When asked by an interviewer to define the strong sense of morality underlying his books, Francis replied: "What it comes to, is that I never ask my main character to do anything I wouldn't do myself." Derek Franklin, who shares the initials of his name with the author, is a thirty-four year old loner who has suffered many emotional and physical injuries. Children of divorced parents, Derek and Greville had little contact over the years and scarcely knew each other, but a strong fraternal bond nevertheless existed. When Greville suddenly dies, Derek inherits "his business, his gadgets, his enemies, his horses and his mistress," a legacy, he says, that "nearly killed me." Through the course of the novel, Derek experiences a series of initiations. By the end, he has proved to be a quick learner of business and managerial skills; but however wiser he may be, he has...