Dick Francis thrillers are a delight. His standalones and series detailed so many aspects of the racing world I have lost count. Moreover, in spite of the fact that I dislike gambling and competitive sports, I love his books. Sadly, Francis Senior passed away in 2010, yet the books continue to be written by his son Felix.
Have you ever wondered how that favorite author of yours produced a fabulous book after he died? Was the work written prior to the author’s death and only published afterwards? Was the creative effort put in by the originating author, and then edited by someone else? Or, did someone else take over the series altogether? In screenplays, music, and literature, all of these scenarios take place.
The second standalone written by Dick Francis’ son follows the same formula that served the father so well: A mystery set in the English racing world, populated by the trainers, jockeys and track officials. In this case, the plot involves the Shillingford family, especially race-caller Mark and his twin sister, jockey Clare. When Clare rode a horse that came in second when it should have won, he believed Clare lost on purpose and over dinner they have a heated argument.
Instead of a movie review this week, how about some mystery reading suggestions? These are perfect books to read while sitting by a warm fire with a great cup of coffee or hot chocolate! All of these were released in October and November of 2012. We have The House at Sea's End by Elly Griffiths, The Confession by Charles Todd, Dick Francis’s Bloodline by Felix Francis, and Phantom by Jo Nesbo. Purchase these from Amazon as you do your Christmas shopping and a portion goes to help support KRL!
