of criminal activity afoot for one book. Nonetheless, the book offers an compelling study of the psychology of bullies and their victims. Sid, who everyone thinks has nerves of steel, is almost destroyed by the villains in this piece. Not just physically but in spirit.

Well done
Dick Francis really has some good books out there, and this so far is my favorite.What a life story as well.

Starts slowly, but finishes well
Sid Halley was a top jockey until his hand was damaged beyond repair. When the story begins, he is working as a private investigator specializing in cases related to racing. He receives an unpleasant surprise when his ex father-in-law asks for help tracking down a con man who victimized Sid's ex-wife, Jenny. Jenny hates Sid and is about as rude as she can possibly be even when he's trying to help her. Sid also is asked to look into some suspicious racing syndicates and a trainer's wife asks him to protect a horse she fears is in danger. With the help of his friend Chico, he tries to dig into all of these matters with varying results. Unfortunately, some of the cases turn downright nasty as thugs start looking to dish out beatings and worse as he digs up things better left untouched.

Perhaps because Sid pursues several cases, Whip Hand starts off pretty fragmented and also seems a bit dry. The pace picks up and the story begins to come together in the second half and gets especially tense leading up to the climax. Sid is a sympathetic protagonist as he is tough on the outside but fairly insecure about having a prosthetic hand and some of the threats he receives scare him quite badly. His attempts to deal with that fear are a big part of what make the later stages of the book so compelling.

This was my third Dick Francis book and I must admit that I didn't enjoy it quite as much as the other two. The first third was especially disappointing, but it definitely picked up from there. It's not a bad novel for Dick Francis fans, but I probably would not recommend it to a first time reader. A better choice might be Enquiry which is strong from start to finish.

Horses and detecting
The second Sid Halley book. Sid investigates horses who don't run to form.
Along with a good story line there are the usual interesting characters.
This is one of the better books by a really great author. ... Read more

Product Description
When a hurricane-chasing plane is downed on a Caribbean island, TV meteorologist Perry Stuart barely escapes with his life. But he can't escape what he saw on the island--and if the people who've tracked him back to England have their way, Stuart will have a zero percent chance of survival.Amazon.com Review
DickFrancis's legion of admirers can relax: his year off from writingsince the 1998 publication of Field of Thirteen isover, and a new vigor has entered his style. Longtime readers will behappy to find the customary racetrack skullduggery, galvanized by somefascinating new elements.

The very opening of Second Windsignals something new, with Francis's protagonist, meteorologist PerryStuart, fighting for his life as he flies through the eye of storm onTrox Island, a blighted place steeped in guano and harboring a nastysecret. "But now, as near dead as dammit, I tumbled like a rag-dollpiece of flotsam in towering gale-driven seas that sucked unimaginabletons of water from the deeps ...."

When the reader encountereddetails of the racing world in Francis's earlier thrillers such asWhip Hand andReflex, theyhad the satisfying ring of authenticity. The same is true in SecondWind--Stuart's character was developed with the help of BBCweatherman John Kettley.

Although this is a new venue for Francis,he still has a knack for quickening the reader's pulse with a fewcarefully chosen words: "Despair was too strong a word for it. Perhapsdespondency was better. When they came for me, they came with guns." --Barry Forshaw ... Read more

Customer Reviews (88)

Second Wind
The novel started slowly, but got more interesting about half way through.Not his best although I did enjoy reading it while hurricanes are whirling off the Alantic coast this September.

"Dellirium Brings Comfort To The Dying."
Once again, Dick Francis ensnares the reader with the first sentence.And while he connects this with horse racing, it's meteorology which he delves into this time around along with mystery and the peril he's noted for.He does tread different paths than we generally expect with an atom age conspiracy plot, but I thought he did it well.I do see why some fans are disappointed by the fact that horse racing is peripheral this time around and not near the center of the story.But his usual skill as a writer is intact with a number of sentences, especially around the beginning or the end of a chapter, that brings us up short.All in all, do read this if you are already a Francis fan.You may be disappointed a bit, but if you let yourself get drawn in sufficiently, you'll find yourself not wanting to put it down.

Stormy weather
Dick Francis hero-narrators always exhibit an appealing competence at whatever job they do. In this case the hero, Perry Stuart, is a meteorologist and physicist who presents forecasts for the BBC. He doesn't just read a script but analyzes complex weather data himself to make predictions.

Of course there has to be a racing connection, and there is.Racehorse trainers often consult Perry on impending weather that might effect underfoot conditions for their hopefuls.

A manic-depressive friend invites Perry to fly with him through the eye of a hurricane - irresistible to a weather scholar who has never experienced a catastrophic Caribbean storm. This escapade triggers a series of adventures that only a cool and clever Dick Francis hero could survive.

Perry's fascination with the "jacket of air swirling around the planet" makes him an engaging character. Another great character is his wheelchair-bound grandmother who writes travel brochures and has a flair for predicting disasters.

The tight plot evolves around an international conspiracy. I generally prefer criminals who are local and personal rather than global and political, so this is not my favorite Dick Francis novel. But I still recommend the book for its delightful characters and stormy content.

Francis should stick to horses...
I have come to enjoy the mysteries of Dick Francis, but unfortunately, I found Second Wind to be a big disappointment.

Dr. Petty Stuart is a meteorologist with the BBC.He is the weather forecaster that race horse owners and trainers seek out when they want to know the conditions for upcoming races.But unlike most Francis' mysteries, horses only make a few cameo appearances in Second Wind.Most of the novel deals with a plot that Stuart stumbles upon where a group of individuals are trading in bomb-making materials.Sound implausible?Yup--it is--especially as Stuart continues to pursue the bad guys despite having no training and no weapons.But the plot started out being unbelievable from the very beginning from an amateur pilot flying through a hurricane to a herd of cattle living on a very small, deserted island without a natural water source.

I enjoyed Perry Stuart and especially, his adventurous and practical grandmother.I found the information about weather fascinating.And I have come to love the writing style of Dick Francis.But the plot was totally farfetched and convoluted.I think that Francis should stick with his equine-themes.

Eye of the Storm
Only an English meteorologist would consider chasing a hurricane in a light plane a vacation. Americans know this is dangerous and deadly. Perry Stuart has never seen the force of a storm in the Caribbean, but after being forced down on a small island he learns the hard way.
The aftermath of the storm is just as deadly when residents of the island follow him back to England to silence him like the eye of the storm.
Dick Francis, who lives part time in the Caribbean knows his storms, a fine addition to your collection.
Nash Black, author of WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and SINS OF THE FATHERS. ... Read more

Product Description
Abducted by two men, Neil Griffon discovers that unless he agrees to their unreasonable demands, they will destroy his father's precious horses and racing stable-and, ultimately, Neil himself. Returned to his father's stables, he must find a way to bring down these criminals. Because having to choose between his integrity and his life is no choice at all. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (14)

Interesting ...
Neil Griffon grew up in the world of horse racing - his father owning a racing stable and all - but he had left his father's domineering shadow and gone his own way as soon as he could, and made a success of himself.However, when his father is injured in a serious accident and finds himself in hospital, Neil is left with no choice but to take over running the stable - at least until he can find someone else to do it in the interim.His plans of turning the stable over to someone more qualified are quickly kibashed, however, when he is abducted and told that he will be getting a new apprentice, whom he WILL allow to ride the most valuable racehorse in the most important race.If these things are not done, the stable WILL be destroyed.Now Neil must stay and run the stable to make sure that Alessandro Rivera, the son of mobster Enso Rivera, is kept somewhat mollified while still keeping the stable functional and doing his best to make sure everything is kept ready for the upcoming racing season.

This is my first Dick Francis book, and while I wouldn't exactly call it pulse-pounding exciting, it is a decent little book.It is fairly slow moving at time, but I don't really mind that, because it provides us with good character development and that's always a plus.So, I would recommend this for those who are fans of Dick Francis, books about horse racing, thrillers, etc.

Brat to Man
A face paced, tightly plotted, early Dick Francis is BONECRACK. Neil Griffon takes over for his father, who is recovering from a broken leg. Neil's own life is the price of a blackmail scheme, but one of the most interesting aspects of this novel is the growth of Alessandro Rivera, at eighteen, from a spoiled brat into a man.
Neil does not have the means to defeat the father who holds the stables and his life prisoner, so he uses the only power at his command, he changes the son and defeats the father.
BONECRACK is a fantastic read for pride in accomplishment and the love of racing.
Nash Black, author of WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

Dick Francis as good as ever
Neil Griffon is a businessman drafted into running his father's racing stable while the old man recuperates from a nasty accident. A gangster who wants his own son, Alessandro, hired as a jockey abducts Neil and threatens both murder and the destruction of the stables unless the boy is made top jockey immediately. The bulk of the story from that point focuses on Neil's efforts to juggle the conflicting demands of the gangster, Alessandro, his employees, and his father. It's an open question whether he'll stay alive long enough to extricate himself from the situation and return the stables in decent shape to his father's care.

Bonecrack starts off fast since Neil's abduction occurs on the very first page. The pace is strong throughout, and especially fevered as it approaches the climax. The characters are all pretty well developed. Neil is a typical Dick Francis protagonist, both likeable and intelligent. His father is a cold, egotistical man. Alessandro is possibly the most interesting character and certainly shows the most growth and development during the course of the story. He starts off arrogant and condescending but slowly responds to Neil's efforts to groom him into a real jockey.

If you've read a few Dick Francis novels, you're not likely to find any major surprises here. It's an enjoyable read and the prose is as silky smooth as ever. If you've never read any of his books, then this is as good as any to start with. Long-time fans should also be pleased with yet another strong outing.

An oldie but goodie... Dick Francis at the top of his game
Bonecrack was first published in 1971, so it has been around for a while.It is a Dick Francis novel, through and through.Newmarket and the horse racing culture.Trainers and owners.Heroes and villains, with the heroes being all too human.

A mysterious villain insists that his son be given the top jockey spot in an important race, over all the other jockeys and with no experience.Failure to submit to his demands will have fatal consequences for horses and their riders.Neil Griffon must save the stables from financial mismanagement, protect his horses and riders, and... learn to be a trainer.You see, he's never done this before, but circumstances have placed him in this precarious position.

If you like fast-moving mysteries, you will like Bonecrack.

Horses and extortion
A businessman temporarily takes over his father's stable and is threatened by a jockey's father to take the young jockey on.
As usual, the writing is easy to follow and a joy to read.
The characters are fascinating.
A warning for horse lovers: several horses die in this book.
... Read more