Smokescreen

by Dick Francis

Edward Lincoln is a worldwide celebrity who plays detectives on the big screen. But when his godmother asks him to investigate her racehorses in South Africa, he's out of his depth. Soon enough, he's plunged into a plot of gold, greed, and gilded lives that forces him to uncover a killer and give a bravura performance he'll never give again....

Genres: Mystery, Fiction, Thriller, Crime, Mystery Thriller, Audiobook, Suspense

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 1972

About the author

Dick 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

Reviews

[James Thane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is a bit unique in that the main character, Edward Lincoln, doesn't fit the usual mold of a Dick Francis protagonist. Almost always these men live alone and within themselves. They are taciturn, but steely and determined. When challenged, they always rise to the occasion. They almost always have a close association with the world of horse racing, and often, they have been in relationships with women that didn't work out. Sometimes a new love interest appears, but it's almost never clear that our hero will at long last find meaningful and lasting love.

In this case, though, Lincoln is a happily married man with three adorable children. He's also a major movie star, usually filling the role of a death-defying action hero. He's on hiatus between films when an elderly friend named Nerissa announces that she is dying. She owns a string of race horses in South Africa that she will be leaving to her nephew, but for some reason, the horses are suddenly falling well short of their potential and are rapidly declining in value. Nerissa asks Lincoln if he would mind popping over to go to South Africa in an effort to discover what the problem might be.

Lincoln's father was a trainer and Lincoln himself had dreams of becoming a jockey before he grew too tall for the profession. He still owns a horse of his own and so knows something about the animals. Given that his friend is dying, he can't refuse the request and so gins up a reason to go to South Africa, allegedly to promote his new film. While there, he will discreetly look into the problem of the underperforming horses.

One he arrives in South Africa, though, Lincoln suddenly seems to become accident-prone and narrowly escapes two potentially fatal mishaps. Could something sinister be at work here? Well, of course it is, and Lincoln can only hope that his experience in making action movies will serve him in good stead when he really needs it. This is also a bit different than most Dick Francis novels in that the majority of the book takes place out of the UK, but it's a solid piece of work and an enjoyable read.

[W · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of my favorite books by Dick Francis.Several of his books are set in different countries,and I have enjoyed the authentic descriptions which he gathered during his travels.

South Africa at that time was very controversial,because of apartheid.But an
invitation to visit the country during the apartheid era provided Francis with the material for this book.

As usual,the horse racing backdrop is there.
He takes the reader inside a gold mine and describes its workings in great detail.Francis also visited the Kruger National Park which becomes the scene for a memorable climax.

For some reason,the Francis characters suffer a great deal of torture and physical hardship in many of his books.Here,too,things get pretty extreme in terms of suffering.

But still,an exciting adventure.

[Mir · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first Dick Francis novel. I had avoided him for many years because he is always described as "that guy who writes about horse-racing." That's misleading. In this case at least* the racing provides the initial plot point and some color, but isn't the focus.

A wealthy old woman, recently diagnosed with a fatal illness, wants to find out why her horses are suddenly performing so poorly -- she wants to resolve this before leaving the horses to her heir. Rather than hiring a detective, she asks a close friend with a background in the stables to investigate. The friend, Edward Lincoln, is a successful actor and reasonably bright guy but knows nothing about solving mysteries, or about South Africa, where he is being sent. However, he is a pleasant protagonist to spend time with.

If you are the sort of reader who likes mysteries for the puzzle, don't start your Francis-reading with this one. It's more of a thriller, with only Lincoln's lack of detective skills keeping him in suspense. Whodunit's so clear that my only doubt was whether Francis was tricking me. I would recommend this more to those interested in psychology and character interactions.


*disclaimer: I've since read The Edge, in which horse information is more pervasive.

[Algernon (Darth Anyan) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't really read Dick Francis for his cleverly build mysteries: the plot and the identity of the villain is usually given away very early in the narrative. I'm also not really looking for originality. Almost all of his main characters are variations of one archetype: the tall, quiet professional with an iron will and a hidden weakness. His villains are similarly predictable: egomaniac bullies with a penchant for torture.

So why is he my comfort writer for relaxing and having a good time (with or without a Suntory single malt)? Why do I keep coming back to read about his racecourse centered world? I guess because he's a natural born storyteller, with a keen eye for sketching characters and describing emotions. He is also rather safe, with a clear line between good and evil and a romantic, positive mindset, where you know the good guy will come through somehow and get the girl as a bonus.

Dick Francis also has a vibrant curiosity about the world around us, his books are always informative and rich in trivia, showing off the indepth research on the chosen subject. In the case of Smokescreen the trivia relates to South African gold mining, wildlife parks, movie making and surviving in the desert. The author dances around the subject of apartheid, avoiding the politically charged issue, and showing a recurring infatuation with the higher echelons of Anglo Saxon society.

So: a good addition to the collection of Dick Francis fans, maybe will have less of an appeal with readers unfamiliar with his work.

[Kwoomac · Rating 4 out of 5]

To me reading Dick Francis is like eating comfort food. It's nothing fancy, but I know I'm going to love the experience. Francis' protagonists are "everyman" thrown into unusual circumstances, who always find a way to win. This one was no different. Our hero, Edward Lincoln, sees himself as a regular guy who happens to make a living as a action movie actor. He is content with his low key homelife with his wife and kids in the country.

The story takes us to South Africa where Edward has agreed to check out why a friend's horses are not performing as well as they should. Edward grew up in the stables where his father was a head lad, I believe. His dreams of becoming a jockey were dashed when he grew to 6 feet. Once in South Africa, Edward has a couple of near misses and is wondering if someone is trying to kill him as a result of his poking around in the stables.

The climax had me sweating it out right alongside Edward. How's he going to get out of this one? I loved his use of survival skills and his matter-of-fact acceptance of who the attempted murderer is and how Edward is going to catch him.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice comfortable (and not overly horsified) mystery novel.

[Contrarius · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a terrific entry in the Dick Francis series. Unlike many of Francis' heroes, Edward Lincoln has few internal conflicts. He is successful, world famous, and happily married, with only a handicapped but beloved child to cloud his horizons. Nonetheless, the trial he lives through at the book's climax will make you happy you're not him!

Parts of the book seem to dawdle too much over irrelevant "color" -- descriptions of a gold mine, press interviews, discussion of apartheid, and so on. But it's easy to forgive any padding once the real suffering gets under way. This is a Francis novel, so you know the hero has to suffer -- and he certainly does, with the help of that trademark spare and affecting Francis prose.

I especially liked this book because I spent several weeks once in the locales that take up a large part of the book, and it was fun to revisit them through Francis' eye. But whether you've been there or not, this volume should rank high on your list of must-read Dick Francis books.

[Connie N. · Rating 5 out of 5]

As always, Francis captured my attention from the very first page. This book is a little different for two reasons. First, our hero Link is a famous actor, although he has a background in horse racing since he father was a head lad for many years. And secondly, Link is asked by a friend to investigate why the horses she inherited from her sister and now racing in South Africa are all doing poorly. But what's the same as all the other books (and what makes me keep coming back to them) is that the main character is basically the strong and silent type. He is clever, quiet (despite the fact that he's a box-office draw), resourceful, knowledgeable, and inquiring. He's just a basically a good guy, someone you'd want to get to know better. There's a lot of interesting info about South African gold mining as well as some about acting and promoting movies. I read this quickly and easily and was left wanting more. (Luckily there are a lot more Francis books to choose from.)

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was published in 1972, and some elements/attitudes are dated. It also tickled me that the characters have to schedule international calls and live without cell phones. But despite some dated attitudes, the characters studies are superb. As in the best Dick Francis books, we come to understand a character and empathize with him, and then that character is pushed to the limits. I think I read this once when I was very young, but aside from the movie star MC, I remembered nothing of the plot, which made this a very satisfying re-read.

[David Highton · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Dick Francis book set in South Africa, written in 1972. Like many of his books, sets off at a sprint and does not draw breath until the end. Great stuff.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fine, not his best

[Steph · Rating 3 out of 5]

An enjoyable, and quick read, full of violence and suspense.

This had his usual intelligent, modest, tenacious, athletic well-mannered hero, this time a successful actor rather than a jockey. Like all of his mysteries, horse racing is involved, though here there is more action in a gold mine and the South African veldt than at the racetrack. It's interesting that in this book, unlike most of the other books by Dick Francis I've read, he's happily married, with children.

The part where he was trapped in a car, in the blazing hot sun, for days... and some of the lines from that novel stayed with me for days....

If you are the sort of reader who likes mysteries for the puzzle, don't start your Francis-reading with this one. It's more of a thriller, with only Lincoln's lack of detective skills keeping him in suspense. Whodunit's so clear that my only doubt was whether Francis was tricking me. I would recommend this more to those interested in psychology and character interactions.

*I read my local library's only copy of this novel, which was seriously printed in 1972. Needless to say, it was in pretty bad shape. But by the middle of the novel, all the dirty, smudged pages were forgotten, and I was hooked into yet another good, solid novel.
—————————————————————————

Ralph Cosham is the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel.

[Alexis Neal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dick Francis delivers again. This time, the setting is exotic South Africa, and the lead is a likable, down-to-earth action film star. The usual Francis tropes make their appearances . . . most notably the protracted battle between man and nature. And of course, there is the male lead with an unusual ability to interpret data to reach reliable conclusions (though I suppose every good mystery needs someone with such an ability). As usual, Francis mixes the familiar (the racing industry) with the unfamiliar (here, the gold mining industry). Definitely a fun book. (Incidentally, if you like Francis' take on the film industry, I recommend Wild Horses (the lead is a film director), and if you liked Wild Horses, Smokescreen might be right up your alley.)

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read Dick Francis for light, pleasant, put-me-to-sleep diversion. This had his usual intelligent, modest, tenacious, athletic well-mannered hero, this time a successful actor rather than a jockey. Like all of his mysteries, horse racing is involved, though here there is more action in a gold mine and the South African veldt than at the racetrack. There is a rather strange scene that involves a discussion justifying apartheid (the book was published in 1972), the only time I can remember anything even vaguely political in a Dick Francis mystery.

[Rita Chapman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel is a change from Dick Francis' usual style because the main character is an actor! Interesting read.

[Marge · Rating 5 out of 5]

A movie star is asked by his godmother to check on her string of horses in South Africa and soon finds himself the target of a murderer.

[Fred Svoboda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dunno. Our hero gets put into a situation where he should die--and doesn't.

This is not the only Dick Francis novel that pushes such things a bit beyond reality. His ordinary guy hero who actually is extraordinary can be interesting, but sometimes credibility gets lost in the process.

The beginning and ending of the novel scenes where he survives this situation are gripping but still seem a little cartoony to me, particularly when measured against the ordinary nature of much of what happens elsewhere. (The beginning sequences are ones that almost certainly would have been shot on a sound stage, by the way, not in an actual setting that placed the movie star in real peril.)

The hero seems a little obtuse. Someone knocks him out in a gold mine, and he thinks that maybe he hit his head on a low hanging roof? I don't think so. Movie director manipulates him into two extra weeks of dangerous shooting? A real star likely would just walk, particularly given that the director was a known abuser of actors with whom the star previously had refused to work.

Francis's writing helps carry one through this stuff, but barely.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learn something (or many things) from every Dick Francis book. This one shows plenty of good research having gone into it about South African gold mining, Apartheid, horse racing, Kruger Park, filmography, starvation and dehydration, and various other subjects of which I knew nothing. Of course it is dated. You find yourself saying to yourself, take a picture with your cell phone, or make a call, LOL! But if today’s standards were employed, the research alone shows why his books remain very popular (even though formulaic), because throughout his career this has been a key feature.

All of Francis’ heroes make the reader wish that, “I should find a guy like that”, or “I want to be that guy!” They’re the rare real men who are not wooed from their wives and girlfriends by sex appeal, or criminal interests, who agree to help friends and a damsel in distress when needed (even the old ladies), and who don’t always follow the rules when the authorities are too slow and inefficient (or corrupt). They are capable, clever, educated, experienced, talented, moral, and unafraid.

Another thing I really like about this book are the first person, in depth observations and thoughts of our hero. Not just about the scenery, or the food, but the racial differences and attitudes of old South Africa, like the way people backed away, or didn’t touch, or were separate. The behavior of all of the characters towards other characters, those of different classes, the reporters, the employees everywhere… all become real, either as sympathetic, or proud, or courageous, or devious, or dedicated… Link wants to tip, or thank, or express gratitude where it is not culturally correct, but he finds a way. Although he holds his tongue where his comments would be recorded in a bad light and has to be careful about publicity, you know that if he had the power to change things, where he would start and what needs to be done. He’s not in a position as an Englishman, or a film star under contract and traveling in a foreign country, or as a father and husband, to make public comments… but you hear them anyway.

[Olga · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favourite book written by Dick Francis. I have read it four times.

[Jacqueline Biegen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Francis at his best

Francis always gives great value. His in-depth insights into the characters are a!ways fascinating. I enjoy learning about different skil!s with each book.

[Craig · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened.

[Mary Z · Rating 3 out of 5]

not one of the better books by Dick Francis.... the main problem was you knew who the killer way too early...

[SB · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5✨

[Joann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Classic Dick Francis

I think it was more 3 and a half stars. I did not like it near as much as In The Frame but it was very interesting. It was a bit slow at times.

[Bethel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love these old Dick Francis

[judymellinnetzero.net · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only Dick Francis book that has ever disappointed me

I know all of his books are very dated but I' ve always felt that his writing was still worth reading. This one, though, was so out of realm of possibility that I didn't finish it. I'll go back to Felix who is a worthy successor to his dad.

[Jared Castiglione · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here’s a book written a long time ago about topics that resonate as loud now as they did then. The settings along the journey, with all there splendor and description add to the novel showing its age. Written in 1972, Smokescreen follows the adventures of a British actor (movie star?) from filming his latest which was shot on location in Spain, to solving a series of small mysteries in South Africa. Very little of his time is spent at home in England. Still in the brief pages of his life there, we are treated to seeing how real this actor is off camera. And just as quickly as he arrived, he’s off again.

Arriving in South Africa to coincide with the premier of his new movie, Ed Lincoln, Aka Link, assumes a role of private investigator without fanfare or any sort of acting. He knows there’s something to find and well, that’s enough to find it.

The world is old fashioned, and it gives a certain charm to the entirety of it. Range Rovers driving in Africa, cars being hired not rented, and those cars had models like saloon or special. Telephone calls across the continents take hours to place before they go through, and the movie paraphernalia, including actual film, speaks to the golden age of the medium.

And then there’s the other parts of the novel that are timeless. There’s still conglomerates trying to make money, a relentless press who would do anything for a story, a paparazzi of sorts, and above all, greed. Timeless are these themes and the acts of the people who live by them. The technology around it all has changed, making everything happen faster and faster, but other than the speed, the everything has stayed the same fifty years later. There’s no reason to think it’ll change one hundred and fifty years later either.

But the strongest of the themes is a tightly written scene about two thirds through; a defining moment for our main character. The conversation turns to equality and diversity and the struggle between races within South Africa. These passages show a struggle that is very much still ongoing to this day. In the book the phrase used was “black is beautiful,” and it was a everything then that “black lives matter” is today.

The book may be an obscure. The author might be too, but nonetheless, I recommend it. It’s written honestly from the main character’s point of view, seeing the world that he’s living in, describing both his and our worlds alike.

[Harry · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[E.P. · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Smokescreen" takes Dick Francis a little further afield than he had traveled before--to South Africa, to be exact. It's the early 1970s, and action heartthrob Edward Lincoln has agreed to look into some oddities in the running of the South African horses that belong to his beloved elderly relative. Only he stumbles onto a literal goldmine of a conspiracy...

This was back in the bad old days of apartheid and may, like a couple of Francis's other works from the 60s and 70s--most of them are surprisingly timeless--seem markedly vintage or even dated. Contemporary readers may be taken aback by the casual sexism and widespread racial segregation that pretty much everyone took for granted back then. Contemporary readers may also need a good stiff reminder that those things are not that far back in the past and in fact are still present in slightly modified form today. Francis, as usual, walks a fine line between his genuine appreciation for all sorts of people, and his distaste for -isms and the intensely political--maybe because fervent ideological belief is a little too close to the intensity at the heart of all his characters for comfort.

Edward Lincoln is the first example of a character type who will be repeated in several of Francis's works, and who provides a fascinating insight into Francis's own creative process. He's an artist who produces popular entertainment but finds himself creating something with real emotional depth, something into which he pours his whole soul, somewhat against his will, and is disturbed by the result. In the end he decides to go back to producing light fare for undemanding audiences, but he can't undo what he's already done.

"Smokescreen," like much of Francis's work from the 70s, is short, almost slight, with an emphasis on glitzy fun jet-setting and escapism, but like its subject matter, it can't get away from the fact that it touches on more important things.

[Meg · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another winner. Edward Lincoln is an actor who plays detectives in movies. His godmother asks him to use his skills to investigate a real life mystery. The horses that she has in South Africa have suddenly started running poorly after beings winners. She is concerned that they won't be worth much and she plans to leave them to her nephew in California in her will, which is of extreme importance because she is dying of cancer. Lincoln agrees to investigate and goes to South Africa under the guise of appearing for one of his movie premieres. At a press event for the movie, he escapes injury when a microphone that he had just been holding electrocutes a reporter. Luckily no one was badly hurt but he wonders if the shock was meant for him. When he goes to see the horses, he can only determine that the trainer is running them too hard in practice so that they tire at races, but he cannot figure out why. While in town, he is invited to dinner with his godmother's former brother-in-law. He owns a gold mine and Lincoln's godmother owns half which she inherited when her sister died. Lincoln eventually figures out that the nephew, who knows that he is going to inherit soon, is purposely slowing the horses down to decrease their value and thereby lessen the estate taxes that he will have to pay. Once he finds out that Lincoln is inheriting the gold mine shares, he plots to kill him so that they will go to the nephew instead. He tries to kill Lincoln by using a plotline in his newest movie where Lincoln gets stuck in a car in the desert. Luckily Lincoln's director finds him first and they lay a trap for the nephew. These Francis books are very easy, enjoyable reading.