John Francome

John Francome (1952-) was a National Hunt Champion Jockey seven times.  After retiring as a jockey, he worked as a racing pundit for Channel 4.  He has followed the Dick Francis route and taken to writing racing thrillers.  The first four of these were written with James MacGregor.  The first, Eavesdropper, hasn’t swum across my ken, but the second, Riding High, has.  It was bad: one of the worst books I’ve read this year. Awkward writing, screamingly obvious plot lines, an unbelievable romance - I didn't believe a word of the whole thing.  I’ve since since read a later John Francome - Stalking Horse - which was better, though there were still long passages which were positively turgid and without which the book would have been a much better read.  

He is prolific, and has produced a book a year since 1986, with his latest being Storm Rider.

Finding the books:  all still readily available

Links and sources:

John Francome - biography

John Francome on Hodder

John Francome and his money

Bibliography - horse books only

Declared Dead (with James MacGregor)

Headline, London, 1988, 206 pp

HarperCollins, New York, 1996

Headline, 1989 pb


Victoria Pryde’s husband, Edward, has huge gambling debts.  He’s been missing for two weeks, and then a body
turns up in a  burnt out Jaguar...

Blood Stock (with James MacGregor)

Headline, London, 1989, 256 pp.

Magna, Large Print, 1991

Headline, 1990, pb


Moondancer was a champion racehorse, but useless as a stallion, so when he is found dead, it’s a relief.  However,
it appears the death was not accidental.

Stone Cold

Headline, London, 1990, 342 pp.

With Stud Poker, Chancellor Press, 1992


Kelly Connor is led by one race into a conspiracy of blackmail, seduction and murder.

Stud Poker

Headline, London, 1990, 256 pp.

With Stone Cold, Chancellor Press, 1992


Jockey Paul Raven discovers a sinister connection between a private poker school and a run of racing accidents.

Rough Ride

Headline, 1992, 279 pp.

Book Club, 1992

HarperCollins, New York, 1995 pb


Jockey Archie Best receives a very surprising legacy.

Outsider

Headline, London, 1993, 281 pp.

Headline, London, 1994, pb


Top American jockey Jake comes to England to further his career and get away from the American racing mafia:
unfortunately, England does not prove the safe haven he hopes.

Break Neck

Headline, London, 1994, 280 pp.

Headline, London, 1995, pb


Rory Gillespie abandons the girl he loves to marry for money.  His lost love reappears in his life, in trouble, and this
time Rory helps.

Dead Ringer

Headline, London, 1995, 281 pp.

Headline, London, 1996, pb


David Tredington, son of a trainer, vanished when he was 12.  At the age of 27, he turns up again.  His long lost
family are by no means all pleased to see him again.

False Start

Headline, London, 1996, 278 pp.

Headline, London, 1997, pb


Charlie Patterson and Nick Ryder start training together, and at first everything looks as if it’s going well.  Then
the owner of their best horse, Willow Star removes her.

High Flyer

Headline, London, 1997, 246 pp.

Headline, London, 1998, pb


Joey Leatham is a very successful jockey, but just when it seems everything’s going well, he falls victim to blackmail.

Safe Bet

Headline, London, 1998, 280 pp.

Headline, London, 1999, pb


Jockey Mike Powell has wasted his life:  when he dies, his great friend Jed discovers that Mike’s business deals
may have led to his death.

Tip Off
Headline, London, 1999, 278 pp.

Headline, London, 2000, pb


Toby Brown is a punter who’s evolved a system to beat the bookmakers.

Lifeline,

Headline, London, 2000, 377 pp.

Headline, London, 2001, pb

Tony Byrne has never been dishonest during his career as a jockey.  Freddy Montagu always has.

Riding High (with James MacGregor)

Macdonald, London, 1987

Futura, 1988, pb, 205 pp.

Chivers Large Print, 1988


The police in three countries are after Alistair Rye:  his wife Claudia can prove his innocence, but will she?

Eavesdropper (with James MacGregor)

Macdonald, London, 1986

Futura, 1987, pb, 223 pp.

Headline, 1993, 1997

James Thackeray, racing journalist, finds a body, but that is only the beginning of his problems.

Dead Weight

Headline, London, 2001, 279 pp.

Headline, London, 2002, pb


Phil Nicholas has returned to racing after a terrible fall, but he cannot overcome its mental after effects.  To add to
this, someone is out to punish jockeys who bend the rules.

Inside Track

Headline, London, 2002, 311 pp.

Headline, London, 2003, pb


Pippa Hutchinson is an aspiring trainer: w hen one of her owners moves his horses elsewhere, one of them
dramatically improves.  Pippa enlists the help of her brother to find out why, but he has his own demons to fight.

Stalking Horse

Headline, London, 2003, 311 pp.

Headline, London, 2004, pb


Jockey Josh Swallow has won everything, but he’s never been Champion Jockey.  He is determined to go out at the
top, but there are plenty of obstacles in his way.

Back Hander

Headline, London, 2004, 313 pp.

Headline, London, 2005, pb


Nothing is going right for jockey Alan Morrell; he can’t get rides, his bloodstock business has hit the buffers, he
owes a lot of money and now it looks as if his best friend’s fatal accident was not an accident.

Cover Up

Headline, London, 2005, 313 pp.

Headline, London, 2006, pb


Jockey Rob Harding has decided to breed winners rather than ride them, but matters don’t go quite according to
plan.

Winner Takes All,

Headline, London, 2006, 88pp (Quick Reads series)


Trainer Ben Sayers has two horses to enter in the Cheltenham Gold Cup, but he soon finds out the owner of
one of them does not like competition.

Dark Horse

Headline, London, 2007, 374 pp.

Headline, London, 2008, pb


Four friends from racing school were in a crash that left a girl dead.  Since then, they’ve gone their separate ways,
and forgotten the past.  The past has not forgotten them, however.
 

Final Breath

Headline, London, 2008, 310 pp.

Headline, London, 2009, pb

Danny Clark’s girlfriend Kirsty died in a diving accident, and Danny has now taken up with her best friend, Tara. Tara’s
uncle is not best pleased by this, as when Kirsty died she took with her secrets he would prefer to remain buried.

Deadly Finish

Headline, London, 2009, 312 pp.

Headline, London, 2010, pb

Simon Waterford is a successful trainer, and his 2 year old colt has just won at Ascot.  At a party on a train after
the race, Simon’s uncle is about to reveal a secret Simon’s fiancée would much rather keep hidden.  Geoff ends
up dead after a brawl.

Storm Rider

Headline, London, 2010

Headline, London, Sept 2011, pb

Glyn Cole, when he was alive, caused nothing but trouble.  He’s been away now for 2 years, but turns up again, though
dead, which obviously causes problems for the perseon who killed him.

Free Fall

Headline, London, 2006, 474 pp

Headline, London, 2007, pb


Pat Vincent is a jockey convinced he’s going to make a dishonest fortune; his girlfriend Zoe wants to make it
honestly, but is distracted by the disaster area that is her sister’s marriage.  Her sister is married to Pat’s partner
in crime...