Crossfire

July 5, 2010
In the enjoyable fourth and final collaboration between Francis (1920–2010) and son Felix (after Even Money), the army career of Capt. Thomas Forsyth abruptly ends when an IED in Afghanistan blows off one of his feet, leaving him with a prosthetic replacement (like another Francis lead, Sid Halley). Upon discharge from National Health Service care, Forsyth makes his way home to Lambourn, where he gets a less-than-warm welcome from his mother, Josephine Kauri, a horse trainer. After learning that her stable has had a series of mishaps, Forsyth discovers that Kauri has been sabotaging her own animals in response to a blackmailer's threats to reveal her tax evasion to the authorities. With nothing else to occupy him, he turns detective to identify the extortionist. Though the plot details won't linger as long as those in Dick Francis's best work, like Whip Hand, this is still a suspenseful read. Francis aficionados will hope that Felix chooses to carry on the family tradition on his own.

Martin Jarvis and Dick Francis have been a winning combination for some time, and this latest and last (Francis died recently) is no exception. Back from Afghanistan minus a foot, Tom Forsyth discovers that his mother, a prominent racehorse trainer, is being blackmailed. His investigation and a budding romance give him a new purpose in life. Jarvis's vocal characterizations are beyond wonderful, especially the mother, a haughty harridan who mellows, and the stiff-upper-lip industrialist who aids Tom. There's also a stableful of other friends and foes. The characters' various British accents enliven a gripping story. One can hear Tom's developing maturity and self-confidence as he calls on his military training to outwit the blackmailers. Let's hope Francis's son, Felix, will carry on the family tradition. J.B.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2010, Portland, Maine