What We're Reading
Silks
Dick Francis with Felix Francis
Michael Joseph, £6.99
3/5
IN A NUTSHELL
Barrister and amateur jockey Geoffrey Mason investigates the murder of a top rider and finds himself implicated in the case.
REVIEW
You have to hand it to that wily old veteran of the murder mystery novel Dick Francis, he has managed to stay the course far longer than most of his contemporaries in the writing game.
The former jockey turned writer has sustained a lengthy career with the pen based almost entirely on his knowledge of the sport of kings, with his latest offering, Silks, cantered into paperback last week.
A tale of intrigue and death centred around barrister, and part-time jockey, Geoffrey "Perry" Mason, this is a a book destined to keep Francis's legion of fans happy, although it's highly unlikely to win any literary awards.
Francis is an old hand at this sort of stuff, although at 89 he has enlisted the help of his son Felix, and you get the feeling the understudy is being groomed to take over from the master sooner rather than later.
While the characterisations and much of the prose creak like an unsoaped saddle you can't fault Francis (and son) on their ability to bring the racing world to life, and death.
Silks is no classic but then not every race can be the Derby. This is more of a 2.10 at Lingfield but it's still a decent holiday read.
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