Date first published	12 Sept. 2013
ISBN Number	0 718 15936 5
Page Count	432 h/b
h/b= hardback : p/b= paperback

Storyline

Sir Richard Stewart, chairman of the British Horseracing Authority, wants Sid Halley to look into some suspicious race results, but Sid gave up the investigating business years ago, and he thought nothing could make him go back.

He thought wrong.

The following day, Sir Richard is found dead and Sid receives a threatening call from a man with an Irish accent. The man insists that Sid should investigate the alleged race fixing, and it is only when Sid's six-year-old daughter goes missing that Sid realizes that he may pay the ultimate price for his refusal. With his life in tatters, and his family in mortal danger, Sid is forced to act.

Maybe he has underestimated his foe, but has his foe underestimated the guile and determination of Sid Halley? Extreme situations demand extreme solutions, and SId is desperate to get his life back - or die trying...

Review

The mantle of the Dick Francis novel is now firmly established with Felix, after two successful novels, but this one does up the ante somewhat.

The previous novels have been the work of Felix, all his own characters, and plots etc. This one is different in that it resurrects one of Dick's most famous and popular characters. So the question is can he carry it off, without tarnishing the character of Sid Halley? Thankfully the answer is yes.

The character has moved on since we last met up with him, he has a wife and child, and is no longer a private investigator, however as with many Francis storylines, the characters wishes are not often followed, and so Sid is dragged into a betting scam, that will blow his cosy little world apart.

The book follows the usual pattern, the hero comes into peril through no fault of his own (though in the past it was often of Halley's own making), and is forced to confront the opponent or lose everything. No complex multiple plotlines, just a straight forward battle, between the good guy and the bad one. I have to admit, that having read the book, I'm not sure what, and how the scam worked and made McCusker money. A minor point.

As always the characters are thinly sketched, McCusker is obviously the bad guy, as he is from Northern Ireland, where he is wanted for murder, or has escaped by way of threats and intimidation. He also has a band of heavies, who remain in the background. The main characters, in this is Halley, and the police inspectors, with some support from his wife and ex father in law.

The book is very modern, with the accusation of child molestation being made against Halley in an attempt to bring him to heel - which eventually leads to McCusker's downfall, when he ignores the advice to let Halley go.

The bulk of the book is very good, although I did feel that the final battle with McCusker, seemed a little rushed, and we didn't get a proper final showdown.

Overall the author has managed to successfully resurrect a very popular character, and bring him bang up to date. Will he be back?

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