Whip Hand

About This Book

Published in 1979, Whip Hand is a crime thriller by Dick Francis (1920–2010) and the second novel featuring Sid Halley, a former champion steeplechase jockey who lost his left hand in a racing accident and reinvented himself as a private investigator. When the wife of a prominent horse trainer comes to Sid in disguise, begging him to find out what is happening to her husband's horses, the investigation draws him into a conspiracy that threatens his livelihood, his remaining hand, and his life.

Whip Hand won both the Mystery Writers of America's Edgar Award and the Crime Writers' Association's Gold Dagger for Best Novel — one of only two books in history to claim both prizes, the other being John le Carre's The Spy Who Came in from the Cold. Francis, a former champion jockey himself, brought unmatched authenticity to his racing thrillers and published over forty novels. He is the only three-time Edgar winner for Best Novel.

Excerpt

I dreamed I was riding in a race. Nothing odd in that. I'd ridden in thousands of races. The wind in my eyes, the swirl of the colors.— Opening of Whip Hand

What Critics Say

Superb... this is Mr Francis's best book. And that's high praise— Sunday Mirror

Publication Details