• Hands Down

  • A Dick Francis Novel
  • By: Felix Francis
  • Narrated by: Martin Jarvis
  • Length: 10 hrs and 52 mins
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars (93 ratings)

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Hands Down  By  cover art

Hands Down

By: Felix Francis
Narrated by: Martin Jarvis
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Publisher's summary

"The master of suspense and intrigue" (Country Life) is back with the next powerful installation in the Dick Francis series, featuring Sid Halley, perfect for fans of Harlan Coben and Michael Connelly.

Sid Halley, a private investigator, has a new left hand, having had a transplant since his last appearance in Refusal. After receiving death threats, an ex-jockey trainer friend calls Sid to ask for his help, but Sid has his own problems to deal with, like recovering from surgery and saving his crumbling marriage.

When his friend's stable yard is torched, horses killed, and the friend is found dead, Sid can only blame himself for not helping sooner. The police think it's suicide, but Sid is not convinced after his friend's terrified phone calls. Heavy with a guilty heart, Sid starts to investigate and soon finds himself embroiled in a conspiracy that cuts to the very heart of the integrity of British horse racing.

Can Sid figure out what happened to his friend, or will he be the next one that the killer targets?

©2022 Felix Francis (P)2022 Recorded Books

What listeners say about Hands Down

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Good book, and well narrated

Enjoyed it much more than the last one. Worth a listen if you're a Dick Francis fan.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

A truly real subject

You will
Love how this story develops into a serious topic involving horse racing and fixes. You’ll love the character s.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Sid Halley returns

Some of the sneaky & ingenious ways Sid derives identity or information is cunning. Felix Francis keeps the Dick Francis genre alive. The villain is identified early, it’s the chase & capture that is always the intriguing part.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

Comfort fare

Sid Halley is one of my favorite characters. He just isn’t the same anymore - may be the narrator or the writing or a combination of both that makes Sid seem pompous and arrogant. However, this makes good comfort reading/listening for those of us who miss Dick Francis.

By the way, the vaccination references in the book were part of maybe one paragraph describing issues with transplants. Science, not liberal conspiracy. Enjoy!

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

a great story

felt just like the original Sid stories. Sid was always one of my favorites .

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Felix Francis meets his standard but no more

Felix Francis meets his standard formula in this novel, but no more than that. His father always helped us learn a bit more about something race related in his classic stories, such as flash photography. If you never thought there was such a thing as race-fixing, then perhaps Felix has something for you here. Still, hearing more about the life of Sid Halley, a favorite character, has charms of its own.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Such a good story.

I didn’t know what to expect with this novel, but I really enjoyed it! And there were humorous parts that made me laugh out loud! Ultimately a very good mystery.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Just okay

It might be time for Sid to retire. Not one of their best stories

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Raise a Hand

I’m a big Duck/ Felix Francis fan, so was excited to see a new novel. Not one of the best Sid stories, but entertaining. Usually his stories have more of a mystery to them.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Top notch story, Sid Halley number 5.

This is a top notch story. Sid Halley, the retired jockey and detective has settled into his life with his wife and daughter. He is also settling into his new left hand . . . a transplant. He's been out of the detecive business for a while.

Suddenly, his wife leaves him, a horse trainer approaches him, needing help. His wife informs him that their marriage is probably over and decamps to the Netherlands.

Sid is thrown back into intrigue, race fixing, threats, blackmail, and very dangerous characters. He works to solve the situation while he tries to heal his crumbling marriage.

This story is very well told, the narration is absolutely excellent.
This should be listed as the fifth in the Sid Halley books.

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