Following the sixth installment of his bestselling series, Cometh The Hour, Jeffrey Archer’s Clifton Chronicles continues, and ends, with This Was A Man. After six novels, countless cliffhangers, and hours and hours of keeping readers on the edges of their seats, it all comes down to this.
Jumping right in without missing a beat, Archer opens his latest novel with Giles Barrington finally learning the truth about his wife, Karin.
That plotline played a big role in last year’s novel and is something readers have been discussing and debating ever since Giles Barrington first questioned whether he should leave politics aside and rescue the woman he loves, without knowing for sure whether she’s truly in love with him…or just a spy who’s using him.
Tired of being dishonest with Giles, Karin prepares to tell him the truth. However, just as she makes that decision, someone else finds out the truth about her past dealings, creating a worst-case scenario for her that must be addressed immediately.
It takes exactly five pages for Archer to create his first jaw-dropping moment.
Hakim Bishara suddenly resigns as chairman of Farthings Kaufman Bank, paving the way for Sebastian Clifton to fill the vacated position. But things don’t come up all roses for Sebastian, because Jessica, his daughter, who may or may not be dating a young man in secret, is kicked out of the Slade School of Fine Art.
Lady Virginia once again steals the pages she appears on, this time as she makes arrangements to leave the country. With her creditors closing in and her financial life still in ruin following Cometh The Hour, she prepares to run from her problems. But an unexpected death gives her pause and time to formulate a new plan that might just satisfy her debt and stick it to the Cliftons, all in one fell swoop.
And then there’s Harry and Emma Clifton, who are still going strong after more than fifty years when Emma receives a surprise job offer from Margaret Thatcher. Does she leave her long-time job at the Bristol Royal Infirmary for this new opportunity? And what effect, if any, will all this have on Harry–who is still keeping a secret from his brother– and his writing?
Writing, by the way, remains Harry’s top priority, as he has just one book left to fulfill his contract before he’s scheduled to set off on an eleven-city book tour in America. And, after all this time, readers will finally learn the truth about Harry and Emma’s parents. A revealing truth that was long overdue is finally out in the open.
As readers make their way through the multiple weaving plots, things come to an abrupt halt when one of the series’ beloved characters receives the grimmest of health news. It won’t be long now, as their death is imminent. As other characters grieve, so will readers.
Among the shocking discoveries, of which there are plenty, is the emergence of a secret will that’ll change one character’s life forever. Beyond that, Archer dials up the family drama with betrayal, secrets, and several delicious twists.
Jeffrey Archer’s epic conclusion to his bestselling series is an absolute masterpiece. There isn’t a better storyteller alive than Mr. Archer, and This Was A Man is his finest work to date.
Book Details
(Note: More so than any book I’ve ever reviewed, this title requires having read the previous books in the series. Not only will newcomers who opt to start with this book feel lost, but you’ll be robbing yourself of the chance to experience this saga from the very beginning–which makes this final volume so very satisfying.)
Author: Jeffrey Archer
Series: The Clifton Chronicles #7
Pages: 403 (Hardcover)
ISBN: 1250061636
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Release Date: November 8, 2016 (Order Now!)