Dark Horse: The brand new 2025 novel from the master of the racing thriller

by Felix Francis

THE BRAND NEW 2025 NOVEL FROM THE MASTER OF THE RACING THRILLER.

Imogen Duffy is a young Irish jockey, whose fledgling career is given a huge boost when she wins a prestigious horse race at the Cheltenham Steeplechasing Festival. But all is not well in her life. She has a violent and controlling boyfriend, also a jockey, and he becomes increasingly jealous of her success. As a result, she tries to break off their relationship, but he won't take 'no' for an answer. He attacks her, and claims that he'd rather kill her than allow her to leave him.

Imogen flees her home in Ireland, coming to England to get away from him, and to continue her riding career at a racing stable in Lambourn, where she finds increasing success. But the abusive boyfriend follows her across the Irish Sea, stalks her, steals from her, attacks her again, and then tries to ruin both her career and her reputation.

Imogen's desperate father turns to Sid Halley for help, and Sid reluctantly agrees to investigate, but then finds that he is also being stalked and threatened. Can Sid find out what the hell is going on, and before it is too late?

PRAISE FOR FELIX

'Felix Francis' novels gallop along splendidly' - JILLY COOPER

'From winning post to top of the bestseller lists' - SUNDAY TIMES

'The master of suspense and intrigue' - COUNTRY LIFE

'A story of skulduggery, conspiracy and dodgy dealings' - YORKSHIRE TIMES

'A gripping tale' - DAILY EXPRESS

'The pages fly by' - HORSE & HOUND

366 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 25, 2025

About the author

For over forty years, the London University grad helped father Dick Francis (31 Oct 1920 – 14 Feb 2010), ex-jockey known for horse-racing mysteries. In 2007, after 17 years teaching physics, he took on the job full-time. Experience also as international marksman aided research for Shattered, Under Orders, and Twice Shy. Co-author of NY Times bestsellers Dead Heat, Silks, Even Money and Crossfire.
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Reviews

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

DARK HORSE is written by Felix Francis; published in 2025.
This latest title in the franchise centers on the horse racing world in Britain. The franchise was created by Felix’s father, Dick Francis.
Richard Stanley Francis (1920-2010) was a British steeplechase jockey and crime writer.
Celebrated as one of the greatest thriller writers of all time, champion jockey turned best-selling
author, Dick Francis, wrote 44 thrillers in his career, including 4 with his son Felix, who later
went on to write continuing novels in his father’s style.
All novels are set within the world of horse racing and meticulously depicted.
Each book is superb - characters, plots, locations - all focused on the world of British horse racing. Many titles revolve around ex-jockey Sid Halley, turned private investigator.

In DARK HORSE, Sid Halley is brought in to investigate a stalking murder case.
****

[M. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I've read a dozen or so Dick Francis novels and enjoyed them, so when I saw this book on my library shelf I thought I would give it a try. The writing and characters are so "blah" and the mystery is really thin. No heros, no surprises, nothing compelling about it at all. Felix is just not the writer his dad was and the whole genre deserves to die in peace rather than be monetized by a bad version of the legend.

[Alison Sarson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pleasant easy read but very predictable . Glad I didn’t buy the book , I would have been disappointed!