Book Review: Dick Francis's Bloodline by Felix Francis

Dick Francis's Bloodline
Author: Felix Francis
Publication: Putnam Adult; 1 edition (October 2, 2012)

Description: When race caller and television presenter Mark Shillingford calls a race in which his twin sister, Clare, an accomplished and successful jockey, comes in second when she could have won, he believes the worst: that she lost on purpose, and the race was fixed. That night, Mark confronts Clare with his suspicions, she storms off after an argument—and it’s the last time Mark sees her alive. Hours later, Clare jumps to her death from the balcony of a London hotel . . . or so it seems.

Devastated and guilty over her death, Mark goes in search of answers. What had led Clare to take her own life? Or was it not suicide at all?
My Thoughts: BLOODLINE was another engaging mystery by Felix Francis who is continuing his father's legacy for heart-pounding mysteries. Mark Shillingford is a race caller and television presenter. His twin sister is a champion flat racing jockey. When she, seemingly, commits suicide, Mark needs to know why. Investigating will lead him into danger and bring out strengths he didn't know he had.

Mark and Clare are the youngest of their family and have a contentious relationship with their father. Neither of them chose to follow his path to university and a city career. Both wanted to be jockeys but Mark grew to be too big and too heavy. He drifted into race calling and television reporting and has been a great success. He is not an argumentative person and is rather indecisive. He presents the picture of being very laid back. He drifted into a relationship with a married woman and, although he is 31, he still lives in the apartment he and Clare moved to when they left home at seventeen.

His sister's death galvanized him and his investigation leads to discoveries of race fixing, blackmail and murder. Along the way his is strangled near to death and the near victim of a hit-and-run but neither cause him to back off in his investigation.

I really like Mark as a main character. His determination to find out what really happened to his sister Clare changes him and his family. I liked his dogged persistence as he unraveled the mysteries surrounding his sister.

I also really like that all of these mysteries shed light on some field of endeavor. It was interesting to find out all about the ins and outs of doing live television coverage of horse racing.

Fans of mysteries can't do wrong with Dick or Felix Francis.

Favorite Quote:

Not surprisingly, kissing Toby Woodley had not been on my planned agenda for the day, but nevertheless I tilted his head back, put my lips over his, and breathed into him. There was no noticeable movement of his chest, so I tilted his head back further and repeated the drill.

I bought this one. You can buy your copy here.