Books

First published in 1962, this is a fourth impression of 1964, a tribute to Dick Francis' popularity. Some slight edge wear to top and bottom of jacket and spine, some overall yellowing, some spotting to page block, old tape marks and spotting to endpapers, not price clipped (16s), some stamped numbers to ffep but not ex library, internally clean tight and almost square, overall a vg+ copy for its age. 206pp. Alan York, an amateur jockey, finds himself tangling dangerously with a ruthless gang of crooks. A pretty girl, an intelligent child, and a manhunt across the Sussex countryside are some of the ingredients in this gripping thriller about the shady side of the racing world. The background is superbly authentic and the pace would not shame a two mile hurdle race. Dick Francis' (1920-2010), debut thriller, very scarce even in this slightly later impression.