A debut thriller of considerable promise, the author being a competent, efficient writer who will undoubtedly be seen again. It is another Dick Francis look-alike in terms of locale and atmosphere, though this one is over the sticks, rather than flat-racing. There are several writers now following in the great man's hoof-prints - this one even says 'in the tradition of Dick Francis' as a subtitle on the cover.
Horsey books don't appeal to me much personally - they all seem to have the same sort of plot - handsome jockey comes to new yard, beautiful daughter or niece, unknown evil guy off-stage and much jealousy and back-biting amongst the mucker- outs. But my preferences are irrelevant, this is a well-written yarn about an American show-jumping rider who had a bad accident and lost his nerve in the States and comes to Wiltshire on a second chance. Someone has it in for the guy and for a rich client of the colonel he works for. Lots of technical stuff about snaffle-bits and girths, if you like that sort of thing, but a good read even if you don't.