Forfeit Dick Francis I hadn’t read “Forfeit” in, oh, twenty years or something, until I recently picked it up and reread it. As always, rereading is as enlightening as reading. “Forfeit” is one of Francis’s slighter works in many ways, but it gets added depth by the interactions between Ty (the hero) and his wife […]
Read more "“Forfeit” by Dick Francis"The Danger Dick Francis “The Danger” was the first Dick Francis book I read, so it seems fitting to finish off this year’s Goodreads reading challenge by reviewing it. In “The Danger,” Francis breaks his usual MO by making the jockey, not the hero, but the woman whom the hero has to save. The hero […]
Read more "“The Danger” by Dick Francis"Kit Fielding Mysteries by Dick Francis Break In Since Goodreads reading goals wait for no man nor woman either, not even on Christmas, I must complete more reviews if I am to meet my target. Naturally for today I decided to review the books about Christmas “Kit” Fielding and his twin sister Holly, born […]
Read more "“Break In” and “Bolt” by Dick Francis"Longshot Dick Francis John Kendall takes a job everyone else has turned down. But it seemed better than freezing. Only it sucks him straight into a murder mystery. “Longshot” is one of my very favorite Francis books, and it was just as good on the last reread. Written in 1990, right when Francis was at […]
Read more "“Longshot” by Dick Francis"Straight Dick Francis “Straight” has always been one of my favorite Francis stories, and I’m not sure why. The main topic–gemstones–holds absolutely zero interest for me, and neither do the clever gadgets that the main character has to figure out. But maybe that’s why it’s interesting. The chances of me ever wearing lots of gems, […]
Read more "“Straight” by Dick Francis"Under Orders Dick Francis As one of the last acts in the twilight of his career, Dick Francis took his favorite character, Sid Halley, out for one last race. Things have changed a bit since Sid Halley first appeared, back in 1965. As part of the time warp I mentioned in one of my earlier […]
Read more "“Under Orders” by Dick Francis"Come to Grief Dick Francis After an almost 20-year hiatus, Dick Francis returns to his favorite character Sid Halley in “Come to Grief.” Like the other Sid Halley stories, this one is dark and edgy even for a Dick Francis book, and like the other novels from the early 1990s, it features a particularly sadistic […]
Read more "“Come to Grief” by Dick Francis"Whip Hand Dick Francis In “Whip Hand,” Sid Halley returns, this time with his damaged hand replaced with a myoelectric version. He’s returned to life after the depression of the first book, but has to face his own weakness when his nemesis threatens him with his worst fears. Francis’s use of Halley as a recurring […]
Read more "“Whip Hand” by Dick Francis"Odds Against Dick Francis In “Odds Against,” Francis’s fourth fictional outing, he takes a decidedly darker turn. Although not lacking in evil villains, both “Dead Cert” and “For Kicks” had a strong aspect of glamorous wish fulfillment, and so, in its own way, did “Nerve.” Alan, Rob, and Daniel all had tough times, sure, but […]
Read more "“Odds Against” by Dick Francis"For Kicks Dick Francis In “For Kicks” Francis continues to demonstrate the mastery of the horse-thriller genre he established in “Nerve.” Even more so than “Nerve,” “For Kicks” is slightly bizarre, unrealistic wish fulfillment, but that in no way diminishes its charm–in fact, it is one of the key factors in its charm. Who doesn’t […]
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E. P. Clark: Author, Book Reviewer, and All-Around Literary Handiwoman 