BOOK OF THE MONTH
ICED: A Dick Francis Novel
By: Felix Francis, 2022
Dick Francis produced dozens of compulsively readable adventure novels placed in the British horse racing world. He made stories about the races and more, covering the breeding, training, transporting, wagering, and even the catering at the racecourses. The protagonist is always a likable young man, accidentally dragged into a plot or a crime that is related to racehorses.
Dick Francis died in 2010, and his son Felix has continued the series. This recent one, ICED, features a young jockey who falls into alcoholism after a string of failures. His struggle and recovery are very sensitively recounted. If you already know and love the Dick Francis books, you will surely like this most recent addition.
If you have not read them before, be sure to check out the Dick Francis backlist: they especially make good travel reading. Our favorites include Odds Against, Flying Finish, Blood Sport and Rat Race.