Fiction is not usually on the agenda at American Classic Pedigrees, but every now and then it's worth making an exception. For those who like relaxing with a good racetrack yarn, you could do much worse than to pick up a copy of John Paul Miller's False Riches (2023, Palmetto Publishing). A combination of mystery, romance, and fictional exploration of timely issues in the horse racing world, this debut novel combines taut pacing and action with a realistic but sympathetic view of the problems and issues of conscience facing its major characters, who constitute a slice of the ordinary people who make horse racing run at a minor track. It is also, oddly, a novel about grace and forgiveness, which may sound incongruous but is in fact an important theme in the development of the book's characters.
I won't provide any spoilers here, but if you're looking for an intriguing read that explores complex and controversial ideas through the lens of imperfect people trying to navigate a morally murky situation---without sounding preachy---then False Riches may be just what you're looking for as an addition to your summer reading list.
I won't provide any spoilers here, but if you're looking for an intriguing read that explores complex and controversial ideas through the lens of imperfect people trying to navigate a morally murky situation---without sounding preachy---then False Riches may be just what you're looking for as an addition to your summer reading list.