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Straight
A jockey becomes the sole inheritor of his late brother's business, horse, mistress, and enemies.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1989
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1009 people want to read
About the author
Dick Francis
535 books1,249 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 323 reviews
December 28, 2020
Horses, gemstones, thieves, murderers and more
I've never read a bad Dick Francis novel. Of course some are better than others and this is one of the better ones. Or perhaps it is just very much to my taste as I too love gemstones and have been a sort of a jeweler. Francis has a knack for writing sympathetic characters but occasionally presents a protagonist who does a fair amount of bumbling around. In this novel, I found the 'out of his element jockey' most competent and appealing. Not competent enough to strain credulity but a good quick study. I think any Dick Francis fan would like this one.
I've never read a bad Dick Francis novel. Of course some are better than others and this is one of the better ones. Or perhaps it is just very much to my taste as I too love gemstones and have been a sort of a jeweler. Francis has a knack for writing sympathetic characters but occasionally presents a protagonist who does a fair amount of bumbling around. In this novel, I found the 'out of his element jockey' most competent and appealing. Not competent enough to strain credulity but a good quick study. I think any Dick Francis fan would like this one.
November 7, 2017
Dick Francis is one of only a few male mystery writers I really love. I don’t know why there aren’t more, but I can give you several reasons why Francis is terrific. First, his mystery/thrillers are carefully plotted and always baffling. Second, the pacing is usually spot-on, with calmer scenes interspersed with scenes of tension in just the right proportions. Third, his protagonists are all decent men trying to do their best; they have an inner strength that comes out when they’re tested, and they don’t back down in the face of evil. They’re practical, cool under fire, rational and reasonable (though enormously stubborn.) They’re not unemotional, but they don’t put their feelings out there for everyone to see, either; we experience their feelings because we’re inside the protagonists’ heads due to Francis’s use of first person narration. And finally, Francis’s protagonists, and apparently Francis himself, think of women as human beings, and treat them with respect–something that can’t be said about some other male mystery writers. (Francis seems to have had the same respect for his wife, who was in many ways his collaborator on most of his books, doing much of the hands-on research.)
The author also knows how to grab you from the start. Straight's opening lines pull you in even while they tell you exactly what to expect:
From there, the narrator plunges immediately into the story: his brother’s accident and death, the discovery that he is Greville’s executor and responsible for his gemstone importing and wholesale business, the dawning realization that something is seriously wrong, and his determination to solve not only the puzzles his brother left behind but the mystery linked to them.
Another thing I appreciate about Francis is that his secondary characters are three-dimensional. Even if they don’t get much page time, they seem as real as the protagonist, if less well known and understood. Which is as it should be, since all of Francis’s novels are written in first person. In Straight, several characters come vividly to life: June, one of Greville’s employees; Clarissa, the woman he loved; Prospero Jenks, a brilliant jewelry designer and artist. Even the late-middle-aged Ostermyers, owners of a horse they want Derek to ride, are believable and real. Francis excels at creating not just a character but a whole personality in a few perceptive sentences. He’s equally good with settings, although he keeps description to a minimum wherever it is unnecessary, and deftly conjures the necessary details almost without you noticing, enhancing rather than slowing the flow of the narrative.
I’ve read Straight at least four or five times over the last 28 years*, and it remains just as good each time, even though I already know exactly whodunnit and why. And despite being slightly dated in the details (many of Greville’s gadgets would today be contained in a smartphone, for instance), the mystery and its protagonist hold up remarkably well. My one sadness is that there won’t be any more of them; Dick Francis died in 2010, and while his son Felix has continued writing novels in a similar vein, it’s never quite the same when another author takes over.
Most of Dick Francis’s mysteries are stand-alones, but there is a four-volume series featuring former jockey-turned-investigator Sid Halley, and a two-book series starring jockey Kit Fielding. All of his books have some connection with the horse-racing world, or at least with horses, though not all his protagonists are jockeys. If you love mysteries and you haven’t read Dick Francis, I highly recommend you make his acquaintance.
* I tend to do a lot of rereading, a result of a childhood as a fast reader with limited library access. To this day, I enjoy returning to favorite books.
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
The author also knows how to grab you from the start. Straight's opening lines pull you in even while they tell you exactly what to expect:
I inherited my brother’s life. Inherited his desk, his business, his gadgets, his enemies, his horses and his mistress. I inherited my brother’s life, and it nearly killed me.
From there, the narrator plunges immediately into the story: his brother’s accident and death, the discovery that he is Greville’s executor and responsible for his gemstone importing and wholesale business, the dawning realization that something is seriously wrong, and his determination to solve not only the puzzles his brother left behind but the mystery linked to them.
Another thing I appreciate about Francis is that his secondary characters are three-dimensional. Even if they don’t get much page time, they seem as real as the protagonist, if less well known and understood. Which is as it should be, since all of Francis’s novels are written in first person. In Straight, several characters come vividly to life: June, one of Greville’s employees; Clarissa, the woman he loved; Prospero Jenks, a brilliant jewelry designer and artist. Even the late-middle-aged Ostermyers, owners of a horse they want Derek to ride, are believable and real. Francis excels at creating not just a character but a whole personality in a few perceptive sentences. He’s equally good with settings, although he keeps description to a minimum wherever it is unnecessary, and deftly conjures the necessary details almost without you noticing, enhancing rather than slowing the flow of the narrative.
I’ve read Straight at least four or five times over the last 28 years*, and it remains just as good each time, even though I already know exactly whodunnit and why. And despite being slightly dated in the details (many of Greville’s gadgets would today be contained in a smartphone, for instance), the mystery and its protagonist hold up remarkably well. My one sadness is that there won’t be any more of them; Dick Francis died in 2010, and while his son Felix has continued writing novels in a similar vein, it’s never quite the same when another author takes over.
Most of Dick Francis’s mysteries are stand-alones, but there is a four-volume series featuring former jockey-turned-investigator Sid Halley, and a two-book series starring jockey Kit Fielding. All of his books have some connection with the horse-racing world, or at least with horses, though not all his protagonists are jockeys. If you love mysteries and you haven’t read Dick Francis, I highly recommend you make his acquaintance.
* I tend to do a lot of rereading, a result of a childhood as a fast reader with limited library access. To this day, I enjoy returning to favorite books.
Review originally published at The Bookwyrm's Hoard.
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.
December 24, 2020
Most, if not all, of Dick Francis's novels have a formula. The protagonist is an intelligent, decent, nice and moral guy with a connection to horse racing. Usually the protagonist finds himself in a world that has nothing to do with horse racing. In this story the protagonist is Derek Franklin, a steeplechase jockey, who is recovering from a broken ankle. The non-horse racing world he finds himself in is the world of gemstones. The story opens when he gets a call informing him that his brother, Greville, has been in an accident and is in the ICU at a hospital in Ipswich. He is not expected to survive.
Greville owned a business dealing in gemstones and which Derek inherits. Along with his house, his gadgets, and his enemies. In addition to Greville's love of gadgets he was also very secretive. Although Greville's employees inform Derek that he never dealt with diamonds it seems that recently Greville did in fact make a recent large purchase. The diamonds are missing and someone is looking for them and they don't care who gets hurt in the hunt.
There are several interesting supporting characters in the story … Brad who is Derek's driver / bodyguard; June, one of Greville’s employees; and Clarissa, Greville's mistress to name a few. Derek knows nothing about gemstones but is forced to learn quickly. He is not a geek but has to sort through and figure out all of Greville’s different gadgets. And he has to find the missing diamonds.
A very enjoyable read. Like all of Dick Francis's novels … good clean fun.
Greville owned a business dealing in gemstones and which Derek inherits. Along with his house, his gadgets, and his enemies. In addition to Greville's love of gadgets he was also very secretive. Although Greville's employees inform Derek that he never dealt with diamonds it seems that recently Greville did in fact make a recent large purchase. The diamonds are missing and someone is looking for them and they don't care who gets hurt in the hunt.
There are several interesting supporting characters in the story … Brad who is Derek's driver / bodyguard; June, one of Greville’s employees; and Clarissa, Greville's mistress to name a few. Derek knows nothing about gemstones but is forced to learn quickly. He is not a geek but has to sort through and figure out all of Greville’s different gadgets. And he has to find the missing diamonds.
A very enjoyable read. Like all of Dick Francis's novels … good clean fun.
December 15, 2017
"Straight" has always been one of my favorite Francis stories, and I'm not sure why. The main topic--gemstones--holds absolutely zero interest for me, and neither do the clever gadgets that the main character has to figure out.
But maybe that's why it's interesting. The chances of me ever wearing lots of gems, or getting involved in the industry in any way, are remote to say the least, which is part of the fascination: Derek also has zero interest in gems to begin with, but, forced to run his brother's business after his brother's untimely death, he learns an appreciation for them, something Francis describes in almost sensuous terms.
In fact, the whole novel is strangely sensuous, from the slippery, shimmering gems that Derek finds himself handling daily, to the erotic encounters he has with his brother's mistress, to the final life-and-death struggle in which Derek's many-times-broken ankle collapses under his weight at just the wrong moment, despite all his intensions to run on it and all the adrenaline coursing through his system, numbing the pain. Francis at his best moments had an eye, ear, and nose for physical detail that rendered his writing incredibly alive.
Balanced against the sensuality that courses through "Straight," bursting out even from the title--which refers to many things, including the main character's sexuality--is the flip side of physical pleasure: the destruction, psychological and physical, that the characters experience. Rather than one explosive encounter, it's a slow process: Derek's brother slowly slips away as his life support is turned off one machine at a time, key relationships slowly erode, and Derek's ankle is damaged over and over again, until it's rendered mechanically useless. And then the two sides come together in a sudden epiphany, solving the final mystery of the book.
Francis doesn't delve so much into social issues in "Straight" the way he does in some of his other books, and it doesn't have quite the same soul-searching as books like "Come to Grief" and "To the Hilt" do, but, as befits a books about gems, it may be one of his most elegantly constructed and written books, the plot beautifully balanced, the language lapidary and clear. A pleasure to read, whatever your inclinations are.
But maybe that's why it's interesting. The chances of me ever wearing lots of gems, or getting involved in the industry in any way, are remote to say the least, which is part of the fascination: Derek also has zero interest in gems to begin with, but, forced to run his brother's business after his brother's untimely death, he learns an appreciation for them, something Francis describes in almost sensuous terms.
In fact, the whole novel is strangely sensuous, from the slippery, shimmering gems that Derek finds himself handling daily, to the erotic encounters he has with his brother's mistress, to the final life-and-death struggle in which Derek's many-times-broken ankle collapses under his weight at just the wrong moment, despite all his intensions to run on it and all the adrenaline coursing through his system, numbing the pain. Francis at his best moments had an eye, ear, and nose for physical detail that rendered his writing incredibly alive.
Balanced against the sensuality that courses through "Straight," bursting out even from the title--which refers to many things, including the main character's sexuality--is the flip side of physical pleasure: the destruction, psychological and physical, that the characters experience. Rather than one explosive encounter, it's a slow process: Derek's brother slowly slips away as his life support is turned off one machine at a time, key relationships slowly erode, and Derek's ankle is damaged over and over again, until it's rendered mechanically useless. And then the two sides come together in a sudden epiphany, solving the final mystery of the book.
Francis doesn't delve so much into social issues in "Straight" the way he does in some of his other books, and it doesn't have quite the same soul-searching as books like "Come to Grief" and "To the Hilt" do, but, as befits a books about gems, it may be one of his most elegantly constructed and written books, the plot beautifully balanced, the language lapidary and clear. A pleasure to read, whatever your inclinations are.
January 29, 2025
This was my first Dick Francis book and I really enjoyed it. It’s rare a read stand-alones anymore.
There are a bunch of red herrings and when you think the story is going to go one way it went another. I really liked the characters and Derek especially. I’m sad he lost his brother and all the things he learned about him postmortem just added to the sadness.
This ended with a very interesting conundrum.
There are a bunch of red herrings and when you think the story is going to go one way it went another. I really liked the characters and Derek especially. I’m sad he lost his brother and all the things he learned about him postmortem just added to the sadness.
This ended with a very interesting conundrum.
May 19, 2017
This is a classic Dick Francis novel that incorporates horse-racing into a broader story, in this case about gemstone sales. There is a likeable and successful main character, Derek Franklin, who has to use his natural intellect in order to figure out who is trying to kill him. The story moves along a fast clip and keeps the reader interested throughout. There is suspense that keeps you guessing about what is actually going on under the surface.
February 8, 2016
One of the better Dick Francis novels I have read. A little less horseracing and a little more 'James Bondish' crime fiction in this one. The characters were interesting and I enjoyed the gadgets, the intrigue, the suspense and the conclusion.
November 20, 2022
9 Sept 2016
29 Jun 1990
19 Sep 1991
1 Jan 1998
21 Jul 1998
A bit much on the drug-dealers-are-evil riff, but I love the gemstones.
29 Jun 1990
19 Sep 1991
1 Jan 1998
21 Jul 1998
A bit much on the drug-dealers-are-evil riff, but I love the gemstones.
April 16, 2023
This book was first published in 1989. Since then I must have read it many times over the years, but I never cease to enjoy it. I finished it again today, and the plot, narrative, characters - everything about it resulted in a profound and superb novel.
Dick Francis at his very best had a talent for setting a thrilling story in the right environment and for creating delightful characters. This particular novel rises above the others because of the way in which it tackles loss, grief and life changes, yet is in no way a depressing or sad read. Yes, there is sadness, even pain, but the author does not dwell on it - his main character just gets on with life, and the message is that perhaps we all should do the same because life can be cut short at any time.
Maybe I saw a different message in this book having read it again now that I am growing old, but I'll never decide this is the final read, because there will always be something in there on which to reflect.
Dick Francis at his very best had a talent for setting a thrilling story in the right environment and for creating delightful characters. This particular novel rises above the others because of the way in which it tackles loss, grief and life changes, yet is in no way a depressing or sad read. Yes, there is sadness, even pain, but the author does not dwell on it - his main character just gets on with life, and the message is that perhaps we all should do the same because life can be cut short at any time.
Maybe I saw a different message in this book having read it again now that I am growing old, but I'll never decide this is the final read, because there will always be something in there on which to reflect.
October 13, 2023
Champion steeplechase jockey Derek Franklin is nursing a broken ankle caused by a fall and an encounter with a horse's hoof when he receives a call that his much older brother Greville was in hospital after some scaffolding fell on him in Ipswich.
Derek and Greville had reconnected only a few years earlier. The nineteen year age gap was difficult for them to overcome until Derek became an adult himself. Recently, though, they had been meeting for occasional dinners and exchanging occasional phone calls. Derek rushes to Ipswich to be present when Greville passes away. Then he has to try to settle the affairs of a man who was known for keeping secrets.
Greville was a gem merchant with his own firm. Derek has inherited it and all of his other property including his two race horses. When he learns that his brother had purchased a number of diamonds for a famed jeweler, all of the employees at the firm are surprised. The firm didn't deal in diamonds. Worse yet, the diamonds are missing and the loan payment for them is coming due.
The racehorses are also a problem. They are kept with noted trainer Nicholas Loder. But Derek as a jockey can't own racehorses. Derek gets bad vibes from Loder when he phones him to discuss the horses. Loder is angry and also frightened.
This gives Derek two different mysteries to solve and someone doesn't want him to solve either of them. Besides an attack when he is leaving the hospital after his brother's death, he also has to deal with break-ins at the business and at Greville's home. Then there is the car accident when the man chauffeuring Derek and a couple of horse owners from a race. The driver is killed and it as a near thing for Derek who is trapped in the car.
The story was fast-paced and entertaining. Derek was a wonderful character who is bright and observant and out of his depth trying to run his brother's business. Like many of Dick Francis's characters, he is an honorable and bright man dropped into a difficult situation.
Derek and Greville had reconnected only a few years earlier. The nineteen year age gap was difficult for them to overcome until Derek became an adult himself. Recently, though, they had been meeting for occasional dinners and exchanging occasional phone calls. Derek rushes to Ipswich to be present when Greville passes away. Then he has to try to settle the affairs of a man who was known for keeping secrets.
Greville was a gem merchant with his own firm. Derek has inherited it and all of his other property including his two race horses. When he learns that his brother had purchased a number of diamonds for a famed jeweler, all of the employees at the firm are surprised. The firm didn't deal in diamonds. Worse yet, the diamonds are missing and the loan payment for them is coming due.
The racehorses are also a problem. They are kept with noted trainer Nicholas Loder. But Derek as a jockey can't own racehorses. Derek gets bad vibes from Loder when he phones him to discuss the horses. Loder is angry and also frightened.
This gives Derek two different mysteries to solve and someone doesn't want him to solve either of them. Besides an attack when he is leaving the hospital after his brother's death, he also has to deal with break-ins at the business and at Greville's home. Then there is the car accident when the man chauffeuring Derek and a couple of horse owners from a race. The driver is killed and it as a near thing for Derek who is trapped in the car.
The story was fast-paced and entertaining. Derek was a wonderful character who is bright and observant and out of his depth trying to run his brother's business. Like many of Dick Francis's characters, he is an honorable and bright man dropped into a difficult situation.
December 30, 2018
a classic Francis novel, a slightly vulnerable hero, picking up the mess from his elder brother's death, facing some hidden enemies as he tries to protect the gem wholesaler company and the employees. As usual the story is well paced and flows right up the tumultuous ending. Great stuff.
November 27, 2025
heterosexual horse homies 💞
June 12, 2017
Another clever mystery/suspense novel from Francis, but one of the weaker I’ve read. The mystery itself is solid, and the scavenger hunt aspect inspired, but the characters here are a bit weaker. The most interesting character dies in the first twenty pages, but to be fair, becomes more interesting from there. All in all, of interest to fans, but not a good place to start.
September 15, 2022
Derek Franklin is a steeplechase jockey and now the new owner of a gem business that he recently inherited from his brother who passed away after a tragic scaffolding accident. Derek has been forced to take time off from jockeying since he broke his ankle and so he is no match for the mugger who steals his brother's personal items as Derek is leaving the hospital. And once the gem office is broken into and ransacked, as well as his brother's home, Derek begins to suspect that they are not random attacks. He learns pretty quickly that they are looking for the diamonds that Derek's brother recently purchased for a loyal client. The $1.5 million price tag of the diamonds means that Derek needs to find them quickly or else the business will be in financial trouble. The issue is that the diamonds were not kept in the office vault, as the gem business did not deal in diamonds. And it isn't obvious where they were kept since Derek's brother was distrustful and loved gadgets, puzzles and secret codes so finding the hiding place will prove difficult. Eventually Derek finds that 25 of the 100 diamonds were sent to be cut but that 5 of them were discovered to be replaced with cubic zirconia. Where did the switch happen? Derek figures out that the loyal client was the one who made the switch and that Derek's brother knew it. Derek forces him to give the diamonds back and feels that with at least 25% of the diamonds found the company will not go under but will have to make some drastic changes to remain solvent. Meanwhile, Derek is also dealing with his brother's race horses, Dozen Roses and Gemstone. As a jockey, Derek is not allowed to own horses. Dozen Roses is a better horse so he wants to sell him to owners that his trainer knows but the current trainer is incensed and wants to sell him to a different owner instead. Once Derek sees the horse he knows why the trainer was so mad - he had gelded him without his brother's permission. Derek removes the horse immediately and puts him in his own trainer's stable where routine vet work is done to ensure horse's health before the sale. The issue is that the tests revealed that the horse had traces of cocaine in his system, proving that the old trainer was giving the horse the drug as a performance enhancement. Unfortunately this revelation almost gets Derek killed and he reinjures his ankle as a result. He realizes that he'll have to take more time off from racing and decides to work full time at the gem shop until he can race again. He finally finds the diamonds in the last place he thought to look - in the false bottom of a can of shaving cream in his brother's bathroom. Another fun novel from Francis.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 25, 2025
Derek a jumps jockey has broken his ankle. A little after that happens his brother Greville a gemstone dealer is killed after a scaffolding accident in Ipswich. Derek suddenly finds himself the owner of a gemstone company, a mistress and trying to find some missing diamonds. The story rolls along with attempts on Derek’s life and him trying to work out how to use all Greville’s mysterious gadgets.
I found it farfetched that a broken ankle could be strapped and heal in a few weeks especially with the ligament damage. Francis writes well and keeps the reader’s attention with the taciturn driver Brad, the dynamics of the gemstone business and Clarissa the mistress of Greville.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The solution to the attempts on Derek’s life are revealed when Nicholas Loder a trainer brings Rollaway one of his racehorse owners to meet Derek and discovers he is a ruthless drug dealer. He wants to kill Derek as he discovered that he was drugging racehorses with cocaine. Loder is killed and Clarissa saves Derek.
Some of the diamonds were swapped for fakes and Derek discovers a jeweler did it and hired one of Jason’s employees to find the remaining diamonds. Strangely Derek lets him off even after being knocked out by a brick!
Still overall a good story.
I found it farfetched that a broken ankle could be strapped and heal in a few weeks especially with the ligament damage. Francis writes well and keeps the reader’s attention with the taciturn driver Brad, the dynamics of the gemstone business and Clarissa the mistress of Greville.
SPOILERS AHEAD
The solution to the attempts on Derek’s life are revealed when Nicholas Loder a trainer brings Rollaway one of his racehorse owners to meet Derek and discovers he is a ruthless drug dealer. He wants to kill Derek as he discovered that he was drugging racehorses with cocaine. Loder is killed and Clarissa saves Derek.
Some of the diamonds were swapped for fakes and Derek discovers a jeweler did it and hired one of Jason’s employees to find the remaining diamonds. Strangely Derek lets him off even after being knocked out by a brick!
Still overall a good story.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 10, 2017
Classic Francis with a great everyman hero, the gemstone industry, and racing. If you like Dick Francis, you will like this one.
July 26, 2011
Straight is an especially intense, complex, and atmospheric entry in the Francis series. The book drops you "straight" into tragedy, and it never really lets up from there. Multiple villains are out to get our hero -- and he gets bashed, crushed, squashed, mauled, and generally folded-spindled-and-mutilated in the course of figuring out who did what to whom. In the meantime Francis teaches us about the gemstone trade, the electronic gadgets current at that time, and several twisty puzzles left behind by the hero's dead brother -- and generally there isn't a dull moment throughout the whole book. This is another good one.
August 20, 2019
Is there a better opening line for a thriller than “I inherited my brother’s life, and it nearly killed me”? I have read this one before and will again. I enjoy it for the usual Francis honorable hero who is pitched into a situation not of his own making but determined to do right by the memory of his brother and figure out the mystery he’s left behind. And for the details on running a business selling gems. The classic Dick Francis elements work together here so well.
February 18, 2011
I'm really digging these Dick Francis mystery books. Granted, they are easy reading and not the deepest literature but they are well crafted and really give this anglophile a great sense of atmosphere and plot. Two down and 38 to go.
August 22, 2022
This is one of my favorite Dick Francis books. I love all the details about gems and jewels. I wish I could visit the offices of Greville Franklin.
June 26, 2020
I tend to like all Dick Francis books, and this was no exception. It has all the elements that make his fiction irresistible:
✅ smart yet modest hero who happens to ride horses
✅ savage greedy brutes who try to get rid of him when he stumbles upon criminal activity
✅ accidental injuries that thrust the main character into some unfamiliar world rife with danger
In this case, it’s the world of imported gemstones. Derek Franklin knows nothing about them, being a successful jumphorse jockey, but when his brother Greville dies, someone has to keep the business running - and solve all the problems that go with it. Derek quickly finds himself, er, saddled with his brother’s life including his desk, his enemies, his horses, his gadgets, and his mistress. Derek is a straightshooter, so of course he’s at a disadvantage when up against the sick & twisted. But part of the pleasure is watching him puzzle out the motives of his enemies. The other part is the simple ingenious plot. “The combination of treasure hunt and chase is irresistible”, as the NYT put it back in 1989. It’s lost none of its appeal since then! 💎🏇🏼📅🗝⌚️📟🌹
✅ smart yet modest hero who happens to ride horses
✅ savage greedy brutes who try to get rid of him when he stumbles upon criminal activity
✅ accidental injuries that thrust the main character into some unfamiliar world rife with danger
In this case, it’s the world of imported gemstones. Derek Franklin knows nothing about them, being a successful jumphorse jockey, but when his brother Greville dies, someone has to keep the business running - and solve all the problems that go with it. Derek quickly finds himself, er, saddled with his brother’s life including his desk, his enemies, his horses, his gadgets, and his mistress. Derek is a straightshooter, so of course he’s at a disadvantage when up against the sick & twisted. But part of the pleasure is watching him puzzle out the motives of his enemies. The other part is the simple ingenious plot. “The combination of treasure hunt and chase is irresistible”, as the NYT put it back in 1989. It’s lost none of its appeal since then! 💎🏇🏼📅🗝⌚️📟🌹
June 18, 2019
This book had a slow beginning, but the story was interesting and kept me reading. I really enjoyed seeing the MC put all the pieces together. I also felt his sorrow over losing his brother and his disappointment that he hadn't known him better. Overall, a very good mystery.
I used to read quite a bit of Dick Francis and knew I had read this one, but couldn't remember the details. I did remember some things as they happened in the book, but was still surprised by the ending.
I used to read quite a bit of Dick Francis and knew I had read this one, but couldn't remember the details. I did remember some things as they happened in the book, but was still surprised by the ending.
July 15, 2020
Two brothers, one a gemstone dealer and one a steeplechase jockey, have a rather guarded relationship. When the jockey gets injured and then finds out his brother is dead, their relationship gets real interesting--quickly. There are lots of red herrings and several great minor characters. The multitude of "gadgets," which play an important part in the plot, are definitely dated by today's standards, but I didn't find that distracting.
As always, there are a few delicious bits about beautiful horses.
Great puzzle and ending.
As always, there are a few delicious bits about beautiful horses.
Great puzzle and ending.
April 2, 2018
Re-readable author Dick Francis is sadly missed talented favorite. Even quiet driver Brad is a real and prickly person. Starting with sadness, busted ankle, dead brother, missing diamonds and murderous pursuit are the mysteries, not death. The title refers to the straight-die honorable hero Derek.
October 15, 2025
Dick Francis books are always guaranteed to be fast-paced with an interesting plot and this is no exception. He also creates complex characters, which as usual has the main one as a successful jockey. In this book, however, the jockey is recovering from a broken ankle and so is unable to ride.
The book deals with the jockey's attempts to keep afloat the business of his recently killed brother. It's complicated by a search for missing diamonds and outside influences trying to steal them.
Overall, a very satisfying book with plenty of sub-plots and interwoven elements that add to the mystery.
The book deals with the jockey's attempts to keep afloat the business of his recently killed brother. It's complicated by a search for missing diamonds and outside influences trying to steal them.
Overall, a very satisfying book with plenty of sub-plots and interwoven elements that add to the mystery.
October 31, 2019
Some parts were hard to understand and it could get boring at some points, but overall it was a great book. I think I would reccomend this book more for adults or teens that are into business and organization.
May 4, 2023
Interesting story of horse racing, gem sales, and missing diamonds. The plot isn’t great as 80% of the novel is the protagonist finding weird things and going yeah this is weird. However, the protagonist is likable and it is worth sticking with to see how he gets out of the mess he’s in. Plus, there’s some insights into the world of selling gems which isn’t mind blowing but is at least engaging. If you like mysteries that aren’t whodunnits this is worth a read.
April 11, 2022
I think this might be my favourite of all Dick Francis’ books. I suspect that most fans won’t agree but I’ve read it several times now and it still has the same pleasures of a gorgeous mystery unfolding as it did the first time I read it. Also some profound little bits of wisdom crop up that I’ve actually written down for myself. In terms of action, mystery, gut punching moments and some gorgeous little gems (literal and figurative) this might actually be close to perfect a representation of the genre.
I’m plodding through the series chronologically so I’ll keep you posted as to whether this book stays at number one, but so far so good.
I’m plodding through the series chronologically so I’ll keep you posted as to whether this book stays at number one, but so far so good.
February 7, 2018
While I'm not a fan of Dick Francis this one was significantly more fun than the last one I read, though still not the world's best read. It was much better paced, but there were so many things that were heavily focused on that felt irrelevant.
I find the way he writes romance tedious. Especially in this book it felt unwarranted and honestly, didn't make sense in my opinion. And yes, I understand horses are his gimmick, but there was literally no reason for that theme in this. It could have been covered by any other situation and felt shoehorned simply for the purpose of adding horses.
After some pondering I've realized what I dislike about his protagonists. They're all infallible, and know everything. Their instincts are perfect, and there is no puzzle too difficult for them to solve. It's unrealistic, and makes them into pretentious assholes. Their resolve is unmatched by anyone else and for that, I can't connect to the character.
I found there were good moments in this book, but they were immensely overpowered by the bad.
I find the way he writes romance tedious. Especially in this book it felt unwarranted and honestly, didn't make sense in my opinion. And yes, I understand horses are his gimmick, but there was literally no reason for that theme in this. It could have been covered by any other situation and felt shoehorned simply for the purpose of adding horses.
After some pondering I've realized what I dislike about his protagonists. They're all infallible, and know everything. Their instincts are perfect, and there is no puzzle too difficult for them to solve. It's unrealistic, and makes them into pretentious assholes. Their resolve is unmatched by anyone else and for that, I can't connect to the character.
I found there were good moments in this book, but they were immensely overpowered by the bad.
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