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Enquiry
When Kelly Hughes rides the favourite into second place, he gets penalised. Not only has he lost the race, but also his licence, as the Jockey Club suspends him - believing he threw the race.
Only he knows that the problem lay with the horse's performance, not his own. Suspecting he was framed, Kelly sets about finding out how it was done, and then who might have done it.
But the closer he gets to the perpetrators, the more danger he finds himself in. Now there's more than his reputation and career at stake. There's also his life . . .
Packed with intrigue and hair-raising suspense, Enquiry is just one of the many blockbuster thrillers from legendary crime writer Dick Francis.
Only he knows that the problem lay with the horse's performance, not his own. Suspecting he was framed, Kelly sets about finding out how it was done, and then who might have done it.
But the closer he gets to the perpetrators, the more danger he finds himself in. Now there's more than his reputation and career at stake. There's also his life . . .
Packed with intrigue and hair-raising suspense, Enquiry is just one of the many blockbuster thrillers from legendary crime writer Dick Francis.
264 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published October 1, 1969
371 people are currently reading
596 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 219 reviews
November 10, 2017
When jockey Kelly Hughes and the trainer he rides for, Dexter Cranfield, are called before a commision of enquiry following a race that Hughes rode on one of Cranfield's horses, the two men assume that it's a minor matter of no concern. They both know that they did nothing wrong and so assume that they will simply have to answer a few questions about the race and be on their way.
Understandably, then, the two men are shocked when the commissioners exhibit evidence against them that Hughes and Cranfield claim has been clearly fabricated, indicating that the two men were guilty of serious offenses during the race in question. Although they protest their innocence, both are banned from racing in the future.
Their livelihoods and their reputations are at stake, and Cranfield withdraws into himself, assuming that nothing can be done about this situation. Hughes is a fighter, though, and is determined to discover who manufactured the evidence against him and Cranfield, and why. Hughes's mission brings him up against some particularly vicious people, and before long, his safety and his very life are at grave risk.
This is a fairly entertaining novel and a pleasant way to while away a flight from Phoenix to Chicago, or probably anywhere else for that matter. Hughes is a very typical Dick Francis protagonist, and the story is much like most of Francis's other novels. There will be no real surprises here for people who have read others of his books, and for those who haven't, this is as good a place to start as any.
Understandably, then, the two men are shocked when the commissioners exhibit evidence against them that Hughes and Cranfield claim has been clearly fabricated, indicating that the two men were guilty of serious offenses during the race in question. Although they protest their innocence, both are banned from racing in the future.
Their livelihoods and their reputations are at stake, and Cranfield withdraws into himself, assuming that nothing can be done about this situation. Hughes is a fighter, though, and is determined to discover who manufactured the evidence against him and Cranfield, and why. Hughes's mission brings him up against some particularly vicious people, and before long, his safety and his very life are at grave risk.
This is a fairly entertaining novel and a pleasant way to while away a flight from Phoenix to Chicago, or probably anywhere else for that matter. Hughes is a very typical Dick Francis protagonist, and the story is much like most of Francis's other novels. There will be no real surprises here for people who have read others of his books, and for those who haven't, this is as good a place to start as any.
Read
April 28, 2020"Winning and losing", she said. "That's what it's all about."
"Racing?"
"Life."
"Someone has it in for Cranfield, too. Both of us, it was. The Steward's couldn't possibly have warned off one of us without the other. We were knitted together so neatly."
"It makes me livid," Tony said violently. "It's wicked."
I nodded. "There was something else, too, about that Enquiry. Some undercurrent, running strong. At least, it was strong at the beginning. Something between Lord Gowery and Lord Ferth. And then Andy Tring, he was sitting there looking like a wilted lettuce." I shook my head and puzzlement. "It was like a couple of heavy animals lurking in the undergrowth, shaping up to fight each other. You couldn't see them, but there was a sort of quiver in the air. At least, that's how it seemed at one point...."
"Stewards are men," Tony said with bubble-bursting matter-of-factness. "Show me any organization which doesn't have some sort of power struggle going on under it's gentelmanaly surface. All you caught was a whiff of the old brimstone. State of nature. Nothing to do with whether you and Cranfield were guilty or not."
He had convinced me. He polished off the rest of the whiskey and told me not to forget to get some more.
Money. That was another thing. As of yesterday, I had no income. The Welfare State didn't pay unemployment benefits to the self-employed, as all jockeys remembered every snow-bound winter.
" I'm going to find out," I said abruptly.
"Find out what?"
"Who framed us."
********
*Audiobook Review*
Enquiry by Dick Francis bolts out of the gate at a high rate of speed and never slowes down!
Overall, narrator Ralph Cosham's performance was a solid four stars. I did have to slow the speed down on the settings which is something I've never had to do before as the speed of his narration was a bit too fast. 4★'s
Dick Francis is my one of my favorite authors as his novels were the start of my love of reading!
His stories are always unique and fast paced, loaded with suspence that will have you on the edge of your seat! He creates well fleshed out characters, some you love and some you hate which is exactly what he intends them to be! Classic good guy vs bad guys! You can't go wrong with a Dick Francis mystery!!
"Racing?"
"Life."
"Someone has it in for Cranfield, too. Both of us, it was. The Steward's couldn't possibly have warned off one of us without the other. We were knitted together so neatly."
"It makes me livid," Tony said violently. "It's wicked."
I nodded. "There was something else, too, about that Enquiry. Some undercurrent, running strong. At least, it was strong at the beginning. Something between Lord Gowery and Lord Ferth. And then Andy Tring, he was sitting there looking like a wilted lettuce." I shook my head and puzzlement. "It was like a couple of heavy animals lurking in the undergrowth, shaping up to fight each other. You couldn't see them, but there was a sort of quiver in the air. At least, that's how it seemed at one point...."
"Stewards are men," Tony said with bubble-bursting matter-of-factness. "Show me any organization which doesn't have some sort of power struggle going on under it's gentelmanaly surface. All you caught was a whiff of the old brimstone. State of nature. Nothing to do with whether you and Cranfield were guilty or not."
He had convinced me. He polished off the rest of the whiskey and told me not to forget to get some more.
Money. That was another thing. As of yesterday, I had no income. The Welfare State didn't pay unemployment benefits to the self-employed, as all jockeys remembered every snow-bound winter.
" I'm going to find out," I said abruptly.
"Find out what?"
"Who framed us."
********
*Audiobook Review*
Enquiry by Dick Francis bolts out of the gate at a high rate of speed and never slowes down!
Overall, narrator Ralph Cosham's performance was a solid four stars. I did have to slow the speed down on the settings which is something I've never had to do before as the speed of his narration was a bit too fast. 4★'s
Dick Francis is my one of my favorite authors as his novels were the start of my love of reading!
His stories are always unique and fast paced, loaded with suspence that will have you on the edge of your seat! He creates well fleshed out characters, some you love and some you hate which is exactly what he intends them to be! Classic good guy vs bad guys! You can't go wrong with a Dick Francis mystery!!
May 10, 2021
Another great read from Dick Francis and wife
If the account in this book is an accurate reflection of how racing inquiries are or were conducted in Great Britain, it is pretty close to unbelievable. It is, I suppose, better than trial by combat, but not much. An excellent lesson as to one of the many reasons we have a constitution in the United States.
A jockey unjustly banned from racing does not meekly roll over. He begins to make inquiries and opens a rather large can of worms.
If the account in this book is an accurate reflection of how racing inquiries are or were conducted in Great Britain, it is pretty close to unbelievable. It is, I suppose, better than trial by combat, but not much. An excellent lesson as to one of the many reasons we have a constitution in the United States.
A jockey unjustly banned from racing does not meekly roll over. He begins to make inquiries and opens a rather large can of worms.
May 19, 2021
A rider and the trainer he works for are framed for fixing a race. The rider starts poking around, to see if he can get out of the frame, and finds a lot of trouble.
Quaint, but not bad.
Quaint, but not bad.
October 22, 2023
Dick Francis owned the “horse racing mystery-thriller” franchise. And it paid off well for him. I haven’t read another of his that started with his jockey being “warned off.”
"“There can be no doubt that this was a most flagrant fraud on the racing public… No alternative but to suspend your licenses… And you, Dexter Cranfield, and you, Kelly Hughes, will be warned off Newmarket Heath until further notice.” Cranfield, pale and shaking, said, “I protest that this has not been a fair hearing. Neither Hughes nor I are guilty. The sentence is outrageous.” No response from Lord Gowery. Lord Ferth, however, spoke for the second time in the proceedings. “Hughes?” “I rode Squelch to win,” I said. “The witnesses were lying.” Gowery shook his head impatiently. “The Enquiry is closed. You may go.”"
Kelly Hughes is the jockey and we spend the first quarter of the book rehashing the charge and the hearing. It is only after we get a full dose of what that means for jockey, stables, etc. that we find Kelly determined to find out who was behind the plot to take his license away.
"“Kelly… Kelly Hughes?” I didn’t answer. “Hey, you’re not a bit like I thought.” She put her blond head on one side, assessing me. “None of those sports-writers ever said anything about you being smashing-looking and dead sexy.” I laughed. I have a crooked nose and a scar down one cheek from where a horse’s hoof had cut my face open, and among jockeys I was an also-ran as a bird-attracter. “It’s your eyes,” she said. “Dark and sort of smiley and sad and a bit withdrawn. Give me the happy shivers, your eyes do.”"
"I didn’t hear Roberta following me until she spoke in my ear as I opened the door. “Can you really do it?” she said. “Do what?” “Get your license back.” “It’s going to cost me too much not to. So I guess I’ll have to, or… “Or what?” I smiled. “Or die in the attempt.”"
Aside from this slightly different facet of racing, the book hits all the mileposts of a typical Dick Francis story.
The strength of this novel is in Francis’ weaving of social class distinctions into the “enquiry” aspects of horseracing. The weaknesses are the romantic and the sexual which just seem to be unable to hit the right notes.
3*
"“There can be no doubt that this was a most flagrant fraud on the racing public… No alternative but to suspend your licenses… And you, Dexter Cranfield, and you, Kelly Hughes, will be warned off Newmarket Heath until further notice.” Cranfield, pale and shaking, said, “I protest that this has not been a fair hearing. Neither Hughes nor I are guilty. The sentence is outrageous.” No response from Lord Gowery. Lord Ferth, however, spoke for the second time in the proceedings. “Hughes?” “I rode Squelch to win,” I said. “The witnesses were lying.” Gowery shook his head impatiently. “The Enquiry is closed. You may go.”"
Kelly Hughes is the jockey and we spend the first quarter of the book rehashing the charge and the hearing. It is only after we get a full dose of what that means for jockey, stables, etc. that we find Kelly determined to find out who was behind the plot to take his license away.
"“Kelly… Kelly Hughes?” I didn’t answer. “Hey, you’re not a bit like I thought.” She put her blond head on one side, assessing me. “None of those sports-writers ever said anything about you being smashing-looking and dead sexy.” I laughed. I have a crooked nose and a scar down one cheek from where a horse’s hoof had cut my face open, and among jockeys I was an also-ran as a bird-attracter. “It’s your eyes,” she said. “Dark and sort of smiley and sad and a bit withdrawn. Give me the happy shivers, your eyes do.”"
"I didn’t hear Roberta following me until she spoke in my ear as I opened the door. “Can you really do it?” she said. “Do what?” “Get your license back.” “It’s going to cost me too much not to. So I guess I’ll have to, or… “Or what?” I smiled. “Or die in the attempt.”"
Aside from this slightly different facet of racing, the book hits all the mileposts of a typical Dick Francis story.
The strength of this novel is in Francis’ weaving of social class distinctions into the “enquiry” aspects of horseracing. The weaknesses are the romantic and the sexual which just seem to be unable to hit the right notes.
3*
May 25, 2018
It's nice to be among a cool bunch of people that all like Dick Francis and now Felix as much as I do. I've been a fan now for about 35-40 years, and when I want a fairly quick pick-me-up, this is a really good place to go. My library had two of his books when I went last, and I lapped them up like a dog. Nice to get a Francis fix when I want one.
When Kelly Hughes rides the favourite into second place, he gets penalized for his trouble. Not only has he lost the race, but also his licence, as the Jockey Club suspends him - believing he threw the race. Only he knows that the problem lay with the horse's performance, not his own. Suspecting he was framed, Kelly sets about finding out how it was done, and then who might have done it. But the closer he gets to the perpetrators, the more danger he finds himself in. Now there's more than his reputation and career at stake. There's also his life . . .there are many twists and turns throughout the book, and some of the characters who are good and bad. The resolution of the story is good. This isn't his best nor his worst. But a book you can read in an afternoon. Enjoy.
When Kelly Hughes rides the favourite into second place, he gets penalized for his trouble. Not only has he lost the race, but also his licence, as the Jockey Club suspends him - believing he threw the race. Only he knows that the problem lay with the horse's performance, not his own. Suspecting he was framed, Kelly sets about finding out how it was done, and then who might have done it. But the closer he gets to the perpetrators, the more danger he finds himself in. Now there's more than his reputation and career at stake. There's also his life . . .there are many twists and turns throughout the book, and some of the characters who are good and bad. The resolution of the story is good. This isn't his best nor his worst. But a book you can read in an afternoon. Enjoy.
March 26, 2016
I have absolutely no interest in horse racing, but Francis makes the sport and the personalities involved in it clear and vivid. This book is about a gentleman jockey clearing his name and getting the girl. I could see Cary Grant in the role of Kelly Hughes and Grace Kelly as his employer's daughter, Roberta Cranfield.
March 18, 2016
Enquiry would not be my choice as a top Francis book, but it has a few things going for it. For one, this is focused on the horse racing industry. Many of Francis’ books have had horse racing as a side topic, mixing it with details on other topics like glass blowing or acting. This is all about the industry. This also had some action and some fast resolutions after what I thought was an overlong setup. The setup involved a quasi legal “courtroom proceeding” that was described by a confused victim throughout the first fifth of the book. That was not fun to go through, but once you finished that part, the story took off. You figure out who are the good guys and the bad guys pretty quickly here, so the fun is seeing how the good guys catch the bad ones.
I listened on audio and as usual for a Francis book I enjoyed the narration.
I listened on audio and as usual for a Francis book I enjoyed the narration.
May 10, 2021
This novel was written in 1969. Its a bit dated, as far as one twist goes, in the novel, and luckily thoughts have changed since then. But it’s still a good, enjoyable novel that keeps you listening until the end.
Weirdly enough, this particular edition shown here on goodreads is the only version of this novel I could find, that wasn’t included with other novels. I’m not sure why this novel hasn’t had all its variations shown here, but this is confusing and annoying.
So while this edition shows this novel is a bunch of CDs read by Tony Britton, this is not the edition I found. I listened to the audiobook made by Audible, which has the wonderful Ralph Cosham as the narrator. Hopefully goodreads gets it’s shit together, soon.
Ralph Cosham, btw, is wonderful.
3.5 stars
Weirdly enough, this particular edition shown here on goodreads is the only version of this novel I could find, that wasn’t included with other novels. I’m not sure why this novel hasn’t had all its variations shown here, but this is confusing and annoying.
So while this edition shows this novel is a bunch of CDs read by Tony Britton, this is not the edition I found. I listened to the audiobook made by Audible, which has the wonderful Ralph Cosham as the narrator. Hopefully goodreads gets it’s shit together, soon.
Ralph Cosham, btw, is wonderful.
3.5 stars
November 13, 2017
Enquiry wasn't Mr. Francis' best work. It was certainly readable (I finished it, and I have no qualms about dropping books that aren't worth my time) but it lacked the snap-and-crackle and depth of most of his other works. Upon finishing I thought it might have been his first novel, because it felt like he may have just not gotten the trick of a rich plot yet, but I later learned it was his 8th. I'm glad that I've already read most of his others and therefore know Enquiry is an exception, not the rule.
June 9, 2016
Fabulous.
February 14, 2020
Trainer Dexter Cranfield and steeplechase jockey Kelly Hughes are summarily disqualified after an obviously rigged racing enquiry. Cranfield falls to pieces, but Hughes is made of tougher stuff and takes it upon himself to get back their licenses before the fast approaching Gold Cup. As with all Francis’ heroes, Kelly Hughes is not a run of the mill jockey. The son of a farm labourer he may be, but he holds a degree from the LSE, and was planning to enter the Civil Services when he lost his heart to racing. Brains, sheer guts, imperviousness to threats, violence and severe injury, softened by a quick intelligence, a kind heart and impeccable taste produce a true Francis protagonist.
But unlike all the previous books, which I truly enjoyed, this one is unusually slow to develop. In fact, the action begins only after a hundred pages or so. While the pace picks up and is maintained, the reader is in for another disappointment at the end. The solution to the mystery is difficult to swallow, and leaves one wishing for another twist in the tale in true Dick Francis style.
But unlike all the previous books, which I truly enjoyed, this one is unusually slow to develop. In fact, the action begins only after a hundred pages or so. While the pace picks up and is maintained, the reader is in for another disappointment at the end. The solution to the mystery is difficult to swallow, and leaves one wishing for another twist in the tale in true Dick Francis style.
June 9, 2019
One of the things that sure to get me to the edge of my seat in a good mystery is the false accusation when the hero is framed for a crime. It’s just such a situation that forms the heart of Enquiry and like any good hero, jockey Kelley Hughes is not going to stand by and allow his reputation to be ruined. What I liked most about this mystery is the way in which Hughes goes about trying to solve the mystery. He starts with direct confrontations of the men who lied about him and forged up fake evidence. This, quite naturally, doesn’t help him any. So he has to get increasingly sophisticated in his efforts to figure out who is behind the injustice—and all the while the unknown villain is taking steps to permanently stop Hughes from proving his innocence. This is a good quick read that left me totally satisfied.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
If you liked this review, you can find more at www.gilbertstack.com/reviews.
September 12, 2008
ENQUIRY - Ex
Francis, Dick - 8th book
Kelly Hughes is a jockey, labelled a cheat by a Steward's enquiry. To clear his name he investigates all those who gave evidence, including the Chief Steward who was being blackmailed. Kelly, helped by Roberta, his employer's daughter, finds out who the real villain is and saves the stables.
Loved this one. Francis has a way of making you feel the emotions of the characters. I also learned about carbon monoxide poisoning from this book.
Francis, Dick - 8th book
Kelly Hughes is a jockey, labelled a cheat by a Steward's enquiry. To clear his name he investigates all those who gave evidence, including the Chief Steward who was being blackmailed. Kelly, helped by Roberta, his employer's daughter, finds out who the real villain is and saves the stables.
Loved this one. Francis has a way of making you feel the emotions of the characters. I also learned about carbon monoxide poisoning from this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 31, 2020
Ok 5 stars is a bunch, but in Enquiry, Dick Francis delivers everything he can in this book. Francis--himself a star steeplechase jockey winning more than 350 races, writes about horse racing in England, always examining a related theme in depth. Past books I have enjoyed include Proof (where Scotch whiskey plays an important role) or Reflex (where photography plays a key role). Here it is the less than transparent "stewards' enquiry"--which refers to an investigation which race course officials (and ultimately the UK's regulatory authority over horse racing) can launch into suspicious losses of races--suspicious because they may appear to favor betters of an outside the odds horse. Francis describes how such an enquiry can have multiple consequences on the lives of trainers, stable boys, jockeys and bookies, while painting a very realistic case where the motives of stewards themselves can be less than pure and the British caste and internal nations' issues also play important roles. Gripping, informative and insightful, this Francis novel delivers a satisfying and fast paced read.
September 5, 2013
A closed hearing finds a jockey and a trainer guilty of throwing a race. The jockey refuses to accept the verdict and launches his own investigation to prove his innocence and salvage his reputation. His questions could get him killed.
December 12, 2021
Always good always 5 stars ⭐️
May 30, 2020
One of the earlier Dick Francis novels about an unfair enquiry panel which jump jockey Kelly Hughes seeks to redress. Not the best Francis book, 3.5 stars but rounded up to 4 as I read it one sitting - as usual his books are very well-paced
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.
July 7, 2019
Tony Britton's masterly reading saved this book from getting off to a dreadfully slow (dare I say pedestrian?) start. Quite between ourselves and don't tell anyone--if I'd been reading this in print I might have DNF. There's a lot of My Lording and sirring as jockey Kelly Hughes and his trainer are literally called on the carpet, cap in hand before the stewards for throwing a race--only of course as Hughes is a Francis hero, they didn't. Couldn't possibly, copious evidence to the contrary notwithstanding. Unlike his trainer, who comes apart at the seams when they're both warned off for an indefinite period, Hughes is angry enough to want to find out who's responsible, do or die--and it might just possibly be "die."
There are many standard elements of Francis World here--madness, enabling of madness, and for what I think is the first time, kinky sexual tastes. Which appeared so often in the later novels, and so often of the BDSM type, it began to make me wonder about the author (be it Dick or Mary or both), and caused me to stop reading the newer novels in the late 90s, simply because as motifs go, it gets rather tiresome with so much repetition. All this without a single body! Well, if you don't count grievous bodily harm and at least three intended (and a couple of attempted) murders.
A much better listen than my last few trips to Planet Francis, even though the denouement was juusst at taste convenient and incredible, what with Our Hero being already injured a couple of times beforehand. But that's jump jockeys for you--on Planet Francis they heal in a heartbeat and do all, see all, reveal all, and win all.
There are many standard elements of Francis World here--madness, enabling of madness, and for what I think is the first time, kinky sexual tastes. Which appeared so often in the later novels, and so often of the BDSM type, it began to make me wonder about the author (be it Dick or Mary or both), and caused me to stop reading the newer novels in the late 90s, simply because as motifs go, it gets rather tiresome with so much repetition. All this without a single body! Well, if you don't count grievous bodily harm and at least three intended (and a couple of attempted) murders.
A much better listen than my last few trips to Planet Francis, even though the denouement was juusst at taste convenient and incredible, what with Our Hero being already injured a couple of times beforehand. But that's jump jockeys for you--on Planet Francis they heal in a heartbeat and do all, see all, reveal all, and win all.
June 3, 2011
Standard Dick Francis thriller - meaning good writing, likable characters, a little love interest, a little whiff of High Society, the usual adversary trying to use violence as a means to an end and the hero stoically enduring and digging his heels in obstinately and using brains rather than brawn to clear his name.
The plot is a little less spectacular than other Francis books, dealing with the aftermath of a jockey suspension enquiry and his efforts to revert the decision. The final reveal was not one of the brightest or most surprising ones, but the ride to reach the conclusion was a pleasant one. Speaking of rides, I would have liked more time in the saddle for the main character, but that's OK: thre'll be another Dick Francis story in my hands soon ...
The plot is a little less spectacular than other Francis books, dealing with the aftermath of a jockey suspension enquiry and his efforts to revert the decision. The final reveal was not one of the brightest or most surprising ones, but the ride to reach the conclusion was a pleasant one. Speaking of rides, I would have liked more time in the saddle for the main character, but that's OK: thre'll be another Dick Francis story in my hands soon ...
October 13, 2016
I thought he did a brilliant job of decsribing the Enquiry itself, where everyone had found the hero guilty before it began. It reminded me of school - that nightmare feeling that nothing you can say will get you out of trouble because they are all determined to hang you and don't care about the truth.
He's a great thriller writer.
'I rode him at Reading exactly as I did at Oxford without using the whip.'
'That is beside the point, Hughes, because Squelch may not of needed the whip at Reading, but at Oxford he did.'
'Sir, it is the point,' I protested. 'I rode Squelch at Oxford in exactly the same manner as when he won at Reading,only at Oxford he tired.'
Lord Gowery absolutely ignored this.
13/10/16 reread. It felt very dated, but I still enjoyed it.
He's a great thriller writer.
'I rode him at Reading exactly as I did at Oxford without using the whip.'
'That is beside the point, Hughes, because Squelch may not of needed the whip at Reading, but at Oxford he did.'
'Sir, it is the point,' I protested. 'I rode Squelch at Oxford in exactly the same manner as when he won at Reading,only at Oxford he tired.'
Lord Gowery absolutely ignored this.
13/10/16 reread. It felt very dated, but I still enjoyed it.
November 16, 2016
This is an older Dick Franics novel for 1969 but the story is so well written that is lost nothing over the years. Kelly Hughes is a jockey and Dexter Carrington a trainer are warned off after a race where Kelly rode the favored horse but did not win. They both lose their racing licenses and can't race again. Both swear they are innocent and Kelly begins to investigate who set them up. I love Dick Francis novels and this one did not disappoint!
I listened to this story again on CD and still feel the same. 14 Nov 2016
I listened to this story again on CD and still feel the same. 14 Nov 2016
May 7, 2017
An enquiry into an enquiry by the jockey falsely accused of throwing a race and the trainer for betting on the winner of the race. While I wasn't convinced by the way it turned out, I was, as always, charmed by the ever-modest main character who nevertheless outsmarts them all and solves the puzzling reasons why anyone would go to such lengths to frame them. A fine book to re-read in time for the Kentucky Derby 🐎
July 8, 2012
I really enjoyed this novel and raced through it very quickly. I'm obviously getting familiar with Dick Francis' work because I guessed who the villain was (and the motive) within a sentence of him being mentioned, although I did start to second-guess myself toward the end of the book. A fast-paced thriller which may not be Francis' best but very enjoyable nevertheless.
July 16, 2013
All Dick Francis's novels fall into a basic pattern - stoical, likable 1st person narrator, bit of romance, some connection to horse racing, torture scene, resolution. The delight comes from how he makes each one a bit different (is the narrator a jockey? and earl, a wine merchant?). The set up for this book is the unique feature. As always, satisfying.
August 10, 2017
Bit of a slow start, but once it got moving it was enjoyable. If you're looking for a light and entertaining read, you can never go past Dick Francis.
January 22, 2024
This is the first "adult" mystery I read as a young teenager (as a child, Trixie Belden and Nancy Drew came first), and it began many years of reading mysteries by Dick Francis. But over those years, this remained my favorite, most likely because it was first. I listened to it in audio this time, and enjoyed the narration.
Enquiry was first published in 1969, and it is definitely a product of that time, with attitudes towards sex, women, class, etc. On this reread, rather than treating it as a "contemporary mystery," I read it as a "historical mystery," and that worked better for me.
It's a rather short book, featuring jockey Kelly Hughes. As the book opens, both Hughes and the trainer he was working for in a recent race -- Dexter Cranfield -- have lost their racing licenses. Hughes is accused of deliberately pulling back in a race to let another of Cranfield's horses win, and Cranfield of knowing about the incident. Hughes knows it's not true, and spends most of the book trying to prove their innocence.
Hughes has a lot of layers to peel back, to get to discover who is responsible for them losing their licenses, as many people gave obviously false testimony against them. As Hughes discovers more of the truth, his life is endangered. I liked the mystery, and didn't instantly remember who was responsible (it has been decades since I last read this).
The aspect I had the most trouble with was Hughes slowly budding feelings for Cranfield's daughter Roberta (and hers for him). Roberta is a clear reflection of her class, doesn't really think of people of lower status as people. She does slowly evolve over the course of the book, and any potential romance between the two is more in the future than in the actual book. However, she's 19 and I figure Hughes has to be at least mid- to late-20s so that didn't set too well with me. Obviously it never struck me as a problem decades ago when I read this, and I'm sure it wasn't a problem when this was published in 1969.
Overall, I would now grade this a B-, so rounding to four stars here.
Enquiry was first published in 1969, and it is definitely a product of that time, with attitudes towards sex, women, class, etc. On this reread, rather than treating it as a "contemporary mystery," I read it as a "historical mystery," and that worked better for me.
It's a rather short book, featuring jockey Kelly Hughes. As the book opens, both Hughes and the trainer he was working for in a recent race -- Dexter Cranfield -- have lost their racing licenses. Hughes is accused of deliberately pulling back in a race to let another of Cranfield's horses win, and Cranfield of knowing about the incident. Hughes knows it's not true, and spends most of the book trying to prove their innocence.
Hughes has a lot of layers to peel back, to get to discover who is responsible for them losing their licenses, as many people gave obviously false testimony against them. As Hughes discovers more of the truth, his life is endangered. I liked the mystery, and didn't instantly remember who was responsible (it has been decades since I last read this).
The aspect I had the most trouble with was Hughes slowly budding feelings for Cranfield's daughter Roberta (and hers for him). Roberta is a clear reflection of her class, doesn't really think of people of lower status as people. She does slowly evolve over the course of the book, and any potential romance between the two is more in the future than in the actual book. However, she's 19 and I figure Hughes has to be at least mid- to late-20s so that didn't set too well with me. Obviously it never struck me as a problem decades ago when I read this, and I'm sure it wasn't a problem when this was published in 1969.
Overall, I would now grade this a B-, so rounding to four stars here.
August 22, 2022
Another winning novel by Francis. Jockey Kelly Hughes and a horse trainer are sent before the Jockey Club for an enquiry into their most recent race where the favorite horse that Hughes was riding finished second to another horse from the same trainer. The stewards feel that a fix was in and have evidence that Hughes was bribed by the trainer to pull up on his horse at the finish. Both Hughes and the trainer are suspended indefinitely. Hughes knows that he did no such thing and that he was framed so he sets out to find the culprit. His investigation begins by trying to locate the person bribing other jockeys and trainers to testify against him at the enquiry. He attends the annual Jockey Ball and lets it be known to all in attendance that he was framed and that he intends to take down the guilty party. On his way home that night, Hughes passes out from carbon monoxide poisoning after someone tampered with his car and he ends up crashing his car. Now immobilized with a leg in a cast his job as detective is harder so he asks others to do it for him. He asks one of the stewards at the enquiry to push his colleagues to find out who told them about the evidence against Hughes. He agrees and finds out that one of the stewards was being blackmailed to suspend the trainer and Hughes was unfortunately collateral damage. The suspensions are overturned and Hughes sets a trap for the ones behind the scheme who turn out to be another horse trainer and his wife who were worried that the owner of the most successful horses in their barn were going to move their horses to the trainer who was suspended. So they moved quickly to prove that he was a cheater to prevent that from happening. Another free audible listen.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 2, 2018
I've read most of Francis's books over the years, and they are always winners. This was no exception. In this case Kelly (and the related trainer) are warned off on the very first page. Kelly, as expected, doesn't just take it--he fights back. So he investigates who is out to get them, how it could have been faked (since he knows he didn't do what they claimed), and why. Francis creates heroes who are strong but quiet, intelligent but not showy, with a lot of grit and cleverness. Kelly is a successful jockey with style and good taste (which surprises people when they see his apartment) and a strong intelligence (despite his poor upbringing--he was the first in his family to go to college, much to their chagrin). There's a good message of learning not to be snobbish ("listen to the character, not the accent") when he meets Roberta, his trainer's daughter. Lots of excitement, a fast-moving story, and a satisfying ending. I'm rarely disappointed with a Francis book. A great way to start off a new year of reading.
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