Racing Classics

by Dick Francis

Dick Francis is the former steeplechase jockey who retired from riding while still at the top of his profession. He wrote a racing column in the Sunday Express for seventeen years but is best known for his racing thrillers, which are worldwide bestsellers. His awards include the Crime Writers' Association Cartier Diamond Dagger, for his outstanding contribution to the crime genre, and an honorary doctorate of Humane Letters from Tufts University of Boston.

Genres: Fiction

58 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 1995

About the author

Dick Francis was a British jockey and crime novelist whose life and work were closely connected with the world of horse racing. Raised in Berkshire in a family involved with horses, he left school at fifteen with the ambition of becoming a jockey and began training horses as a teenager. During the Second World War, he served in the Royal Air Force as a pilot, flying fighters and bombers before returning to racing after the war. He became one of Britain's leading National Hunt jockeys, winning more than 350 races and becoming champion jockey in the 1953–54 season. From 1953 to 1957, he was jockey to Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother, and his most famous race came in the 1956 Grand National, when her horse Devon Loch fell suddenly while apparently heading toward victory. After retiring from racing following another serious fall, Francis turned to journalism and writing. His autobiography, The Sport of Queens, led to sixteen years as racing correspondent for the Sunday Express, while his first thriller, Dead Cert, established the formula that would make him an international bestseller. He went on to write more than forty novels, most set against the backdrop of British horse racing but featuring protagonists from a wide range of professions. His stories combine detailed knowledge of racing with tightly constructed mysteries, dangerous investigations and protagonists forced to overcome serious physical and personal obstacles. Among his best-known recurring characters is Sid Halley, a former jockey turned private investigator who appears in Odds Against, Whip Hand, Come to Grief and Under Orders. Francis's wife, Mary, was an important collaborator throughout his writing career, conducting research, editing manuscripts and contributing to plot and character development. Their son Felix later became his father's collaborator and continued the Francis tradition after his father's death. A three-time winner of the Edgar Award for Best Novel, Francis also received the Gold Dagger, the Cartier Diamond Dagger and the Mystery Writers of America Grand Master Award. His novels brought the specialized world of horse racing to an international readership and established him as one of the most influential writers of the racing thriller.

Reviews

[Daren · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short story and a first chapter of a book published as a Penguin 60.

The first chapter thing sort of threw me, as so far in the P60s series I haven't come across this setup. There are plenty of these with excerpts, mostly well selected so as to have a start and a finish, but not a first chapter.

The first chapter story was really good - as I read it, I hadn't realised it was this setup, so I was intrigued as to how it was going to work itself out in the few remaining pages, but it really didn't, it just peaked my interest! How frustrating. However, it probably did it's job, as I will now buy the book to get the rest of the story!

The short story was also a good read. Very enjoyable character work, clever plot and good writing.

4 stars.

[Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve read plenty of Dick Francis but not the short story in this Penguin60 which was great as it told the story of a once great writer now ruined by alcohol and how he missed a great opportunity to redeem himself and his career

[James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Found at City Basement in Melbourne. My dad is into horse racing and not into reading. This is only small so I thought I’d gift it to him. I’ve read some Penguin 60s before and they’re usually good little samplers. I don’t think I would have read Dick Francis other than screening it pre-dad now.

These two short crime stories from the racing world weren’t bad (one was the first chapter from a longer book).

[Coenraad · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've known about Dick Francis and his popularity, but I haven't read a word by him before. After reading this little hors d'oeuvre, things may not change dramatically - I'm not downloading his collected works on Kindle as we speak - but it was a pleasant introduction nonetheless. 'The gift' is a self-contained short story introducing an alcoholic journalist and seveal shady characters in the horse racing business. Entertaining and intriguing. The first text in the collection, 'Dead cert: the first chapter' is just that: the first chapter of one of Francis's novels. I feel just about cheated! Left hanging over a cliff! OK, pehaps not life-threatening, but I am now really inquisitive about how this racing crime will pan out. I'll definitely be looking out for this novel!

'n Aangename kennismaking met 'n baie populêre skrywer. Francis se eie ervaring as perdejokkie maak sy verhale oortuigend en vermaaklik. Die eerste teks is die eerste hoofstuk van 'n roman: hoewel ek nie noodwendig na dese Francis se versamelde werke sal aanskaf nie, sal ek beslis soek na DEAD CERT. 'The gift' is 'n alleenstaande kortverhaal oor verskeie onwettighede wat rondom die perdewedrenbesigheid voorkom. Vermaaklik.