Hands Down

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The language is relatively clean with the occasional 'damn / bloody' or similar' but nothing worse. These books are always worthwhile and a treat to be savored. Spelling and vernacular are UK English, but shouldn't pose any problems in context for readers from North America. Felix has done a remarkable job of carrying on the series since the death of his father. The books are still fresh and exciting. The last two, including this one have dealt with mental illness or psychological problems. This one it's how someone reacts to a hand transplant. The last was anxiety. It's been a welcome addition to the books, giving another layer to the story. I have to say I like the current direction.

Sid no longer has a prosthetic having had a successful hand transplant. Life should be looking good but things start to sour when his wife decides to go home to be with her mother when she finds out that her father is dying. She takes their nine year old daughter with her and Sid fears she will make it permanent. With this occupying his thoughts he isn't in a hurry to become involved with any investigation but the person making the plea is an old racing friend and Sid says yes. What follows is a complex, well-crafted puzzle. Corruption in the racing world isn't new but this scheme to rig races makes for a good story. I'll say no more for fear of spoilers. I inherited my brother's life. Inherited his desk, his business, his gadgets, his enemies, his horses and his mistress. I inherited my brother's life, and it nearly killed me." – "Straight" (1989) And, as usual, there is drama underfoot in British jump racing. His trainer friend calls him to tell him that someone is pressuring him to fix races and he's not putting up with it any more. Sid has his own problems to worry about and tells him to find someone else to help him, but when the friend's stable is set on fire, he is forced to reconsider, despite turmoil in his personal life. Dad was full of ideas . . . He would write them, and my mother would polish the prose, as it were." When I ask Felix about all the machinations and intrigue around who got credit for what, he seems uninterested, and mostly just happy to be carrying on the family business.

The horse-racing themed thrillers have lasted 60 years, thanks to the efforts of a talented lineage

It’s not long before Sid finds himself looking into a conspiracy that is trying to rig races. I have read other books by Felix Francis but this is the first time I have met Sid Halley, I thoroughly enjoyed the book. It was one of those books I couldn’t put down which was just what I needed. The pace is fast which for me I know is always a winner, the characters are well drawn, they are believable, three dimensional, I like the camaraderie between Sid’s ex Father in law Charles and Sis, and also his relationship with his friend Chico who is there for him when he needs help. Sid was missing his wife and daughter, but he also felt duty bound to sort out who was doing what to rig races. Who was behind it all? He managed to get one name but it was someone he hadn’t heard of, anyone who was involved was reluctant to talk through fear of what would happen. The exact details of their collaboration are hard to pin down. Felix says, "Dad was full of ideas. I mean, ideas used to fall out him like water over a waterfall. He would write them, and my mother would polish the prose, as it were."

Can Sid get to the bottom of what's going on before he too becomes a victim, while, at the same time, saving his marriage? These Francis books are just so easy to read, absorbing, gripping and fast paced. Sid is an easy character to love and its a bit like catching up with an old friend. Determined to uncover the truth and to help his friend, Sid starts to investigate. He soon finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy that cuts to the very heart of the integrity of British horse racing, and then danger comes closer to home than ever. Things should be good for Sid Halley. He's gotten a hand transplant and his new left hand is almost fully functional. He's given up investigating for investing which should eliminate most of the danger in his life. And he's married to his beloved Marina and has a nine-year-old daughter named Saskia who is the center of his existence. When his friend’s stable yard is torched, horses killed, and the friend is found dead, Sid can only blame himself for not helping sooner. The police think it’s suicide, but Sid is not convinced after his friend’s terrified phone calls. Heavy with a guilty heart, Sid starts to investigate and soon finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy that cuts to the very heart of the integrity of British horse racing.With Felix writing the books now, could they get in trouble for false advertising if they claimed otherwise?