a murder mystery
One of the most unassuming fiction heroes that I've found., October 15, 2004
Reviewer: S. Schwartz "romonko" (alberta canada) - See all my reviews
Randall Drew is not the sort of person that comes to mind when you imagine someone who sets out to almost single-handidly stop a terrorist plot. He's quiet, unassuming, bespectacled and prone to chesty illnesses. He's also an event rider (steeplechaser) who has attained some notoriety in England until he was forced to stop racing with the introduction of a sight-restriction rule. Since Randall can't see at all without his glasses, the British Racing Society says that he can't race anymore. Randall is selected though by royalty to pursue an inquiry behind "the iron curtain". This secret exposes him to all sorts of danger in communist Russia. This book handles the Cold War situation quite well. I have read a number of Dick Francis books, and I think this one was one of the best I've read. Tony Britton does a wonderful job of reading the book and that helped set the stage for the espionage and danger.
AMAZON.COM READER'S REVIEW
Reviewer: S. Schwartz "romonko" (alberta canada) - See all my reviews
Randall Drew is not the sort of person that comes to mind when you imagine someone who sets out to almost single-handidly stop a terrorist plot. He's quiet, unassuming, bespectacled and prone to chesty illnesses. He's also an event rider (steeplechaser) who has attained some notoriety in England until he was forced to stop racing with the introduction of a sight-restriction rule. Since Randall can't see at all without his glasses, the British Racing Society says that he can't race anymore. Randall is selected though by royalty to pursue an inquiry behind "the iron curtain". This secret exposes him to all sorts of danger in communist Russia. This book handles the Cold War situation quite well. I have read a number of Dick Francis books, and I think this one was one of the best I've read. Tony Britton does a wonderful job of reading the book and that helped set the stage for the espionage and danger.
AMAZON.COM READER'S REVIEW
The background for this mystery is in Russia while still communist. It gives an interesting view of Russian life & a foreigners difficulties in that country. a good read
The English Royal family is worried about the Prince's brother-in-law who aims to make the Olympics. Unfortunately, a jealous Russian rider has sworn to kill him if he sets foot in Moscow. Randall Drew goes to Moscow to investigate.
This was written before the iron curtain fell & it has an interesting back story of how a foreigner was dealt with in Russia. As usual, Dick Frances weaves a great mystery right up till he end.
Randall Drew, gentleman horseman, didn't want to accept the prince's assignment. But one of the royal-family members wanted to ride in the Moscow Olympics and somebody was threatening to kill him if he did. And nobody knew who or why or how. So Drew was off to Moscow - tracking a mysterious assailant whose ugly habits of sabotage and murder were but a rehearsal for a devastating new wave of terrorism.
This is an excellently written book with an unusual plot involving terrorists and a deadly chemical combination that is fatal within 90 seconds. A wealthy former jockey with royal connections is sent to Russia to investigate the possibility of a scandal involving a potential member of the British riding team for an upcoming Moscow Olympics, and uncovers the terrorist plot at great risk to his own life. The author demonstrates a thorough understanding of the pervasive fear that shadows Soviet life under Communism, and of the rigid bureaucracy that controls the details of daily life. Soviet citizens find it necessary to adopt a blank, emotionless facade in order to hide their inmost thoughts, for even an escape of the smallest rebellion could be disastrous. And always, people ready to expose the slightest deviation from the ordinary are watching and listening. Against this background, the young investigator pursues the truth, having to carefully balance protecting those who are helping him with discovering the identity of the elusive "Alyosha." This book is highly recommended.
Randall Drew, ex-amateur steeplechase jockey, is asked by a high ranking royal personage to determine whether a relative should be allowed to compete in the upcoming Moscow Olympics. It seems that the royal relative has gotten mixed up in a potentially embarassing scandal. As a result, a certain Alyosha in Moscow is less than happy and has promised to extract revenge. Drew eventually agrees to go to Moscow to poke around.
reissues of a 1978 book, lacks the charm of most of his other books
This story was very suspenseful and very different from his other books, most of which I've read. I don't read his books because I'm that interested in horse racing, because I'm not. I read his books because they're all good! I've never found one that I didn't like. Whenever I'm ready to start a new book and I want one that I'm sure I will like, I pick up a book by Dick Francis. He's never let me down, and this story is no exception.
How can you say "no" to a Prince? You can't, Randall Drew found out quite quickly, though the last place he wanted to go was Moscow, even if it was on a mission for the Royal Family. But the Prince's brother-in-law had his heart set on riding in the Olympics, and it seemed some jealous Russian had her heart set on killing him if he did. So leaving behind his well-bred horses and high-born girlfriend, Randall went to Moscow, little expecting that the sabotage and murder he'd find would pale in comparison to the unspeakable terror that followed...
RANDALL DREW FOUND OUT PUITE QUICKLY, THOUGH THE LAST PLACE HE WANTED TO GO WAS MOSCOEW, EVEN IF IT WAS ON A MISSION FOR THE ROYAL FAMILY. BUT THE PRINCE'S BROTHER-IN-LAW HAD HIS HEART SET ON RIDING IN THE OLYMPICS, AND IT SEEMED SOME JEALOUS RUSSIAN HAD HER HEART SET ON KILLING HIM IF HE IDI. SO LEAVING BEHIND HIS WELL-BRED HORSES AND HIGH-BORN GIRLFRIEND, RANDALL WENT TO MOSCOW, LITTLE EXPECTING THAT THE SABOTAGE AND MURDER HE WOULD FIND WOULD PALE IN COMPARISON TO THE UNSPEAKABLE TERROR THAT FOLLOWED..
