I have an unwavering love for Dick Francis, and this particular book holds a special place in my heart.

We are drawn to Sid, the ultimate survivor, whose determination to not let the bad guys prevail is truly admirable.

The most remarkable aspect of Dick Francis is his ability to transform ordinary people into heroes with an innate and powerful instinct for survival.

I have perused this book numerous times, using it as a reminder of how masterfully suspense can be crafted.

His prior experience as a steeplechase jockey for Queen Elizabeth lends an incredibly interesting backdrop to his stories.

Do yourself a favor and read it! It is truly a remarkable piece of work.

Dianne McCartney, diannemccartney.com, author of Just One Night

Basically, the Dick Francis hero in each of his racing thrillers is essentially the same person.

He is decent, with a strong moral compass, and extremely likable. However, in each of the Francis books, he shows up with a different name and profession.

Sid Halley, the protagonist of Whip Hand, makes multiple appearances in his works. He has endured a nasty racing fall, leaving one of his hands useless. This handicap not only affects his daily life but also makes it easier for villains to torture him, as he is most vulnerable in this regard.

His wife has left him, yet he still maintains a great friendship with his former father-in-law. Despite his physical limitation, he has managed to become a private investigator.

When some horses are not performing well, Sid Halley is tasked with the investigation. Along the way, he encounters plenty of violence and threats directed at him. The theme of torture is a recurring element in many of Francis' novels, which is not my favorite aspect of his books.

Nevertheless, Halley perseveres and investigates, beating the odds. During his adventure, he has a memorable ride in a hot air balloon flying at a high altitude to make a daring escape from the baddies.

Overall, it's another solid and entertaining offering from the Francis stable.

So I really listened to a dramatized version rather than read the whole book.

As a result, I don't know how to grade it accurately.

The story in the dramatized version seemed quite similar to Francis' other books.

Based on this similarity and my overall impression from the dramatized version, I would perhaps give it a grade of three.

However, I'm aware that listening to a dramatized version might not provide the full depth and details that reading the actual book would.

There could be aspects of the plot, character development, and writing style that I missed or didn't fully appreciate.

If I were to read the entire book, my grade might potentially change.

But for now, considering what I've experienced through the dramatized version, a three seems like a reasonable assessment.

I really enjoyed this second Sid Halley thriller a great deal more than the first one, "Odds Against".

Dick Francis has masterfully crafted a mystery that is satisfyingly solid in both novels. However, in this particular one, I found the character of Halley to be a bit more mature and likable.

The book rightfully won the 1981 Edgar Award for Best Novel of the Year, and it's not hard to see why. "Whip Hand" is an extremely compelling read. The protagonist, Sid Halley, undergoes significant development throughout the story and evolves into a more complex character by the end of the book.

The mystery itself is intricately plotted, filled with numerous twists and turns that keep the reader on the edge of their seat. Additionally, it is populated with a colorful cast of supporting characters, each with their own unique personalities and motives. This adds depth and richness to the overall narrative, making "Whip Hand" a truly engaging and enjoyable novel.

I have always had a great passion for Dick Francis, and this book did not disappoint me in the slightest. It was yet another captivating read that kept me hooked from start to finish. I am on a mission to read all the books of his that I unfortunately missed out on earlier.

At present, I am diligently working my way through the Sid Halley series, which consists of five books. I have made good progress and am now only lacking "Come to Grief" to complete the set.

There is an interesting side story within the series. Sid has an artificial hand, and it is truly fascinating to learn about the state of the art in prosthetics as it was 40 years ago. It gives us a unique perspective on how far technology has advanced in this field.

From the very beginning, this story immediately grabbed my attention and held it firmly throughout.

The story lines were nicely interwoven, creating a complex and engaging narrative. The characters were well-developed and diverse, adding a richness to the developing plot line.

At first, it seemed as if the story was heading towards a somewhat predictable ending. However, a couple of unexpected twists towards the end made it even better. These twists added an element of surprise and excitement, keeping me on the edge of my seat until the very last page.

Overall, this was a very enjoyable and easy read. It was a great escape from reality and a wonderful way to spend an afternoon. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun and engaging story.

Whip Hand, the winner of the 1980 Edgar Award for Best Novel, holds a special place in Dick Francis' remarkable career. It was the middle of three novels by him to claim this prestigious prize. Forfeit won in 1970, and Come to Grief in 1996. Spanning three decades, this achievement is truly impressive. I, like many others, have read all of them (and at least two by Felix Francis). However, I wonder if anyone would have identified these three as Francis' absolute best. Personally, I consider his first three novels, Nerve, Dead Cert, and For Kicks, to be far superior to the three award-winning ones. But it's understandable that award voters might sometimes overlook an author's early greatness. I've already given my "should have" Edgar for 1962 to Dead Cert, and Nerve and For Kicks unfortunately had to compete against The Light of Day and In the Heat of the Night in their respective years, which I can't really argue with.

Whip Hand was also one of three novels to feature the same character, Sid Halley, a former jockey who became a detective after losing most of one arm in a riding accident. With the help of his assistant, Chico, Sid takes on three cases simultaneously. One involves his ex-wife's sleazy ex-boyfriend who has committed fraud using her name and furniture polish. Another involves suspicion of corruption within the security service of British racing. The most challenging case is that of a trainer he formerly worked for, who has experienced a long string of unexpected race failures.
Sid makes some progress on the cases, but before Chapter 8, a wealthy bookmaker named Trevor Deansgate, whom Sid has known since he was Trevor Shummuck, reveals himself to be behind some of the criminal activity. He threatens to shoot off Sid's good hand with a rifle if he doesn't drop the case. This sadistic threat initially works, and Sid stays away long enough for his second client's horse to also experience an unexpected failure.
Like most of Dick Francis' best works, Whip Hand features a fiendishly clever plot to rig races. The solution is, as always, convincing and satisfying. I've always appreciated the moral complexity of Francis' characters, and the first time I read this, Sid's struggle against his fear was quite novel for a thriller. However, upon rereading it after reading the entire series, my perspective changed. It didn't seem as outstanding on the second reading. The sadism and ruthlessness of Trevor Deansgate, and the moral strength required to combat it, became less interesting once I realized how common such elements were in Francis' novels, with their abundance of sadists and jockeys who can endure pain and the threat of pain.
(this review first appeared on www.vladimirmortsgna.com)

I can't believe it's taken me such a long time to finally get around to reading a Dick Francis novel.

He's been writing these wonderful stories since the early 1960s, and although this particular one is only peripherally about horses, it's still firmly rooted in the world of horseracing.

My verdict? It's excellent. I randomly picked up this book in a charity shop, with no prior knowledge. To my surprise, it turned out to be the second in a short series featuring Sid Halley. He was once a champion jockey but lost his hand. Now, he investigates cases related to the racing world.

There are several seemingly unrelated cases. One is on behalf of his ex-wife, who appears to loathe him. These cases threaten to bring Sid to his knees. However, together with his judo-expert employee, Chico, he manages to untangle various plots.

Surprisingly, the solutions to these plots are more interdependent than they initially seemed, even though the crimes behind them are separate. Sid is a completely believable character. He's tough on the outside but has a soft center and a surprising vulnerability.

The book is exciting, visceral, and a fast, enjoyable read that keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to finish.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book for a multitude of reasons. Firstly, the insider knowledge of the racing world provided by the author, Francis, was truly captivating. As someone who has no real understanding of the ins and outs of racing, the detailed and vivid descriptions in the book gave me a fascinating glimpse into that world. It was clear that Francis had an in-depth knowledge and was able to convey it in a way that made it accessible and engaging for the reader.

I also found the crisis that the protagonist experiences and the inner thoughts that are revealed to be extremely interesting. At times, I couldn't help but think, "you idiot!" as I read about the choices he was making. However, it also made me realize that it's easy to judge from the outside when you have no idea how you would actually react in a similar situation. In the end, I was glad to remember this and cut the guy some slack. After all, if I were ever to find myself in a dangerous situation (which is highly unlikely given my job working on databases), I would probably hope for the same understanding from others.

Anyway, yes, I really enjoyed this book from 1979 (!) and I'm looking forward to reading more of Francis' work in the future. His writing style is engaging, the storylines are interesting, and he has a talent for bringing the characters and the world they inhabit to life on the page.

Dick Francis was an extraordinarily talented individual. He was not only a former jockey but also a highly accomplished mystery/thriller writer. His horse-themed stories had an enduring charm that never seemed to fade or grow tiresome. I have devoured all of his books, and some of them, like this one, I have read twice. It was the perfect choice for a sweltering summer's day, especially since the setting coincidentally mirrored the heat wave that was gripping England at the time.

Sid, an ex-jockey, now sports a bionic arm/hand after his real one was severely damaged first in a race and then by a suspect. As a private investigator, Sid mainly focuses on horse-related matters, but he often finds himself embroiled in all sorts of dodgy situations, encountering shifty dealings and characters along the way. His co-worker and friend, Chico, also gets immersed in several perilous circumstances in "Whip Hand". One should keep a watchful eye out for the nefarious activities taking place at the Jockey Club, various horse trainer barns, and even balloon races. Francis truly enthralls the reader with a fabulous balloon race scene where Sid meets a fellow whose aerial feats are on par with what Sid had achieved on the ground while riding a horse. It is a delightful and captivating moment!
The characters in the story are truly great. Sid and Chico are engaging protagonists, and there are also memorable supporting characters such as Charles (the ex-father-in-law), Jenny (the ex-wife), Trevor, and many more. They all add depth and richness to the life in the horse racing world. The plot is fast-paced, filled with witty dialogue (exhibiting typical British humour and sensitivity), and it keeps the reader on the edge of their seat right up until the last thrilling pages. I am so glad that I decided to read this book again.

It was a truly enjoyable and satisfying experience.

SPOILER

You decide to hire a man to conduct an investigation into your organization. You inform him that there was a predecessor who met with a fate similar to death. The guy responds by saying he understands that his investigation now encompasses looking into what happened to that predecessor as well. Fortunately, this individual, who turns out to be a death-defying lunatic, runs around visiting various well-known venues despite receiving a terrifying threat at the beginning of the story. Somehow, he never manages to find the time to check with the authorities and discover that it was all a lie until the very last pages of the story. Dickie, Dickie, Dickie... where were your grey cells... and those of your wife (who is said to have co-written this)?

I have a great liking for Dick Francis - very much so. He is a hard-nosed right-wing idealist like myself. His morality, his unwavering and unforgiving stance on good and bad, and his belief in justice for ALL (ALL: including those not of our race, those who speak in non-human tongues and whose IQs are quite low) is what earns him an extra star from me. However, this particular story really sucks.

Good read

Reading is an essential activity that offers numerous benefits. It allows us to explore different worlds, gain knowledge, and expand our vocabulary. A good read can transport us to far-off places, introduce us to new ideas and perspectives, and even make us laugh or cry. Whether it's a thrilling mystery, a heartwarming romance, or a thought-provoking non-fiction book, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Reading also helps to improve our concentration, critical thinking skills, and creativity. It can be a great way to relax and unwind after a long day, or to pass the time on a rainy afternoon. So, pick up a book today and embark on a literary adventure. You never know what you might discover.