What do you think?
Rate this book
Kit Fielding #1
Break In
Steeplechase jockey Christmas "Kit" Fielding has had more than his share of close calls both on and off the course. But trouble hits close to home when a grudge between his family and his sister's in-laws turns into a blood feud.
320 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published September 24, 1985
363 people are currently reading
1,129 people want to read
About the author
Dick Francis
481books1,220followersDick 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:
*
*
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:
*
*
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews
March 19, 2023
Horse racing, big business, newspapers and nasty villains
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 26, 2020
Some of Dick Francis' books are better than others but I've never read a bad book written by him. BREAK IN is about average for Francis, that is, an excellent character study and mystery/adventure. I avoided his books for years because I have almost no interest in horse racing. Fortunately someone persuaded me to try one. I do have an interest in life and people and those are the things about which Francis actually wrote with the able assistance of his wife Mary who did a lot, maybe most, of the research for the books. That accurate research is one of the reasons the books are so good.
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 26, 2020
Some of Dick Francis' books are better than others but I've never read a bad book written by him. BREAK IN is about average for Francis, that is, an excellent character study and mystery/adventure. I avoided his books for years because I have almost no interest in horse racing. Fortunately someone persuaded me to try one. I do have an interest in life and people and those are the things about which Francis actually wrote with the able assistance of his wife Mary who did a lot, maybe most, of the research for the books. That accurate research is one of the reasons the books are so good.
July 21, 2019
Those who have read several of Dick Francis's mysteries will know exactly what to expect from Break In. Malevolent forces are at work and a jockey, in this case Kit Fielding, gets caught up in the machinations. The Fielding family has been feuding with the Allardeck family for generations, and Kit's sister, Holly, has complicated matters by marrying into the Allardeck family, on the order of Romeo and Juliet.
As the book opens, someone has been planting viscous rumors in the press about Holly's husband, Bobby. Bobby is a horse trainer and the rumors say that he is broke and unable to pay his debts. His creditors and the people who own the horses he trains are pressing him, and it appears that Bobby will have to declare bankruptcy and lose everything.
As an Allardeck, he's reluctant to accept help from a Fielding, but Kit is the only one who appears capable of getting his sister and brother-in-law out of this crisis. Kit is forged in the same mold as virtually every other Dick Francis protagonist; he's very smart, extremely clever, and tough as nails. He has the sort of resilience that one expects from a Francis protagonist and like most of the others, he seems impervious to pain. In and around his efforts to save his sister and brother-in-law, Kit will ride a lot of races, and he will meet a beautiful woman that he will court in the style of a Dick Francis hero.
Again, there are no surprises here for anyone who has read a lot of these novels, but that's fine. It's sometimes comforting to fall down and just relax with a good book, even if you know with certainty where it's going to take you.
As the book opens, someone has been planting viscous rumors in the press about Holly's husband, Bobby. Bobby is a horse trainer and the rumors say that he is broke and unable to pay his debts. His creditors and the people who own the horses he trains are pressing him, and it appears that Bobby will have to declare bankruptcy and lose everything.
As an Allardeck, he's reluctant to accept help from a Fielding, but Kit is the only one who appears capable of getting his sister and brother-in-law out of this crisis. Kit is forged in the same mold as virtually every other Dick Francis protagonist; he's very smart, extremely clever, and tough as nails. He has the sort of resilience that one expects from a Francis protagonist and like most of the others, he seems impervious to pain. In and around his efforts to save his sister and brother-in-law, Kit will ride a lot of races, and he will meet a beautiful woman that he will court in the style of a Dick Francis hero.
Again, there are no surprises here for anyone who has read a lot of these novels, but that's fine. It's sometimes comforting to fall down and just relax with a good book, even if you know with certainty where it's going to take you.
January 14, 2023
Dick Francis is always a great go to author when you want a solid no nonsense hero to resolve a mystery with both dashing and good manners. This is the first in the Kit fielding two part series and it is just a totally entertaining read. I am no horse racing fan, but I loved the descriptions of his races. Apologies to GR friends who have been singing his praises. I have been slow to get around to him, but I am on board now.
October 4, 2022
[9/10]
Dick Francis is a bit of a one-trick-pony: he stumbled onto a winning formula in the field of thrillers and applied it to about four dozen books.
The similarities in plot and characters from one adventure to the next are obvious, but the key word in that definition is pony because Dick Francis is a hell of a good jockey on his particular hobby horse. The kind that wins championships in steeple-chasing and tops the best-seller lists in literature.
The horse ahead, the taxing job in hand, had absolute and necessary priority. I was primarily no one’s brother. I was primarily Kit Fielding, steeplechase jockey, some years champion, some years not, sharing the annual honour with another much like myself, coming out on top when my bones didn’t break, bowing to fate when they did.
Of the long list of popular thrillers written by Francis, the ones that deal directly with his field of expertise are the best. The racing world is for the author the passion of a lifetime and a true mirror of the world. The lessons learned by jumping over high fences at thirty miles an hour can be applied to any field of activity: preparation, dedication, focus, courage, integrity, respect and so on.
Kit Fielding is a steeple-chase jockey, a champion cut from the same mould as his creator. In fact, Dick Francis liked this Kit so much that he made him a recurrent character, something that only happens twice in his long catalogue [the other one is Sid Halley, another fictional steeple-chase jockey].
During a race, Mr. Fielding is absorbed completely by his relationship with the horse that carries him at high speed over fences, a level of wordless communication that may appear as magical to outsiders, but that is for Kit a combination of intuition and telepathy [and some bloody mindedness to get over that finish line together in the pole position]
Outside the racing field, Kit is reserved, discreet and reliable, a fact known also to his twin sister who has a habit of appealing to her brother whenever she is in trouble.
Coming to her brother, still, for her worst troubles to be fixed. Even though she was four years married, those patterns of behaviour, established in a parentless childhood, still seemed normal to us.
Holly Fielding is also part of the racing world, having married a young horse trainer in a sweeping romantic gesture that mirrors the plays of Shakespeare: The Fielding and the Allardeck racing clans have a generations long bloody feud going on, with Bobby and Holly being the first to break the tabu and cross over to the enemy. A sort of Montagues and Capulets in Newmarket.
Now Bobby Allardeck is the subject of a series of personal attacks in the yellow press that threaten to ruin his business. ‘The Daily Flag� is publishing articles about Bobby’s financial secrets and exposure due to recent loans and purchases, implying both incompetence and ill will. These attacks are indirectly also targetting Bobby’s father, tycoon Maynard Allardeck, who abandoned his son because of the marriage to a daughter of his sworn enemies.
Kit Fielding is not a private investigator, but every Dick Francis protagonist is very good at whatever he does, especially when it comes to observing the fine details of what is going on around them, keeping a level head and applying common sense to the problems encountered.
They are also good at dealing with bullies which, as a rule, compose most if not all of the adversaries in a Dick Francis novel. I’ve got so used to this aspect of the formula that I can spot the bad man of the novel the second he opens his mouth:
‘I won’t forget this,� he assured me viciously. ‘You’ll regret you meddled with me, I’ll see to that.�
The first question Kit Fielding asks when he arrives at the Bobby Allardeck stables is how the newspaper has obtained private information. The second action is to take steps to secure the compound against trespassers. This leads to immediate results, such as foiling a plan to kidnap horses without paying training debts by a venal owner. And catching a couple of strangers in the act of breaking into the stables after midnight, which gives us the title of the novel.
>>><<<>>><<<
I will stop here with the revelations about the plot. It will not do to tell all the salient points in a review that should be more about the secret ingredients Dick Francis puts in his successful formula. How exactly is he writing so many winners?
One of these key elements is the vibrant curiosity the author has about how different industries function. Most of these side activities provide the local colouring for individual novels and are somehow related to the world of racing. We have had in the past: horse riding, horse buying, horse training, race fixing, horse transports, photography, banking, car racing, movie stunts, catering, and so on ...
So how can we bring the scandal sheets of contemporary journalism into the fold?
The Flag’s overall and constant tone, I found, was of self-righteous spite, its message a sneer, its aftertaste guaranteed to send a reader belligerently out looking for an excuse to take umbrage or to spread ill-will.
[...]
The Flag thought that respect was unnecessary, envy was normal, all motives were sleazy and only dogs were loved; and presumably it was what people wanted to read, as the circulation (said the Flag) was increasing daily.
Instead of a murder investigation we are offered in the present novel a description of how the power of the press has been perverted for propaganda and for financial gains.
Someone is secretly paying the ‘Daily Flag� to run a smear campaign against the elder Allardeck, someone vicious and venal enough to break the law and to target the innocents.
Maynard Allardeck has caused a lot of grief during his rise to power in the financial circles, but for Kit Fielding this doesn’t mean that his son and his own sister must pay the price of bringing the bastard Maynard down.
So Kit Fielding takes the fight right back to the corrupt journalists, putting his own life in danger just as he does every time he enters a race, bringing his best assets that I mentioned earlier [focus, determination, courage, etc] into play against the clique of bullies.
>>><<<>>><<<
Another secret ingredient in the Francis formula is the attention to detail and the empathy given to secondary characters: Kit Fielding and other Francis heroes are never truly lone rangers, but they move in a circle of kindred spirits, driven by kindness and selflessness and professionalism. Most often than not, these character traits lead to long lasting friendships and even passionate love.
For Kit Fielding this reliable circle of old and new friends include his royal sponsor, the aging princess of an unnamed European country, his reclusive trainer, his cranky personal stable boy, a fierce woman editor at a rival newspaper and a beautiful young American heiress that prefers hard work to the lure of the jet set circuit.
I could have easily given the story five stars, as one of the best rides in the stable of Dick Francis� champion ponies, but I found the often repeated telepathy claims a bit iffy and unnecessary. As a person with an identical twin who never received any telepathic messages from him, or from anyone else, I take these claims with more than a grain of salt.
But I am still looking forward to my years long quest to read every Dick Francis novel in publication order [ ‘Break In� is actually a re-read]
‘I do begin to see,� Danielle said, ‘what racing is all about.�
Dick Francis is a bit of a one-trick-pony: he stumbled onto a winning formula in the field of thrillers and applied it to about four dozen books.
The similarities in plot and characters from one adventure to the next are obvious, but the key word in that definition is pony because Dick Francis is a hell of a good jockey on his particular hobby horse. The kind that wins championships in steeple-chasing and tops the best-seller lists in literature.
The horse ahead, the taxing job in hand, had absolute and necessary priority. I was primarily no one’s brother. I was primarily Kit Fielding, steeplechase jockey, some years champion, some years not, sharing the annual honour with another much like myself, coming out on top when my bones didn’t break, bowing to fate when they did.
Of the long list of popular thrillers written by Francis, the ones that deal directly with his field of expertise are the best. The racing world is for the author the passion of a lifetime and a true mirror of the world. The lessons learned by jumping over high fences at thirty miles an hour can be applied to any field of activity: preparation, dedication, focus, courage, integrity, respect and so on.
Kit Fielding is a steeple-chase jockey, a champion cut from the same mould as his creator. In fact, Dick Francis liked this Kit so much that he made him a recurrent character, something that only happens twice in his long catalogue [the other one is Sid Halley, another fictional steeple-chase jockey].
During a race, Mr. Fielding is absorbed completely by his relationship with the horse that carries him at high speed over fences, a level of wordless communication that may appear as magical to outsiders, but that is for Kit a combination of intuition and telepathy [and some bloody mindedness to get over that finish line together in the pole position]
Outside the racing field, Kit is reserved, discreet and reliable, a fact known also to his twin sister who has a habit of appealing to her brother whenever she is in trouble.
Coming to her brother, still, for her worst troubles to be fixed. Even though she was four years married, those patterns of behaviour, established in a parentless childhood, still seemed normal to us.
Holly Fielding is also part of the racing world, having married a young horse trainer in a sweeping romantic gesture that mirrors the plays of Shakespeare: The Fielding and the Allardeck racing clans have a generations long bloody feud going on, with Bobby and Holly being the first to break the tabu and cross over to the enemy. A sort of Montagues and Capulets in Newmarket.
Now Bobby Allardeck is the subject of a series of personal attacks in the yellow press that threaten to ruin his business. ‘The Daily Flag� is publishing articles about Bobby’s financial secrets and exposure due to recent loans and purchases, implying both incompetence and ill will. These attacks are indirectly also targetting Bobby’s father, tycoon Maynard Allardeck, who abandoned his son because of the marriage to a daughter of his sworn enemies.
Kit Fielding is not a private investigator, but every Dick Francis protagonist is very good at whatever he does, especially when it comes to observing the fine details of what is going on around them, keeping a level head and applying common sense to the problems encountered.
They are also good at dealing with bullies which, as a rule, compose most if not all of the adversaries in a Dick Francis novel. I’ve got so used to this aspect of the formula that I can spot the bad man of the novel the second he opens his mouth:
‘I won’t forget this,� he assured me viciously. ‘You’ll regret you meddled with me, I’ll see to that.�
The first question Kit Fielding asks when he arrives at the Bobby Allardeck stables is how the newspaper has obtained private information. The second action is to take steps to secure the compound against trespassers. This leads to immediate results, such as foiling a plan to kidnap horses without paying training debts by a venal owner. And catching a couple of strangers in the act of breaking into the stables after midnight, which gives us the title of the novel.
>>><<<>>><<<
I will stop here with the revelations about the plot. It will not do to tell all the salient points in a review that should be more about the secret ingredients Dick Francis puts in his successful formula. How exactly is he writing so many winners?
One of these key elements is the vibrant curiosity the author has about how different industries function. Most of these side activities provide the local colouring for individual novels and are somehow related to the world of racing. We have had in the past: horse riding, horse buying, horse training, race fixing, horse transports, photography, banking, car racing, movie stunts, catering, and so on ...
So how can we bring the scandal sheets of contemporary journalism into the fold?
The Flag’s overall and constant tone, I found, was of self-righteous spite, its message a sneer, its aftertaste guaranteed to send a reader belligerently out looking for an excuse to take umbrage or to spread ill-will.
[...]
The Flag thought that respect was unnecessary, envy was normal, all motives were sleazy and only dogs were loved; and presumably it was what people wanted to read, as the circulation (said the Flag) was increasing daily.
Instead of a murder investigation we are offered in the present novel a description of how the power of the press has been perverted for propaganda and for financial gains.
Someone is secretly paying the ‘Daily Flag� to run a smear campaign against the elder Allardeck, someone vicious and venal enough to break the law and to target the innocents.
Maynard Allardeck has caused a lot of grief during his rise to power in the financial circles, but for Kit Fielding this doesn’t mean that his son and his own sister must pay the price of bringing the bastard Maynard down.
So Kit Fielding takes the fight right back to the corrupt journalists, putting his own life in danger just as he does every time he enters a race, bringing his best assets that I mentioned earlier [focus, determination, courage, etc] into play against the clique of bullies.
>>><<<>>><<<
Another secret ingredient in the Francis formula is the attention to detail and the empathy given to secondary characters: Kit Fielding and other Francis heroes are never truly lone rangers, but they move in a circle of kindred spirits, driven by kindness and selflessness and professionalism. Most often than not, these character traits lead to long lasting friendships and even passionate love.
For Kit Fielding this reliable circle of old and new friends include his royal sponsor, the aging princess of an unnamed European country, his reclusive trainer, his cranky personal stable boy, a fierce woman editor at a rival newspaper and a beautiful young American heiress that prefers hard work to the lure of the jet set circuit.
I could have easily given the story five stars, as one of the best rides in the stable of Dick Francis� champion ponies, but I found the often repeated telepathy claims a bit iffy and unnecessary. As a person with an identical twin who never received any telepathic messages from him, or from anyone else, I take these claims with more than a grain of salt.
But I am still looking forward to my years long quest to read every Dick Francis novel in publication order [ ‘Break In� is actually a re-read]
‘I do begin to see,� Danielle said, ‘what racing is all about.�
May 5, 2011
Yes, I love Dick Francis. What's not to like?!
There are fast horses...
and hot men!
Umm... I don't think that was exactly the jockey I was looking for, but what the hell! Eye Candy!
Anyway, the Kit Fielding novels are probably my favorite of all Francis' books. Kit Fielding is a champion jockey with minor telepathic talent and a great affinity for horses. When his twin sister approaches him for help regarding some false accusations in a tabloid about her husband's training stables, Kit becomes involved in a conspiracy that goes all the way up the newspaper echelons and into the depths of the Honours Office.
Like most of Francis' heroes, Kit is calm and laid-back with an underlying will of steel. His easygoing facade hides a sharp mind and a great deal of dogged stubbornness. Break In has all the ingredients required for a successful Dick Francis outing � horse races, a Princess and her beautiful niece, evil men with knives, family drama and a hero who can be both a real man and a gentleman. Fun times!
Francis, much like his heroes, has a slow, easy way of writing that pulls you into the story almost without your knowledge. He has a simple, straightforward style of writing that makes for some excellent light reading. Even if, like me, you've never been near a horse in your life, you'll fall in love with his heartfelt descriptions of a jockey's life, his bond with his horses and the horse-racing scene in England. Having been a champion jockey himself, Francis definitely follows the rule of 'write what you know' and he does it excellently.
If you're looking for some beach reading that's not chick lit or YA, Dick Francis is the way to go!
There are fast horses...
and hot men!
Umm... I don't think that was exactly the jockey I was looking for, but what the hell! Eye Candy!
Anyway, the Kit Fielding novels are probably my favorite of all Francis' books. Kit Fielding is a champion jockey with minor telepathic talent and a great affinity for horses. When his twin sister approaches him for help regarding some false accusations in a tabloid about her husband's training stables, Kit becomes involved in a conspiracy that goes all the way up the newspaper echelons and into the depths of the Honours Office.
Like most of Francis' heroes, Kit is calm and laid-back with an underlying will of steel. His easygoing facade hides a sharp mind and a great deal of dogged stubbornness. Break In has all the ingredients required for a successful Dick Francis outing � horse races, a Princess and her beautiful niece, evil men with knives, family drama and a hero who can be both a real man and a gentleman. Fun times!
Francis, much like his heroes, has a slow, easy way of writing that pulls you into the story almost without your knowledge. He has a simple, straightforward style of writing that makes for some excellent light reading. Even if, like me, you've never been near a horse in your life, you'll fall in love with his heartfelt descriptions of a jockey's life, his bond with his horses and the horse-racing scene in England. Having been a champion jockey himself, Francis definitely follows the rule of 'write what you know' and he does it excellently.
If you're looking for some beach reading that's not chick lit or YA, Dick Francis is the way to go!
March 22, 2020
novels are good clean fun. The protagonist is always intelligent, smart, and resourceful. There is little doubt who the bad guys are. No real mystery or surprise at the end. Basically a story of good vs evil. A story about morals. They remind me of television shows from the 1950's and 1960's.
The protagonist in this story is Christmas ``Kit`` Fielding, a steeplechase jockey. He and his twin sister, Holly, were born on Christmas day. The Fielding family has had an ongoing feud with the Allardeck family that has gone back for generations. It did not help when Holly married Bobby Allardeck. The only person who did not disapprove the marriage was Kit. So it is only natural that Holly comes to Kit when articles in a gossip column lead to financial ruin for Bobby's horse training business. Suppliers will not do business with Bobby until their bills are paid and owners want their horses returned.
Kit, like all protagonists, is highly intelligent; resourceful; tough, and apparently the only person who can save Bobby and Holly. Being an Allardeck Bobby is reluctant to accept help from a Fielding but is not as obstinate as the older generations. But Kit wins him over � of course. He will save his brother-in-law and sister, win several races, and meet and fall in love with a beautiful woman.
There are several bad guys in this story including a couple of media barons and a Allardeck family member who wants to be a Knight and will trample anyone who gets in his way. Anyone. But media barons and Knight wannabes are no match for Kit Fielding. No surprises, no suspense that will keep you turning the pages but if you are looking for an enjoyable story to pass a few hours you can't go wrong with .
The protagonist in this story is Christmas ``Kit`` Fielding, a steeplechase jockey. He and his twin sister, Holly, were born on Christmas day. The Fielding family has had an ongoing feud with the Allardeck family that has gone back for generations. It did not help when Holly married Bobby Allardeck. The only person who did not disapprove the marriage was Kit. So it is only natural that Holly comes to Kit when articles in a gossip column lead to financial ruin for Bobby's horse training business. Suppliers will not do business with Bobby until their bills are paid and owners want their horses returned.
Kit, like all protagonists, is highly intelligent; resourceful; tough, and apparently the only person who can save Bobby and Holly. Being an Allardeck Bobby is reluctant to accept help from a Fielding but is not as obstinate as the older generations. But Kit wins him over � of course. He will save his brother-in-law and sister, win several races, and meet and fall in love with a beautiful woman.
There are several bad guys in this story including a couple of media barons and a Allardeck family member who wants to be a Knight and will trample anyone who gets in his way. Anyone. But media barons and Knight wannabes are no match for Kit Fielding. No surprises, no suspense that will keep you turning the pages but if you are looking for an enjoyable story to pass a few hours you can't go wrong with .
November 5, 2018
Γνώρισα τα αστυνομικά μυθιστορήματα του Ντικ Φράνσις όταν έμεινα στην Αγγλία για ένα εξάμηνο ως φοιτήτρια και τώρα τα ξαναδιαβάζω (συνήθως παράλληλα με άλλα βιβλία). Έχουν μια πρωτοτυπία, ιδιαίτερα για Έλληνα αναγνώστη, γιατί ο συγγραφέας ήταν πρώην τζόκει και διαδραματίζονται στο κόσμο των αγγλικών ιπποδρομιών, που για μένα τουλάχιστον είναι τόσο ξένος όσο και η Μέση Γη του Τόλκιν. Δεν πρόκειται για λογοτεχνικά αριστουργήματα, άσε που πλέον είναι μάλλον παρωχημένα (το συγκεκριμένο πρέπει να γράφτηκε μέσα της δεκαετίας '80). Αλλά κάνουν την ίδια δουλειά με τα βιβλία της Αγκάθα Κρίστι: ό,τι πρέπει όταν στο τέλος της μέρας θέλεις κάτι μη απαιτητικό για να χαλαρώσεις, και ανακαλύπτω ότι ξαναδιαβάζονται ευχάριστα. Ίσως είναι άδικο που είπα ότι δεν είναι αριστουργήματα: στο είδος τους ίσως να είναι.
May 3, 2023
Another great Dick Francis novel which echoes the recent controversy over newspapers eavesdropping on celebrities. Kit Fielding is a a steeple-chase jockey and enjoys the friendship of the princess who owns several of the horses he races.
Suddenly he finds himself embroiled with helping his twin Holly and her husband Bobby Allardeck. They are being targeted with a newspaper printing false rumors that they cannot pay their debts. As horse trainers, the Allardecks could go bankrupt.
The fly in the ointment is Holly did a Romeo and Juliet as the families have been for enemies over centuries. Bobby’s father is a nasty piece of work conning people out of assets and destroying their lives. Kit uncovers his nefarious deeds and also the villains trying to stop him getting his knighthood by targeting his son.
Kit is determined to discover the motive for the attack. Kit using his contacts gets help from people in the princess's circle, which includes her niece, Danielle. A romance develops between the jockey and Danielle.
Kit saves the Allardecks' business and he outwits the perpetrators of a shameful conspiracy. Newspaper tycoons are reflected accurately. Francis knowledge of the racing scene also shines through in his writing.
An enjoyable read.
Suddenly he finds himself embroiled with helping his twin Holly and her husband Bobby Allardeck. They are being targeted with a newspaper printing false rumors that they cannot pay their debts. As horse trainers, the Allardecks could go bankrupt.
The fly in the ointment is Holly did a Romeo and Juliet as the families have been for enemies over centuries. Bobby’s father is a nasty piece of work conning people out of assets and destroying their lives. Kit uncovers his nefarious deeds and also the villains trying to stop him getting his knighthood by targeting his son.
Kit is determined to discover the motive for the attack. Kit using his contacts gets help from people in the princess's circle, which includes her niece, Danielle. A romance develops between the jockey and Danielle.
Kit saves the Allardecks' business and he outwits the perpetrators of a shameful conspiracy. Newspaper tycoons are reflected accurately. Francis knowledge of the racing scene also shines through in his writing.
An enjoyable read.
June 10, 2018
Trotted out Dick Francis� Break In to get in the mood for the Triple Crown at Belmont this weekend. Perfect book to re-read if you like horse racing and crime stories:) Kit Fielding remains a perfect hero - modest & unassuming yet braver & smarter than the rest of the field, whether it’s as a championship jockey or an amateur detective. In this �1st Kit Fielding mystery� (back when I first read it, it was only the one), he’s quick to figure out who’s harming his brother in law and whether ruining his stable is collateral damage for something more insidious. This time round, I found the American love interest less than satisfactory, but that didn’t stop me from appreciating how he takes all the obstacles thrown in his path as easily as a novice hurdler at Ascot.
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.
June 20, 2012
I bought a mystery and I was cheated!
I was reading this book, really enjoying myself, when about page 100 or so I noticed, nobody's been murdered? Why this is pretty clever I thought, holding off a murder scene more than halfway through a book. Well ..then I'm about three quarters through this book and I'm trying to enjoy it, but now I'm worried about when the murder is going to happen and I'm thinking he's pretty good, cause I still don't have a clue bout when it's going to happen or to whom?
Then it occurred to me - he's not planning to murder anybody!
Well, I'd been had! I called the publisher and demanded my money back. I told them, If I'm going to read two hundred pages or more of a mystery book I expect a decent body count and by damn, I deserved either a body or my money back (At this point, I wasn't really particular bout which one.)
Well anyway, she asked me if I enjoyed it and I said "yes, I did ..but" and she just said "denied".
Well, if all you care about is reading a good book? Well, then go ahead and read it, but I'm warning ya, you're gonna be horn-swoggled.
I was reading this book, really enjoying myself, when about page 100 or so I noticed, nobody's been murdered? Why this is pretty clever I thought, holding off a murder scene more than halfway through a book. Well ..then I'm about three quarters through this book and I'm trying to enjoy it, but now I'm worried about when the murder is going to happen and I'm thinking he's pretty good, cause I still don't have a clue bout when it's going to happen or to whom?
Then it occurred to me - he's not planning to murder anybody!
Well, I'd been had! I called the publisher and demanded my money back. I told them, If I'm going to read two hundred pages or more of a mystery book I expect a decent body count and by damn, I deserved either a body or my money back (At this point, I wasn't really particular bout which one.)
Well anyway, she asked me if I enjoyed it and I said "yes, I did ..but" and she just said "denied".
Well, if all you care about is reading a good book? Well, then go ahead and read it, but I'm warning ya, you're gonna be horn-swoggled.
October 10, 2017
Dick Frances writes good, clean, horse stories that have a bit of suspense and always include a good mystery. When an untrue social flogging threatens a honest couple with financial ruin the wife's brother, who is a steeplechase rider for the wealthy, gets involved and tries to find out the motive behind this fraud.
November 24, 2021
This was my absolute favourite when I first raced through all of the Dick Francis books I could get my hands on as a kid. I remembered Maynard, I remembered Holly and also "dustsheets" ... And pretty much nothing else. It is still an excellent story. The obsolete tech was an added delight!
Read
October 4, 2020A Quick Race-On Sale $1.99
Years ago before goodreads was even thought of, I binged on as many Dick Francis books I could find at the library. I had been involved with horses, riding them, watching them race, and mixing a little bit with those who trained them. These books had some sort of horse racing mixed with a thriller/crime element.
Dick Francis had been a steeplechase jockey bringing firsthand experiences to the authenticity of every tale. His writing gave me so much enjoyment and pleasure during a time when it was so needed.
If you have any interest in horse racing viewed from those who actually know from where they speak, then the novels by Dick Francis are a must.
Break In
/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
Years ago before goodreads was even thought of, I binged on as many Dick Francis books I could find at the library. I had been involved with horses, riding them, watching them race, and mixing a little bit with those who trained them. These books had some sort of horse racing mixed with a thriller/crime element.
Dick Francis had been a steeplechase jockey bringing firsthand experiences to the authenticity of every tale. His writing gave me so much enjoyment and pleasure during a time when it was so needed.
If you have any interest in horse racing viewed from those who actually know from where they speak, then the novels by Dick Francis are a must.
Break In
/review/show...
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
July 1, 2023
Typical Dick Francis protagonist. Kit Fielding is a steeplechase jockey. He was raised by his ornery grandfather after his parents died suddenly. One difference- he has a twin sister to whom he is very close. In their childhood, they had a kind of telepathy, able to communicate without words. My sister and I had this when we were younger. We never spoke full sentences. Did you? Yes. Should I? Is that? We’d show up places wearing basically the same outfit. We both dyed our hair red on a whim the same day without ever talking about it. When we played Pictionary, people accused us of cheating. Just as one of us started to draw, the other would blurt out the correct answer when there was barely a squiggle on the paper. We weren’t allowed to be partners. As we got older, this went away. Same for Kit and his sister Holly.
There has been a generations long time feud between Kit’s family and another horse racing family. Complicating things, Holly has married one of the enemy. Although he tries, Kit cannot let go of his ingrained hate of the family, and if Holly’s husband Bobby. Bobby feels the same about Kit. They grew up next door to one another and fought throughout their childhood.
Now, Holly’s husband is in trouble and Holly knows (as we do) the only one who can help is Kit. He’s cool under duress, thinks of things others haven’t considered, and can tolerate a lot of pain and discomfort, due
to his spills from horses.
I complained about the “romance� in the last Dick Francis book I read, . Aside from one awkward moment, this romance story was sweetly told. Looks like I need to track down the other two Kit Fielding books.
6/30/23 No matter how many times I reread Dick Francis, I’m always holding my breath (along with the spectators at the race course) every time he describes what it’s like to race around a track, hoping all the variables are in your favour.* Forget the rest of the plot- that’s suspense!
* British spelling as due
There has been a generations long time feud between Kit’s family and another horse racing family. Complicating things, Holly has married one of the enemy. Although he tries, Kit cannot let go of his ingrained hate of the family, and if Holly’s husband Bobby. Bobby feels the same about Kit. They grew up next door to one another and fought throughout their childhood.
Now, Holly’s husband is in trouble and Holly knows (as we do) the only one who can help is Kit. He’s cool under duress, thinks of things others haven’t considered, and can tolerate a lot of pain and discomfort, due
to his spills from horses.
I complained about the “romance� in the last Dick Francis book I read, . Aside from one awkward moment, this romance story was sweetly told. Looks like I need to track down the other two Kit Fielding books.
6/30/23 No matter how many times I reread Dick Francis, I’m always holding my breath (along with the spectators at the race course) every time he describes what it’s like to race around a track, hoping all the variables are in your favour.* Forget the rest of the plot- that’s suspense!
* British spelling as due
December 29, 2020
One of Dick Francis� classics, this story revolves around the life of a steeplechase jockey and the perils of tracks, trainers, and reputations. Dick Francis is an excellent writer and storyteller. I was happy to reread this complex tale of intrigue and strategy, with a bit of the best romantic writing by a man that I’ve encountered. All of his books are interesting and, as a reader, I can rest and enjoy his storytelling because he never disappoints me.
January 17, 2023
A mystery where no one is murdered, not even horses ?! Only Dick Francis could have pulled this off and he does it and how!!
Once again Dick Francis comes up with a unique plot, with interesting characters and a Hero to root for.
I don't think I have ever met a gentleman (in real life or in fiction) like any of Francis's Heroes. Kit (Christmas) Fielding has tons of patience, clever, resilient, charming and wins almost every race he rides in!
Along with horse racing, we get to know how media works - print and TV, how TV news are edited and aired. These might be obsolete technology, and may not even be accurate in the 80s, but it was still fun.
I am not giving full 5*, because the way Kit easily gets incriminating evidence against the Villain was a bit far-fetched.
The audible narration by Tony Britton was a treat to listen to.
Once again Dick Francis comes up with a unique plot, with interesting characters and a Hero to root for.
I don't think I have ever met a gentleman (in real life or in fiction) like any of Francis's Heroes. Kit (Christmas) Fielding has tons of patience, clever, resilient, charming and wins almost every race he rides in!
Along with horse racing, we get to know how media works - print and TV, how TV news are edited and aired. These might be obsolete technology, and may not even be accurate in the 80s, but it was still fun.
I am not giving full 5*, because the way Kit easily gets incriminating evidence against the Villain was a bit far-fetched.
The audible narration by Tony Britton was a treat to listen to.
March 1, 2018
Loved this one and love Kit, Christmas Fielding and his twin Holly! Born on Christmas day. Great read
February 2, 2022
Another Dick Francis mystery, and another Dick Francis hero. Here, our hero is a steeplechase jockey who figures out a crime against his sister and her husband, negotiating with base criminal henchman and the wealthy and connected people that employ them. As is usual, the hero faces some major physical inducements to stop his involvement, but unlike most of Francis� heroes this stopped short of torture and/or a necessary hospital stay. Well, except for stiches. Also unlike other Francis books that I’ve read, there seems to be little in the way of a heavily researched side topic in the mystery. The closest we get to coming afield of horse racing is the description of a telephone bug, circa 1970s. Despite missing these hallmarks, I found that I enjoyed the story. There was even a touch of romance here. I am not surprised that Fielding makes his way to an additional Francis story, as he was the most likeable of the ones I’ve read so far. I read the follow on, “Bolt�, a while ago and didn’t rate it highly. I suspect had I read them in order I’d have rated “Bolt� a bit higher.
November 26, 2024
A highly enjoyable one, this although also strangely lacking in any real 'thrills': Kit Fielding feels altogether far too capable, both in the saddle, where most races are winners, and out of it. There are threats certainly but few, if any, come to much more than hot air.
Despite this, however, the central mystery is strong and interesting, and Francis manages to achieve a maximal cosy feeling for his long term readers.
There are some standard clichés in here around people thinking jockeys are insane, shock from a non horse-rider at the speed they go and, of course, the necessity of pointing out women who are Feminists as if it's something separate and specific. (I mean okay 1985 was actually a long time ago.)
He also takes his normal thing of horse-rider telepathy and mixes it with twins telepathy to make this make the first of his books dipping into the 'supernatural' even if only around the edges of stuff sometimes claimed by twins or those who are very close. It adds a nice element although some might find it too much.
Despite this, however, the central mystery is strong and interesting, and Francis manages to achieve a maximal cosy feeling for his long term readers.
There are some standard clichés in here around people thinking jockeys are insane, shock from a non horse-rider at the speed they go and, of course, the necessity of pointing out women who are Feminists as if it's something separate and specific. (I mean okay 1985 was actually a long time ago.)
He also takes his normal thing of horse-rider telepathy and mixes it with twins telepathy to make this make the first of his books dipping into the 'supernatural' even if only around the edges of stuff sometimes claimed by twins or those who are very close. It adds a nice element although some might find it too much.
January 31, 2021
Simon Prebble in the narrator for the audiobook version of this novel.
October 13, 2020
Re-reading many Dick Francis books in my library and thoroughly enjoying each one.
Read
October 23, 20183.5 stars
July 23, 2008
This is one of Dick Francis' best. Kit Fielding is a great character, a steeplechase jockey (where the horses jump rather than run on a flat course) who has a strong will and a touch of telepathy. The plot has something new and interesting on every page, from a romance to falls to near murder experiences to a long run blood feud (most certainly not in that order).
This being popcorn, you shouldn't expect a Great Work of Fiction. However, it is a great read. Easy on the eyes (the edition I have has nice spacing which makes the reading go faster) and mostly easy on the brain. Francis does have a slight problem with keeping some of his characters in character, but he does it to move the plot along rather than showing what I think the character would have done. Also, the bad guys are bad but the good guys aren't always good (but you always like them). Francis also uses the technique of having the main character find a big piece of the puzzle but the only telling you the character's reaction rather than exactly what they found. Of course the information is revealed later, when it is more dramatic, but that can get a bit irritating.
There are a lot of plot points that are touched on so it feels as if the main character is well rounded even though everything is touched on lightly (making it a easy, quick read and therefore popcorn). But I always enjoy Francis' writing and I intend to read more of his stuff. Francis' books may all be popcorn and always involve horse racing, but the stories are all different and enjoyable.
This being popcorn, you shouldn't expect a Great Work of Fiction. However, it is a great read. Easy on the eyes (the edition I have has nice spacing which makes the reading go faster) and mostly easy on the brain. Francis does have a slight problem with keeping some of his characters in character, but he does it to move the plot along rather than showing what I think the character would have done. Also, the bad guys are bad but the good guys aren't always good (but you always like them). Francis also uses the technique of having the main character find a big piece of the puzzle but the only telling you the character's reaction rather than exactly what they found. Of course the information is revealed later, when it is more dramatic, but that can get a bit irritating.
There are a lot of plot points that are touched on so it feels as if the main character is well rounded even though everything is touched on lightly (making it a easy, quick read and therefore popcorn). But I always enjoy Francis' writing and I intend to read more of his stuff. Francis' books may all be popcorn and always involve horse racing, but the stories are all different and enjoyable.
October 18, 2018
Audible edition: How have I missed this author all these years?? This one was published in 1985 and is going to go down as one of my all time faves! It has mystery, family dynamics, a bit of romance, horse racing!, and character development, and all done with a main character who has honesty, integrity, and good manners! And notably is without a grisly murder or rape or child abduction. The only thing I've rolled my eyes at a bit is that he does kiss the cheeks of women he didn't know well (just no!) and has issue with female jockeys, as they can't roll with it like men can, but beyond that, my goodness! I've enjoyed this one! And with that confidence, I purchased three more titles by the author. I'm now in love with the narrator, Simon Prebble, and he will rival Ralph Cosham as my favorite male narrator. His voices are some of the best I've heard. Not only that, but in looking at titles for this author and listening to the samples, I have found that Ralph Cosham also recorded under the name of Geoffrey Howard! Woohoo! New titles to line my Audible shelves for bedtime stories for years to come!
September 21, 2022
If you want a Victorian detective novel, you read Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. If you want a 1990's police procedural, you read Rankin's Rebus. If you want a house racing thriller, however, you read Dick Francis. That's just how it is.
Francis was a master craftsman and an ex jockey to boot, so when a rider falls, or a horse jumps the last to victory, you really feel it.
At 400 pages, it's one of Francis' longest ones, but it races along; clocking up the chapters as quickly as Kit Fielding (the main protagonist) clocks up the winners.
His books may be dated now (in this one, camcorders are new technology!) but they stand the test of time as stand alone thrillers, with action and adventure in every paragraph.
Money? Yes. Violence? Yes. Romance? Yes. In essence, all the components of a classic Francis story - as close as you'll get to a literary odds-on dead cert. Hurrah!
Francis was a master craftsman and an ex jockey to boot, so when a rider falls, or a horse jumps the last to victory, you really feel it.
At 400 pages, it's one of Francis' longest ones, but it races along; clocking up the chapters as quickly as Kit Fielding (the main protagonist) clocks up the winners.
His books may be dated now (in this one, camcorders are new technology!) but they stand the test of time as stand alone thrillers, with action and adventure in every paragraph.
Money? Yes. Violence? Yes. Romance? Yes. In essence, all the components of a classic Francis story - as close as you'll get to a literary odds-on dead cert. Hurrah!
April 21, 2024
Another winner by Dick Francis. He never lets me down.
This one introduces us to Kit Fielding, champion steeplechase jockey. He's a fantastic everyman, like Francis writes so well. A good man who loves horses, justice, and his friends and family. He's brave (not to a fault like my boy Sid Halley, but still brave) and doesn't hesitate to do what needs to be done for his sister. While I am a bit lukewarm on Danielle, I love the Princess and understand why Kit is so taken with her. She's fantastic.
Read this one before you read book 2, naturally, or you won't care as much about what is happening in Kit's life. I wish Francis had written more about Kit, but sadly we only get 2 books. A good mystery and good racing. 3.5 stars.
This one introduces us to Kit Fielding, champion steeplechase jockey. He's a fantastic everyman, like Francis writes so well. A good man who loves horses, justice, and his friends and family. He's brave (not to a fault like my boy Sid Halley, but still brave) and doesn't hesitate to do what needs to be done for his sister. While I am a bit lukewarm on Danielle, I love the Princess and understand why Kit is so taken with her. She's fantastic.
Read this one before you read book 2, naturally, or you won't care as much about what is happening in Kit's life. I wish Francis had written more about Kit, but sadly we only get 2 books. A good mystery and good racing. 3.5 stars.
August 17, 2011
When his twin sister asks for help, Kit can’t say no. Even when it’s to help his brother-in-law, and the family feud between them goes back centuries.
I know, I read dick Francis a lot. But I liked this one because it was a bit different. No one gets killed (sorry for the spoiler). Instead, the premise is that a guy gets randomly attacked by tabloid media. He almost loses his business. Then Kit tries to figure out why and undo the harm the press has caused. It was quite interesting and not as simple as the usual she said he said or revenge plot. Ok, there may be a little bit of revenge, but it’s still quite un-orthodox.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 25, 2011
I always enjoy reading a good Dick Francis novel. In this one, I really enjoyed the family dynamic that I don't remember reading with his before. They are pretty clean, the language isn't too bad, and not a lot of sex.... Sometimes I even reread the books, because it's like being with a friend you haven't seen in several years. I really enjoy the characters he uses, and also enjoy the series he writes about too. I'm not a gambler, but I really enjoy watching them live, as well as on screen. There is a certain excitement that I don't find in many other places.
April 18, 2015
Kit Fielding, jockey extraordinaire and occasional telepath, saves his sister and brother-in-law from malicious gossip and associated financial ruin. Dear Dick Francis, I heart you. Also, I heart Christmas Fielding. Also, I heart all your books, and I'm pretty sure I've sequentially hearted every one of your heroes. Also, I don't heart horses, but you make me heart them for 300 pages at a time. I am truly contemplating putting aside all of my to-read list and doing a chronological read of your entire corpus.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 308 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.