To the Hilt, by Dick Francis (Michael Joseph, £9.99 in UK)

Even the most faithful Dick Francis fan can find his or her heart sinking at the thought of yet another jump jockey with a heart of gold seeking justice for the underdog; so it comes as a pleasant surprise to find that this paperback original is just that - a pleasant surprise. The central character is one Alexander Kinloch, a commercial painter who lives in the wilds of Scotland but who, when his monstrously rich but soon-tobe-bankrupt father-in-law has a heart attack, proves himself perfectly capable of dealing with rescue packages, insolvency practitioners, beastly daughters and an ex-wife. There's a racehorse too, of course, but its part in the story is relatively benign - as, indeed, is the whole tale, an easy read of a respectable vintage. A.W.