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A former steeplechase jockey for the Queen of England, Dick Francis is no novice to the equestrian world. Nor is he a stranger to physical injury. "I had created a reputation among the racing villainy that Sid Halley would not be put off by such a bit of violence to his body. Such a reputation takes a while to establish, and, unfortunately, quite a few had already tried the direct route."
Sid Halley is surely not your ordinary hero. With a prosthetic arm, a mild yet inquisitive manner and a nose for danger, this former steeplechase jockey is a superb private investigator. As a guest of his former father-in-law, Halley attends the Cheltenham Gold Cup and visits Lord Enstone's private box. An owner of several well-bred and well-trained steeple chasers, Enstone retains Halley to investigate why his horses are not winning.
When Enstone's trainer is shot at the track, another man collapses in the stands and a horse dies just after winning a race, UNDER ORDERS begins to get interesting. Dick Francis weaves a tale of intrigue, focusing on the world of horse racing and the high stakes at hand. It is unique in that Francis's main character uses assistive technology such as a hands-free car phone, as well as an office computer, digital camera and telephone answering machine. An Internet gambling site, make-a-wager.com, is also featured. These innovations are integral to the plot and, as Emeril would say, "kick it up a notch."
"Jonny Enstone had asked me to investigate the running of his horses. The obvious place to start was to interview his jockey and trainer. But, now one of them had been murdered and the other had been locked up on suspicion of having done it, and all before I could ask them the relevant questions."
Violence has followed Sid Halley throughout his career as a private investigator. "I remember the paralyzing fear, the absolute dread of losing a second hand. I remember the utter collapse it had caused in me. I remember the struggle it had taken to rebuild my life, the willpower required to face another day." Those working with Halley, related to him or dating him were not spared violence either.
I long have been a fan of Dick Francis and his mysteries. His down-to-earth style and great knowledge of his subject make his books interesting as well as fast moving.
We visit the exciting and enterprising world of Internet gambling. Not only can you wager on sporting events, you also can bet against one another. Computer records of these offshore Internet gambling sites are themselves controlled by the websites! "With the right results and a creative approach to the digital paperwork, make-a-wager.com could become make-a-fortune.com. So it always comes back to fixing the races." Add to this equation that one of the principal characters is a founder of make-a-wager.com, and we're off to the races.
--- Reviewed by Marge Fletcher
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