The Dick Francis Companion


Book Description

When former jockey Dick Francis turned to writing, his novels were a success right out of the gate. Now readers can learn more about his suspenseful stories and the fascinating worlds in which they take place-not only horse racing, but many others, from flying to filmmaking, from gemstones to glassblowing. Meet the man who has won three Edgar Allen Poe Awards, the title of Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master, fellowship in the Royal Society of Literature, and Malice Domestic's Lifetime Achievement Award-and add to your reading pleasure with: € Book-by-book synopses, little-known facts, and quotes € Francis's stable of memorable characters-from Sid Halley to Mr. Kitchens to Professor Guggenheim € The "beautiful, marvelous creatures" who run through his novels-from Admiral in Dead Cert to Zingaloo in Whip Hand € Websites on horseracing, the many novels, and the author himself




Decider


Book Description

Architect Lee Morris has plans to restore Stratton Park racecourse to its former grandeur. But the combative Stratton heirs have violent plans of their own.




Pink Beam


Book Description

A study of the novels and short stories of science fiction writer Philip K. Dick (1928-1982)with presentation of a literary chronology of his career.




Trial Run


Book Description

Discover the classic mystery from Dick Francis, one of the greatest thriller writers of all time 'Keeps you enthralled all the way through' 5***** Reader Review 'Full of intrigue from start to finish. Another Dick Francis success' 5***** Reader Review 'Edge-of-your-seat reading' 5***** Reader Review ______ Ex-steeplechaser Randall Drew is reluctantly off to pre-Olympic games Moscow, as a favour to royalty. One of the blue bloods is destined to compete in the games and there are concerns - both of safety and of scandal - that only Drew, with his racing connections, can clear up. On arriving - speaking no Russian and wishing he were back home - Drew is supposed to identify and contact one Alyosha to clear up the scandal. Instead, he finds himself tailed by the KGB and embroiled in foiling a terrorist plot - or die trying. Home seems an awful long way away - and if he's not careful, he'll be going back in a box . . . Packed with intrigue and hair-raising suspense, Trial Run is just one of the many blockbuster thrillers from legendary crime writer Dick Francis. Praise for Dick Francis: 'The narrative is brisk and gripping and the background researched with care . . . the entire story is a pleasure to relish' Scotsman 'Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph 'Still the master' Racing Post 'The master of suspense and intrigue' Country Life




Flying Finish


Book Description

From a New York Times–bestselling “master of crime fiction and equine thrills,” an aristocratic amateur jockey gets involved in a criminal investigation (Newsday). Dick Francis, Edgar Award–winning master of mystery and suspense, takes you into the thrilling world of horse racing. The youngest child of rich, neglectful parents, Henry Grey was occasionally accused of being an overgrown brat. But all Henry wanted was a career that would bring him some genuine fulfilment, a little adventure, and a chance to prove his true character. So he decided to take a dirty demanding job transporting racehorses by air, much to his snobbish family’s horror. And when he discovered that he was actually transporting something altogether different, he had to call upon every ounce of resourcefulness he had to land with his life intact . . . Praise for the writing of Dick Francis: “Dick Francis is a wonder.” —The Plain Dealer “Few things are more convincing than Dick Francis at a full gallop.” —Chicago Tribune “Few match Francis for dangerous flights of fancy and pure inventive menace.” —Boston Herald “[Francis] has the uncanny ability to turn out simply plotted yet charmingly addictive mysteries.” —The Wall Street Journal “Francis is a genius.” —Los Angeles Times “Nobody executes the whodunit formula better.” —Chicago Sun-Times




Twentieth-century Crime Fiction


Book Description

First Published in 2001. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.




Even Money


Book Description

Discover the classic mystery from Dick Francis, one of the greatest thriller writers of all time 'Well-researched and expertly written, it is gripping from start to finish' 5***** Reader Review 'You really feel that you are involved with the plot and feel for the characters' 5***** Reader Review ______ On Royal Ascot's first day, bookmaker Ned Talbot watches helplessly as a string of favourites come in. With the punters totting up their winnings, he counts his losses. Then an old man steps forward with a very different claim. The father Ned never knew - believed to have been killed in a car crash long ago - is standing before him. Barely an hour later, Ned's newly-found father is dying in Ascot's car park. Stabbed by an unknown assailant, he warns Ned: 'be very careful'. But of whom? Of what? Ned races to discover the truth behind his father's disappearance and sudden reappearance. It's not just money on the line now. It's lives . . . Packed with intrigue and hair-raising suspense, Even Money is just one of the many blockbuster thrillers from legendary crime writer Dick Francis. Praise for Dick Francis: 'As a jockey, Dick Francis was unbeatable when he got into his stride. The same is true of his crime writing' Daily Mirror 'The narrative is brisk and gripping and the background researched with care . . . the entire story is a pleasure to relish' Scotsman 'Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph 'A regular winner . . . as smooth, swift and lean as ever' Sunday Express 'The master of suspense and intrigue' Country Life 'Francis writing at his best' Evening Standard 'Still the master' Racing Post




Why Read Moby-Dick?


Book Description

A “brilliant and provocative” (The New Yorker) celebration of Melville’s masterpiece—from the bestselling author of In the Heart of the Sea, Valiant Ambition, and In the Hurricane's Eye One of the greatest American novels finds its perfect contemporary champion in Why Read Moby-Dick?, Nathaniel Philbrick’s enlightening and entertaining tour through Melville’s classic. As he did in his National Book Award–winning bestseller In the Heart of the Sea, Philbrick brings a sailor’s eye and an adventurer’s passion to unfolding the story behind an epic American journey. He skillfully navigates Melville’s world and illuminates the book’s humor and unforgettable characters—finding the thread that binds Ishmael and Ahab to our own time and, indeed, to all times. An ideal match between author and subject, Why Read Moby-Dick? will start conversations, inspire arguments, and make a powerful case that this classic tale waits to be discovered anew. “Gracefully written [with an] infectious enthusiasm…”—New York Times Book Review




Front Runner


Book Description

British investigator Jefferson Hinkley is back in this compelling Dick Francis thriller by the New York Times–bestselling author of Crisis. In his role as an undercover investigator for the British Horseracing Authority, Jeff Hinkley is approached by a multi-time champion jockey to discuss the delicate matter of losing races on purpose. Little does he know that the call will set off a lethal chain of events, including the apparent suicide of the jockey and an attempt on Hinkley’s own life. Never one to leave suspicious events alone, Hinkley begins investigating the jockey and the races he may have thrown. But there are others out there who intend to prevent his inquiry from probing further...at any cost.




The Christmas Murder Game


Book Description

"Curl up by the fire (and lock all the doors) for this Christmas cracker of a book." —C.S. Green, author of Sleep Tight Twelve clues. Twelve keys. Twelve days of Christmas. But how many will die before Twelfth Night? Agatha Christie meets Clue in this delightful, tense manor house murder mystery. The annual Christmas Game is afoot at Endgame House, the Armitages' grand family home. This year's prize is to die for—deeds to the house itself—but Lily Armitage has no intention of returning. She hasn't been back to Endgame since her mother died, twenty-one years ago, and she has no intention of claiming the house that haunts her dreams. Until, that is, she receives a letter from her aunt promising that the game's riddles will give her the keys not only to Endgame, but to its darkest secrets, including the identity of her mother's murderer. Now, Lily must compete with her estranged cousins for the twelve days of Christmas. The snow is thick, the phone lines are down, and no one is getting in or out. Lily will have to keep her wits about her, because not everyone is playing fair, and there's no telling how many will die before the winner is declared. Including additional scavenger hunts for the reader, this clever murder mystery is the perfect gift for fans of classic mysteries, festive Christmas books, and armchair detective work.