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This was pretty great, and it was narrated by the great Ralph Cosham! Published in 1965, it's unapologetically insensitive - and that's about the only negative thing I can say about it.
Sid Halley was a champion horse jockey until a tragic accident left him with a severely disfigured left hand. Unable to compete any longer, Sid starts taking minor surveillance jobs with a friend's investigation agency. After a few years of halfhearted work, one of his targets shoots him in the gut. The experience finally puts a fire in his belly (ha!) Not only is he on a permanent liquid diet (he prefers brandy), but the unfairness of it all drives Sid to hunt down the man who shot him. That investigation becomes entangled with unusual goings-on at one of his favorite horse tracks.
There were a few delightfully unexpected developments in this short novel. First, his father-in-law's behavior at an invited weekend at his estate came out of nowhere. For another thing, the Crays: what a deliciously nasty couple they are! Finally, I was not expecting the kind of retaliation delivered when the bad guys couldn't find a series of photo negatives - wow!
Maybe I underestimate older mysteries, but this book was a real gem. I look forward to reading others in Dick Francis' Sid Halley series.
Sid Halley was a champion horse jockey until a tragic accident left him with a severely disfigured left hand. Unable to compete any longer, Sid starts taking minor surveillance jobs with a friend's investigation agency. After a few years of halfhearted work, one of his targets shoots him in the gut. The experience finally puts a fire in his belly (ha!) Not only is he on a permanent liquid diet (he prefers brandy), but the unfairness of it all drives Sid to hunt down the man who shot him. That investigation becomes entangled with unusual goings-on at one of his favorite horse tracks.
There were a few delightfully unexpected developments in this short novel. First, his father-in-law's behavior at an invited weekend at his estate came out of nowhere. For another thing, the Crays: what a deliciously nasty couple they are! Finally, I was not expecting the kind of retaliation delivered when the bad guys couldn't find a series of photo negatives - wow!
Maybe I underestimate older mysteries, but this book was a real gem. I look forward to reading others in Dick Francis' Sid Halley series.
