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Pulse
New York Times-bestselling author Felix Francis is back with this thrilling adventure in the Dick Francis tradition.A smartly-dressed man has been found unconscious at the local racecourse and is rushed to the hospital, where he subsequently dies. But who is he? Where does he come from? He had no form of identification on him, and no one claims the body. Doctor Chris Reynolds, a specialist who treated the deceased—and who struggles with mental health issues—is intrigued by the nameless dead man, obsessed even, and starts asking questions. However, someone doesn't want the questions answered and will go to any lengths to prevent it, including an attempted murder. But when no one will believe that someone tried to kill Chris, the doctor is left with no option but to discover who the nameless man was and why he died...preferably before following him into an early grave.
383 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 21, 2017
831 people are currently reading
752 people want to read
About the author
Felix Francis
47 books538 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 337 reviews
October 27, 2017
What Worked:
1) I'm pretty sure that this is the first Francis book with a female protagonist, certainly in Felix's books and probably in his fathers books. It was a change, and not a bad one but it wasn't well done (more on that below). Still, it was a nice change and it would be good to see more female protagonists in future Francis books.
2) The plot was something new, to me at least. Not the fiddling with races, but the execution, and the death of the mystery man mentioned in the blurb. Although there's no series to the Francis books, they are all set at or connected to horse racing and somehow the Francis men keep coming up with new angles and new stories.
3) Francis tackled some serious issues, drug use, anxiety, anorexia. It's heavy duty stuff and while the execution is iffy, I commend him for the effort. Again, these are different for the Francis books and it's good to see real life being tackled.
4) The story was engaging, despite some flaws and a slowish start. It slowly reeled me in until I didn't want to out it down and had to keep reading until the end. While I figured out parts of the mystery, other parts had me scratching my head trying to figure it out. And near the end, when Chris's life was in danger, I was practically holding my breath to see how she'd escape.
What Didn't Work:
1) The author has a lot to learn about writing from a woman's POV. He'd have been better off doing third person instead of first person. It was clearly a woman as written by a man. I mean, she thinks to herself that her breasts used to be 'fulsome'. Seriously? I rolled my eyes so hard at that they almost fell out. And when I shared that snippet on Twitter, many agreed with me. I know, there are women authors who do a poor job of writing men; they need to improve also. I honestly thought the character whose head we were in was a male right up until the page where they started thinking about their difficulties getting pregnant. Despite those problems and her anorexia, Chris never felt like a woman. She was interesting and she has potential but improvement is needed if she's to be a recurring character or if Francis plans to do more female protagonists. I'd actually like to see more, provided they're well written.
2) Related to the above, I have mixed feelings about her health problems; in some respects they were traditional Francis (depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts) while in other respects they felt pasted in as if because the protagonist was female, she had to have these health issues. Because she was a female, she had to had issues around children and getting pregnant, anorexia, making her husband happy. Honestly, the story would have worked without them. They didn't add to her character or to the story but felt grafted on.
Also, her constant worrying and fussing and anxiety issues got to be annoying, and they slowed the pace of the story. The story started out fast, with the mystery man's death, then slowed down when Chris's health took priority, then finally the mystery took priority and the pace picked up again.
The Verdict:
"Pulse" was a mixed bag. The story had a lot of potential, and it did end up grabbing my attention, but it's flawed and the pace was erratic. Not a must read.
1) I'm pretty sure that this is the first Francis book with a female protagonist, certainly in Felix's books and probably in his fathers books. It was a change, and not a bad one but it wasn't well done (more on that below). Still, it was a nice change and it would be good to see more female protagonists in future Francis books.
2) The plot was something new, to me at least. Not the fiddling with races, but the execution, and the death of the mystery man mentioned in the blurb. Although there's no series to the Francis books, they are all set at or connected to horse racing and somehow the Francis men keep coming up with new angles and new stories.
3) Francis tackled some serious issues, drug use, anxiety, anorexia. It's heavy duty stuff and while the execution is iffy, I commend him for the effort. Again, these are different for the Francis books and it's good to see real life being tackled.
4) The story was engaging, despite some flaws and a slowish start. It slowly reeled me in until I didn't want to out it down and had to keep reading until the end. While I figured out parts of the mystery, other parts had me scratching my head trying to figure it out. And near the end, when Chris's life was in danger, I was practically holding my breath to see how she'd escape.
What Didn't Work:
1) The author has a lot to learn about writing from a woman's POV. He'd have been better off doing third person instead of first person. It was clearly a woman as written by a man. I mean, she thinks to herself that her breasts used to be 'fulsome'. Seriously? I rolled my eyes so hard at that they almost fell out. And when I shared that snippet on Twitter, many agreed with me. I know, there are women authors who do a poor job of writing men; they need to improve also. I honestly thought the character whose head we were in was a male right up until the page where they started thinking about their difficulties getting pregnant. Despite those problems and her anorexia, Chris never felt like a woman. She was interesting and she has potential but improvement is needed if she's to be a recurring character or if Francis plans to do more female protagonists. I'd actually like to see more, provided they're well written.
2) Related to the above, I have mixed feelings about her health problems; in some respects they were traditional Francis (depression, anxiety, suicidal thoughts) while in other respects they felt pasted in as if because the protagonist was female, she had to have these health issues. Because she was a female, she had to had issues around children and getting pregnant, anorexia, making her husband happy. Honestly, the story would have worked without them. They didn't add to her character or to the story but felt grafted on.
Also, her constant worrying and fussing and anxiety issues got to be annoying, and they slowed the pace of the story. The story started out fast, with the mystery man's death, then slowed down when Chris's health took priority, then finally the mystery took priority and the pace picked up again.
The Verdict:
"Pulse" was a mixed bag. The story had a lot of potential, and it did end up grabbing my attention, but it's flawed and the pace was erratic. Not a must read.
November 5, 2017
Dr Rankin a female doc thinks she's made a mistake when cocaine addict dies so when no one claims him & he did an Elivis at racecourse she set out to find out who hell he was?
But 'others' don't want her to know & if she is not careful she too could end up on the slab.
Following Dick His famous jockey daddy foot steps Felix the younger son take look at jockey & A/E medical wards .
But 'others' don't want her to know & if she is not careful she too could end up on the slab.
Following Dick His famous jockey daddy foot steps Felix the younger son take look at jockey & A/E medical wards .
August 6, 2019
Crackling with excitement! I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!
I didn't expect the patient to die, of course, but he did, and it was my fault.
While my colleagues told me it wasn't, and I shouldn't blame myself, I knew better.
I was a bad person, and my inadequacy and foolishness were the reasons the man died.
I felt wretched.
The man had arrived at the hospital by ambulance, unconscious but still breathing, and a weak but rapid heartbeat.
"Unknown middle-aged male," said one of the paramedics loudly as he handed over to the hospital emergency staff."Found fully dressed but unresponsive in a cubicle of a male restroom in the main grandstand at Cheltenham Racecourse at about ten past seven this evening."
After a quick assessment, Dr. Christine Rankin diagnoses a typical SVT—supraventicular tachycardia—a malfunction of the heart's electrical system resulting in a resting pulse rate in excess of 150 beats per minute.
He has no ID, no personal effects that would lead to his identity. No one has reported him missing. Following the man's autopsy, the ME make it clear that he could not have been saved despite the best course of treatment given by Dr. Chris Rankin.
"Respiratory collapse and heart failure brought on by cocaine overdose. The quantity of the drug found in the man's brain was extremely high, well over that required to kill."
Over the past year, Chris's life had spiraled out of control and the man's death is the final straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. She spends the next five and a half weeks in an inpatient psychiatric hospital.
Four months later, with her life finally on an upward course, she's excited to be on the medical team for the four days of the annual Cheltenham Racing Festival.
We were to concentrate solely on those brave souls balanced high on half a ton of horseflesh while jumping over huge fences at high speed, with no seat belts or air bags available in the event of a crash.
And they call me crazy!
Still, the unidentified man's death weighs on her conscious and no one else seems to care. Chris makes it her mission to discover who the man was and why he died.
Perhaps for the first time in eighteen months, I would have described myself as feeling reasonably happy.
Such a shame it wasn't to last.
My world was about to change once again, and not for the better.
******
Pulse by Felix Francis is part medical thriller and part a high speed horse racing mystery. What's not to love?! As a nurse, the medical part of the storyline held a special interest for me and as a horse lover, the steeple chasing races made it all that more exciting! I found myself completely absorbed in this story from the very start and I found it increasingly difficult to put it down and I turned the pages at a blistering pace!
I enjoyed this novel very much and I'm looking forward to reading
Felix Francis's upcoming novel, Crisis, set to be released this fall—October 9, 2018, which I have already pre-ordered!
I cut my teeth, so to speak, on horse racing mystery novels written by my all time favorite author, Dick Francis, so it's no surprise that his son Felix, is also one of my favorites. As a teen I was not big on reading, but I was obsessed with anything to do with horses! So, it's no wonder, that when my mom handed me a Dick Francis mystery novel it was the beginning of my passion for books and reading.
I didn't expect the patient to die, of course, but he did, and it was my fault.
While my colleagues told me it wasn't, and I shouldn't blame myself, I knew better.
I was a bad person, and my inadequacy and foolishness were the reasons the man died.
I felt wretched.
The man had arrived at the hospital by ambulance, unconscious but still breathing, and a weak but rapid heartbeat.
"Unknown middle-aged male," said one of the paramedics loudly as he handed over to the hospital emergency staff."Found fully dressed but unresponsive in a cubicle of a male restroom in the main grandstand at Cheltenham Racecourse at about ten past seven this evening."
After a quick assessment, Dr. Christine Rankin diagnoses a typical SVT—supraventicular tachycardia—a malfunction of the heart's electrical system resulting in a resting pulse rate in excess of 150 beats per minute.
He has no ID, no personal effects that would lead to his identity. No one has reported him missing. Following the man's autopsy, the ME make it clear that he could not have been saved despite the best course of treatment given by Dr. Chris Rankin.
"Respiratory collapse and heart failure brought on by cocaine overdose. The quantity of the drug found in the man's brain was extremely high, well over that required to kill."
Over the past year, Chris's life had spiraled out of control and the man's death is the final straw that broke the proverbial camel's back. She spends the next five and a half weeks in an inpatient psychiatric hospital.
Four months later, with her life finally on an upward course, she's excited to be on the medical team for the four days of the annual Cheltenham Racing Festival.
We were to concentrate solely on those brave souls balanced high on half a ton of horseflesh while jumping over huge fences at high speed, with no seat belts or air bags available in the event of a crash.
And they call me crazy!
Still, the unidentified man's death weighs on her conscious and no one else seems to care. Chris makes it her mission to discover who the man was and why he died.
Perhaps for the first time in eighteen months, I would have described myself as feeling reasonably happy.
Such a shame it wasn't to last.
My world was about to change once again, and not for the better.
******
Pulse by Felix Francis is part medical thriller and part a high speed horse racing mystery. What's not to love?! As a nurse, the medical part of the storyline held a special interest for me and as a horse lover, the steeple chasing races made it all that more exciting! I found myself completely absorbed in this story from the very start and I found it increasingly difficult to put it down and I turned the pages at a blistering pace!
I enjoyed this novel very much and I'm looking forward to reading
Felix Francis's upcoming novel, Crisis, set to be released this fall—October 9, 2018, which I have already pre-ordered!
I cut my teeth, so to speak, on horse racing mystery novels written by my all time favorite author, Dick Francis, so it's no surprise that his son Felix, is also one of my favorites. As a teen I was not big on reading, but I was obsessed with anything to do with horses! So, it's no wonder, that when my mom handed me a Dick Francis mystery novel it was the beginning of my passion for books and reading.
October 20, 2017
I enjoy having the Francis style continued by Dick's son, Felix. He has been true to his father's legacy, but this one was rather annoying to read. The plot line was interesting, and I understand that Felix had a protagonist that was dealing with serious issues causing her poor behavior, but I got tired of her and felt that her obsessions were exhausting and continually putting herself and her family in danger.
I liked the fact that Felix gave his readers a woman protagonist instead of the men in racing that have been featured in the past. I think I would have liked her better if he had written to her strengths and had her less manic. Maybe she can be featured again when she is in a better place because she is a great heroine with her medical background and her interest in working the races as a doc.
I understand that all his heroes get themselves into difficult situations, but they usually do so inadvertently. They usually lead more from strength, not because they are continuously making stupid choices. I look forward to the next book - so nice to have a favorite author's work continued by his talented son.
I liked the fact that Felix gave his readers a woman protagonist instead of the men in racing that have been featured in the past. I think I would have liked her better if he had written to her strengths and had her less manic. Maybe she can be featured again when she is in a better place because she is a great heroine with her medical background and her interest in working the races as a doc.
I understand that all his heroes get themselves into difficult situations, but they usually do so inadvertently. They usually lead more from strength, not because they are continuously making stupid choices. I look forward to the next book - so nice to have a favorite author's work continued by his talented son.
January 20, 2018
2.5 or 5/10 - overall not too bad
For the first time, Felix/Dick Francis has a female protagonist. And she is not a jockey, she's an emergency doctor (although does also work at the racetrack, thus forming the obligatory racing connection for these novels). Unfortunately, she is neurotic, depressed and has an eating disorder, which makes it hard to really warm to her as a main character.
The first section of the story centres around Dr Chris Rankin and her descent into anxiety, depression, attempted suicide and admission to a psychiatric hospital, culminating in her losing her job as a consultant emergency physician. Despite, or perhaps because of, the many amusing inaccuracies (which I chose to attribute to the character's lack of medical knowledge rather than the author's) this part of the book was quite readable. During this time, she manages to mismanage/leave the management to her registrar a patient who turns up in extremis from a racecourse, and subsequently dies in the department.
The rest of the book centres around Dr Rankin trying to work out what happened, as a sort of personal mission to help get her life back on track. Unsurprisingly, given this is a Francis book, the reasons are to do with racing corruption. The middle section of the book drags a little, but it picks up the pace at the end, with a reasonable finale.
Probably the best effort from Felix Francis on his own without his Dad.
For the first time, Felix/Dick Francis has a female protagonist. And she is not a jockey, she's an emergency doctor (although does also work at the racetrack, thus forming the obligatory racing connection for these novels). Unfortunately, she is neurotic, depressed and has an eating disorder, which makes it hard to really warm to her as a main character.
The first section of the story centres around Dr Chris Rankin and her descent into anxiety, depression, attempted suicide and admission to a psychiatric hospital, culminating in her losing her job as a consultant emergency physician. Despite, or perhaps because of, the many amusing inaccuracies (which I chose to attribute to the character's lack of medical knowledge rather than the author's) this part of the book was quite readable. During this time, she manages to mismanage/leave the management to her registrar a patient who turns up in extremis from a racecourse, and subsequently dies in the department.
The rest of the book centres around Dr Rankin trying to work out what happened, as a sort of personal mission to help get her life back on track. Unsurprisingly, given this is a Francis book, the reasons are to do with racing corruption. The middle section of the book drags a little, but it picks up the pace at the end, with a reasonable finale.
Probably the best effort from Felix Francis on his own without his Dad.
April 8, 2018
Oh dear. Oh Felix.
His decision to write a heroine was fine, and the fact he managed to keep that quiet for the first part of the book worked well, including the non gendered name.
But the reveal. And then every stereotype possible.
Francis-es are fairly paint-by-numbers these days: the protagonist is pretty much an expert in their field, a strong self-possessed leader or loner, you can count the exceptions on your hand - 10lb Penalty comes to mind, where he is not good enough to be a Pro jockey (but he's a whizz at maths); and their expertise of course will come to play.
Dr Chris...so the reveal. During a consultation over why she is not feeling 100% - "Oh, it's the menopause." This is perhaps the most believable part of the book, a doctor dismissing female problems as just the menopause. But this triggers clinical depression? Which she, as a consultant, refuses to refer to as clinical depression until another doctor does. And she just happens to disbelieve her husband when he says "you're beautiful" and finds herself ugly. (I can hear the author nudge-nudging his readers going "women! Am I rite?"). And she has OCD. I got to 5% and started chatting to a friend about it...and literally on that page, oh look, she's anorexic too! And a bit of casual racism to add some spice "Meals in the Rankin household had mostly become either ready or takeaway, with Grant now on first-name terms with the managers at both the local Indian and Chinese restaurants, even if they did rather embarrassingly call him Mr Wankin." - after all, she's an all hours A&E consultant, of course she should be the one expected to cook all the family meals. Her disgust with herself at being unable to now cook the Sunday Roast that she once had so much pride for. As I said to my friend, what do you want to bet that the only thing to beat her clinical depression is solving this murder, getting caught and having to be rescued by her manly military husband as the weak woman she is, and this saves their marriage as she finally sees how much he loves her, and she's magically better. (Spoiler of sorts - I should have spoken to the bookies, 99% accurate prediction. Also at this point she'd been suspended from her job investigating her competence, I mean really, take the one strong part of her character away)
Slightly spoilery section (although we have already established Francis has a format): ------------------------------
When I finally get near the end - can I say how stupid are the criminals? It's one thing to corner someone in their home environment, or even trap them. It's another thing to leave them in the one area in the whole place they can use their expertise. They left the original body in a locked toilet cubicle. And why would they use exactly the same killing method to frame a second suicide? Way to make the first one look suspicious. They had a million and one options to frame her suicide.
-----------------------------------------------------
So nothing wrong with having a female protagonist.
Nothing wrong with having a weaker protagonist.
But having your first female protagonist be completely broken, and conforming to every stereotype of a weak woman, who is body-obsessed, a failing mother, alcoholic, drug-taking, suicidal, suffering from every neuroses under the sun. Yes, you need her broken and underestimated and considered hysterical for the plot, but you need not have done it to your *first* female protagonist.
My mum couldn't even read the first 5% before stopping.
Oh the plot itself? It had some good moments, but took ages to get going, namely because of the huge amounts of setting up his broken character, and huge chunks of time, and it also felt cobbled together from older books. We'd seen bits before, and not that long ago. Considering I was reading this during the Australian ball-tampering scandal it should feel relevant and big, (Under Orders? Even Money?) but the Baddies feel inept for all their Big Bad reputation. And she fights the B.B. 3 times. (Break In for one of them.) The best bit of tension is mid book when a child goes missing and then the conclusion to that tension is so inane. (Decider did it miles better.)
I seem to have missed reading quite a few Felix's, and based on this one, I would not be running out to buy them.
His decision to write a heroine was fine, and the fact he managed to keep that quiet for the first part of the book worked well, including the non gendered name.
But the reveal. And then every stereotype possible.
Francis-es are fairly paint-by-numbers these days: the protagonist is pretty much an expert in their field, a strong self-possessed leader or loner, you can count the exceptions on your hand - 10lb Penalty comes to mind, where he is not good enough to be a Pro jockey (but he's a whizz at maths); and their expertise of course will come to play.
Dr Chris...so the reveal. During a consultation over why she is not feeling 100% - "Oh, it's the menopause." This is perhaps the most believable part of the book, a doctor dismissing female problems as just the menopause. But this triggers clinical depression? Which she, as a consultant, refuses to refer to as clinical depression until another doctor does. And she just happens to disbelieve her husband when he says "you're beautiful" and finds herself ugly. (I can hear the author nudge-nudging his readers going "women! Am I rite?"). And she has OCD. I got to 5% and started chatting to a friend about it...and literally on that page, oh look, she's anorexic too! And a bit of casual racism to add some spice "Meals in the Rankin household had mostly become either ready or takeaway, with Grant now on first-name terms with the managers at both the local Indian and Chinese restaurants, even if they did rather embarrassingly call him Mr Wankin." - after all, she's an all hours A&E consultant, of course she should be the one expected to cook all the family meals. Her disgust with herself at being unable to now cook the Sunday Roast that she once had so much pride for. As I said to my friend, what do you want to bet that the only thing to beat her clinical depression is solving this murder, getting caught and having to be rescued by her manly military husband as the weak woman she is, and this saves their marriage as she finally sees how much he loves her, and she's magically better. (Spoiler of sorts - I should have spoken to the bookies, 99% accurate prediction. Also at this point she'd been suspended from her job investigating her competence, I mean really, take the one strong part of her character away)
Slightly spoilery section (although we have already established Francis has a format): ------------------------------
When I finally get near the end - can I say how stupid are the criminals? It's one thing to corner someone in their home environment, or even trap them. It's another thing to leave them in the one area in the whole place they can use their expertise. They left the original body in a locked toilet cubicle. And why would they use exactly the same killing method to frame a second suicide? Way to make the first one look suspicious. They had a million and one options to frame her suicide.
-----------------------------------------------------
So nothing wrong with having a female protagonist.
Nothing wrong with having a weaker protagonist.
But having your first female protagonist be completely broken, and conforming to every stereotype of a weak woman, who is body-obsessed, a failing mother, alcoholic, drug-taking, suicidal, suffering from every neuroses under the sun. Yes, you need her broken and underestimated and considered hysterical for the plot, but you need not have done it to your *first* female protagonist.
My mum couldn't even read the first 5% before stopping.
Oh the plot itself? It had some good moments, but took ages to get going, namely because of the huge amounts of setting up his broken character, and huge chunks of time, and it also felt cobbled together from older books. We'd seen bits before, and not that long ago. Considering I was reading this during the Australian ball-tampering scandal it should feel relevant and big, (Under Orders? Even Money?) but the Baddies feel inept for all their Big Bad reputation. And she fights the B.B. 3 times. (Break In for one of them.) The best bit of tension is mid book when a child goes missing and then the conclusion to that tension is so inane. (Decider did it miles better.)
I seem to have missed reading quite a few Felix's, and based on this one, I would not be running out to buy them.
October 28, 2017
I have been reading Dick and now Felix Francis books for decades and they have a certain formula which always makes for a comfortable read. The characters are always flawed or in some way disadvantaged but always immediately engaging. The books are typically first person and each chapter ends with a titillating foreshadowing statement that propels you to decide to read a little more. Each book is set against the background of some aspect of horse racing (who knew there were so many aspects??). This book departed in a big way. First the protagonist/lay detective was a woman. Women have played very minor roles in previous novels. This character was more troubled than most with debilitating anorexia and depression and was not really engaging for much of the book. However, once the story picked up, if the reader could suspend some disbelief, it became a page turner. Felix did research and some writing on his father's later books and when he took over the style was pretty consistent up to the change in this one. Good for him- i will read them as long as he writes them- they are a good palate cleanser between more demanding novels.
(i like British settings and horses so what can be bad?)
(i like British settings and horses so what can be bad?)
November 15, 2017
I do enjoy the horse racing theme of the Francis books, but this one has a doctor as a protagonist, and she has several irritating personal qualities, as well as the whole book is filled with medical inaccuracies that it was really hard to read. I suspect if I was in law enforcement I would find many murder mysteries irritating, but as I am not, I can overlook the problems. Not so with this book.
August 11, 2017
I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an advance copy of Pulse, a stand alone racing thriller set in Cheltenham.
Chris Rankin is an on duty A&E consultant when an unconscious man is brought in with heart problems. Sadly the man does not respond to treatment and dies shortly after being admitted. Chris has her own mental health issues and starts to obsess about the identity of the well dressed stranger whom she is convinced was murdered.
I enjoyed Pulse. The plot, while hardly realistic, held my interest throughout and gets quite exciting at the end. I must admit that I found it hard to believe that Chris found out so much when the police couldn't but it makes for a good read. I also think that the plot is quite simple as there are no real twists but again it makes for a good, easy read.
Mr Francis excels in his description of Chris's mental issues and the first person narrative adds extra impact, making it very personal. Depression and anorexia nervosa are not easy subjects to either discuss or describe and yet he nails them accurately and without fuss both from Chris herself and others' reactions. It's impressive. These conditions do not make Chris a particularly likeable character but the first person narrative does much to mitigate this.
I found the medical treatments described early in the novel a bit too detailed and unnecessary as they slow down the momentum of the novel but fortunately Mr Francis keeps them to a necessary minimum after that. In contrast the role of the race course medic and how they system works are fascinating. I learned a lot in an interesting way.
Pulse is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
Chris Rankin is an on duty A&E consultant when an unconscious man is brought in with heart problems. Sadly the man does not respond to treatment and dies shortly after being admitted. Chris has her own mental health issues and starts to obsess about the identity of the well dressed stranger whom she is convinced was murdered.
I enjoyed Pulse. The plot, while hardly realistic, held my interest throughout and gets quite exciting at the end. I must admit that I found it hard to believe that Chris found out so much when the police couldn't but it makes for a good read. I also think that the plot is quite simple as there are no real twists but again it makes for a good, easy read.
Mr Francis excels in his description of Chris's mental issues and the first person narrative adds extra impact, making it very personal. Depression and anorexia nervosa are not easy subjects to either discuss or describe and yet he nails them accurately and without fuss both from Chris herself and others' reactions. It's impressive. These conditions do not make Chris a particularly likeable character but the first person narrative does much to mitigate this.
I found the medical treatments described early in the novel a bit too detailed and unnecessary as they slow down the momentum of the novel but fortunately Mr Francis keeps them to a necessary minimum after that. In contrast the role of the race course medic and how they system works are fascinating. I learned a lot in an interesting way.
Pulse is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
February 11, 2019
"Pulse" written by Felix Francis (son of Dick Francis) is an exciting fast paced thriller written in the same tradition of the Francis franchise, set in the competitive world of horse racing.
'A smartly dressed man is found unconscious at the local racecourse and rushed to hospital, where he subsequently dies. But who is he? Where does he come from? He has no form of identification on him, and no one claims the body.
Doctor Chris Rankin, a specialist who treated the deceased - and who struggles with mental health issues - is intrigued by the dead man and starts asking questions. However, someone doesn't want the questions answered and will go to any lengths to prevent it, including an attempted murder. But when no one believes that someone tried to kill Chris, she is left with no option but to try to discover for herself who the nameless man was and why he died'
It felt like a breath of fresh air introducing a female lead protagonist into a mostly male dominant environment. Although it took me a while to adapt to the first person narrative being female and the first time I believe a female has been used by either of the Francis authors, I throughly enjoyed following Chris' determination to find answers to the nameless man against all advice from family and the police.
There were a lot of medical terminology used at the beginning of the story, though it was laid out and explained for the average reader to easily understand and its obvious a lot of research has been carried out on A & E admissions and mental health issues.
I'm very pleased to see that Felix is carrying on in his father's excellent footsteps as an author and I'll certainly be reading more by Felix again, having already read most of Dick's thrillers in the past.
4 stars
'A smartly dressed man is found unconscious at the local racecourse and rushed to hospital, where he subsequently dies. But who is he? Where does he come from? He has no form of identification on him, and no one claims the body.
Doctor Chris Rankin, a specialist who treated the deceased - and who struggles with mental health issues - is intrigued by the dead man and starts asking questions. However, someone doesn't want the questions answered and will go to any lengths to prevent it, including an attempted murder. But when no one believes that someone tried to kill Chris, she is left with no option but to try to discover for herself who the nameless man was and why he died'
It felt like a breath of fresh air introducing a female lead protagonist into a mostly male dominant environment. Although it took me a while to adapt to the first person narrative being female and the first time I believe a female has been used by either of the Francis authors, I throughly enjoyed following Chris' determination to find answers to the nameless man against all advice from family and the police.
There were a lot of medical terminology used at the beginning of the story, though it was laid out and explained for the average reader to easily understand and its obvious a lot of research has been carried out on A & E admissions and mental health issues.
I'm very pleased to see that Felix is carrying on in his father's excellent footsteps as an author and I'll certainly be reading more by Felix again, having already read most of Dick's thrillers in the past.
4 stars
February 25, 2018
The first half of the book, in which an A&E (E.R.) doctor slides into depression and anorexia, is heavy going. I found it slightly disturbing for three reasons: 1) The doctor in question is the first female Francis protagonist, but it's also the first time I recall a Francis character being in such bad psychological shape. While I do occasionally tire of spunky female heroes, this woman grated on me just as much. 2) The book is written in first person, and all I could think was "If you're such a mess, how come you're doing such a first-rate job chronicling everything?" There was an element of artifice that broke down the suspension of disbelief. 3) The first half plods on an on as the doctor becomes increasingly obsessed by an unidentified man who dies on her watch and whose death she feels she may have caused. It's drawn out much longer than I felt was necessary to justify the plot elements of the second half of the book.
Once the second half kicks in, though, this is a more typical Francis-style thriller, with an unlikely hero pit against the bad guys, plenty of action, and a life-threatening climax in which the hero prevails despite all odds. (I'm not giving anything away here... all Francis novels, written by both father and son, adhere to this time-tested formula.)
I guess my major complaint is that I'd wanted to read a fast-paced thriller set in the racing world, but the book meandered for so long along the stream of the hero's battle with depression. But, beyond that, no complaints.
Once the second half kicks in, though, this is a more typical Francis-style thriller, with an unlikely hero pit against the bad guys, plenty of action, and a life-threatening climax in which the hero prevails despite all odds. (I'm not giving anything away here... all Francis novels, written by both father and son, adhere to this time-tested formula.)
I guess my major complaint is that I'd wanted to read a fast-paced thriller set in the racing world, but the book meandered for so long along the stream of the hero's battle with depression. But, beyond that, no complaints.
September 21, 2017
My most anticipated book of the year is always from a Francis--first Dick, and now Felix. This one does not disappoint and in fact was so fresh and different while embracing traditional Francis suspense that I will be giving it another read soon just to enjoy it all over again. I found myself completely surprised on more than one occasion, and there are some suspenseful (and downright frightening) scenes in this story that literally had me holding my breath. A new spin on “Physician, heal thyself!”
An ER doctor with health issues whose emotional side battles with logic is a winning protagonist and one with whom it is easy to empathize, as the doctor struggles to balance patients, colleagues, and family—and an unexpected desire to get to the bottom of a pattern of events which may or may not be imaginary. The detailed plot is excellent and racetrack scenes exciting and well crafted, but the key to pushing PULSE into something really special is in fact the personal journey of the doctor. I believe this is a book that will evoke a lot of different emotions in different readers. It certainly does in me. I think the author hit just the right note with a balance of storytelling and emotion and suspense, as all the best Francis books do. This one is a standout. Beautifully written, intriguing throughout, and a thoroughly satisfying read. It is a compliment when I also say it’s a fun, if sometimes troubling, read.
Reminiscent of my Francis favorites such as Forfeit, Proof, Twice Shy, and Dead Heat in that classic, magical way that the story unfolds through the first-person eyes of the main character. Great depth without being overly dramatic. I'd assert Francis heroes are some of the most memorable in mystery fiction and that is partly why this latest offering is so effective.
This book will stay with me. Genuine, believable, and touching. Did I mention suspenseful? A fine addition/edition to the Francis library. More like this, please!
An ER doctor with health issues whose emotional side battles with logic is a winning protagonist and one with whom it is easy to empathize, as the doctor struggles to balance patients, colleagues, and family—and an unexpected desire to get to the bottom of a pattern of events which may or may not be imaginary. The detailed plot is excellent and racetrack scenes exciting and well crafted, but the key to pushing PULSE into something really special is in fact the personal journey of the doctor. I believe this is a book that will evoke a lot of different emotions in different readers. It certainly does in me. I think the author hit just the right note with a balance of storytelling and emotion and suspense, as all the best Francis books do. This one is a standout. Beautifully written, intriguing throughout, and a thoroughly satisfying read. It is a compliment when I also say it’s a fun, if sometimes troubling, read.
Reminiscent of my Francis favorites such as Forfeit, Proof, Twice Shy, and Dead Heat in that classic, magical way that the story unfolds through the first-person eyes of the main character. Great depth without being overly dramatic. I'd assert Francis heroes are some of the most memorable in mystery fiction and that is partly why this latest offering is so effective.
This book will stay with me. Genuine, believable, and touching. Did I mention suspenseful? A fine addition/edition to the Francis library. More like this, please!
December 1, 2017
I've always enjoyed all the horse racing books by Dick (and now Felix) Francis. I never remember them and they are all kind of the same. But somehow they feel different bc horse racing is so foreign to me. I definitely enjoy the journey on all their books.
But, this one fell flat. For the first time, female protagonist and from the medical point of view. The problem is that she had a lot of mental health issues (which is important) but why put it on the female perspective? What woman would describe her breasts as fulsome? Seriously? Also, she sounded like every other MC in the Francis' books. I actually didn't realize that it was a woman bc her name was Chris. When she mentioned her husband, my first though, cool, gay marriage. But, it was only when she mentioned menopause, that I realized that he was a she.
There were a couple of mentions of female jockeys and I would love a book from that perspective. The question is, can this Francis handle that pov and the harassment that must follow those women in this touch industry.
But, this one fell flat. For the first time, female protagonist and from the medical point of view. The problem is that she had a lot of mental health issues (which is important) but why put it on the female perspective? What woman would describe her breasts as fulsome? Seriously? Also, she sounded like every other MC in the Francis' books. I actually didn't realize that it was a woman bc her name was Chris. When she mentioned her husband, my first though, cool, gay marriage. But, it was only when she mentioned menopause, that I realized that he was a she.
There were a couple of mentions of female jockeys and I would love a book from that perspective. The question is, can this Francis handle that pov and the harassment that must follow those women in this touch industry.
May 17, 2018
I had previously review the audio book and then chose the book for book group and read the physical copy this time. Once again I really enjoyed the story and characters, although Chris did have many flaws that we commonly find among this type of "detective." I think it will make for a great book discussion.
November 3, 2017
Forget the female protagonist
I didn't feel like it was a woman telling this story. There were too many health issues to be entertaining and her husband was way to understanding to make it believable. I missed the horses and the races...sorry Felix, this one was aggravating.
I didn't feel like it was a woman telling this story. There were too many health issues to be entertaining and her husband was way to understanding to make it believable. I missed the horses and the races...sorry Felix, this one was aggravating.
August 4, 2019
I have been a fan of Dick Francis for almost 40 years and have appreciated Felix Francis taking up the mantle after his father's death. I wasn't able to finish this book, however. As someone who struggles on a daily basis with chronic depression, I had a hard time getting beyond the fact that someone who was as depressed as Chris was supposed to be was so involved and concerned with resolving the issue of the well-dressed man who died in her ER after being found at the racetrack.
People who are severely depressed are unable to get interested in much of anything. Nor do they want to. Depression is like being at the bottom of a dark, deep well with no escape. Not only can't you get out of the well, but you don't want to. You just want to stay huddled up in your little spot.
While depression can manifest itself in many ways, I had such a difficult time with depiction of depression in this book that I stopped reading about one third of the way through.
People who are severely depressed are unable to get interested in much of anything. Nor do they want to. Depression is like being at the bottom of a dark, deep well with no escape. Not only can't you get out of the well, but you don't want to. You just want to stay huddled up in your little spot.
While depression can manifest itself in many ways, I had such a difficult time with depiction of depression in this book that I stopped reading about one third of the way through.
May 13, 2018
Read this review for a peak into what I’d felt about this novel, as well.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3 stars, and not really recommended.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
3 stars, and not really recommended.
October 21, 2018
I sprinted through the first half of this book, fast-moving and a clever plot, but the character and behaviour of the female doctor who was the main protagonist began to stretch credibility as the narrative advanced. Nevertheless, an enjoyable and rapid read.
March 26, 2019
The main character was a physician, from which one would expect a certain level of intellect. But not here, She just did one stupid thing after another.
October 16, 2025
I liked this book by Felix Francis, and think it is one of his stronger outings, but it was either a little uneven or my experience was changeable. I felt it was well written and researched, it didn't drag too much with the medical descriptions, and of course the horse-racing segments were mostly very interesting in the tradition of his father, Dick Francis.
The protagonist has anxiety, depression and an eating disorder, and I found her alternately annoying, sympathetic and also cheered her on through parts of the book.
I have mental illness also, so perhaps I ought to have been more generous, but her choices and attitudes seemed erratic, and the denouement, which could have been more like the The Fugitive (film), took a different turn than I expected.
All in all, I enjoyed the book, and am appreciative that after his father's passing, and I understand his mother was ghostwriter for most of Dick's stories, Felix Francis carries the torch, bringing us more horsey stories of intrigue and suspense.
Goodreads does not allow half-star ratings, but informally, I give this book 4.5 stars.
The protagonist has anxiety, depression and an eating disorder, and I found her alternately annoying, sympathetic and also cheered her on through parts of the book.
I have mental illness also, so perhaps I ought to have been more generous, but her choices and attitudes seemed erratic, and the denouement, which could have been more like the The Fugitive (film), took a different turn than I expected.
All in all, I enjoyed the book, and am appreciative that after his father's passing, and I understand his mother was ghostwriter for most of Dick's stories, Felix Francis carries the torch, bringing us more horsey stories of intrigue and suspense.
Goodreads does not allow half-star ratings, but informally, I give this book 4.5 stars.
July 30, 2018
Plenty of racing but a lot about the main characters mental illness. I liked it and learned a lot about a subject that people don't talk about. Great read
March 11, 2018
Felix plays fast and loose with his father's never-fail formula. A few pages into the first chapter we learn that the first-person narrator is (cue dramatic horns) a *woman!* Still reeling from this utterly unexpected twist, long-time Francis readers get a second punch in the gut just pages later when we learn that she is not even a reliable narrator, because she is mentally ill!
While this isn't the first time the Francis clan has dealt with mental illness (the main character's wife battles it in Even Money), it is as far as I know the first time the main has character has suffered. And suffer she does, from panic attacks, frequent suicidal thoughts, paranoia, OCD, and anorexia. Throw in flirtations with alcohol and a variety of other recreational drugs, and it's not surprising she is put on extended leave from her position. Eventually she fixates on a mysterious and, yes, racing-related death she was privy to in her role as emergency room physician. The hope of solving this mystery (dismissed by the inquest as "death by misadventure") seems to provide a lifeline in her struggle for recovery. Of course it also puts her, her long-suffering saint of a husband, and teenage twins in danger.
To be honest, Francis did a little too good of a job of getting into the main character's head. Although she was never as pathetic and self-destructive as, say, the main character in The Girl on the Train, she was highly disturbed and suicidal, and I found myself irritable and off kilter after reading a few chapters. I put it aside for several days, figuring the payoff for the rather pedestrian mystery probably wasn't worth wading through the drama. Once I ran out of other books, though, I went ahead and scanned through a few late chapters and then read the final two or three. The payoff wasn't bad: in addition to catching the bad-guys, our dear doctor does find some redemption and some light at the end of her personal tunnel.
Not one of the Francis Clan's best, but a solid middle runner.
While this isn't the first time the Francis clan has dealt with mental illness (the main character's wife battles it in Even Money), it is as far as I know the first time the main has character has suffered. And suffer she does, from panic attacks, frequent suicidal thoughts, paranoia, OCD, and anorexia. Throw in flirtations with alcohol and a variety of other recreational drugs, and it's not surprising she is put on extended leave from her position. Eventually she fixates on a mysterious and, yes, racing-related death she was privy to in her role as emergency room physician. The hope of solving this mystery (dismissed by the inquest as "death by misadventure") seems to provide a lifeline in her struggle for recovery. Of course it also puts her, her long-suffering saint of a husband, and teenage twins in danger.
To be honest, Francis did a little too good of a job of getting into the main character's head. Although she was never as pathetic and self-destructive as, say, the main character in The Girl on the Train, she was highly disturbed and suicidal, and I found myself irritable and off kilter after reading a few chapters. I put it aside for several days, figuring the payoff for the rather pedestrian mystery probably wasn't worth wading through the drama. Once I ran out of other books, though, I went ahead and scanned through a few late chapters and then read the final two or three. The payoff wasn't bad: in addition to catching the bad-guys, our dear doctor does find some redemption and some light at the end of her personal tunnel.
Not one of the Francis Clan's best, but a solid middle runner.
November 12, 2017
#7 in the Francis horseracing mysteries by Felix Francis (after 40 by his father Dick Francis and 4 co-authored by them). In an unusual change of pace, this entry has a female protagonist - an emergency medicine doctor with depression and anxiety problems. The female perspective was interesting but not wholly successful. The centerpiece is the mystery of a dying man found at the racetrack, but it is sidetracked by other story arcs - Chris Rankin's psychiatric problems and her eating disorder, and her inability to get anyone (police, colleagues or husband) to take her seriously. Enjoyable but not a top-tier Francis.
Racing thriller - A well dressed man has been found unconscious at the local racecourse and is rushed to the hospital, where he subsequently dies. He had no identification, and no one claims the body. Doctor Chris Rankin, who treated the deceased--and who struggles with mental health issues--is obsessed by the nameless dead man and starts asking questions. However, someone doesn't want the questions answered and will go to any lengths to prevent it. But no one will believe that someone tried to kill Chris and the doctor resolves to discover who the nameless man was and why he died.
Racing thriller - A well dressed man has been found unconscious at the local racecourse and is rushed to the hospital, where he subsequently dies. He had no identification, and no one claims the body. Doctor Chris Rankin, who treated the deceased--and who struggles with mental health issues--is obsessed by the nameless dead man and starts asking questions. However, someone doesn't want the questions answered and will go to any lengths to prevent it. But no one will believe that someone tried to kill Chris and the doctor resolves to discover who the nameless man was and why he died.
September 20, 2020
The quote on p41 was enough for me to put this book down
'I hated my body and felt sure he must too, in spite of him continually telling me he loved it. My once firm, fulsome and prominent breasts now sagged alarmingly towards my waist and, in spite of nightly applications of expensive anti-cellulite creams, the skin on my thighs was already giving a good impression of orange peel...I was constantly desperate that he might trade me in for a younger model, just as he did every three or four years with his car.'
'I hated my body and felt sure he must too, in spite of him continually telling me he loved it. My once firm, fulsome and prominent breasts now sagged alarmingly towards my waist and, in spite of nightly applications of expensive anti-cellulite creams, the skin on my thighs was already giving a good impression of orange peel...I was constantly desperate that he might trade me in for a younger model, just as he did every three or four years with his car.'
July 21, 2018
Gripping
Another great read by Felix Francis. Loved all his books and his father's before. Sad to admit though i still have no interest in the sport of horseracing but love the way these marvelous books take me to the races.
Another great read by Felix Francis. Loved all his books and his father's before. Sad to admit though i still have no interest in the sport of horseracing but love the way these marvelous books take me to the races.
July 26, 2019
I want to give proper credit to the author for deviating from the nom and trying to give us a female protagonist for the latest in race course suspense. Kudos for trying!
That said, like many other reviewers have noted, the female mind (the story told in first person) is a little more complicated that people give credit for and writing a woman believably is a hard task. It's here where Mr. Francis fell short.
Don't get me wrong. I love the books that Felix has written for us thus far. He's carried on a grand tradition, and even inserted his own voice, telling compelling stories about complex characters, and even more complex mysteries. Felix Francis is still on my list of authors to buy the second they come out with a new book.
But this one? I hate giving Pulse a lower rating than I ever have for any kind of Francis mystery, and am hoping like crazy that this was an aberration that we can contribute as part of the learning curve. That he tried something new is admirable. There is definite room for growth.
So keep at it. Keep telling us wonderful tales. We appreciate the hard work you put in. But for you readers out there? Honestly, if you're new to Felix Francis, I would suggest picking up one of his other books first.
That said, like many other reviewers have noted, the female mind (the story told in first person) is a little more complicated that people give credit for and writing a woman believably is a hard task. It's here where Mr. Francis fell short.
Don't get me wrong. I love the books that Felix has written for us thus far. He's carried on a grand tradition, and even inserted his own voice, telling compelling stories about complex characters, and even more complex mysteries. Felix Francis is still on my list of authors to buy the second they come out with a new book.
But this one? I hate giving Pulse a lower rating than I ever have for any kind of Francis mystery, and am hoping like crazy that this was an aberration that we can contribute as part of the learning curve. That he tried something new is admirable. There is definite room for growth.
So keep at it. Keep telling us wonderful tales. We appreciate the hard work you put in. But for you readers out there? Honestly, if you're new to Felix Francis, I would suggest picking up one of his other books first.
October 17, 2020
Typically books by this author involve a British racecourse and this one does as well but it also has another major focus which is the recovery from depression, severe anxiety and anorexia of the main character Dr. Chris Rankin. Dr. Rankin is a physician in an emergency room and is struggling to keep her conditions controlled so as not to alert her coworkers. One night a unidentified man who was found commatose in a bathroom stall at the local racecourse is admitted to the ER . Dr Rankin struggles to save him but cannot. Dr. Rankin also works as a racecourse physician and we learn a lot about the injuries sustained by jockies and how they are handled through watching her work. In the course of her work at the racecourse she asks some questions about the unidentifed ER patient and comes to believe that he was murdered. This belief further errodes her ability to control her psychiatric conditions and we watch as she struggles both with her mental and physical health at the same time that she is trying to solve the mystery of the murder she believes occurred. This is a very good story but I rated it with only three stars because I found the main character to be problematic because, quite frankly she frequently acts like an idiot. Still the book is worth reading and the end is very exciting.
June 3, 2018
Interesting. First female main character ever in a Dick Francis story! From the first few pages I wondered, and then they introduced the doctor as Chris and I wondered some more... Good story, I think also the first medical thriller for a Francis book. We’ve had vets but I’m not sure a petiole doctor yet. I enjoyed that aspect and was fun to read about the medical help that is required on the field when a race is on.
October 1, 2018
A new character for Felix Francis (son of Dick Francis who died a few years ago). This time it's a woman ER physician. She's suffering from depression and anexoria. When a patient dies of what seems to be suicide, she doesn't believe it. The Francis's....father and son, always have a horse racing thread as part of the story. When I started this book, I wondered where it would be. Aha!!! The death happened at a steeplechase track in Cheltenham, and the doctor also works as a race track doctor. It's a great book and Felix is doing his father proud.
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