Review: Steve O'Brien's DEAD MONEY

Steve O'Brien's intimate knowledge of the horse racing world comes through on every page of Dead Money. The book is part of a series featuring attorney Dan Morgan, whose avocation is racing Thoroughbreds. In his filly Dancer, he finally has a horse with the potential to go all the way with a win at Churchill Downs. Vasily, a vicious Russian mobster, wants Aly Dancer for himself and will go to any lengths, including murder, to get her. With the help of his love interest, Beth, and his friend
Lennie David (a mathematician who knows and plays the odds), Dan works against time to unravel a complicated and dangerous scheme.

Dead Money, which is reminiscent of Dick Francis's work, has a cast of interesting characters. I would have liked to see the supporting cast rendered in greater depth, but that's a reflection of my personal preferences rather than a failing of the book. The writing seems stronger and more polished than that of the previous book in the series, a testament to O'Brien's dedication to craft and his growth as a writer.

I enjoyed the book very much and look forward to reading more about Dan Morgan and Aly Dancer.