A good story , slightly old fashioned style but very enjoyable

Very good, strong action, excellent characterization. The mystery bit was almost secondary, but presented well as resolved by a non-detective. Once again though, a little obsessive with the description of planes and flying.

A steeplechase jockey who won over 350 races, champion of the British National Hunt, and jockey to the Queen Mother, Richard Stanley Francis or Dick Francis as he was popularly known went on to also become a journalist and writer of crime novels set in the horse racing world, with over 40 books to his credit. He was a three-time winner of the Edgar award and also won the Golden Dagger Award, among others. His wife Mary was a lifelong collaborator undertaking research as he prepared to write each of the books. And no ordinary research this, with her undertaking and even becoming adept at the avocation being written about! Most of Francis’ books are set in the racing world, involving jockeys, owners and trainers (also the betting circuit) but many also have protagonists associated with or who are pulled into other worlds, from banking and politics to toy making, flying and even meteorology.

Published on 1 January 1970, Rat Race is one such, set against the background of the racing world but with our protagonist being a pilot for an air-taxi service. Only when writing this review, did I learn that in her ‘research’ for this book, Mary Francis obtained her pilot’s licence and was operating an air-taxi service of her own (source). No wonder Francis’ books are so strong in their detail.

In Rat Race, we meet down-on-his-luck pilot Matt Shore working for Derrydowns, an air-taxi service which is also not in the best shape. Having flown with the BOAC and other airlines but made compromises to save his marriage which broke anyway, a junior colleague’s mistake nearly ending his career and varied experiences from flying supplies in wars in Africa to crop spraying, Shore is now working for Derrydowns, ferrying passengers within England and across to the continent. But on an early assignment with racing folk, a star jockey and a trainer among them, his aircraft becomes the target of a bomb—luckily while all the passengers and Shore himself have deboarded. But who was the intended victim, celebrated jockey Colin Ross or one of the other passengers, or perhaps Derrydowns itself who their rival service Polyplane is trying to run out of business?

The investigations of the Board of Trade begin but seem to reach nowhere. However, they do get Matt thinking, and another incident and dramatic rescue later, he has the answer to who but not why. But unless he reaches that why more than one life continues to be in danger. Alongside he becomes close to Colin Ross and his sister Nancy, also a trainee pilot. But with the baggage he’s carrying from his past, forming serious relationships is the last thing he wants to do. The mystery and his personal life interweave and play out not only putting him in a more than one tight spot but exposing him and others to life-threatening danger.

In Rat Race, Francis once again gives readers a fast-paced and engrossing read, with plenty of action as well as a complex mystery. It takes Shore who like Francis’ heroes has plenty of brain and a fair bit of brawn to both work out the puzzle and face up to the rogues, a couple of different sets in different circumstances.

The racing world in this book largely forms the background against which the story unfolds, and we get to see its various ins and outs, from jockeys who face both workload and pressure dashing between races, sometimes on different courses, trainers and owners, the dynamics and animosities as well as the more dubious aspects of the fixing and throwing of races, all of which Shore comes across on his various trips (his flights are not confined to the races of course but they are the ones relevant to the story). In the other elements too, be it the operations of an air-taxi service or the triggering mechanisms of bombs, the details and intricate and excellently done, a testament to Mary’s hands on research (I don’t think she went around blowing things up, though

Fast read and great entertainment.

This story flowed quickly from the first paragraph. It was fun to learn about another facet of the authors life. This story was based on his experience in air taxis. A real page turner.

Read this back in June and neglected to log it. I have a soft spot for aviation stories, and when they're combined with a mystery? Even better. But I came away from this one torn over how to rate it, because it has good points and bad points. The mystery/suspense element is cleverly crafted, the material on aviation and horse-racing flawlessly integrated into the plot; and Francis creates some well-drawn characters that the reader comes to care strongly about. But there was just a lot more profanity and vulgarity than I care to read in a book.

(I was also very vexed with a certain ambiguity in the last few pages, which seems as if it could have indicated either an absolutely perfect ending or one that would have made me throw the book across the room.)

A nice page turner and I always learn something.

Matt Shore is a private pilot whose career has slid slowly downwards due to circumstances beyond his control. He’s now working for a very small, struggling commuter airline that often ferries jockeys, owners and other horse racing aficionados between racetracks.

Some near-fatal incidents, including a bomb on the plane while it is on the ground, alert Matt that something is badly amiss. But who is the target? The popular jockey who can coax wins out of unlikely horses? The trainer and owner who are known to fix races to win money betting? Someone out of Matt’s own slightly checkered past?

The horses themselves take a more minor role in this novel than in many of Francis’s other books. I did enjoy the details of flying an aircraft, which, since it is also one of Francis’s loves is full of authentic details. For me, that’s the allure of the Francis books: the details, especially the horse details ring true. That along with a protagonist who truly is trying to do the right thing make these comfort reads for me.

So good I overstayed my welcome (and my wallet) at the breakfast-coffee place.

I’ve only recently become a fan of Dick Francis, and wasn’t sure about a ‘pilot’ vs. a ‘horse’ story. I shouldn’t have worried! Great book for any mystery lover—and if you have any interest in horse racing, small planes, British or classic mysteries, that’s just a plus!
Great protagonist, lots of great characters, interesting storyline, and a challenging mystery. Bogs down a little in the middle, and yes, it’s a little heavy on the flying details, but overall a great, and grab-your-attention read.. Recommend!
UPDATE: I enjoyed this so much I’ve since read another four or five Dick Francis books, and hope to be reading more as they’re released on Kindle. Yes, there are similar elements to each, but each is also a unique mystery of its own, and always populated with interesting characters and situations.

Rat Race is one of my favourite of Dick Francis' books being a amalgamation of the flying and racing world, one of which most of us never experience in real life. Just great fun! When I downloaded this book I had not appreciated that it is a new copy of an old masterpiece. I am a great Dick Francis fan and have really enjoyed getting acquainted with his work again. I read all the books in my younger years but having this on my Kindle has reminded me how much I enjoyed the trill of reading about the racing world and I will now seek out more of the same to reread and enjoy.

Classic Dick Francis

Excellent read. Dick Francis never fails to please the reader. Great plot with interesting twists and turns.
Very realistic characters that are unexpected and unlikely heroes, who the reader cannot help but like and respect. I highly recommend this book!

As always, Francis has created a powerful, silent hero with a strong moral compass. To change things up a bit, this hero is a pilot, ferrying customers throughout the racecourse area, for the most part. It all rings true since apparently Francis and his wife owned an air taxi service for many years. Matt meets a girl (Nancy) at an event--turns out she's the sister of a famous jockey. Matt and the family all hit it off, and Matt becomes closely involved in their lives. As accidents start to multiply and things start to get dangerous, Matt gets himself into trouble with his investigations. There are some very exciting moments in the air, especially with Matt trying to help Nancy. Loved the supporting characters, especially the duke and his nephew. Another excellent Francis book that grabbed me from the first page and kept me involved throughout.