The Danger [Mass Market Paperback]

Dick Francis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 12, 1986

Kidnapping is Andrew Douglas's business: they take them, he finds them. But it isn't so simple when Alessia Cenci, golden-girl jockey, disappears, followed by the young child of a derby winner and the senior steward of the Jockey Club. From Italy to England to Washington, D.C., Andrew's caseload is suddenly, violently overflowing. And he must fight triply hard to keep his own name off the growing list of victims. . . .

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As a security consultant for a quiet and unspectacular British firm known as Liberty Market, Andrew Douglas works with the families of kidnap victims and local law enforcement agencies to free hostages and, if possible, capture their abductors. Andrew is very good at his job, and his success depends on remaining in the background; in this shadowy position, he has so far managed to bring 15 kidnap incidents to successful conclusions. The 16th case, arranging the release of Italy's most popular female jockey, Alessia Pucinelli, takes his life in an entirely new direction. Andrew's investigations into the unusual circumstances of her captivity lead him to suspect a pattern; it seems that this particular technique has been used by a gang before. Tony Britton's quiet, low-key voice gives the listener an excellent picture of the quiet, low-key characters that Francis (Hot Money) makes into heroes. Britton is also good at creating Italian accents that sound neither comic nor overdone, yet manage to be quite distinct from each other. For public library collections where Francis's works and/or suspense novels are popular.ABarbara Rhodes, Northeast Texas Lib. Syst., Garland
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From the Inside Flap

Kidnapping is Andrew Douglas's business: they take them, he finds them. But it isn't so simple when Alessia Cenci, golden-girl jockey, disappears, followed by the young child of a derby winner and the senior steward of the Jockey Club. From Italy to England to Washington, D.C., Andrew's caseload is suddenly, violently overflowing. And he must fight triply hard to keep his own name off the growing list of victims. . . .

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Fawcett (February 12, 1986)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0449210375
• ISBN-13: 978-0449210376
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,688,363 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Dick Francis was the author of more than forty acclaimed books. Among his numerous awards were three Edgar Awards, the Crime Writers' Association Cartier Diamond Dagger, and the Mystery Writers of America's Grand Master Award. He died in February 2010.

Felix Francis has assisted with the research of many of the Dick Francis novels and is the coauthor of Dead Heat, Silks, and Even Money. He lives in England.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An unusual mystery, June 24, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Danger (Mass Market Paperback)

This highly enjoyable mystery is unusual in many ways, from the main character who is NOT a detective or police officer to the villains (kidnappers), plus the clever way Dick Francis worked the milieu he knows best (horses and horse racing) into each of the three kidnappings.
The main character, Andrew Douglas, is a partner in a firm which negotiates for the release of kidnap victims/hostages by working as an "advisor" to police, governments, and occasionally taking things into his own hands (unofficially) as demonstrated in the second kipnapping in the story. Andrew shares many traits with other Dick Francis heroes--he is honest, likeable, an all-around good guy who trumps the criminals and gets the girl in the end. In this novel, Andrew himself is not connected with horses or horse racing, but rather the connection comes from the fact that all of the kidnapping victims share a connection to the horse racing world, be it as a female jockey, a part-owner of a promising race horse, the owner of a race track, and the head of the Jockey Club. From these tenuous links, Andrew and his partners realize that the perpetrator is probably known to the horse racing world, and begin to try to trap him, but not before one more kidnapping takes place!
Like his other novels, this one too is a very easy, fast read, and takes readers from Italy to England to America before winding up most satisfactorily.
I also liked the other characters in the novel, particularly some of Andrew's partners (described and fleshed out thoughtfully and with humor) and his love-interest.
Readers will also learn something about horse racing, this time mostly from the perspective of a trainer and a jockey, as well as come away from the novel with a good sense of what it is like to go to the races, even if they have never attended.
If you have never read anything by Dick Francis, this novel is an excellent place to begin.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not for the Faint of Heart, October 14, 1997

By A Customer

This review is from: The Danger (Mass Market Paperback)

Dick Francis' knows the horse racing industry well. Anyone who's read his mysteries knows that horses and money mean trouble and great stories. But for my money, Francis' true talent lies in seamlessly melding unusual mystery elements around horses. Such is the case with "The Danger", a taut, sobering but enthralling look at the risk of being rich and associated with horse racing. The hero works as a "consultant" to families and employers of kidnap victims. And just how kipnapping and horse racing are related exhibits Dick Francis' genius at research. The hero weaves slowly through the chase - advising families on how to get their loved ones back unharmed, tightrope-walking between overly-aggressive police and exceptionally nervous kidnappers and counseling the victims as they adjust to the real world again. When the pieces finally fall together for our hero and the firm he represents, Francis' opens the starting gate and rushes the reader page after page through a frightening resolution - and a totally unexpected one. I've read a number of Dick Francis' mysteries. Sid Halley stories held the top place on my Dick Francis list - until I read "The Danger". Be sure to read it when you have lots of time - put it down and you might get the creeps until you finish it and the villain(s) (I won't say how many) is/are caught.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best written mysteries I have ever read., May 16, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: The Danger (Mass Market Paperback)

One of the things I like about Dick Francis is that even though his stories involve horses and race courses, etc., you don't have to know anything about horses to understand and enjoy his books.

I believe 'The Danger' is one of his best. It's amazing how this man capures so well the emotions of all the characters in this book: the kidnapped girl jockey, her grieving father, the insensitive father of the kidnapped child, and the mother who was made to feel guilty, even the sinister and very dangerous kidnapper. Everyone!

I was on the edge of my seat the whole book. I tell you Dick Francis is superb.