Dick Francis to the top of the pile

The best part of my job is seeing the new books arrive and getting to handle them in their pristine condition. This week the large-print edition of the new Dick Francis novel, Dead Heat arrived. I took it upon myself to run a quality control page count of the book to be certain no pages were missing and I can verify today that all 511 pages are present and accounted for.

Dick Francis has never disappointed me except for not developing a continuing character more than he did. (Except for Kit Fielding in Break In and Bolt,and Sid Halley in Odds Against, Whip Hand, Come to Grief, and Under Orders.) But since all his main characters capture my interest, I'll forgive him. I guess I start liking the characters so much that I want to continue knocking around in their world in subsequent novels.

In Dead Heat, Max Moreton is owner and chef of a Newcastle restaurant, the Hay Net, and is responsible for food poisoning that strikes 200+ race-goers at the book's outset and then as they say, we are "off to the races." (I couldn't resist.)

Francis credits his son Felix as co-author. Following the death of wife Mary Francis, Dick looked to one of his sons as fill-in to replace the research formerly done by Mary. Apparently, Felix left a career as a private school teacher for the post. According to Wikipedia, Felix was the inspiration behind the leading character in Twice Shy.

Dick Francis fans will not be disappointed in the story, it is quintessentially Dick Francis with the smell of horses not far in the background. His 42nd outing. Dick Francis is 87.