Dick Francis

Dick Francis was a renowned British author, best known for his crime novels which often featured horse racing. Before becoming a writer, Francis was a successful jockey in British National Hunt racing. He was the jockey for The Queen Mother for four years, until a bad fall forced him to retire from racing. It was then that he turned to writing, producing over 40 international bestsellers.

Francis was not only a successful jockey and author, but also a talented storyteller. His books, which often featured a central character narrating the story, resonated well with horse riding enthusiasts around the world. In fact, over forty of his crime books topped international bestseller lists due to his exceptional storytelling abilities.

Francis worked closely with his wife, Mary, on his books before her death. He considered her to be his co-writer and referred to their writing process as a team effort. Francis received many awards for his writing, including the Crime Writers' Association's Cartier Diamond Dagger for his outstanding contribution to the genre and three "best novel" Edgar Allan Poe awards from The Mystery Writers of America. In 1996, he was named Grand Master by The Mystery Writers of America for a lifetime's achievement.

In addition to his writing career, Francis was also a successful jockey. He was a champion jockey in the 1953-1954 season and rode for HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. He was known for riding Devon Loch in the 1956 Grand National. After retiring from racing, he published his autobiography, "The Sport of Queens," before going on to write 43 bestselling novels. Francis was also the author of a volume of short stories and a biography of Lester Piggott. He received many awards for his writing, including the prestigious Crime Writers' Association's Cartier Diamond Dagger for his outstanding contribution to the genre and three "best novel" Edgar Allan Poe awards from The Mystery Writers of America. In 1996, he was named Grand Master by The Mystery Writers of America for a lifetime's achievement.

Francis passed away in February 2010, but his work remains popular and he is considered one of the greatest thriller writers of all time. He is the author of the Sid Halley Mystery and Kit Fielding Mystery series. Francis's son, Felix, has assisted with the research of many of the Dick Francis novels and is the coauthor of several of them. Felix Francis lives in England.