Customer Reviews

Knock Down (The Dick Francis Library)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Anyone who loves horses and can read should take on at least one Dick Francis mystery novel. Francis is perhaps the world's most prolific (and best?) writer on fictional horse-related topics. Each of his mysteries revolves around some aspect of horses: breeding, racing, veterinary, trading, etc. He uses his fictional plots to impart his vast equine knowledge to readers in an enjoyable way. And Knockdown is as good an example as any.

In Knockdown, street-wise Jonah Dereham is an independent and honorable bloodstock agent (British terminology for horse trader), a profession not known for ethical practices. Dereham learned his horse knowledge in his prior career as a jockey, and is now hired by rich American woman, Kerry Sanders to buy a horse at auction. In the parking lot after their successful bid, two thugs oddly demand that the horse now be sold to them at a higher price--and then enforce their demand by clubbing Jonah on the head, the first in a series of knockdowns to come.

The mystery is on. What is so special about this horse? Why not buy the horse in the auction instead of extorting it from the new owners just minutes later? Who is this Kerry Sanders and who was the horse really for?

Before he unravels the mess, Dereham suffers thru harassment, arson, threats to his alcoholic brother, Crispin, and more violent knockdowns. He meets the love interest, air traffic controller Sophie Randolph, when his mysteriously loose horse dashes across the highway, causing her to crash her car. Jonah tries to make things right for Sophie, but she ends up doing as much for him: once even setting his chronically dislocating shoulder after yet another encounter with the bad guys. Knockdown is rigid formula fiction that works. --Christopher Bonn Jonnes, author of Wake Up Dead.

This book didn't instantly "grab" me like most of Dick Francis's writing does. Midway, the book picks up the pace; then, I didn't want to put it down. It was easy, fast-paced reading, and nice for summer relaxation. I had read Knockdown several years ago, so throughout the book I was thinking, "oh, yes, that was what I had forgotten." Good books are like good friends: I like to re-visit them; but maybe that was why I thought the start was slow. Anyone who enjoys horses and mysteries probably will like Francis's writing. I particularly appreciate his ability to succinctly, but casually paint word pictures of horses, people, and places. He gives scope to the imagination of the reader. I had to laugh when the hero of Knockdown recommended Halley as an investigator. Of course, Sid Halley is one of my favorite Francis characters. Knockdown was worth reading again.

Jonah Dereham is an ex-jockey with three fused vertebrae and a dislocating shoulder. Now making his living buying horses as a bloodstock agent, Jonah is too honest for his own good.

While all around him, other bloodstock agents are cheating buyers, sellers and breeders - Noah is foolishly happy with a simple commission, no hidden kickbacks. He's ruining it for everyone else. His associates threaten to crush him if he won't play the game.

For Jonah, buying horses turns out to be even more dangerous than riding them.

Although the plot feels a bit slight to me, Jonah is a thoroughly likeable hero. And Francis draws an interesting portrait of Jonah's loner of a girlfriend, an air-traffic controller who never loses control of her heart. Jonah's self-pitying alcoholic brother is also well done.

Dick Francis is always worth reading. I was in the middle of this book when I heard that he just died. The news made me sad. I think it's a mistake to see Dick Francis as a mere writer of horse mysteries. The horses are there, and he loves them, but Dick Francis is really writing about character, integrity, doing your best against impossible odds, seeing the good in others, taking risks, throwing yourself into life.

My tribute to Dick Francis will be to read every one of his books. Wish there were more.

When you read a Dick Francis novel you know that you are not only getting a great read but you are also getting a book written by a writer who knows his subject. Dick Francis was one of the world's greatest jockeys. Talk about horses and racing - he knew his subject. He was also Queen Elizabeth's and her mother's rider for many years. A great athlete!

I read this book while my kitchen was being remodeled. I love Dick Francis. I want to own all his books.

This is a solid Dick Francis novel with interesting characters (esp. the supporting cast), a bigger than life hero, a mystery, and lots of IMHO fascinating information on a lesser-known aspect of the racing sport--the bloodstock agent (perhaps called horse trader or agent outside of the British Commonwealth). It also has a modicum of love interest, the long-suffering of the hero, his triumph at the end, but with some pathos too. The ending was a bit too pat for me--not readily believable IMHO--regarding Crispin--though I suppose stranger things have happened. There is a fair amount of description of Crispin's alcoholism, but today (the book is over 30 years old) the hero would probably be considered co-dependent. This work may not be Francis' best, but it's quite enjoyable--certainly not his worst book. My favorite quote in it is: "when success could breed envy even in friends, in enemies it could raise spite of Himalayan proportions." Enjoy!

I will make no secret of the fact that Dick Francis is my favorite thriller writer. I love good, economical prose, and he is a master at it. In his autobiography he said that he couldn't leave a sentence until it was the best sentence he could write, and it shows when he limns a character or a situation in a sentence or two where others would need a page.
Knockdown is not one of his very best, but even second-rate Francis beats the best of most writers. I won't outline the plot, as others have done so, bet simply suggest very strongly that you read it.

"Knockdown is vintage Francis---a brilliantly inventive mystery filled with the authentic atmosphere of the English horseracing scene.
With millions of fans around the world---including members of the British royal family---this best selling author has become one of today's most beloved mystery writers.

"Francis has the uncanny ability to turn out SIMPLY PLOTTED YET CHARMINGLY ADDICTIVE mysteries."
---Wall Street Journal
[from the back cover of the cassette case]

"If you are interesting in Dick Francis's other autio cassette edition, please to go to the visit the Amazon's site and type the
"B000K52KRG" (ASIN/ISBN) for the Nerve by Dick Francis,
"B000E33TU6" (ASIN/ISBN) for the Flying Finish by Dick Francis,
"0788702939" (ASIN/ISBN) for the Dead Cert by Dick Francis,
"B000VAW46W" (ASIN/ISBN) for the To The Hilt by Dick Francis,
in the Amazon's book catagory search engine box.
[from the experience]

This is one of his better books.I have always enjoyed

his restrained way of writing.the different thing about his

writing,that not only is his storyline strong,

but that his characters are so well fleshed out.

nowadays when reading a book so often is an adventure into

strange exploits of the main characters,that its good to know someone

can get his point across without resorting to cheap

thrills.

Jonah Dereham is an honest horse broker dealing with an increasingly complicated world. Hired to buy a bargain horse, he gets attacked. Then one of the horses in his stable is let loose, and further attacks occur. As the violence escalates, Jonah wonders who is really behind the whole thing, and why. It appears that an anonymous mafia like character wants Jonah to play by organized crime rules. Along the way, Jonah finds a strong willed girlfriend with grit, and has to deal with his alcoholic brother. This book is first class - a diamond in the rough. I am surprised it hasn't reached more readers.