Wild Horses

The Kindle edition of the book has LOTS of errors in spelling that make it sort of hard to decipher at times. The book itself is great!

This was the first Dick Francis book I read. The only reason I have not read all of his wonderful books because I read too much to get to them. The combination of the film making and story with horses drove me wild. Here, in Chicago, the streets are frequently marked off for movie & TV filming. Yes, indeed, I saw Clint Eastwood one day! Wild Horses stirred me up so much I starting taking riding lessons although I have not become a movie star! Dick Francis, to me, is the John D MacDonald of the horsey set. This was a great read.

Great nostalgia for me here as I recall hearing Dick Francis novels serialized on BBC Radio 4 back in the 1970s. Evidently he remains master of his unique genre of mysteries set to a horse-racing background. And what a career--this is his 33rd novel! "Wild Horses" satisfyingly has no loose ends. The pacing is excellent. At no point was I bored. The characters of Thomas Lyon, the director; O'Hara, the producer; Nash, the star, and Valentine, Lyon's old friend are all nicely developed (one gets a good feel for Valentine even though he dies early in the book as we continue to see him through Lyon's memory). The movie-making is well done. The one race scene is great. Thoroughly entertaining. Good, clean fun.

While visiting a dying racing columnist named Valentine Clark, Thomas Lyon is mistaken for a priest by the confused old man and forced to hear his confession. Since the names mentioned by Valentine are totally unfamiliar to Tom, he disregards the confession as merely the product of Valentine's delirium. Tom is directing a movie nearby which is inspired by a famous unsolved murder case from the past. Sonia Wells, the wife of trainer Jackson Wells, had died mysteriously of asphyxiation. Sonia was the sister-in-law of Rupert Visborough, a prominent member of the Jockey Club. The careers of both Wells and Visborough were ruined by the suspicion of murder. Valentine had known these two men as well as Sonia and several of her friends. As the filming progresses numerous attempts are made to stop Tom from completing the project and perhaps solving the mystery of the killing.One of the actors is slashed while riding on the heath by an unknown horseman. Valentine's sister is attacked and her house is ransacked. Tom is stabbed in a crowd. By the time Valentine's nephew is killed it is very clear that the murderer is after Valentine's books and notes which are now in Tom's possession. I consider WILD HORSES to be one of the better crime novels written by Dick Francis. In addition, the reader can also expect to enjoy some interesting subplots.

I just finished my second time through this book and am making my thespian daughter read it. The characters and insight into directing are excellent. The mystery and action are outstanding. You really can't go wrong with Dick Francis!