A Great Thriller (Knock Down - Dick Francis)

Member Name: snowflake5

Product:	Knock Down - Dick Francis
Date:	21/04/06 (220 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: A cracking good read

Disadvantages: The book is over too quickly

I had been reluctant to try Dick Francis books, being an urban woman who doesn't like horses... However I was assured they didn't fit the stereotypes and were a cracking good read, so I gave it a go and was not disappointed. In fact I've become hooked, a bit of a Dick Francis fan.


The Author

Dick Francis was a champion National Hunt Jockey, riding many winners for the Queen Mother. He retired in 1957 due to a riding accident, at the top of his career. He became a racing correspondent, wrote his autobiography, got bitten by the writing bug and decided to write thrillers. Incredibly (or perhaps not - successful people tend to be good at everything they do), he turned into a bit of a champion writer too, writing some forty novels and winning numerous prizes on the way. I understand that his wife did help him with the books and it's rumoured that she actually wrote them - the book he wrote after her death wasn't up to his usual standards - could be because she wasn't there to re-write, or Francis simply getting too old and not having the heart for it any more.


The Novel

Knock Down is about Jonah Dereham, a 34-year old retired jockey, who is trying to establish a new career as a blood-stock agent. But his refusal to go along with the kick-back scams common in the racing world annoys someone important. Things start to happen to him - he is threatened, beaten up, rumours are spread about him, hurting his business and eventually his stables are burnt down. But who exactly has he annoyed?

The story, as in all Dick Francis books, is told in the first person, through the eyes of Jonah Dereham. This is the main joy of a Dick Francis book - the deep characterisation and psychological insight into the hero. Dick Francis heros are cool, silent types who tend to be deep, pschologically complex and brave. It's hard not to fancy them (and men I imagine want to be them). He is also good at evoking the atmosphere and types of people found in racing (I've been to Newbury once and you can actually spot some of these people - it's a different world from the one the rest of us live in!). Clearly champion jockeys have a lot of physical courage, dealing with pain, broken ribs and bones as a matter of routine. There is an excruciating bit in the book where the hero's dodgy shoulder dislocates again and he has to persuade his girlfriend to pop it back in for him...

The book was written in the 1970's, but it's held up well with time. There are only a few clues that this was the 1970's - a reference to weath taxes (I understand they were extremely high then), and a women's lib scene - the hero's brother is too embarassed to load the dishwasher while the hero's girlfriend is present, and she studiously ignores hints that she should do it (seems odd and very quaint to modern eyes ).

I enjoyed this book. It's ideal if you want to pass a cold Sunday afternoon on the sofa under the duvet, lost in a book.

This book is available in most lending libraries, airport book stores etc and is also available from amazon.co.uk, used, for the price of postage.

Summary: A racing thriller