John Francome Dead Weight

Dead Weight

John Francome

St. Martin's, Oct 2005, $24.95

ISBN: 0312329814

Three years ago, the brother of champion steeplechase jockey Phil Nicholas died in a show-jumping accident. That shook Phil, but he continued to perform as a top competitor until a few months ago when his steed May Queen leaped early; the horse walked way, but Phil suffered severe injuries to nerves in his back and three fractures on his left arm. Worse he still relives the nightmarish spill and as he is about to ride May Queen again now that he is physically healed, he wonders if he lost his nerve as mentally he still hurts. His fear costs him the victory as he hesitates just enough and worries if he does not find his courage will he lose his beloved wife Julie who treasures the sport as much as he once did.

Phil begins seeing a psychiatrist who "Jules" thinks is his lover until he explains his post traumatic stress syndrome problem. Suddenly Phil's racing troubles seem shallow when someone terrorizes the participants claiming wide spread cheating by jockeys and trainers. This villain starts off with assaulting people, but soon turns to kidnapping and murder. When Julia becomes a victim, a frightened outraged Phil knows he must find his courage to save the woman he loves.

Phil and his Jules make the tale as he struggles with his seemingly lost courage by seeing a psychiatrist while on the other hand the culprit comes out of the villain handbook as a stereotyped psycho. Still the steeplechase descriptions are clears wins that Dick Francis would appreciate and Phil's efforts to save Jules is fun to follow as John Francome provides anther INSIDE TRACK thriller.

Harriet Klausner