Proof

The protagonist in each of Dick Francis's mystery books, set in the world of British horse racing, inevitably possesses some sort of oppressive angst: He is one-handed, or too rich, or too artsy, or his father is too famous, or something. This makes for good writing because the fellow is struggling with a burden while dealing with the mystery itself. Here the burden is the death of a wife, and the result is a depressed character who has to deal with liquor hijackers. It's a good thing that Simon Prebble can portray depression. He also portrays the action with proper sharpness and the other characters with distinct, underplayed intonations. D.R.W. (c) AudioFile 2000, Portland, Maine

February 1, 1986
The narrator of Francis's 26th mystery is Tony Beach, a young widower who fights his grief by keeping busy at his wine shop and by socializing. Eventually he teams up with private detective Gerard McGregor to find the hijackers of several trucks of spirits; the pair then take on a case involving the adulteration of whiskey and wine at a cafe. In rapid order the cafe's steward is brutally murdered, and Tony and Gerard just miss being killed. Tony's severest test occurs at the "stunning climax of what may be judged the best of Francis's bestsellers so far; it's a corker,'' PW commented.

The mystery hinges on Tony Beach's ability to differentiate good wine and whiskey from bad--Dick Francis fans will love it. It can sometimes be a disappointment to hear someone else interpret a book you've already read. But Tony Britton does an excellent job portraying Francis's main characters and bringing this story alive. Different characters' voices are well-differentiated. The pacing and expression keep one's interest without being stagy. This is an excellent production, with characterizations true to the author's style. J.D.P. (c)AudioFile, Portland, Maine