Review of Dead Heat (Hardcover)

After I was "introduced" to Dick Francis a decade ago, I had a great time in the library, going through his many books.They are uniquelyDick Francis... he developed his own sub-genre of mystery writing.His last two, however, were, quite frankly, weak.

Was this the end?

Then came Dead Heat.

It's got that poor guy who gets beat up and in over his head.It's got that bulldog determination to right a wrong, and get the bad guys.And it's got horses and horse racing.

In other words, it is definitely Dick Francis.However, this time it is Dick Francis and son (Felix).

The plot line is intriguing and sharp.Culinary mastermind Max puts together a catered dinner for 200 and most become desperately ill with "food poisoning."To make matters worse (much worse), the very next day, a bomb goes off in Max's next meal event.

What is a restauranteur to do?

Find out "who dun-nit."

And that Max attempts to do, in typical Dick Francis style and grit.

You know, his novels aren't great literature.They are just plain fun.Max is a realistic character, with his own set of trials and tribulations.But he's pissed off that somebody is trying to wreak his restaurant and his good name.

He happens to also fall in love with something attached to a viola.

So, welcome back to Mr. Francis, and welcome forward to son Felix.I know that I speak for other Dick Francis fans in saying we look forward to your next installment!



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Review of The London Pigeon Wars: A Novel (Hardcover)

Karen Miller, ten years out of college, is working for the city of London Transit Committee when she is assigned to become the "pigeon czar." The city's pigeons have divided into two warring factions, attacking each other in flight, flying into apartment buildings, and breaking windshields of BMWs when they plummet dead from the skies. In dual, compelling narratives, Patrick Neate reveals the progress of these pigeon wars, told from the point of view of Ravenscourt, a pigeon soldier supporting Gunnersbury, and from the perspective of Karen and six of her friends, ten years after college. Skewering the aimlessness of these "twirty-somethings," who are so busy looking at the ground that they ignore the world above them, he reveals them to be much like the pigeons, living in the instant, lacking direction and purpose, reacting rather than thinking, and often fighting.

When the mysterious Murray, a Mephistophelean friend from college, arrives in town, he exerts the same vibrant spell on his friends as he did in the past, when he was famous for "Murray-fun," or, perhaps, "social terrorism." When he suggests his latest idea, all are ready for a change. Karen is in the midst of a bad love affair. Freya Franklin, a hat designer, is struggling with a new business. Tom Dare, an unhappy teacher, has had affairs with both Karen and Freya. Emma, a new mother suffering from some sort of wasting disease, is married to Tariq, whose business has failed. Kwesi, a poet of "ghetto chic" gives readings in which his delivery, manner, and accent are worse than his poetry, and Ami is a TV weather-girl. The reader soon observes Murray's growing power as he plans his newest "fun," which requires "enough" guns. Meanwhile, the pigeons are at war, sabotaging each other, struggling to capture the "Remnant of Content," and interacting with the "peepniks" (people) and particularly with Murray, whom they call "Mishap."

Neate's use of language is fascinating and often "cute," especially in the pigeon narratives. "Slowtion," "flixtures," and "nobirdy," for example, are obvious elisions which contribute to a different language for the pigeons, who also refer to "coochies," "geezes," and "squibs," the meanings obvious through context. Neate, with a fondness for philosophy, puts his characters (and pigeons) into the wider context of the "time before time," wondering if "content is really the height of my dreams, and will I ever even dream again?" As the wars wind down and the fate of Murray hangs in the balance, Neate requires the reader to think, even as he entertains and satirizes the "society" in which both peepniks and pigeons operate. Mary Whipple




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