Silks

From Publishers Weekly After collaborating on Dead Heat (2007), bestseller Francis and his son, Felix, deliver another gripping thriller with a thoroughbred racing backdrop. Soon after London barrister Geoffrey Mason, an amateur jockey by avocation, starts receiving a series of threatening messages from a former client, Julian Trent, whose conviction for assault was overturned on appeal, Mason reluctantly accepts the defense of a jockey, Steve Mitchell, accused of the pitch-fork murder of fellow rider Scot Barlow at a steeplechase event. Mitchell and Barlow had fallen out over Barlow's sister, a vet and Mitchell's former girlfriend, who took her own life just a short while before. When unknown parties order Mason to lose the case, he must balance his professional ethics and his sense of self-preservation. The solid writing and engaging lead will carry readers along at a brisk pace, though some may find the dramatic courtroom revelation of the murderer overly theatrical. (Sept.) Copyright В© Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. From Booklist Geoffrey Mason, barrister and amateur steeplechase jockey, is called on to defend an arrogant and difficult fellow rider accused of brutally murdering another jockey. Despite overwhelming evidence, Mason believes his client is innocent—and in fact is being framed.В Threats and a vicious beating make Mason more determined to persevere in the defense. British trial-procedure arcana and steeplechase-racing information enrich this engaging story. JarvisвЂTM reading is impeccable. Not a syllable is lost in his British-accented rendition, and his recitationВ of events leading up toВ and during the trialВ isВ a model of controlled tension. Fans will be delighted to know that coauthor Felix (Dick FrancisвЂTM son) is clearly capable of carrying on the family tradition of top-notch horse-racing mysteries. --Karen Harris Discover the classic mystery from Dick Francis, one of the greatest thriller writers of all time 'Runs at a cracking pace from beginning to end ' 5***** Reader Review 'Twists and turns all the way through. Silks has you on the edge of your seat' 5***** Reader Review ______ Geoffrey Mason wasn't terribly disappointed when his client Julian Trent was found guilty. Despite being paid handsomely as Trent's defence counsel, he believes Trent needs to be locked up for a good long time. He only wishes it had happened more quickly - if the trial had ended just a bit earlier, Mason could have made it to the Foxhunter Steeplechase and fulfilled his long-time dream as an amateur jockey. But not long afterward, Trent is set free when witnesses and jurors start recanting - under intimidation, Mason suspects. Remembering Trent's threats at the time of his conviction, Mason starts to worry. And things only get worse when one of Mason's fellow jockeys is found dead . . . Packed with intrigue and hair-raising suspense, Silks is just one of the many blockbuster thrillers from legendary crime writer Dick Francis. Praise for Dick Francis: 'As a jockey, Dick Francis was unbeatable when he got into his stride. The same is true of his crime writing' Daily Mirror 'The narrative is brisk and gripping and the background researched with care . . . the entire story is a pleasure to relish' Scotsman 'Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph 'A regular winner . . . as smooth, swift and lean as ever' Sunday Express 'The master of suspense and intrigue' Country Life 'Francis writing at his best' Evening Standard 'Still the master' Racing Post Julian Trent, You Have Been Found Guilty By This Court Of Perpetrating A Violent And Unprovoked Attack On An Innocent Family Including A Charge Of Attempted Murder. You Have Shown Little Or No Remorse For Your Actions And I Consider You A Danger To Society. When Defence Barrister Geoffrey Mason Hears The Judge's Verdict, He Quietly Hopes That A Long And Arduous Custodial Sentence Will Be Handed Down To His Arrogant Young Client. That Julian Trent Only Receives Eight Years Seems All Too Lenient. Little Does Mason Expect That He'll Be Looking Trent In The Eyes Again Much Sooner Than He'd Ever Imagined. Setting Aside His Barrister's Wig, Mason Heads To Sandown To Don His Racing Silks. An Amateur Jockey, His True Passion Is To Be Found In The Saddle On A Thoroughbred, Pounding The Turf In The Heat Of A Steeplechase. But When A Fellow Rider Is Brutally Murdered - A Pitchfork Driven Through His Chest - Mason's Racing Life Soon Becomes All Too Close To His Working Life. The Prime Suspect Is One Of Their Brethren, Champion Jockey Steve Mitchell; The Evidence Is Overwhelming. Mason Is Reluctant To Heed Mitchell's Pleas For Legal Advice - But Soon He Finds Himself At The Centre Of A Sinister Web Of Threat And Intimidation. Mason Is Left Fighting A Battle Of Right And Wrong, And More Immediately, A Battle Of Life And Death... His Own. From Dick Francis and his son, Felix, comes Geoffrey Mason-a defense barrister whose true passion is riding his Thoroughbred. Mason's two lives collide when a fellow jockey is accused of murdering a colleague with a pitchfork. Mason prefers not to get involved. But soon he is torn between doing what's right-and what will keep him alive Geoffrey Mason is well known (as "Perry" Mason) among the pro riders, including Steve Mitchell and Scot Barlow--arguably the two top pros. So when Scot Barlow is murdered--with Mitchell's pitchfork nonetheless--Geoff finds himself pulled into the case as a junior barrister