John McEvoy, Riders Down

Riders Down

John McEvoy

Poisoned Pen, Mar 2006, $24.95, 266 pp.

ISBN 1590582586

Ninety-eight year old Chicago bookie Bernie Glockner lays odds of 1-5 against him seeing another dawn with the Professor personally visiting him. Though he provided the Professor with insider information on horse racing, Bernie would have won his bet when the Professor and his cohort help him take a dive from his ninth floor condo. The cops rule it is a suicide, especially with a note left in his home.

However, Glockner's nephew, horse owner and businessman with some mob-connections Moe Kellman would bet his life that his Uncle Bernie would never kill himself. He turns to Chicago Racing Daily columnist Matt O'Connor for help; asking him to investigate Bernie's demise. Though still believing suicide as the off the books favorite, Matt begins making inquiries that soon make him wonder what the odds are he will see another dawn, as two cold-blooded killers will not allow anyone to interfere with the fix.

BLIND SWITCH is a wonderful horse racing mystery that compares quite nicely to the works of Dick Francis. RIDERS DOWN is a better horse racing thriller because few sleuths are as delightful and realistic as Matt is. His insight into racing, and his need to uncover the truth make him a winner. Readers know immediately what happened to Bernie and who did it, but no one will care as John McEvoy provides a strong mystery that rides as smooth as Secretariat's Belmont win.