Customer Reviews

Proof (G. K. Hall (Large Print))

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

PROOF is a terrific story about wine merchant Tony Beach who seems to stumble into one tragic situation after another. He agrees to cater a party for the horseracing elite, and watches as hit men reek havoc on the party. Now he's caught in the middle of a terrifying mystery that begins with counterfeit wine and continues on to murder. He has to dig deep within to continue to have the courage to find out who and why this is happening.

Dick Francis is a great writer of mysteries that always revolve around horseracing life. Most of his stories are based in England and steeple chasing (not the type of horseracing we're used to here in the United States). They are interesting and educational if you know nothing about this sport. Francis does not write tales as intense as some of the American authors do, but they are definitely worth the time to read. My father got me hooked on Dick Francis and his tales of murder and mayhem, and this author will have his books read for many years. They are timeless!

Dick Francis reminds me of a master craftsman of say fine furniture. His quality and style are such that, though all his pieces are different, they nevertheless bear the mark of his unique style and craftsmanship. Once in a while you'll come across a piece that's so unique that at first you're not absolutely sure it's one of his but a very short inspection convinces you that, yes, as odd as this piece may be, it's his.

That's a long way of alluding to the fact that Francis' books tend to be highly formulaic. For the most part you know what you are getting before you even open the cover. The formula consists of a highly independent, iconoclastic, extremely self-reliant protagonist who, for reasons he doesn't fathom, has become the center of a storm that, before everything has played out, will involve him in intrigue, murder and at least one act of horrific violence aimed at him personally. There will be some sort of at least marginal if not central theme of horse racing and a specific theme to the book-precious gems, photography or, in the case of Proof, the wine business.

Proof is a bit of a departure form the formula. The horrific violence is right up front in the form of a ghastly automobile accident. Tony Beach, the protagonist of this accident is present to experience it though he emerges unscathed. The accident does, however, bring him into contact with a private investigator. Their shared experience leads them to get ot know one another and the investigator, realizing Tony has some skills he needs, drags him into one of his cases. Thus Tony is an involved party to, but not the focus of the intrigue of this novel.

Moreover, Tony is not your typical Francis protagonist. Recently widowed, Tony is trying to modulate grief within the context of his own insecurities of not having lived up to the rough outdoorsman-horse fancier image of his very renowned father.

The end result is a Francis novel minus the usual comfort level of the formula. While it can be a risk for an author to diverge from his comfort zone, Francis handles it here with aplomb. Francis is one of the greatest thriller novelists ever. The result is one of his best novels ever. That's not a bad combination!

This is a great read both for the Francis fan as well as the casual suspense-thriller reader.

One of the all time best books I have ever read. Dick Francis is a master writer. Formerly a jockey for the Queen Mother, he has a unique view into the horse racing world of England. His research is flawless and I never fail to learn something from reading any of his books. Proof was one of his best and I highly recommend it. Bootlegged whiskey and murder lead the hero into the not so nice side of crime in England.

The opening chapter introduces the widowed wine merchant Tony Beach and may seem a bit mauldling but keep on reading. This is peopled with people you would love to hang with and people you would hate to meet. It is exciting and as usual, the author plays fair by introducing information in a timely manner. A very satisfying mystery, it gets better with every page.

The owner of a wine shop, who comes from a horse family gets involved in a murder. As usual, horses and horse people work their way into the story.
Dick Francis always develops his characters well and he lives up to his own standards in Proof. He has interesting insights into the wine and spirit industry, as well. This is a book to be re-read.

This book is a typical Francis hard-to-put-down, fast-reading thriller with one exception. Francis does his usual thorough job of investigating Clancy-style, but this time goes easy on the horses and heavy on the liquor industry. As usual, one is swept away by the story and is delighted to learn what Francis has uncovered in his research.

A typical Dick Francis, with a capable but modest hero who investigates a crime at great risk to himself. This time the crime is in the liquor industry, and only takes in the fringes of the racing world. For a change, our hero gets shot instead of beaten up, but survives to outwit the villains in the end. A good easy to read novel giving an interesting background to the wine and spirits industries.

Dick Francis does an excellent job of entertaining while educating. This is a fast moving story that revoles around ones fears, the alcoholic beverage industry, and the horse racing world. The characters are well defined. This is Dick Francis doing what he does best.

Very good read! I only gave it four stars because it's not the usual Dick Francis excellent jockey-as-hero stories, and those I like the best. In this book, the hero is a wine merchant who has recently lost his wife. Sadness there but always grit. The plot is thick enough for some spine tingling, there is some horse stuff, and the hero is knowledgeable about horses, after all it's a Dick Francis story. In this case, the hero was born into a huge horse-passionate family and therefore knew much about them, even though his choice of career took a far different turn. Nonetheless, his family knowledge comes in very handy. As always, the hero is very nice, very smart, very loyal to his principles, full of integrity, creative and intrepid.

Proof is a refreshing departure from other Dick Francis mysteries which usually revolve around some aspect of the horse racing world. Tony Beach, the main character, resembles Francis' other leading men, but this time our hero is a wine merchant who must stoically get to the bottom of a fraud and - of course - a murder. The clues are well spaced and the story gradually increasing in suspense. I loved getting a chance to learn a little more about the wine industry (grateful nod to Mrs. Francis' research). While I never tire of exploring the intricacies of horse racing and breeding which Francis does so well, I am glad he chose in this story to present his formula from a different angle!