Publishers Weekly - Publisher's Weekly
His 30th novel, an 11-week PW bestseller in cloth, displays Francis's trademarks: seamless plotting, believable characters, suspense and a bang-on horse-racing setting, in this case featuring a veterinary surgeon plagued by a series of mysterious equine deaths. (Apr.)
School Library Journal
YA-- A chance encounter leads Peter Darwin, a British Foreign Service officer newly posted back to England, to an involvement with the problems of a Gloucestershire vet who has lost several race horses during or after surgery. Francis's horse and racing trademarks are present here, as are his characters, who in this author's skilled hands, become as comfortable and familiar as members of one's family. The book conveys a strong sense of right and wrong, is fun to read, has an upbeat ending, and displays the same storytelling magic as always. It's a wonderful example of a book that bridges the gap between the YA and the adult novel. For horse lovers and armchair adventurers everywhere. --Pam Spencer, Thomas Jefferson Sci-Tech, Fairfax County, VA
