Dead Heat About the Author Dick Francis has written more than forty international bestsellers and is widely acclaimed as one of the world's finest thriller writers. His awards include the Crime Writers' Association's Cartier Diamond Dagger for his outstanding contribution to the genre, and an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Tufts University of Boston. In 1996 Dick Francis was made a Mystery Writers of America Grand Master for a lifetime's achievement and in 2000 he was awarded the CBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours list. Sadly he died in 2010. Felix Francis is the younger of Dick's two sons. Over the last 40 years Felix has assisted with the research on many of the Dick Francis novels, including Twice Shy, Shattered and Under Orders. Felix took on a more significant role in the writing of Dead Heat.