Nerve

I love horses--from a distance. I'm not a rider. And I'm not a fan of racing; it's a brutal life for jockeys and their mounts, even when they live to do it. So although I remember loving Dick Francis's novels when I compulsively read them all years ago, I had kind of forgotten why. It's just this: his "heroes" fall into that category of male characters I can't get enough of, like those created by Robert B. Parker, and Walter Mosley---smart, attractive and fundamentally good, but not hesitant to use a trick or two from the bad guys' play book against them; reluctant to impose violence on others until absolutely necessary, and always ready to stop when enough is enough; vulnerable to injury, but relatively undaunted by the pain; decent to show more everyone, even, up to a point, to people who do not deserve it; and absolutely NOT subject to losing their nerve. That sums up Rob Finn, the relatively inexperienced jockey we meet in [Nerve]. He's starting to make a name for himself as fearless, so trainers and owners like to put him up on their difficult horses...the ones no one else wants to ride. He has managed a few good showings, when he gets the opportunity to pick up steady work replacing another jockey who has taken a bad fall. But (here's where the "smart" comes in) something feels very wrong to Rob...too many jockeys are losing their regular gigs because of rumors about bad habits or lack of dedication to the sport. When he finds himself unable to bring home a winner in race after race, despite being up on some very reliable mounts, his reputation takes a hit, his suspicions rear up, and we're all taken for a grand ride. Great story-telling here. show less

This mystery/thriller opens with a bang, as a jockey shoots “himself, loudly and messily, in the center of the parade ring at Dunstable races.” Our protagonist, Rob Finn, is a fellow jockey who witnesses this horrific event. Rob is just starting his career and hasn’t had many good mounts, but he begins to win and captures the attention of trainers, owners and a local journalist with a popular television show on racing. But just as he is getting to the top of the field, things begin to go sour. His reputation in tatters, he is on the brink of despair when he thinks on his fellow jockeys and the troubles they’ve endured in the past year or two. Is someone sabotaging jockeys? Who? And Why?

Francis crafts a compelling psychological show more mystery. Finn is tenacious and determined. He’s also smart in the way he goes about ferreting out information to build the case against an unlikely perpetrator. I do not know much about steeplechase racing, but Francis gives enough detail to educate me without boring me. Some of the race scenes were quite thrilling; I almost felt as if I were jumping those fences right along with Finn and Template (the horse he was riding).

I came late to the Dick Francis fan club, but I’m glad I finally arrived. show less

Robert "Rob" Finn is an up and coming steeplechase rider with a passion for the competition. His passion turns to self doubt after a series of events threaten his confidence. First Arthur Mathews, a fellow jockey and friend, takes his own life in front of everyone. Then Rob starts to lose race after race after race. A fall from a horse has the whole steeplechase community convinced Rob has finally lost his nerve. And everyone knows a rider without nerve is a useless rider. It isn't until Rob discovers a carefully orchestrated trap and uncovers proof of sabotage that he starts to formulate his revenge.

I've read this at least a couple times before. I was _supposed_ to read it for a group read in January/February, but didn't get around to it until now. In the group read, there was a lot of comment about Rob and Joanna being cousins - I got the strong impression that Joanna was using the cousinship as a shield against Rob, and didn't have a gut-level objection to it (and obviously Rob didn't). Why she wanted to shield against him, I'm less sure. The mystery is complex - and I really liked (can't say I enjoyed) the scene of Rob's dark night, as he went down under the weight of opinion and came back up swinging. There's some lovely seeding early on, especially in the first TV interview. The punishment was neatly set up - very much a show more reflection of what Rob had suffered. I hope he's thoroughly broken and doesn't try to pull the same sort of thing again - but he'll never have the influence he did here, between family and fame. Not one of my favorite Francises, but a good one. show less

I particularly like Rob Finn, the main & viewpoint character of this book, whose unusual choices are self accepted with so little fuss for all their intensity. The world of steeplechase racing and it's personalities come to life totally integrated into the action and tone of the narrative.

Jockey Rob Finn is just breaking in to steeplechase racing. Trainers and owners are beginning to notice the up-and-comer and take a chance on him with their second-rate horses. Another jockey’s bad break (literally) becomes Finn’s lucky break. Finn is puzzled by rumors about other jockeys that seem to circulate so rapidly with seemingly little foundation. When he becomes the target of rumors that he’s lost his nerve, Finn sets out to trace the rumors back to their source, no matter what the cost. Francis gives his readers a page-turning plot, a hero with depth, and a strong setting within racing circles. It’s just the kind of thriller to make time fly on a cold and rainy winter afternoon!

I love Dick Francis books and this was no exception. Already at the beginning a jockey shot himself. Nobody could explain why he did this. The young jockey Rob, who sees the whole thing emotionally from the outside, gets to know the highs and lows of horse racing and decides to get to the bottom of the cause of the misery of his colleagues. He discovers that the horses of these jockeys and his horses have been doped. He's out for revenge and does it in a subtle way. He's in grave danger. His will is stronger than all the pain he suffers.
A magnificently thought-out thriller that gives an insight into the world of horse racing.