More of Francis' usual fair - vaguely horse related without featuring actual Jockys.

In Straight, Derek Grenville - jockey currently out of action with a broken ankle, inherits his brother's gemstone business after he dies in a freak accident. Derek quickly realises that his secretive brother recently bought £1.5m worth of diamonds, but they can't be found! the more he investigates the more Derek realises just how secretive his brother was, and for good reason - nobody can be trusted! Loosely tangled with this is a side plot relating to the horses, The brother owned some, but Derek as a jockey, can't own and ride. Who and how to sell the horses to involves similar questions of trust. All of the brothers gadgets are good fun!

Trail Run - very unusual for Francis. A steeple jumper is sent to Moscow on behlaf of the Prince in order to see if the Prince's nephew will be safe when he goes to compete in the forthcoming Olympiad. There is a question over his safety because a german competitor recently uttered a warning before dropping dead from a heart attack. This is quite a dated story from Russia in the height of the cold war, I very uch doubt that Moscow has the same feel to it now that is well described in the story, but wirth reading all the same. ( )