Straight

Written by Dick Francis

Narrated by Simon Prebble

In this mystery from New York Times bestselling author Dick Francis, a jockey becomes the sole inheritor of his late brother’s business, horse, mistress, and enemies.

Steeplechase jockey Derek Franklin has had more broken bones than he cares to count, but it seems his latest injury could very well bring his days on the race course to a screeching halt. But that’s the least of his concerns when his brother turns up dead, leaving Derek
as the sole inheritor of his estate. It doesn’t take long for Derek to learn that his brother—a magistrate who imported and sold semiprecious stones—was keeping more than his share of secrets. Now Derek must recover $1.5 million worth of missing diamonds—and find
out who wanted his brother dead—or else his career won’t be the only thing in danger of being cut short …

“If you read the first paragraph of Straight, I’m willing to wager, whatever the odds, you will spring to the finish line.”—The Washington Post

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 19, 2022
• ISBN: 9781705071366

Reviews for Straight

[la12hernandez · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

I love Gem stones and was impressed with myself on how much I knew about them. Once again a book that draws you in and lets you live there for a while.

[golfjr_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

One of the best Francis books

[monado_1 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

In Straight, the hero's much older brother dies unexpectedly, leaving everything to the younger brother and making him the executor of the will. The younger, a steeplechase jockey, suddenly finds himself with a gemstone wholesale business, a mistress, a mystery, and assorted enemies. The young man tries to keep the business going as he learns it, to foil the enemies, to keep his cool with the mistress, and to find the missing diamonds.

[tripleblessings_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jockey Derek Franklin suddenly inherits his brother's business as a dealer in semi-precious stones, and discovers dangerous secrets. Fascinating background, strong emotional impact, likeable hero. One of my favourites.

[ambermcwilliams · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

As thoroughly readable as Francis always is. You get sucked into the story and devour it in a sitting if thrillers are your thing - as they are mine. This one deals in death, despair and diamonds, and is a cracking read.

[kmartin802_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Champion steeplechase jockey Derek Franklin is nursing a broken ankle caused by a fall and an encounter with a horse's hoof when he receives a call that his much older brother Greville was in hospital after some scaffolding fell on him in Ipswich.Derek and Greville had reconnected only a few years earlier. The nineteen year age gap was difficult for them to overcome until Derek became an adult himself. Recently, though, they had been meeting for occasional dinners and exchanging occasional phone calls. Derek rushes to Ipswich to be present when Greville passes away. Then he has to try to settle the affairs of a man who was known for keeping secrets.Greville was a gem merchant with his own firm. Derek has inherited it and all of his other property including his two race horses. When he learns that his brother had purchased a number of diamonds for a famed jeweler, all of the employees at the firm are surprised. The firm didn't deal in diamonds. Worse yet, the diamonds are missing and the loan payment for them is coming due. The racehorses are also a problem. They are kept with noted trainer Nicholas Loder. But Derek as a jockey can't own racehorses. Derek gets bad vibes from Loder when he phones him to discuss the horses. Loder is angry and also frightened. This gives Derek two different mysteries to solve and someone doesn't want him to solve either of them. Besides an attack when he is leaving the hospital after his brother's death, he also has to deal with break-ins at the business and at Greville's home. Then there is the car accident when the man chauffeuring Derek and a couple of horse owners from a race. The driver is killed and it as a near thing for Derek who is trapped in the car.The story was fast-paced and entertaining. Derek was a wonderful character who is bright and observant and out of his depth trying to run his brother's business. Like many of Dick Francis's characters, he is an honorable and bright man dropped into a difficult situation.

[Maks Ivanov Zhdanovskikh · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Another fantastic story delivered by an exceptional actor. Priceless. Thanks ?

[auntieknickers · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Jockey Derek Franklin inherits a business when his elder brother dies in a suspicious accident. Then he discovers missing jewels, a lover he didn't know his brother had, and many other things. Fascinating look into the world of gemstone dealers combined with Francis's usual excellent plotting.

[jjmcgaffey · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This one is diamonds - I like it. I like both Derek and Grenville - neat how we find out about him without ever really meeting him. It's also interesting how the attacks come from different enemies with different motivations - Derek keeps trying to make sense of them as one thing and it ain't. No father thing - well, sort of between Derek and Grenville, almost a generation between them - and Derek doesn't end up with the girl (extraordinary for a Francis!). Not one of my favorites, but I like it.

[jean_sexton-1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I always enjoy the stand-alone mysteries of Dick Francis. They always have a tie to the world of horse racing, the hero is a decent person, and the author plays fair with the reader. Straight was no exception.In this novel, the jockey is unexpectedly tossed into the deep end of the pool of the world of gemology when his brother dies unexpectedly. There are so many questions to be answered: did the brother really buy diamonds (not something he usually bought), is there something going on with the race horse the brother owned, is there something going on related to his brother's job as a magistrate, and just who is making the hero's life so difficult? The author plays absolutely fair in solving all of those questions. This quotation sums up the book nicely: "I inherited my brother’s life. Inherited his desk, his business, his gadgets, his enemies, his horses and his mistress. I inherited my brother’s life, and it nearly killed me."If you enjoy mysteries, this should be on your list to read if you haven't already.

[stephanie_m-868484 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Another jockey. A dead brother. A broken ankle. Precious stones. Semiprecious as well. Missing diamonds. Repeated attacks. A great plot twist. A Stellar ending.

[J. Scott Hadley · Rating: 2 out of 5 stars]

Pretty boring. Just not much there. Maybe if you like horses you’d like it?