When [Dick Francis] began writing mysteries, he joined that small and cherished group of mystery-thriller writers … who combine expertise, a sure hand with suspense, and solid plots. His knowledge of the racing world creates a background of almost Dickensian realism for his stories….

[Mr. Francis' autobiography, "The Sport of Queens," is] a pleasant and informative book, but I'm almost sorry to report that you can give it to your meekest, horse-loving 12-year-old niece without a qualm. She will learn a lot about thoroughbred racing (a very elegant sport in Mr. Francis' league); but I missed f330the pointed little character sketches, the crisp details, and of course the beastly villains and shapely plots I'd found in his novels.

"Forfeit," by contrast, begins in a properly seedy newspaper office where James Tyrone, a racing journalist, has casually opened a letter from a magazine wanting him to do a free-lance...