Under Orders

Last week as we drove to Florida and back I listened to the latest book by Dick Francis. The trip wasn't long enough for me to finish the audiobook, so I checked it out of the library as soon as we got home and read it to the end.

I wish Grandmother was still alive. She loved anything by Dick Francis and read all his books numerous times. When I saw this book in the bookstore I immediately thought of her and how pleased she would have been to have a new book of his. Because Grandmother did not like "racy" books - in the sense of "risque, " no pun intended! - I imagined that this would be good, clean, family-listening. Unfortunately, there were some vulgar words and an adulterous relationship in the story, so I didn't think it fit for our ears in parts. I wonder if all his books are that way?

The mystery - the violent death of a jockey after a race - was a well-tangled puzzle, and though I was able to partially figure it out before the end, the solution was satisfactory and a surprise. Because I am not a horse-lover, nor a racing fan, I was pleasantly amazed to find how much I enjoyed the book - both in audio and in print form. I'll be reading more of Francis's novels in the future.