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Jefferson Hinkley #3
Triple Crown
Jefferson Hinkley, undercover investigator, is off to America to embark on his most dangerous case yet ...
448 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 22, 2016
471 people are currently reading
902 people want to read
About the author
Felix Francis
47 books540 followersFor 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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Displaying 1 - 30 of 323 reviews
August 6, 2019
A heart-stopping ride! You don't have to be a horses or horse racing to fully enjoy this one! Book three in the Jeff Hinkley series hits the trifecta!
Triple Crown by Felix Francis is a terrific storyline surrounding the Triple Crown including historical elements and the happenings behind the scenes. The legality of medications used in horse racing, both here in the US and in Europe made for an eye opening experience! I learned a lot! In a good way.
This is an updated review as I read the book the first time around. I listened to this on audiobook this time and was highly entertained! It was narrated by Martin Jarvis, whose performance was a race winning 5★'s!
It's not critical to read this series in order but the enjoyment is a bit better as Jeff's story continues from books one and two. I just listened to all three back to back and all were fantastic audiobooks. I have updated those reviews to include the narrators a give few fresh comments but all are still right on the mark.
I'm working my way through reading all the Dick Francis novels again at present as it was long ago when I read most of them the first time. Especially the earliest titles. I can tell you with absolute certainty that they're all highly nerve-racking and first to the post 5★ reads! (IMHO)
A note of history:
Felix's father, Dick Francis,
was a jump jockey who won over 350 races, became a champion of the British National Hunt, and was a jockey to Queen Elizabeth, riding her horse Devon Loch in 1956. After he retired from racing he started writing mystery novels, all of which deal with crime in the horse-racing world. His first thriller, Dead Cert, was published in 1962, and was absolutely brilliant!
Over the past 40 years Felix Francis assisted his father with both the research and the writing of many of his novels. Dick Francis & Felix Francis coauthored 4 novels together starting with Dead Heat, published in 2007. They were co-writing Crossfire when Dick Francis died in February 2010.
Felix Francis's first novel written without his father was Dick Francis's Gamble, published in 2011, and he's not missed a single stride! Felix Francis is a chip off the old block and a spectacular author in his own right.
I own every Dick Francis & Felix Francis novel, 57 in all to date as they are my favorite authors of all time.
I can say that I haven't yet been disapointed with any of the Francis novels!
Triple Crown by Felix Francis is a terrific storyline surrounding the Triple Crown including historical elements and the happenings behind the scenes. The legality of medications used in horse racing, both here in the US and in Europe made for an eye opening experience! I learned a lot! In a good way.
This is an updated review as I read the book the first time around. I listened to this on audiobook this time and was highly entertained! It was narrated by Martin Jarvis, whose performance was a race winning 5★'s!
It's not critical to read this series in order but the enjoyment is a bit better as Jeff's story continues from books one and two. I just listened to all three back to back and all were fantastic audiobooks. I have updated those reviews to include the narrators a give few fresh comments but all are still right on the mark.
I'm working my way through reading all the Dick Francis novels again at present as it was long ago when I read most of them the first time. Especially the earliest titles. I can tell you with absolute certainty that they're all highly nerve-racking and first to the post 5★ reads! (IMHO)
A note of history:
Felix's father, Dick Francis,
was a jump jockey who won over 350 races, became a champion of the British National Hunt, and was a jockey to Queen Elizabeth, riding her horse Devon Loch in 1956. After he retired from racing he started writing mystery novels, all of which deal with crime in the horse-racing world. His first thriller, Dead Cert, was published in 1962, and was absolutely brilliant!
Over the past 40 years Felix Francis assisted his father with both the research and the writing of many of his novels. Dick Francis & Felix Francis coauthored 4 novels together starting with Dead Heat, published in 2007. They were co-writing Crossfire when Dick Francis died in February 2010.
Felix Francis's first novel written without his father was Dick Francis's Gamble, published in 2011, and he's not missed a single stride! Felix Francis is a chip off the old block and a spectacular author in his own right.
I own every Dick Francis & Felix Francis novel, 57 in all to date as they are my favorite authors of all time.
I can say that I haven't yet been disapointed with any of the Francis novels!
November 13, 2016
Not up to Francis standards, Dick nor Felix
This is the first time I've been unable to finish a Francis mystery. I soldiered through eleven chapters, then checked other reviews to see if the overbearing anti-American themes were truly there or if I was merely over sensitive. It seems it's not just me.
I can tolerate a certain amount of eyebrow raising in a character over cultural differences but every time such differences came up, it's met with a condescending supercilious that seemed to be the only real defining trait of the protagonist. Add to this flaw a lack of good character development of the remaining characters and you're left reading a novel about one-dimensional character tropes moving sluggishly through a plot that never really takes flight as I would expect by the twelfth chapter.
American dialect and idiomatic speech feels lifted from television shows, and much of it is riddled with Britishisms that few here in the US use even given the influx of British patterns of speech thanks to the popularity of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. This sort of faux pas might be forgivable if the characters themselves weren't merely stereotypes.
As a woman I was particularly put off by the first female agent being introduced foremost with a reference to an affair she was having with another agent and then later shown to have a particularly unprofessional emotional reaction to her lover's injury in the midst of a mission. I found it insulting to female soldiers and LEO's, and I'm hardly a hardcore feminist. Also, the reaction of agents to the shooting is another moment that lacked any nuance and seemed lifted completely from American television.
Felix Francis would do well to look at Lee Child for an example of a Brit who can write Americans well if he wants to continue writing novels set in America. Or even to his own father for examples of how to observe cultural differences with humor and grace instead of the heavy-handed lecturing tone that undermines the effectiveness of character and plot. If he truly holds all things American in such low regard, perhaps he needs to restrict future novels to Great Britain only.
This is the first time I've been unable to finish a Francis mystery. I soldiered through eleven chapters, then checked other reviews to see if the overbearing anti-American themes were truly there or if I was merely over sensitive. It seems it's not just me.
I can tolerate a certain amount of eyebrow raising in a character over cultural differences but every time such differences came up, it's met with a condescending supercilious that seemed to be the only real defining trait of the protagonist. Add to this flaw a lack of good character development of the remaining characters and you're left reading a novel about one-dimensional character tropes moving sluggishly through a plot that never really takes flight as I would expect by the twelfth chapter.
American dialect and idiomatic speech feels lifted from television shows, and much of it is riddled with Britishisms that few here in the US use even given the influx of British patterns of speech thanks to the popularity of Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings. This sort of faux pas might be forgivable if the characters themselves weren't merely stereotypes.
As a woman I was particularly put off by the first female agent being introduced foremost with a reference to an affair she was having with another agent and then later shown to have a particularly unprofessional emotional reaction to her lover's injury in the midst of a mission. I found it insulting to female soldiers and LEO's, and I'm hardly a hardcore feminist. Also, the reaction of agents to the shooting is another moment that lacked any nuance and seemed lifted completely from American television.
Felix Francis would do well to look at Lee Child for an example of a Brit who can write Americans well if he wants to continue writing novels set in America. Or even to his own father for examples of how to observe cultural differences with humor and grace instead of the heavy-handed lecturing tone that undermines the effectiveness of character and plot. If he truly holds all things American in such low regard, perhaps he needs to restrict future novels to Great Britain only.
November 17, 2016
Over the years I have read many of the Dick Francis books. I have read some of those co-written with Felix. I think this is my second book written by Felix alone. I noted that this is a series, whereas Dick, wrote stand-alone books.
Our protagonist, Jefferson Hinkley, of the British Horseracing Association’s Integrity Service is asked by Tony Andretti, the Deputy director of the Federal Anti-Corruption in Sports Agency, to investigate illegal doping, particularly by a trainer named Adam Mitchell. Andretti thinks there is a mole in his Agency. So, Hinkley goes in undercover during the Triple Crown events. A reporter looking into the issues is murdered.
The book is well written, the plot twists and turns while the suspense increases throughout the story. Francis compares the different customs between the British and American racing. I enjoyed learning some of these different customs and particularly looking at them from the British viewpoint.
Martin Jarvis does a great job narrating the book. Jarvis is an award winning British actor and voice over artist as well as audiobook narrator.
Our protagonist, Jefferson Hinkley, of the British Horseracing Association’s Integrity Service is asked by Tony Andretti, the Deputy director of the Federal Anti-Corruption in Sports Agency, to investigate illegal doping, particularly by a trainer named Adam Mitchell. Andretti thinks there is a mole in his Agency. So, Hinkley goes in undercover during the Triple Crown events. A reporter looking into the issues is murdered.
The book is well written, the plot twists and turns while the suspense increases throughout the story. Francis compares the different customs between the British and American racing. I enjoyed learning some of these different customs and particularly looking at them from the British viewpoint.
Martin Jarvis does a great job narrating the book. Jarvis is an award winning British actor and voice over artist as well as audiobook narrator.
October 9, 2016
Like many other reviewers, I have also read all of Dick Francis' books and all of Felix's. I am not so sure if I'll read too many more. This one was terrible, and it definitely was not assisted by the cringe worthy 'accents' (I use the term very loosely!) put on by Martin Jarvis. I struggled to finish it. It is an improbable story premise, and some of the dialogue makes you shake your head. How many times recently have you heard people use 'shall' in sentence after sentence? :)
The protagonist bangs on about his 'training', and offers tips about going undercover, such as "make your lie as close to the truth as possible", so instead of going under cover as a newly arrived Brit stable hand, he goes under cover as an Irishman from Cork, who used to work on another US racetrack. Talk about face palm :)
Weak story, improbable dialog, weak characters, and truly amazingly horrid narration.
Disappointing.
The protagonist bangs on about his 'training', and offers tips about going undercover, such as "make your lie as close to the truth as possible", so instead of going under cover as a newly arrived Brit stable hand, he goes under cover as an Irishman from Cork, who used to work on another US racetrack. Talk about face palm :)
Weak story, improbable dialog, weak characters, and truly amazingly horrid narration.
Disappointing.
September 16, 2016
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher through Goodreads Giveaways.
Full disclosure: I have been a fan of Dick Francis and his novels since I was a young teenager (so 30+ years). His novels, while following a "formula" of taking place in or around horse racing, never seemed formulaic, and additionally the writing was crisp, the dialogue was natural, and his protagonists were, without fail, likable -- and memorable.
I want so much to enjoy Felix's novels the way I used to enjoy his father's, and there are many things to like about them, most importantly the adherence to the formula noted above in keeping the action at the racetrack. However, the reality is that this is a different author from the one I grew up reading, and it's apparent throughout the book in myriad ways. I can't warm to these characters, and therefore can't fully embrace the story.
First, the pros:
- Life at the racetrack is the lifeblood of these novels and it's intact in this story, including detailed descriptions of everything from daily barn life to the biggest race day on the American racing calendar, the Kentucky Derby.
- This is not the first Francis novel set in the US but it is one of few, and I enjoyed reading about the familiar Triple Crown schedule and races through a foreigner's eyes.
- For NON-horse folk or racing fans, there are an abundance of explanatory passages, so no worries about not understanding the terminology or mechanics of racing.
- The mystery itself, as most do in the end, found me caught up especially in the final quarter of the book.
But, the cons:
- The abundance of explanatory passages referenced above come across very pedantic. It's no secret that Felix left a career in teaching to take up the family's writing legacy, but even if I didn't know that, the feeling of being "taught something" would remain. It's OK to be taught -- I like learning, really! -- but the manner in which it's done is so stilted and formal, and really breaks the flow of the narrative. To be going along reading an exchange between characters, only to have a full paragraph or more break to "explain" something to the reader about racing, or the US prison system (which anyone who has watched "Oz" could write about), or the fact that US federal agents carry and use guns -- it's just disruptive to the story. On top of that, in many cases (such as the latter two examples), it's really telling me more about Felix Francis and what he thinks about things like gun control than it is about Jeff Hinkley, the novel's protagonist.
- If the teaching is stilted and formal, it fits in perfectly with the dialogue. This has been (for me) a disappointment in all of the novels since Dick stopped writing them. I had hoped that it was going to improve over time as Felix settled into the role of writer, but the reality is perhaps this is just the way he speaks. There may be a few contractions used in the novel but it can't be many! In my experience, people just don't speak that way, not even the British. In fact the formality of the speech is in stark contrast with my own experience of how people interact, so again, it sort of jolts you out of the story to have to read "It is ..." when "It's" would have been more natural and likely.
- Lastly, the character. This could be a direct result of the first two issues above -- the pedantic nature of the writing as well as the unlikely formality of the dialogue -- but this character lacks all the charm, wit, panache, and likability of a Sid Halley or a Kit Fielding. I have to confess, while I have read ALL of Dick Francis' novels, as well as Felix's, I had NO recollection of Jeff Hinkley until I read the blurb on Goodreads AFTER I finished the novel. And apparently he's been in not just one but TWO of the prior Felix novels! I'll take some of the blame that my brain isn't as young as it was when I first got on the Francis kick as a kid, but really, if the character was engaging in any of the ways my favorites are, I would at least remember having read his name before. And I didn't. There is just not enough personality in the character to engender a level of interest or caring. There was some kind of reference to a current/former/ex (who knows?) love interest -- perhaps I was supposed to know her from a previous book? But I didn't, and didn't even care -- she was mentioned as an "oh by the way". Even Jeff himself doesn't seem to know or care if he is still in a relationship with her, so why on earth would the reader care? Frankly, this would be one place I'd love to see Felix DEPART from the formula -- forget about women. It's clear he doesn't know how to write any kind of a realistic or interesting romance or spark, so leave it out. It's OK! A great horse racing mystery wouldn't need it, if the rest was all in place.
Felix Francis understands racing because he was around it all his life, but more as a student than as a participant which again explains the pedantic tone -- he is transferring the knowledge HE learned to us. It lacks an authenticity that his father's novels had but there is nothing to be done about that. The mysteries themselves can be quite compelling and if Felix could restrain his natural proclivity to lecture, avoid any attempt to write a romantic relationship, and loosen up a bit in the dialogue, the books would be so much more enjoyable. All that said, I'm being generous and giving it a 3rd star because I love the "brand" and I want it to continue and improve.
Full disclosure: I have been a fan of Dick Francis and his novels since I was a young teenager (so 30+ years). His novels, while following a "formula" of taking place in or around horse racing, never seemed formulaic, and additionally the writing was crisp, the dialogue was natural, and his protagonists were, without fail, likable -- and memorable.
I want so much to enjoy Felix's novels the way I used to enjoy his father's, and there are many things to like about them, most importantly the adherence to the formula noted above in keeping the action at the racetrack. However, the reality is that this is a different author from the one I grew up reading, and it's apparent throughout the book in myriad ways. I can't warm to these characters, and therefore can't fully embrace the story.
First, the pros:
- Life at the racetrack is the lifeblood of these novels and it's intact in this story, including detailed descriptions of everything from daily barn life to the biggest race day on the American racing calendar, the Kentucky Derby.
- This is not the first Francis novel set in the US but it is one of few, and I enjoyed reading about the familiar Triple Crown schedule and races through a foreigner's eyes.
- For NON-horse folk or racing fans, there are an abundance of explanatory passages, so no worries about not understanding the terminology or mechanics of racing.
- The mystery itself, as most do in the end, found me caught up especially in the final quarter of the book.
But, the cons:
- The abundance of explanatory passages referenced above come across very pedantic. It's no secret that Felix left a career in teaching to take up the family's writing legacy, but even if I didn't know that, the feeling of being "taught something" would remain. It's OK to be taught -- I like learning, really! -- but the manner in which it's done is so stilted and formal, and really breaks the flow of the narrative. To be going along reading an exchange between characters, only to have a full paragraph or more break to "explain" something to the reader about racing, or the US prison system (which anyone who has watched "Oz" could write about), or the fact that US federal agents carry and use guns -- it's just disruptive to the story. On top of that, in many cases (such as the latter two examples), it's really telling me more about Felix Francis and what he thinks about things like gun control than it is about Jeff Hinkley, the novel's protagonist.
- If the teaching is stilted and formal, it fits in perfectly with the dialogue. This has been (for me) a disappointment in all of the novels since Dick stopped writing them. I had hoped that it was going to improve over time as Felix settled into the role of writer, but the reality is perhaps this is just the way he speaks. There may be a few contractions used in the novel but it can't be many! In my experience, people just don't speak that way, not even the British. In fact the formality of the speech is in stark contrast with my own experience of how people interact, so again, it sort of jolts you out of the story to have to read "It is ..." when "It's" would have been more natural and likely.
- Lastly, the character. This could be a direct result of the first two issues above -- the pedantic nature of the writing as well as the unlikely formality of the dialogue -- but this character lacks all the charm, wit, panache, and likability of a Sid Halley or a Kit Fielding. I have to confess, while I have read ALL of Dick Francis' novels, as well as Felix's, I had NO recollection of Jeff Hinkley until I read the blurb on Goodreads AFTER I finished the novel. And apparently he's been in not just one but TWO of the prior Felix novels! I'll take some of the blame that my brain isn't as young as it was when I first got on the Francis kick as a kid, but really, if the character was engaging in any of the ways my favorites are, I would at least remember having read his name before. And I didn't. There is just not enough personality in the character to engender a level of interest or caring. There was some kind of reference to a current/former/ex (who knows?) love interest -- perhaps I was supposed to know her from a previous book? But I didn't, and didn't even care -- she was mentioned as an "oh by the way". Even Jeff himself doesn't seem to know or care if he is still in a relationship with her, so why on earth would the reader care? Frankly, this would be one place I'd love to see Felix DEPART from the formula -- forget about women. It's clear he doesn't know how to write any kind of a realistic or interesting romance or spark, so leave it out. It's OK! A great horse racing mystery wouldn't need it, if the rest was all in place.
Felix Francis understands racing because he was around it all his life, but more as a student than as a participant which again explains the pedantic tone -- he is transferring the knowledge HE learned to us. It lacks an authenticity that his father's novels had but there is nothing to be done about that. The mysteries themselves can be quite compelling and if Felix could restrain his natural proclivity to lecture, avoid any attempt to write a romantic relationship, and loosen up a bit in the dialogue, the books would be so much more enjoyable. All that said, I'm being generous and giving it a 3rd star because I love the "brand" and I want it to continue and improve.
October 19, 2016
This is the latest entry into the life of British Horseracing Authority investigator Jeff Hinkley, and it brings him to the U.S. shores "on loan" to help the U.S. Federal Anti-Corruption in Sports Agency find a mole in its organization. Apparently, someone is leaking confidential information that's giving horse owners and/or trainers a heads-up on planned raids and drug tests.
As the title suggests, the investigation begins at the Kentucky Derby, where yet another bust goes bad; worse, a human is murdered. On Derby Day, the unthinkable happens as three of the four most favored horses mysteriously fall ill and are scratched from the race. With two more legs left in the Triple Crown - the Preakness in Maryland and the Belmont Stakes in New York - Hinkley decides to go undercover [rather thinly] disguised as a groom, getting a job at Belmont Park where he can keep an eye on what's happening from the perspective of an insider.
While there, he runs afoul of an exceptionally nasty groom who appears to be protecting his beautiful sister, who also works at the track, from nonexistent romantic advances from Hinkley (or perhaps there's another, more sinister reason for the attacks). Hinkley also runs into evidence confirming that the Derby horses didn't get sick by accident. But neither proving that nor uncovering the identity of the mole isn't a walk around the track; in fact, Hinkley finds himself in what could be the race of his own life. In short, it's an enjoyable and sometimes nail-biting romp through the ins and outs of the racing world.
As he works toward completion of his assignment in the United States, Hinkley begins to consider where his career will take him next and I, for one, rather hope it's not a permanent move to my side of the Pond. While I totally agree that everyone is entitled to his or her opinions, Hinkley's U.S.-bashing (as seen through the author's eyes, of course) really started to get on my nerves. Even so, I was able to overlook his anti-gun views, digs at the flaunting behavior of "rich" folks (especially at Triple Crown events) and the fact that we levy taxes on gambling/racing winnings whereas the U.K. does not. When he tasted grits for the first time, I actually chuckled when he proclaimed he'd rather chew on a rusty nail to get his quota of iron. I can even tolerate, though barely, his declaration that Americans are a "rum lot."
He crossed the line, though, when he declared that a U.S. TV show - a not-so-veiled reference to the long-running and extremely popular "Jeopardy!" - was so boring that it put him to sleep. Them are fightin' words, sir - and I have just three words in return: Kiss MY grits!
As the title suggests, the investigation begins at the Kentucky Derby, where yet another bust goes bad; worse, a human is murdered. On Derby Day, the unthinkable happens as three of the four most favored horses mysteriously fall ill and are scratched from the race. With two more legs left in the Triple Crown - the Preakness in Maryland and the Belmont Stakes in New York - Hinkley decides to go undercover [rather thinly] disguised as a groom, getting a job at Belmont Park where he can keep an eye on what's happening from the perspective of an insider.
While there, he runs afoul of an exceptionally nasty groom who appears to be protecting his beautiful sister, who also works at the track, from nonexistent romantic advances from Hinkley (or perhaps there's another, more sinister reason for the attacks). Hinkley also runs into evidence confirming that the Derby horses didn't get sick by accident. But neither proving that nor uncovering the identity of the mole isn't a walk around the track; in fact, Hinkley finds himself in what could be the race of his own life. In short, it's an enjoyable and sometimes nail-biting romp through the ins and outs of the racing world.
As he works toward completion of his assignment in the United States, Hinkley begins to consider where his career will take him next and I, for one, rather hope it's not a permanent move to my side of the Pond. While I totally agree that everyone is entitled to his or her opinions, Hinkley's U.S.-bashing (as seen through the author's eyes, of course) really started to get on my nerves. Even so, I was able to overlook his anti-gun views, digs at the flaunting behavior of "rich" folks (especially at Triple Crown events) and the fact that we levy taxes on gambling/racing winnings whereas the U.K. does not. When he tasted grits for the first time, I actually chuckled when he proclaimed he'd rather chew on a rusty nail to get his quota of iron. I can even tolerate, though barely, his declaration that Americans are a "rum lot."
He crossed the line, though, when he declared that a U.S. TV show - a not-so-veiled reference to the long-running and extremely popular "Jeopardy!" - was so boring that it put him to sleep. Them are fightin' words, sir - and I have just three words in return: Kiss MY grits!
March 1, 2017
Felix is not his father. He spends a lot of time telling me stuff I don't really care about. Too much exposition, period. And his very obvious, and almost obnoxious, anti-gun stance bugged me. Actually, he was rather anti-American. Considering how many people in this country buy his books, he might want to moderate that in the future.
In the end, the exposition got in the way of everything - the story, the characters and the finale. In fact, the ending was disappointing. I waited quite a while for this to be available at the library. And the wait was not worth it.
In the end, the exposition got in the way of everything - the story, the characters and the finale. In fact, the ending was disappointing. I waited quite a while for this to be available at the library. And the wait was not worth it.
July 21, 2018
Wherein English horse agent is asked by American agency to come over and investigate race fixing by various means including drugging some horses to manipulate race results. They cannot figure out who the mole is within their agency. It takes an Englishman, eh? It's a close thing, though. We get to visit the premier races...the Derby, Preakness, Belmont.
I read the book but did not care much about the main characters.
I read the book but did not care much about the main characters.
November 4, 2018
Decent mysteries, strong anti-American attitude, unsatisfactory ending.
November 27, 2016
In Felix Francis latest mystery "Triple Crown", the 6th solo novel of his career, his main character Jeff Hinkley, an investigator with the British Horseracing Authority or BHA crosses the pond to help with an investigation of American horse racing. Felix Francis has honed his craft. While his novels are not as immediate, as in your face as the earliest Dick Francis novels, Felix Francis obviously knows the sport, discussing the drugging of horses with an expert eye. While his wording is still a little too much "informational" and not "conversational", his novels have been getting better. "Triple Crown" may be his best to date. Moreover, his hero, Jeff Hinkley, is in many ways, much like his father's heroes, stoic, calm in the face of danger, unflappable and smart. And that is high praise from this reader. One small gripe is that Francis makes a small amount of snide little comments about America and the American system always showing England in a better light. I should have been left off the page.
Jeff Hinkley’s friend Tony, the Deputy Director of FASCA, an American agency tasked with stopping corruption in sports is having a problem. FASCA’s raids on the horse racing community are being compromised. Suspected drug using horse trainers have cleaned shop, destroyed evidence, and shipped horses out of state just before a raid of their facility. Tony suspects an informant in his ranks. He wants Hinkley, who is unknown in America, to use his skills to root out the mole.
Hinkley comes to America just as the first leg of the Triple Crown in Kentucky is about to be run. He is there as an “observer” to watch his American compatriots do their jobs. But the first raid, planned to defeat the mole, again does not work out. And worse, something goes wrong right before the Kentucky Derby, right under FASCA’s nose. Three of the favorite three year old colts all get sick and have to pull out of the race, leaving the race wide open for the fourth favored horse, Fire Point, who wins. It all seems like too much of a coincidence to Hinkley.
Hinkley goes to work as a groom for George Raworth, the trainer for Fire Point, at Belmont. Convincingly, Francis’s description of the American system of employing grooms, their working conditions, the atmosphere of the “back office” of an American stable seems spot on. He knows the fodder fed to the horses, how grooms are paid, fed and how they care for the horses. Verisimilitude is clear.
Hinkley’s investigation has broadened. He soon suspects Raworth of drugging many of his horses illegally, but also of being instrumental in somehow getting the horses sick at the Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile, Hinkley has gotten unwanted attention from another groom Diego, who wants to stop Hinkley from getting involved with Maria, an attractive assistant.
So while Hinkley is trying to learn about Raworth’s machinations, and uncover the mole, he is also having to deal with Diego’s pranks and attacks. It makes his investigation harder. While the Diego subplot seems tacked on, it will inevitably have some connection.
It all comes to a head at the Belmont, when Hinkley comes face to face with the mole. It will be a showdown worthy of any mystery.
But the actual ending seemed a little hit and miss. While a bad guy is dealt with in a manner fitting to the Francis oeuvre in that his punishment is somewhat personal, the law gives a free pass.
Meanwhile, Hinkley is left without a clear path. I guess it was setting up a possible sequel.
Jeff Hinkley’s friend Tony, the Deputy Director of FASCA, an American agency tasked with stopping corruption in sports is having a problem. FASCA’s raids on the horse racing community are being compromised. Suspected drug using horse trainers have cleaned shop, destroyed evidence, and shipped horses out of state just before a raid of their facility. Tony suspects an informant in his ranks. He wants Hinkley, who is unknown in America, to use his skills to root out the mole.
Hinkley comes to America just as the first leg of the Triple Crown in Kentucky is about to be run. He is there as an “observer” to watch his American compatriots do their jobs. But the first raid, planned to defeat the mole, again does not work out. And worse, something goes wrong right before the Kentucky Derby, right under FASCA’s nose. Three of the favorite three year old colts all get sick and have to pull out of the race, leaving the race wide open for the fourth favored horse, Fire Point, who wins. It all seems like too much of a coincidence to Hinkley.
Hinkley goes to work as a groom for George Raworth, the trainer for Fire Point, at Belmont. Convincingly, Francis’s description of the American system of employing grooms, their working conditions, the atmosphere of the “back office” of an American stable seems spot on. He knows the fodder fed to the horses, how grooms are paid, fed and how they care for the horses. Verisimilitude is clear.
Hinkley’s investigation has broadened. He soon suspects Raworth of drugging many of his horses illegally, but also of being instrumental in somehow getting the horses sick at the Kentucky Derby. Meanwhile, Hinkley has gotten unwanted attention from another groom Diego, who wants to stop Hinkley from getting involved with Maria, an attractive assistant.
So while Hinkley is trying to learn about Raworth’s machinations, and uncover the mole, he is also having to deal with Diego’s pranks and attacks. It makes his investigation harder. While the Diego subplot seems tacked on, it will inevitably have some connection.
It all comes to a head at the Belmont, when Hinkley comes face to face with the mole. It will be a showdown worthy of any mystery.
But the actual ending seemed a little hit and miss. While a bad guy is dealt with in a manner fitting to the Francis oeuvre in that his punishment is somewhat personal, the law gives a free pass.
Meanwhile, Hinkley is left without a clear path. I guess it was setting up a possible sequel.
September 22, 2016
(I read the British edition; the US edition out 10/11/16.)
Picking up the newest Francis novel in the autumn is always such a treat. This one in particular is a lengthy and exciting journey-story, and not a quick read if you don’t want to miss anything. I’d also not call it typical, as this time our British hero Jefferson Hinkley is out of his normal setting and spending time in the United States, where there is foul play suspected and a welcome chance for him to revisit his undercover skills in a whole new way.
And there’s some of the fun of it. Along the way through the various cities in America that host the Triple Crown, there is so much to digest, or perhaps ingest; I love all the bits of trivia and history in this author’s books—this one in particular—and I wonder how in the world he found time to research all of it and weave it in amongst the plot lines. Especially the racing history this time around.
Also, as an American reader it was insightful to see how Jeff looked at everything in the U.S. through the eyes of his own British background and training. It was not entirely comfortable all of the time, either, as the character thinks through and draws his own conclusions about American customs, history, and law enforcement, particularly regarding gun laws.
I have heard the author say in interviews that Francis books are not about horse racing but about people, and that horse racing is the backdrop. (And he should know, as this is the 53rd one.) I’d say that holds true here, but much of the backstory is necessarily about horse racing in America and about the Triple Crown in particular. I had no idea the Belmont was so gigantic, what the Kentucky Derby is like behind the scenes, and when a flower is not a flower at the Preakness. And learning how the grooms live is an eye-opener, to say the least. All quite interesting.
But as always for me, it’s largely the characters that bring me back to this author’s books, and my very favourite part is a tiny sliver where Jeff is riding along in a horse van and listening to a Simon and Garfunkel song, of all things, learning about himself and wondering what’s next in his own life. A nice touch.
Great storytelling, suspense, danger, intrigue, and a terrifically prolonged, multi-part action scene toward the end that is quintessential Francis-style suspense—a scene so crazy good I just loved it. I even found myself holding my breath! I’m not going to describe it to avoid a spoiler. But the book starts slowly and builds upon itself through Jeff’s journey, layering on the suspense, and I found myself unable to put it down.
Everything you’d want in a Felix Francis novel. This one delivers. But seriously, read it a little slowly if you can, digest it, enjoy all the bits and pieces of it. A winner worthy of the title.
Picking up the newest Francis novel in the autumn is always such a treat. This one in particular is a lengthy and exciting journey-story, and not a quick read if you don’t want to miss anything. I’d also not call it typical, as this time our British hero Jefferson Hinkley is out of his normal setting and spending time in the United States, where there is foul play suspected and a welcome chance for him to revisit his undercover skills in a whole new way.
And there’s some of the fun of it. Along the way through the various cities in America that host the Triple Crown, there is so much to digest, or perhaps ingest; I love all the bits of trivia and history in this author’s books—this one in particular—and I wonder how in the world he found time to research all of it and weave it in amongst the plot lines. Especially the racing history this time around.
Also, as an American reader it was insightful to see how Jeff looked at everything in the U.S. through the eyes of his own British background and training. It was not entirely comfortable all of the time, either, as the character thinks through and draws his own conclusions about American customs, history, and law enforcement, particularly regarding gun laws.
I have heard the author say in interviews that Francis books are not about horse racing but about people, and that horse racing is the backdrop. (And he should know, as this is the 53rd one.) I’d say that holds true here, but much of the backstory is necessarily about horse racing in America and about the Triple Crown in particular. I had no idea the Belmont was so gigantic, what the Kentucky Derby is like behind the scenes, and when a flower is not a flower at the Preakness. And learning how the grooms live is an eye-opener, to say the least. All quite interesting.
But as always for me, it’s largely the characters that bring me back to this author’s books, and my very favourite part is a tiny sliver where Jeff is riding along in a horse van and listening to a Simon and Garfunkel song, of all things, learning about himself and wondering what’s next in his own life. A nice touch.
Great storytelling, suspense, danger, intrigue, and a terrifically prolonged, multi-part action scene toward the end that is quintessential Francis-style suspense—a scene so crazy good I just loved it. I even found myself holding my breath! I’m not going to describe it to avoid a spoiler. But the book starts slowly and builds upon itself through Jeff’s journey, layering on the suspense, and I found myself unable to put it down.
Everything you’d want in a Felix Francis novel. This one delivers. But seriously, read it a little slowly if you can, digest it, enjoy all the bits and pieces of it. A winner worthy of the title.
October 19, 2016
A solid read by FF. On the whole I enjoyed it. There were a few things which held it back from more stars for me So this one wasn't as strong as some others by FF. And this time definitely not up to par with DF. Still the horse racing stuff was well done and fun. And I will definitely keep reading Mr. Francis' books when they come out and will continue to await them anxiously.
August 19, 2018
Pretty poor book ; copies the genre of the authors father, Dick Francis, by setting the action in the (horse)racing world. However this book is set in the US, and has strong similarities to events in two earlier books by Dick Francis. Namely infecting a horse by injecting substance in via a horses nose where in an earlier book by Dick Francis, a baster was used to get cocaine into a horses nose. Similarly here the hero hides in a kitchen behind a racecourse stand where he did the same thing in Decider. Here the plot is weak and the actual underlying crimes (protection racket) only fully explained in the last few pages. I read it to the end but was really disappointed.
November 15, 2018
I miss Dick Francis..
In this book, Felix Francis manages to imply all of the following: Puerto Rican women are hot headed & easy, Puerto Rican males are thugs, women are weak, Mexican migrants are drunkards, America is a nation of gun-toting buffoons, all American sports are corrupt, and last but not least, England is pure and crime free. Never in all of his Father’s excellent novels did I EVER find this kind of ignorant, outdated stereotyping. A somewhat flat mystery, with weak,shallow characters. I’ve never hated a Francis novel before, but I guess there is first time for everything. I wish I could un-read it.
In this book, Felix Francis manages to imply all of the following: Puerto Rican women are hot headed & easy, Puerto Rican males are thugs, women are weak, Mexican migrants are drunkards, America is a nation of gun-toting buffoons, all American sports are corrupt, and last but not least, England is pure and crime free. Never in all of his Father’s excellent novels did I EVER find this kind of ignorant, outdated stereotyping. A somewhat flat mystery, with weak,shallow characters. I’ve never hated a Francis novel before, but I guess there is first time for everything. I wish I could un-read it.
May 4, 2018
Great set-up and settings: A British racing security officer visits his U.S. counterparts to help with a difficult situation. He visits Washington, D.C., the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. Cleverly plotted crime: (Details here would be a spoiler ;). But, and here’s where a good editor could really have helped, the author appears unable to leave out any of his copious research, and again and again, unnecessary details bog down the flow of the story to the point of boredom (for this reader, anyway).
February 26, 2017
A horse racing who-done-it with the British hero off on an undercover mission to America to undercover a mole in the Federal Anti-Corruption in Sports Agency. Witnessing horse racing's Triple Crown--the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness Stakes, and the Belmont Stakes gives the hero lots of opportunities to give the reader lots and lots of information about American horse racing and how it compares unfavorably with British racing.
January 18, 2020
I’m in the midst of reading — and in many cases rereading — Dick Francis’s backlist. Classics, like Reflex and Nerve and 10-lb. Penalty. Perhaps because I’ve finally come to grips with the fact that Mr. Francis’s typewriter will clatter no more, I found this book by son Felix Francis to be a more solid outing than the earlier books of his that I’ve read.
Plotting is overall pretty darn good. There are twists that keep one guessing. There also is one sour note struck by an element that the protagonist sees (as do we) but that takes him way too long to act on.
Pacing is jerky, with long spans of exposition broken up by staccato bursts of action. The former bits are largely dull and take too long to advance the story; the latter are well-executed for the most part.
Character development is spotty. What would be 3 stars for someone else continues largely to be 1.5 to 2 stars exactly because Felix Francis and his publisher persist in branding these books as “Dick Francis’s [insert title here].” If you’re going to do that, fans of the actual factual Dick Francis are going to call you on shallow, flat characters.
Another aspect that does not sit well with me is the crudeness that reliably surfaces several times in each Felix Francis book. Don’t get me wrong, Dick Francis had his moments, especially in several books that weren’t up to his overall standard. However, most times the crudeness was a device to enhance the story. It might have been distasteful, but it wasn’t mean, or sour. By contrast, the occurrences in this and other Felix Francis books come off as mean-spirited, and I’ve yet to find an occasion where they have buoyed plot, character or story arc.
I had said in a review of the second of the Jefferson Hinkley books that 30 minutes after I’d finished the book, I’d already forgotten the protagonist’s name. By that measure, this book noses slightly ahead, as I’ve remembered first and last name. This time around, Hinkley is rounded out a bit more, but he’s still largely a cardboard cutout. You just don’t get the sense that he’s been thoroughly thought out in the author’s mind. And without that critical background work being done, it is no wonder that Hinkley doesn’t jump from the page the way a Sid Halley, a Kit Fielding, a Philip Nore or even a Rob Finn does.
Do I regret the time spent on this book? Not really, especially because I was able to borrow an e-version from my public library. But would I read it again? Highly doubtful. And a couple weeks from now, could I tell you Mr. Hinkley’s name? Almost certainly not. Even now, I’ve already forgotten his middle name; all I retained is that the author’s device of giving the character the names of two U.S. presidents was intentional, and it’s discouraging that this bit of character exposition is what springs to mind, rather than, well, the actual character of the character.
Plotting is overall pretty darn good. There are twists that keep one guessing. There also is one sour note struck by an element that the protagonist sees (as do we) but that takes him way too long to act on.
Pacing is jerky, with long spans of exposition broken up by staccato bursts of action. The former bits are largely dull and take too long to advance the story; the latter are well-executed for the most part.
Character development is spotty. What would be 3 stars for someone else continues largely to be 1.5 to 2 stars exactly because Felix Francis and his publisher persist in branding these books as “Dick Francis’s [insert title here].” If you’re going to do that, fans of the actual factual Dick Francis are going to call you on shallow, flat characters.
Another aspect that does not sit well with me is the crudeness that reliably surfaces several times in each Felix Francis book. Don’t get me wrong, Dick Francis had his moments, especially in several books that weren’t up to his overall standard. However, most times the crudeness was a device to enhance the story. It might have been distasteful, but it wasn’t mean, or sour. By contrast, the occurrences in this and other Felix Francis books come off as mean-spirited, and I’ve yet to find an occasion where they have buoyed plot, character or story arc.
I had said in a review of the second of the Jefferson Hinkley books that 30 minutes after I’d finished the book, I’d already forgotten the protagonist’s name. By that measure, this book noses slightly ahead, as I’ve remembered first and last name. This time around, Hinkley is rounded out a bit more, but he’s still largely a cardboard cutout. You just don’t get the sense that he’s been thoroughly thought out in the author’s mind. And without that critical background work being done, it is no wonder that Hinkley doesn’t jump from the page the way a Sid Halley, a Kit Fielding, a Philip Nore or even a Rob Finn does.
Do I regret the time spent on this book? Not really, especially because I was able to borrow an e-version from my public library. But would I read it again? Highly doubtful. And a couple weeks from now, could I tell you Mr. Hinkley’s name? Almost certainly not. Even now, I’ve already forgotten his middle name; all I retained is that the author’s device of giving the character the names of two U.S. presidents was intentional, and it’s discouraging that this bit of character exposition is what springs to mind, rather than, well, the actual character of the character.
December 12, 2016
Interesting how widely different opinions are of this book, or even Felix Francis. Some people keep comparing Felix to Dick and say they are going to stop reading Felix because he's "not as good". Do us all a favor.....stop reading or stop the comparisons. Tired of hearing it. Too many act like Dick Francis never had a bad book. I thought "10 LB Penalty" was one of the worst books I ever read by ANYONE. The ending was inexplicable. "The Edge" and "Decider" weren't much better, and yet I see people LOVED those books. And most of Dick's characters were too stuffy. I say all this because I have personally LOVED almost everything Felix Francis has put out. I have not rated a single book below three stars. I also think he is better at injecting humor. Granted, there are still some Dick Francis books I have not read, but I am very pleased with FF's output.
So what about "Triple Crown"? Well, I'll say that I am really looking forward to the next Jeff Hinkley story because this one was top notch. It might be a notch slightly below "Front Runner", but I liked how he brought this one to the United States (where I live). I'd like to see more of this. Some people actually criticized Mr. Francis for his authenticity in portraying America. Ridiculous. I saw nothing at all out of line.
I was a bit worried about how he was going to wrap it all up, because it can sometimes be a weakness of Felix Francis's books (AND Dick Francis), but I was very satisfied, even though another reviewer pointed out that it didn't have the confrontation we expected between Jeff and Diego. Another thing I liked about it being set in the U.S. is it pulled him away from some of the mundane detail we were getting about his relationship with his sister and other family. I think it's important to the character, but it was refreshing to get 100% of the focus on the plot.
Bravo Mr. Francis! Give us more Hinkley!
So what about "Triple Crown"? Well, I'll say that I am really looking forward to the next Jeff Hinkley story because this one was top notch. It might be a notch slightly below "Front Runner", but I liked how he brought this one to the United States (where I live). I'd like to see more of this. Some people actually criticized Mr. Francis for his authenticity in portraying America. Ridiculous. I saw nothing at all out of line.
I was a bit worried about how he was going to wrap it all up, because it can sometimes be a weakness of Felix Francis's books (AND Dick Francis), but I was very satisfied, even though another reviewer pointed out that it didn't have the confrontation we expected between Jeff and Diego. Another thing I liked about it being set in the U.S. is it pulled him away from some of the mundane detail we were getting about his relationship with his sister and other family. I think it's important to the character, but it was refreshing to get 100% of the focus on the plot.
Bravo Mr. Francis! Give us more Hinkley!
September 29, 2019
Challenge: Borrowathon Round 6 (belated) - Favorite time of year (5). This is the first Francis racing mystery that I have read by Dick (father) or Felix (son), and not the best choice for entry into these books as Dick Francis is loved by many readers. The story suffers due to many inconsistencies and the author's personal agenda of expressing his less than positive opinions of the US which is paradoxical to the naming of his protagonist as Jefferson Roosevelt Hinkley, a British undercover racing investigator. The treatments of female and Latinx characters in the story reveal more about the author than the subject matter at the heart of the book.
January 16, 2021
This is my first Felix Francis or Dick Francis book.
Stereotypes run rampant through this novel. Some examples include: Puerto Rican criminals, gun-slinging Americans, and England is far superior in all things.
Circumstances aren't really that believable. Predictable outcomes.
Stereotypes run rampant through this novel. Some examples include: Puerto Rican criminals, gun-slinging Americans, and England is far superior in all things.
Circumstances aren't really that believable. Predictable outcomes.
October 6, 2016
Not as compelling as his others but still a good read.
January 24, 2018
Very disappointed. First one I have read that was a Dick Francis by the son. Not recommended.
August 8, 2019
Tough one to get through for several reasons but since I’m no author, I’ll just say he has written better. I liked Crisis MUCH better than this one
April 23, 2018
Jeff Hinkley is on leave from the BHA to assist the US Federal Anti-Corruption in Sports Agency to try to track down a mole. Someone is horse racing division is tipping off the trainers that a raid is coming leaving FACSA unsuccessful and looking bad too. He begins a secret investigation of the special agents in the horse racing division. Then Jeff tags along on a raid which results in a dead trainer. Clearly the trainer was tipped off.
When three of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby become sick and are withdrawn, Jeff needs to solve another mystery. He goes undercover in the stables of the trainer of the winning horse and works as a groom as they are preparing the horse for the Preakness. Besides his investigation, he attracts the enmity of one of the other grooms and his gang. This just adds more pressure to Jeff as he tries to find out what is going on. He has to find out if the illnesses to the horses was planned or coincidental and has to find a way to get the mole to make a mistake and be revealed.
This was a fast-paced mystery with lots of details about thoroughbred racing in the United States. I liked seeing the Triple Crown races through the eyes of someone from Great Britain. Jeff is a man who is burning out on his job now that he is becoming known and cannot go undercover anymore. The case in the United States comes at just the right time to throw some excitement and danger back into his life. However, he isn't particularly excited to go up against heavily armed special agents and makes some pointed comments about US gun policy.
This was an enjoyable mystery.
When three of the favorites for the Kentucky Derby become sick and are withdrawn, Jeff needs to solve another mystery. He goes undercover in the stables of the trainer of the winning horse and works as a groom as they are preparing the horse for the Preakness. Besides his investigation, he attracts the enmity of one of the other grooms and his gang. This just adds more pressure to Jeff as he tries to find out what is going on. He has to find out if the illnesses to the horses was planned or coincidental and has to find a way to get the mole to make a mistake and be revealed.
This was a fast-paced mystery with lots of details about thoroughbred racing in the United States. I liked seeing the Triple Crown races through the eyes of someone from Great Britain. Jeff is a man who is burning out on his job now that he is becoming known and cannot go undercover anymore. The case in the United States comes at just the right time to throw some excitement and danger back into his life. However, he isn't particularly excited to go up against heavily armed special agents and makes some pointed comments about US gun policy.
This was an enjoyable mystery.
March 8, 2017
Having been a passionate devotee of Dick Francis for over thirty years I have fought shy of reading this author for too long. "If you're going to write," I snarked to myself, "Why don't you find your own style instead of imitating your father! Why use the same snappy one or two word titles, the same clean cut male main character, the same first person narrative style, the same racing background!" I should have kept one of my most important life rules and refrained from disrespecting, even in the privacy of my own head, what I had never even taken the trouble to try.
I don't know why I started my Felix Francis journey with Triple Crown. Audible recommended it to me and the story caught my attention, so I thought I'd just see what it was like. I'm here to tell you I loved it. The story had me from the first few pages, the main character was believable and someone I became engaged with, the action moved at a nice fast pace, I stopped worrying about who was writing, if it was as good as whoever or whatever and just got wrapped up in the story, which is as it should be.
I wonder if Mr Francis gnashes his teeth whenever a reviewer compares him to his father. Because the books are so similar I suppose it's hard not to, after all, I've been doing it myself. All I can say is I ended Triple Crown with that same satisfied feeling I always get when I finish a Francis, and I want to read more, and soon.
I don't know why I started my Felix Francis journey with Triple Crown. Audible recommended it to me and the story caught my attention, so I thought I'd just see what it was like. I'm here to tell you I loved it. The story had me from the first few pages, the main character was believable and someone I became engaged with, the action moved at a nice fast pace, I stopped worrying about who was writing, if it was as good as whoever or whatever and just got wrapped up in the story, which is as it should be.
I wonder if Mr Francis gnashes his teeth whenever a reviewer compares him to his father. Because the books are so similar I suppose it's hard not to, after all, I've been doing it myself. All I can say is I ended Triple Crown with that same satisfied feeling I always get when I finish a Francis, and I want to read more, and soon.
March 25, 2017
These books are like crack to me. Definitely not the most believable circumstances, but always compelling and the equine hook always gets me.
The latest Francis novel finds Jeff Hinckley heading across the pond to help uncover a mole in a US anti-corruption agency. Francis clearly knows the horse world as well as his father did and the behind the scenes information was great. Hinckley remains a favorite Francis character and it seems as if we'll get more of him to come. Despite a slight quibble with the unsatisfactory ending and some unnecessary digs at the American way of doing things, the book was overall a fun, exciting read and I look forward to the next Francis book.
The latest Francis novel finds Jeff Hinckley heading across the pond to help uncover a mole in a US anti-corruption agency. Francis clearly knows the horse world as well as his father did and the behind the scenes information was great. Hinckley remains a favorite Francis character and it seems as if we'll get more of him to come. Despite a slight quibble with the unsatisfactory ending and some unnecessary digs at the American way of doing things, the book was overall a fun, exciting read and I look forward to the next Francis book.
August 21, 2017
Jeff Hinkley discouraged. He's been promoted so he isn't in the field as much as he'd like. His girl friend and he broke up and his sister (and only living relative) has cancer.
When an opportunity to go undercover in America comes his way. Jeff is all for it but, still, things seems dark.
I cared a lot more about Jeff than I did the mystery but it was interesting to find out more about American racing customs.
When an opportunity to go undercover in America comes his way. Jeff is all for it but, still, things seems dark.
I cared a lot more about Jeff than I did the mystery but it was interesting to find out more about American racing customs.
January 16, 2020
I have always been a big fan of Dick Francis' horse racing oriented mysteries and his son Felix writes just as well and this book is just as interesting as those of his father. I learned a lot about the racing world in the United States and enjoyed the cast of characters presented in the book. I intent to read another Felix Francis book soon.
August 22, 2017
Jeff Hinkley of the British Horseracing Authority is on loan to a horseracing investigative dept. in the US. He goes undercover at the Belmont Stakes to catch the bad guys. Before that however, he goes to the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness. Lots of fun learning about these horseracing events.
March 22, 2018
A solid crime thriller based around the US Triple Crown. If you enjoyed Dick Francis then you'll enjoy his son's books. Very similar with a good working knowledge of the racing industry.
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