Rating: 
Summary: Top of his field
Review: I have purchased and read (many times over) every Dick Francis story ever written and published. I've stood in line to have his books autographed and noencounter with him - in person or in print has ever disappointed. This collection of short stories is no exception. The genre can be difficult and is not suited for everyone, but Mr. Francis does his usual grand job and I loved every minute!
Rating:
Summary: Classic Dick Francis--With a Twist
Review: I highly recommend this book to both new Dick Francis readers and old. For the longtime reader of Francis' work, this is a refreshing reminder of another side of the author, too often played down in favor of plot excitement: subtlety and wit. The classic Francis protagonist is the principled loner (sometimes jaded, sometimes not) who stumbles onto a mystery and into trouble, then follows through to the bitter (and successful) end, usually with numerous bruises, a couple of sprains, and probably at least one fairly serious broken bone or other bloody inconvenience. More often than not (at least in the first three decades of his books), the narrator finds love, as well. Throughout four decades of writing, Francis' stoic narrators have become a bit predictable (though still fun), which makes the unpredictability of this collection all the more enjoyable. Relying more on irony and wit than in any other book, Francis has concocted a series of clever plots with interesting characters (really different from his usual heroes). These stories are very enjoyable and even a bit droll. They move quickly, surprise, and reward. By all means pick this one up. At a time when Mr. Francis may be winding down his career, this collection is a real gold mine, and one last glimpse at a great mystery writer's talent.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Dick Francis--With a Twist
Review: I highly recommend this book to both new Dick Francis readers and old. For the longtime reader of Francis' work, this is a refreshing reminder of another side of the author, too often played down in favor of plot excitement: subtlety and wit. The classic Francis protagonist is the principled loner (sometimes jaded, sometimes not) who stumbles onto a mystery and into trouble, then follows through to the bitter (and successful) end, usually with numerous bruises, a couple of sprains, and probably at least one fairly serious broken bone or other bloody inconvenience. More often than not (at least in the first three decades of his books), the narrator finds love, as well. Throughout four decades of writing, Francis' stoic narrators have become a bit predictable (though still fun), which makes the unpredictability of this collection all the more enjoyable. Relying more on irony and wit than in any other book, Francis has concocted a series of clever plots with interesting characters (really different from his usual heroes). These stories are very enjoyable and even a bit droll. They move quickly, surprise, and reward. By all means pick this one up. At a time when Mr. Francis may be winding down his career, this collection is a real gold mine, and one last glimpse at a great mystery writer's talent.
Rating: 
Summary: They were short stories, after all
Review: I listened to the book on tape and thought it was okay. I especially enjoyed the very first story of the race that didn't happen. One story really confused me. A man was trying desperately to raise something like a million dollars in bail money. The story took place in South Carolina, not the UK. Perhaps I missed something because it was a book on tape. But not once was a bail bondsman mentioned. This guy was actually trying to raise all the cash.
Rating: 
Summary: the horse didn't make it to the finish line...
Review: I'm an avid Francis reader, and I grabbed this one,only to be confused by his preface.His word processor must have gone haywire.I shut the book while reading "Corkscrew";(writers who have to rely on the parenthetical expression to work in detail after detail are just lazy); I couldn't continue.I'll just have to wait for his next one.
Rating:
Summary: Dick Francis as O. Henry -- and it works!
Review: I've been enjoying Dick Francis books since the '70s. Although I've never been much of a mystery reader, I enjoy his keen eye for the details of horse racing. He also varies the protagonists of his books -- jockeys, horse painters, trainers, even an insurer. That brings in wonderful tidbits about specific trades that deal with horse racing. His great powers of observation make up for the fact that, in his novels, there is one plot. A good gentleman, usually shy and with some uncomfortable mental baggage, is going about his business when he gets drawn into a mystery involving racehorses, usually involving race-fixing and insurance fraud. He doesn't want to be involved. Then, around page 150, he gets beaten up by the bad guys & realizes he can't let the bad guys win. The protagonist usually gets beaten up at least once more, but eventually prevails. That's the novels. This book, of thirteen short stories, breaks with the usual Francis M.O. in that the protagonists ARE the bad guys. The bad guys win in almost all of these stories, but they win in interesting ways, doing fraudulent things that would never occur to most of us. At the end of these stories, there are brutal twists of an O. Henry sort -- most notably one in which a man attempting to fix a race winds up killing his brother. (No more detail than that, so as not to ruin it, OK?) Where most Dick Francis novels are good, clean fun, this is some good, dirty fun! I only wonder who he spends time with to get these brilliantly crooked ideas.
Rating:
Summary: Dick Francis as O. Henry -- and it works!
Review: I've been enjoying Dick Francis books since the '70s. Although I've never been much of a mystery reader, I enjoy his keen eye for the details of horse racing. He also varies the protagonists of his books -- jockeys, horse painters, trainers, even an insurer. That brings in wonderful tidbits about specific trades that deal with horse racing. His great powers of observation make up for the fact that, in his novels, there is one plot. A good gentleman, usually shy and with some uncomfortable mental baggage, is going about his business when he gets drawn into a mystery involving racehorses, usually involving race-fixing and insurance fraud. He doesn't want to be involved. Then, around page 150, he gets beaten up by the bad guys & realizes he can't let the bad guys win. The protagonist usually gets beaten up at least once more, but eventually prevails. That's the novels. This book, of thirteen short stories, breaks with the usual Francis M.O. in that the protagonists ARE the bad guys. The bad guys win in almost all of these stories, but they win in interesting ways, doing fraudulent things that would never occur to most of us. At the end of these stories, there are brutal twists of an O. Henry sort -- most notably one in which a man attempting to fix a race winds up killing his brother. (No more detail than that, so as not to ruin it, OK?) Where most Dick Francis novels are good, clean fun, this is some good, dirty fun! I only wonder who he spends time with to get these brilliantly crooked ideas.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Dick Francis: great characterization & mysteries
Review: I've read ALL of Dick Francis and these stories are in the classic Dick Francis style that we all know: crisply written, tight plots, good characters, and the same suspense that you find in his full-length novels. His horse details are very, very accurate and, even if you don't know horses, you leave with a lot of knowledge about them. Most of all, these stories are great entertainment.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book, a great "just before bed" read.
Review: I've read several of Francis' works, and was quite impressed with all of them. After waiting for Field of Thirteen for forever, I was very excited to read it. It was great! It is true that one story a night is definatly enough, but it gives you the same "WOW" feeling that his full length novels do. A wonderful read, I'd recommend it to anyone.
Rating:
Summary: The perfect book to keep in the guest room
Review: It has always been an irritation to me that my guests steal my books. My house is full of Dick Francis novels (he is my favorite author by far) and my guest room is no exception. Friends and family come for the night, start a Dick Francis and cannot resist taking the book with them to finish the story - a half read Dick Francis is as unthinkable as a half eaten cream cake. With Field of Thirteen I think the problem is solved. A single story should keep my guests happy. Sadly, the whole collection is so good I have lost six copies of the book already. Ah well, time to buy another! I strongly recommend everyone to do likewise.
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