Odds Against by Dick Francis
２００２年４月２４日付けの朝日新聞，「連休の２０冊」で紹介された１冊。邦題は「大穴」。是非押さえておきたい定番とのこと。
Dick Francisは以前 Decider, Twice Shyと読んだことがありましたが，Twice Shyは貧乏な教員が主人公で，当時の最新のコンピュータもので結構楽しめました。
今回も片腕がきかなくなった元花形騎手の探偵業の初仕事。同じく顔に傷のある女性への淡い恋心，義理の父の配慮。登場人物それぞれに陰影があって，物語にのめりこめました。
It wasn't my fault, but I'd persuaded him that he stood more chance at Seabury, and he blamed me because in the end the horse stayed at home eating his head off for nothing. He says there's a jinx on Seabury, and I've a couple more owners who don't like me entering their horses there. I've told them that it's a super track from the horses' point of view, but it doesn't make much difference, they don't know it like we do."
If it were a sham, Mr. Ellis Bolt was in
a criminal career up to his eyebrows. If it was just my suspicious mind jumping
to hasty conclusions I was doing an old-established
respectable stockbroker a shocking injustice.
I picked up Dolly's telephone again and got
an outside
line.
"Charing, Street and King, good morning,"
said a quiet female voice.
"You mean, supposing the lony and the
crane were both in position?"
"Yes."
"Only a minute or two. What sort of
lorry?"
"A tanker."
"A petrol job?"
"A bit smaller than the petrol tankers.
More the size of milk ones."
"Easy as kiss your hand. They've got a low center of gravity, mind.
It'd need a good strong lift. But dead easy,
all the same."
I turned to Dolly. "Is Chico busy today,
or could you spare him?"