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Come to Grief (A Dick Francis Novel) Mass Market Paperback – December 6, 2005

by Dick Francis (Author)

4.6 1,993 ratings

Book 3 of 5: Sid Halley

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When ex-jockey Sid Halley becomes convinced that one of his closest friends--and one of the racing world's most beloved figures--is behind a series of shockingly violent acts, he faces the most troubling case of his career.

Book 3 of 5

Sid Halley
Print length

384 pages
Language

English
Publisher

G.P. Putnam's Sons
Publication date

December 6, 2005
Dimensions

4.19 x 0.98 x 6.7 inches
ISBN-10

0425207188
ISBN-13

978-0425207185
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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Dick Francis (pictured with his son Felix Francis) was born in South Wales in 1920. He was a young rider of distinction winning awards and trophies at horse shows throughout the United Kingdom. At the outbreak of World War II he joined the Royal Air Force as a pilot, flying fighter and bomber aircraft including the Spitfire and Lancaster.

He became one of the most successful postwar steeplechase jockeys, winning more than 350 races and riding for Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. After his retirement from the saddle in 1957, he published an autobiography, The Sport of Queens, before going on to write more than forty acclaimed books, including the New York Times bestsellers Even Money and Silks.

A three-time Edgar Award winner, he also received the prestigious Crime Writers’ Association’s Cartier Diamond Dagger, was named Grand Master by the Mystery Writers of America, and was awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in 2000. He died in February 2010, at age eighty-nine, and remains among the greatest thriller writers of all time.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ G.P. Putnam's Sons (December 6, 2005)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Mass Market Paperback ‏ : ‎ 384 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0425207188
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0425207185
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.5 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 4.19 x 0.98 x 6.7 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #706,480 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #1,646 in Sports Fiction (Books)
- #10,751 in Cozy Animal Mysteries
- #34,154 in Suspense Thrillers

Customer Reviews:
4.6 1,993 ratings

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Dick Francis
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Dick Francis was the author of more than forty acclaimed books. Among his numerous awards were three Edgar Awards, the Crime Writers' Association Cartier Diamond Dagger, and the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award. He died in February 2010.
Felix Francis has assisted with the research of many of the Dick Francis novels and is the coauthor of Dead Heat, Silks, and Even Money. He lives in England.
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4.6 out of 5

1,993 global ratings

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Bobbie

Best one yet

Reviewed in the United States on March 10, 2024

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The third book in the Sid Halley series is a departure from the previous ones. Its structure, character development, and plot are riveting, but the most intriguing element is how much more we learn about Sid. He is an exceptionally gifted man, but for multiple reasons does not believe his reputation is deserved. Francis has put a lot of effort into inventing this complicated hero who is almost too good to be true yet is believable. No one could be a better friend or ally.

Helpful

Clay Garner

“India, a shade desperately, said, “Only saints get themselves burned at the stake.”

Reviewed in the United States on September 16, 2018

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“India, a shade desperately, said, “Only saints get themselves burned at the stake.”

This theme — ‘What cost integrity?’ — drives this work. Moral, ethical, psychological battles form the core. ‘Come to Grief’ includes multiple layers. Sid’s grief from bitter divorce, pain of child dying of cancer, torture of proving best friend vicious abuser, heart wrenching destruction of his reputation, and (contrast) physical pain — which he easily overcomes.

Fantastic!

For example, this discussion about saintly morality . . .

“Charles said, “Do you consider that transferring Yorkshire’s secret files to your own computer was at all immoral? Was it ... theft?”

“He spoke without censure, but censure was implied. I remembered a discussion we’d had once along the lines of what was honorable and what was not. He’d said I had a vision of honor that made my life a purgatory and I’d said he was wrong, and that purgatory was abandoning your vision of honor and knowing you’d done it.”

(subtle and profound)

“Only for you, Sid,” he’d said. “The rest of the world has no difficulty at all.”

“It seemed he was applying to me my own rash judgment. Was stealing knowledge ever justified, or was it not? I said without self-excuse, “It was theft, and dishonorable, and I would do it again.”

(no guilt — no sin)

“And purgatory can wait?” I said with amusement, “Have you read The Pump?”

(newspaper famous for slander, lying, viscous abuse)

After about five miles he said, “That’s specious.”
“Mm.”
“The Pump’s a different sort of purgatory.”
I nodded and said idly, “The anteroom to hell.”

( . . . does this recall Dante and Milton? ‘Purgatory’ and the ‘anteroom to hell’?)

One touching revelation is Sid’s self-doubt, pain of heart, self-condemnation . . .

“Soberly, realistically, in the Mersey wind I looked at the man I had become: a jumble of self-doubt, ability, fear and difficult pride. I had grown as I was from the inside out. Liverpool and Newmarket weren’t to blame. Stirring and getting back into the car, I wondered where to find all those tungsten nerves I was supposed to have.’’

‘Grown from the inside out’. This profound belief in free-will, each human is responsible for his decisions, character, choices sets Francis apart. Maybe only Neville Shute and Robert Heinlein come close (that I know).

Of course, the flip side of an unbending devotion to free-will is the conviction that evil is also freely chosen. This is so . . . so . . . defiantly counter-cultural!

Sid receives this letter at the end . . .

“If you’re wondering why I cut off those feet, don’t you ever want to break out? I was tired of goody-goody. I wanted the dark side. I wanted to smash. To explode. To mutilate. I wanted to laugh at the fools who fawned on me. I hugged myself. I mocked the proles.’’
“And that scrunch.’’
“I did that old pony to make a good program. The kid had leukemia. Sob-stuff story, terrific. I needed a good one. My ratings were slipping. Then I lusted to do it again. The danger. The risk, the difficulty. And that scrunch. I can’t describe it. It gives me an ecstasy like nothing else. Cocaine is for kids. Sex is nothing. I’ve had every woman I ever wanted.’

“And then there’s you. The only one I’ve ever envied. I wanted to corrupt you, too. No one should be unbendable.”

Francis presents this personal, heartfelt desire to destroy the good (envy) in many of his books. This effort, toward the end of his life, draws a vivid, colorful, detailed portrait of, not human weakness, but consciously, freely chosen wickedness.

Magnificent!

5 people found this helpful

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Patto

Not what they seem

Reviewed in the United States on March 9, 2010

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Sid Halley, former champion jockey, looks small, harmless and naive. He's so inconspicuous that you may not even notice he has a prosthetic hand.

But in fact, Sid is a brilliant private investigator skilled at espionage, lock picking, computer hacking and judo - a man of action who never shows fear.

His good friend Ellis Quint, another ex-jockey, has retired from racing to become a TV chat show celebrity. He's utterly charming and inspires happiness everywhere he goes. Everybody loves him.

But in fact Ellis is secretly indulging in sick acts of cruelty to animals. No one would believe it of him. Sid Halley is nearly destroyed trying to expose the truth.

Dick Francis heroes almost always get badly battered in a fight or two. But Sid Halley's tribulations go far beyond that. Though totally without self-pity, he`s never gotten reconciled to the loss of his hand. In this book, Sid must also bear the burden of betraying a friend.

I find the Sid Halley books challenging because life is so very hard on the handicapped investigator. I don't want my heroes to suffer this much! But Dick Francis felt he had reached a higher level with these books. They delve into the nightmares that won't go away - without, however, losing the essential optimism that epitomizes Dick Francis.

3 people found this helpful

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M. Boring

Great Dick Francis Novel

Reviewed in the United States on June 11, 2018

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As I've said in other reviews, Dick Francis novels have been superb. This is one of the Sid Halley series and I have been reading all of them in the order written. Very good novels with a British horse racing setting, but more about mystery and sleuthing than horse racing. Really good story.

2 people found this helpful

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Bella Nora

great read as usual for Dick Francis.

Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2023

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I read and reread all of Dick Francis’s books. But especially like to read the Sid Halley series in order. I have the entire collection of his books in hardback/paperback I’ve even lucked into a signed copy of one book.
Now collecting them on my kindle as I’m an avid reader and love my kindle paperwhite.
Years of pleasure from Dick Francis. Enjoy

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Patricia C.

Sid Halley is outstanding.

Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2019

Verified Purchase

I like the fact that this series is all about the same character and it is quite interesting reading about the growth of the character as the books evolve. But I also love the variety of the stand alone stories because I always learn something new about the theme of the story and the background of the protagonist.

2 people found this helpful

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Guy T. Hoover

a very nice "Francis".

Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2013

Verified Purchase

Same writing, same plot, same character this time. Unbelievably entertaining and at the same time, comforting. I'll keep reading Francis.

One person found this helpful

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J. W. Kay

One of the best

Reviewed in the United States on July 12, 2017

Verified Purchase

I've been a Francis fan for many years, initially falling in love with Proof, Straight and Driving Force. I'm gradually catching up with novels that passed me by, thanks to Kindle.

Come to Grief has quickly become a favourite, and I ploughed through the whole thing in the space of an afternoon and evening. Compelling reading, interesting, life-like characters and beautifully paced. Definitely one to recommend.

2 people found this helpful

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