Novels

Dead Cert
"It was the horse to whom all credit was due, not the jockey."

Date of Publication: 1962

Publisher: Holt

Foreign Titles: Todsicher (or Aus falsche Pferd gesetzt) German

Setting: Brighton, London

Synopsis:
When his best friend and rival has a fatal accident in the middle of a race, steeplechaser Alan York finds the cause--an almost invisible trip wire rigged to take down a running horse. And the more he investigates, the more likely he is to take a fall...

As he rode through the thick English fog, jockey Alan York was looking at an all-too-familiar sight: the back of champion rider Bill Davidson astride the great racehorse Admiral. But this was one race York was destined to win. Before Admiral jumped the last fence, Bill Davidson would be dead.
Alan knew racing was a dangerous sport: horses fell, jockeys got hurt. But he also knew this had been no accident.
It was the kind of knowledge that could get a man killed.

Main Characters:
Alan York
Kate Ellery-Penn
Dane Hillman
Sandy Mason
Uncle George
Scilla Davidson
Inspector Lodge
Joe Nantwich

Professions:
Alan York, Sandy Mason, Joe Nantwich and Dane Hillman are a jockeys.

This is the very first Dick Francis novel

Villain and Motives: Spoilers! Click here to reveal the villain!

Quotes:

Quiz:
highlight the area beneath the question to discover the answer

1. What was the clue that Joe thought he had discovered on the brown wrapping paper?
Chicen Itza, the ancient capital of the Mayan people

2. Who was Alan's competitor for Kate's affections?
Dane Hillman

3. What did the cab drivers come disguised as at the end when they came for Alan?
cops

4. What ficitonal character did Alan's father's liken him to?
Sherlock Holmes

To Get the Book:

Related Links:
Putnam's Dead Cert
Chris Johnson's Dead Cert
Kristi's Dead Cert
the Reading Group's Dead Cert
Another Dead Cert page
Chichen Itza

Other Covers: