Field of 13 - Short stories by Dick Francis - Published in 1998

In 1956, Dick Francis, a steeplechase jockey, riding Devon Loch, the Queen Mother’s horse, was in for a win, when mysteriously, it appeared as if the horse were jumping a phantom fence, collapsing 50 yards from the winning post in the Grand National in 1956.

There was no looking back, as the once celebrated and respected jockey, turned his innate sense of the magnificent animal to help him create characters and stories that have captivated readers since the 1960s.
Field of 13 was written in 1998, and is a collection of short stories by this sensitive and insightful author:

1. Raid at Kingdom Hill
This short story first appeared in The Times, 1975. It talks about a bomb scare in a fictional racetrack called Kingdom Hill. What started out as a figment of the Author’s imagination , unfortunately found place in real life, when the 1997 Grand National Steeplechase was halted due to a bomb hoax.

2. Dead on Red
The fast paced story of French hit man Emil Jacques, who targets a jockey Red Millbrook, on behest of a jealous peer Davey Rockman. Jacques is famed in his field and is also a gun collector, hired to kill Red, a famed rider, who stole Rockman’s job.

3. Song for Mona
A mother’s love for horses is the cause for her daughter’s shame and disdain. Mona Watkins loves her animals, this is her livelihood as well as her passion, but is Joanie Vine’s embarrassment, as it hinders her efforts to climb the social ladder.

4. Bright White Star
This story first appeared in Cheshire Life, in 1979.It talks about a tramp and a horse that is stolen on Christmas Eve.

5. Collision Course
The story subtly talks of divine retribution, of how a newspaper editor who has lost his job, earns justice upon a malevolent restaurateur and horse trainer.

6. Nightmare
It first appeared in The Times, 13 April 1974. Story about a horse thief, eluding his past, when his father is killed in the heist.

7. Carrot for a Chestnut
His first short story, written eight years after the debut novel, appeared in Sports Illustrated, in 1970. Chestnut is fed carrots laced with drugs; the jockey is fed a just dessert when he starts to lose concentration and meets with a terrible accident.

8. The Gift
The story first appeared as "A Day of Wine and Roses" in Sports Illustrated, 1973. It is the story about an alcoholic, a former racing writer a pickpocket and a plan to fix the Kentucky Derby.

9. Spring Fever
The story is about unrequited love and the pain of rejection, when a jockey and trainer hatch a plan to embezzle 12000£ from a smitten owner; it first appeared in Women's Own magazine, 1980.

10. Blind Chance
The story first appeared as "Twenty-one Good Men and True" in Verdict of Thirteen: A Detection Club Anthology, 1979. It is about a blind boy who gathers information of how bettors are getting information on races.

11. Corkscrew
The touching story of an honest man charged with a crime he did not commit, whilst his dishonest lawyer swindles the man’s parents out of bail money.

12. The Day of the Losers
It first appeared in Horse and Hound, February 1977. Story of money from an old robbery, police plan to stop a race from getting fixed to catch a crook.

13. Haig's Death
The story of what the outcome will be after a race - the fate of many rests in the hands of the judge.

Decider - Authored by Dick Francis - Published in 1993

The ‘Decider’ is Lee Morris, a thirty five year old architect and builder, who likes to take up restoration projects; his current project is a huge barn house which belongs to his family, which consists of six kids and his wife. Amanda and Lee were married when they were nineteen, high school sweethearts. Over time the two, though living together, have become estranged, putting up a brave front for the boys sake, and respectfully keeping to having civil relations with each other.

It is Easter week, and the family is staying in a converted bus camper, after Amanda insists that Lee and the boys enjoy some time out with each other. The family isn’t prepared to face a violent and confrontational Holy Week, given that they are all fun loving, out doors type, good people.

In the meantime, the manager of the race course - Roger Gardner, makes an offer to Lee that he should help in the modernization and renovation of the racetrack - this despite the fact that the Strattons are conflicted over wanting to sell, renovate or leave the race course the way it is. He has a holding in the Stratton Park Racecourse, whose ownership is conflicted – Lee’s mother had married and divorced Lord Stratton’s son, and part of the racecourse stock came to be hers in the settlement after the divorce. The manager wants   Lee to use his shares to keep the race course running. Keith was the race course owner’s son, hyper abusive and violent, he raped Lee’s mother, after which a girl was born, whom the mother abandoned.

Keith’s father sympathized with his daughter-in-law and gives her a stake in Stratton Park; now with the old man dead - the Strattons want nothing more than to throw Lee out like a runt from the litter. The Strattons are a formidable bunch, they are keen to cheat Lee out of his part of the stock, and when the latter attends a shareholders’ meeting with his five older sons, he is assaulted and beaten - a grim warning that he should relinquish his hold over the racecourse. The slimiest of the lot are Lee’s mother’s ex husband - Keith and Marjorie Binsham, Keith’s aunt.

The worst happens when an explosion occurs in the grandstands of Stratton Park; but not before one of the kids sees explosive charges wired through the stands - he alerts Lee, who tries to get the crowd to vacate, everyone, save the nine year old son, leaves in panic, the bombs explode, thankfully, the child is unhurt.

Lee realizes he is now part of a mysterious conspiracy and has to fight to save his family from unknown sources that are threatening the children’s security. Lee is a dependable sort of guy, balanced and secure, physically well built and mentally very strong as well. He hates being dragged into this family feud, and wants nothing more than to solve the problems of Stratton Park and move on.

Readers rate the 33rd novel of Dick Francis as the best. Unlike most of his other books, The Decider is more family oriented, readers will love Lee for his sensitive dad character, they will ache for Amanda and him to be united, believing strongly that there is love after all those years together. A good read if you like family drama, mystery, intrigue as well as a slight romantic angle in your books!

Wild Horses - Authored by Dick Francis - Released in 1994

Dick Francis’s 33rd novel is a story about Thomas Lyon, a former steeplechase jockey, turned film director. Lyon is shooting a film, starring an American movie star, based on a best seller about the mysterious death of a young horse trainer’s wife Sonya Wells - whether she was murdered or actually committed suicide by hanging - remains unknown. The book is based on the actual occurrence, in which the woman was found deceased - it is a twenty six year old cold police case.

Now, her sister, niece and nephew are obstructing the shooting of the film, whilst the author of the book it is based on is concerned about ensuring that the film maker is not tampering with the original plot. Meanwhile, in the midst of the filming, Lyon’s friend Valentine Clark, a racing columnist by trade, passes away, with Thomas at his bedside; as luck would have it, Clark, in his state of delirium, mistakes Lyon for a priest, and makes a death bed confession. He also bequeaths to Thomas his wealth of articles and racing books - apparently priceless, as a lot of people want to get their hands on them - and the fact that Lyon is in possession of these is miffing many people around - they stop at nothing and can stoop to any extent to get the books, on one instance, assaulting Dorothea, Clark’s elderly sister.

Why is Lyon interested in making this particular film? It is because Jackson Wells, Rupert Visborough (her brother-in-law) and Valentine Clark were acquaintances. After Sonya’s death, the two men -Jackson and Rupert were dismissed from the Jockey Club, putting an end to their budding careers. When Thomas Lyon approaches the producer of the film O’Hara, the latter and Lyon both agree that it could be a shot at solving the woman’s mysterious death, they could actually come up with theories and clues that would clear Jackson and Rupert’s names.

But someone wants the filming to stop immediately, he/she seems to understand the intention behind unraveling the death; in a bid to warn Lyon’s, the actor’s double is attacked, another murder is committed - this time the victim is Clark’s nephew, and Thomas is blatantly given death threats, and even stabbed in the market place. So what did Clarks confess which has sent Thomas Lyon’s in a state? It seems that the old man, mistaking Lyon for a priest, sought absolution for his guilt for having killed someone some years ago.

A different read from most other books of Francis, this one plays on the human aspect of relationships, of how the past can cloud the present. For instance, Sonya wasn’t the loving wife everyone believed her to be, neither was Clark’s nephew, Dorothea’s son the martyr for having looked after his mother all those years. He does however redeem himself in the readers’ minds for having died saving his mother when goons break into her home. On the other hand, Jackson, whose life has been a whole mess for a long, long time, actually found true love and lived happily ever after. Even the fact that Valentine Clarks may have been a killer, makes one feel sorry for him - to have lived an entire lifetime with such guilt-ridden thoughts, painful!

A good read for anyone who enjoys a tear jerker and admires heroes who ‘keep ticking despite getting a constant licking’!

Come to Grief - By Dick Francis - Released in 1995

John Sidney Halley or Sid Halley makes his last appearance after three books, in Come To Grief (other books - Odds Against, Whip in Hand, Under Orders). A former jockey turned PI, he seems physically unassuming, and that he has a prosthetic hand is something that no one would ever notice.

It is this façade that manages to keep under wraps the brilliant mind he has for espionage, computer hacking, even martial arts - he is never found wanting in danger. But there is a fun side to him as well - like the gambling machine he keeps in his room; he is sensitive as well, gifting a poor cancer-ridden child a fish to keep her company.

Working with horses since he was fifteen, he won championships, however he also tragically crippled his left hand - it was further damaged by a villainous character, and resulted in its amputation. Although he never seems to grudge the accident openly, he does feel bitter within about his loss.

Sid’s friendship with Ellis Quint, also a former jockey, is his solace. Ellis is now a well known chat show host with a huge fan following. On the other hand, he also befriends Rachel, who is suffering from leukemia. She has lost her thorough-bred Silverboy, who was mercilessly mutilated - this gives the child nightmares.


Unbeknownst to Sid, Ellis has a dirty secret; he enjoys torturing and mutilating animals, as a cover up, it is Quint himself who sheds light on these horrific acts, making it known that the killings happen around the full moon. The animals’ front left hooves are amputated, repeatedly on a full moon, for months together - Sid bizarrely mirrors this with loss of his own  left hand.

Sid Halley steps in, and the facts are horrifying, he must implicate his best friend in this crime - and as a result, the media, police and community are all up in arms against Halley, given Quint’s popularity. He must quell his own doubts about the kind of man Ellis is, the fact that the two are like brothers and best of friends - he has an uphill task convincing even himself of his friend’s crime! The only thing that keeps him going is his friendship for Rachel and the many owners whose blameless horses have borne the brunt of sheer cruelty.

As a result of all the bloodshed, Sid has nightmares about his ghost limb, and the hand he has left. Despite attempts made on his life, he fights to bring the perpetrator to justice. The book opens with a court scene, where the trial of Ellis Quint is about to begin. The chief witness for prosecution is Sid, testifying against his friend. All the events are in flashback.

Sid has a strong case built up against Quint, but the law prevents him from discussing the case with the media or in public, since it is sub judice. Taking advantage of his silence, yellow journalism has a field day, especially vicious in its treatment is a tabloid called The Pump. Sid traces its vitriolic outburst against him, back to a relationship between Ellis and tabloid’s owner, a business tycoon. And then there is a horrific scene where Sid is caught and in danger of being killed.

The novel won an Edgar  and Silver Dagger for Francis, a must read, though best avoided by adolescents!

Brethren: An Epic Adventure of the Knights Templar (published in 2006) - Historical fiction, authored by Robyn Young

The time of the Crusades were a fascinating period for history buffs and historians, because of the sheer changes that happened in the Holy Land during the time period of the Crusades. Getting control of the Holy Lands in the Middle East was decreed as a holy duty, and participating in this holy duty was seen important for most European rulers and noblemen. Getting control of the holiest city of Jerusalem was the top mission, but it was not just this city. The area around the city and numerous strategic points had to be controlled as well; on the other side were some elements of the Mongols and more important, there were the Egyptians who saw the Holy Land as their territory and saw it as their holy duty to rid the land of these Christian invaders who were coming in from Europe and trying to set foot in their territory.
During these periods, there were some very impressive warriors who were involved in the crusades and the fight by the Egyptians, with names such as Richard the Lionheart, Saladin, and others. Among the others were the Marmaluk dynasty from Egypt, with many of their Sultans seeing it as their duty to follow in the footsteps of Saladin and remove these foreign fighters from these lands. And in the midst of all this were the people of these cities, forts and of the overall area, who wanted to make a living and were forever in danger. For anybody who has done some amount of historical readings, the Crusades were a very bloody time period. Overall, war itself involved huge casualties, and not only of the soldiers, but also of the citizens who were in grave danger of being killed, or at the minimum, looted or sent into slavery. But these battles during the Crusades had religious sanction for the blood-letting, and it was not uncommon for a victorious army to kill not only the opposing army but even all citizens of the conquered city.




This book is set in such a time period. It takes some real historical characters, and some fictional, tracking their lives during a specific period of the Crusades. And of course, it also makes extensive use of a historical society, the Knights Templar, who became incredibly powerful and were answerable only to the pope. On the one side, you have a young boy, William Campbell, who has been admitted to the Knights as a young sergeant, hoping to become a Knight here. His father is already in the Holy Lands along with the Knights. On the other side is the young slave, Baybars, who became a commander to the various Sultans; he was extremely ambitious and when the Sultan would not give him what he wanted, he was ready to get rid of the Sultan and finally take the power to himself.
And in the middle of all this is a book. This is where the story takes a meander, since the Book is about an inner council of the Knights Templar, and in a land where the very sniff of heresy could get you burnt at the stake, the Book talks in terms of a Grail Romance, and could very easily be used by a rival to destroy the Knights. And along with their power, the Knights had a number of enemies, since royal dynasties typically did not like power centers in their kingdom that reported only to the Pope (and also, the Knights would have lent money to the King and were not above demanding their money, acting as an equal to the King). So, there are multiple people hunting for this book, including the future king of England (Edward, known in history as Edward Longshanks) and the action slowly moves to the Holy Land where Baybars is being ruthless in his desire to rid the whole place of the corrupting influence of the Franks, and vows to defeat all the Crusaders.
The book is well researched and moves between the different characters, taking a short time period of history that was clearly significant (the rise and rule of Baybars was significant). The book also does not shirk from showing the brutality of war, although it does tend to depict Baybars as ruthless and cruel, while he is seen as a hero in the entire Middle East. And of course, the Crusaders were equally likely to be ruthless and murdering entire cities when they took them. Somehow, the end is a bit of a let down since the story becomes flat near the end. The end is an interesting anti-climax situation, but overall, the book was interesting.

Clear and Present Danger (Published in 1989) - Fight the drug menace, authored by Tom Clancy

Most citizens of the US would not have heard of Colombia, or if they have heard of Colombia, they would have associated it wither some great coffee, or also for being the source of a large proportion of the drugs that enter the US. These drugs enter the US through many different transport sources, and it has been the long standing wish of the US enforcement agencies to detect and block such routes in order to stop the inflow of drugs into the country. And with this drug money, the powerful drug barons in Colombia grow richer and more powerful, in many ways, being able to defy the government of Colombia as well. From time to time, there would have been the thought of many of the Presidents of the US and other high-ranking officials to take the powerful US military and intelligence agencies, and use it to hunt down these drub barons and somehow stop this inflow of drugs into the USA.
Tom Clancy has written a number of novels that go into great detail into the politics, administration, intelligence agencies and military of the US and spun novels around them. These books get into great detail and are fascinating to read as well. When you get into such detail, you also realize that the powers of the US military are not that over-whelming (they are in terms of their reach and lethal powers, but following all the rules and legal regulations ensures the constraints on possible actions of the military); Tom Clancy spins a web about the use of US military force to break the powers of the drug barons, and how this is not so easy as it sounds.




The book was published in 1989, and was a bestseller on release, and was soon made into a major movie starring Harrison Ford. The book takes a single starting point, where a friend of the President had been executed by the drug barons for stealing from them, and the President, deeming the import of drugs into the country as a 'Clear and Present Danger' to the country, decides to take action against the drug barons and their vast drug producing areas. However, in a clear indicator about the President not having unquestioned powers, this action by the President is cloaked under secrecy, with Congress not aware of this, and there being no statement by the military that they would start acting against the drug lords in a covert manner (and since this is part of the geographic territory of the country of Colombia, with which the US has had friendly relations, there cannot be an overt action of invading the country to fight against the drug barons).
A plan is setup where US troops are sent into the country, sent in through the direction of the US National Security Advisor (James Cutter) and the Deputy Director of Operations in the CIA (Robert Ritter). Jack Ryan, now a senior official in the CIA and one who also talks to Congress, is out of the loop. The plan first starts out smashingly, with flights being intercepted and troops inside Colombia. But, things start to go haywire soon. Then of course there is the attack on a visiting group of officials, including the head of the FBI and Ryan, when they are visiting Colombia.
And then the ex-Cuban guy advising one of the cartel members starts investigating further, and discovers that the US military has been blowing off bombs in the area and they have boots on the ground. And in the worse possible course of action, the Cuban, Cortez decides that he could use this attack to take over the cartel, and also blackmails Cutter to abandon the US soldiers. Ryan learns of all this and flies into Colombia to save the soldiers, acting without official authority; entering a foreign country to get your own soldiers out under hostile fire without a great plan is not exactly what most people would try to do. What happens next ? It is a masterful and thrilling tale, well worth the reading.

Red Rabbit (published in 2002) - Authored by Tom Clancy, but a disappointment

When a best-selling author publishes a book that is not as good as the books that he typically writes, it can still be successful, but dedicated fans tend to be disappointed at such an effort. Red Rabbit is one such book. It was a book written far after the fall of the Soviet Union (which happened in 1991), but this book was published in 2002. So, even when you go to the Amazon page of the book, it is nowhere near being a top-seller and in fact, reviews of the book are more negative than positive.
However, overall Tom Clancy was an accomplished writer, having turned out a number of topseller books, starting with The Hunt for Red October, which was a bestseller when it came out. The level of detail of military equipment, and the storytelling of intelligence operations as if from an insider made these books great reading for his fans, and at one point of time, even the then US President had handed out praise for Tom Clancy. After this, he turned out a number of books, dealing with the military, intelligence operations and politics, dealing with conflicts of the US with the Soviet Union, with Islamic terrorists, and with China. These were thick books, with a lot of detail, but they were interesting reading. The level of detail provided of a thermonuclear weapon as it started exploding was very detailed (even if it would not be fully accurate) in the novel, The Sum of All Fears.




Red Rabbit was a novel written way past all these, but dwelt on a chapter of history which was very controversial. There was an attack by a Turk called Mehmet Ali Agca on a Polish Pope, a Pope who was seeming to challenge the Soviet Rule over Poland and the rest of East Europe. Even though the Soviets were dismissive of the Pope, many sections of East Europe were catholics, and susceptible to calls from a Pope to fight communism. At such a stage, what would happen if the Pope were to invoke an open call to defeat communism, at least in his native country, Poland. What would happen if the Pope were to say that he would step down from the papacy and come back to his country to fight against communism. This would be a battle that the Communists would find it hard to win easily, and so something to avoid at all costs.
The warped solution ? Get rid of the Pope by assassination. And how to prevent this ? A KGB agent, armed with this knowledge, defects since he wants no part of this plan, and Ryan, along with the husband and wife intelligence officer duo of Ed and Mary Pat Foley have to get involved to stop this assassination.
In reality, the pope did not resign, but he did inspire a lot of effort against the Soviet domination of East Europe. There was an assassination attempt on him, but whether the effort was inspired by the Bulgarian intelligence agency is not something that is said with 100% accuracy right now.