Table Of ContentIngeniously
entertaining."
-the hew york
times book review
IFAWCETTi
1 CWC8T 1 22139-3/U.S.$5.99
Don't miss these bestselling
mystery novels by DICK FRANCIS:
BANKER*BL00D SP0RT*B0LT*
BONECRACK*BREAK IN*COMEBACK*
THE DANGER'DEAD CERMHE
EDGE*ENQUIRY*FLYING FINISH'FOR
KICKS*FORFEIT*HIGH STAKES*HOT
M0NEY*IN THE FRAME*KNOCKDOWN
•L0NGSH0T*NERVE*0DDS AGAINST
•PR00F*RAT RACE*REFLEX*SLAYRIDE
•SMOKESCREEN*STRAlGHT*TRIAL
RUN'TWICE SHY*WHIP HAND
EAN
'NO ONE DOES IT BETTER
THAN DICK FRANCIS."
—
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
"It's either hard or impossible to read Mr.
Francis without growing pleased withyourself:
not only the thrill of vicarious competence
imparted by the company of his heroes, but
also the lore you collect as you go, feel like a
field trip with the perfect guide."
—The New York Times Book Review
"DRIVING FORCE is by my count the
31st of Dick Francis's racetrack novels, a
succession that began with Dead Cert in
1962. . . . The not inconsiderable miracle is
that Francis keeps finding freshness, so that
the new book conveys all the taut anxieties of
the firs—t."
Los Angeles Times Book Review
"Muscle, money, and malice threaten our
A
hero in a wonderfully complicated plot. ...
delicious puzzle and a satisfying ending add
up to first-class entertainment."
—Publishers Weekly
Please turn the page
for more reviews.
. . .
"ONE OF THE
BEST."
—
Associated Press
"Croft is an extremely likable character and
we wince as many untoward things happen to
him. . . . The crime-solving is neatly plotted
and, predictably, the reader gains much
insight into the racing game in what will be a
sure best—seller."
Chicago Tribune Book World
"It's comforting to find a new Dick Francis
novel. . . . It's mashed potatoes and gravy. . . .
Comfort food—for the soul."
Houston Chronicle
"Dick Francis continues his winning ways
with DRIVING FORCE, Francis gets his
. . .
crisp tale of—f to a fast start."
The Orlando Sentinel
"ENTERTAINEVG-^
—
&
Roanoke Times World News
"The world's leading 'feelgood' thriller writer
is back with another tale of malevolent
horsing around. Dick Francis ... is again on
the winn—ing track with DRIVING FORCE."
The Sun (Calgary, Alberta)
"Is there any aspect ofhorse racing that Dick
Francis hasn't turned into a thriller? Yes: the
horse-van business. . . . And it's the basis for
the freshest, most energetic Francis book in
years." —
Kirkus Reviews
"A fine example of Francis's many virtues.
. . .
The man is unique, and in that regard,
irreplaceable: here's hoping he lives to be 102,
giving us 30 more years ofhis (as he calls them)
"
'little adventure—stories'
Mostly Murder
Also by Dick Francis:
NERVE*
FOR KICKS*
ODDS AGAINST*
FLYING FINISH*
BLOOD SPORT*
DEAD CERT*
ENQUIRY*
FORFEIT*
SLAYRIDE*
THE SPORT OF QUEENS*
TRIAL RUN*
WHIP HAND*
HIGH STAKES*
REFLEX*
TWICE SHY*
BANKER*
BONECRACK*
KNOCKDOWN*
RAT RACE*
IN THE FRAME*
THE DANGER*
RISK*
SMOKESCREEN*
PROOF*
A JOCKEYS LIFE: The Biography of Lester Piggott*
BREAK IN*
BOLT*
HOT MONEY*
THE EDGE*
STRAIGHT*
LONGSHOT*
THE DICK FRANCIS TREASURY OF GREAT RACING
STORIES (with John Welcome)*
COMEBACK*
*Published by Fawcett Books
DRIVING
FORCE
Dick Francis
FAWCETT CREST NEW YORK
•
My Thanks To
LAMBOURN RACEHORSETRANSPORT
and
John Hughes
Robert Schulman
Professor Ellie J. C. Goldstein
Professor Jeremy H. Thompson
and
Merrick and Felix
as always
Sale of this book without a front cover may be unauthorized. If
this bookis coverless, it may havebeen reportedto the publisher
as "unsold or destroyed" and neither the author nor the pub-
lisher may have received payment for it.
A Fawcett Crest Book
Published by Ballantine Books
Copyright © 1992 by Dick Francis
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copy-
right Conventions. Published in the United States by Ballantine
Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form
without permission.
Library of Congress Catalog Number: 92-22793
ISBN 0-449-22139-3
This edition published by arrangment with G.P. Putnam's Sons.
Manufactured in the United States of America
First International Ballantine Books Edition: November 1993
First Mass Market Edition: February 1994
I had told the drivers never on any account to pick up a
hitchhiker but ofcourse one day they did, and by the time
they reached my house he was dead.
The bell by the back door rang as I was heating up left-
over beef stew for a fairly boring supper, consequence of
living alone, and with barely a sigh and no premonition I
switched off the hot plate, put the saucepan to one side
and went to see who had come. Friends tended to enter at
once while yelling my name, as the door was seldom
locked. Employees mostly knocked first and entered next,
still with little ceremony. Only strangers rang the bell and
waited.
This time it was different. This time when I opened the
door the light from inside the house fell yellowly on the
1
DICK FRANCIS
stretched scared eyes of two of the men who worked for
me, who stood uncomfortably on the doormat shifting
from foot to foot, agonizedly and obviously expectant of
wrath to come.
My own response to these clear signals of disaster was
the familiar adrenaline rush of alarm that no amount of
dealing with earlier crises could prevent. The old pump
quickened. My voice came out high.
"What's the matter?" I said. "What happened?"
I glanced over their shoulders. The bulk of one of the
two largest in my fleet ofhorse vans stood reassuringly in
the shadows out on the tarmacked parking area, the house
lights raising gleams along its silvery flank. At least they
hadn't run it into a ditch: at least they'd brought it home.
All else had to be secondary.
"Look, Freddie," Dave Yates said, a defensive whine
developing, "it's not our fault."
"What isn't?"
"This four-eyes we picked up ..."
"You whatT
The younger one said, "I told you we shouldn't, Dave."
In him the anxiety whine was already full-blown, since
wriggling out of blame was his familiar habit. He, Brett
Gardner, already on my list for the chop, had been hired
forhis muscles andhis mechanical know-how, the whining
nature at first unsuspected. His three months' trial period
was almost up, and I wouldn't be making him permanent.
He was a competent watchful driver. I'd trusted him
from the start with my biggest and most expensive rigs,
but I'd had requests from several good customers not to
send him to transport their horses to the races, as he
tended to sow his own dissatisfactions like a virus. Stable
2
