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To the Hilt
Alexander Kinloch, artist, is content with the pattern of his life. His home is a small bothy on a remote fellside in Scotland; he paints on commission from which he derives both pleasure and a decent income; he lives alone and likes it. However, his peace is violently shattered when he returns home one day to find a bunch of thugs waiting for him. After a scuffle, he is left for dead with only the wind and the words ‘Where is it?’ ringing in his ears. The days that follow contain more risks to his life and limb than he could ever have imagined.
282 pages, Paperback
First published September 24, 1996
354 people are currently reading
2310 people want to read
About the author
Dick Francis
538 books1,255 followersDick Francis, CBE, FRSL (born Richard Stanley Francis) was a popular British horse racing crime writer and retired jockey.
Dick Francis worked on his books with his wife, Mary, before her death. Dick considered his wife to be his co-writer - as he is quoted in the book, "The Dick Francis Companion", released in 2003:
"Mary and I worked as a team. ... I have often said that I would have been happy to have both our names on the cover. Mary's family always called me Richard due to having another Dick in the family. I am Richard, Mary was Mary, and Dick Francis was the two of us together."
Praise for Dick Francis: 'As a jockey, Dick Francis was unbeatable when he got into his stride. The same is true of his crime writing' Daily Mirror '
Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph '
Dick Francis was one of the most successful post-war National Hunt jockeys. The winner of over 350 races, he was champion jockey in 1953/1954 and rode for HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, most famously on Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National.
On his retirement from the saddle, he published his autobiography, The Sport of Queens, before going on to write forty-three bestselling novels, a volume of short stories (Field of 13), and the biography of Lester Piggott.
During his lifetime Dick Francis received many awards, amongst them the prestigious Crime Writers' Association's Cartier Diamond Dagger for his outstanding contribution to the genre, and three 'best novel' Edgar Allan Poe awards from The Mystery Writers of America. In 1996 he was named by them as Grand Master for a lifetime's achievement. In 1998 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 2000. Dick Francis died in February 2010, at the age of eighty-nine, but he remains one of the greatest thriller writers of all time.
Series:
* Sid Halley Mystery
* Kit Fielding Mystery
Dick Francis worked on his books with his wife, Mary, before her death. Dick considered his wife to be his co-writer - as he is quoted in the book, "The Dick Francis Companion", released in 2003:
"Mary and I worked as a team. ... I have often said that I would have been happy to have both our names on the cover. Mary's family always called me Richard due to having another Dick in the family. I am Richard, Mary was Mary, and Dick Francis was the two of us together."
Praise for Dick Francis: 'As a jockey, Dick Francis was unbeatable when he got into his stride. The same is true of his crime writing' Daily Mirror '
Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph '
Dick Francis was one of the most successful post-war National Hunt jockeys. The winner of over 350 races, he was champion jockey in 1953/1954 and rode for HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, most famously on Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National.
On his retirement from the saddle, he published his autobiography, The Sport of Queens, before going on to write forty-three bestselling novels, a volume of short stories (Field of 13), and the biography of Lester Piggott.
During his lifetime Dick Francis received many awards, amongst them the prestigious Crime Writers' Association's Cartier Diamond Dagger for his outstanding contribution to the genre, and three 'best novel' Edgar Allan Poe awards from The Mystery Writers of America. In 1996 he was named by them as Grand Master for a lifetime's achievement. In 1998 he was elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, and was awarded a CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 2000. Dick Francis died in February 2010, at the age of eighty-nine, but he remains one of the greatest thriller writers of all time.
Series:
* Sid Halley Mystery
* Kit Fielding Mystery
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 529 reviews
November 23, 2020
Usually a protagonist in a Dick Francis novel doesn't get badly beaten up and nearly tortured to death until about two-thirds of the way into the book. In this case, though, the lead character, Alexander Kinloch, is savagely beaten and thrown off a mountaintop within the first seven pages!
Kinloch belongs to a prominent family with a long and storied history, but he prefers to live alone on a mountain in Scotland in a run-down house, painting for a living. He's actually pretty good at it and is something of a commercial success. But neither his family nor his wife, from whom he is long separated, can figure the guy out. Returning home from the post office one afternoon, he encounters four rough-looking men who demand to know where "it" is. Kinloch says he has no idea what they are looking for, and apparently the thugs don't know exactly what it is either. And when Kinloch is unable to tell them where "it" is, even though he's been badly beaten, the men throw him off the aforementioned mountain in frustration.
Happily, Kinloch survives, only to learn that his stepfather has suffered a heart attack. He races to his mother's side and discovers that the business owned by his stepfather has been brought to near-ruin by a trusted employee who has embezzled millions of dollars and disappeared. The stepfather begs Kinloch to try to save the business.
There are other characters with axes to grind, including those who are still looking for "it" and who won't be satisfied until they get it. It's a heavy load for Kinloch, who is a typical Dick Francis protagonist, and anyone who has read more than three or four of these novels will recognize him immediately. It's a fairly engrossing tale, but I was bothered by the fact that, in order to get to the climax, Kinloch must do something Incredibly Stupid, simply for the sake of forcing a resolution to the story.
He's asked to do something which is the equivalent of the proverbial nubile virgin who decides to walk down into a darkened basement in a horror movie with only a candle to guide her. Every reader will know that he's being set up and that what he is doing makes no sense at all. But if he doesn't, there will be no setting things straight, and so...
A good read, knocked down from four stars to three because the author made the protagonist act so stupidly at the end.
Kinloch belongs to a prominent family with a long and storied history, but he prefers to live alone on a mountain in Scotland in a run-down house, painting for a living. He's actually pretty good at it and is something of a commercial success. But neither his family nor his wife, from whom he is long separated, can figure the guy out. Returning home from the post office one afternoon, he encounters four rough-looking men who demand to know where "it" is. Kinloch says he has no idea what they are looking for, and apparently the thugs don't know exactly what it is either. And when Kinloch is unable to tell them where "it" is, even though he's been badly beaten, the men throw him off the aforementioned mountain in frustration.
Happily, Kinloch survives, only to learn that his stepfather has suffered a heart attack. He races to his mother's side and discovers that the business owned by his stepfather has been brought to near-ruin by a trusted employee who has embezzled millions of dollars and disappeared. The stepfather begs Kinloch to try to save the business.
There are other characters with axes to grind, including those who are still looking for "it" and who won't be satisfied until they get it. It's a heavy load for Kinloch, who is a typical Dick Francis protagonist, and anyone who has read more than three or four of these novels will recognize him immediately. It's a fairly engrossing tale, but I was bothered by the fact that, in order to get to the climax, Kinloch must do something Incredibly Stupid, simply for the sake of forcing a resolution to the story.
He's asked to do something which is the equivalent of the proverbial nubile virgin who decides to walk down into a darkened basement in a horror movie with only a candle to guide her. Every reader will know that he's being set up and that what he is doing makes no sense at all. But if he doesn't, there will be no setting things straight, and so...
A good read, knocked down from four stars to three because the author made the protagonist act so stupidly at the end.
March 19, 2023
A fine mystery featuring an artist. The portions of the novel dealing with painting are so realistic that I paused my reading to research whether or not Francis ever painted. What I found was that his wife Mary conducted extensive research for Francis' novels, contributing greatly to their realism.
This may not be one of Francis' strongest efforts so far as the mystery is concerned. However the main character, Alexander, is well developed and one of the more likeable of Francis' main characters whom I have encountered.
This may not be one of Francis' strongest efforts so far as the mystery is concerned. However the main character, Alexander, is well developed and one of the more likeable of Francis' main characters whom I have encountered.
August 4, 2012
What is there to say about Dick Francis? As I think about all of his books (yes, this review covers all of his books, and yes I've read them all) I think about a moral ethical hero, steeped in intelligence and goodness embroiled in evil machinations within British horse racing society - either directly or indirectly. The heroes aren't always horse jockies, they can be film producers, or involve heroes engaged in peripheral professions that somehow always touch the horse racing world.
But more than that, Francis's heroes are rational human beings. The choices made are rational choices directed by a firm objective philosophy that belies all of Francis's novels. The dialogue is clear and touched with humor no matter the intensity of evil that the hero faces. The hero's thoughts reveal a vulnerability that is touching, while his actions are always based on doing the right thing to achieve justice.
Causing the reader to deeply care about the characters in a novel is a difficult thing to do. No such worries in a Francis novel. The point of view is first person, you are the main character as you read the story (usually the character of Mr. Douglas). The hero is personable, like able, non-violent but delivering swift justice with his mind rather than through physical means. This is not to say that violence is a stranger to our hero. Some of it staggering and often delivered by what we would think of normal persons living in British society.
You will come to love the world of Steeple Chase racing, you will grow a fondness for horses, stables, trainers and the people who live in that world. You will read the books, devouring one after the other and trust me Dick Francis has a lot of novels (over 40 by my last count).
There are several series woven into the fabric of Francis's work: notably the Sid Halley and Kit Fielding series.
Assessment: Dick Francis is one of my favorite writers. I read his books with a fierce hunger that remains insatiable and I mourn his death.
But more than that, Francis's heroes are rational human beings. The choices made are rational choices directed by a firm objective philosophy that belies all of Francis's novels. The dialogue is clear and touched with humor no matter the intensity of evil that the hero faces. The hero's thoughts reveal a vulnerability that is touching, while his actions are always based on doing the right thing to achieve justice.
Causing the reader to deeply care about the characters in a novel is a difficult thing to do. No such worries in a Francis novel. The point of view is first person, you are the main character as you read the story (usually the character of Mr. Douglas). The hero is personable, like able, non-violent but delivering swift justice with his mind rather than through physical means. This is not to say that violence is a stranger to our hero. Some of it staggering and often delivered by what we would think of normal persons living in British society.
You will come to love the world of Steeple Chase racing, you will grow a fondness for horses, stables, trainers and the people who live in that world. You will read the books, devouring one after the other and trust me Dick Francis has a lot of novels (over 40 by my last count).
There are several series woven into the fabric of Francis's work: notably the Sid Halley and Kit Fielding series.
Assessment: Dick Francis is one of my favorite writers. I read his books with a fierce hunger that remains insatiable and I mourn his death.
April 17, 2018
This was a fun read. I have been meaning to get back to a Dick Francis novel for a while and after reading this am glad I did. It is not a great novel and it did not "wow" me. Not a whole lot of action. It was just an enjoyable story.
Alexander Kinloch, nephew of a Scottish earl, wants to do nothing more than paint and occasionally play the bagpipes in his bothy in the Scottish mountains. He enjoys his solitude. The story opens with Alexander in town to pick up his mail and supplies. Since his bothy has no electricity or phone he uses the opportunity to phone his mother and learns that his step-father has suffered a heart attack. He promises his mother he will come to visit. Upon returning to his bothy he finds four thugs who beat him up all the while demanding to know "where is it" before tossing him over the side of a cliff. Neither Alexander or the reader knows what "it" is that the thugs are looking for.
Bruised and battered Alexander returns home where he learns that his step-father's prosperous brewery has been ripped off to insolvency by the finance director who has absconded with millions of pounds. With his step-father deeply depressed and still recovering from his heart attack Alexander agrees to act as his power of attorney and try to save the brewery. There are wonderful characters in this story ... in addition to Alexander we have his contained mother Vivienne, his dithering step-father Ivan, his uncle the Earl ("Himself"), and Chris Uttley, the chameleon private investigator to name a few.
A Dick Francis novel wouldn't be complete without horse racing and in this outing we have Golden Malt, a thoroughbred owned by Ivan, and in the care of Al's estranged wife Emily, a race trainer. Al needs to hide Golden Malt as well as the King Alfred Gold Cup both of which are owned by Ivan but it is difficult to prove and don't want to get tangled up in court. Al is good at hiding things. He has been keeping the ceremonial hilt owned by his uncle the Earl ("Himself") hidden for years. This is the jewel-encrusted, solid gold handle of the ceremonial sword of Scotland's would-be king, Bonnie Prince Charlie which the Scottish government claims belongs to them.
It is a race to save his step-father's, and thus his mother's, honor. Along the way Alexander will emerge from his life as a recluse, discover the costs of becoming a hero ... and the benefits.
Dick Francis was honored by the Mystery Writers of America as a Grand Master in 1996.
Alexander Kinloch, nephew of a Scottish earl, wants to do nothing more than paint and occasionally play the bagpipes in his bothy in the Scottish mountains. He enjoys his solitude. The story opens with Alexander in town to pick up his mail and supplies. Since his bothy has no electricity or phone he uses the opportunity to phone his mother and learns that his step-father has suffered a heart attack. He promises his mother he will come to visit. Upon returning to his bothy he finds four thugs who beat him up all the while demanding to know "where is it" before tossing him over the side of a cliff. Neither Alexander or the reader knows what "it" is that the thugs are looking for.
Bruised and battered Alexander returns home where he learns that his step-father's prosperous brewery has been ripped off to insolvency by the finance director who has absconded with millions of pounds. With his step-father deeply depressed and still recovering from his heart attack Alexander agrees to act as his power of attorney and try to save the brewery. There are wonderful characters in this story ... in addition to Alexander we have his contained mother Vivienne, his dithering step-father Ivan, his uncle the Earl ("Himself"), and Chris Uttley, the chameleon private investigator to name a few.
A Dick Francis novel wouldn't be complete without horse racing and in this outing we have Golden Malt, a thoroughbred owned by Ivan, and in the care of Al's estranged wife Emily, a race trainer. Al needs to hide Golden Malt as well as the King Alfred Gold Cup both of which are owned by Ivan but it is difficult to prove and don't want to get tangled up in court. Al is good at hiding things. He has been keeping the ceremonial hilt owned by his uncle the Earl ("Himself") hidden for years. This is the jewel-encrusted, solid gold handle of the ceremonial sword of Scotland's would-be king, Bonnie Prince Charlie which the Scottish government claims belongs to them.
It is a race to save his step-father's, and thus his mother's, honor. Along the way Alexander will emerge from his life as a recluse, discover the costs of becoming a hero ... and the benefits.
Dick Francis was honored by the Mystery Writers of America as a Grand Master in 1996.
February 1, 2020
First Read: I always enjoy reading a good Dick Francis novel. They are pretty clean, the language isn't too bad, and not a lot of sex.... Sometimes I even reread the books, because it's like being with a friend you haven't seen in several years. I really enjoy the characters he uses, and also enjoy the series he writes about too.
Second Read: The ""hilt"" of Francis's delightful 35th thriller refers to the jewel-encrusted, solid gold handle of the ceremonial sword of Scotland's would-be king, Bonnie Prince Charlie. A descendant of the Scottish earl to whom the prince gave the hilt, narrator Alexander Kinloch lives in an unelectrified bothy in the Scottish mountains, supporting himself through his paintings. Al's keen visual sense allows him to draw the faces of the four thugs who beat him and tear apart his home in the opening chapter. ""Where is it?"" they demand, establishing the leitmotif of concealed objects that Francis weaves through the plot. Hard on the beating, Al must rush to London to comfort his mother in the aftermath of her husband's heart attack. Al learns that his stepfather's brewery is about to collapse because the finance director has absconded with millions of pounds. In desperation, the business affairs of the brewery are turned over to Al, though he pines for solitude, his easel and the mountains. A Francis novel wouldn't be complete without thoroughbred racing; in fact, Al's estranged wife is a race trainer, and one of the many things Al has to hide is Golden Malt, his stepfather's steeplechaser, slated to run in the King Alfred Gold Cup--unless Al's spiteful stepsister can steal the horse first. The diverse plot threads tie up neatly, but not before Al achieves an understated emotional breakthrough with his wife and with his undemonstrative mother, endures gruesome torture with hardly a murmur and wins his stepsister's trust. Likable characters abound: a PI who's a master of disguise; the earl, ""Himself,"" who trusts Al to hide the ancestral hilt; a solvency practioner whose flowered dresses and soft hair help persuade bankers to give the brewery a second chance. Earlier this year, the Mystery Writers of America honored Francis as a Grand Master; this novel again shows why.
Second Read: The ""hilt"" of Francis's delightful 35th thriller refers to the jewel-encrusted, solid gold handle of the ceremonial sword of Scotland's would-be king, Bonnie Prince Charlie. A descendant of the Scottish earl to whom the prince gave the hilt, narrator Alexander Kinloch lives in an unelectrified bothy in the Scottish mountains, supporting himself through his paintings. Al's keen visual sense allows him to draw the faces of the four thugs who beat him and tear apart his home in the opening chapter. ""Where is it?"" they demand, establishing the leitmotif of concealed objects that Francis weaves through the plot. Hard on the beating, Al must rush to London to comfort his mother in the aftermath of her husband's heart attack. Al learns that his stepfather's brewery is about to collapse because the finance director has absconded with millions of pounds. In desperation, the business affairs of the brewery are turned over to Al, though he pines for solitude, his easel and the mountains. A Francis novel wouldn't be complete without thoroughbred racing; in fact, Al's estranged wife is a race trainer, and one of the many things Al has to hide is Golden Malt, his stepfather's steeplechaser, slated to run in the King Alfred Gold Cup--unless Al's spiteful stepsister can steal the horse first. The diverse plot threads tie up neatly, but not before Al achieves an understated emotional breakthrough with his wife and with his undemonstrative mother, endures gruesome torture with hardly a murmur and wins his stepsister's trust. Likable characters abound: a PI who's a master of disguise; the earl, ""Himself,"" who trusts Al to hide the ancestral hilt; a solvency practioner whose flowered dresses and soft hair help persuade bankers to give the brewery a second chance. Earlier this year, the Mystery Writers of America honored Francis as a Grand Master; this novel again shows why.
October 30, 2023
I have liked each one of Dick Francis's novels that I have read, and this is no different. Though I am not a fan of first person narration, this book is narrated beautifully, as only Dick Francis can do.
The main character, Alexander Kinloch is not a super hero, he cannot beat up a dozen goons single handedly, he is real. That's so endearing. This book is a hide and seek story and how cleverly Al hides the hilt, the chalice, the horse and the list.
The book was a bit different from other DF, as there was very little of horse racing
This is a kind of treasure hunt novel but this is not about some ancient hidden treasure and this is not to save the world. There were some history lessons, details on the process of painting, wire transfer. I loved the character of the private detective Chris(tina) Young and Uttley.!
Though not his best book, I still love Dick Francis and his Heroes to the Hilt.
The main character, Alexander Kinloch is not a super hero, he cannot beat up a dozen goons single handedly, he is real. That's so endearing. This book is a hide and seek story and how cleverly Al hides the hilt, the chalice, the horse and the list.
The book was a bit different from other DF, as there was very little of horse racing
This is a kind of treasure hunt novel but this is not about some ancient hidden treasure and this is not to save the world. There were some history lessons, details on the process of painting, wire transfer. I loved the character of the private detective Chris(tina) Young and Uttley.!
Though not his best book, I still love Dick Francis and his Heroes to the Hilt.
September 6, 2007
Dick Francis is quickly becoming my favorite mystery author, and one of my favorite authors in general! Every time I sit down with one of his books (usually hungering for something engrossing and interesting), I almost always have it finished by the next day, because I can't stop reading. Why would I want to? His stories are fast-paced, his characters charming and likeable without being too generic, and his plots intricately and well-constructed. It's just fun to read his stuff. And I almost always learn from them, which is bizarre. From "Shattered" I learned more than I'd ever known before about glasswork. From "Nerve" I learned an immense amount about steeplechase jockeys and the horse-racing world in general. I don't mean to get this information, it's just part of the story!
This book actually deals less with the world of racing than any of the other Dick Francis mysteries I've read. The hero, Alexander Kinloch, is an artist living alone in the wilds of Scotland on land owned by his Earl uncle (referred to in the book as "Himself"), and the only horses in the book are the ones Al paints and the horse he has to hide for his ailing stepfather, whose company has been plundered from within and is heading towards bankruptcy.
The characters in this story are enjoyable and fleshed out, the dialogue is enjoyable as ever, and it's a jem among an already fantastic trove of stories. There should be a catagory for leisure reading that's still intellectual and engaging. This book would fit in that catagory perfectly.
This book actually deals less with the world of racing than any of the other Dick Francis mysteries I've read. The hero, Alexander Kinloch, is an artist living alone in the wilds of Scotland on land owned by his Earl uncle (referred to in the book as "Himself"), and the only horses in the book are the ones Al paints and the horse he has to hide for his ailing stepfather, whose company has been plundered from within and is heading towards bankruptcy.
The characters in this story are enjoyable and fleshed out, the dialogue is enjoyable as ever, and it's a jem among an already fantastic trove of stories. There should be a catagory for leisure reading that's still intellectual and engaging. This book would fit in that catagory perfectly.
December 24, 2017
"To the Hilt" is, I'll be honest, the last in my opinion of Francis's really, really good novels. After that they were just good.
It's also one of the last of his "artist-hero" books, this time about Alexander Kincaid, nephew to the laird (yes, really) and semi-starving artist, who lives in a bothie in the Highlands and paints golf courses (yes, really). He's the family outcast who is called upon to save the family finances and honor when things go awry.
There are more or less three intertwined plots in this book: the story of Al's fight to save his mother from ruin and disgrace when his stepfather passes away, the story of the hunt for the family heirloom, a sword hilt that had once supposedly belonged to Bonnie Prince Charlie, and the story of Al's painting of a portrait that may or may not turn out all right. It's a testament to Francis's technique that all are equally engrossing, and one worries quite a bit over whether or not Al will be satisfied with the result of his latest painting.
It's also a story of the harsh beauty of wilderness and the perfidy of the humans who sometimes populate it, and the spirit of resistance against said harshness and perfidy. A lyrical novel, as befits its subject matter, that is also a gripping thriller.
It's also one of the last of his "artist-hero" books, this time about Alexander Kincaid, nephew to the laird (yes, really) and semi-starving artist, who lives in a bothie in the Highlands and paints golf courses (yes, really). He's the family outcast who is called upon to save the family finances and honor when things go awry.
There are more or less three intertwined plots in this book: the story of Al's fight to save his mother from ruin and disgrace when his stepfather passes away, the story of the hunt for the family heirloom, a sword hilt that had once supposedly belonged to Bonnie Prince Charlie, and the story of Al's painting of a portrait that may or may not turn out all right. It's a testament to Francis's technique that all are equally engrossing, and one worries quite a bit over whether or not Al will be satisfied with the result of his latest painting.
It's also a story of the harsh beauty of wilderness and the perfidy of the humans who sometimes populate it, and the spirit of resistance against said harshness and perfidy. A lyrical novel, as befits its subject matter, that is also a gripping thriller.
November 5, 2015
The best of Francis’ books that I’ve read, and surprising since the horse racing part of the story is minimal and frankly unnecessary to the rest of the book. Francis does his usual, picking two or three non-racing topics to dive into details on. In this it is painting and international bank transfers. You get some of the typical bad guys, and a protagonist that is just doing his best, one who is smart. These seem to also be part of the Francis formula. He also adds some humorous characters and events for a change, and I found this greatly added to the enjoyment of the book. I kept imagining a young Benny Hill for the private eye. This is also not your typical murder story, but instead involves financial malfeasance in a brewery. Mix liberally with some historic artifacts and a bus of drunken football fans. It works for me.
June 30, 2019
In “To The Hilt,” Dick Francis gives readers a fantastic page-turning intellectual MYSTERY. He provides lyrical verses; uniquely creative, artistic and superlative descriptions of painting techniques; fascinating details of historical relics; lush imagery of dramatically remote Scottish Highland mountains; English riding country; and a thorough appreciation of exquisitely written prose. Immerse yourself and enjoy!
February 16, 2019
Another strong showing from Francis, again with his cool prose and strong characters. This time the lead is an eccentric artist dealing with family troubles, of which embezzlement and murder are only two. A tad more brutal than any of his books I've read before, but that is no complaint. Definitely worth a look for fans of suspense novels in general, and of Francis in particular.
October 21, 2018
Solid, entertaining story but a little too easy to put down.
October 21, 2019
Alexander Kinloch, the nephew of a Scottish earl, is a painter living in a remote cottage on his uncle’s large estate. The story begins with four men attacking Alex, they want to know where “something” is. Stubbornly refusing to talk, he thrown down a ravine and left for dead. Battered and bruised Alex soon discovers that the brutes were after the King Alfred Gold Cup and a large quantity of money linked to Alexander’s stepfather brewery business.
I liked the author’s humor, his writing style and the many characters. Alexander is quintessentially British (tea drinking, extremely polite, rather posh, emotionally stunted, possessor of dry humor and extraordinary stiff upper lip) with an interesting past. I wish this novel belong to a series, as I grew attached to him and also to the many other characters in his large family (from the earl “Himself”, to his lady mother, his ex-wife, step-sister etc.) all drawn so well. The plot of the investigations into the money disappearance is well constructed with a number of suspenseful scenes and a couple of twists.
This book was a gamble that turned into a nice surprise. I had the impression that Dick Francis’s books were mainly about horse racing (the covers of his books seemed to be all horse themed), but, although there is a race at the end, in this novel this event is secondary to the main mystery. You don’t need to be a horse racing enthusiast to enjoy this book.
While reading I also listened to the audio version narrated by Tony Britton which I enjoyed very much and would recommend. I will certainly look for another of Francis’ books.
3.5 stars
I liked the author’s humor, his writing style and the many characters. Alexander is quintessentially British (tea drinking, extremely polite, rather posh, emotionally stunted, possessor of dry humor and extraordinary stiff upper lip) with an interesting past. I wish this novel belong to a series, as I grew attached to him and also to the many other characters in his large family (from the earl “Himself”, to his lady mother, his ex-wife, step-sister etc.) all drawn so well. The plot of the investigations into the money disappearance is well constructed with a number of suspenseful scenes and a couple of twists.
This book was a gamble that turned into a nice surprise. I had the impression that Dick Francis’s books were mainly about horse racing (the covers of his books seemed to be all horse themed), but, although there is a race at the end, in this novel this event is secondary to the main mystery. You don’t need to be a horse racing enthusiast to enjoy this book.
While reading I also listened to the audio version narrated by Tony Britton which I enjoyed very much and would recommend. I will certainly look for another of Francis’ books.
3.5 stars
July 9, 2025
rich people are so stupid
September 13, 2008
TO THE HILT - Ex
Francis, Dick - 35th book
The "hilt" refers to the jewel-encrusted, solid gold handle of the ceremonial sword of Scotland's would-be king, Bonnie Prince Charlie. A descendant of the Scottish earl to whom the prince gave the hilt, narrator Alexander Kinloch lives in an unelectrified bothy in the Scottish mountains, supporting himself through his paintings. Al's keen visual sense allows him to draw the faces of the four thugs who beat him and tear apart his home in the opening chapter. "Where is it?" they demand. Hard on the beating, Al must rush to London to comfort his mother in the aftermath of her husband's heart attack.
Al learns that his stepfather's brewery is about to collapse because the finance director has absconded with millions of pounds. In desperation, the business affairs of the brewery are turned over to Al, though he pines for solitude, his easel and the mountains. A Francis novel wouldn't be complete without thoroughbred racing; in fact, Al's estranged wife is a race trainer, and one of the many things Al has to hide is Golden Malt, his stepfather's steeplechaser, slated to run in the King Alfred Gold Cup?unless Al's spiteful stepsister can steal the horse first.
If I had to pick one Francis book as my favorite, this might be it, probably because I love the setting in Scotland, bagpipes and the idea of family history and tradition. This, and "Decider" are two of his books I re-read frequently.
Francis, Dick - 35th book
The "hilt" refers to the jewel-encrusted, solid gold handle of the ceremonial sword of Scotland's would-be king, Bonnie Prince Charlie. A descendant of the Scottish earl to whom the prince gave the hilt, narrator Alexander Kinloch lives in an unelectrified bothy in the Scottish mountains, supporting himself through his paintings. Al's keen visual sense allows him to draw the faces of the four thugs who beat him and tear apart his home in the opening chapter. "Where is it?" they demand. Hard on the beating, Al must rush to London to comfort his mother in the aftermath of her husband's heart attack.
Al learns that his stepfather's brewery is about to collapse because the finance director has absconded with millions of pounds. In desperation, the business affairs of the brewery are turned over to Al, though he pines for solitude, his easel and the mountains. A Francis novel wouldn't be complete without thoroughbred racing; in fact, Al's estranged wife is a race trainer, and one of the many things Al has to hide is Golden Malt, his stepfather's steeplechaser, slated to run in the King Alfred Gold Cup?unless Al's spiteful stepsister can steal the horse first.
If I had to pick one Francis book as my favorite, this might be it, probably because I love the setting in Scotland, bagpipes and the idea of family history and tradition. This, and "Decider" are two of his books I re-read frequently.
June 1, 2021
Dick Francis writes an atmospheric mystery, with his protagonist, Alexander Kinloch, living in the Scottish Highlands, with his bagpipes and his paints. He left behind his wife, the racing stables he managed, his mother and stepfather, and his jealous, angry stepsister. Instead, he lives in a shack on the side of a mountain, painting scenes of golf courses, as well as horses racing.
He’s called home at his mother’s cool request, to help his equally cool stepfather save his brewery, after stepfather’s accountant absconded with all the brewery’s money. When the accountant turns up dead, Al must battle, not only his antagonistic extended step family, but also the dangerous person behind the brewery’s problems. He is able to use his clever mind, his attention to detail, and his disinterested attitude toward his stepfather’s assets, to see things at a distance, what his stepfather has refused to see.
Typical Francis hero, with typical family issues, solves the crime with typical analytical style. There were a lot of interesting characters helping Al with his investigation. Rollicking fun, aside from the brutal requisite bad guys.
He’s called home at his mother’s cool request, to help his equally cool stepfather save his brewery, after stepfather’s accountant absconded with all the brewery’s money. When the accountant turns up dead, Al must battle, not only his antagonistic extended step family, but also the dangerous person behind the brewery’s problems. He is able to use his clever mind, his attention to detail, and his disinterested attitude toward his stepfather’s assets, to see things at a distance, what his stepfather has refused to see.
Typical Francis hero, with typical family issues, solves the crime with typical analytical style. There were a lot of interesting characters helping Al with his investigation. Rollicking fun, aside from the brutal requisite bad guys.
December 30, 2018
In downsizing my GR-library, one minor rule : limit of five books per author.
Some exceptional authors might get more :. Michael Connelly ... Dick Francis is another.
If going on a road trip in the old days, took along audios ... For Francis, his readers, Simon and Tony, are exceptional, too.
This one gets a "body of work" fifth star.
quote from Dana Stabenow's review
"I've been rereading all the Dick Francis on the shelf in the Homer Public Library. This one is still my favorite, painter Alexander Kinloch, "
Some exceptional authors might get more :. Michael Connelly ... Dick Francis is another.
If going on a road trip in the old days, took along audios ... For Francis, his readers, Simon and Tony, are exceptional, too.
This one gets a "body of work" fifth star.
quote from Dana Stabenow's review
"I've been rereading all the Dick Francis on the shelf in the Homer Public Library. This one is still my favorite, painter Alexander Kinloch, "
June 14, 2021
My first Dick Francis but not the last. Just a fun mystery. Nice guy painter just wants to paint in the middle of nowhere Scotland and be left alone but gets asked by his family to help - hide a treasure, hide a horse, save a business - and so he does.
March 3, 2019
My 32nd Dick Francis book and I really enjoyed it-read in one sitting on a Sunday morning. A reclusive artist gets drawn into a family crisis when his stepfather suffers a heart attack
May 13, 2025
A real staple in the horse-crime genre.
September 6, 2013
Alexander Kinloch wants nothing more than to be able to stay at his mountain retreat in Scotland and paint and earn his living. All of which he is doing until the day he returns from a trip to town for mail and supplies and is greeted by 4 thugs who rough him up considerably while demanding "where is it?" Al tells them nothing and they leave after pitching him over a cliff. While on his trip to town, he'd learned that his stepfather had had a heart attack and his mother was requesting his presence. So, banged up, he went and it was there that he began to learn what it was that the thugs were after. Al convinces his stepfather to name him as power of attorney and he begins to investigate to try to save the family brewery. Unfortunately, there are several people who would prefer that he not be looking into the financial trail...
I think this is one of the best ones I've read. As is typical of Dick Francis, horses play a role but this one isn't in and around the stables the way many of the books are. Here he's trying to preserve some family treasures, one of which happens to be a horse, along with a prominent racing cup and a sword hilt. This holds true to formula in that he has to get banged up a bit before it is all sorted out and the bad guys are led off. Even though it follows a general pattern, the twists and turns are unique. In the end you're left with a feeling of satisfaction about this likeable guy who shows his ingenuity and the extent to which he'd go to help the family.
I think this is one of the best ones I've read. As is typical of Dick Francis, horses play a role but this one isn't in and around the stables the way many of the books are. Here he's trying to preserve some family treasures, one of which happens to be a horse, along with a prominent racing cup and a sword hilt. This holds true to formula in that he has to get banged up a bit before it is all sorted out and the bad guys are led off. Even though it follows a general pattern, the twists and turns are unique. In the end you're left with a feeling of satisfaction about this likeable guy who shows his ingenuity and the extent to which he'd go to help the family.
October 26, 2021
Another enjoyable Dick Francis thriller. This one did make my blood boil when it came to the antagonists. Nobody writes absolutely despicable and hateful characters quite like Dick Francis. It's something of a feature in his books. Regardless, I did hate Alexander's stepsister and her family. They got off way too lightly... :-)
April 11, 2016
Years ago I'd read several books by Dick Francis. They were fun but slight. This book written in 1995 was a surprise--quite substantial with interesting themes. Since I'm going to Scotland next month, I also enjoyed the bits of Scottish history thrown in.
February 25, 2018
Nothing like a Dick Francis classic to get me back into 5-stars.
This is one of my favorites in his collection. A great mix of characters, and the story lines keep you flipping the pages. I enjoyed the complicated batch of relationships in this story.
This is one of my favorites in his collection. A great mix of characters, and the story lines keep you flipping the pages. I enjoyed the complicated batch of relationships in this story.
June 9, 2016
4.5 stars. A near perfect crime story. :)
August 10, 2020
Have been doing a marathon Dick and Mary Francis read (just discovered it was a collaboration). I thought these books were pretty sensitive, always with an extremely upstanding male protagonist, for a guy to have written. I enjoyed them thirty years ago, and again now. I was cleaning out my bookshelves, but not quite ready to toss. The background is always English racing, and the hero usually gets into a painful scrape, never complaining, just taking it, but courageous against stacked odds. He always outwits his opponents, but never shows any ego, modestly understated in his person. He helps the underdog, really appreciates women, and is scrupulous and honorable. Place descriptions are clear, sometimes extending to Australia or nearby England. Often the main character is a detective, sometimes a jockey who has to help with a crime around racing, but you can always count on a readable, cogent, well-thought out story, even if said main character is always similar. I love these stories because, even if each is set differently, you know what you’ll get, and it’s satisfying and entertaining, with a hero you’re sure to like. Especially enjoyable are the motivations behind what people do; now I see both male and female points of view. Just completed: To the Hilt, Come to Grief, Wild Horses, Longshot, Banker, Trial Run, Knockdown, Slay Ride, Enquiry, Odds Against, For Kicks, Field of Thirteen.
April 11, 2022
This was a good one -- art meets racing and golf in Scotland. Fairly tense and containing all the evil of a good mystery: greed, betrayal, revenge, entitlement (one of my favorites... : |), and probably more!
While it is loosely affiliated with horse racing, it is not set firmly in the sport as much as the last book that I read by this author. The horses were featured but definitely in the background. The greed of several malicious characters were definitely in the foreground and there was one particularly interesting character who is quite entertaining.
This one was also a bit more tension-filled and dangerous and definitely a good read.
While it is loosely affiliated with horse racing, it is not set firmly in the sport as much as the last book that I read by this author. The horses were featured but definitely in the background. The greed of several malicious characters were definitely in the foreground and there was one particularly interesting character who is quite entertaining.
This one was also a bit more tension-filled and dangerous and definitely a good read.
August 9, 2025
Didn’t grab me at all. Halfway through, I realized I was struggling to keep going. Didn’t care about the people or the mystery. First book for me from this author. Possible a bad first choice? Might try another.
October 21, 2017
Maybe it's not in my top-ten-Francis, but it was very enjoyable. Very likable characters. Unusual location and interesting art milieu. And, I expect to reread it someday. Good book.
August 27, 2021
Absolutely loved this book! It’s one of my favorite of Dick Francis. Brought me closer to Scotland, thanks to an intriguing character.
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