Product Description

In this masterpiece, Dick Francis, the bestselling master of mystery and suspense, takes you into the shocking world of horse racing—where one man must bring his friends' killers into the light, or else risk death himself . . .

Steeplechaser Alan York knows well the dangers of the sport. But when his best friend and rival, Bill Davidson, takes a fall in the middle of a race and doesn't get up again, Alan discovers that it was no accident. Someone rigged a trip wire to take down the running horse. The more Alan investigates, the more he suspects that there is more to the plot than just murderous horseplay. But even as he approaches the finish line to this mysterious race, those responsible for his friend's death are already planning for Alan to have a fatal accident of his own . . .

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7518328 in Books
• Published on: 1983-02-01
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 220 pages

Review
'Fresh and exciting... very lively' Sunday Times 'As a jockey, Dick Francis was unbeatable when he got into his stride. The same is true, nowadays, of his crime writing' Daily Mirror

Review
In the world of mystery writing, Dick Francis stands head and shoulders above the rest. (Ottawa Citizen)

From the Publisher
Dick Francis, a former jockey, brings his experience of racing and life around the racetrack to his mysteries. (And so far Francis is a three-time winner of the Edgar Award for writing the best mystery of the year.) This horse racing background is appealing to my market area of Southern California. Racing is a popular sport amongst Southlanders.

--Nanci Andersen, Ballantine Sales

Customer Reviews

Dick Francis Does It Again, For the First Time
I was amazed to learn after reading this one that it was Dick Francis' first novel. Francis was a very successful jockey--racing for the Queen Mother in the 1950's--and after a career-ending injury, he penned his memoirs. Following that success, he developed and incredibly successful second act as a novelist.

I discovered Francis' work last summer--and I have plans to read everything he's done. In the 3 books I've read, his heroes are all gentleman sleuths--full of character, empathy, and wits. In Dead Cert, the trend continues with Alan York, a young amateur jockey trying to uncover the mystery of why a copper wire was intentionally hung to trip his fellow jockey. York is on his own resolving this caper, having failed to fully convince the police that this was anything more than an accidental death.

The writing is of a high caliber, the characters are wonderfully drawn, and I always learn a thing or two about horses--and England--when I read Dick Francis. There's also something quaint about reading a book set in an age before computers, cell phones, and DNA evidence. Grade: A-

Dead Certain to please mystery lovers...
In yet another gripping story of mystery, murder and British steeplechasing, Dick Francis continues his amazing streak of hit novels.

His real appeal is not racing or mystery however, it is his ability to create characters who are admirable, honorable and self-reliant. If you're looking for troubled, self-loathers who "somehow" overcome their weakness and become unwilling and unwitting heroes, don't look here. Francis' heroes revel in their abilities to withstand evil, overcome it, and end up smiling in spite of it all.

Kudos once again for Dick Francis and Dead Cert!

Out of the Gate Fast
This is the first of Dick Francis' racing novels, although not the first I read. In fact, I was amazed to see it was numero uno. Even Robert Parker, another mystery master, took one novel to get it right. Francis, in racetrack parlance, broke from the gate fast. All the elements are there: A likeable hero who pursues the truth at great personal risk; a sweet but never turn-the-page-torrid romance with a bend in the road; outside knowledge about an interesting field, and an interesting villain one can almost sympathize with on some level. It grabs you right away with the murder of a jockey during a race and never lets go, right to the surprising conclusion -- one, incidentally, which our hero desperately wanted not to be so. Enjoy. It's a great start to a great, long ride. Francis' first and one of his best.