Dick Francis Reading Group discussion

i think evryone guessed from the second clue . why don't you give a clue for another book?

Field of Thirteen. I read them as serialised in a Sunday Newspaper in UK. It isn't a favourite!
Incidentally in an interview published in "Woman's Weekly" fiction magazine (Dec 2009) Felix Francis says that "Forfeit" is DF's favourite. The theme makes it oone of my least favourite!
Chris

Chris, you are correct. Field of Thirteen isn't one of my top favorites, but I do really like some of the stories. Your turn to give a clue, Chris, if you would like.

I feel a bit of a fraud since I needed the clues!
Which novel ends with these words:
"Forgiveness, I thought. That was something else again. It would take a long time to forgive."

Chris

HELLO, I'M BACK!

I hope you all missed me. My computer died and I have had no access to the internet. I was sad.

Ok, Chris, your clue is the end of Nerve.

I'll pop in an easy one to get myself back up and running...

What book has a woman murdered by being suffocated in a bag of potting mix?

Welcome back, Valerie! We did miss you. Computer problems are the worst - except maybe car problems and health problems.

I'll wait a day or so and see if someone else would like to answer your clue...

Welcome back!
I'll wait a couple of days too! We must answer before Christmas, if only to send greetings, rather than geraniums!

Chris

Okay, I'm going to play. The answer is: Hot Money. Poor Moira.

Which Dick Francis mystery is set mostly in the western part of the United States?

A very merry Christmas to everyone!

ooh I think I know that one.

Yeah, I also had a car that died (would have cost about 3 times the car's worth to fix it) and my mother had some pretty serious health problems all at the same time. Not fun. Oh and my washing machine died too.

Anyway...

I will give others a day or so to answer.

Merry Christmas too all!

OK, I'm hazarding a guess here, I think this one is Blood Sport. Not one of my favourites although it had some good bits.

I will go and check if I'm right and also find a clue for the next one.

Oh and Happy New Year everyone!

Yes, Blood Sport is correct. Some of it even takes place in Arizona. I always wonder if Dick Francis came here - or at least here to the western US - before he wrote Blood Sport.

Yay! I got it right.

Ok, next clue. Which book has Billy and Auntie Sal cadging drinks in the bar?

Did I make it too hard, or is no one playing?

I'll give another clue. There is also a character nicknamed Beetle Brows in this book.

Hi Valerie,
I was waiting for someone else to answer, but I believe it was "In the Frame".

Chris

Yes Chris that's it!

Your turn now.

Who and what was Ravi Chand, and in which book?

Chris

Congratulations Chris! You're the first one to post a clue I didn't immediately know off the top of my head. I'll have to do some research...

Good one, Chris! I'll wait a few days to see if someone else wants to post an answer. That book isn't one I've read as many times as some of the others. :)

Ravi Chand was a medical specialist in "Second Wind"

What is the name of the column and newspaper that printed it which started all the trouble in "Break In"?

Welcome to the game, Camille! The more the merrier!

ok, that was 'Intimate Details' in The Daily Flag.

I don't have a new clue yet, will be back soon.

It's gotten so quiet here! I hope Valerie isn't having computer problems again. I'll come back tomorrow and post a new clue if we haven't heard from her before then.

hello, yes, it is still my turn. I had quite forgotten, please forgive me!

I will put in an easy one to get the ball rolling.

In what book does a jockey hesitate over buying a horse because of its name, and what was the significance of the name?

Bonus points if you can name at least 2 other books where this name was used!

Too hard, or no one playing?

I'll come back tomorrow with another clue if no one has jumped in with the answer...

Hi Valerie, Your bonus question has stumped me. I think the horse is "Sarah's Future", which Benedict Juliard hesitated in taking as a birthday present from his father,George. Sarah was ben's mother, who died in giving birth to him.
If I'm incorrect, so be it. If I'm right, I'll post a question in the next two days.
Keep challenging!
Vhris.

Yes, that is correct!

Sarah as a name was used in a couple of other books, Jonathon's wife in Twice Shy and Jik's wife in In The Frame, I think there was one other book as well, but I can't remember off the top of my head.

Go ahead Chris, your turn to stump us all!

OK, so:
Two Books, about twenty years between: Who, or what is Marigold? (NOT a pair of kitchen gloves!)

Chris

I'm a little confused by this question. Is it one name used in 2 different books?

I have a guess, I'm going to double check and be back tomorrow.

Yes, minor roles in two different books, one name.

Chris

OK, I have it.

Marigold English is a character in Driving Force, she is a trainer whose horses Freddie transports.

And in Shattered, Marigold is the mother of Bon-Bon, widow of the jockey who dies at the very beginning.

Correct, well done, Valerie (she is also a taxicab dispatcher in Mr Francis's first book, "Dead Cert".)

Chris

Wow, great question, Chris! And well done, Valerie! How interesting that DF has used Marigold as a minor character name in three of his books.

alright, I have a new clue.

In which book was a person stabbed with a pitchfork?

And to keep it from being ambiguous, how did he survive?

Good clue, Valerie! I waited to let someone else answer, and then after a few days I got busy and didn't come back to answer! The book in which a person (Jonah Dereham) is stabbed with a pitchfork is Knockdown. And he SHOULD have been killed, but the pitchfork hit the strap he wore to keep his shoulder from dislocating. :)

Okay, here's an easy one. In which book does the hero literally fall in love at first sight?

Hm, I thought that was an easy clue. Should I give a second clue to help out? I'll post another clue tomorrow evening if no one has answered by then.

Sorry, Luann - been busy!
This could be Henry and Gabriella in "Flying Finish".

Chris

Yay, I'm back again!
I have had my computer completely rebuilt, so I should now be around for a long time.
I believe Chris has the right answer. And I knew that one too!

If I'm correct, I'm happy to concede to Valerie - have this question on me!

Kind regards,

Chris

Are you sure Chris? You earned it.

If you really want me to, I'll go find a good question!

Glad you're back, Valerie and Chris! You are both correct, the answer is Flying Finish. I love the account of Henry and Gabriella falling in love at first sight - although I don't know that things like that happen very often in real life.

bump :)

I don't know if that should be 'bump' or 'nudge' or 'Hey You! It's your turn!!"

Sorry, life happened and I completely forgot about looking for a clue. I happen to have a DF book just in front of me here, I will try to find something obscure in it to mystify you all...

Ok, here we go.

What book is this quote from?

Thursday morning, Cheltenham Gold Cup day, once greeted with raised pulse and thudding hope, found me that particular week with a creaking stiffness in my limbs and a craving to curl up and let the world pass by.

Good one, Valerie! Does anybody have an idea? It reminds me of the opening lines of Risk, which also starts with a Thursday: "Thursday, March 17, I spent the morning in anxiety, the afternoon in ecstasy, and the evening unconscious." But obviously that doesn't match your quote.

Hey, note the date! :)

ok, shall I give a clue? The hero is an ex-jockey, and, like Risk, there is water involved...

Well done, Valerie!
I was sure that it was "Risk" but couldn't find the quote. So, is it "Whip Hand" after Sid has been whipped? Only a guess, so if correct, it's still your go!

Chris

Nope, not Whip Hand...

Ok, for another clue, viruses are a major theme in the book.

A-ha! It must be Driving Force! I'll wait to see if I'm right before I post a new clue.

...or "Shattered".
Note the desperation here!!!

Chris