What do you think?
Rate this book
Free Fall
Jockey Pat Vincent has ambitions to win the best races and become a wealthy sporting hero. But Pat knows his dreams will never be fulfilled so he's devised a brilliant new scam which, if discovered, would see him warned off for life. But first it's guaranteed to make him rich.Pat's girlfriend Zoe is starting her second full season as an apprentice jockey. A talented rider, she has a chance of becoming champion apprentice, if she's not sidetracked by the disasters of her sister Harriet's unhappy marriage...Along the crumbling cliffs in Somerset a man walks his dog. Every day Andy Burns - Pat's partner-in-crime, Harriet's tortured husband - wrestles with the demons that haunt his life. But Andy would be better off keeping his thoughts on the ground - it's a long way down to the beach below.
320 pages, Paperback
First published October 23, 2006
20 people are currently reading
59 people want to read
About the author
John Francome
38 books21 followersEx-National Hunt Champion Jockey John Francome is a broadcaster on racing for Channel 4. He lives in Berkshire.
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fra...
See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Fra...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
May 12, 2021
A really good book with lots of twists and turns.
June 23, 2017
Dick Francis and John Francome are my favourite authors in the mystery world of horse racing. Loved this one and highly recommend.
April 8, 2019
This murder mystery has a long intro - 123 pages before the death takes place and twenty-odd more before the police catch onto the idea it might have been murder. After that, it doesn’t take much to figure out who dunnit. The question is how he will get taken down and how things will work out for the other characters.
September 7, 2019
Another great book
Again I enjoyed this book tremendously. The story covered just about everything, cheating, love, spots and a.unbalanced man. Can't wait to read another.
Again I enjoyed this book tremendously. The story covered just about everything, cheating, love, spots and a.unbalanced man. Can't wait to read another.
January 10, 2025
Lots of twists and turns great read
August 13, 2009
http://www.bookcrossing.com/journal/7...
Crime fiction not a genre I read very often and a first by John Francome, although I remember when one of my daughters was younger she went through a phase of reading this author. Owning a horse and living near racing stables was probably part of the attraction.
As an ex jockey turned writer he obviously knows the racing world inside out and draws on his own background and experiences for his novels. As it has been languishing on our bookshelves for a couple of years and I was looking for a book that would be easy to concentrate on, I decided to pick this one. It met my expectations as suitable for the mood I was in and I finished it very quickly.
The main protagonists are two couples, Pat a jockey who is unwisely operating a scam with Andy the husband of Harriet, who just happens to be the sister of Pat’s girlfriend Zoe. Harriet is the only one of the foursome who does not work in the world of horse racing. Somewhat bored with the lifestyle she gets involved with a hunky tennis coach at the health club where she works in the hairdressing salon.
As this is a crime thriller there is of course the inevitable murder along the way which is well plotted although I had guessed correctly who did it before the author finally reveals the truth!
Crime fiction not a genre I read very often and a first by John Francome, although I remember when one of my daughters was younger she went through a phase of reading this author. Owning a horse and living near racing stables was probably part of the attraction.
As an ex jockey turned writer he obviously knows the racing world inside out and draws on his own background and experiences for his novels. As it has been languishing on our bookshelves for a couple of years and I was looking for a book that would be easy to concentrate on, I decided to pick this one. It met my expectations as suitable for the mood I was in and I finished it very quickly.
The main protagonists are two couples, Pat a jockey who is unwisely operating a scam with Andy the husband of Harriet, who just happens to be the sister of Pat’s girlfriend Zoe. Harriet is the only one of the foursome who does not work in the world of horse racing. Somewhat bored with the lifestyle she gets involved with a hunky tennis coach at the health club where she works in the hairdressing salon.
As this is a crime thriller there is of course the inevitable murder along the way which is well plotted although I had guessed correctly who did it before the author finally reveals the truth!
January 4, 2017
Once again John Francome uses his horse racing experience as the setting for a good murder mystery. It is well paced and there are some good twists and turns. I enjoyed the story of Free Fall very much, but there were two let-downs:
1. Not a lot of the characters were actually likeable. Of course, I don’t have to like all the characters, but in this case there were too many annoying and shifty people around, preventing me from really enjoying reading about them.
2. Fairly early in the book it was clear to me who murdered Andy, at which point some of the suspense was lost.
1. Not a lot of the characters were actually likeable. Of course, I don’t have to like all the characters, but in this case there were too many annoying and shifty people around, preventing me from really enjoying reading about them.
2. Fairly early in the book it was clear to me who murdered Andy, at which point some of the suspense was lost.
December 22, 2008
Well paced thriller set in the horse world. I wasn't keen on some of the characters, but then, you're not supposed to like them all! Bad guy suitably creepy, situation fairly tense (although I did figure it out a bit earlier than I think you are supposed to).
A good read, and I will possibly look for more by this author.
A good read, and I will possibly look for more by this author.
September 1, 2011
Just started reading John Francome. I have been an avid Dick Francis fan for years. Really enjoyed this book...and I agree with the Mail on Sunday that it's a winner.
November 25, 2012
This book is not going to win the Nobel prize.... But if you want a good racing murder mystery that is quick to get through. This will do just fine!
July 3, 2013
An entertaining read with just enough horses. More at http://equus-blog.com/free-fall/
July 26, 2016
Compelling read
The story has so many twists and turns the reader isn't sure which way the storyline will go. I didn't want to put it down.
The story has so many twists and turns the reader isn't sure which way the storyline will go. I didn't want to put it down.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews