For Kicks

By Dick Francis,

Book cover of For Kicks

Book description

Common sense said that the whole idea was crazy . . . but when offered huge sums of money to move to England and help the Earl of October uncover a suspected racehorse dope scandal, Danny Roke finds the proposal intriguing.

Swapping his job as proprietor of an Australian stud…

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Why read it?

2 authors picked For Kicks as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

When Daniel Roke takes on an unusual job he does it for monetary and personal reasons and has no idea he is risking his life. Dick Francis takes you from Australia to the world of English horseracing with a clever plot that is unexpected and has a really wicked twist. He also can deliver some villains that inspire visceral dislike like no other author and doesn’t let you down in this intense novel. Well done and kept me doing the infamous reading into the night.

From Kate's list on steep cliff page-turners.

When I think of Dick Francis, Ernest Hemingway usually comes to mind because the writing style of both has been described as deceptively simple. As Dunnett's stories are convoluted, Francis' are straightforward. There is no ambiguity or second-guessing. A jockey in real life Francis themed all of his novels around the racing world. I've chosen For Kicks for this list because I'm Australian and the protagonist is an Australian horse breeder temporarily conducting an investigation in the UK. When I'm in the mood for a thoroughly entertaining and easy read I turn to Dick Francis.

From Alana's list on suspense intrigue thrillers.

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