Tuesday, September 01, 2009

The Guardian Profiles Crime Novelist Dick Francis and his son Felix Francis

Pirate Latitudes by Michael Crichton

The Guardian ran a profile over the weekend on author Dick Francis, the prolific former jockey whose mysteries set in the world of horse racing are perennial bestsellers. His latest thriller, Even Money, co-written with his son Felix Francis, was published last week by Putnam.

The Guardian article notes that Francis' novels have always been family affairs. For many years, his wife Mary (who died in 2000) was his primary researcher, but the author credits his entire family for the twists and turns of his plots, the authenticity of his characters, and insights into the world of horses and racing.

But following Mary's death, it looked like Francis wouldn't write any more books. His son Felix changed that. "Dick Francis is a brand," says Felix. "And I mean to carry it on." Their first collaboration, Under Orders, published in 2006, was a success.

What's next for the writing team? Felix's youngest son William has just graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. "I think it's fair to say you can expect a plot featuring a soldier soon."

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Synopsis of Even Money: On the first day of Royal Ascot, the world's most famous horse race, the crowd rejoices in a string of winning favorites. Ned Talbot has worked all his life as a bookmaker -- taking over the family business from his grandfather -- so he knows not to expect any sympathy from the punters as they count their winnings, and he his losses. He's seen the ups and downs before, but, as the big gambling conglomerates muscle in on small concerns like his, Ned wonders if it's worth it any more.

When a gray-haired man steps forward from the crowd claiming to be his father, Ned's life is thrown into far deeper turmoil. He'd been told since he was a baby that his parents had died in a car crash.

Barely an hour later, his newly found father is stabbed by an unknown assailant in the Ascot parking lot. Blood oozing from his abdomen, his father warns Ned to "be very careful." But of whom? Of what? Ned finds himself in a race to solve his father's riddle -- a race where coming in second could cost him more than even money -- it could cost him his life.

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