NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND, 1995:
When twenty-three-year-old Andy Cooper returns home from Wembley with his dad, he
discovers that his mum has died suddenly. In the aftermath, grief gives way to blame and
Andy becomes the target.
As his dad retreats into drink and their home life deteriorates, Andy is left isolated and
searching for a way forward.
A chance encounter in his local betting shop offers an unexpected opportunity - one that
draws him into the world of horse racing and the risks that come with it.
But as the stakes rise, so do the consequences.
Set against the backdrop of 1990s Nottingham, Shouting The Odds is a story of grief, family
conflict and the choices we make when trying to escape our pasts.
Because some risks cost more than money.
About the Author :
Jon Franklin was born in Harrow, Greater London, in 1963. Shouting The Odds, published in July, 2021, is his debut novel and his 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 Franklin 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.Jon began working for William Hill in 1987. It was his first experience of the racing and betting world, a world that has fascinated him ever since. During the years that followed, he worked at several betting shops in the West London area including the branch on Hanger Lane of which he became manager. Other than racing and betting, Jon's other passion in life was photography and following a re-think about his future, he successfully applied for a place on the degree course at Nottingham Trent University in 1994, where he supported himself financially by continuing to work at William Hill part time. During his penultimate year, The Independent on Saturday Magazine published a portfolio of his photographs that documented racecourse life in Britain. Jon graduated in 1997 and his first break as a racecourse photographer came via Lord March, owner of The Goodwood Estate. Thus began a twenty-year career as photographer of the 'Glorious Goodwood' meeting on Goodwood Estate's behalf. After relocating to Sweden in 2000, Jon's association with Goodwood led to work from many other of the UK and Ireland's leading racecourses such as Aintree, Ascot, Cheltenham, Epsom, Haydock Park, Sandown Park and Punchestown among others, before acquiring new clients in Scandinavia such as Jägersro, Täby and Övrevoll. Jon has written about his experiences as a racecourse photographer in The British Journal Of Photography Magazine and Gallop International Magazine, for whom he has also translated articles about racing from Swedish into English. He lives in Malmö, Sweden with his wife Annika.
Review :
'With so many cliffhangers, twists and turns, Shouting The Odds would make for a great film or TV drama series.'
-Sam Hardy, The Racing Post.
'Andy's story is funny, moving and full of wonderful characters. Shouting The Odds is a fantastic read, '
-Stan Hey, Writer for Television and Film, author of An Arm and Four Legs.
'A rollercoaster read. Shouting The Odds is a riveting story of family bonds, new found friendships and more, set against the unique backdrop of a high street betting shop in 90s middle England.'
-Lee Richardson, former Marketing Executive of the British Horseracing Board.
