"Racing correspondent for a newspaper dedicated to exposing scandals in the noisiest way becomes involved in exposing a racing fraud while dealing with the problems of his marriage to a woman housebound by polio."

The main character is somewhat unlikable.

My least favorite of all of the Dick Francis books. Boring

4.5*

Just an ok read….always a lot going on in horse racing, but this was a poke at a journalist, writing about horse racing but not focusing as much on the racing as the effects of the racing scandal…I didn’t enjoy this too much

This installment in the Dick Francis series has more soap opera than many of his stories, focusing as it does on a hero who is married to a woman paralyzed by polio. This nearly intolerable situation forms the core of our hero's life, and is an essential element of the plot -- which I won't give away here.

When I read this book for the first time years ago, it actually impressed a very important principle on me which I still believe in to this day. Specifically, don't let anyone blackmail you (whether financially or emotionally, or for any other pay-off) for any reason. That may sound silly, but in my opinion (and in Francis'), no revelation or embarrassment could be worse than allowing someone to have that kind of power over you. As one character says in the book, don't ever sell your soul....

A Disappointment

I never thought I'd dislike a Dick Francis protagonist but this one I did. He was redeemed a bit in the last couple chapters. In the meantime, he got knocked about way too often.

This is a well-written and fast-paced novel narrated by a newspaper sports writer who gets unwillingly involved with a betting scam.

This is the second Francis novel I've read, and it showed that my enjoyment of Reflex was no fluke. This is a strong suspense novel which, while set in and dependent upon the milieu of horse-racing, does not require much in the way of previous knowledge. I have no real affinity for horses, in any capacity (though I do occasionally exclaim "And I want a pony," but that's beside the point), and I was only occasionally left out by this.
As with many British mystery/suspense novels of the time (published in 1969), the plot here centers on extortion and blackmail. Our lead is a reporter at a weekly paper who covers the ponies and has a bit of a rep as a firebrand. After the death of a colleague, a string of suspicious drop-outs is uncovered. Foul play or coincidence? I'll let you guess...
The plot is nothing ground-breaking, and the characters, though enjoyable, are a bit thin. There are some questionable ethics and gender politics, and the way race is handled, though progressive at the time, seems antiquated if not offensive. Remember, many of these issues stem from the novel being nearly fifty years old.
On the other hand, the prose is clear and modern, the support cast is quite engaging, and the villains are convincing. It is only fitting that a novel about racing should be expertly paced, and that is certainly the case here. In fact, the prose and pacing read so thoroughly modern that the occasional mention of rotary phones or apartheid were jarring.
I must mention that this is not an action novel. There is action, but in sparing doses. Our protagonist is no muscular man-at-arms, nor is he an athlete. He's a reporter, and so must rely on his wits when in over his head. This is how the book shows its age, as most modern suspense novels rely much more on visceral thrills. The villains here are thugs, no terrorists, so don't expect elaborate gunfights.
This was an enjoyable read, one that certainly rewards the curious. I am still too new to the author to judge this book in relation to his canon, but can safely say that, in tone, pacing and attitudes, it holds up much better than many of its contemporaries. It has solidified Francis as, to me, an author worth exploring further.

i liked it

Pretty good - for a light read about a segment of life that I know little or nothing about. The villians are evil and nasty, the hero is flawed yet sympathetic. Since the MC is a sports writer, not a jockey, there's fewer scenes directly inclduing actual horses. So if you're looking for races or riding, this is not the book you want.

  Partway through it's revealed that his wife is paralyzed due to polio, to the extent that she is on a breathing machine. Details about their relationship, the narrator's feelings towards her, and "accomodations" that he gets to make (sex outside their marriage) add to the story. As usual with Mr Francis' protagonists, the MC and his wife are both thoroughly understanding and tolerant of each other. He deeply loves her and doesn't resent the caregiving, etc. As per usual he's such a nice guy. The wife (whose name I forgot) has a daily caregiver. Details about this woman add a bit to the tension. She's kind and nice, but she gets paid overtime and rounds up!

“The one about the wife”

My father and I read this soon after it came out, probably in the early 70s, and although we read all of the Dick Francis books thereafter, and raved about them all, we liked this best. Whenever we suggested a Francis book to a newcomer, we’d mention “the one about the wife” first. (By the way, James Tyrone is the father in “Long Day’s Journey Into Dark,” which, in its way, is the one about the wife.)

FORFEIT - VG+
Francis, Dick - 7th book

Bert Checkov was a Fleet Street racing correspondent with a talent for tipping non-starters. But the advice he gave to James Tyrone a few minutes before he fell to his death, was of a completely different nature. James investigates, and soon finds his own life, and that of his wife, at risk.

Very good suspense. Journalist with wife in an iron lung. Well done.