When a Dick Francis comes up at a bargain price on Amazon I buy it to find out how well it's stood up to the changes in society over time and the shunt of my personal politics ever more to the left. This is another that I used to get out of the library on unabridged cassette quite often, one of the early Francis books which I enjoyed immensely and by and large it still stands up now.

Of course, time has moved on since 1966 but in this case the changes are mainly just the expected effects of a book like this moving from being a contemporary thriller to being a historic one. A good example of a book about a 26 year old written by a conservative man born in 1920 is reference to someone having a 'stereophonic radiogram'. There's also the reminder that none of the current crop of 'boomer rhetoric' about health & safety is new with a brief detour around how no one is allowed to take risks any more and it leading to a decline in society. Spoken by a character but not one who's supposed to be seen negatively for sure.

Overall still giving it 4 stars because it is a good and clever plot but it also seems to have far too much sympathy with the landed gentry which is never really going to read well to the rest of us in this day and age (or even back then maybe). Plus it is obviously deeply concerned with talking about how bad and evil Communists are without any trace of irony about all the Western powers engaging in exactly the same things. Of course of course, some ideology for you.

This is an enjoyable Francis novel simply because the character of Gabriella is one of the better Francis heroines. It also stands out because the character of Henry goes though a believable character change and arc. There are connections in his growth and behavior that Henry doesn’t see, but that the reader does. The point of the novel seems to be class, and there is a slight plot hole that a reader will wonder about. Readers should be warned, however, that this is one of the more violent Francis endings.

A good example of a Dick Francis book, good plotline that develops slowly but keeps your interest. It can easily be read in one sitting. I was a bit disappointed in the ending, seemed a bit unfinished, but that the only criticism that I can make, enjoyed the book to the end.

On a Dick Francis binge at the moment, and thoroughly enjoying re-reading him

Overall: 3.5/5
Really enjoyable book, with vivid descriptions, leaving me wanting to know more about the characters and how they end up. Docked points for the initial slow pick up and first person narration which I’m not a fan of.

Plot: Really well woven, though a bit slow to get to the point initially (except for the many hints dropped through the initial few chapters). But once the mystery becomes clear, super fast paced and unputdownable.

Character development: Although initially the hero and narrator, Henry Grey seemed unlikeable, mainly because he has a deprecating way of describing himself, I rather warmed to him and his resourcefulness through the story. I would have really liked another chapter in the book to close out what happened to each of the characters instead of leaving it to our imagination.

Writing style: I’ve read 3 Dick Francis novels (including this one) and his short story collection, and I find him a master storyteller who makes me become deeply involved with the characters. I remember most of them even though it’s been a few years, and still try to imagine what would have happened next. One one particular aspect of his story telling, in this story, in retrospect, Dick Francis had tried to tell us about the strength of the hero’s character through other’s opinions, which we disregard because the hero disregards them. Excellent writing.

Another really good Dick Francis novel, combining horses and skullduggery in transport. It’s a little slow getting going, as the hero, Henry Gray, has to work through issues connected with his being the heir to a earldom. He hates being identified this way, tries to ignore wealthy young women his mother tries to set him up with, and taking jobs that are seemingly inappropriate for his station in life. He quits working in an office that deals with blood stock, opting instead to transport horses to Europe and the US. He also rides steeplechase horses as an amateur and flies small planes, both of which come in handy when he discovers smuggling, money laundering, and treason.

As you can tell from the Title flying is involved in the horse-related mystery. Francis' first-person style is legendary. My only problem early on was why he was referred to as Henry and Harry in different settings. It's not a mistake but you'll have to read this for yourself. This is a re-read from my yellowed paperback bookshelf.

When amateur jockey and pilot Lord Henry Grey launches himself into a career in the bloodstock market, he finds more danger and excitement than he'd ever anticipated. Henry immediately takes to his glittering new world and, when he meets the glamorous Gabriella in Italy, is sure he's hit the good life. That is, until a horse mysteriously dies in transit and a colleague vanishes. Then Grey discovers that both his predecessors went missing in mysterious circumstances and begins to doubt the wisdom of his career change. Either he has to turn detective or his own disappearance could be next .

Henry Grey is the son of an earl who frustrates his family by taking a job caring for horses being flown between countries. Yet this quiet, extremely competent young man quickly discovers that things are not all on the up-and-up in his new career and the discovery almost costs him his life.

Francis works hard to develop Grey’s character in this novel and it proves very important to the over all story. In addition to being quiet and efficient, Grey’s both obsessively private and extremely stubborn. The one explains why he has pilot skills that almost no one knows about, and the other explains why he won’t just lay down and die when saner individuals would have given up.

Unlike some of Francis’ novels, this one is very much a product of the time he wrote it (published in 1966). There’s a subplot involving smuggling birth control pills into catholic Italy and there’s tremendous tension between Grey and one of the other characters who greatly resents his prestigious bloodline. Overall, this isn’t one of Francis’ most memorable works, but it’s a fun read none-the-less.

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I just listened to the Chivers Audio version of this book, narrated by Tony Britton, for the umpteenth time. I love the fact that it was written in the mid-1960's. It is classic Dick Francis and exactly what I want in a stress-relieving book on tape.

Lengvo turinio nuotykinė knyga apie žmogų, atsiradusį netinkamu laiku netinkamoje vietoje.

I like Dick Francis writing but this book had some pretty dark scenes with the horses. I mean it's interesting to know more about how these very valuable animals are transported. Clearly the author had experience with how it's done. I think he was also a real pilot. But wow, not for the faint of heart. Some very dark scenes. I give it a 3.5 just because the one scene was so upsetting, and now it's stuck in my head.

Except for the disturbing scenes I would give this book a 4 for originality and well drawn characters, likable characters and complexity of plot. But wow, animals lovers beware. Gruesome scenes are visceral.