Horse by Geraldine Brooks

 

First Lines: No. Nup. That wouldn't do. It reeked of PhD. This was meant to be read by normal people.

 

Horse is based on the true story of the record-breaking Thoroughbred, Lexington.

 

Kentucky, 1850. An enslaved groom named Jarret and a bay Thoroughbred foal form a bond that will determine the course of both their lives. When the Civil War breaks out, the painter who made his name by his paintings of this racehorse joins the Union army only to reunite with the stallion and groom on a perilous night far from any racetrack.

 

New York City, 1954. Gallery owner Martha Jackson becomes obsessed with a nineteenth-century painting that has a murky provenance.

 

Washington, DC, 2019.  Jess, a Smithsonian scientist from Australia, and Theo, a Nigerian-American art historian find themselves connected through their shared interest in the horse-- one studying the stallion's bones for clues to his power and endurance, the other uncovering the unsung history of the Black horsemen who were critical to the horse's racing success.

~

Geraldine Brooks has done it again: written a transcendent book that is so much more than the sum of its parts. Brooks is a must-read author for me, but Horse was made even more special by my teenage racehorse madness years. I read every book I could get my hands on about Thoroughbred racing and its stars. My mother indulged my obsession: when she went to Kentucky on a genealogy trip, I got to overdose on racehorses, meeting greats like Citation and actually seeing the grave of Lexington, the horse that Brooks centered her book upon.

In Brooks' Afterword, she says, "As I began to research Lexington's life, it became clear to me that this novel could not merely be about a racehorse, it would also need to be about race," and she does this in masterful fashion. Whether it's watching the years pass and Lexington's groom being known as one owner's Jarret after another to-- finally-- having his own name untainted by slavery (Jarret Lewis) or watching the unfolding relationship between the interracial couple Jess and Theo in 2019 and the differences in their experiences and outlooks on the world, the reader becomes totally engaged in the characters' lives. 

Horse is so much more than a fascinating animal story. It is also a powerful story of art, science, and-- above all-- race. It is a story to take in deep. It is a story to remember.

Horse by Geraldine Brooks

eISBN: 9780399562983

Viking © 2022

eBook, 401 pages

 

Fiction, Standalone

Rating: A+

Source: Purchased from Amazon.

The Dark Side of Town by Sasscer Hill

First Line: Dense fog enveloped the backstretch at Saratoga Race Course that morning, leaving the Oklahoma Training Track virtually invisible.

Now an official employee of the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau (TRPB), Fia McKee is working undercover as a hot walker at Saratoga Racetrack to investigate trainer Mars Pizutti since the horses Pizutti trains are suspiciously lucky and lucrative at crossing the finish line.

Fia's bosses  are convinced that Pizutti's success has a lot to do with illegal drugs and deceitful methods, but when she witnesses the tragic aftermath of a jockey's suicide, Fia learns that the rider's death is just the tip of an iceberg involving death threats, the mob, and a crooked racing hedge fund. She's got to work fast to learn the truth before anyone else dies.

Although I grew up loving horse racing and books, I've never read one of Dick Francis's mysteries; however, I'm positive that Sasscer Hill is creating a series that is a worthy successor to his renowned mysteries taking place in the glamorous and seedy world of racetracks. Hill has an insider's knowledge that you can feel as you turn the pages, and she's equally adept at painting the beauty of horse racing as well as its seamy side.

The Dark Side of Town is fast-paced and has scenes in which you'll find yourself holding your breath-- sometimes literally-- but I'm not going to give you any more information about those so the surprises won't be ruined. Even though the overriding theme of the book is horse racing, there's an excellent cast of characters for those readers who enjoy more of a human element in their mysteries. Fia finds herself dealing with the mother who deserted the family when Fia was a child, and there's a young jockey anyone would want to befriend.

Then there's her burgeoning relationship with fellow TRPB employee Calixto. Every time Fia is around this sexy agent, she's so charged up that the Saratoga city fathers should hook her up to the power grid. (Wow...) Now I'm one of those females who doesn't like much romance in her mysteries, but most of the interactions between Fia and Calixto make me smile. I don't know if it's because I'm picturing that Saratoga power grid or what.

A fantastic setting, a complex mystery, chills, thrills, and a solid cast of characters-- let The Dark Side of Town take you across the finish line in style.

The Dark Side of Town by Sasscer Hill

eISBN: 9781250097026

Minotaur Books © 2018

eBook, 320 pages

Law Enforcement, #2 Fia McKee mystery

Rating: A

Source: Net Galley 

Flamingo Road by Sasscer Hill

First Line: My name is Fia McKee, and I was a Baltimore City cop until that November night when I drove through West Baltimore alone.

Put on leave from the Baltimore Police Department, Fia McKee is given a second chance and grabs at the opportunity to work undercover for the Thoroughbred Racing Protective Bureau (TRPB) at Gulfstream Park in Florida. Working as an exercise rider and keeping an eye on two racetrack workers whose horses consistently outperform all expectations, she moves in with her brother Patrick and his daughter Jilly who live near Gulfstream.

Fia's job becomes increasingly complicated with teenage horse lover Jilly living in the same house, a Cuban gang living off the grid, a group of unscrupulous gamblers, and a very handsome do-gooder. She's a busy woman indeed.

This is a very good racetrack-themed mystery that's only marred by the main character being attracted to two men at the same time. That's mere personal preference; however, so if you do prefer romantic triangles you'll have even more reason to enjoy Flamingo Road. 

Sasscer Hill has created an excellent racetrack setting with doping schemes to improve the horses' performances on the track, gamblers whose greed leads them to form syndicates looking for the next big drug that will escape detection by organizations like the TRPB, and owners who want to turn over a fast buck and refuse to spend time or money on their horses if they don't win races. Racing can be a cutthroat business, and Hill portrays this very well indeed.

She has also created a topnotch main character. The murder of her horse trainer father still haunts Fia McKee, but she is one sharp, gutsy person when it comes to working undercover. One of the things I like the most about her is that she doesn't run around taking one unnecessary risk after another-- she uses her head. 

I enjoyed this fast-paced mystery that looks deep into the heart of horse racing, and I'm looking forward to Fia's next investigation.
 

Flamingo Road by Sasscer Hill

ISBN:  9781250096913

Minotaur Books © 2017

Hardcover, 320 pages

Law Enforcement, #1 Fia McKee mystery

Rating: A

Source: publisher 


   

Rio Star by Pepper Smith

Title: Rio Star
Author: Pepper Smith
ISBN: 9781606592496
Publisher: Mundania Press LLC, 2010
Paperback, 200 pages
Genre: Thriller
Rating: A
Source: the author

First Line: The day I discovered I was pregnant was the day my husband Micheál decided I wasn't going with him to watch him race.

Assistant trainer Patty O'Donnell is pregnant, and her loving husband has turned into a Neanderthal. They don't have any real time to discuss his behavior because Patty is kidnapped by a couple of con men, putting her career and her baby's life in danger.

It takes a while, but Patty puts the pieces together and realizes that she's been taken from Ireland to Argentina where she's being forced to help in a racing scam. She wants nothing to do with it until she understands the reason behind it. Once she knows what's going on, she is a willing accomplice in a scheme involving a million dollar bet and long planned for revenge. The target of the scam is a very dangerous man who has killed in the past and will not hesitate to do so again-- and it makes no difference if Patty and the others hide in Buenos Aires or out in the Argentine pampas, this man's reach is long.

Patty O'Donnell is rapidly becoming one of my favorite fictional characters. I love her intelligence, her level-headedness, her courage, and her ingenuity. Whether she's facing down a pig-headed husband, standing up to kidnappers, or adding her own ideas to a dangerous scam, she's a character to watch and to enjoy whole-heartedly.

If you like swift-moving plots, strong, intelligent women characters, a bit of horse racing, and con games, you can't go wrong with Rio Star. Although it's not necessary to read the first book in the series, Blood Money, in order to follow the plot, I advise you to do it anyway. Why deny yourself the pleasure?

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Blood Money by Pepper Smith

Title: Blood Money
Author: Pepper Smith
ISBN: 9781606592212
Publisher: Mundania Press LLC, 2010
Paperback, 228 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth, #1 Patty O'Donnell mystery
Rating: A
Source: the author

First Line: The thief had been hiding in our house for nearly a week before anyone realized he was there.

Four years ago, Patty O'Donnell met the man of her dreams, married him, and moved from Arizona to Ireland. Now she's living in the ancestral home on the Irish coast, and she's the assistant trainer of the family's race horses. Life is good-- or it is until the young son of a deceased family friend brings proof of a long-forgotten debt owed him by the O'Donnells.

The debt involves part of a cargo lost in a shipwreck off the coast of Italy 150 years ago. The young boy needs the money desperately, and it takes little persuasion for the O'Donnells to make good on the debt. They send a search and salvage team to the area, and when dangerous things begin to happen in Ireland, Patty is sent to join the team in Italy. Little does she know that she's jumped from the frying pan right into the fire. Pirates willing to commit murder for treasure are not a thing of the past.

This book appeals to me on so many levels: a smart, level-headed, feisty woman moving from Arizona to Ireland. An old house filled with secret doors and passageways. Race horses. Sunken treasure. I'm glad that I could read this book uninterrupted because I would have been decidedly grumpy if I'd been disturbed.

Patty is a vegan who hates coffee. An ex-cop in her family taught her how to defend herself, and she's not the type of person to take foolish risks or to panic in a dangerous situation. That last bit is particularly important because she finds herself in more than one life-threatening scenario.

Smith couldn't put her foot wrong in this book in the eyes of this reader. Patty is a wonderful lead character, and the scenes involving the horses and the diving all rang true. Although I'd guessed some aspects of the plot, I didn't figure out all the twists and turns-- partly because my inherit dislike of a certain type of character blinded me to what was going on. More than once it felt as though the author was orchestrating my thought processes, but it was so expertly done that I didn't mind a bit.

If you're in the mood for a fast-paced story with lots of adventure and a strong-willed main character, you certainly can't go wrong with Blood Money. I can't wait to get my hands on the other books in this series!

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Stewball by Peter Bowen

Title: Stewball
Author: Peter Bowen
ISBN: 9780312277307
Publisher: Minotaur Books, 2005
Hardcover, 224 pages
Genre: Amateur Sleuth, #12 Gabriel Du Pré mystery
Rating: B+
Source: Purchased from Bookcloseouts.

First Line: Du Pré and Madelaine and Pallas were standing in the Billings Airport.

When Du Pré's Aunt Pauline asks him for help in finding her missing husband, Badger, Du Pré reluctantly agrees. The first thing he finds is Badger's body out in the middle of nowhere with a bullet hole in the base of his skull.

Since Badger was known to be mixed up in all sorts of things that agencies like the FBI would be interested in, Du Pré calls his FBI friend, Harvey Wallace, with the information. Before you know it, Du Pré has gone undercover with a pair of horses and a jockey in the world of illegal brush racing.

I enjoy the interactions of Du Pré, his partner of many years, Madelaine, and his children and grandchildren, and this book has plenty of that. When Stewball goes into the world of brush racing, it is as if the book has wings. Bowen could easily have included a hundred more pages about this and I would not have tired of it.

This is another strong entry in one of my favorite series, but I can't help being rather sad. There's only one book left, and then there will be no more new entertaining tales of this wonderful, colorful fiddle player.

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The Highest Stakes by Emery Lee

Title: The Highest Stakes
Author: Emery Lee
ISBN: 9781402236426, Sourcebooks Landmark, 2010
Genre: Historical Fiction
Rating: C+
Source: Sourcebooks

First Line: The blue roan colt had the finely shaped head and alert look of his sire, with strong, straight legs, a chest deep and wide, a short back with well-sprung ribs, and a highly muscled hind end inherited from his dam.

It's 1742. Robert Devington is a stable hand for the nouveau riche (and horse mad) Sir Garfield Wallace. When Wallace's orphaned niece, Charlotte, comes to live with the family, it's her way with horses that leads Robert to fall in love with her. No matter what Devington does, Sir Garfield wants no part of him as a member of the family, so Devington decides to make a career for himself in the British cavalry.

The course of true love never did run smooth, and it's no different in The Highest Stakes. Unfortunately, it's a tale that has very little new to it where two-legged characters are concerned. Devington is the well-intentioned but bumbling Good Guy. Sir Garfield is the resident Bad Guy. His daughter Beatrice thinks of nothing but her own pleasure and throws a monkey wrench into the plot whenever one is needed. Devington's fellow cavalry officer, Philip Drake, has a difficult time thinking of anyone but himself. Even Charlotte is too nice. Yes, the characters are a bit two-dimensional with Devington being the best of the lot. When he's not the focus of the story, the book suffers.

I won't go into all the times when the characters don't speak-- they hiss, whine, wail, smirk, leer and glare. Instead, I'll focus on when the book comes to life, and-- even with its faults-- it does come to life. When? When horse racing, and the history of Thoroughbred horses, are in the spotlight. I love horse racing and know quite a bit of its history and its bloodstock, but most of my knowledge concerns American racing. I was fascinated whenever Lee told of English racing and English foundation bloodlines. Another favorite section was how cavalry horses were loaded on board ships, their care while at sea, and their offloading and preparations for going on campaign.

It's obvious that Lee loves horses and history, and she does such a good job with both that, even though I have reservations about this particular book, I would be more than happy to read any of her subsequent works. That goes to show just how good the good bits are.

REVIEW: Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments

Title: Horse Racing's Top 100 Moments
Author: The Staff of Blood-Horse Publications
ISBN: 1581501390/ Eclipse Press
Genre: Sports, Horses
Rating: B+

First Line: In 2005 the staff of Eclipse Press and The Blood-Horse magazine brainstormed to come up with a list of racing's greatest moments.

At the age of thirteen, I scraped together the money--a whopping $48 if I remember correctly--for a year's subscription to The Blood-Horse magazine. I kept subscribing to it for thirty years. I've always found their information and the books written by the staff members to be excellent. This book is no exception. The one hundred moments chosen by the Blood-Horse staff include not only thrilling races, but the implementation of DNA testing, the introduction of the modern starting gate, influential sires and more. I have to admit that I was more interested in the chapters involving races (yes, I still remember exactly where I was when Secretariat won the Belmont in 1973) and the champions that I've actually gotten to "meet", but each of the one hundred moments was well chosen and well written.

This book will proudly join all the other books from The Blood-Horse and Eclipse Press on my shelves. If you're interested in horse racing, or have a horse crazy child in the family, this book would make an excellent gift.