Field of Thirteen
by Dick Francis

Publisher:  Jove Publications
ISBN:  0515126098

Even people who don't follow racing have most likely heard of Dick Francis. The British former steeplechase jockey has been writing compelling mysteries for over 40 years now, with his work often gracing the bestseller lists. Field of Thirteen collects 13 of his short stories most of which originally appeared in magazines in the 1970's and have never been published in book form before. Some updating has been done to the monetary figures to take inflation into account, but the tales still stand up well today.

The order of the stories was chosen by a random draw in the fashion of a post position draw for a race, but they still seem to work together well. The horse racing scene is not always the main focus of the stories but it is always in the background somewhere. Most of the tales feature a surprise twist to the ending and many revolve around wrong doers getting their just reward. The book takes you to racing venues around the world and shows you many interesting, although sometimes unsavory, characters. The tales include "Carrot for a Chestnut" about a crooked jockey doping a horse, "Dead on Red" about a hired killer stalking his victim, and "Raid on Kingdom Hill" about a race track robbery. Each will hold your interest and help while away the hours pleasantly.

If you are looking for a little light reading with a racing flavor, Field of Thirteen, available in both paperback and hardcover, will fit the bill nicely.

Cindy Pierson, your Guide for Horse Racing