Dick Fracis books are always a bit predictable but even though I realized that I had read it before after the first few pages I had to finish it. ( )

Good old Dick Francis.

The offhand social/political commentary is always interesting...this was coincidentally on the Troubles. ( )

burglary ring

I always turn to a Dick Francis novel, when I need a break from the latest writing styles of today. Francis always turns out to be a refreshingly sweet breeze from the past, full of old-fashioned manners, lifestyles, and attitudes, and isn't it nice to go there once in a while, for a short stay? Even if it's in a short novel such as this.
In the Frame is a novel about a painter, instead of the usual jockey, which was a nice change of pace. Francis makes sure to write, in the beginning of the book, about how he spent time with two different real artists, just to be able to tell us how things work. How the artist paints, how he cleans his brushes, and how he feels about other artists. And I think Francis does an amazing job, once again.
In the Frame deals not only with artists, painting, and (of course) horse racing, but also forgery, on a large, overseas scale. Once again, I was fascinated, and wanted to spend more time with the main character, even though the main reason for the mystery was a death. What a lovely time I had, living in this novel. I hope you will have one as well. ( )

James Todd is a moderately successful painter of racehorses. When his cousin’s wife is killed, presumably during a robbery, James is shaken and his cousin deeply shattered. A painting commission gives James a strange coincidence and a clue to the murder.

He takes off from Britain to Australia to track down the clue, which revolves around famous paintings of horses. He believes that only by solving the murder can his cousin return to sanity.

Lots of action and adventure and narrowly squeaking-by-death.As usual Francis's protagonists are motivated to do the right thing and are almost super-humanly good at it. ( )