内容简介
WinemerchantTonyBeachhasexpertlycateredhislatestsocietysoiree,butthefun'soverwhenateamofhitmencrashtheparty…literally.TheeventleavesTonywithabitteraftertasteofsuspicion—andsetsoffamysterythat'sanintoxicatingblendofdeception,intrigue,andmurder.
作者简介
DickFrancisDickFranciswasoneofthemostsuccessfulpostwarsteeplechasejockeys,winningmorethan350racesandridingforHerMajestyQueenElizabeth,theQueenMother.Afterhisretirementfromthesaddle,hepublishedanautobiography,TheSportofQueens,beforegoingontowritemorethanfortyacclaimedbooks,includingtheNewYorkTimesbestsellersEvenMoneyandSilks.Athree-timeEdgarAwardwinner,healsoreceivedtheprestigiousCrimeWriters’Association’sCartierDiamondDagger,wasnamedGrandMasterbytheMysteryWritersofAmerica,andwasawardedaCBEintheQueen’sBirthdayHonoursListin2000.Hediedin2010atageeighty-nine,andremainsamongthegreatestthrillerwritersofalltime.FelixFrancisistheyoungerofDickFrancis’stwosons.OverthelastfortyyearsFelixhasassistedwiththeresearchofmanyoftheDickFrancisnovels,notleastTwiceShy,Shattered,andUnderOrders.Since2006,Felixhastakenamoresignificantroleinthewriting,firstwithDeadHeatandthenincreasinglywiththebestsellers,SilksandEvenMoney.Crossfireisthefourthnovelofthisfather-and-soncollaboration.FelixFrancislivesinEngland.BiographyDickFranciswasborninLawrenny,SouthWalesin1920.HeservedintheRoyalAirForceforsixyearsduringWorldWarII,pilotingfighterandbomberaircraftincludingtheSpitfireandLancasterbetween1943and1946.Followingthewar,Francis,thesonofajockey,becameacelebrityintheworldofBritishNationalHuntracing.Hewonmorethan350races,wasChampionJockeyin1953-1954,andwasretainedasjockeytoHerMajestyQueenElizabeththeQueenMotherforfourseasons,1953through1957.FrancisrodeeighttimesintheworldfamousGrandNationalSteeplechase,andnearlywonin1956whenhishorse,theQueenMother'sDevonLoch,afewstridesawayfromvictorywithaclearfield,suddenlycollapsed.Thisincident,whichFranciscalls"boththehighpointandlowpointofmycareerasajockey,"wastheimpetusforhimtobeginasecondcareerasawriter.Shortlyaftertheincident,aliteraryagentapproachedFrancisaboutwritinganautobiography.In1957,Francissufferedanotherseriousfallandwasadvisedtoretirefromraceriding.Hecompletedhisautobiography,TheSportofQueens,whichwaspublishedlaterthatyear,andacceptedaninvitationtowritesixfeaturesfortheLondonSundayExpress.Hestayedonasthenewspaper'sracingcorrespondentfor16years.Sportswritingsoonledtofictionwriting,whichinturnledtoastringofbestsellingnovels.Hisfirst,DeadCert,waspublishedin1962.His36thnovel,10Lb.Penalty,waspublishedintheU.S.byG.P.Putnam'sSonsinSeptember1997.Inadditiontohisnovelsandautobiography,FrancishasalsopublishedabiographyofLesterPiggott,AJockey'sLife,andeightshortstories.Hehasedited(withJohnWelcome)fourcollectionsofracingstories,andhascontributedtoanthologiesandperiodicals.Francis'sbookshavebeenbestsellersinanumberofcountries,andhavebeentranslatedintomorethan30languages,includingallEuropeanlanguages,Japanese,Korean,Taiwanese,Bantu,andseveraldialectsofChinese.EachofhisnovelshasalsobeenrecordedonaudioinbothBritainandtheUnitedStates.FranciswasmadeanOfficerofthemostnobleOrderoftheBritishEmpirein1984,andwasawardedtheBritishCrimeWritersAssociationsilverdaggerin1965,golddaggerin1980andCartierdiamonddaggerforhislife'sworkin1990.TherecipientofthreeEdgarAllenPoeAwardsforBestNovelfromtheMysteryWritersofAmerica,mostrecentlyfor1995'sCometoGrief,Francisistheonlypersontohavebeenawardedtheprestigiousawardmorethanonce.TheMysteryWritersofAmericanamedFrancisGrandMasterforhislife'sworkin1996,andhewasawardedanHonoraryDoctorateofHumaneLettersfromTuftsUniversityin1991.AuthorbiographycourtesyofPenguinGroup(USA).
