DARK HORSE by Felix Francis (Hands Down) continues in the spirit of horse racing mysteries of which Dick Francis was such a champion. His son introduces Imogen Duffy, a young conditional jockey, and reprises the beloved character of Sid Halley. The book feels disjointed, though, with the first half focused on Imogen’s racing career and its disruption by her abusive ex-boyfriend and fellow jockey, Liam Carson. He is stalking her but is clever enough to persuade others that she is irrationally threatening him. A sudden death leads to a murder trial, and it is in the second half where Sid Halley becomes involved – checking alibis and witness statements in an attempt to provide a viable defense and discover the truth. Although the story does not flow as smoothly as some of the best from Dick Francis himself (the reference to his life size statue at Aintree Racecourse is a nice salute), readers will enjoy the suspense (once again, Sid’s life is threatened) and the vivid descriptions of racing and horse jumping action.
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