| Guide Picks - Top 6 Racing Fiction Books | |||||
| The track has long been a favorite setting for fiction, mysteries in particular. Here are some good books to get you started on racing fiction. | |||||
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1) In The Frame by Dick Francis 
I could have picked just about any book by him, but this was one of the first I read so I thought it would make a good introduction if you have never read him before. In this one, a painter of race horses has to solve a mystery involving forged antique racing paintings. This was also made into a movie.
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2) Saratoga Trifecta by Stephen Dobyns 
Dobyns has several books out that take place during the racing season at Saratoga Springs. This one is a good one to start with since it has three books in one volume: Saratoga Longshot, Saratoga Swimmer, and Saratoga Headhunter.
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3) Bred to Win by William Kinsolving This book can be a bit hard to find but is worth the search. Although billed as a romance novel, it is very accurate in its portrayal of the breeding and racing industry. Many big names in racing are listed as sources and consultants for the background info so give it a read if you can find it.
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4) Riding High by John Francome Also a retired English jockey who now writes mysteries, John Francome has quite a few books to his credit. However, since they are not widely published in the US they can be a bit hard to find here. Similar in style to Dick Francis, Francome's books tend to be a bit more explicit, especially with the sex scenes.
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5) The Bold Thing by Mark Daniel Yet another ex-jockey author, Irish this time, who specializes in mysteries. Daniel sets most of his in the steeplechase world and they can be very dark and gritty. Hard to find since they are released in very limited numbers in the US.
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6) Horse Heaven by Jane Smiley Smiley takes two years in the lives of horses and horse people, and weaves a brisk and bright book about the racing world. The character list includes the gamut of racetrack regulars-the trainers, the hyper-rich owners, the gamblers, the jockeys, horse-crazy teenage girls-and best of all, the horses.
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