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Content snapshot
Flag an inaccuracy →What's in this book, at a glance — five things readers want to know before they start.
Violence
Some
A fatal riding accident and its investigation; some physical confrontations
Language
Barely any
Racing world dialogue; mild language
Sexual Content
Barely any
A romance; mild
Substance Use
Barely any
Social drinking in the racing world context
Emotional Intensity
Barely any
Mild — the pleasure is in the puzzle and the racing atmosphere
What this book is about
Amateur jockey Alan York watches his friend Bill Davidson die when his horse goes down at Maidenhead — but the fall was no accident. Pursuing the investigation against the wishes of the racing world's powerful figures, York discovers a protection racket preying on jockeys and a conspiracy that reaches high into English society. Dick Francis's debut introduced his signature: a thriller told from inside a world few outsiders know, centered on a quietly heroic protagonist.
Notes for sensitive readers
Reader-flagged moments and themes that may affect your experience.
Some physical danger and confrontations in the racing world investigation
Reader Verification
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