Biography EssayAuthor of twenty-nine novels, which have been translated into nearly two dozen languages and which have sold more than twenty million copies, Dick Francis is unequaled at making horse r...
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Mystery writing powerhouse Dick Francis first came to the public eye as a victim in one of the most unusual sports mishaps of the century. The incident happened just after Francis, then a jockey, and ...
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Raised in a family of jockeys, Dick Francis rode professionally for ten years, became Champion Jockey in 1954 and nearly won the Grand National on the Queen Mother's horse, Devon Loch. Mystery still s...
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[This entry was updated by Gina Macdonald (Loyola University) from her entry in the Concise Dictionary of British Literary Biography, volume 8, pp. 107-127.]Author of thirty-six novels, which have bee...
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Critical Essay by Anthony Boucher
It's a pleasure as rare as it is gratifying to watch an author start out well and then get steadily better with each book. This has been the case with Dick Fr...
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Critical Essay by John Welcome
The mixture as before—or is it? Well, not quite. The formula [in Reflex] is certainly the same—the jockey struggling against odds, the secondary backgroun...
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Critical Essay by John Leonard
Some years ago, reviewing a novel by Robert Coover, Wilfrid Sheed said that "not to read it because you don't like baseball is like not reading Balzac bec...
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Critical Essay by Julian Symons
[The] first page of "Reflex" shows Dick Francis doing what comes most naturally to him; it is also what he does best—writing about the thrills, sp...
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Critical Essay by Phoebe-lou Adams
There seems to be no limit, fortunately, to Mr. Francis' ability to invent skulduggery about steeplechasing. He is the best thriller writer going, with the c...
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Critical Essay by Judith Rascoe
When [Dick Francis] began writing mysteries, he joined that small and cherished group of mystery-thriller writers … who combine expertise, a sure hand with susp...
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Critical Essay by Philip Pelham
Francis improves with every book as both a writer of brisk, lucid prose and as a concocter of ingenious and intricately worked-out plots. He has acquired something of ...
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Critical Essay by Alex De Jonge
Dick Francis holds his form like a top-class chaser and it is a joy to see him back in the field. Any novel by him beginning "Thursday March 17th" must m...
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Critical Essay by Barry Bauska
[Just as Dick Francis demonstrates] capabilities both substantial and varied, so too do we find his protagonists—who are in one form or another versions of Franc...
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Critical Essay by Newgate Callendar
The popular Dick Francis, who turns out a beautifully finished product year in and year out, adds to his already formidable list with "Trial Run."...
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Critical Essay by John Welcome
[Because it sticks more to racing than some of his other novels, Dick Francis's Whip Hand] is happily up to standard. The style is confident, the prose direct, t...
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Critical Essay by Philip Larkin
It was the late Edmund Crispin who recommended Dick Francis to me. "If you can stand the horse parts", he said, "the mystery parts are quite good,...
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In the following review, Pitts criticizes Francis's Bolt for being snobbish and implausible.
My favourite jump-jockey is a minute little fellow with a face like a pruned-up parrot and a voic...
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In the following review, the critic complains that Francis's work has gotten weak and that The Edge is "lumpily padded, thinly plotted: a thouroughgoing disappointment for Francis fans.&...
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In the following review, Westlake discusses Francis's "edge" over other writers of the English detective story, focusing on his novel The Edge.
What is it, all at once, with Ca...
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In the following excerpt, Champlin calls the plot of Francis's The Edge "contrived and confining," but asserts that the novel "is suspenseful as always and interesting....
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In the following review, Grafton praises Francis's The Edge for its authenticity.
Now and then, a writer's skill and his subject are so perfectly wed that a whole new category of fict...
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In the following review, Tirrell discusses the problems with Francis's The Edge, including its weak premise, its lack of mystery, and the blandness of the protagonist.
His record is impressi...
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In the following review, Waugh lauds Francis's Straight as one of his most enjoyable novels.
Dick Francis' annual treat for his admirers is out, and it is a good one. The story races ...
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In the following review, White asserts that Francis's Straight represents a return to the winner's circle for Francis after a string of disappointing novels.
If you read the first par...
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In the following review, Stasio asserts that while Francis's Straight is well-researched, the sections about horse racing are more compelling than the scenes about gemstones.
During the year...
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In the following review, Cahill lauds Francis's Longshot as a satisfying, read-at-one-sitting novel.
They're calling for passengers to board the plane to Tonga and I find that I...
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In the following review, Stewart praises Francis's impeccable research for Longshot, and comments on how Francis deals with expletives in the novel.
There are two kinds of readers: those who...
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In the following review, Kimberley criticizes Francis's Bolt and asserts that thriller writers are not allowed to "retire gracefully" like old race horses when they "no lon...
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In the following essay, Killian describes Francis's life and careers as both a steeplechase jockey and a writer.
Dick Francis no longer needs to ride a horse.
He has just issued Longshot,...
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In the following excerpt, Champlin provides a brief overview of The Dick Francis Treasury of Great Horseracing Stones.
The short form demands, and in these selections receives, high dosages of wit ...
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In the following excerpt, Mattos lauds the "pulse-quickening suspense" of Francis's novels and Longshot in particular.
In 1962, so the story goes, Dick Francis needed a new car...
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In the following review, Corrigan briefly discusses Francis's formula and how Comeback differs from his previous novels.
By now, fans look forward to getting three things in a Dick Francis m...
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In the following review, the critic praises Francis's Driving Force for its believable characters and realistic setting.
Archetypal Francis hero Freddie Croft is a 35-year-old former champio...
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In the following review, Tallent offers reserved praise for Francis's Driving Force while pointing out some of the novel's flaws.
In his autobiography, The Sport of Queens, Dick Franc...
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In the following essay, Dampier and Gleick present an overview of Francis's life and career.
Dick Francis begins every new year the same way. Each Jan. 1, he rises early, takes a walk on the...
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In the following essay, Schaffer discusses the humor found in Francis's novels.
Since Dick Francis published his first mystery novel in 1962, he has gained a world-wide audience of devoted r...
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In the following review. Simpson asserts that "Francis always delivers a story you can bet on" as he does with Driving Force.
Like a good race horse that always finishes in the money,...
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In the following review, the critic lauds Francis's Decided as one of his most satisfying recent books.
Francis's newest suspenser (his 32nd) is typical not only in its racetrack sett...
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In the following review, Hillerman asserts that while readers generally do not read Francis's work for his plots, with Bolt "Francis finally uses a plot so flawed that it ruins the book....
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In the following review, Donleavy compares and contrasts Francis's Decider and William Murray's We're Off to See the Killer.
My own long-term interpretation of the writing trad...
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In the following review, Dowell asserts that Francis's Decider "runs smoothly and efficiently to a tidy conclusion."
When you pick up Decider, the 34th mystery novel written by...
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In the following review, Roraback asserts that despite a slow start Francis's Decider is a good bet.
A little late out of the gate, Decider, Dick Francis' 32nd (!) novel, is still wor...
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In the following excerpt, Lehmann-Haupt praises Francis's Decider, asserting that Francis "writes winningly about horses."
At the start of Mr. Francis's Decider, Lee Mor...
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In the following review, Ross discusses survival in Francis's Long Shot.
Survive is what the first person narrators of Dick Francis' very successful novels do and survival is what Lon...
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In the following essay, Schaffer discusses the use of violence and injury in Francis's novels.
Dick Francis is no stranger to pain. For over a decade (1946 to 1957), as an amateur and then p...
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In the following excerpt, Lipez calls Francis's Wild Horses "pretty enjoyable."
The movie business is … the setting of Wild Horses, Dick Francis's pretty enjoyabl...
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In the following review, Mortimer praises Francis's storytelling ability in Wild Horses.
In many ways the writer is made by the day job. Where would Chekhov and Conan Doyle have been without...
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In the following excerpt, Lehmann-Haupt complains that the characters and plot of Francis's Wild Horses are forced.
At the opening of Dick Francis's latest racetrack thriller, Wild Ho...
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In the following review, Helmick discusses Francis's love of horses and how he uses it in his novels.
The Grand National at Aintree is England's greatest steeplechase; in 1956, Britis...
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In the following review, Lochte praises Francis's Bolt, noting the exceptional dialogue and faultless storytelling.
Steeplechase jockey-turned-author Dick Francis' last racing tale, B...
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In the following review, the critic discusses the return of the protagonist Sid Halley in Francis's Come to Grief.
Big news for Francis fans: He's broken his rule against recycling he...
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In the following review, Shattuck asserts that Francis does not fully explore the emotions and motivations of the villain in his Come to Grief.
To say that jockey-turned-sleuth Sid Halley solves pu...
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In the following review, Weeks discusses Francis's Hot Money, focusing on the themes of horses and heroism which are found throughout Francis's work.
Dick Francis' mysteries ha...
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In the following review, Busch describes Francis's Hot Money as a thriller with enough suspense to keep the reader interested.
"Hot Money," Ian Pembroke explains to his father,...
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In the following review, Skow praises Francis's Hot Money for its believable characterizations and whodunit puzzle.
Psychology is kept decently out of sight in most of the 25 horsey thriller...
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Below, Sanoff presents Francis' remarks about his work and the research he does for his novels.
I write mysteries because I like reading them. I would pick them up at railway stations and ai...
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In the following excerpt. DeAndrea praises Francis's Hot Money.
Last column, I had a few words to say about one of those writers whose mystery-story career is a cause of anguish, someone who...
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WALL STREET JOURNAL BEST-SELLERSFICTION1. "You've Been Warned" by James Patterson, Howard Roughan (Little, Brown)2. "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini (Riverhead Hardcover)3. "Eclipse" b...
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