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Manvers Road Star

Manvers Road Star
Kindle

£3.99

Paperback

£12.99

About

Nottinghamshire, 1996:

As Andy Cooper begins to rebuild his life, the focus shifts away from the betting shop on Manvers Road to Colwick Park, Nottingham's racecourse, where a bold idea is born.

Using money from a significant winning bet placed by his late dad, Andy buys a racehorse and shares ownership with the friends who stood by him during his darkest days.

They name the horse Manvers Road Star.

But racing is never without risk.

When disaster strikes on the eve of her big race, Andy’s hopes are once again thrown into doubt. As uncertainty grows, he must decide whether to walk away—or hold on when everything seems lost.

Set in Nottingham and the surrounding Nottinghamshire countryside, Manvers Road Star is a story of friendship, resilience and the enduring bond between people and the horses that bring them together.

A powerful follow-up to Shouting The Odds, it continues Andy’s journey through loss, recovery and second chances.

What readers are saying:

‘A star of a book. Franklin consistently conjures up drama in his writing, though not that of kidnapped girls or violent cops shows. Andy’s problems are the day-to-day ones that all of us face. It is how he and his friends deal with them that give Manvers Road Star its vigour and shine. Manvers Road Star is a book that will resonate with a considerable section of the British public, given the chance.’

-Joe McNally, author of The Eddie Malloy Series.

‘The writing draws you in straight away and keeps you turning the pages. Whether you are into horseracing or not, or just looking for something a bit different, Manvers Road Star delivers. I highly recommend giving it a read – it is one of those books that stays with you.’

-Mr G Anderson.

‘Jon Franklin’s follow up to Shouting The Odds is another highly-enjoyable read. He paints his pictures of punters and pals with gusto, and you’re never quite certain how this story will develop, or conclude. With his clever way of telling the story through the eyes of three different characters, Jon delivers a different depth and it works superbly.’

-Lee Richardson, former Marketing Executive of The British Horseracing Board.

Language - English

Publisher Name - Softwood Books

Publisher Year - 1925

ISBN-13 - 978-9153158264

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NewspaperNest

NewspaperNest

I was born in London, in 1963. Shouting The Odds, published in July, 2021, is my debut novel and my inspiration for writing it comes from over thirty years' experience of the betting and racing industry, ten years as an employee of William Hill, followed by twenty-two years as a professional racecourse photographer. Shouting The Odds received glowing reviews in the Racing Post and the Sporting Life and I was also the subject of a two part interview by Simon Nott as part of the Star Sports #BettingPeople series which can be seen on You Tube. The stand-alone sequel to Shouting The Odds, Manvers Road Star, was published in March, 2025.I began working for ...