I read my first Dick Francis book many, many years ago. I loved his books then and have never turned down an opportunity to read another. He writes what he knows, horses and their surrounding environment. His experience in this segment of life shines through the stories, giving them an extra "kick" to keep the reader interested. With authentic back stories and great characters, any Dick Francis book will keep you reading, from first page to last, you're guaranteed a good book.

I’ve only recently become a fan of Dick Francis, and wasn’t sure about a ‘pilot’ vs. a ‘horse’ story. I shouldn’t have worried! Great book for any mystery lover—and if you have any interest in horse racing, small planes, British or classic mysteries, that’s just a plus!
Great protagonist, lots of great characters, interesting storyline, and a challenging mystery. Bogs down a little in the middle, and yes, it’s a little heavy on the flying details, but overall a great, and grab-your-attention read.. Recommend!
UPDATE: I enjoyed this so much I’ve since read another four or five Dick Francis books, and hope to be reading more as they’re released on Kindle. Yes, there are similar elements to each, but each is also a unique mystery of its own, and always populated with interesting characters and situations.

Rat Race is a mystery/thriller written around the horse racing community in Britain. Originally published in 1970, this reformat and re-release out 2nd May 2019 from Canelo is 170 pages and available in ebook format (earlier editions available in other formats).

This is an enjoyable and fairly typical Dick Francis thriller. Former commercial pilot Matt Shore has been demoted to flying 'puddle jumper' commuter flights for racing personnel to the race days. On the return flight from the trip up, he makes an emergency landing just minutes before the plane explodes. The protagonist is a flawed good guy dealing with some tough breaks in his life (through no fault of his own). There's a light potential romantic subplot and the bad guys get their comeuppance in the end. Pure Francis. Still enjoyable for all that.

I love the author's oeuvre (even the ones supposedly ghost written by his wife and the ones his son helped finish). This was a very enjoyable short read for me. For non-fans or new fans, this is a standalone and if it's maybe not at the apex of his large body of work, it's certainly not near the nadir.

Four stars. It's really nice to see classic works by popular authors being released in ebook format for new generations of readers.

I have always loved Dick Francis books and this one was no exception. For some reason I hadn't read this title before. While it had something to do with horse racing, not nearly as much as his other books This had a bit intrigue as the pilots were piloted from one race to another - usually on the same day. Some times the jockeys would ride in four or five races in one day - all at different tracks, all the while the pilot, new to the job, had to get t hem t here on time, and safely. Absolutely fascinating look behind the scenes. A darn good book.

The incomparable Dick Francis does it again- a rollicking mystery set in England, and at the racetrack. Matt Shore is a pilot who is hired to transport racing buffs and suddenly has to make an emergency landing before the plane explodes. He is then caught up in a rat race of criminals.

Rat Race is one of my favourite of Dick Francis' books being a amalgamation of the flying and racing world, one of which most of us never experience in real life. Just great fun! When I downloaded this book I had not appreciated that it is a new copy of an old masterpiece. I am a great Dick Francis fan and have really enjoyed getting acquainted with his work again. I read all the books in my younger years but having this on my Kindle has reminded me how much I enjoyed the trill of reading about the racing world and I will now seek out more of the same to reread and enjoy.

Forgot that I’d read this book, but quickly remembered why I’ve loved Dick Francis novels for years. A routine trip turns into anything but routine. Protagonist, pilot Matt makes this story the special experience it is. If you like flying and/or racing, this mystery will keep you entertained..

It is more than thirty years since I last read this story and it is great that it is now available to read on a Kindle. I welcomed the chance to re-acquaint myself with the story and found it as intriguing now as it was all those years ago.

Matt Shore has had a chequered career as a pilot through no real fault of his own. He is a very experienced and capable pilot and his latest role, taxiing people, is somewhat beneath his skills. However, those skills are going to be tested to the full in this intriguing mystery!

Whilst taking some racegoers home, he notices something feels untoward and makes an emergency landing. When the plane explodes within minutes of them leaving it that's the start of an investigation where it is unclear just when and how the bomb was put on board the plane or who was the target. As he continues flying race goers the mystery deepens, friendships are made and more dangers are faced. It is a fast paced story with flying and racing at its heart. The characters are well developed - there's even the possibility of a romance as well. I enjoyed re-reading this story and recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading suspense filled mystery stories set around the 1970s.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read this latest version of it.

I enjoyed this book. I did not realize that it was originally published in 1970. Since I have read all the book by Dick Frances this was a repeat. Good story and I love the flying parts.

I received a copy of Rat Race through Net Galley in exchange for an honest review.

Another great book by Dick Francis. I love his vivid writing; you feel as though you are right there with the protagonist, experiencing the thrilling action, rooting for him. Some of the flying sections ran a bit long/slow, but overall the pace was perfect where it mattered.