Dunno. Our hero gets put into a situation where he should die--and doesn't.

This is not the only Dick Francis novel that pushes such things a bit beyond reality. His ordinary guy hero who actually is extraordinary can be interesting, but sometimes credibility gets lost in the process.

The beginning and ending of the novel scenes where he survives this situation are gripping but still seem a little cartoony to me, particularly when measured against the ordinary nature of much of what happens elsewhere. (The beginning sequences are ones that almost certainly would have been shot on a sound stage, by the way, not in an actual setting that placed the movie star in real peril.)

The hero seems a little obtuse. Someone knocks him out in a gold mine, and he thinks that maybe he hit his head on a low hanging roof? I don't think so. Movie director manipulates him into two extra weeks of dangerous shooting? A real star likely would just walk, particularly given that the director was a known abuser of actors with whom the star previously had refused to work.

Francis's writing helps carry one through this stuff, but barely.

First Dick Francis book I have read and the hype is well deserved. Time to see if there anymore floating around in the world to read.

One of my favorite books by Dick Francis.Several of his books are set in different countries,and I have enjoyed the authentic descriptions which he gathered during his travels.

South Africa at that time was very controversial,because of apartheid.But an
invitation to visit the country during the apartheid era provided Francis with the material for this book.

As usual,the horse racing backdrop is there.
He takes the reader inside a gold mine and describes its workings in great detail.Francis also visited the Kruger National Park which becomes the scene for a memorable climax.

For some reason,the Francis characters suffer a great deal of torture and physical hardship in many of his books.Here,too,things get pretty extreme in terms of suffering.

But still,an exciting adventure.

Rehomed