Marquis De Fraud - Hardcover

Philip Reed

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0970872208 ISBN 13: 9780970872203

Publisher: Seven Locks Pr, 2001

Synopsis

San Francisco trainer Cliff Dante figures his luck is turning -- he has a fast horse and two new clients to back his action. What he doesn't know is, one of his clients is a con man and a killer. The Marquis de Fraud is the story of three friends, a lightning fast colt and a scheme to make them all rich.

About this title

About the Author

PHILIP REED began his writing career as a night police reporter for the City News Bureau of Chicago and later wrote for The Rocky Mountain News in Denver. He moved to Los Angeles in the 1980s where he directed his first play, TRUE BLUES. His plays have been staged in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, and New York. His first mystery, BIRD DOG, was published by Pocket Books in 1997 and was nominated for the Edgar and Anthony Awards. The sequel, LOW RIDER, was named one of the 10 best books of 1998 by the Detroit Free Press. Reed has written several nonfiction books, including CANDIDLY, ALLEN FUNT, and FREE THROW. THE MARQUIS de FRAUD, a thriller about horse racing, was released on Kentucky Derby Day. He lives in Long Beach, California, with his wife Vivian Blackwell, the poet , and their two sons, Andrew and Tony. He is currently an automotive journalist for Edmunds.com in Santa Monica where he spent three months as an undercover car salesman. This led to the hi! ghly popular series "Confessions of a Car Salesman" which prompted over 1,000 email responses. He is at work on another book about horse racing called THE PERFECT NIK.

From the Inside Flap

San Francisco trainer Cliff Dante has an eye for fast horses. So when Cliff buys a new colt for short money, he figures he's on the fast track to the winner's circle. All he needs is a couple of rich clients to back his action till they cash out at the spring auction. Big casino, baby -- sky's the limit!

Cliff sells a share of the colt to Dan Van Berg, a guy who dreams big as he claws out a bargain basement living. The other share goes to Malcolm Ravling, a velvet-tongued investment guru from Scotland with a hot wife and a mountain of cash.

At first, Cliff's luck makes an about face. He scores an upset victory with a long-shot from his stables. His two new clients are becoming his best friends. Who cares if his gut is telling him one of them isn't quite kosher?

But on a rainy day in March, Cliff's luck goes south. When the dust settles his money is gone, his racing license is yanked by the stewards and he's the laughing stock of the backside of the track. But the worst is yet to come. His favorite colt is missing.

Cliff and his last true friend form a desperate pact: they'll chase their colt across the British isles to get it back. Then they'll deal with the con man. Killing him is too easy, they decide. They'll destroy him first.

Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.

They were standing beside a corral out behind the stables looking at a leggy colt that was staring back at them with an attitude like, Yeah? So what do you want? He was a roan with a white brush stroke down his nose and the aura of raw power, like a young Mike Tyson.

"His daddy was Relaunch," Cliff said. "he was a great stallion, won about a half a million bucks. They shipped him to every track in the West and he never broke down. Horse was like iron. so this guy comes to me yesterday from a ranch down in Texas. he sells me this one for seventeen. He was Relaunch's last crop."

"Last what?" Dan asked, looking the colt over.

"The last colt Relaunch ever sired. You're lookin' at the last Relaunch right here. Thought you might want a piece of the action."

"Nice lookin' horse," Dan said, stalling, thinking it over.

Actually, he wasn't much to look at, Cliff thought. Not with those crooked legs. When he first saw the skinny teen-ager he wanted to alugh. But then he saw him move and bells went off in his head. Speed. That's what he saw.

Edition details

• Publisher: Seven Locks Pr
• Publication date: 2001
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0970872208
• ISBN 13: 9780970872203
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1