Dick Francis owned the “horse racing mystery-thriller” franchise. And it paid off well for him. I haven’t read another of his that started with his jockey being “warned off.”

"“There can be no doubt that this was a most flagrant fraud on the racing public… No alternative but to suspend your licenses… And you, Dexter Cranfield, and you, Kelly Hughes, will be warned off Newmarket Heath until further notice.” Cranfield, pale and shaking, said, “I protest that this has not been a fair hearing. Neither Hughes nor I are guilty. The sentence is outrageous.” No response from Lord Gowery. Lord Ferth, however, spoke for the second time in the proceedings. “Hughes?” “I rode Squelch to win,” I said. “The witnesses were lying.” Gowery shook his head impatiently. “The Enquiry is closed. You may go.”"

Kelly Hughes is the jockey and we spend the first quarter of the book rehashing the charge and the hearing. It is only after we get a full dose of what that means for jockey, stables, etc. that we find Kelly determined to find out who was behind the plot to take his license away.

"“Kelly… Kelly Hughes?” I didn’t answer. “Hey, you’re not a bit like I thought.” She put her blond head on one side, assessing me. “None of those sports-writers ever said anything about you being smashing-looking and dead sexy.” I laughed. I have a crooked nose and a scar down one cheek from where a horse’s hoof had cut my face open, and among jockeys I was an also-ran as a bird-attracter. “It’s your eyes,” she said. “Dark and sort of smiley and sad and a bit withdrawn. Give me the happy shivers, your eyes do.”"

"I didn’t hear Roberta following me until she spoke in my ear as I opened the door. “Can you really do it?” she said. “Do what?” “Get your license back.” “It’s going to cost me too much not to. So I guess I’ll have to, or… “Or what?” I smiled. “Or die in the attempt.”"

Aside from this slightly different facet of racing, the book hits all the mileposts of a typical Dick Francis story.

The strength of this novel is in Francis’ weaving of social class distinctions into the “enquiry” aspects of horseracing. The weaknesses are the romantic and the sexual which just seem to be unable to hit the right notes.

3*

Kelly Hughes, a top jockey is placed second in a race then gets his licensee suspended because someone told the authorities that he threw the race and his cousin Tony a horse trainer that he rides for also gets suspended so Kelly plays detective

A good fast read, typical of what I know about books by Dick Francis. It's pleasant to have a mystery that isn't about a murder.
It's about a jockey and horse racing. It is not needed to know anything about racing or indeed horses to like the story.

The novel was a mix of the typical Dick Francis equine murder mystery with a twist of Franz Kafka's The Trial. It had all the existential angst minus the self-loathing. A jockey and a trainer are falsely accused of cheating and have their licenses revoked. The plot created out of a mix of petty jealousy and fear of social ostracism. This mystery is rife with red herrings, fabricated evidence, and enough lies to make one think the accused were running for elected office.

Kelly Hughes is a highly skilled jockey with an excellent reputation, and his trainer, Dexter Cranfield, is not liked by many but is known to be competent. When the horse Kelly rides finishes second in a race contrary to expectations, he is accused of throwing the race, and a Steward Enquiry is initiated. The Enquiry seems, at first, to be a minor irritant that could be overcome easily. But the hearing – with lying witnesses and distorted evidence – looks heavily biased against Kelly and Dexter right from the start, at the end of which the duo is indefinitely banned from racing. The entire episode stinks to high heaven of a setup, and neither Kelly nor Dexter has any clue as to who is orchestrating it all and why. While Dexter is on the verge of giving up, Kelly decides to investigate the matter and salvage their reputations and careers by unearthing the truth. His probe reveals a few shocking secrets that certain influential people are prepared to keep hidden by whatever means – including murder.

Dick Francis, whom many readers consider the king of horseracing mysteries, delivers yet another exciting page-turner in Enquiry. With enough inside information about the world of horseracing to make it all seem authentic, crisply rendered characters, and a fast-moving plot, Enquiry is an immensely satisfying read that would interest anyone looking for an entertaining way to spend a lazy day.

A great listen! A book where words 'fall off the page'. Just the right amount of tension and personal feelings. It may be a bit dated but none the worse for that!

Jockey Kelly Hughes had his license suspended for repeatedly losing races on purpose. An official enquiry was conducted and he was notified of the decision. Trouble was that all of the so-called evidence presented at the enquiry was false. Kelly sets out to get his license restored and uncover who framed him.
A good, typical Dick Francis mystery. Sometimes I can get a sense of where it is going and who will be behind the evil. This one I couldn't at all and was surprised at the outcome.

A closed hearing finds a jockey and a trainer guilty of throwing a race. The jockey refuses to accept the verdict and launches his own investigation to prove his innocence and salvage his reputation. His questions could get him killed.

3.5 stars from me. A very readable crime thriller with, as ever with Dick Francis, an interesting insight into the world of jump racing. First published 50 years so it gives an amusing reminder (for me) of the mores and manners of the day!

Bettie's Books

(I read Enquiry & Reflex together in a single book containing both stories. )The 800+ page novel contains not one but two mysteries(?) about life in and around being a jockey. Extraordinarily niche and the “mysteries” themselves were to me seemingly mundane / not that out of the ordinary events? Learned lots about the hierarchy of jockeys. None the less I obviously enjoyed it enough to finish it!

There really is no poorly written Dick Francis book, but Enquiry is among the best of the best.

Jockey Kelly Hughes is accused of throwing a race, and is warned-off, but doesn’t take it lying down. Instead, he turns over every stubborn rock until he nearly falls off the edge of a vehicular cliff, when he probes too closely.

Snobbish Trainer Dexter Cranfield practically falls apart, as he is also warned off, but Kelly is resourceful, and pushes him to stay the course.

Cranfield’s beautiful if stuck up daughter, Roberta, starts to pal around with plebeian Hughes, and things might never be the same.

The person who framed the two men is on the loose, and no one is safe until the mystery is solved. It might sound cheesy, but Francis keeps you glued to the page, relentlessly.

Hats’ off to the late great Dick Francis; another of his entries, Enquiry, wins.