Good, but not his best
In Comeback, Francis enters the world of diplomacy and veterinary medicine more than horse racing, although horses play an important part as usual. The plot seems more contrived than usual in this outing, however. The story opens when Peter Darwin, after meeting two British performers in Miami, find himself helping the couple after they are mugged on the street. Having taken responsible for them in a small way, he finds himself escorting them to England where they are to attend the woman's daughter's wedding.

Once in England, things really go to pieces. The daughter and her fiance work in a veterinary hospital, he as a well-respected surgeon, she as a nurse. But his career is in jeopardy as one after another horse dies after he has operated on it. And the cause has proved impossible to determine.

On a visit to the races at Cheltenham, Peter just happens to meet a young woman employed by the Jockey Club who is escorting two Japanese gentlemen, neither of whom speaks English. Well, Peter's last posting just happened to be Japan where he learned the language and he had even met one of the gentlemen while posted there. The romance which follows is contrived and adds nothing to the basic story in itself. Annabel, the young woman Peter has eyes for, does have connections that help him in his investigation, but those meetings could have come about in a more believable fashion.

Still, Francis' knowledge of horses, racing, and the information he garners regarding other professions is always enlightening. Weak as it is, Comeback is still a fast and often fun read.

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