As one of the youngest ever winners of the Grand National, Nick 'Foxy' Foxton's career as a world class jockey is on perfect track until a near fatal accident cuts his dream brutally short. But when he returns to Aintree as a spectator years later, nothing can prepare him for what unfolds. Minutes before the biggest event on the racing calendar, Nick's affable American colleague Herb Kovak is shot at point blank range, the gunman disappearing amongst the stunned crowd. Along with the police, Nick is left baffled as to why anyone would want to kill such an apparently gentle soul. With the press speculating links to gangland crime and a crumpled note containing a threatening message found in the dead man's coat, Nick begins to doubt how well he really knew Herb. And on discovering Herb had named him as the benefactor of his will, Nick questions why he has been entrusted with the legacy. Is this a generous gift from a friend or is it, in fact, a poisoned chalice?
Felix Francis Books
Felix Francis crafts compelling mystery novels, often drawing from his extensive knowledge of the horse-racing world and international marksmanship. His writing is distinguished by plausible plots and a keen insight into human nature. A former physics teacher, he brings a scientific rigor to his narratives, while his practical experience lends authenticity and suspense to his stories.







Shell-shocked and missing a foot-lost to an IED during his tour of duty in Afghanistan-Captain Tom Forsyth has been sent "home" by the army and, at loose ends, returns to his estranged mother's house for the first time since he joined up at seventeen. But Josephine Kauri, the "first lady of British racing," has always put the horses she trains first and her family last. Tom soon finds himself strained to the breaking point with his mother and stepfather. But there's another reason for the stifling tension at Kauri House Stables: Josephine is being blackmailed for a hefty sum every week-and forced to make her horses lose. Retirement is not an option, as she has been warned that it will result in the thing she most fears: exposure and ridicule . . . and prison, when the government finds out what she's been hiding. Tom sets out to discover and defeat this hidden enemy using his finely honed military skills. But can he save his mother's reputation and career, or will he find himself caught in the cross fire?
Silks
- 400 pages
- 14 hours of reading
A lawyer and amateur jockey defends a champion jockey accused of killing a fellow rider.
Crisis
- 432 pages
- 16 hours of reading
RACING CAN BE A DEADLY BUSINESS! Harrison Foster, a lawyer turned crisis manager, is called to Newmarket after a fire at Chadwick Stables claims six valuable horses, including a Derby favorite. As he investigates, he discovers human remains among the equestrian casualties, raising questions about a mystery victim since all stable staff are accounted for. Despite his aversion to horses, Harry is pulled into the high-stakes world of Thoroughbred racing, where the care for horses surpasses that of their human caretakers. The Chadwick family, a dysfunctional racing dynasty, is rife with resentment and sibling rivalry, masked by a facade of respectability. Representing the Middle-Eastern owner of the Derby favorite, Harry's inquiry into the horse's death uncovers deeper issues, igniting tensions that threaten his safety. As he navigates this perilous landscape, can he unravel the mystery before becoming a casualty himself? Praise for Felix Francis's novels highlights his flair for suspense and intrigue, with accolades from various publications emphasizing his consistent ability to captivate readers.
No Reserve: The brand new thriller from the master of the racing blockbuster
- 400 pages
- 14 hours of reading
Theo Jennings is a young auctioneer at the Thoroughbred sales ring in Newmarket. The October yearling sales are where the big money exchanges hands in frenzied auctions: millions of Guineas paid for horses that are as yet unnamed, untested, and have never taken a step on the track. It's the greatest gamble in all of horseracing, and one that can end in ruin. Theo has just made the biggest sale of his life, when he overhears a secret conversation between the two bidders - can they really have colluded to fix the price of his big sale? When that same horse is found dead the next morning, he has no choice but to investigate, even against the wishes of his boss. But the more he uncovers, the less he can trust the people around him. The higher the stakes, the greater the risk. And in the bloodstock game, the ultimate price can be murder.
Bloodline
- 416 pages
- 15 hours of reading
When race caller and television presenter Mark Shillingford calls a race in which his twin sister, Clare, an accomplished and successful jockey, comes in second when she could have won, he believes the worst: that she lost on purpose, and the race was fixed. That night, Mark confronts Clare with his suspicions, she storms off after an argument—and it’s the last time Mark sees her alive. Hours later, Clare jumps to her death from the balcony of a London hotel . . . or so it seems. Devastated and guilty over her death, Mark goes in search of answers. What had led Clare to take her own life? Or was it not suicide at all?
Triple crown : a Dick Francis novel
- 448 pages
- 16 hours of reading
The richest prize in racing. The perfect motive to commit a crime ... Jeff Hinkley, a British Horseracing Authority investigator, has been seconded to the US Federal Anti-Corruption in Sports Agency (FACSA) where he has been asked to find a mole in their organisation, an informant who is passing on confidential information to fix races. Jeff goes in search of answers, taking on an undercover role as a groom on the backstretch at Belmont Park racetrack in New York. But he discovers far more than he was bargaining for, finding himself as the meat in the sandwich between FACSA and corrupt individuals who will stop at nothing, including murder, to capture the most elusive and lucrative prize in the world - the Triple Crown.
Gamble : a Dick Francis novel
- 432 pages
- 16 hours of reading
Nick Foxton once won the Grand National, but a terrible accident cut his racing career short. Years later, he is returning to Aintree - as a spectator - when he once more finds himself the centre of attention.Minutes before the big race, Nick's colleague, financial adviser Herb Kovak, is shot dead and the gunman vanishes into the crowd. The police want answers but Nick can't explain why anyone would want Herb dead.Yet when he finds a threatening message crumpled in Herb's coat, Nick begins questioning all he knows about his friend. And on learning that he is the benefactor of Herb's will, Nick is certain that something is not right.A fact confirmed when Nick discovers he's next in the killer's firing line.
Jefferson Hinkley is back. Operating as an undercover investigator for the British Horseracing Authority, Jeff is approached by the champion jockey Dave Swinton to discuss the delicate matter of his losing races on purpose. Little does Jeff realize that his visit to Swinton's house will result in a brutal attempt on his life. Shortly after Jeff narrowly escapes a certain and grisly death, the charred body of Dave Swinton is found in his burnt-out car at a deserted beauty spot in Oxfordshire. The police seem to think it's a suicide, but Jeff is not so sure. He starts to investigate the races that Swinton could have intentionally lost, but instead soon discovers that there are those who would prevent him from doing so, at any cost.
Damage
- 448 pages
- 16 hours of reading
Damage - the gripping new thriller from Felix Francis. Jeff Hinkley, undercover investigator for the British Horseracing Authority, is looking into the shady activities of a racehorse trainer. But as he's tailing his quarry through the Cheltenham Racing Festival, the last thing he expects to witness is a gruesome murder. Could it have something to do with the reason the trainer was banned in the first place - the administration of illegal drugs to his horses? Days later, it's discovered that many more horses test positive for prohibited stimulants, a scandal that could throw horse-racing into disrepute. It's no surprise when the BHA receives a demand - pay up or face the consequences. In order to limit the damage to the sport, it's critical that Jeff find the perpetrator . . . but he'll soon learn he's up against someone who will stop at nothing to prevail. Jeff's mental and physical well-being is tested t the very limit, as his life is put on the line. www.felixfrancis.com



