Customer Reviews
First-class entertainment - By: amos69, 10 Jun 2008 
Five years ago four young jockeys out on the lash caused a hit-and-run in which a woman died. So far the lads have kept their secret but now a personal tragedy is prompting one of them to come clean. The others are horrified - these days they have too much to lose. Somehow, they've got to shut him up...This is just the beginning of a pacey & exciting racing mystery that's well up to Francome's high standard, in my opinion. I had no idea which way the plot was going to turn next. Recommended if you like a keep-you-guessing mystery with a racing background.
Flogging a dead horse. - By: Bowmore, 19 Mar 2008 
I have read several of Francome's books & generallly have found them to be enjoyable light reading. This one disappoints.
The characters are many & not well enough drawn to be either memorable or to engage the reader. They are without exception rather unlikeable people & I certainly couldn't care what happened to any of them. The plot is thin & the "who-done-it" obvious from early chapters.
The police procedural aspect of the novel is inept & there is insufficient made of the racing background. It is a good example of an author deserting what he knows about, horse racing, to write a crime novel which dozens of others can do better. He should stick to what he knows best.
He has done better in the past & hopefully will do better in future. This one's an also-ran.
GOOD, BUT THERE IS BETTER - By: Ms. S. Silver, 26 Dec 2007 
I am going to say that this book did not come top of my pick of john francome books, the best one is inside track, hence the 4stars.
Again we have a book with a lot of characters that up until page 26, i had to flick back to remind myself who they were & how they fitted to the story, quite a few characters get introduced in the middle of the book, but they fit perfect.
We have four jockeys that were in different ways involved in a hit & run, they alll agree to keep the secret, until one of their wifes die in the same way, & decides to tell the first hit & run's husband, it does remind me of inside track this book, however it turns out the first hit & run is not as clear cut as it first appears.
What i reallly like about this book is the twists & there is quite a few ie the murderer you assume his motive & understand it to begin with but at the end, it alll fallls into place. about half way through this book i thought i had the book's plot but i was very wrong, then about a couple of chapters from the end, i change my mind & in the last chapter i realise i was wrong again.
what i did not like was Alice, i thought her motive was rather unclear at the end.
I have tried to write this review without giving too much away, as i think that would take the enjoyment out of this book, i also think this is much better than last years effort.
