John Francome – författare

It was only a horse race, but it could make Kelly Connor's reputation. Unfortunately there was more riding on Pendero's back at Ascot than a young jockey's career. There was the biggest gamble in the unsavoury life of trainer Harry Short. There was the decadent livelihood of Ibn Fayoud, the rich playboy son of an Arab sheikh. And for Jack Butler, the successful bookmaker, there was the sweetest, most dangerous deal imaginable... It was only a horse race, but it led Kelly Connor into a deadly international conspiracy of blackmail, seduction and murder.

When Paul Raven’s ride at Plumpton crashes through the wing of the third last flight, it seems like one of racing’s tragic accidents. But that doesn’t explain why Paul’s closest friend, Alex Drew, appears to be involved. Or why the fall that ends Paul’s career should finally destroy Alex. Paul discovers a link between what happened at Plumpton and a sequence of other accidents apparently connected with a private poker school run by the wealthy property developer Clay Wentworth. Stud Poker seems to have little to do with the world of National Hunt racing, but by the time Paul is caught up in the dangerous game, other less honest players have stepped forward. And the stakes are high.

When amateur jockey Archie Best receives a surprise legacy from an old family friend, it proves to have some unwelcome strings attached. The strange bequest points an accusing finger at Clive Drury, an influential and affluent businessman who mixes with cabinet ministers and has his wealthy fingers in every conceivable pie. Helped by his would-be girlfriend, Georgie - and distracted by the rather obvious charms of Drury's daughter, Amanda - Archie sets out to substantiate the extraordinary claims. But only gradually does he discover the extent of the web of corruption, and the deadly nature of his adversary...

When twelve-year-old David Tredington vanished, his father, one of England’s top breeders, vowed never to give up the search for his son. Now, fifteen years later, David has been found alive and well in County Mayo. When the charismatic young man returns to the family’s Devonshire estate, he receives a mixed welcome. His elder sister, Lucy, distrusts him from the start. Jason, David’s brother-in-law and David’s cousin, George, are even less pleased to see another heir to the Tredington fortune. But David’s natural skills as a jockey soon attract favourable attention in the steeple-chasing world. Then a terrifying accident leads to an innocent stable lad’s death, and David suspects that his own life is in danger. Someone knows the truth about his past and wants him to disappear all over again. David must find out who and why before it’s too late…

Life hasn’t been easy for Joey Leatham. As a tiny orphan he had to fight to survive. Then he escaped to a circus, where he was captivated by Nina Korsakov and discovered an affinity with horses, but a trapeze accident forced him to leave to join his brother as an apprentice jockey in Newmarket. Suddenly his lack of size is an advantage and Joey becomes one of the most sought-after jockeys in Europe. Success brings him happiness for the first time in his life. Then, by an ironic twist of fate, he is blackmailed. Despite his innocence, Joey knows that his tormentor could ruin his career as well as his relationship with Nina. When he discovers his only witness has been murdered, he fears he will be paying for the rest of his life. But how can he reveal the identity of his blackmailer? And how long can he hold out?

Unlike some jockeys, Tony Byrne has never taken a bung and never ridden a dishonest race. All the same, his career is heading for the rocks, dragged down by weight problems and woman trouble - and too many slow horses. In comparison, Freddy Montague has never been fussy about sticking to the rules, either on the racetrack or in bed with another man's wife. And if there's money on offer to fix races, Freddy's guaranteed to be first on the gravy train. Unfortunately for both men, the guarantees run out once Freddy's train comes off the rails. That's when the gravy turns to blood...

Not much is going right for jockey Alan Morrell. He can't get the rides he needs and when he sets up a bloodstock partnership a tragic accident robs him of the business and his best friend Lee. Now Alan owes £100,000 and his only asset is a racehorse who has yet to be put to the test. But all that fades into insignificance next to the suspicion that Lee's fatal fall was more than an accident... Things aren't looking so hot for fellow-jockey Max Ashwood either. There's the backlash from his affair with a trainer's wife and the little matter of his gambling. There's also the convenient death of another man to whom Max owed money. But surely no one is ever going to find out the truth about his part in that... Two riders, two unexplained deaths - but overshadowing both is a conflict that dwarfs the cosy world of racetrack winners and losers. As the noose closes round the neck of one man's criminal empire, just how many others will swing?

What’s the worse way to die? At the end of a rope driven by your own shame and despair? Or savaged in the jaws of a black-hearted stallion who has hated you for years? If only the bankrupt gambler and the stable girl were alive to give us the answer…Jockey Rob Harding has found something better than riding a big winner – breeding one. When his two-year-old colt Goldeneye takes the July Stakes at Newmarket in some style, it seems he can lift Rob's failing business out of the mire. But there's a tragedy waiting round the corner...Rob’s head girl Ivana, a horse-mad beauty from the Czech Republic, would also revel in Goldeneye’s triumph except for the terrifying reappearance of her sadistic ex-lover Milos. She’s run a long way to escape from him - but it looks like she hasn’t run far enough...

Jockey Pat Vincent has ambitions to become a wealthy sporting hero. But he knows his dreams will never be fulfilled so he's devised a brilliant new scam which, if he doesn't get caught, is guaranteed to make him rich. Pat's girlfriend Zoe is starting her second full season as an apprentice jockey. She has a chance of becoming champion apprentice, if she's not sidetracked by the disaster of her sister Harriet's unhappy marriage... Along the cliffs in Somerset a man walks his dog. Every day Andy Burns - Pat's partner-in-crime, Harriet's tortured husband - wrestles with his demons. But Andy would be better off keeping his thoughts on the ground - it's a long way down to the beach below.

It's summer, Royal Ascot, and life is good for young trainer Simon Waterford. He has inherited his father's top-class yard, his brilliant two-year-old has just won the Coventry Stakes and he is soon to marry his beautiful half-Brazilian girlfriend. But Mariana has a secret which would wreck her hopes of marriage - and which Geoff has found out. And he has threatened to tell Simon. On their way back from the races, two rough-looking young men pass lewd comments about Mariana. There's not much of a brawl - it's over too quickly and is hardly even-handed - but it leaves Mariana in a sea of blood tending to Simon's wounded face and Geoff lies dead on the floor. It's a tragedy, of course, but Mariana can't help but feel relieved. Her secret is safe, for now...

In life, horse-fancier and antiques dealer Glyn Cole caused a heap of trouble - for his girlfriends, their jealous partners and his creditors. His two-year absence from the close-knit Berkshire horse community has been something of a relief. Broken bridges have been mended; lives have been rebuilt. And his disappearance has been a miracle for one individual in particular: the person who killed him. But now Glyn is back - in bizarre circumstances. A record-breaking storm has ripped his corpse from its ingenious hiding place. How did he get there and how did he die? Many have benefited from his absence - but who is no longer sleeping so soundly at night? It seems that, even in death, bad boy Glyn is as much trouble as he ever was...