by Dick Francis
First published 2008
Geoffrey Mason watches the judge sentence Julian Trent to eight years for a brutal attack on a family. The defense lawyer thinks the punishment is too light for his arrogant client. Mason leaves London's Old Bailey and drives to Sandown racetrack. He trades his barrister's robes for racing colors and rides as an amateur jockey in steeplechases. A fellow rider is killed with a pitchfork through his chest. The police arrest champion jockey Steve Mitchell for the murder. The evidence points to Mitchell's guilt. Mitchell asks Mason to represent him in court. Mason hesitates but takes the case. He discovers a network of violence and threats surrounding the racing world. Someone targets Mason for defending Mitchell. The lawyer must protect himself while proving his client's innocence. Mason fights for justice in the courtroom and survival outside it.
Genres: mystery, crime, action, legal-thriller
Vibes: fast-paced, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: amateur-detective, courtroom-drama, murder-mystery
Setting: London, Old Bailey, Sandown Racetrack
Period: 20th-century
338 pages · Hardcover · Putnam Adult
Content warnings: violence