Audio Book Review

10 lb Penalty

by Dick Francis

(approx 3 hours)

Published by Penguin

Another title for the Dick Francis faithful although somehow the racing aspect of the story does seem somewhat superfluous! Essentially this is the story of a politician's ambition and his rise through the ranks to the very top - and the attempts of his political enemies to hinder, and indeed to halt him on the road to glory.

Told from the point of view of his son, Benedict (who is a remarkably mature 18 year old at the beginning of the story) who sacrifices his ambition to become a steeplechase jockey in order to support and, as it transpires, to protect his father, this is a predictable story of intrigue and danger. Benedict does get back in the saddle but somehow it does seem rather incidental to the story.

This is not vintage Dick Francis but is quite acceptable for all that. There is no doubt that his stories do lend themselves very well to being read aloud and therefore to being produced in the form of audio books - the ideal way to hear a story whilst doing something else! '10lb Penalty' is very well read by the distinguished actor Martin Jarvis.