Pleasurable shades of Dick Francis

For decades Dick Francis has been delivering good stories and they always concern horse racing. The stories, settings, horses, characters, and plots are always different and compelling and those of us who have appreciated them over the years are reminded of the advancing age of Francis and the need for a replacement for his skillful stories. John McEvoy may be the replacement.


McEvoy's latest, Close Call is set in Chicago with a side trip to Ireland, and concerns the struggling horse racing track Monee Park where Jack Doyle takes over PR for the heir who is dedicated to keeping the park alive until legalized slots can provide the cash flow needed to meet the competition of legalized casinos. A Seabuscuit-esq racer contributes to the plot as do some nasty Southside louts. A very respectible third outing featuring Doyle. Earlier works in the series were Blind Switch and Riders Down.


I was up way too late last night reading Close Call and I look forward to the next one.