Search Results for: blog the books of dick francis

In Cases of Divorce, Who Gets the Books?

No one gets married planning to get a divorce. That is, unless you’re Catherine Zeta-Jones’ character in “Intolerable Cruelty,” but that movie is a PG-13 and I’m only allowed to mention PG movies so forget I said that. The point is, when you get married, you expect it to last, and together you build up a beautiful collection of books. What do you do when you find your heart broken, your dreams shattered, and you have to decide – who gets the books? Things like this just aren’t covered in prenuptial agreements. May I offer the following suggestions that might … Continue reading →

The Books of Dick Francis

Those of you who joined us yesterday for the author review on Dick Francis know what a unique and varied life he has led. But Dick didn’t just leave it at jockeying and fighting in the war – he does a copious amount of research into each book, giving you the feeling that he knows every aspect of every hero inside and out, from painting to glass blowing to chasing tornadoes. Each of Dick’s books is full of adventure and drama. As my dad once commented to me, the heroes always seem to find themselves in situations where they have … Continue reading →

Author Review – Dick Francis

Dick Francis is well known for his books, each of which feature horse racing in some way. Whether the main character is a jockey, a trainer, or the owner of a horse transport company, horses feature predominantly in these novels. The reason for this might not be as well known. Dick was a jockey himself for many years, winning over 350 races and was even the jockey to the Queen from 1953 to 1957. Born Richard Stanley Francis in Lawrenny, South Wales, he was the son of a jockey, so we could say that he himself was a thoroughbred. At … Continue reading →

Learning about Horses and Ponies

Yesterday I wrote about how shopping for a birthday present for a friend’s daughter made me realize how many types of horses there are. Growing up, our family had a horse for all of about five minutes. His name was Saberjolt and I was over the moon for him. But, thanks to my allergies, we had to give Saberjolt up. (At least that’s how family legend tells it. More than likely it was because we couldn’t afford him. I don’t remember ever coughing, sneezing or wheezing either during or after any Saberjolt outings.) However, I couldn’t tell you what kind … Continue reading →

Smell of Death – F. M. Meredith

“Smell of Death” is a great cozy mystery starring the fictional Rocky Bluff Police Department. Our main officer is Stacey Wilbur, a widow, a young mother, and a woman devoted to her job. When called out to investigate a crying baby and a non-responsive mother in an apartment complex, she knows what she’ll find almost before she opens the door – the mother has been repeatedly stabbed. When Stacey goes to tell the victim’s mother what has happened and to arrange for childcare, she discovers that woman, also dead, but this time shot. Stacey believes the two murders are connected … Continue reading →

Author Review – Tony Hillerman

Tony Hillerman is one of my mother’s favorite authors. Let’s take a closer look at this man who has become famous for his Navajo mysteries. Sacred Heart, Oklahoma, is located near a Benedictine mission that served the Citizen Band Potowatomie Tribe. When Tony was born there in 1925, he was one of many farm boys who attended a boarding school for Native American girls, there being no other school nearby. Tony’s books ring with an authenticity hard to duplicate through mere research; this early immersion in the ways of the People explains how he achieved such reality in his writing. … Continue reading →

The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries – Emily Brightwell

After enjoying and reviewing “Mrs. Jeffries Takes the Cake” last week, I decided to go to the beginning of the series and read the book that started it all. Today’s selection is “The Inspector and Mrs. Jeffries,” by Emily Brightwell. When we start this book, we can see that Mrs. Jeffries has already been working for the Inspector for a while and helped him with a few cases, so this first book in the series is not the first case she ever helped him solve. However, in this book we get more of a backstory on the major characters and … Continue reading →

Author Review – Erle Stanley Gardner

Anyone who has ever watched late night television is familiar with Perry Mason, the savvy, smart and sophisticated lawyer played by Raymond Burr back when the show was filmed in black and white. Perry made several appearances on TV over the years, his hair growing more and more gray, but one thing never changed: he was the television lawyer. Matlock, LA Law, Law and Order – good shows, but none of them could ever be Perry Mason. Who is the man behind the character of Perry Mason? How did Mason come to be? The answer lies in the author, Erle … Continue reading →

Author Interview – Anne Bradshaw, Part Three

Thank you for returning for the conclusion of our conversation with LDS author Anne Bradshaw. If you missed parts one or two, click on these links. Anne, do you still write magazine articles? Yes, when time permits and when an interesting subject turns up. Where can we find articles you’ve written in the past? I’ve written numerous articles both for the LDS and National markets. Some of these can be found on Mahonri.org and in Meridian Magazine. What are some of the most frustrating things you’ve found about being a writer? I find it frustrating when my English doesn’t always … Continue reading →