Dick Francis (1920–2010)

This mystery/thriller opens with a bang, as a jockey shoots “himself, loudly and messily, in the center of the parade ring at Dunstable races.” Our protagonist, Rob Finn, is a fellow jockey who witnesses this horrific event. Rob is just starting his career and hasn’t had many good mounts, but he begins to win and captures the attention of trainers, owners and a local journalist with a popular television show on racing. But just as he is getting to the top of the field, things begin to go sour. His reputation in tatters, he is on the brink of despair when he thinks on his fellow jockeys and the troubles they’ve endured in the past year or two. Is someone sabotaging jockeys? Who? And Why?

Francis crafts a compelling psychological mystery. Finn is tenacious and determined. He’s also smart in the way he goes about ferreting out information to build the case against an unlikely perpetrator. I do not know much about steeplechase racing, but Francis gives enough detail to educate me without boring me. Some of the race scenes were quite thrilling; I almost felt as if I were jumping those fences right along with Finn and Template (the horse he was riding).

I came late to the Dick Francis fan club, but I’m glad I finally arrived.… (mais)

Another excellent Penguin 60. I have never read any work of Dick Francis and this little book is an excellent taster. The first chapter of 'Dead Cert', a murder mystery set at Maidenhead racecourse, made me want to read the whole story - to buy the paperback or see if the book was in the local library. The other tale in this book is a short story and I am glad I set aside the time to read it in one go. The Gift is set at the Kentucky Derby and the tale of a journalist no longer at his best - what an excellent story it is, beautifully written, a clever twist, and I was able to have in my mind my favourite film genre - a film noir, complete with the classic American narrator. Brilliant a story and entertaining.… (mais)