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High Stakes by Dick Francis

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Member: Moovyz

CollectionsYour library (61)

Reviews1 review

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GroupsThe Black Orchid (A Nero Wolfe Group)

Favorite authorsBruce Zimmerman (Shared favorites)

About meI am a 52 year old freelance writer, recently separated from my 2nd wife (no, I won't be going for 3!). I have 2 beautiful daughters from my first marriage and I am extremely proud of both of them. They restore my faith in the world on a daily basis. The oldest is in her 2nd year of college and has carried a 4.0 GPA since the age of 5. My youngest is more like me, extremely bright but bored easily with academics. She left high school a year early to pursue a career in the arts. She's a fine young actress with a glowing future ahead.

I have always loved reading and have a voracious appetite. Although I usually spend a few hours a day writing and the remainder reading something, even if it happens to be a blog or the newspaper, I have a fairly narrow preference list in books... generally mysteries or biographical in nature. Although I consider myself an armchair phylosopher, I can't get into "War and Peace", Shakespear or other classics. To classify me, one need only to ask me who my favorite author is... Rex Stout. I own all but a couple of the Nero Wolfe books and could easily read and re-read those for the remainder of my life and find daily enjoyment in it. I marvel at the depth of the characters he created and how he moved them effortlessly through 4 decades or more.

About my libraryA few dozen mysteries, biographies and a near complete Nero Wolfe paperback collection. But my library is the local municipal branch. Why buy it, when 100,000 or more are within a 5 minute drive?

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Real nameGlen Peterson

LocationMorganton, North Carolina

EmailMoovyz99aol.com

Account typepublic, free

Connection NewsConnection News

URLs http://www.librarything.com/profile/Moovyz (profile)
http://www.librarything.com/catalog/Moovyz (library)

Common KnowledgeSeries (8), Awards (10), Characters (210), Places (13)

Member sinceMar 8, 2008

Most recent activity

Moovyz added:
The green by Troon McAllister

Moovyz reviewed, rated, added:
The Fourth Perspective: A CJ Floyd Mystery (C J Floyd Mysteries) by Robert Greer

(read review)

Moovyz added:
Blood Sport by Dick Francis

Moovyz added:
Whip Hand by Dick Francis

Moovyz added:
Straight by Dick Francis

Moovyz added:
High Stakes by Dick Francis

Happy Holidays all! I haven't been to this site for a while... making progress in my new profession, Professional Poker Player. Due to a severe back injury several years ago, I have been unable to do most jobs within my background. I have always played poker (as a second income) but began to get very serious over the past few years. I decided in October to play in some of the World Poker Tour events at Foxwoods this past October. Although I did not run very well during those events, I had good success in the cash games so I returned to Foxwoods after a week back home. Since then, I have won one smaller tournament, finished 3rd the next day in another and, once again, did well in the cash games. Since I can come and go as I please, which makes it much easier on my back, I believe that I will make this a serious effort to become my new chosen profession. It also allows me to spend a lot of time reading and writing after playing all day. I just re-read the 4 Dick Francis novels featuring "Sid Halley", injured jockey-turned detective. I love this series! And the newist installment "Under Orders" was published recently, leading me back to the original 3. I highly recommend it for mystery lovers... a great charachter, well told tales and quite believeable. I think I'm going to start a group for fans of Mr. Francis. His past life as a jockey is intriguing and he is one of the finest mystery writers in the field. I'd like to know more about him and this seems like a good way to begin. If anyone out there is a fan, particularly of the "Sid Halley" tales, please feel free to message me about starting up a new group. In the meantime, it's back to the tables from now until Christmas, so wish me luck!

posted by Moovyz at 11:05 pm (EST) on Nov 27, 2008

I just finished the first two Bruce Zimmerman books -- the Quinn Parker series, and I LOVED them. They're now on my wish list to own. Thanks so much, moovyz, for recommending him.

I don't see him as an Archie type, though -- but a more down-to-earth and believable Travis McGee.

As for why I LOVE this series (I read each of the first two books at one sitting) -- well, IMHO Zimmerman is a master wordsmith. The man can write - fluently, articulately, and easily. His words just flow -- there are no strained metaphors, no awkward figures of speech, no overuse of hackneyed cliches.

Also, Quinn Parker has feelings, and is both intelligent and reflective -- but, thank goodness, without that self-conscious streak of darkness that ruins most major characters for me. There's none of this "I'm so tormented b/c of my dark, unspeakable past" garbage about Quinn. He's an ordinary guy with a wonderful set of friends -- who seem like very real people to me -- folks without the deliberate and so-artificial quirkiness that some other authors infuse into their supporting casts.

And I also love that Parker does not tackle world-ending problems -- no bioterrorist plots with super agents battling the forces of darkness with paper clips and rubber bands. No rabbits pulled out of hats, either. When Quinn or his friends get beaten up, it actually takes them days or weeks to recover. I love that.

Anyway, thank you, thank you, thank you, moovyz, for recommending this author to me.

posted by RachelfromSarasota at 1:09 pm (EST) on Jul 9, 2008

Just wanted to say that after reading your post on Black Orchids, I've requested the first three Zimmerman books from my public library. I was introduced to Nero Wolfe when I was about 10, and have read and reread the canon every year since then. I must say that I HATED the Wolfe pastiches that were on bookstore shelves a few years ago, by some idiot named Robert Goldthwaite (?) or something not too dissimilar. I am looking forward to reading the Zimmerman books -- I hope I agree with your recommendation (and Mrs. Lee's).

posted by RachelfromSarasota at 8:38 pm (EST) on Jul 2, 2008

Just now saw your previous comment to me. Great review, well written.

posted by iluvmickeymouse2 at 9:38 pm (EST) on Jun 24, 2008

I read the preview version of your ER book at books.google.com and I have to agree. The author doesn't seem to have clear direction when it comes to storyline or character development. Too bad too, because from the description the book looked interesting.

posted by awriterspen at 2:06 am (EST) on May 11, 2008

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