Outside Chance [Paperback]

Lyndon Stacey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 26, 2005

Ben Copperfield is a freelance journalist who specializes in all things equine, so when he’s called with the news that the hot favorite for Britain’s Cheltenham Gold Cup has been kidnapped just a few weeks before the race, he wastes no time in following up the story. Although the horse’s owner and trainer, self-made millionaire Eddie Truman, immediately calls in the police, it seems he has one or two skeletons in his closet that he’d rather not share with the authorities, and so he also employs Ben to investigate. With the promise of an exclusive and orders to report back only to Truman, Ben goes to work. But as the date of the Gold Cup draws ever closer, it’s unclear whether the missing horse is still alive. Doggedly chasing the truth, Ben finds himself tested, both physically and psychologically, as he gradually uncovers a tale of prejudice, ambition, and heartbreak.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The closest to taking Dick Francis’s crown.”
–The Bookseller

About the Author

Lyndon Stacey is the bestselling author of Cut Throat, Blindfold and Deadfall. She lives in the Blackmore Vale.

Product Details

• Paperback: 416 pages
• Publisher: Random House UK (September 26, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0091800277
• ISBN-13: 978-0091800277
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,322,611 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Equine Mystery, March 28, 2008

By 

Kara J. Jorges "Avid Reader" (Minneapolis) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Outside Chance (Mass Market Paperback)

Ben Copperfield is a freelance journalist who writes about horses, but he takes a side job investigating the disappearance of a racehorse, Cajun King, who was kidnapped from a horse van while Ben's younger brother Mikey slept behind the cab. Mikey rides for Cajun King's trainer, Eddie Truman, so when Truman finds out he told a journalist his prize racehorse is missing, he offers Ben an exclusive if he will help find the horse. Ben starts investigating, but while Cajun King stays stubbornly missing, Ben gets pulled into Truman's family dramas and an old family secret.

Meanwhile, Ben follows a group of touring equestrian gypsies from performance to performance in preparation for a story. He befriends a number of them, especially Josef, an older man who senses both Ben's fascination and fear of horses, and encourages Ben to get back in the saddle. Ben also has a few run-ins with some animal rights activists who are against using animals in any kind of sport. Naturally, all three of these elements tie together before it's all said and done, as Ben unravels ugly Truman family secrets.

Lyndon Stacey is falsely touted as the new Dick Francis, but hype is always just hype. Stacey is an engaging writer, and this was a decent mystery with a likeable protagonist who gets knocked around a lot. It's obvious this writer is familiar with all things equine, too. Nobody writes like Dick Francis, but Lyndon Stacey is a good choice for a horsey mystery.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, March 3, 2010

By 

Karen "Karen" (Pleasanton, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Outside Chance (Mass Market Paperback)

This was an entertaining story which had multiple twists. Several parts were predictable but that didn't ruin the story. Many interesting characters.

5.0 out of 5 stars Outside Chance a winner!, November 24, 2011

By 

V. Pertzel (Queensland Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Outside Chance (Hardcover)

Outside Chance
I really enjoyed this book. I am a die-hard fan of Dick Francis, Felix Francis & John Francome and it was nice to come across another writer in the same genre.
Good story, well written.