Straight was one of the first Dick Francis novels I read. It was also one of my least favorite. I donated my copy to a library in 1994, after having read it twice, and didn’t really think much about reading it again. Still, when staying the night at a friend’s house, I wound up picking that book up before turning out the light, and then having read a third of it or so, went on home.
So I picked up another copy in a used bookstore, and finished it. It’s still one of my least favorite, but it’s better than I remembered. And I think it’s very Dick Francis; the action takes place while the protagonist is recovering from a broken ankle, and he suddenly must learn a whole new business while seeking out baddies and, perhaps, falling in love. The injuries and the business are described in loving detail, the baddies and the sex are alluded to in passing.
If you don’t like Dick Francis books, you won’t like this one. If you do like Dick Francis books, you’ll likely enjoy this one, but not as much as some of the others.
And if you want an old copy, I don’t need this one anymore.
,
-Vardibidian.