I don’t read Dick Francis that ravenously any more but whenever I finish a book I always wonder why. They’re crime novels based amongst the UK horse racing scene and they’re highly enjoyable.
They’re not dark and brooding at all, like the American crime novels tend to be. They have tension and excitement, but the main characters are always happy and oddly well-adjusted. It’s a nice change of pace.
Henry Grey, a man plunged into a violent situation worlds away from his normal life, faces some evil killers. This is broken up a little bit in the meat of the novel when he becomes smitten with a woman who’s only tangentially related to the crime taking place. They fall in love and Francis weaves it nicely into the novel.
** PLOT KILLERS FOLLOW **
The flying finish is quite exciting and I assume Francis put in some serious research on what it’s like to fly with no instruments. I really felt somewhat blind during it. Neat effect.
