It wasn't often that Dick Francis, ex champion jockey and Spitfire pilot, used a hero several times through his thrillers - this is one of the few. Sid Halley was the main character in his fourth book, Odds against (1965). Here he is back in Whip Hand (1972), the 18th Francis thriller. He is a disabled jockey, still craving the life he had to give up, and is now running an investigation agency. Asked to investigate a group of racing syndicates, the lack of success fof some top horses, and a fraud involving his ex-wife, he soon comes up against more than he bargained for, and has to deal with some of his deepest fears.
This is a cracking story, held at high tension throughout, with excellent racing detail, Francis' trademark life philosophy (don't moan - deal with it!) and the usual real-life characters. One of the many great things about Francis' books is the excellent dialogue, life-like and totally believable; on top of characters that are very well-drawn and never flat, this makes for a total-immersion experience that will leave you both exhausted and wanting more!
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