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A review by ncrabb
10 lb. Penalty by Dick Francis
3.0
I have yet to read a Dick Francis that disappointed or unsettled me. This one lived up to his excellent reputation.
Ben Juliard is set to become a jockey. He has a job in the industry, and he has the desire and motivation to make it happen. But he is falsely accused of using drugs, and the stable owner summarily cuts him off and fires him despite his protestations and remonstrances.
But there’s perhaps more to the false accusation than he originally believed. It turns out that his dad needed him to help him. Seems dear old dad has political ambitions. He’s sure his son, Ben, can help him get elected. The two swear out a pact that neither one will ever conduct their lives in a way that would embarrass the politician, and young Ben strives mightily to keep the promise.
But a hate-filled member of the press who wants to sabotage Ben’s dad’s job. As a result, the fake news scandals begin, and before the book is done, things will turn deadly.
I enjoyed most the relationship between Ben and his politician father. The two are in some ways distant, but as the dangers mount and the fake news gets increasingly vicious, the two come together in wonderful ways. It’s a relatively short book, and it’s well worth the time investment you put into it.
Ben Juliard is set to become a jockey. He has a job in the industry, and he has the desire and motivation to make it happen. But he is falsely accused of using drugs, and the stable owner summarily cuts him off and fires him despite his protestations and remonstrances.
But there’s perhaps more to the false accusation than he originally believed. It turns out that his dad needed him to help him. Seems dear old dad has political ambitions. He’s sure his son, Ben, can help him get elected. The two swear out a pact that neither one will ever conduct their lives in a way that would embarrass the politician, and young Ben strives mightily to keep the promise.
But a hate-filled member of the press who wants to sabotage Ben’s dad’s job. As a result, the fake news scandals begin, and before the book is done, things will turn deadly.
I enjoyed most the relationship between Ben and his politician father. The two are in some ways distant, but as the dangers mount and the fake news gets increasingly vicious, the two come together in wonderful ways. It’s a relatively short book, and it’s well worth the time investment you put into it.