I have read every Francis novel, with the possible exception of the last one or two. The best one is "For Kicks" (1965). Terrific plot, fabulous romance. If I could ever live out the fantasy of directing a movie, this would be it. I was in the UK once, staying in a youth hostel, when I met a young English guy. He agreed that he enjoyed Francis and, without prompting, stated that "For Kicks" was his favourite as well.

The novels are all enjoyable, up until the ones published in the mid-1980's. (All the novels are set in the world of British steeplechase racing, but you don't have to know anything about horses or racing to enjoy them.) "The Danger" (1984) is good, but after that the quality diminishes. I have found some of the recent ones quite poor.

The best way to read Francis is to start from the beginning, with "Dert Cert" (1962). You will get to "For Kicks" within a short time. Given my belief that the quality of the novels gradually diminishes over time, you can simply read them in order until you tire of them.