Life is not going well for Matt Shore. He's just into his new job with Derrydown Sky Taxi piloting trainers, owners and jockeys to horse racing meets around England when his plane, the company's new Cherokee Six, explodes on the tarmac. It was only his "We'd better land" precaution in mid-flight, the levers were sluggish, that saved his life and passengers including Colin Ross, the nation's leading jockey. Matt's been dropping in job level; now he's broke and being harassed by almost everyone: the Board of Trade air transport regulators, his ex-wife, his unsympathetic employer, and the competition Polyplane. But no one seems to be investigating these terrifying incidents, so he takes it on. Maybe he'll see Nancy more often. Dick Francis' writing style demands you pay attention to every conversation if you want to have some idea of the plot. Do that and you'll find it a nice little story.