I enjoyed this latest by Felix Francis. It had a lovely sense of place. The setting in England was clear with plenty of colloquialisms and images of London etc. I also continue to be impressed with the horse elements in the story. They were always of course the highlights of the story when his father was writing and so far the books continue to do well in that aspect even though it was Dick and not Felix who was a jump jockey. However, I have to assume that Felix at least grew up around the sport and horses so mistakes aren't likely. But still as a horse person, I appreciate that. The hero of this book of this book was par for the course here, 30 years old, smart and dedicated. He figures out the crime while dealing with family issues and deciding whether to commit to his girlfriend or not. In this one we didn't know ahead of time who the bad guy was as we usually do with DF/FF. But the mystery held together well for the most part. I always enjoy watching the ways that a person can fix a race or cause mayhem on the track and only hope that bad guys don't read these books for ideas!

I was happy to learn what is happening in British racing. I don't keep up enough to know that the Jockey Club was no longer in charge. I am unfortunately in one of those US states where there is currently no track :-( So I have to get my horse racing from the TV and from DF/FF novels. One of the things I've always enjoyed about these authors is that you always learn something. They are always so well researched and you learn something different in every book. I left off a star because I felt the ending was a little rushed and one or two things felt unfinished. Maybe there is going to be another book with this character? I know that only two heroes repeat in DF/FF novels but I'd be happy to see this guy again and find out how his family gets on and watch him solve more cases.

All in all, good job and bring on the next one. ( )

Son of Dick Francis, author of 40 books, crime stories, relating to horse racing. Felix started helping his dad with his later books and co-wrote some. I really enjoyed this book which continues his father’s legacy in the racing world. Keeps you guessing as to what is happening and makes you want to read more. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good mystery. ( )

Jeff Hinkley is an investigator for the British Horseracing Authority who is thirty, has a photographic memory for faces, and is a master of disguises. He is also the concerned younger brother of a sister battling cancer and live-in boyfriend who is wondering if he should marry his long-time girlfriend.

He is surprised when following a banned racehorse trainer around a race meeting to see him casually walk up to a bookmaker and slit his throat. The trainer had claimed that he was not responsible for the doping of the horses in his yard but was convicted anyway.

It doesn't take long for problems to escalate. Someone is blackmailing the BHA. Either they pay or the blackmailer will destroy the credibility of the organization and the public's confidence in horse racing. Jeff has a short period of time to figure out who the blackmailer is and figure out a way to stop him.

The book was filled with investigations. Jeff was a great character who determined to use the skills he gained as a military intelligence officer in Iraq to solve the mystery. I also liked seeing his relationship with his sister and with his girlfriend.

Fans of mysteries will enjoy getting to know Jeff Hinkley. ( )

I was a long time reader of Dick Francis' thrillers, and don't mind saying that, even though I knew he was a collaborator in his father's final books, that I did not really believe that his son Felix would amount to much. But DAMAGE proves that Felix Francis has made it on his own.

This novel continues in the tradition of tight thriller, with a believable plot, and clues for the reader to work on. Management of the British racing industry by an independent authority comes under threat as the BHA discovers that at one particular carnival 66 out of 69 horses have tested positive to a banned substance. Blackmail demands for five million pounds arrive with an injunction that the police are to be kept in the dark.

Tightly plotted, believable, and well written. ( )

Better than the last one of his that I read, so perhaps becoming more proficient an author in his own right after co-authoring a number with his Dad. A very quick read and quite enjoyable as he writes in a similar style. ( )