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Guilty Not Guilty
New York Times -bestselling author Felix Francis returns with another nail-biting thriller in the Dick Francis tradition.
It is said that everyone over a certain age can remember distinctly what they were doing when they heard that President Kennedy had been assassinated, or that Princess Diana had been killed in a Paris car crash, but I, for one, could recall all too clearly where I was standing when a policeman told me that my wife had been murdered.
Bill Russell is acting as a volunteer steward at Warwick races when he confronts his worst nightmare--the violent death of his much-loved wife. But, the aftermath proves much worse when he is accused of killing her and then hounded mercilessly by the media. Losing his job and in danger of losing his home too, Bill's life begins to unravel completely. Even his best friends turn against him, thinking him guilty of the heinous crime, despite the lack of any compelling evidence.
As Bill sets out to clear his name, he finds that proving one's innocence isn't easy. He believes he can track down the true culprit, but can he prove it before he becomes the murderer's next victim? Guilty Not Guilty is a journey of greed and jealousy set against the grief of personal tragedy, with many a twist and turn along the way.
It is said that everyone over a certain age can remember distinctly what they were doing when they heard that President Kennedy had been assassinated, or that Princess Diana had been killed in a Paris car crash, but I, for one, could recall all too clearly where I was standing when a policeman told me that my wife had been murdered.
Bill Russell is acting as a volunteer steward at Warwick races when he confronts his worst nightmare--the violent death of his much-loved wife. But, the aftermath proves much worse when he is accused of killing her and then hounded mercilessly by the media. Losing his job and in danger of losing his home too, Bill's life begins to unravel completely. Even his best friends turn against him, thinking him guilty of the heinous crime, despite the lack of any compelling evidence.
As Bill sets out to clear his name, he finds that proving one's innocence isn't easy. He believes he can track down the true culprit, but can he prove it before he becomes the murderer's next victim? Guilty Not Guilty is a journey of greed and jealousy set against the grief of personal tragedy, with many a twist and turn along the way.
384 pages, Hardcover
First published September 19, 2019
458 people are currently reading
633 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 323 reviews
December 10, 2019
Wow! Another Brilliant Mystery Thriller by One of My Favorite Authors!
It is said that everyone over a certain age can remember what they were doing when they heard that President Kennedy had been assassinated, or that Princess Diana had been killed in a Paris car crash, but I, for one, could recall all too clearly where I was standing when a policeman told me that my wife had been murdered.
“Detective Sergeant Dowdeswell, Thames Valley Police,” announced the plainclothes officer, holding out his badge. I glanced down at it. “This is PC Roberts, Warwickshire Constabulary.” He indicated a uniformed officer by his side. “Are you the Honorable William Gordon-Russell?”
I was, although I never used that name. “Bill Russell,” I said, nodding. “That’s me.”
The detective seemed slightly confused but quickly recovered.
“From Banbury in Oxfordshire?”
“Yes,”I said. “Well, I live just outside Banbury.”
“The Old Forge in Hanwell?”
“Yes,” I said again, nervously. “That’s right. Now what’s this all about?”
“Bit of bad news, sir, I’m afraid,” he said. Not more. I’d had nothing but bad news for weeks. “What is it now?” I asked with a sigh, fearing the worst.
That’s when he told me. Brusquely and without any compassion.
“Murdered?” I said, my voice somewhat squeaky from the sudden constriction I could feel in my throat. I also felt weak at the knees.
“I’m afraid so, sir,” the policeman said.
“How?” I asked. “And where?”
“All in good time,” the policeman said. “Now, sir, we would like you to come with us.”
It all sounded rather official.
“Where to?” I asked.
“The station,” he replied, and I didn’t think he meant the railway station.
“I’d rather go and see my wife,” I said.
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible at this time. You need to come with us.” There was something about the policeman’s tone that I didn't like.
********
I absolutely loved the audiobook, Guilty Not Guilty by Felix Francis! This is a courtroom thriller that had me on tenterhooks from beginning to end!
Martin Jarvis's brilliant narrative performance elevates this book, it's characters, and the emotions that run amok to an entirely new level!! The shocking conclusion is one that completely hit me like a runaway train that I never saw coming!
The son of the thrilling horse racing mystery writer, Dick Francis,
Felix Francis has followed in his father's footsteps, co-writing four novels with him prior to his death, IS a brilliant writer in his own right! Not to be missed!
It is said that everyone over a certain age can remember what they were doing when they heard that President Kennedy had been assassinated, or that Princess Diana had been killed in a Paris car crash, but I, for one, could recall all too clearly where I was standing when a policeman told me that my wife had been murdered.
“Detective Sergeant Dowdeswell, Thames Valley Police,” announced the plainclothes officer, holding out his badge. I glanced down at it. “This is PC Roberts, Warwickshire Constabulary.” He indicated a uniformed officer by his side. “Are you the Honorable William Gordon-Russell?”
I was, although I never used that name. “Bill Russell,” I said, nodding. “That’s me.”
The detective seemed slightly confused but quickly recovered.
“From Banbury in Oxfordshire?”
“Yes,”I said. “Well, I live just outside Banbury.”
“The Old Forge in Hanwell?”
“Yes,” I said again, nervously. “That’s right. Now what’s this all about?”
“Bit of bad news, sir, I’m afraid,” he said. Not more. I’d had nothing but bad news for weeks. “What is it now?” I asked with a sigh, fearing the worst.
That’s when he told me. Brusquely and without any compassion.
“Murdered?” I said, my voice somewhat squeaky from the sudden constriction I could feel in my throat. I also felt weak at the knees.
“I’m afraid so, sir,” the policeman said.
“How?” I asked. “And where?”
“All in good time,” the policeman said. “Now, sir, we would like you to come with us.”
It all sounded rather official.
“Where to?” I asked.
“The station,” he replied, and I didn’t think he meant the railway station.
“I’d rather go and see my wife,” I said.
“I’m afraid that won’t be possible at this time. You need to come with us.” There was something about the policeman’s tone that I didn't like.
********
I absolutely loved the audiobook, Guilty Not Guilty by Felix Francis! This is a courtroom thriller that had me on tenterhooks from beginning to end!
Martin Jarvis's brilliant narrative performance elevates this book, it's characters, and the emotions that run amok to an entirely new level!! The shocking conclusion is one that completely hit me like a runaway train that I never saw coming!
The son of the thrilling horse racing mystery writer, Dick Francis,
Felix Francis has followed in his father's footsteps, co-writing four novels with him prior to his death, IS a brilliant writer in his own right! Not to be missed!
August 31, 2022
A man is happily married to a wife suffering from depression. When she is strangled, he is immediately the primary suspect. The police find a motive, so they arrest him. The press makes a nine day wonder of it. This causes a lot of people to shun him. He thinks her brother did it, another obvious suspect the police don't even bother investigating. Going it alone, he uncovers the evidence that her brother did it. It feels like the book probably should finish here.
Then we go to the trial and the twist at the end.
Not a lot of horse racing stuff. I feel like Felix is trying to do something different here. I'm not really sure this one completely worked.
Then we go to the trial and the twist at the end.
Not a lot of horse racing stuff. I feel like Felix is trying to do something different here. I'm not really sure this one completely worked.
December 1, 2019
For openers, methinks Francis the Younger has cut many of the ties that bound him Francis the Elder. For years, both my husband and I have been devoted fans of Dick Francis, and since his death we've kept up the tradition by reading every single book by his son Felix, who did a more than passable job at maintaining his late father's style and focus on characters who were almost totally immersed in the sport of kings. This one marks a noticeable departure, and I must say I enjoyed it thoroughly.
That's not to say I don't understand the disappointment expressed by some readers; the main character here, William Gordon-Russell, on occasion has been a rider and works as a volunteer to help uphold the rules at the track, but anything beyond that has been reined in. The book begins as Russell, an actuary by profession, is notified that his beloved wife Amelia had been murdered. That's hard enough for him to take, but making matters much worse - for Bill, at least - is that Amelia's ne'er-to-well brother has told everyone within shouting distance that Bill is the murderer.
In fairly short order, just about everyone, including the police, believe Bill should be arrested. He loses his volunteer job and most of his friends and relatives, and it soon becomes clear that the only way to prove his innocence is to find the real killer. In Bill's mind, at least, the only candidate is (you guessed it) the brother-in-law who's doing everything he can to get Bill arrested for the crime.
The whole thing is a first-person account as told by Bill, which allows him to digress on several occasions to rather in-depth explanations of things around him, such as how the court system works in England. Truth is, I learned quite a lot, but in all honesty I'd have enjoyed it more had those instances been a little less long-winded. All in all, though, it's a very enjoyable romp with a few twists and a "Lady or the Tiger" ending. Bottom line is this: If this book really is an indication of a new direction, I'm all in.
That's not to say I don't understand the disappointment expressed by some readers; the main character here, William Gordon-Russell, on occasion has been a rider and works as a volunteer to help uphold the rules at the track, but anything beyond that has been reined in. The book begins as Russell, an actuary by profession, is notified that his beloved wife Amelia had been murdered. That's hard enough for him to take, but making matters much worse - for Bill, at least - is that Amelia's ne'er-to-well brother has told everyone within shouting distance that Bill is the murderer.
In fairly short order, just about everyone, including the police, believe Bill should be arrested. He loses his volunteer job and most of his friends and relatives, and it soon becomes clear that the only way to prove his innocence is to find the real killer. In Bill's mind, at least, the only candidate is (you guessed it) the brother-in-law who's doing everything he can to get Bill arrested for the crime.
The whole thing is a first-person account as told by Bill, which allows him to digress on several occasions to rather in-depth explanations of things around him, such as how the court system works in England. Truth is, I learned quite a lot, but in all honesty I'd have enjoyed it more had those instances been a little less long-winded. All in all, though, it's a very enjoyable romp with a few twists and a "Lady or the Tiger" ending. Bottom line is this: If this book really is an indication of a new direction, I'm all in.
December 16, 2019
I've always been a big fan of the Dick Francis novels and I'm very glad that his son is continuing the tradition. Overall I've found that the Felix novels are not quite as good as his father's, but still enjoyable.
However, this book was not up to par. The story was lame, downbeat, and repetitive. The animosity between the main character and his brother in law was repeated just too many times. It felt that the author was just looking to pad out the pages as there isn't much of a story, even with the incomplete reveal at the end which leaves the reader hanging and makes the story feel incomplete.
Bottom line - Meh and 2 stars.
However, this book was not up to par. The story was lame, downbeat, and repetitive. The animosity between the main character and his brother in law was repeated just too many times. It felt that the author was just looking to pad out the pages as there isn't much of a story, even with the incomplete reveal at the end which leaves the reader hanging and makes the story feel incomplete.
Bottom line - Meh and 2 stars.
January 8, 2020
Surprising.
There were many great aspects to this novel. Definite undertones of his father Dick Francis and I really couldn’t get Jeffrey Archer out of mind with the legal aspects of the story. A solid plot which created very strong feelings towards the characters which I enjoy in a book.
There were a couple of issues I wrangled with including protagonist Bill Williams reading as a much older man than in his early 40’s. The other niggle was the repetition of details in the last third of the read. Not the biggest issues and the story was still very enjoyable.
I will definitely be reading more by Francis Jr.
There were many great aspects to this novel. Definite undertones of his father Dick Francis and I really couldn’t get Jeffrey Archer out of mind with the legal aspects of the story. A solid plot which created very strong feelings towards the characters which I enjoy in a book.
There were a couple of issues I wrangled with including protagonist Bill Williams reading as a much older man than in his early 40’s. The other niggle was the repetition of details in the last third of the read. Not the biggest issues and the story was still very enjoyable.
I will definitely be reading more by Francis Jr.
December 31, 2019
Felix Francis has done a fantastic job of continuing his father’s writing legacy. His books are full of the delicate twists and turns of each mystery. This one is a corker!!!
January 29, 2020
I really wanted to enjoy this book. I've read all of the Francis books - father, father/son and son. I have been disappointed with the last couple of Felix Francis books and especially this one. The storyline was so unengaging and the main character so unsympathetic that I didn't feel the need to waste my time and finish the book. I don't enjoy the overly emotional hysteria of Francis' main characters. (He ruined Sid Halley in Refusal.) I won't be reading anymore of his books.
March 14, 2020
Continuing the Francis tradition of fine mysteries with references to horse racing, Guilty Not Guilty follows the ordeals of a racing Steward following the murder of his wife. There is much of the English legal system incorporated. Overall this is a fine read. The only flaw is the statement on the cover that it was a Dick Francis novel when it was written by his son Felix and contained none of the characters from any Dick Francis novel but that is on the publisher.
July 18, 2020
I've never read a book by either of the Francis authors so came to this with unprejudiced eyes. The protagonist, Bill Russell, is a quintessentially English toff whose full name is The Honourable William Herbert Millgate Gordon-Russell and whose father is an Earl residing in a castle. Therefore the frequency of American vocabulary that the Rt Hon William uses came as a shock to me. This Englishman's car has a windshield, he puts his suitcase in the car's trunk, parks in parking lots, buys gas in a gas station, sees a woman pushing a stroller, walks along sidewalks while using his cellphone, finds two letters in his pants pocket (interesting concept - a pocket in your pants!), uses a realtor to sell a house and, my favourite, has a sister-in-law who uses that well-known English expression: As tight as a duck's ass! I felt sorry for poor Martin Jarvis having to read that one out. Assuming that the Rt Hon hasn't spent a large part of his life secretly living in America I can only imagine that this book is aimed at an American audience? If I were American I'd be insulted that the author/publisher imagined that I couldn't work out for myself (or google) what a windscreen is or a boot, or a mobile phone, or a footpath, or a car park. And even a duck's arse! Don't Americans want to read a quintessentially English book that contains English usage?
As for the book itself it was one of those, But why didn't he just ….? works. Why didn't he just tell the detective at the start about the emails/texts/money from the sale of the house, etc? I realise that if he had the plot would have disappeared but I read this thinking, Why doesn't he just ….? so many times it became boring. I was also surprised when Bill first used his mobile - sorry …. cellphone - because I'd thought this was set back in the 1950s. The style is very old-fashioned and Bill came across as 20 years older than he actually was. It was also very repetitive with lots of unnecessary padding. The court case could have just been summarised rather than giving us a verbatim account. And as for the ending …. total cop-out. Or is there to be a follow-up for the American market?
On the plus side, the storyline itself wasn't terrible and the Rt Hon Bill was engaging in his own inept way. If you can get past the frequent Americanisms and the suspension of disbelief required this is an easy read that will fill some time - and if you like horses they are also thrown in as background while having no relevance to the plot.
As for the book itself it was one of those, But why didn't he just ….? works. Why didn't he just tell the detective at the start about the emails/texts/money from the sale of the house, etc? I realise that if he had the plot would have disappeared but I read this thinking, Why doesn't he just ….? so many times it became boring. I was also surprised when Bill first used his mobile - sorry …. cellphone - because I'd thought this was set back in the 1950s. The style is very old-fashioned and Bill came across as 20 years older than he actually was. It was also very repetitive with lots of unnecessary padding. The court case could have just been summarised rather than giving us a verbatim account. And as for the ending …. total cop-out. Or is there to be a follow-up for the American market?
On the plus side, the storyline itself wasn't terrible and the Rt Hon Bill was engaging in his own inept way. If you can get past the frequent Americanisms and the suspension of disbelief required this is an easy read that will fill some time - and if you like horses they are also thrown in as background while having no relevance to the plot.
February 10, 2020
So very incredibly unexciting.
January 9, 2020
Sadly, Felix Francis seems to have completely lost the plot. His fathers books were excellent and he seemed to be working towards continuing the tradition. However, the last three books have been very average and in this case, 'Guilty, Not Guilty', is appalling. The story is basically non existent, the actions of every person deplorable. If you want a depressing, cliche filled, whine and rant with excerpts about English buildings seemingly taken from Wikipedia, then I guess this book is for you.
October 1, 2019
This supremely enjoyable book combines intense suspense intertwined with a number of realistic and difficult situations which are handled with a great deal of sensitivity and clarity by the author. And I'm aware that this first review sentence is a mouthful, but there's a lot going on in what appears at first glance to be a deceptively simple book. A book about a horrendous crime, a layered mystery, intense family and business relationships, and the utterly sad tendency of modern society to tend toward a premise of guilty until proven innocent. A book about moral character, restraint versus letting loose, good and bad advice, knowing one's friends from one's enemies, and even lots of glimpses into the structure and function of the British legal system, which is all written in a most interesting way.
The overarching theme of steadfast love and loyalty is both touching and wrenching and is beautifully handled. From the outset, my heart completely went out to the main character and the way his life turns upside down in an instant--yet that instant has been building for quite some time, which forms both a fascinating and heartbreaking premise for a story I found extremely moving.
A deceptively easy read--I personally am convinced easy reads are quite difficult to write--and a nice flow to the story. A splendid read, a heart-gripper, and one I accidentally read it in one sitting as it's one of those "Oh, just one more page!" kinds of books which are impossible to put down. Well worth it when you get to the end.
A side note is that I miss the traditional Francis horse on the British version cover. Racing is always in the background of any good Francis read and I good naturedly vote to bring back the horse!
And with that said, I can't wait to read it again.
The overarching theme of steadfast love and loyalty is both touching and wrenching and is beautifully handled. From the outset, my heart completely went out to the main character and the way his life turns upside down in an instant--yet that instant has been building for quite some time, which forms both a fascinating and heartbreaking premise for a story I found extremely moving.
A deceptively easy read--I personally am convinced easy reads are quite difficult to write--and a nice flow to the story. A splendid read, a heart-gripper, and one I accidentally read it in one sitting as it's one of those "Oh, just one more page!" kinds of books which are impossible to put down. Well worth it when you get to the end.
A side note is that I miss the traditional Francis horse on the British version cover. Racing is always in the background of any good Francis read and I good naturedly vote to bring back the horse!
And with that said, I can't wait to read it again.
September 15, 2019
I would like to thank Netgalley and Simon and Schuster UK for an advance copy of Guilty Not Guilty, a stand alone thriller set in Oxfordshire.
William Gordon-Russell or Bill Russell as he prefers, is the police’s prime suspect in his wife Amelia’s murder. The media turns public opinion against him and he soon realises that not only will he have to prove his innocence he’ll have to find the guilty party.
I thoroughly enjoyed Guilty Not Guilty which is a tense, thought provoking thriller with some good twists. It is told in the first person from Bill’s point which, in this case, works extremely well as I lived every minute along side him. His life becomes a nightmare as he tries to grieve for his wife and, at the same time, fend off both the police and media accusations. His helplessness struck a cord with me - could there be anything worse than no one believing a word you say? - and I found it quite tense. I liked the way Mr Francis develops his story as Bill moves from helpless to proactive and I loved the final, clever twist.
Bill Russell is a fairly typical Francis protagonist. He is apparently an honest and decent man who married the love of his life and now finds himself in trouble. Yes, he has a few troubles which slowly come to the surface as the novel progresses and this is where the novel excels. The first person narrative helps the reader identify with him but you do wonder if he’s telling you the whole truth. Call me suspicious but I enjoyed the edginess of not knowing.
Guilty Not Guilty is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
William Gordon-Russell or Bill Russell as he prefers, is the police’s prime suspect in his wife Amelia’s murder. The media turns public opinion against him and he soon realises that not only will he have to prove his innocence he’ll have to find the guilty party.
I thoroughly enjoyed Guilty Not Guilty which is a tense, thought provoking thriller with some good twists. It is told in the first person from Bill’s point which, in this case, works extremely well as I lived every minute along side him. His life becomes a nightmare as he tries to grieve for his wife and, at the same time, fend off both the police and media accusations. His helplessness struck a cord with me - could there be anything worse than no one believing a word you say? - and I found it quite tense. I liked the way Mr Francis develops his story as Bill moves from helpless to proactive and I loved the final, clever twist.
Bill Russell is a fairly typical Francis protagonist. He is apparently an honest and decent man who married the love of his life and now finds himself in trouble. Yes, he has a few troubles which slowly come to the surface as the novel progresses and this is where the novel excels. The first person narrative helps the reader identify with him but you do wonder if he’s telling you the whole truth. Call me suspicious but I enjoyed the edginess of not knowing.
Guilty Not Guilty is a good read which I have no hesitation in recommending.
January 6, 2020
I've read all of Felix Francis's books so far (both solo and with dad) and I don't believe I gave any of them a rating less than 4 stars. So giving this 3 stars feels wrong, because I found it to be smartly written and well paced. It really made me realize how awful it would be to be a suspect in a murder case and not have all the daily privileges one is accustomed to, not to mention having people drawing the conclusion that you are guilty. So why only 3 stars?
It's not really a spoiler because we know the main character is accused of murder from the get go and we are pretty darn sure that at some point he will clear his name. But why he, rather than another character, is the chief suspect for so long is a bit of a mystery. I just didn't buy into it, but that could be just me. On the other hand, I felt the main's characters frustrations, and I'm sure that was the author's intent. However, it became repetitive, almost as if Francis were trying to pad the book a bit.
More importantly, I didn't buy into something revealed at the end of the book that I cannot mention as it would be a major spoiler. I kind of sensed it coming all along, and the whole thing just felt a bit unsatisfying in the end.
If you like courtroom scenes, I think you will really enjoy this book. They are very well done. I applaud Mr. Francis in continuing to branch out with his themes. I can still mildly recommend this book, and I hope I don't look back at my rating someday and think this book was clearly the worst of all his books because I still think it's very good.
It's not really a spoiler because we know the main character is accused of murder from the get go and we are pretty darn sure that at some point he will clear his name. But why he, rather than another character, is the chief suspect for so long is a bit of a mystery. I just didn't buy into it, but that could be just me. On the other hand, I felt the main's characters frustrations, and I'm sure that was the author's intent. However, it became repetitive, almost as if Francis were trying to pad the book a bit.
More importantly, I didn't buy into something revealed at the end of the book that I cannot mention as it would be a major spoiler. I kind of sensed it coming all along, and the whole thing just felt a bit unsatisfying in the end.
If you like courtroom scenes, I think you will really enjoy this book. They are very well done. I applaud Mr. Francis in continuing to branch out with his themes. I can still mildly recommend this book, and I hope I don't look back at my rating someday and think this book was clearly the worst of all his books because I still think it's very good.
October 6, 2021
I read all of the Dick Francis books and the ones jointly written by Felix and I hope all the ones singly written by Felix. I always found that their secret sauce was in a simple but direct manner hooking the reader on the first page. This one was no different, and it was breezy and engaging for the most part. However as a mystery aficionado, I kept waiting for the twist. Through 3/4s of the book there was certainty about the killer and only one real suspect. Lots of repetition. Unlike some of his others where clues came out very gradually, we were essentially given it all at once and then had it repeated in conversations and ultimately at the trial. Without giving any spoilers, when I got to the end it seemed inevitable that there would be a sequel and I am afraid if so, it would be more of the same level of conflict and unpleasantness between the two dominant characters.
so I am a bit disappointed in this book as compared to his others.
so I am a bit disappointed in this book as compared to his others.
April 17, 2020
I almost quit after 100 pages- too much repetition and plodding expository writing. My comment at that point would have been that Felix is not the writer that his dad was. However things did pick up and I thought about the title and wondered if this was going to be one of those “unreliable narrator” works. I still feel a bit “Meh” about it because the ending, which should have been exciting, felt anti-climactic.
December 26, 2019
3.5 Very well crafted although I found the courtroom scenes a bit lengthy
August 6, 2023
Rubbish, not a single likeable character. Only kept reading bcos my mum got me this book
December 11, 2022
I’m not really sure what to think of this novel by Felix Francis. It’s not one of his better novels, and I found a few parts a little repetitive as well. I was however, sufficiently interested enough to keep listening to this novel through to the very end. The ending, however, is what flummoxes me….. I guess the author didn’t want to settle on either side of this dilemma, and left it up to us to decide what the MC would do, which I find annoying. But I understand Francis’ not wanting to catch any flack from readers, for making a decision about this dilemma either way, so….. yeah. Rock, meet hard place.
Martin Jarvis is the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel, again. I love when either Francis author uses Jarvis for their audiobooks, because he is perfect for this role. Fantastic characterizations, excellent emoting, and stellar pacing. I know I’m going to have a good time, when Mr. Jarvis is involved in the situation. Thank you Mr. Jarvis!
All in all, I’d give this novel 3.5 stars, and only recommend this novel to readers that don’t mind ambiguous endings. Or would I…….? 😂
Martin Jarvis is the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel, again. I love when either Francis author uses Jarvis for their audiobooks, because he is perfect for this role. Fantastic characterizations, excellent emoting, and stellar pacing. I know I’m going to have a good time, when Mr. Jarvis is involved in the situation. Thank you Mr. Jarvis!
All in all, I’d give this novel 3.5 stars, and only recommend this novel to readers that don’t mind ambiguous endings. Or would I…….? 😂
February 17, 2021
I was a big fan of Dick Francis, this is the first book I have read by his son. Easy, fast paced and enjoyable novel. Somewhat unlikely development of the plot, the final chapter was predictable but for all that a fun read.
March 11, 2020
Felix is doing his daddy proud. I don't think Dick Francis could have written this book any better. The ending was marvelous in a sneaky who-done-it way; moral dilemmas usually are.
May 1, 2024
Detektivka, v ktere se toho moc nedeje, v druhe polovine zbytecne soudni drama, ktere moc dramaticke neni.
September 15, 2019
I always used to read Dick Francis books and thoroughly enjoyed them. They were exciting and fast paced thrillers which delivered time after time so when I saw this Felix Francis novel up for review on NetGalley I decided to give it a go. Would the son be able to hold my attention as his father had many years ago?
Guilty Not Guilty was written in a very similar style of writing and format to the old Dick Francis thrillers ; a likeable first person narrator hero who gets into trouble and has to use all his wits to rescue himself.
In this case it is Bill Russell, an actuary and volunteer steward at Warwick racecourse. One day whilst working at the races he is informed by the police that his wife, Amelia, has been murdered in their Oxfordshire home.
Bill is subsequently taken in for questioning although he claims he had nothing to do with the murder. He suspects his brother in law Joe who has had a long-standing feud with Bill and Amelia.
Dick Francis books were generally set around horse racing, after all he was a former jockey. I knew nothing of this world but still enjoyed his books.
This novel does have a bit about horse racing in it but it is not the central theme. Bill is a former Jockey and still attends races as a steward.
Characters do seem to be black and white- Bill seems genuinely lovely whilst Joe is really awful!
This was a good read, very much in the vein of the old style Dick Francis thrillers.
I enjoyed reading the book over the course of a few days and would definitely read another by Felix Francis as it was entertaining to read with a couple of twists which I didn’t see coming.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.
Guilty Not Guilty was written in a very similar style of writing and format to the old Dick Francis thrillers ; a likeable first person narrator hero who gets into trouble and has to use all his wits to rescue himself.
In this case it is Bill Russell, an actuary and volunteer steward at Warwick racecourse. One day whilst working at the races he is informed by the police that his wife, Amelia, has been murdered in their Oxfordshire home.
Bill is subsequently taken in for questioning although he claims he had nothing to do with the murder. He suspects his brother in law Joe who has had a long-standing feud with Bill and Amelia.
Dick Francis books were generally set around horse racing, after all he was a former jockey. I knew nothing of this world but still enjoyed his books.
This novel does have a bit about horse racing in it but it is not the central theme. Bill is a former Jockey and still attends races as a steward.
Characters do seem to be black and white- Bill seems genuinely lovely whilst Joe is really awful!
This was a good read, very much in the vein of the old style Dick Francis thrillers.
I enjoyed reading the book over the course of a few days and would definitely read another by Felix Francis as it was entertaining to read with a couple of twists which I didn’t see coming.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for my arc in exchange for an honest review.
June 9, 2022
Bill Russell is the third son of an earl; he won’t be inheriting the castle. Bill Russell is accused of killing his wife Amelia by strangling her with an old dog leash in their kitchen even though he was hundreds of miles away at a race, acting as a steward. Amelia‘s brother had been harassing him and her for the last several years placing great emotional stress on Amelia until she eventually attempted suicide twice.
He is arrested at a racecourse by the police and questioned then released. He stays with his older brother Douglas for several days. He decides to visit his parents in Wales and is arrested again and carried off. He sits in a cell for two days. He loses his job as steward and as actuary.
He is finally released and returns home. A friend of Amelia’s, Nancy, comes by and tells of a conversation they had had the day before Amelia was murdered.
Russell conducts a small investigation and confirms what his wife had learned.
Russell goes to visit his mother-in-law, who has cancer and occasional slips of mind. She is belligerent at first, but then they sit and talk about Amelia calmly until the brother-in-law, Joe, arrives and threatens Russell. He leaves.
He goes grocery shopping and is hit by a transit van at a high rate of speed. He is found the following morning. He spends months in the hospital. By this time, Joe has been arrested for theft, attempted murder and the murder of his sister.
The last third of the novel is focused on the trial.
This, I think, is Felix’s best outing yet!
He is arrested at a racecourse by the police and questioned then released. He stays with his older brother Douglas for several days. He decides to visit his parents in Wales and is arrested again and carried off. He sits in a cell for two days. He loses his job as steward and as actuary.
He is finally released and returns home. A friend of Amelia’s, Nancy, comes by and tells of a conversation they had had the day before Amelia was murdered.
Russell conducts a small investigation and confirms what his wife had learned.
Russell goes to visit his mother-in-law, who has cancer and occasional slips of mind. She is belligerent at first, but then they sit and talk about Amelia calmly until the brother-in-law, Joe, arrives and threatens Russell. He leaves.
He goes grocery shopping and is hit by a transit van at a high rate of speed. He is found the following morning. He spends months in the hospital. By this time, Joe has been arrested for theft, attempted murder and the murder of his sister.
The last third of the novel is focused on the trial.
This, I think, is Felix’s best outing yet!
September 19, 2019
Bill Russell is acting as a volunteer steward at Warwick races when he confronts his worst nightmare – the violent death of his much-loved wife. But worse is to come when he is accused of killing her and hounded mercilessly by the media.
Another page turning engrossing read that I totally devoured. Although Bill is a racecourse steward the story doesn’t revolve around horse racing which I found a change. The story is told in the first person from Bill’s point of view, which made me feel that I was with him on his journey to clear his name. There were twists and turns along the way & some surprises. If you love the author’s books then this is another must read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
Another page turning engrossing read that I totally devoured. Although Bill is a racecourse steward the story doesn’t revolve around horse racing which I found a change. The story is told in the first person from Bill’s point of view, which made me feel that I was with him on his journey to clear his name. There were twists and turns along the way & some surprises. If you love the author’s books then this is another must read
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read
April 5, 2020
I continue to enjoy this mystery writing with the baton being handed off to the son.
The mystery here is much more focused on the legal aspects than the horse racing world but there is still a bit of the horse world. And of course it is set in England. I would call this one harrowing, suspenseful and moral dilemmas plentiful.
The mystery here is much more focused on the legal aspects than the horse racing world but there is still a bit of the horse world. And of course it is set in England. I would call this one harrowing, suspenseful and moral dilemmas plentiful.
January 5, 2021
I truly was disappointed in this book. I have loved all of Dick Francis’ books and thought Felix Francis did a good job of continuing the books after his father died. But this book was so far from what his dad wrote that I wish he’d written it under another name. Horse racing barely figured into this story. And while the mystery of who killed Amelia was good the ending was a huge letdown.
January 2, 2020
Disappointing. I expect horse racing to play a big part in these novels and it was marginal in this. The main character was not engaging and the twist at the end was not effective. However, reading it made a nice change from painting the fence.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 5, 2020
I should have put this book down when I became frustrated by the police continuing to question Bill for killing his wife even though there was no evidence. Because the ending was just as unsatisfactory.
February 26, 2024
I've always liked Dick Francis/Felix Francis novels in a similar way to perhaps an Agatha Christie - a sort of 'holiday book', well written, intriguing, and engaging, but not too serious and demanding.
This book does not fall into that category! In my opinion it is little short of a masterpiece. It has all the attributes mentioned above: well written, intriguing and engaging but much more besides.
The story is narrated by an ex-part time amateur jockey who is now in the insurance industry, who was born into a wealthy family and has a double barrelled surname which he tries not to use, not for any reason other than he has no pretensions. He is a likable, open and honest man throughout.
Tragedy happens when his beloved wife, who it is established, has been suffering from her own demons and depression, is found dead in their house in the morning after which he has been away overnight on Stewarding duties to do with his lingering interest in the horse racing business. Thus the scene is set.
The story evolves through the police investigation and subsequent questioning of all those close to the murdered woman, through the assimilation of evidence and subsequent court case to its conclusion but the book is much more than the sum of its parts - each aspect of the story is engaging and compelling. A real page turner and as close to 'can't put it down' as I have come in a long time. Excellent stuff.
This book does not fall into that category! In my opinion it is little short of a masterpiece. It has all the attributes mentioned above: well written, intriguing and engaging but much more besides.
The story is narrated by an ex-part time amateur jockey who is now in the insurance industry, who was born into a wealthy family and has a double barrelled surname which he tries not to use, not for any reason other than he has no pretensions. He is a likable, open and honest man throughout.
Tragedy happens when his beloved wife, who it is established, has been suffering from her own demons and depression, is found dead in their house in the morning after which he has been away overnight on Stewarding duties to do with his lingering interest in the horse racing business. Thus the scene is set.
The story evolves through the police investigation and subsequent questioning of all those close to the murdered woman, through the assimilation of evidence and subsequent court case to its conclusion but the book is much more than the sum of its parts - each aspect of the story is engaging and compelling. A real page turner and as close to 'can't put it down' as I have come in a long time. Excellent stuff.
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