Proof (original 1985; edition 1988)

I read this book before I was ever aware of LibraryThing or quite possible before it was even available. Dick Francis is one of my all time best authors. I find ever book to well be written and you don't want to stop reading until it is finished. The story line is always associated directly or indirectly with horse racing. I would highly recommend Dick Francis' books to anyone who loves a good mystery story. My rating is based on my knowledge of his work and how much I enjoy reading them. ( )

This is a review of the audio edition with Nigel Havers playing the part of the protagonist, Tony Beach.

The adapters did a good job here. The book moves right along and the discussion of whiskey and wine manufacturing and distribution is quite interesting. The sound effects are well done; scenes at the racecourses have a very open-air kind of feeling, the bottling factory is nice and echoey, etc. The voice talents are good. The book is marred by Francis's usual trite moralizing; but when the protagonist turns a hose full of cheap wine on the villain the events have a surreal quality that is surprising and not so formulaic as some of Francis's other efforts. ( )

Wine merchant Tony Beach is no stranger to personal tragedy - or to the world of fine vintage of wines. But when hidden hit men literally - and brutally - crash a society party he has, as usual, expertly catered, Tony finds himself caught in the terrifying midst of a mystery that begins with sham scotch and counterfeit claret and escalates to hijacking and murder. Strong drink indeed for a man of otherwise peaceful pleasures who must draw on every reserve of hidden courage to crack a sophisticated scam and to save many lives - especially his own.

Wine merchant Tony Beech had life all figured out when his world caved in. Now he's marking time, selling wine and grieving the death of his young wife and unborn child. But when a routine wine delivery ends in disaster, Beech finds himself playing a deadly game of cat and mouse.

Good, solid Francis - break out the wine and cheese and curl up with it today. ( )

This was my first Dick Francis story and it started my enchantment with his characters. Tony is just an ordinary business man so how did he get into this mess and how does he get out? ( )