I’m so disappointed that I didn’t have time to read Iced by Felix Francis in time for this blog tour, but am thrilled that Felix has agreed to stay in with me to chat all about it today. My enormous thanks to Hayley Cox for inviting me to participate in Iced‘s launch celebrations.

Staying in with Felix Francis

Welcome to Linda’s Book Bag, Felix. Thank you for agreeing to stay in with me. I rather think I know, but tell me, which of your books have you brought along to share this evening and why have you chosen it?

ICED. It is my 15th novel and is published this month.

What can we expect from an evening in with Iced?

ICED is the 54th Dick Francis novel (my 15th) and again, and as always, portrays the rich world of horse racing. However, this one is slightly different in so far that it is set in St Moritz in the Swiss Alps, where, every year, racehorses compete on a track built right on the frozen lake. Add to that the adrenalin-producing excitement of the Cresta Run, and the novel has all the ingredients for an action-packed rollercoaster ride of emotion and skulduggery.

Crikey. I wasn’t aware that Iced was your fifteenth Dick Francis. I think Iced sounds very exciting. I’m thrilled to have it waiting for me on my TBR. How has it been received so far?

As one reviewer wrote: “Felix Francis pulls no punches here and goes to places few would care to follow as he carefully details the trauma that surrounds a young life, magnifying the internal anguish of an apprentice jockey fighting not only a battle with the scales but also the terrifying memories of his father’s tragic death. Both triumph and disaster are ever present, but those imposters are ultimately dwarfed by exploitation and an addiction which see a promising career in ruins almost before it began. At times it is an uncomfortable read: we identify all too easily with the young hero, but are powerless to influence the damaging choices he makes, choices that leave him exposed and vulnerable. Not for the first time, however, the Swiss mountains offer redemption: as all his yesterdays cohere and offer one last chance to get back in the saddle, our hero is forced into a final confrontation, a confrontation that sees him finally understand his past and lay the ghosts that haunt him.”

What a brilliant response. You must be delighted. 

What else have you brought along and why have you brought it?

Glühwein would be appropriate, or maybe a Bullshot (special cocktail for the Cresta Run make from vodka and beef stock), plus some fine-dining delights. The Sunny Bar at The Kulm Hotel specialises in Peruvian food, so maybe some of that too.

I’m rather fond of a cocktail but I’ve never tried a Bullshot! Maybe I’ll stick with the glühwein!

My guests would include James Sunley, President of the St Moritz Tobogganing Club, together with the other fearless riders of the Cresta Run who regularly hurl themselves head-first down the three-quarter-mile-long ice chute with no brakes and precious little steering at speeds of up to eighty miles-per-hour.

Hmm. I’m not sure that’s what I’ll be doing in a hurry Felix! Thank you so much for staying in with me to chat about Iced. You heat up the glühwein and I’ll give Linda’s Book Bag readers some more information about Iced:

Iced

Miles Pussett is a former steeplechase jockey. Now he gets his adrenaline rush from riding down the Cresta Run, a three-quarter-mile Swiss ice chute, head first, reaching speeds of up to eighty miles per hour.

Finding himself in St Moritz during the same weekend as White Turf, when high-class horseracing takes place on the frozen lake, he gets talked into helping out with the horses. It is against his better judgement. Seven years before, Miles left horseracing behind and swore he would never return.

When he discovers something suspicious is going on in the races, something that may have a profound impact on his future life, Miles begins a search for answers. But someone is adamant to stop him – and they’ll go to any lengths to do it . . .

Published by Simon and Schuster on 16th September 2021, Iced is available for purchase through the links here.

About Felix Francis

Felix Francis took over writing the ‘Dick Francis’ novels from his father in 2006. His 15th novel, ICED, is published in September 2021. Felix lives in Oxfordshire with his wife, Debbie, and their three dogs who are really in charge! He is a member of the International Thriller Writers, the Crime Writers Association and the Mystery Writers of America. In 2019 was the International Guest of Honor at Bouchercon 50 in Dallas, Texas, the world’s largest crime fiction convention.

Find out more on Felix’s website and follow him on Twitter @felix__francis.

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