And the winner is... (The Danger - Dick Francis)

Member Name: WallaceSP

Product:	The Danger - Dick Francis
Date:	03/07/01 (50 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Excellent pace, great storyline, A wonderfull blend of excitement, tragedy, and thrill of the chase

Disadvantages: The epilogue could use expanding

A series of people are kidnapped, and held to ransom with a slim connection - some association with horses. The kidnappers identity slowly emerges throughout the course of the book. Andrew Douglas is brought in to advise and counsel each situation, and starts to put the pieces together...

As a fan of Dick Francis, I have read much of his work, and I found this to be one of his better pieces.

The spine of the paperback version, gives the appearance that this is one of his longer works of fiction. And indeed this is the case. Which brings me to the only bad point thing that I have to say about this book. It appeared as though the story could run on longer than it did, as it is, the story is quite a nice length, but the end seemed to be brought to an abrupt. The capture of the kidnapper was written suitably fast, giving the impression of a quick operation, with plenty of description, but a good pace to give the reader a sense of the urgency and speed that such an undertaking would require. I would have been happier with a bit more of an epilogue, to clear up a few unanswered questions.

That said, however, I found the story to be fascinating. There was the usual evidence of plenty of research by the author (as always with Dick Francis), and descriptions of the scenes had sufficient details, whilst leaving plenty for the imagination to work with.

The story-telling was at Francis' usual high level, and made for a thoroughly enjoyable read. With locations around the world, and characters beautifully crafted.

Francis has cunningly included the thrill of the chase, the subtle excitement of romance, the parental fear of the loss of a child, and the age-old tale of the hunter and the hunted.

This was a book that I found difficult to put down, and one that I am sure I will read again.

As an after-thought, I'll add that there is only a cursory connection to horses!

Summary: