Date first published	3 Sept. 2009
ISBN Number	978-0-718-15458-5
Page Count	382 h/b
h/b= hardback : p/b= paperback

Storyline

On the first day of Royal Ascot, the crowd rejoices in a string of winning favourites. Ned Talbot has worked all his life as a bookmaker — taking over the family business from his grandfather — so he knows not to expect any sympathy from the punters as they count their winnings, and he counts his losses.

He's seen the ups and downs before — but, as the big gambling conglomerates muscle in on small concerns like his, Ned wonders if it's worth it any more. When a grey-haired man steps forward from the crowd claiming to be his father, Ned's life is thrown into far deeper turmoil. He'd been told since he was a baby that his parents had died in a car crash. Barely an hour later his newly found father is stabbed by an unknown assailant in the Ascot car park. Blood oozing from his abdomen, he warns Ned: 'Be very careful'.

But of whom? Of what? Ned finds himself in a race to solve his father's riddles, a race where coming second could cost him more than even money, it could cost him his life.

Review

It has often been cited that the early novels were not written by Dick but by his wife Mary. Certainly the first couple of books, had a different feel to them, but this latest book is more in the style of his books written before he 'retired'.

The story like most of his books centres around a central character - a bookmaker - Ned Talbot in this instance, who is thrown into a situation quite unexpectedly. In this case the appearance of his 'dead father' and his subsequent murder. The story follows the usual Francis formula, of death threats and violence, on the long trip to discovering what the truth really is.

Echoes of Sid Halley also appear with the sick hospitalised wife, who gets caught up in the events. This time the wife is suffering from mental illness.

The story without giving away two much is about running ringers. Although in this case the ringers are raced as such, but are killed for the insurance money, we have a psycho killer, and one or two other interested parties, who want the end of Ned.

In general the story is pretty decent, although I did think that the ending was rather abrupt. The solution to the killer just wasn't very satisfactory, the real end of the car chase seems to been replaced by a little piece about meeting his missing half sisters, which didn't really affect the story, nor really add to the sense of closure. It wouldn't have mattered if the reader had been left with this subject left hanging.

There is quite a lot of detail about how betting works, which to me is a complete mystery. I have never been on a racecourse in my life, never mind having a flutter (and I live only 8 miles from the world famous Cheltenham Race Course). I'm still not sure I understand the betting system, but the explanation does help you understand what Ned does, and how he makes a profit.

In all a good book, the characters are fleshed out only scantily (but Francis characters are never fully fleshed out), but it doesn't matter. You like Ned (even if he is a bookie), and can sympathise with him. His life is already hard, due to the situation with his wife, but suddenly, it is turned totally upside down. It destroys what little family he has, and that is quite sad.

I've given the book a 3 and a half, it's good standard Francis fare, with it just being let down by the ending. It is great to have him back on form.

Previous	Index	Next