Not at the top of the heap of this author's later books, but still a very good and very characteristic novel from Dick Francis. What I really like about this book is that, like Tom Clancy in his later books, the author really tries to imagine what is in the head of the bad guy...there is a lot of ambiguity here, not moral ambiguity, but real ambiguity. The series of scenes with the rebellious teen boy tap into a familiar trope from this author that never fails to entertain and to satisfy. Similarly, the scenes between the mc and his (to readers) infamous ex-wife are very satisfying even though they are bittersweet.

In his later years, the author's extensive research operation sometimes led to paragraphs and pages that read more like a high school book report than like a thrilling crime novel. That is certainly the case here as one reads mind-numbing dissertations on analogue vs digital communications and on SIM cards, just to name two examples. Dick Francis was fascinated with technology that was then new and is now antique to the point that no one will know what he is talking about (the dial-up modem that plays a key role in the plot). Unfortunately, these books can only be read as period pieces today.

Recommended. But if you are getting into the authors later books, try other novels like "Straight" and "Longshot" first.

An excellent plot with plenty of emotional resonance. Superbly streamlined, effective writing.
I don't tend to care much for horses, but when Mr Francis writes about them, I do.
He is a master at his craft. And I intentionally say "is", not "was", great writers do not die at their death.
Just because I'm a wise ass, and without giving away much, I finish this short review by pointing out a glaring weakness in the plot: when there is convincing evidence of a crime, an iron clad alibi for another, similar crime will not stop the accused going to trial. Still, hats off to DF.

This 3rd Sid Halley book is very dark and aptly titled. We know at the start that Sid has accused a former friend of something dreadful, and as the novel opens it seems the trial may be falling apart. We see both the backstory of how the accusation came to be, and Sid’s efforts to find conclusive evidence. Really puts the hero (and reader) through the wringer.

Fantastic suspenseful mystery

Dick Francis may be the most skillful mystery writer I have ever read. I’m re-reading stories I first read decades ago and they are even better than I remember them.
Sid Halley is an ex-jockey whose second career is private investigating. Most but not all of his cases revolve around racetracks. In this third novel featuring Halley, Dick Francis continues to deepen his character. This is one of the things that makes Francis such a pleasure for mystery readers as well as his ability to build suspenseful stories.
Highly recommended!

This was truly a trashy mystery novel. The worst part was, it wasn't even entertaining. The crime was absurd- cutting off a horse's leg- and Francis tries to make you care about it by throwing in a sappy story about a little girl with leukemia. The plot is just poorly put together and equally strange, and you're asked to just take for granted that the criminals are crazy and not question their motivations beyond that. The detective has a prosthetic hand and is supposedly famous yet he's always doing things like going in disguise or having people not recognize him. The characters were shallow stereotypes and even the more action-filled scenes were kind of blah. Was not a fan.

Dick Francis’ crime stories have been a welcome reprieve during this surreal time. A wonderful writer and while his formula is obvious, it never bores me. I loved that I knew who committed the crime from the beginning— made it more of howdon’it than whodonit which made for a much more interesting read.

4 Stars

Come To Grief is the third book in the Sid Halley series by Dick Francis. This follows Jockey turned PI, Sid Halley, on a crime and investigation adventure full of mystery, suspense, horse racing, a sadistic monster mutilating horses, tension, drama, agendas, and more.
->2023 Reading Challenge.
->Glennie's Collection
Dick Francis novels were a familiar fixture in our household when I was growing up, as both my parents loved his books. He was amongst the first ‘adult’ reads that I explored at the time, and over the years I have read everything he’s written. I remember every time my mother read one of his books, she'd tell me about him and how he'd gone from being an RAF pilot to being the Queen Mother's favourite jockey, before retiring to become a journalist/writer.
Since my mother passed away over a year ago, I have been making my way through her book collection, finally. I decided to make reading her entire collection a part of my reading challenge for the next couple of years (she has a HUGE collection), as well as a way to pay tribute to my mum, who was such a voracious reader..... Reading her collection of books has stirred up a lot of memories, mostly of our shared love of reading. I am forever grateful that she passed on her love of reading to me.

Dick Francis is a marvel at story-telling and mulling over life. I would pick up a book by him any day.

Really three and a half stars.

I got very tired of this audiobook before I was done with it, which surprised me, but then it was written 18 years after the previous installment and Sid has not aged well. Oh, he's got a mobile phone now, but he's also obsessed with computers and weaving, and boy does that part stink of research. The story is told wrong end foremost so Francis can work in the sentimental story of the little girl with cancer that sort of acts as a child/love substitute for the one handed, stiff upper lipped ex-jockey turned PI. Her mom cries constantly, probably to let the reader know they should be properly moved, and as always Our Man Francis' Hero gives nothing away even under the meanest sort of duress by the obligatory nutcase villains. And as always, the decent folks find themselves spilling whatever beans they've got inside and then saying, "I wonder why I told you all that!"

What really turned me off and removed all the stars, though, was that the story centres around the mutilation of horses. And yes, Mr Francis, the word is "mutilation", not "vandalising". A building, a monument, a car or other inanimate object can be vandalised, but an animal is mutilated, tortured, abused, or in this case all of the above. So is Our Hero, of course. The reason therefor is completely ludicrous. In the previous books, Sid was a human being, while now he's a cross between James Bond and a robot.

I was thoroughly disgusted by the end of the book. If you don't want to read torture porn of animals or humans, give this one a miss.
Zero stars.

RTF

I have been a follower of Sid Halley. I guess I like his style. To me this story is about friendship. Sid had known Ellis Quint during all his jockey life. He had been to his house. When he discovers Ellis is involved in a vile deed to young horses, he is sick to heart. He would have done anything to prove his evidence wrong. But it wasn't. When he accuses Ellis, Sid is crucified by the British press because Ellis is a TV star. People revered him. In the end, however, Ellis' friendship shines through. You will have to find our how by reading the book.