The winner of over 350 races, he was champion jockey in 1953/1954 and rode for HM Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother, most famously on Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National. 'Francis writing at his best' Evening Standardĭick Francis was one of the most successful post-war National Hunt jockeys.

'The master of suspense and intrigue' Country Life as smooth, swift and lean as ever' Sunday Express 'Dick Francis's fiction has a secret ingredient - his inimitable knack of grabbing the reader's attention on page one and holding it tight until the very end' Sunday Telegraph the entire story is a pleasure to relish' Scotsman

'The narrative is brisk and gripping and the background researched with care. The same is true of his crime writing' Daily Mirror 'As a jockey, Dick Francis was unbeatable when he got into his stride. Packed with intrigue and hair-raising suspense, Under Orders is just one of the many blockbuster thrillers from legendary crime writer Dick Francis. Halley's quest for answers draws him ever deeper into the darker side of the race game, in a life-or-death power play that will push him to his very limits. Just moments before the gruesome discovery, Halley had been called upon by Lord Enstone to make discrete enquiries into why his horses appeared to be on a permanent losing streak.Īre races being fixed? Are bookies taking a cut? And if so, are trainers and jockeys playing a dangerous game with stakes far higher than they realise? The same jockey who, only a few hours earlier, had won the coveted Triumph Hurdle.

It's the third death on Cheltenham Gold Cup Day that really troubles super-sleuth Sid Halley - when jockey Huw Walker reaches the finish line with three. However, three in a single afternoon was sufficiently unusual to raise more than an eyebrow. Sadly, death at the races is not uncommon. A must read for any thriller reader' 5***** Reader Review 'The classic Francis mix of excitement, danger and unexpected twists' 5***** Reader Review Discover the classic mystery from Dick Francis, one of the greatest thriller writers of all time

Under Orders by Dick Francis