THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 12, 1996 TAG: 9605130180
SECTION: COMMENTARY PAGE: J3 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Book Review
SOURCE: SHIRLEY PRESBERG
LENGTH: Short : 40 lines
DARK HORSE
BILL SHOEMAKER
Fawcett Columbine. 299 pp. $22.
The question of who legally owns a championship race horse generates two kidnappings, several murders and considerable mayhem in Dark Horse, a mystery by former jockey Bill Shoemaker.
Paolo Rodriguez, the president of Columbia, steals For Cupid's Sake, a filly belonging to James Carmody. Carmody, a wealthy entrepreneur, retaliates by having Rodriguez arrested on drug charges.
When Rodriguez goes to prison, Carmody gets his horse back and begins to train her for the Triple Crown races. Rodriguez, still powerful, orchestrates his revenge: Horses get sick, people are murdered, jockeys disappear.
Ex-jockey Coley Killebrew, Shoemaker's amateur detective, begins an investigation when someone kidnaps his fiancee - who is also the daughter of a troubleshooter for the racing industry. Almost immediately, someone tries to kills Killebrew.
Shoemaker keeps the tale moving briskly, but he falters when he tries to tie the story lines together. Too many people with varying agendas muddle the issues.
On the plus side, Shoemaker deftly evokes the milieu of the horse racing world, capturing the excitement of the races and the fierce competitive spirit that exists among owners, trainers and jockeys. So far, he's the best of this season's celebrity mystery writers. by CNB