Dick Francis first introduced his audience to Sid Halley in Odds Against in 1967. Generally, Francis created stand alone stories and did not repeat his characters. I believe I read somewhere, but cannot find the source, that Francis decided to revive Sid after Odds Against was serialized for British tv in 1979. So Sid was back in Whip Hand. Lucky us! Four years later, we get Come to Grief.Sid Halley is a favorite of mine. He’s a flawed man, whose stubborn commitment to his job, first as a jockey and later as a private investigator, has cost him. He lost his wife, he lost his hand, and came close to costing others their lives. But that’s why I love this guy. He’s not reckless, necessarily, but determined to do the right thing. Over the course of the books, we watch Sid evolve from a bit of a loner to someone with family, friends, and a future.

Sid doesn’t reappear until Under Orders was written in 2006. Dick Francis was 85 years old at that time. This is purely conjecture on my part, but maybe Francis wanted a chance to wrap things up with Sid Halley. And he does exactly that. Sid’s out to find the truth about a murder/suicide that the police think was pretty obvious. At the same time, and coincidentally with some of the same people involved, he’s looking into potential race-fixing. We know that Sid poking around in these situations is bound to have some nasty consequences for him. Of course, this is a Dick Francis novel, so we know Sid will figure things out. And finally, he does this surrounded by people who truly “get” him. Sid, and Dick Francis, get their happily ever after ending. Nicely done.

Dick Francis died four years later in 2010. Before his death, he started collaborating on stories with his son Felix. They wrote three books together, Dead Heat, Silks, and Even Money. After his father’s death, Felix started writing his own “Dick Francis” novels. I haven’t read any yet so can’t comment on them. But, in 2013, he writes another Sid Halley story. I’m not sure I want to read this. I loved Sid and I liked where his story ended. So, I don’t think I’ll be reading this one.

Dick Francis novels are always enjoyable but not so memorable. The victims are bad, the protagonists are clever and the horses are fast. Except for the horses who are slow. Sid Halley appears in several Dick Francis stories. He is a former jockey who lost a hand in a racing accident. Having to retire he became a private investigator specializing in horse racing issues. In Under Orders Sid investigates the murder of a jockey and finds all kinds of corruption. The suspects include a member of the House of Lords. Danger and suspense and in the end. Too much to spoil.

Sid Halley fans - DON'T read this book- leave our beloved jockey with the relationship with India at the end of Come to Grief and don't revisit. Very disappointing read. The writing is not recognizable as Dick's, the characters have morphed into unlikable, unrelatable individuals with almost NO point of comparison with their characters in the previous three novels. It is NOT Sid. It is NOT Charles. And hello! Jenny and Sid had pretty well resolved their issues at the end of the third novel. I actually seriously question whether Dick had any input into this book at all.

A Sid Halley I somehow managed to miss ...

I have been reading Dick Francis since high school, and actually read the first the year it was published. I’ve always enjoyed the Sid Halley books especially and was delicious three to find this one. How did I manage to miss this one? Francis was a master of pacing and knew exactly how to set the hook. I reread so many of his books regularly, and will be rereading all the Sid Halley’s in order, starting tonight! You owe it to yourself to do the same.

now with more sexual equality and less sadism

Outstanding

Excellent read and characters with lots of twists. Did Halley is a great character who is tenacious and honorable hero. The story is fast paced and gripping and the slightly flawed hero is someone to root for. Outstanding story!

Not normally a mystery reader, but fwiw I liked it pretty well. Main limitation [for me] is that I never really cared who did it. It was pretty clear early on that he [ex-jockey protagonist] was correct and ahead of the official cops in his general hypothesis, and then the specifics were not of major importance to me. It does keep moving, though, and some of the stuff about his new girlfriend/fiancee, his own disability, etc. was interesting.

My dad and I don't typically enjoy the same books, but he left his one at my house and it looked like it could be fun, so I gave it a go. I do love a good detective/crime novel, after all. This one wasn't bad! It was definitely intriguing and entertaining for the first three quarters. But once the crimes were solved and the main characters were out of danger, things got a little cheesy. I guess the author was trying to end on a happier note, but the dialogue was too silly for me and it didn't feel realistic. (Is almost being murdered more than once really a joking matter? Do I have a stick up my butt or something?) Of course, this is my first Dick Francis book, so maybe that's his thing. At any rate, I would like to read more of his work at some point in the future because I really do dig the way he writes.

It's not unknown for a very good writer to suddenly seem very ordinary (William Boyd, Restless), but rarely does a very good writer look as bad as Francis does here. Honestly: it should never have been published. A collection of John Cheever stories was found after his death, there was a large note attached: NOT TO BE PUBLISHED. So of course they were published, and it wouldn't surprise me if this book were published under the same circumstances.

One of many scenes that should have been left in the drawer:

SPOILER THAT DOESN'T MEAN A DAMN

From the book:

'Marina was ready and itching to get of our cramped home, if only for a couple of hours.

"Take care," I said as they squeezed into the elevator with [the bodyguard]. They were both giggling as the doors closed... I went out onto the balcony to watch them leave. The muscleman was too big to fold himself into the back seat of Jenny's little town runabout, so he rode up front while Marina sat behind. The girls were still laughing.'

Why is this so bad? Is it the implausibility of the giggling ex-wife, Jenny, and the giggling soon-to-be wife, Marina, going out to lunch together? Hardly. It's that Marina only days before was released from intensive care after taking a bullet to her knee that ruptured her femoral artery. She was near death, in other words. Then on the couch for a day, w her leg up, and then: squeezing into a tight elevator? (While laughing.) Squeezing into the back seat of a small car? And no mention of her knee, let alone where her crutches might be? (You know, crutches, guys...)

Did both the Putnam editor and Francis drop their red pencils at the same time?

Wow. Another disappointing Dick Francis. And this time for an unusual reason.

Some background...
This was a very late fourth in a series of novels with one of the author's most beloved characters--Sid Halley. It's written well after the 1st three, and towards the end of the author's life...copyright 2006. He died in 2010 at age 89.

Presently, the author's son is continuing on with novels in the vein of his father's style but he is NOT the writer his father was, and I find his works unreadable, frankly, but I gave them a chance.

So, the skinny was that towards the end of his writing career, father and son collaborated...and that's my suspicion about this book. About halfway in, the plot, characterizations, dialog and style lost all of it's vibrancy and depth, and was noticeably different. At first I thought DF was just phoning it in to get the book done, but really it was too radical a change to use that as explanation. I've come to think the son finished the book. Which might explain the dedication to his son thanking him for "...everything."

In conclusion? I skipped the last chapters, and read the conclusion. I don't think I missed much. ☹

On to a 1995 release......

In se geen slechte thriller, maar gewoon niet helemaal mijn ding.
Ik heb niks met de paardensport en de schrijfstijl ligt me ook niet zo super goed.

The least of the Halley's I've read, which makes it merely excellent. Francis may not be at his best here, but he's still damn good.
Sid Halley was the only Francis protagonist to make it past two books, and really the only one who should have. His other leads are very good, but Halley was the only one among the walking wounded, who really had progress to make. The other heroes must overcome situations, Halley has to prevail over himself, which makes him a better series character because there is a place for an arc.
Halley, here, is nearing the end of that arc, accepting himself and his faults, settling down with a caring partner, even achieving some kind of closure with his ex. Of course, that's when people start to die, scandal starts to boil over, and Sid has to get to work.
The characters are splendid, as always, and the racecourse atmosphere is, if anything, better fleshed out here than in the other books. The mystery, however, is the weakest in the series thus far, and the climax is somewhat lacking. It's still a lot of fun, but is a step down from the last two, especially.
Even so, this is a great read for mystery fans. You can start here with the character (the books are, plot-wise, standalone) but the first three should not be missed. This one's very good, but not quite essential.