Author: Emma Boling
Publisher: Michael Joseph an imprint of Penguin Books
Reviewed by: Ann Byrne
Book Synopsis:
Racing Victoria’s 2002 Woman of the Year, Emma Boling has written her first novel, Riding High. Emma was interrogated at the October 2009 Sisters in Crime event and pens were raised in anticipation when Emma gave us her tips for the Spring Carnival. Some astute punters are now in the money.
Indeed Riding High is a racing story with protagonist Dr Clea Reynolds a microbiologist at the Animal Infectious Diseases Laboratory. Wowee, a woman scientist in the lead, and “She was the best scientist he had ever trained and he would miss her” said Dr Glen Collings who has a special feature at the beginning and end of the story. Dr Reynolds is an expert on the Hendra virus and is called in to investigate an outbreak of the rare disease within the Australian stud of a highly rich an influential Middle Easter dynasty. Clea is suddenly privy to the international world of racing which never distracts her mission to find the perpetrator of the disease and save the industry and her Prince.
The racing expertise is clearly on show with details of the racing industry at Ascot, Dubai and the Hong Kong Racing Club. Wealth, frocks, hats, passion and a handsome Mr Darcy are all part of this new voice.