Date first published	17/08/2021
ISBN Number	978-1 4711 9661 -4
Page Count	369 h/b
h/b= hardback : p/b= paperback

Storyline

Miles Pussett is a former steeplechase jockey but now he gets his adrenalin rush from hurling himself, head first down the Cresta Run, a three-quarter-mile long Swiss ice chute, reaching speeds of up to eighty miles per hour.

Finding himself in St Moritz during the same weekend as White Turf, when high class horseracing takes place on the frozen lake, Miles gets tlaked into helping out with the horses. It is against his better judgement. Seven years before, he left horseracing behind and swore he would never return.

When he discovers something suspicious is going on in the races, something that may have a profound impact on his future life, Miles begins to search for answers. But someone is adamant to stop him - and they'll go to any lengths to do it...

Review

The early part of the story is Ok, your standard fare, setting up the story and the events leading up to what amounts to race fixing. But after the attempt on Miles life the book goes seriously awry in my opinion. This is the third book in a row focusing on the mental issues of the lead or a leading character, and whilst in the first it was central to the whole story, and in the second it leads to the rather neat twist in the ending, in this one it is pushed way to far into the main story. The characters mental health problems whilst explain why he is in St Moritz takes over the whole book, with constant flashbacks to his past. I felt that the back story was given priority over the actual 'race fixing story' and actually became rather tedious.

The investigation into the attmepted murder, by Miles takes up very few pages compared to the back story. the tag line 'someone is adamant to stop him' is not strictly true, one attempt is made and thats it.

As I read through the book I could sense that there would be no great finale - it fizzled out. The baddie simply gets a roughing up, and Miles is 'Cured'.

This book was a real struggle for me to finish, and I dislike giving very low marks, but I think that this is probably the worst story to come out of the Francis stable - ever, which is incredibly sad. Should the focus on mental health continue in future books then this is one reader who will be signing out.

Read any of his other books before attempting this one.

Previous	Index	Next