For Kicks by Dick Francis

From the Publisher:
Australian horse breeder Daniel Roke had resisted the exorbitant sum of money offered by a suave Englishman to investigate a scandal involving drugged racehorses. But after another investigator dies mysteriously, Roke agrees to fill his shoes—and learns that men who would give drugs to horses are capable of doing much worse to human beings.

My Comments:
I've always felt guilty because my husband happily reads whatever book I'm currently gushing about. Whether it's a paranormal "romance" like JR Ward or Laurell K. Hamilton or Charlaine Harris, or even JD Robb AKA Nora Roberts, or Janet Evanovich, if I like it, he'll read it. I've never done the same for him. He's loved Dick Francis since he was a boy. Same for Louis Lamour. I'll go so far as to say, as he has, that Louis Lamour made him the man he is today. As a subsitute father, you could do worse then Louis. At last, I read a Dick Francis and enjoyed it very much! And my husband was thrilled to say the least.

I've never been a fan of horse racing. I suppose that's what held me back. I love horses, but racing them and breeding them, and such never interested me in the least. I'm so glad I finally got over such a tiny roadblock. These are solid mysteries with vivid characters and I am looking forward to reading another one.

I was really surprised when I read this book was published in the 60's. It didn't seem dated in the least! It was a more complicated mystery then the publisher leads us to believe. The character, Daniel as a successful horse trainer in his own right, went undercover as a stable lad to try and discover how these horses are being drugged. I never thought about how that could affect the entire sport. He went from a confident man with affluence to a man only the worst stable would employ. A man who couldn't be trusted and was the lowest of the low. After pretending to be a man of poor character for so long, it starts to take it's toll, but Daniel over comes, the day is saved and the horses can live happily ever after!

Keep It or Pass it On?
I probably won't be reading this one again, but Francis has written over 40 mysteries for me to sink my teeth into.