Alice B. reviewed on 3/14/2015 + 3563 more book reviews

This is my favorite Dick Francis book, but they all are really. In this one a jockey and a horse trainer are accused of throwing a race and are banned from racing. While this hurts deeply, and Francis is a master at describing pain, mental or physical, the two react differently. The trainer just goes into an alcoholic stupor and contemplates suicide, but the jockey wants to know who set them up and why. He goes after the accusers with a vengeance. Of course he gets beat up and then nearly killed, but he doggedly continues with the search for the truth. This character is the perfect example of Francis' main characters. They are not superhuman or anything but they are strong-willed and have a desire to succeed and do the right thing at all costs. I like that in them. They have personal values and attributes we all would love to have and hope we do--integrity and grit. This is a Francis book that has you really hating the bad guys and deeply empathizing with the good guy--the Lone Jockey :-). The good guy even gets the girl in this one. She's also likable, although not at first. Not all of Francis' secondary characters remain static unlike some authors. Francis doesn't always let the main character get the girl which is a refreshing change from most authors, but his characters are always such that you know they'll survive without her. As a woman, I find Francis' characters interesting--especially the one in this book. This was definitely another great suspenseful mystery from Dick Francis. No fan should be without it!

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