Dead Reckoning

May 1, 2017
Jump jockey Harry Radcliffe has an incredibly high pain threshold, as shown in Wilson’s unconvincing third horse racing mystery (after 2015’s Dead on Course). When Harry finds prostitute Alice Goode with her head bashed in at her Newark, England, home, he thinks he knows who killed her—gangster Jake Smith. After reporting his suspicions to the police, Harry starts to drive home, but along the way he notices that the psychopathic Smith has been hiding in the backseat of his car. Smith demands that Harry find the real murderer and also provide a place for him to hide out. If the jockey fails to do this, Smith threatens, he’ll kill Harry’s pregnant wife (who’s separated from Harry and happily living with her unborn child’s father). As Harry delves deeper into Alice’s life, he uncovers more than he bargained for, as well as some truths that are too closely connected to his own family. Meanwhile, Harry repeatedly meets Smith in secluded places, where he invariably receives a ferocious beating from the thug. Readers will struggle to suspend disbelief. Agent: David Grossman, David Grossman Literary Agency (U.K.).

May 1, 2017
A jockey is forced to investigate a murder by a violent criminal.Champion jockey Harry Radcliffe already has a past with Jake Smith, who forced Harry to find the killer of his prostitute sister, Jo-Jo (Dead on Course, 2015, etc.). When Harry makes a nonprofessional visit to Alice, another working girl Jo-Jo knew, he finds her murdered as well. Harry assumes Jake is the killer until Jake hijacks him, swears he didn't kill Alice, and says he wants Harry to find the real murderer. Even though his estranged wife, Annabel, is pregnant by another man, Harry still loves her, and Jake's threats to kill both of them if he doesn't cooperate drive him to investigate Alice's death. Beginning with Alice's select list of clients, many of them friends of Harry, and some hints from Jake, Harry embarks on a desperate search for the killer. Because Jake tops the police list of suspects, Harry finds him a place to hide and returns to his racing career while searching for clues. When a racing accident puts him in the hospital for several days, he's unable to supply Jake with provisions and is nearly killed by the enraged psychopath on his return. Still, he has no choice but to carry on to protect Annabel. Although he has friends who are willing to help, the dirt he digs up includes shocking news about his own family, and he finds that Jake's not the only person who might like to see him dead. Prior knowledge of the first two volumes in this series would undoubtedly make this complicated tale of racing, violence, and murder easier to follow. Rest easy, Dick Francis: you're still way out in front.

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October 15, 2015
Those who love both horses and a good mystery will find this latest installment in the Harry Radcliffe series a real treat. After recuperating from a fall during a race, Harry is thrilled to be riding again. But he's no sooner won his first race than he's approached by Jake Smith, an ex-con who's aware of Harry's status as a talented amateur sleuth. Jake's sister Jo-Jo died recently in a car crash, and Jake is convinced she was murdered. He's giving Harry no choice but to find Jo-Jo's killer or he'll harm someone close to Harry. Giving in, Harry starts interviewing the few leads Jake's given him. With Harry off attending a wedding, tragedy strikes, a tragedy that will break open not only the story behind JoJo's death but also a much larger murder plot. With a compelling story, plenty of action, taut suspense, a no-nonsense sporty hero, and realistic descriptions of a jockey's world, this one follows perfectly in the Dick Francis tradition, now so ably continued by his son Felix.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

May 15, 2017
Harry Radcliffe is gifted jockey who also has an uncanny knack for getting involved in murder cases. This time, after Harry finds the bludgeoned body of longtime friend Alice, he has still another murder to solve. Harry would like to think his old nemesis, hardened criminal Jake Smith, is involved, but Jake wants Harry to find the murderer. Given that Jake was apparently the last person to see Alice alive, he's sure the cops are looking for him, so the pressure is on Harry to find the killer before the cops find Jake. Solid writing, a twisty plot, a likable hero, and plenty of horse-racing ambience make for an entertaining read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)