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Sid Halley #3
Come To Grief
Discover the classic mystery from Dick Francis, one of the greatest thriller writers of all time'Loads of twists and turns throughout keeps you drawn along. Terrific' 5***** Reader Review'Outstanding. Dick Francis delivers in this action-packed thriller that is impossible to put down' 5***** Reader Review______Sid Halley, ex-champion jockey turned investigator, is facing his toughest test.A number of horses have been brutally mutilated, horrifying their owners and the general public. Even Sid's friend, broadcaster Ellis Quint, has been moved to make a shocking programme about it.But when Sid is asked to look into the case, the evidence he uncovers points in a startling direction and he finds that his head must overrule his heart. As friends and associates are angered by his discoveries, Sid is drawn into a terrible web of conspiracy and intrigue.Escape will require all his legendary wits and cunning . . .Packed with intrigue and hair-raising suspense, Come to Grief is just one of the many blockbuster thrillers from legendary crime writer Dick Francis.Praise for Dick 'As a jockey, Dick Francis was unbeatable when he got into his stride. The same is true of his crime writing' Daily Mirror'The narrative is brisk and gripping and the background researched with care . . . the entire story is a pleasure to relish' Scotsman'Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph'A regular winner . . . as smooth, swift and lean as ever' Sunday Express'The master of suspense and intrigue' Country Life'Francis writing at his best' Evening Standard'Still the master' Racing Post
420 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1995
338 people are currently reading
1051 people want to read
About the author
Dick Francis
535 books1,251 followersDick Francis, CBE, FRSL (born Richard Stanley Francis) was a popular British horse racing crime writer and retired jockey.
Dick Francis worked on his books with his wife, Mary, before her death. Dick considered his wife to be his co-writer - as he is quoted in the book, "The Dick Francis Companion", released in 2003:
"Mary and I worked as a team. ... I have often said that I would have been happy to have both our names on the cover. Mary's family always called me Richard due to having another Dick in the family. I am Richard, Mary was Mary, and Dick Francis was the two of us together."
Praise for Dick Francis: 'As a jockey, Dick Francis was unbeatable when he got into his stride. The same is true of his crime writing' Daily Mirror '
Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph '
Dick Francis was one of the most successful post-war National Hunt jockeys. The winner of over 350 races, he was champion jockey in 1953/1954 and rode for HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, most famously on Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National.
On his retirement from the saddle, he published his autobiography, The Sport of Queens, before going on to write forty-three bestselling novels, a volume of short stories (Field of 13), and the biography of Lester Piggott.
During his lifetime Dick Francis received many awards, amongst them the prestigious Crime Writers' Association's Cartier Diamond Dagger for his outstanding contribution to the genre, and three 'best novel' Edgar Allan Poe awards from The Mystery Writers of America. In 1996 he was named by them as Grand Master for a lifetime's achievement. In 1998 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 2000. Dick Francis died in February 2010, at the age of eighty-nine, but he remains one of the greatest thriller writers of all time.
Series:
* Sid Halley Mystery
* Kit Fielding Mystery
Dick Francis worked on his books with his wife, Mary, before her death. Dick considered his wife to be his co-writer - as he is quoted in the book, "The Dick Francis Companion", released in 2003:
"Mary and I worked as a team. ... I have often said that I would have been happy to have both our names on the cover. Mary's family always called me Richard due to having another Dick in the family. I am Richard, Mary was Mary, and Dick Francis was the two of us together."
Praise for Dick Francis: 'As a jockey, Dick Francis was unbeatable when he got into his stride. The same is true of his crime writing' Daily Mirror '
Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph '
Dick Francis was one of the most successful post-war National Hunt jockeys. The winner of over 350 races, he was champion jockey in 1953/1954 and rode for HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, most famously on Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National.
On his retirement from the saddle, he published his autobiography, The Sport of Queens, before going on to write forty-three bestselling novels, a volume of short stories (Field of 13), and the biography of Lester Piggott.
During his lifetime Dick Francis received many awards, amongst them the prestigious Crime Writers' Association's Cartier Diamond Dagger for his outstanding contribution to the genre, and three 'best novel' Edgar Allan Poe awards from The Mystery Writers of America. In 1996 he was named by them as Grand Master for a lifetime's achievement. In 1998 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 2000. Dick Francis died in February 2010, at the age of eighty-nine, but he remains one of the greatest thriller writers of all time.
Series:
* Sid Halley Mystery
* Kit Fielding Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 304 reviews
September 8, 2020
In his long and very successful career as a writer of crime fiction, Dick Francis only used two protagonists in more than one book. One of them was Sid Halley who appears here for the third time, following Odds Against and Whip Hand. Halley was a former champion jockey who had a terrible accident that basically destroyed his left hand and ended his career. He then became a private investigator and, in the course of an earlier case, a psychopath further damaged the hand, rendering it completely useless. Halley now wears a prosthesis and has nightmares about possibly losing the use of his other hand.
In this case, Halley has been hired to track down a sadistic monster who has been lopping off the hooves of young horses, leaving them crippled and useless. The attacker usually chooses the left front hoof, and although there's no mention of it, one has to wonder if Halley, who has lost his own left hand, might feel an especial affinity for the poor horses who are thus damaged.
Sid's client is the mother of a young girl whose horse was thus attacked. To complicate matters, the little girl is suffering from a rare disease and needs a bone marrow transplant if she is to survive. She and Halley develop a special bond, and some of the best scenes in the book are of the two characters together.
As his investigation progresses, Halley is shocked to discover that the attacker is, almost certainly, one of his best friends, another former jockey who has become a very popular television interviewer. Indeed, the friend, Ellis Quint, did a very heart-warming program about Rachel, the sick little girl whose horse he had effectively destroyed himself. (This gives nothing away; the reader learns very early on who the villain is.)
Sid's discovery causes him an enormous amount of personal pain and anxiety. It also subjects him to savage personal attacks in the press and elsewhere. Quint is an enormously popular public figure, and even Sid's own client can't believe that he would be guilty of such horrendous crimes. People insist that Halley is jealous of Quint's success and is attempting to destroy his reputation.
In consequence, Halley will be up against the wall for most of the book, unable to effectively defend his actions and his reputation. As is often the case in a Dick Francis novel, there are other, larger forces lurking behind the scenes and before it's all over, poor Sid Halley will be subjected to some very extreme tests.
This is one of the better of the later books in the series. It moves along quickly and has all of the hallmarks that readers of the series expect. Fans of the series should be sure to look for it.
In this case, Halley has been hired to track down a sadistic monster who has been lopping off the hooves of young horses, leaving them crippled and useless. The attacker usually chooses the left front hoof, and although there's no mention of it, one has to wonder if Halley, who has lost his own left hand, might feel an especial affinity for the poor horses who are thus damaged.
Sid's client is the mother of a young girl whose horse was thus attacked. To complicate matters, the little girl is suffering from a rare disease and needs a bone marrow transplant if she is to survive. She and Halley develop a special bond, and some of the best scenes in the book are of the two characters together.
As his investigation progresses, Halley is shocked to discover that the attacker is, almost certainly, one of his best friends, another former jockey who has become a very popular television interviewer. Indeed, the friend, Ellis Quint, did a very heart-warming program about Rachel, the sick little girl whose horse he had effectively destroyed himself. (This gives nothing away; the reader learns very early on who the villain is.)
Sid's discovery causes him an enormous amount of personal pain and anxiety. It also subjects him to savage personal attacks in the press and elsewhere. Quint is an enormously popular public figure, and even Sid's own client can't believe that he would be guilty of such horrendous crimes. People insist that Halley is jealous of Quint's success and is attempting to destroy his reputation.
In consequence, Halley will be up against the wall for most of the book, unable to effectively defend his actions and his reputation. As is often the case in a Dick Francis novel, there are other, larger forces lurking behind the scenes and before it's all over, poor Sid Halley will be subjected to some very extreme tests.
This is one of the better of the later books in the series. It moves along quickly and has all of the hallmarks that readers of the series expect. Fans of the series should be sure to look for it.
August 4, 2012
What is there to say about Dick Francis? As I think about all of his books (yes, this review covers all of his books, and yes I've read them all) I think about a moral ethical hero, steeped in intelligence and goodness embroiled in evil machinations within British horse racing society - either directly or indirectly. The heroes aren't always horse jockies, they can be film producers, or involve heroes engaged in peripheral professions that somehow always touch the horse racing world.
But more than that, Francis's heroes are rational human beings. The choices made are rational choices directed by a firm objective philosophy that belies all of Francis's novels. The dialogue is clear and touched with humor no matter the intensity of evil that the hero faces. The hero's thoughts reveal a vulnerability that is touching, while his actions are always based on doing the right thing to achieve justice.
Causing the reader to deeply care about the characters in a novel is a difficult thing to do. No such worries in a Francis novel. The point of view is first person, you are the main character as you read the story (usually the character of Mr. Douglas). The hero is personable, like able, non-violent but delivering swift justice with his mind rather than through physical means. This is not to say that violence is a stranger to our hero. Some of it staggering and often delivered by what we would think of normal persons living in British society.
You will come to love the world of Steeple Chase racing, you will grow a fondness for horses, stables, trainers and the people who live in that world. You will read the books, devouring one after the other and trust me Dick Francis has a lot of novels (over 40 by my last count).
There are several series woven into the fabric of Francis's work: notably the Sid Halley and Kit Fielding series.
Assessment: Dick Francis is one of my favorite writers. I read his books with a fierce hunger that remains insatiable and I mourn his death.
But more than that, Francis's heroes are rational human beings. The choices made are rational choices directed by a firm objective philosophy that belies all of Francis's novels. The dialogue is clear and touched with humor no matter the intensity of evil that the hero faces. The hero's thoughts reveal a vulnerability that is touching, while his actions are always based on doing the right thing to achieve justice.
Causing the reader to deeply care about the characters in a novel is a difficult thing to do. No such worries in a Francis novel. The point of view is first person, you are the main character as you read the story (usually the character of Mr. Douglas). The hero is personable, like able, non-violent but delivering swift justice with his mind rather than through physical means. This is not to say that violence is a stranger to our hero. Some of it staggering and often delivered by what we would think of normal persons living in British society.
You will come to love the world of Steeple Chase racing, you will grow a fondness for horses, stables, trainers and the people who live in that world. You will read the books, devouring one after the other and trust me Dick Francis has a lot of novels (over 40 by my last count).
There are several series woven into the fabric of Francis's work: notably the Sid Halley and Kit Fielding series.
Assessment: Dick Francis is one of my favorite writers. I read his books with a fierce hunger that remains insatiable and I mourn his death.
January 6, 2023
Jan 6, 5am ~~ This is not the way I expected my Sid Halley mini marathon to finish.
But I cannot continue with Come To Grief and am marking it a DNF after 50 pages.
Let me explain why.
This book was published in 1995. The first book featuring Sid Halley appeared in 1965, with the second showing up in 1979. Readers loved the character and according to the cover blurbs of my edition, Francis finally brought Sid back in this book.
But.
Supposedly only six years have passed since the accident that finished Sid's racing career. In Odds Against we met Sid two years after the accident. So this book is four years later, which would make it in 'Sid time' 1969.
Sid would not have had a mobile phone clipped to his belt in 1969.
Sid would not have had a computer in 1969, let alone know enough about it to be able to block hackers.
I did not like the style of writing in this story. Remember I have said in my other two reviews so far that I preferred the early books? They were sharp and intense, following the action without too much backtracking.
After 50 pages of this book, I was confused not only about what was supposed to be happening, but wondering when something actually would happen. It was all remembering, except for the first few pages that started us off.
And where was Chico? After I decided enough was enough, I thumbed through to see if Sid's partner was mentioned at all and never saw his name. Could have missed it, of course, but Chico was a major part of the other novels, one of Sid's closest friends as well as his right hand man. Where was he here?
And like other reviewers, I did not care for the horse mutilations making up part of the issue Sid was apparently dealing with.
The book seemed to be a muddle of ideas without the crisp storytelling and action of the first two Sid Halley books, and because of that has earned the dubious honor of being my first DNF of 2023.
But I cannot continue with Come To Grief and am marking it a DNF after 50 pages.
Let me explain why.
This book was published in 1995. The first book featuring Sid Halley appeared in 1965, with the second showing up in 1979. Readers loved the character and according to the cover blurbs of my edition, Francis finally brought Sid back in this book.
But.
Supposedly only six years have passed since the accident that finished Sid's racing career. In Odds Against we met Sid two years after the accident. So this book is four years later, which would make it in 'Sid time' 1969.
Sid would not have had a mobile phone clipped to his belt in 1969.
Sid would not have had a computer in 1969, let alone know enough about it to be able to block hackers.
I did not like the style of writing in this story. Remember I have said in my other two reviews so far that I preferred the early books? They were sharp and intense, following the action without too much backtracking.
After 50 pages of this book, I was confused not only about what was supposed to be happening, but wondering when something actually would happen. It was all remembering, except for the first few pages that started us off.
And where was Chico? After I decided enough was enough, I thumbed through to see if Sid's partner was mentioned at all and never saw his name. Could have missed it, of course, but Chico was a major part of the other novels, one of Sid's closest friends as well as his right hand man. Where was he here?
And like other reviewers, I did not care for the horse mutilations making up part of the issue Sid was apparently dealing with.
The book seemed to be a muddle of ideas without the crisp storytelling and action of the first two Sid Halley books, and because of that has earned the dubious honor of being my first DNF of 2023.
May 18, 2025
Another pleasurable read when I need something enjoyable and undemanding. Great protagonist.
3 1/2 stars.
3 1/2 stars.
October 4, 2023
A real page turner. Someone is chopping off the legs of horses and Sid finds out its golden boy Ellis Quint who is also his friend. But Sid has to find proof and in the interim he is castigated by the press.
He is without his sidekick Chico so does it solo. Who knew there was millions in horse nuts. He has to bring down a megalomaniac Yorkshire horse nut manufacturer and aristocratic newspaper owner.
Sid also meets a new possible woman and undergoes capture, torture and an impressive escape. For a one armed private investigator he is incredible.
An enjoyable read of good versus evil.
He is without his sidekick Chico so does it solo. Who knew there was millions in horse nuts. He has to bring down a megalomaniac Yorkshire horse nut manufacturer and aristocratic newspaper owner.
Sid also meets a new possible woman and undergoes capture, torture and an impressive escape. For a one armed private investigator he is incredible.
An enjoyable read of good versus evil.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 4, 2016
I love Dick Francis books and tales of the racing world and thoroughly enjoyed this one too.
October 12, 2009
Continuing my self-challenge to read all the Edgar Award winners for Best Novel, I’ve come to 1996’s winner, Dick Francis’s Come to Grief. I’m sure it will make my 10 Best list for 2009.
It seems odd to me that Dick Francis, who normally sticks to standalones, has won two of his three Edgars for Best Novel with books in his all-too-brief Sid Halley series. Come to Grief is the last of them, an unusually-structured book which, while losing none of the suspense Francis excels at, also adds new depth to the character of steeplechase-jockey-turned-private-eye Halley.
As the book opens, a trial is about to begin -- the trial of Halley's longtime friend and fellow jockey Ellis Quint, now a TV presenter, for a series of horrifying and unusual crimes. Sid Halley is one of the chief witnesses for the prosecution. In the rest of the book, we see how Halley reached his conclusions (in flashback) and then learn along with him why there is more to the story than he at first realized.
Come to Grief has several elements that suggest Francis may have planned to continue the series with some new twists and some new continuing characters, but so far, sadly, he has not done so. Highly recommended.
It seems odd to me that Dick Francis, who normally sticks to standalones, has won two of his three Edgars for Best Novel with books in his all-too-brief Sid Halley series. Come to Grief is the last of them, an unusually-structured book which, while losing none of the suspense Francis excels at, also adds new depth to the character of steeplechase-jockey-turned-private-eye Halley.
As the book opens, a trial is about to begin -- the trial of Halley's longtime friend and fellow jockey Ellis Quint, now a TV presenter, for a series of horrifying and unusual crimes. Sid Halley is one of the chief witnesses for the prosecution. In the rest of the book, we see how Halley reached his conclusions (in flashback) and then learn along with him why there is more to the story than he at first realized.
Come to Grief has several elements that suggest Francis may have planned to continue the series with some new twists and some new continuing characters, but so far, sadly, he has not done so. Highly recommended.
September 12, 2008
This was truly a trashy mystery novel. The worst part was, it wasn't even entertaining. The crime was absurd- cutting off a horse's leg- and Francis tries to make you care about it by throwing in a sappy story about a little girl with leukemia. The plot is just poorly put together and equally strange, and you're asked to just take for granted that the criminals are crazy and not question their motivations beyond that. The detective has a prosthetic hand and is supposedly famous yet he's always doing things like going in disguise or having people not recognize him. The characters were shallow stereotypes and even the more action-filled scenes were kind of blah. Was not a fan.
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October 6, 2019Sid Halley,the ex-jockey with the artificial hand makes his third appearance.Come to Grief is unusually long for a Francis book,over 400 pages.Torture is the major theme of the book,this time horses are maimed for the sheer pleasure of it.Francis is one writer I never tire of.
January 1, 2026
If you cut horses hands off all the time that’s FUCKED UP so don’t
September 11, 2022
Wow.
I still don’t know what to think of that ending. Sid is one of my favourite characters ever.
I still don’t know what to think of that ending. Sid is one of my favourite characters ever.
January 19, 2022
Really three and a half stars.
January 4, 2025
My grandpa was a big reader, and he loved horse racing. So, I remember him reading Dick Francis books with joy. I am not sure why it has taken me so long, but what fun mystery, story, and characters.
May 13, 2012
"Come to Grief" by Dick Francis describes the final result - everyone mourns many lost lives, friendships, loyalties. "I had this friend, you see, that everyone loved." I thought narrator Sid was starting with his previous case, but no, the friend and connected relationships - parents, social group, public - are the current problems. We wait pages for friend Lochinvar's real name, and others breaking down - mother Ginnie's suicides, father Gordon tries to murder Sid - only the last pages answer why. Alround sad, recurring cancer obsession implies personal tragedy, none of the trademark humor that keeps me going back for more Francis. Rating is for compelling, not "liked".
Take cute feisty wide-eyed cuddler Rachel, having nightmares after sadistic mutilation of her beloved big-eyed pet Silverboy. Girl is frail, dying of leukemia. Colt is delicate fast future champion racer. Accused is popular ex-jockey TV celebrity, handsome endearing funny laughing lovable Ellis Quint, who publicized the dastardly foot amputations, repeated on full moon for months. Sid has nighmares too, fearing for surviving hand, after first crushed and torn in accident riding and by criminal torture when detecting.
From page one we know the perpetrator. Suspense depends on unfolding details tantalizingly, slowly - questioning motivation why, revelation of how discovered, and resenting harsh treatment of the hero. If I hate the plot - the cruel sadistic deed, the frustration and denial knowing who, the nightmares - why read on?
Dick Francis compels my curiosity, draws me into strange new worlds - horses strong, heavy; Britain high and low; a man's world of physicality, where women are periphral whiners, criers, and objects of beauty, admiration, or pity, and men willingly break and bloody bodies in fights. Stories told in the first person enable us, even if weak of body and untested in spirit, to identify with the protagonist, who has physical and moral courage, then needs to demonstrate those qualities. But he gets little praise, all private - maybe an old-fashioned kind of reward?
These days, I'd think the written confession would have been front page in the tabloids. Like in the book, even today, publicity has the same ability to destroy reputations and lives, the "justice" system the same inability to deal out "justice". The resolutions Francis finds to dispose of his villains is both satisfying and disappointing. Twists are clever, such as the thirty-second delay that saves Sid's life. Books deserve higher ratings when I'm hooked in spite of misgivings or nightmares afterward.
1996 Mystery Writers of America Grand Master for lifetime achievement
Take cute feisty wide-eyed cuddler Rachel, having nightmares after sadistic mutilation of her beloved big-eyed pet Silverboy. Girl is frail, dying of leukemia. Colt is delicate fast future champion racer. Accused is popular ex-jockey TV celebrity, handsome endearing funny laughing lovable Ellis Quint, who publicized the dastardly foot amputations, repeated on full moon for months. Sid has nighmares too, fearing for surviving hand, after first crushed and torn in accident riding and by criminal torture when detecting.
From page one we know the perpetrator. Suspense depends on unfolding details tantalizingly, slowly - questioning motivation why, revelation of how discovered, and resenting harsh treatment of the hero. If I hate the plot - the cruel sadistic deed, the frustration and denial knowing who, the nightmares - why read on?
Dick Francis compels my curiosity, draws me into strange new worlds - horses strong, heavy; Britain high and low; a man's world of physicality, where women are periphral whiners, criers, and objects of beauty, admiration, or pity, and men willingly break and bloody bodies in fights. Stories told in the first person enable us, even if weak of body and untested in spirit, to identify with the protagonist, who has physical and moral courage, then needs to demonstrate those qualities. But he gets little praise, all private - maybe an old-fashioned kind of reward?
These days, I'd think the written confession would have been front page in the tabloids. Like in the book, even today, publicity has the same ability to destroy reputations and lives, the "justice" system the same inability to deal out "justice". The resolutions Francis finds to dispose of his villains is both satisfying and disappointing. Twists are clever, such as the thirty-second delay that saves Sid's life. Books deserve higher ratings when I'm hooked in spite of misgivings or nightmares afterward.
1996 Mystery Writers of America Grand Master for lifetime achievement
September 6, 2016
I love Dick Francis's books. The Sid Halley books are the only series that he wrote. All the rest of his books are stand alone. All of his books involve horses, many of them are set in the racing world...particularly jump races. In this book, someone is cutting off the left front hoof of young horses. The mother of a little girl with cancer hires Sid to find out who is doing it. His relationship with the little girl is really great. Sid was injured in a racing accident and eventually lost his hand. The trauma of that is often part of the story. Francis's characters are always complex and well developed. One of those stories where you feel like you'd like to meet the "hero".
January 27, 2018
The third Sid Halley book and further demonstration of what a great character Francis created - tough, resilient and unyielding but capable of fear and uncertainty inside. A plot driven by the trial of an old friend accused of dreadful animal cruelty maintains a fast pace all the way through. Great stuff - I am glad I rediscovered Dick Francis a year ago.
September 7, 2020
A cracking read full of pacey twists and turns. I just love Sid Halley - what a fabulous detective. Ex jockey with a jockey's stoicism when injured and a tenacious mindset even when he knows he's going to come off badly. I read a lot of Dick Francis books in my teens and early 20s and marvel at the world of horse racing. They have stood the test of time well - just as enjoyable today.
July 20, 2016
I'm not sure Francis wanted to return to Sid Halley, yet somehow maybe felt he must?
November 4, 2025
I give it 2.5 ⭐️
I ask ChatGPT if it’s okay to read it as a standalone since it’s part of a series, and it says yes! And when I started it, the storytelling was chaotic; the story wasn’t linear, with back and forth between past and present, to the point where I got so confused and lost track of what I was supposed to know and discover, especially in mystery/thriller novels.
I thought it was bc I read it as a standalone alone but after reading some reviews I found out that it was not my problem but the author's problem!!
And not to mention that Sid supposed to be a famous jockey and yet when he “disguise” himself people don’t recognize him or pay attention to him in a room??! I mean come on
Didn’t enjoy the story that much and would never recommend it.
I ask ChatGPT if it’s okay to read it as a standalone since it’s part of a series, and it says yes! And when I started it, the storytelling was chaotic; the story wasn’t linear, with back and forth between past and present, to the point where I got so confused and lost track of what I was supposed to know and discover, especially in mystery/thriller novels.
I thought it was bc I read it as a standalone alone but after reading some reviews I found out that it was not my problem but the author's problem!!
And not to mention that Sid supposed to be a famous jockey and yet when he “disguise” himself people don’t recognize him or pay attention to him in a room??! I mean come on
Didn’t enjoy the story that much and would never recommend it.
November 26, 2017
This was a bit different than many of the other Francis mysteries that I have read. And not for the better. First, part of the Francis method is to have the story’s hero face physical distress. Here, our detective is beaten in the first 10 pages. Sid Halley, former jockey turned detective, is handicapped with a missing hand. And as in the earlier two Sid Halley stories, he faces the prospect of injury to his remaining hand. Francis writes well, and this is difficult to read. Second, in this book, horses are repeatedly maimed. This I also found distressing. This one also had a few unanswered questions that are not typical of a Francis book. The detective repeatedly wonders how the horses behave so trustingly when being maimed, yet as I recall this wasn’t determined. This is one of those mysteries where Another weakness in this one is the additional topic. Francis always includes some additional topics beyond horse racing in his book that reflect research he must have done on the topic. These topics are melded into the story and in the past have included glass blowing, movie production, artistic careers, etc. In this one, he (re)visits computer security, having Sid upgrade to a digital cell phone and describing Sid’s protections from hacking. But in the big scene, Sid steals data from some bad guys and his basic hacking is well described. However, ! Overall, this seems a bit more scattered than many of the Francis books I’ve read. Still interesting, but you need to be a fan to enjoy it.
January 21, 2018
The third in the Sid Halley series, and probably the best, which is no mean feat.
An investigation into horse maimings leads Sid to suspect a dear friend and former racing rival. The man is widely loved and respected; as Sid's investigation becomes public knowledge, he faces scorn and ridicule from all sides.
This is a more personal story than the first two in the series, and sadder. This melancholy is aided by the use of in media res; we know a great deal from the off, and are frustrated by the rest of the characters being blind. This dramatic irony lends a sense of inevitability and tragedy to the betrayal and loss at the core of the story.
As usual, the characters are fantastic, and the humor, though muted, is spot-on. The plot is wonderfully constructed, and the villains are fantastic.
Dick Francis was a fantastic mystery author, and I have been slowly making my way through his works. Thus far, this is the best of the lot. Highly recommended.
An investigation into horse maimings leads Sid to suspect a dear friend and former racing rival. The man is widely loved and respected; as Sid's investigation becomes public knowledge, he faces scorn and ridicule from all sides.
This is a more personal story than the first two in the series, and sadder. This melancholy is aided by the use of in media res; we know a great deal from the off, and are frustrated by the rest of the characters being blind. This dramatic irony lends a sense of inevitability and tragedy to the betrayal and loss at the core of the story.
As usual, the characters are fantastic, and the humor, though muted, is spot-on. The plot is wonderfully constructed, and the villains are fantastic.
Dick Francis was a fantastic mystery author, and I have been slowly making my way through his works. Thus far, this is the best of the lot. Highly recommended.
January 29, 2021
Dick Francis’ crime stories have been a welcome reprieve during this surreal time. A wonderful writer and while his formula is obvious, it never bores me. I loved that I knew who committed the crime from the beginning— made it more of howdon’it than whodonit which made for a much more interesting read.
August 15, 2016
This was my first Dick Francis and after a bit of a slow beginning it was enjoyable.
October 18, 2022
I think that I read somewhere that this one won an award for Francis, although it wasn't my favorite of his works. Once again, Sid is on a case and his good hand's wellbeing is threatened and he has panic attacks about being left without any real hands. A tiresome trope from this series and it is only book number three. Anyway, the mystery in this one is not much of one since it is revealed in the first chapter who the guilty party is, a friend of Sid's and a former jockey named Ellis, and the motive is never really satisfactorily fleshed out other than some vague reference to a need for danger now that they can't chase it around the track and a theoretical turn to the dark side. The crime is animal cruelty where innocent colts are found with their foot lobbed off. I'm not sure why a former jockey would do that to the animal that once won him races and why he couldn't find some other way to satiate his need for a dangerous thrill. He claims that it was so that he could bolster his second career as a famous news reporter by doing a story on the maiming but that seems like a really flimsy reason. The rest of the story is about how Sid came to the conclusion that Ellis is the guilty party, how the newspapers all began a smear campaign against Sid and in support of their beloved Ellis, and how the motive of the smear campaign was to discredit Sid and avoid a trial so that a supermarket could air the commercials featuring Ellis that they had spent millions making. Once again, a really unsatisfactory reason to protect an animal abuser. I'll finish out the Halley series by reading the last book that Francis wrote himself, without his son, to say that I did it but I think that my fascination with Francis may finally be fading. His earlier works are brilliant but these later ones are disappointing.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2022
Horsecule Poirot wins again
EDIT: this book is notable for me as capturing a weird early computers/pre-Windows/pre-AOL internet era. At one point Sid has to investigate an office, and what follows is an extended description of looking for floppy disks, plugging in computers, keyboards with buttons like "list files" dial up modems, and what seems like a highly questionable file transfer system. It's fascinating seeing this era captured in how the author felt the need to go into all this physical detail that is also presumably wrong (to transfer files to your computer at home, you just enter your home phone number on the computer you're on). Also some funny nonsense phrases like seeing the whole Internet in someone's eyes 😂
EDIT: this book is notable for me as capturing a weird early computers/pre-Windows/pre-AOL internet era. At one point Sid has to investigate an office, and what follows is an extended description of looking for floppy disks, plugging in computers, keyboards with buttons like "list files" dial up modems, and what seems like a highly questionable file transfer system. It's fascinating seeing this era captured in how the author felt the need to go into all this physical detail that is also presumably wrong (to transfer files to your computer at home, you just enter your home phone number on the computer you're on). Also some funny nonsense phrases like seeing the whole Internet in someone's eyes 😂
August 19, 2019
This 3rd Sid Halley book is very dark and aptly titled. We know at the start that Sid has accused a former friend of something dreadful, and as the novel opens it seems the trial may be falling apart. We see both the backstory of how the accusation came to be, and Sid’s efforts to find conclusive evidence. Really puts the hero (and reader) through the wringer.
December 31, 2025
This is the first of Dick Francis's books I've read, but I think it won't be the last. It was intriguing and I finished it in less than two days.
A 9-year-old leukaemia patient discovered her pony with a foot cut off--and it's not the only one. Who could be doing such a brutal thing, and why? The girl's mother hires ex-jockey Sid Halley to investigate, but nobody likes what he turns up.
A 9-year-old leukaemia patient discovered her pony with a foot cut off--and it's not the only one. Who could be doing such a brutal thing, and why? The girl's mother hires ex-jockey Sid Halley to investigate, but nobody likes what he turns up.
February 16, 2025
I love Dick Francis's books, and Sid Halley is my favorite character. Sid is so calm in the face of danger and so completely reliable, you fall in love. The story is a good mystery, with just enough clues that you THINK you know how it will end, but still manages to surprise you.
June 19, 2022
Another great one for DF
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