Since I only could take it out for seven days, I rushed to finish the last English horse racing murder mystery by Dick Francis, Crossfire. This was also a fitting week to read it since the get away day at "our" track was Monday.
His last four books have been co-authored with his Baby Huey sized son, Felix -- at least the physical difference is blatant on the cover when Felix stands next to former steeplechase jockey, frail Francis.
Although I am sure I'd never get an advisor willing to endorse this subject, I would love to write a graduate thesis on the structure and themes of all Dick's books. The last two are classics: a somewhat anti-social hero, major family dysfunctions, a tentative love interest, corruption in the racing industry, and absolutely gruesome, horrid tortures. Something for everyone.
Dick also frequently resorts to double entendre titles and Crossfire refers to some esoteric racing term explaining a horse's missteps, clipping his own hooves. It also applies to the hero, Tom Forsythe, a recuperating British officer wounded by an IED in Afghanistan. And finally, cross fire figures in the story's gun battle conclusion.
I'm sure Felix's contribution for the last few books goes beyond research duties. I wonder if he will join my lost of rare second generation authors, a list that now only includes Alaistar Burke, daughter of James Lee, as a most readable successor. I will always have my memory of meeting Dick Francis at the Horsing Racing Hall of Fame where he autographed his book for my older son.
I have read everyone one of his books. There are a few other authors who I consume soup to nuts: Kinky Friedman (well maybe only his earlier ones); JD Robb's In Death series; Dickens for my studies in college. Thinking over this habit last night, I am toying with hopefully a more successful book list for 2011; namely, Broadly and Deeply. I plan on finding several writers with page turning books and then reading everything they have written. How does that grab you oh silent Slackers?
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