Product Description
Forever appeared in the February 1959 issue of Galaxy Science Fiction.

Of all the irksome, frustrating, maddening discoveries—was there no way of keeping it discovered? ... Read more

Product Description
A hard fall took hotshot jockey Sid Halley out of the horse racing game, leaving him with a crippled hand, a broken heart, and a desperate need for a new job.

In Odds Against, he lands a position with a detective agency. His first case brings him up against a field of thoroughbred criminals, and the odds against him are making it a long shot that he'll even survive.

Whip Hand finds Halley haunted by his glory days, although he still finds a certain satisfaction in solving a case. Hired by the wife of one of England's top racehorse trainers, Halley needs to figure out why her husband's most promising horses have been performing so poorly, and winds up haunted by more than just memories.

In Come to Grief, Halley becomes convinced that one of his closest friends-and one of the racing world's most beloved figures--is behind a series of shockingly violent acts. No one wants to believe that Ellis Quint could be guilty, so the public and press are turning their wrath against Halley instead. Now he's facing opposition at every turn-and finding danger lies straight ahead. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Dick Francis
I love Dick Francis and enjoy reading his books over and over. This was one of the most exciting of the series.

Dick's back in the saddle again.
Win, Place or Show brings back one of my favorite protagonists and a gripping storyline.I enjoyed this book as much as I've enjoyed one in a long time.With the exception of Shattered, I've always found it difficult to put down one of Dick Francis's novels.This was a good adventure.

horseworld
As usual Dick Francis is up to date with his book(s).
Whatever the story, it will keep you reading. If you are an horselover you feel even more love fir it.

Unexpected
I didn't realize that this was an anthology of three stories that I had previously read but I enjoyed re-reading all of them.

DICK FRANCIS REDUX
We can thank the popularity of Francis at the time of COME TO GRIEF AND SHATTERED, both books having Sid Halley in them, that the book club gave us a hardcover edition of WIN, PLACE OR SHOW.

All three of these novels were past best sellers and reading them for the first time or rereading them as the case may be is something most Dick Francis fans will enjoy.

So put your money down on this book to Win, Place, or Show.

Semper Fi. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

Depressed hero stops at nothing
Gene Hawkins sleeps with a Luger under his pillow and lives four flights up so people will be short of breath when they get to him. He has a dangerous profession that he refers to as anti-infiltration: interfering with the planting of spies in certain government offices and research labs.

He never minds taking chances, because he's clinically depressed anyway. If he dies on the job, he figures it'll save him the bother of shooting himself one of thesedays.

He's just the man for an impossible assignment, and his boss hands him one: find Chrysalis, a stallion worth £500,000 that just went missing. The owner lost another horse in similar circumstances five years ago, and this time he wants a no-holds-barred search. Insurance investigators and policemen don't get results.

Gene's hunt takes him across the ocean to a Kentucky stud farm, a Wyoming dude ranch and an eerie Arizona dessert. Although lonely and miserable, Gene has a wry sense of humor that keeps his depression from being a burden on the people he meets. He attracts friends and stirs up women, especially the ones he doesn't dare sleep with.

Blood Sport is another great adventure from one of my favorite writers. I turn to Dick Francis whenever I want a sure thing.

top notch author
Diok Francis keeps his expert writting going and your love for his novels going with this book, Blood Sport.If you read one of his books you can't wait to read another!

Missing Horses
BLOOD SPORT is an early (1967) Francis novel that is very different from his normal fare and hence an excellent read. His hero has a death wish hanging on the edge of suicide. Second the story takes places in the United States.
Missing horses, one for ten years Brings Gene Hawkins on the search as he must take a three week vacation, while he has been depending on his employment to keep himself alive. His search leads from London to New York to Kentucky to Las Vegas and to California where he confronts murder. His mental attitude changes when he knows he maybe the next victim instead of self-destructing--then living becomes important.
Not for every fans who expect a standard protagonist, we found the change a very good read.
Nash Black, author of WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and SINS OF THE FATHERS.

Take a trip back to the '60's
This is early (1967) Francis novel centers on Gene Hawkins, a deeply depressed young man who finds himself swept into the racing world against his will.Expensive British stallions are disappearing in America and Hawkins agrees to look into the matter for the insurance company as a favor, and to use up the three weeks of vacation time he had been dreading.The investigation leads Hawkins through the US, from the lush horse country of Kentucky, to a Wyoming dude ranch, to the sun kissed beaches of Southern California.Along the way his path crosses many interesting characters including the charming young daughter of his boss.

As always with a Francis novel the action takes place in the racing world, the hero has a tragic flaw but finds redemption on his quest.The action sequences test the hero's skills, luck and fortitude but his success is a foregone conclusion.The appeal of these novels is that Francis can devise so many variations on the theme.

BLOOD SPORT does show it's age though.In the forty years since it's publication DNA testing would have eliminated the problem with much less trouble, Hawkins' depression would have been managed with drugs and the alcoholic secondary character would have long since been sent to rehab.Still this is a classic Francis and a totally enjoyable trip back to the sixties.

Blood Sport blooper
I received this CD book as a gift.I am a great Dick Francis Fan and love all his books,(This rating being for the author not the audio book) so this complaint isn't for the author, but for the folks who released this CD book, disk 4 is the same as disk 3 therefore part of the book is missing.It is from Bordersproduced by Recorded Books LLC, so please folks if you get thiscd book beware. ... Read more

Product Description
This omnibus contains three stories from Dick Francis in one combined edition, involving the world of racing with plenty of action, suspense, greed and secrets. ... Read more

Product Description
All three Sid Halley novels in one edition, for fans and new readers alike; Odds Against: Champion jockey Sid Halley gave up racing when his hand was smashed. As he soon discovers, life as a private eye could be a lot worse, especially when a ruthless property dealer has plans for Seabury racetrack - plans that set high odds against a novice detective staying alive...'A plot that goes with the pace of a champion hurdler' Evening Standard Whip Hand: There are two worlds in racing: winning and losing. Sid Halley is on the trail of thugs who aim to win at any price. There's a syndicate of owners with a sideline in violent kidnapping and a bookmaker whose hatred of favourites goes one deathly step too far. Halley must return to winning ways. To lose is to die.. 'Superb...this is Mr Francis's best book. And that's high praise' Sunday Mirror Come To Grief: Sid Halley has uncovered an obnoxious crime committed by a friend. On the first day of the friend's trial, at which Sid is to be as a witness, something happens which leads to days of hard detection and heart-searching torment. Troubled, but courageous, Sid Halley is unwilling to admit defeat...'Francis is firmly in the saddle, leaving the opposition standing' Sunday Telegraph ... Read more

Product Description
This volume contains two Dick Francis thrillers: "Reflex" - a fast-moving story of corruption and greed; and "Comeback" - a story set among the Gloucestershire raceyards that the author is familiar with. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

I am a camera
In REFLEX the I of the story is a race-fixing jockey.In order to make things look real on a favorite, he falls.Another jockey falls in another race and is driven home by the narrator.In this way the tale begins.

Camera work is involved because the late father of the second jockey was a photographer and because our hero takes pictures too.Dick Francis, a former steeplechase rider, is concerned with injury.One of his characters wonders what causes people to persist in the sport in the face of injury and risk and disappointment.

The jockey, Philip Nore, decides he wants to stop throwing the races and he lets the trainer and the owner know this.He is in danger of being discharged. In a complicated series of steps in the plot Philip manages to remain employed.

Dick Francis is a smooth and accomplished writer.In REFLEX he interweaves the themes of integrity, family relationships, and visiual representation.The world portrayed, the British steeplechase circuit, is exotic enough to move most of us out of our everyday selves and to constitute desirable recreational reading.It is no wonder that some years ago Francis's publisher arranged to promote his work in the general literature category, thereby removing him from the genre ghetto.

In this story it seems the jockey club, basically a preserve of the nobility, has been invaded by a parvenu.In the other plot strands, integrity and visual representation, Philip starts to learn George Milace's, the deceased photographer's, secrets.

The disadvantage of Francis's work is the violence.Nevertheless, I think the violence is used here for some purpose.The plot of REFLEX is one of the best produced by Dick Francis. ... Read more

Product Description
Simon MacCorkindale and Tim Pigott-Smith read two classic mysteries from Dick Francis--Straight, as a jockey copes with the aftermath of his brother's death, and Knockdown, about a jockey caught in the midst of murder. Books available. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Out of the Race
TWICE SHY by Dick Francis is an off day at the track. Jonathan Derry is a nice enough young physicist who acquires some musical tapes, which are in reality a fancy computerized betting system. But in the world of computers a hiatus of fourteen years doesn't work and neither does the change in narrators.
Add TWICE SHY to your collection by all means, but try WILD HORSES for a trip into the power of Dick Francis.
Nash Black, author of WRITING AS A SMALL BUSINESS and SINS OF THE FATHERS. ... Read more

Product Description
Book DescriptionAfter a six-year absence from the bestseller lists, Dick Francis roared out of the gate with 2006's Under Orders, demonstrating once again every ounce of his famed narrative drive, brilliant plotting, and simmering suspense. Hard on the heels of that triumph comes Dead Heat, set against the backdrop of Britain's famed Two Thousand Guineas Stakes. Max Moreton is a rising culinary star and his Newmarket restaurant, The Hay Net, has brought him great acclaim and a widening circle of admirers. But when nearly all the guests who enjoyed one of his meals at a private catered affair fall victim to severe food poisoning, his kitchen is shuttered and his reputation takes a hit. Scrambling to meet his next obligation, an exclusive luncheon for forty in the glass-fronted private boxes at the Two Thousand Guineas, Max must overcome the previous evening's disaster and provide the new American sponsors of the year's first classic race with a day to remember. Then a bomb blast rips through the private boxes, killing some of Max's trusted staff as well as many of the guests. As survivors are rushed to the hospital, Max is left to survey the ruins of the grandstand-and of his career. Two close calls are too close for comfort, and Max vows to protect his name-and himself-before it's too late. ... Read more

Product Description
The bestselling author scores a new triumph in this galvanizing spellbinder of crime, punishment, and the many faces of terror. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

4.5 stars - Very well done
First Sentence:There was a God-awful cock-up in Bologna.

Andrew Douglas works for a company specializing in returning kidnap victims to their families. Italy's foremost woman jockey is kidnapped, then a racehorse owner's son and finally the Senior Steward of the Jockey Club. Douglas is brought in to deal with these cases.

Very well done. I reread this for mystery group.I was delighted to find I felt it was a well-written as I remembered.

He does character development very well, but more, really gives a sense of who they are emotionally.Although you know horses are likely to be involved in the story, he takes what could have been a coincidence from another author, and makes it the crux of the plot.

The international settings provide an excellent, and distinctive, sense of place.The information on kidnappings for profit, and the philosophy of those to deal in it, both on the right-and wrong-side of the law, as well as the impact on both the victims and their families, was fascinating.

The research done by Francis' is evident, but not intrusive.Reading him again reminds me why I loved his writing from the beginning.

THE DANGER (Susp-Andrew Douglas-Int'l-Cont) - VG+
Francis, Dick - 22nd book
Michael Joseph, 1983, UK Hardcover - ISBN:0718123409

Review...
The bestselling author of BANKER scores a new triumph in this galvanizing spellbinder of crime, punishment, and the many faces of terror.

His name is Giuseppe.Though some call him Peter.He is warm, reassuring, courageous, and superb at his multi-million-dollar job.Once you meet him, you never forget the force of his presence, for he is a natural-born leader, with the temperament of an executive or top-level diplomat.But Giuseppe-Peter is neither of these.Giuseppe-Peter is Europe's most elusive and cold-blooded kidnapper.

His name is Andrew Douglas.He is warm, reassuring, courageous, and superb at his vitally important job.Once you meet him, you like him immediately, for he is a sensitive and decent man, a bit reserved perhaps, the type of fellow who's more afraid, say, of falling in love than of putting his personal safety on the line in the cause of others.Although he has the brilliance and insight of a psychiatrist or a priest, Andrew Douglas is neither of these.He is Europe's most successful anti-kidnap operative on his toughest, most dangerous mission to date:stop Giuseppe-Peter.

Following a treacherous trail that takes him from the medieval back streets of Bologna to the lavish grounds of a Washington, D.C. racetrack, Andrew stalks a mysterious master criminal who preys exclusively on the habitués of the racing world.Among his victims:a lovely young Italian heiress who is also Italy's most adored female jockey, and the three-year-old son of an English horse owner.As the trail loops and deepens and the hunter and the hunted draw ever closer to confrontation, Andrew will find himself assaulted by a barrage of dangers -- the danger of violence, the danger of romance, and, ultimately, the danger of almost certain death.

In THE DANGER, perhaps his most compulsive page-turner to date, Dick Francis has created characters and situations so fascinating and so profoundly human that you will never forget them.Here is vintage Dick Francis, brimming with mystery, romance, and utterly stunning suspense. ... Read more

Product Description
"BEWARE. MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM." So proclaims the ad for the Great Transcontinental Mystery Race, a glittering rail junket that promices not only the opportunity to race a thoroughbred on some of the world's great courses but something more: an intriguing mystery to be enacted on board, which passengers will be invited to solve. But Julius Apollo Filmer, one of the most ruthless operators of the racing underworld, hatches a strange plot of his own. For Tor Kelsey, undercover security agent, a scenario of imaginary mayhem is about to explode into a nightmare of real and bloody
murder. . . . ... Read more

Product Description
The catastrophic power of a giant hurricane can raise coastal waves thirty feet high and blow through houses at devastating speeds. For TV meteorologist Perry Stuart, however, such predictions are generally hypothetical, as he chiefly predicts periods of English drizzle, with bursts of heavier rain and sunshine to follow. Stuart's profound weather knowledge and accuracy have given him high status among forecasters, but no physical baptism by storm.

Not, that is, until a fellow forecaster offers him a Caribbean hurricane-chasing ride in a small airplane as a holiday diversion. But a frightening accident teaches Stuart more secrets than wind speeds, and back home in England he faces threats and danger as deadly as anything nature can evolve.

Dick Francis "has simply never failed. Every one of his opening sentences pulls the reader in, and doesn't let go until the last, perfect word,"according to the Cleveland Plain Dealer. ... Read more