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Longshot

By: Dick Francis
Narrated by: Tony Britton
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Summary

John Kendall knows how to survive. He's written six handbooks on the subject. Now he wants to become a novelist, preferably without starving to death. But when cold and hunger set in, Kendall impulsively accepts an unlikely job.

He is to research and write a biography of Tremayne Vickers, a famous racehorse trainer. Staying at Vickers' home in rural Berkshire, Kendall soon learns to like his host and friends, learns to ride racehorses, learns about murderers ... and how his own survival tips can become deadly traps.

©1990 Dick Francis
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Critic reviews

"Intelligent, fast-paced." ( The New York Times Book Review)
"An exuberant, irresistible collision between writing and racing ... Few match Francis for dangerous flights of fancy and pure, inventive menace." ( The Boston Herald)
"Fast-paced, meticulously plotted ... Nobody sets up a mystery better than Dick Francis." ( San Francisco Chronicle)

What listeners say about Longshot

Average customer ratings
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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Predictably enjoyable.

I know I can rely on Dick Francis to provide an interesting mystery read with an aroma of hay and horsey folk. Not a bad thing by any means. He does create protagonists who are not necessarily of an equestrian bent, and those occupations are clearly well researched, though they predictably end up in the saddle, racecourse or stables by one route or another. I feel I've absorbed quite a lot of the racing world through Dick's stories! In this tale the story canters around with an author who is intelligent, perhaps almost too insightful for his age and thoroughly likable who trips over murders, clues and baddies, ends up in a mess and solves the mystery very satisfyingly. The narrator sounds a good many years older than the hero of the plot but that doesn't seem to matter. Any of Dick Francis's books will entertain you, this one is no exception.

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Classic Francis. reliable but unspectacular

Britton brilliant as usual. I think Francis could have done better with the brutal climax and denouement but it's pretty classic Francis. some nice blinds but the perpetrator is a bit left field. some more esoteric bushcraft would have been welcome. Bolinda manage to record and edit more satisfactorily than some previous efforts so it's not a chore to listen. One book will be produced giving the impression that Bolinda is competent, but not this one.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Phenomenal!

The combination of Tony Britton and Dick Francis is nothing short of magical! Longshot is a marvel. Beautifully narraated and captivating from start to finish! Thank you, Audible!

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Great book by Dick Frances

Great book, good story line and of course a horse in the plot. Unbridged story is again worth the extra money of a unbridged story.



This story was one which I loved. It was one 'book' I just didn't want to stop playing.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

One of Francis'S best, brilliantly read

I have listened to this countless times and enjoy it as much as the first time I read it. It's one of Dick Francis'S best novels with an intriguing main character, great world building and an expertly executed murder plot, including some of his most riveting scenes. Tony Britton'S reading of it is perfect.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Perfect

Read this many years ago . Audio made it so much better . have all the rest of his books to listen to. perfect.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Kept me gripped to the end.

I like the readers voice it was very soothing, and the description of crawling out of the wood, I was with John every inch of the way.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Good book

Good plot building up levels of tension.
Some descriptive could be a little convoluted and too long
Overall a good book worth listening to.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Expect the unexpected

Written with humour and.irony, this book keeps you on your toes throughout. Thoroughly enjoyable, delightfully narrated with plenty of twists and turns. Dick Francis is a master of descriptive narrative and you are there in the unfolding events with nerves stretched to the limit! The skill in writing such involving books is an immense talent and this one will twist your mind in knots!!

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6 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

Poor End

Unfortunately a poor overly dragged out ending to a good story. Oh well, you can't have everything....

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