BOTTOM-LINE:
An average Francis collection
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PLOT OR PREMISE:
A collection of thirteen short stories, eight of which were published previously in various magazines.
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WHAT I LIKED:
"- Dead on Red - A contract killer kills a jockey for another jockey, but the results are not quite what the surviving jockey had desired. (4.00/5.00)
- Song for Mona - A snobbish daughter is ashamed of her mother's life and history while others find her charming and praise her. (4.00/5.00)
- Collision Course - An editor loses his job and runs into snobs who won't let him park his boat at their restaurant while he has dinner with three publishers. Turns out the owner is a up-and-comer who needs to win an upcoming race in order to attract horses to his farm. An interesting battle develops. (4.00/5.00)
- Carrot for a Chestnut - Fixing a race by doping the horse with a doctored carrot. With a great twist at the end. (3.50/5.00)
- Blind Chance - A man has a perfect way to know the outcomes of photo-finish races, and to make money on it. Until disaster strikes. (4.00/5.00)
- Corkscrew - An honest man is charged with a crime and his lawyer swindles his parents out of the bail money. He doesn't count on the road to justice being somewhat long and windy. (3.75/5.00)
- The Day of the Losers -- Money from an old robbery is the glue that holds this story together as the police attempt to fix a race in order to catch a crook. There are twists all around at the end. (3.50/5.00)
- Haig's Death - All the people who have their fates resting on the outcome of a race are all affected when the decision falls to the judge, whose fate has already been decided. Multiple storylines all leading to a combined finish. (3.50/5.00)"
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WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE:
"- Raid at Kingdom Hill - A bomb scare at the racetrack, and money goes missing during the chaos. (2.00/5.00)
- Bright White Star - The theft of a horse from an auction and a wandering tramp who is displaced from his home on the land...includes a great set-up/intro though -- ""Write us a story,"" they said. I asked, ""What about?"" ""About three thousand words,"" they replied. (2.00/5.00)
- Nightmare - A horse thief is running from his past where his father was killed during a theft. (2.50/5.00)
- The Gift - A down-and-out alcoholic journalist finds the horseracing story of the century, but may be too drunk to write it. (2.00/5.00)
- Spring Fever - A woman falls in love with her jockey and is taken advantage of, at first. (2.50/5.00)"
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DISCLOSURE:
I received no compensation, not even a free copy, in exchange for this review. I was not personal friends with the author, nor did I follow him on social media.

I haven't rated this book, because after I took it out I realised that it was 13 short stories. I should have read the Description before taking it out !! I do not like short stories, although, since I am a fan of Dick Francis, I am sure they are good stories.

Short and very entertaining short stories