Straight / Trial Run
by Dick Francis
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In 'Straight', Derek Franklin finds out that his brother's death means big trouble. He inherits a jewellery business, a mistress - and some very shadowy business associates. 'Trial Run' follows a royally-connected candidate, going for gold at the Moscow Olympics. But a mysterious 'Aloysha' threatens to sabotage the games.Tags
Member Reviews
More of Francis' usual fair - vaguely horse related without featuring actual Jockys.
In Straight, Derek Grenville - jockey currently out of action with a broken ankle, inherits his brother's gemstone business after he dies in a freak accident. Derek quickly realises that his secretive brother recently bought £1.5m worth of diamonds, but they can't be found! the more he investigates the more Derek realises just how secretive his brother was, and for good reason - nobody can be trusted! Loosely tangled with this is a side plot relating to the horses, The brother owned some, but Derek as a jockey, can't own and ride. Who and how to sell the horses to involves similar questions of trust. All of the brothers gadgets are good fun!
Trail Run - show more very unusual for Francis. A steeple jumper is sent to Moscow on behlaf of the Prince in order to see if the Prince's nephew will be safe when he goes to compete in the forthcoming Olympiad. There is a question over his safety because a german competitor recently uttered a warning before dropping dead from a heart attack. This is quite a dated story from Russia in the height of the cold war, I very uch doubt that Moscow has the same feel to it now that is well described in the story, but wirth reading all the same. show less
In Straight, Derek Grenville - jockey currently out of action with a broken ankle, inherits his brother's gemstone business after he dies in a freak accident. Derek quickly realises that his secretive brother recently bought £1.5m worth of diamonds, but they can't be found! the more he investigates the more Derek realises just how secretive his brother was, and for good reason - nobody can be trusted! Loosely tangled with this is a side plot relating to the horses, The brother owned some, but Derek as a jockey, can't own and ride. Who and how to sell the horses to involves similar questions of trust. All of the brothers gadgets are good fun!
Trail Run - show more very unusual for Francis. A steeple jumper is sent to Moscow on behlaf of the Prince in order to see if the Prince's nephew will be safe when he goes to compete in the forthcoming Olympiad. There is a question over his safety because a german competitor recently uttered a warning before dropping dead from a heart attack. This is quite a dated story from Russia in the height of the cold war, I very uch doubt that Moscow has the same feel to it now that is well described in the story, but wirth reading all the same. show less
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Dick Francis was born in Wales on October 31, 1920. Because his father was a professional steeplechase jockey and a stable manager, Francis grew up around horses, and after a stint as a pilot in the Royal Air Force during World War II, he became a steeplechase jockey himself, turning professional in 1948. He was named champion jockey of the show more 1953-54 racing season by the British National Hunt after winning more than 350 races and was retained as jockey to the queen mother for four seasons. When he retired from racing in 1957 at the age of 36, Francis went to work as a racing correspondent for the Sunday Express, a London paper, where he worked for 16 years. In the early sixties, he decided to combine his love of mysteries with his knowledge of the racing world, and published Dead Cert in 1962. Set mostly in the racing world, he has written more than 40 novels including Forfeit, Blood Sport, Slay-Ride, Odds Against, Flying Finish, Smoke Screen, High Stakes, and Long Shot. He wrote his last four books Dead Heat, Silks, Even Money, and Crossfire with his son Felix Francis. He has received numerous awards including the Silver Dagger award from Britain's Crime Writers Association for For Kicks, the Gold Dagger award for Whip Hand, the Diamond Dagger award in 1990, and three Edgar awards. He died on February 14, 2010 at the age of 89. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
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- Canonical title
- Straight / Trial Run
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- Reviews
- 1
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- (4.00)
- Languages
- English
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- Paper
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