Riders Down: A Jack Doyle Mystery
Select Format
Select Condition 
Book Overview
No one really notices that a fix may be in until Matt O'Connor, a Chicago-based columnist for a national racing newspaper, gets a call from Moe Kellman, a horse-owning acquaintance. Kellmans question for Matt: Was the death of ninety-two-year-old Bernard Glockner, Chicago's oldest active bookmaker, suicide or murder? Glockner was Kellman's late uncle and Kellman, a man not unfamiliar with the Chicago mob, wants Matt to check it out. Matt quickly comes to believe that the fate of the bookie is tied to a series of races whose outcomes have been manipulated. His quest is aided by horse trainer Maggie Collins and Dave Zimmer, a professional gambler known as The Fount for his reputation as an encyclopedic source of information. Eventually, going as far afield as Las Vegas and Madison, Wisconsin, they fix their sights on a brilliant sociopath. But why would this psycho have plotted a race-fixing scheme? Spiced with the kind of lively language that marked Blind Switch, the author's debut novel (2004), Riders Down offers striking insights into the world of horse racing and the possibilities of its corruption.
Format:Hardcover
Language:English
ISBN:1590582586
ISBN13:9781590582589
Release Date:March 2006
Publisher:Poisoned Pen Press
Length:254 Pages
Weight:1.16 lbs.
Dimensions:0.9" x 5.8" x 9.0"
Related Subjects
Contemporary Cozy Fiction Literature & Fiction Mystery Mystery, Thriller & SuspenseCustomer Reviews
5 ratings
McEvoy is way out in front.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
I sometimes anticipate what's going to happen next, i.e., who's going to get killed and how, but even when I'm fairly close, which is not very often, McEvoy goes way beyond my anticipation. As a bonus, there's a lot about horses, racing, and jockeys that I did not know, but found it was a pleasure to learn.
Great Thriller
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
In John McEvoy's second novel, also set in the idiosyncratic world of horse racing, you know whodunit and it's still a thriller. The villain, Claude Bledsoe, has to come up with a million dollars in order to inherit his grandmother's money. Since it's too hard to fix horse races the old fashioned way, using his superhuman strength and knowledge of nearly every skill acquirable through literally dozens of undergraduate and master's degree programs, the maniacal Bledsoe starts intimidating, blackmailing and murdering jockeys to throw races. McEvoy limns the life of jockeys and their families, whom he so clearly respects. The percipient protagonist Matt O'Connor (don't we all wish we had a boyfriend like that), a journalist following his hunches, finally catches up with Bledsoe - or the other way around. Think Grace Kelly in Rear Window. For fans of Chicago and Madison, these places are rendered lovingly. Fast paced and funny, Riders Down is satisfying in every way.
Fast Track Tale
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
John McEvoy's Riders Down is like two books within a single cover---the first full of insights into the world of horse racing which then becomes the backdrop for the second, a fast paced detective drama. McEvoy tells a good story with style, drawing on a closet full of colorful characters reminiscent of a Damon Runyon novel. And by the time the last page is turned, the reader can not help but be infected not only by the author's passion for `the sport of kings' but by his abiding love for the racetrack community that brings it to life.
top notch horse racing mystery
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
I have worked at race tracks and the writer makes this world within our world come alive--we learn stuff. The characters, from Glockner the bookmaker to Maggie the trainer, are strong. You're easily drawn into them and their lives. The plot is suspenseful and the ending delivers. If you love Chicago, the world of horseracing or just a strong mystery, you'll go for this book. Hope McEvoy's got another one up his sleave.
Riders down scores big.
Published by Thriftbooks.com User , 18 years ago
Here's a fast-paced look at the dark side of racing, written by someone who obviously knows the track inside and out. Peopled with unforgettable characters, the intricate plot moves smoothly towards a truly smashing finish. A wonderful read for mystery fans and/or racing enthusiasts.
Copyright © 2025 Thriftbooks.com
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information | Cookie Policy | Cookie Preferences | Accessibility Statement
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
ThriftBooks ® and the ThriftBooks ® logo are registered trademarks of Thrift Books Global, LLC
