Decider or An Old Friend

I read a book which is now starting to feel like an old friend, Decider by Dick Francis. I can’t remember the first time I read this, nor can I remember how many times I’ve read it, but it has to be three or four times. Each time I read it I like it more.

Decider’s protagonist is Lee Morris, an architect, with five kids. It’s probably one of the more light-hearted and easy to read Francis mysteries, and I guess that is one of the reasons I like reading it so much.

A couple of the lines I marked this time include:

Rebecca sulked angrily. Marjorie’s disapproval grew vigorous runners in her direction, like a ramplant strawberry plant.

The five boys roamed around scavenging, Toby having joined them belatedly. The Strattons had left. Outside, horseboxes were loading the last winners and losers. The urgency was over, and the striving, and the glories. The incredible weekend was folding its wings.

I like both of the above passages for the imagery that they present. The runners quote made me think of ivy that tears down aged fences, until he brought up the strawberry plants. I think mine would have been better. The folded its wings, says a lot with just a little metaphor.

There were only two vocabulary words that I highlighted.

Salver – A tray, typically one made of silver and used in formal circumstances.
Obloquy – Strong public criticism or verbal abuse.

Just like the last few times, I loved it. Fast, fun, and easy. A good little thriller cum mystery.