Quick Review – An Eye For An Eye by Jeffrey Archer

On February 13, 2025 By The Unseen LibraryIn Quick Review, Thriller1 Comment

Publisher: Harper Collins (ebook – 24 September 2024)

Series: William Warwick – Book Seven

Length: 384 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

One of the world’s most interesting and well-known authors, Jeffrey Archer, returns for the penultimate entry in his long-running William Warwick series, An Eye For An Eye.

Well-known British figure Jeffrey Archer has carved an intriguing niche for himself as a crime fiction author over the last few decades. Known for his compelling and fast-paced crime fiction reads, which often contain a historical element to them, Archer has written a huge body of work, including his Kane and Abel books, his Clifton Chronicles and standalone novels such as Heads You Win. His most recent focus has been his entertaining William Warwick series, which follows the titular protagonist as he rises the ranks of the Metropolitan Police over a period of years while solving a series of complex crimes and facing off against his dastardly nemesis. I have had a brilliant time with several books in this series, including Nothing Ventured, Hidden in Plain Sight, Turn a Blind Eye and Traitors Gate, all of which have proven to be quite exciting and enjoyable. As such, it was an easy choice to grab the latest entry in the series, An Eye For An Eye, which had an excellent plot behind it. The seventh book in the series, An Eye For An Eye is the second to last William Warwick book, and Archer keeps the excitement going all the way to the end.

Plot Synopsis:

In one of the most luxurious cities on earth…

A billion-dollar deal is about to go badly wrong. A lavish night out is about to end in murder. And the British government is about to be plunged into crisis.

In the heart of the British establishment…

Lord Hartley, the latest in a line of peers going back over two hundred years, lies dying. But his will triggers an inheritance with explosive consequences.

Two deaths. Continents apart. No obvious connection.

So why are they both at the centre of a master criminal’s plot for revenge?

And can Scotland Yard’s William Warwick uncover the truth before it’s too late…

The ultimate race-against-time is about to begin.

Archer pulls together another compelling, intense and exciting story for An Eye For An Eye that combines an intriguing new storyline with some of the series’ existing plotlines. Starting off with a murder in Riyadh that throws the British government into turmoil, the plot sees William Warwick and his team drawn into an international concern, as one of their team members, the roguish Inspector Ross Hogan, is recruited to save a British government delegate and the heir to the Hartley family, who has been framed and falsely imprisoned for murder. However, things become even more problematic when the protagonist’s old criminal rival, Miles Faulkner, becomes involved with the plot, desperate to not only have his revenge against Warwick, Hogan, and their loved ones but also steal a valuable letter from the Hartley family.

What follows is the usual game of cat and mouse between the protagonists and the vengeful Faulkner, as Warwick’s team attempts to counter the criminal’s various ploys, while also trying to find evidence that will allow them to put him away again. This combines nicely with the larger storyline around the international conspiracy involving the imprisonment of the British delegate, and I liked the compelling back-and-forth twists as the protagonists doggedly try to stop Faulkner getting out on top. There are some fun twists as we get towards the end of the book, and readers are treated to the usual fast-paced excitement that they have come to know and appreciate over the course of the series. Everything comes together nicely in a gripping cliffhanger conclusion as Archer lays the groundwork for the final book in the series, which looks set to be the big showdown between the long-time series rivals.

As with the previous books in the William Warwick series, An Eye For An Eye was a really entertaining and fast-paced read that kept dragging the reader along with it. Featuring a wonderful blend of intrigue, schemes, complex thrills and interesting character work, An Eye For An Eye was very fun and you honestly have a hard time putting down the constantly moving story. Archer once again brings back his eccentric group of protagonists, which include Chief Superintendent William Warwick, his boisterous family, the various key police officers he has teamed up over the years, as well as a fun collection of rogues and victims introduced in this plot. Thanks to Archer’s use of quick-changing character perspectives, you get an interesting look at the plot from various points of view, which allowed for an intricate tale with a lot of moving parts to it.

Out of all these characters, my favourite has to be the main series antagonist, Miles Faulkner, a master criminal and schemer who the protagonist has been feuding with since the very first novel. Thanks to their lengthy history and many defeats, Faulkner is a little obsessed with Warwick, Hogan, and their colleagues and families, engaging in a series of plots against them that range from killing their key witness to trying to get Warwick’s wife fired from her gallery directorship. While this rivalry and the elaborate means that Faulkner utilises to spite and try to destroy the protagonists is very over the top, especially as it has been going now for seven books and over 20 in-series years, it is frankly very entertaining, and I love how much energy Archer puts into writing Faulkner as the ultimate gentleman criminal. The back-and-forth schemes and ploys between Faulkner and the protagonists are always a highlight of any book in the series, and An Eye For An Eye showcases this perfectly, delighting both new readers and those already invested in the long-running feud. Indeed, the conclusion of this book brings this into focus perfectly, and I cannot wait to see how they finish off this feud in the final William Warwick book later this year.

Jeffery Archer once again impresses with his exciting and captivating William Warwick novel, An Eye For An Eye. Setting his fun protagonists on a compelling new crime fiction adventure while also featuring the author’s fantastic recurring villain, An Eye For An Eye had me hooked the entire way through, and it is so easy to sit back and enjoy this fantastic read. A gripping and highly enjoyable novel, I look forward to seeing how Archer wraps up the series with his next and final William Warwick book.

Amazon

Traitors Gate by Jeffrey Archer

On September 19, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Thriller3 Comments

Traitors Gate Cover 2

Publisher: Harper Collins (ebook – 26 September 2023)

Series: William Warwick – Book Six

Length: 384 pages

My Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Amazon

Bestselling author Jeffrey Archer returns with another exciting addition to his fun and compelling William Warwick series with Traitors Gate.

Jeffrey Archer is a well-known and interesting British figure: a former politician, a convicted criminal, a life peer and member of the House of Lords. However, these days Archer is best known as a bestselling author, having written a large catalogue of novels that usually contain a historical or thriller element to them. Some of his works include the Kane and Abel series, his well-known Clifton Chronicles and a range of standalone books like Heads You Win. I particularly enjoy the William Warwick series, which is a fun and entertaining collection of historical thrillers.

The William Warwick novels, which originated within the fiction universe of the Clifton Chronicles series, follows the life and career of titular protagonist William Warrick, an idealistic London police officer who rises through the ranks while solving a series of dastardly crimes. This series, which is defined by its character-driven plots, new criminal focuses for each novel, and the protagonist’s bitter rivalry with a notorious crook, are always very entertaining and feature some compelling stories. I personally really enjoyed the first three books in the series, Nothing Ventured, Hidden in Plain Sight, and Turn a Blind Eye, although I unfortunately missed the next two books in the series. Luckily, I was able to grab a copy of the upcoming sixth William Warwick book, Traitors Gate, which honestly might be one of the best entries in the series.

London, 1996. There is nothing more sacred nor valuable in the entire realm than the crown Jewels of England. Kept secure within the Tower of London, the jewels are only brought out once a year for the Queen to attend the State Opening of Parliament. Providing security for the transfer between the Tower and the palace is one of the most important jobs done by the Metropolitan Police, and this vital duty is now overseen by Chief Superintendent William Warwick and his crack team. Thanks to all the elaborate precautions around the transfer, the jewels are considered unstealable, but there is one audacious crook who is about to prove them wrong.

For years, William has sought to bring down notorious criminal mastermind Miles Faulkner, a gentleman thief and deadly rogue who has brought nothing but misery to William’s friends and family. But despite the best effort of William and the men under his command, Faulkner has always managed to elude justice as he continues to hatch his despicable plots and thefts.

However, Faulkner also has a vengeful streak, and when William manages to finally get one over on his rival by recovering a stolen artwork, Faulkner decides it is time to get his final retribution against William and everyone close to him. Pulling together a team of rogues and villains, Faulkner sets in place his boldest plan yet: steal the Crown Jewels and ruin the career of William and the other police involved in its protection. Can William stop this plan before everything he loves is destroyed, or has Faulkner finally won their decades-long game of cat and mouse?

Archer continues to impress with his latest William Warwick book, which honestly had me hooked the entire way through. An intriguing continuation of his fun ongoing series, Traitors Gate was a great character-driven thriller that was fun from start to finish.

Traitors Gate has a great story to it that expertly combines existing storylines from the series with an excellent and wildly entertaining new plot. Once again focusing on protagonist William Warwick and fantastic antagonist Miles Faulkner, Archer sets up a great story that takes their rivalry to a new level. The author does an outstanding job of setting this up, with the early parts of the novel recapping key events from the previous William Warwick novels whilst highlighting the protagonist’s current role in protecting the Crown Jewels. The first half of Traitors Gate follows some intriguing story threads focused on several key existing characters that eventually lead to William getting one over on Faulkner in their long-running feud. This first half of this book is very entertaining, especially as the rivalry between the protagonist and antagonist is so damn fun, and you really get drawn into the unique and continuing character stories.

The second half of the book really amps up a notch as Faulkner initiates a series of elaborate and daring revenge plots against those who wronged him, while also setting up his master heist. These various storylines, which include a con job and a fantastically fun court sequence, work together well to tell an excellent overall story, and they play into the build-up for the big conclusion extremely well. However, the crown jewel (pun intended) of the plot has to be the great heist scene, which was so damn tense and exciting. Archer sets the entire thing up perfectly, and by constantly switching back and forth between various characters on both sides, you get quite the intense and captivating sequence. This entire heist is a ton of fun from conception to implementation and leads to a compelling final part of the novel which sees the characters all desperately trying to come out on top. The various elements of this, from the fun characters involved, the multiple elaborate steps the antagonists take, and the ticking clock the protagonists need to beat, are designed to keep the reader on their toes, and I had such a fun time seeing everything unfold. The entire story honestly comes together extremely well, and frankly this was one of the more impressive and addictive stories that Archer has come up with yet.

Archer pulled this excellent story together in his typical style that focuses on the characters and makes great use of quick jumps between various perspectives. I loved the multiple fantastic storylines that emerge as a result, and the author does a great job of balancing the various elements and character arcs. Archer also proves very apt at building suspense and laying down the ground work for the key sequences for his story where the real magic happens. Watching some of the more impressive scenes, such as the excellent entertaining court sequences (which are generally the highlight of all the William Warwick books) and the brilliant heist, are so much fun, and you really appreciate the planning and build-up he puts into it. The author also makes excellent use of the 1990s London setting for the majority of the plot, and I have really enjoyed how the William Warwick books have moved from the 80s to the 90s, incorporating real-life events as they go. The 1996 election plays a key role in the plot of Traitors Gate, and I loved the historical colour that Archer added to the plot, including a great in-story presentation about Colonel Blood and his own infamous Crown Jewel heist. I also really need to highlight the way that Archer makes each of his novels inclusive and open so that new readers can easily dive into Traitors Gate. Thanks to some quick and effective recaps and reintroductions, new readers can start the series at Traitors Gate without any issues, and indeed even after missing the last two books in the series, I was able to dive in without any pause at all. This book comes together so well and I had a great time reading it.

I really need to highlight the fantastic and outrageous characters the plot of Traitors Gate follows. Throughout the course of six William Warwick books, Archer has built up quite an intriguing cast of characters to follow, and he does an excellent job of breaking up the story between them. There is a notable divide between the protagonists and the antagonists throughout the course of Traitors Gate, and watching the cast play off each other with their moves and countermoves is exceedingly fun. Each of the protagonists, especially the police characters, are very righteous in their dealings (William goes by the nickname “Choir Boy”, for example), although they aren’t averse to breaking the rules if it gets them justice, which makes for some great scenes. However, it’s the baddies are the ones who really make the book extremely entertaining.

Archer has done such a great job building up main antagonist Miles Faulkner throughout the course of the series, and the elaborate and spiteful rivalry he forms with William and his friends drives so much of the plot. Faulkner honestly steals every scene he is in with his elaborate schemes, villainous persona, and sheer petty hate of the protagonists, and I have so much fun following throughout the book. I also have a lot of fun with secondary antagonist Booth Watson QC, Faulkner’s lawyer, who seems to act for every criminal and villain in the William Warwick series. A morally corrupt lawyer who specialises in every devious legal trick you can think of, Watson is nearly as bad as Faulkner, and he proves to be such a delightful thorn in the protagonist’s side. Watching him legally manipulate and pontificate is so much fun, especially when he faces off against William’s straightlaced and proper father, Sir Julian Warwick, who he brings out the worst in. These two characters are at their best when they face off against each other in the courtroom, and it so damn entertaining to see them get childish and outraged in the middle of a trail. These characters, and more, add so much enjoyment to Traitors Gate and I look forward to seeing the epic rivalry between William and Faulkner continue in the future.

Jeffery Archer has produced a fantastic and awesome new addition to his always entertaining William Warwick series with Traitors Gate. Featuring a fun and inventive narrative that makes great use of the bitter rivalries of Archer’s well-established cast, Traitors Gate is a highly addictive and exciting novel that has some outstanding moments to it. Slick, hilarious and always compelling, Traitors Gate is an amazing novel that is well worth checking out.

Traitors Gate Cover

Amazon

Turn a Blind Eye by Jeffrey Archer

On April 26, 2021June 25, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery5 Comments

Turn a Blind Eye Cover

Publisher: Macmillan (Hardcover – 30 March 2021)

Series: William Warwick – Book Three

Length: 330 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5

Amazon

One of the world’s bestselling authors, Jeffery Archer, returns with the third exciting and enjoyable entry in his clever William Warwick series, Turn a Blind Eye.

London, 1987. After successfully organising a high-profile raid of a notorious drug factory, William Warwick has been promoted to Detective Inspector. However, with his promotion comes a very different assignment: exposing corruption at the heart of London’s Metropolitan Police Force. Along with his team of detectives and officers, William begins to investigate an old friend of his from the police academy, Jerry Summers, whose affluent, high-flying lifestyle seems impossible to achieve on a police income. Utilising several undercover operatives, William attempts to find out the truth behind Summers’s activities.

However, the investigation into Summers’s corruption is only one of William’s concerns, as the trial for drug baron Ahmed Rashidi, whose factory William’s team brought down, begins. Rashidi’s conviction seems certain, especially with the formidable legal team of William’s father and sister arguing the prosecution’s case. But Rashidi has hired the services of the slippery and corrupt lawyer, Booth Watson QC, whose contacts and ability to bend the rule of law puts the police’s case in serious jeopardy. At the same time, William’s arch-nemesis, the criminal genius Miles Faulkner, has escaped from jail and is hiding out in Europe, plotting the next stage of his life of crime. However, Miles’s sudden death proves to be a boon for his ex-wife, Christina, who uses her windfall to apparently reform and renew her friendship with William’s wife.

As William’s focus is torn between all these different cases, disaster strikes when a young female undercover officer under his command falls for Summers. As William and his team attempt to discover just how compromised their investigation is, the young Detective Inspector finds himself under attack from all sides as enemies, both old and new, attempt to bring him down. Can William continue his crusade to bring justice to London’s streets, or will he face the horrible realisation that more of his fellow officers are willing to turn a blind eye than he first suspected?

This was another fantastic novel from Jeffrey Archer, who has done an amazing job continuing the exciting and compelling adventures of William Warwick. Archer is an intriguing figure who has written a number of amazing crime and historical fiction novels over the last few years, such as his iconic Clifton Chronicles. I have been rather enjoying several of Archer’s recent novels, including the very clever Sliding Doors-esque novel, Heads You Win. His latest series, the William Warwick books, follow the adventures of the titular protagonist, who was first introduced as a fictional detective created by one of the characters in the Clifton Chronicles. The first two novels in this clever crime series, Nothing Ventured and Hidden and Plain Sight, were both awesome reads, and I was quite excited when I received Turn a Blind Eye a few weeks ago. Turn a Blind Eye ended up being quite an impressive read, and I really enjoyed the compelling and fast-paced story.

Archer has come up with a great story for his latest novel which not only continues some of the amazing storylines from the previous novel but which sets the protagonist up against several new challenges and antagonists. Archer blends a lot of great elements into Turn a Blind Eye from across the genres. The most prominent of these is a compelling crime fiction storyline which sees the protagonist go up against several different villains, including corrupt police, art thieves and drug lords, and there are some impressive investigative angles and fun scenes featuring clever police work and investigations. In addition, the author works in some clever legal thriller elements as the story features several courtroom sequences. These court scenes are some of the best parts of the entire novel, especially as Archer loads them up with fun legal shenanigans as the antagonist lawyer employs some really evil tricks. The author also makes great use of the 1980s setting as a backdrop to the main story, and I loved the exploration of this cool period during this fun historical novel. The entire novel chugs along at a rapid pace, and readers will have a very hard time putting this book down, especially as it features some dramatic twists, clever undercover scenes and very entertaining moments. Readers of the previous two William Warwick novels will appreciate the fantastic ways in which Archer continues the established storylines set up in the first novels, although the author does ensure that this third book is easily accessible to new readers. I really enjoyed the fun and intriguing places where Archer took his latest novel and I cannot wait to see how he will continue his compelling story in the future William Warwick entries.

I really enjoyed the great range of characters that Archer fits into this novel, most of whom are recurring characters from the previous two entries in the series. Archer features a rather large cast of excellent characters throughout Turn a Blind Eye, resulting in a mass of different character perspectives that makes for a compelling and vibrant blend of storylines and character arcs. At the top of this list is William Warwick, who serves as the central figure for most of the book’s plot. William is an exceedingly straight arrow, intently concerned with doing the right thing and bringing the villains to justice. William has another interesting adventure in Turn a Blind Eye, where he is forced to investigate police corruption and finds himself in some strange new circumstances. I really enjoy the linear storyline that Archer has set up for Warwick, especially as it appears that he will be investigating a whole new crime each novel, and he serves as a particularly good centre to this entire series.

In addition to the main protagonist, Turn a Blind Eye also features several other amazing characters who have some compelling arcs in this latest book. As always, I have to start with series antagonist Miles Faulkner, the highly intelligent criminal mastermind and art fanatic with whom William has found himself in an intense feud. Faulkner ended the last book on a high note after engaging in a bold prison escape, and this novel starts off with him fleeing to Europe before circumstances seem to take him right off the board. This results in an interesting development for the character, although readers of the previous novels will not be surprised by the clever way in which that particular arc unfolds throughout the novel. I also deeply enjoyed the character of Booth Watson QC, the go-to lawyer for the antagonists of this series. Watson is a dastardly and conniving figure in this series, and readers will love all the sneaky and entertaining ways he finds to bend the laws and manipulate the legal system. I particularly liked the way in which he serves as a counterpoint to William’s father, Sir Julian, the highly regarded and undeniably honourable legal prosecutor, and the two have an outstanding repartee with each other during the court sequences. The other character who has a really good storyline is police officer Nicky Bailey. Bailey, who is assigned undercover to watch the primary suspect of the corruption storyline, ends up falling in love with her target, resulting in the investigation becoming compromised. Archer writes an impressive and dramatic arc around this character, and I was particularly moved by its intense conclusion. All of these characters ended up adding a lot to Turn a Blind Eye’s story and I look forward to seeing some of them reappear in the next William Warwick novel.

Turn a Blind Eye was another awesome novel from Jeffrey Archer which proved to be a rather good and entertaining read. I loved the way in which Archer has continued his fantastic William Warwick series, and the author has loaded this book with some clever and enjoyable sequences and characters. A fun and intriguing novel that readers will power through in no time, Turn a Blind Eye is really worth checking out and comes highly recommended.

Turn a Blind Eye Cover 2

Amazon

Hidden in Plain Sight by Jeffrey Archer

On October 29, 2020June 25, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery7 Comments

Hidden in Plain Sight Cover

Publisher: Macmillan (Hardcover – 27 October 2020)

Series: William Warwick – Book Two

Length: 304 pages

My Rating: 4.25 out of 5

Amazon

Bestselling author Jeffrey Archer returns with the second book in his William Warwick historical crime fiction series, Hidden in Plain Sight.

London, 1986. Following the failed attempt to put his nemesis, expert art thief Miles Faulkner, behind bars, William Warwick has been promoted to Detective Sergeant and now has a whole new focus: drugs. William and his team have been assigned to take down a notorious drug kingpin, one who has all of South London in his pocket and who takes great pains to hide his identity and methods. However, despite their focus on catching this mysterious drug lord, known only as the Viper, Warwick is still determined to take down Faulkner.

When William coincidently arrests an old acquaintance from his school days, Adrian Heath, it unexpectedly provides him with the opportunity that he has been looking for. Not only does Adrian have information about the identity of the Viper, but he also has a connection to Faulkner that could be exploited to finally throw his adversary behind bars. As William attempts to close the net around his targets, he must also counter the moves of his enemies, even when they attempt to ruin his life or his upcoming marriage to Beth. However, it will take more than personal attacks and clever setbacks to discourage William, and he soon has Faulkner and the Viper exactly where he wants them. But even in defeat, Miles Faulkner is a dangerous opponent, especially now that he has his vengeful eyes fully set on William and everyone he loves.

Hidden in Plain Sight was another exciting and clever novel from Jeffery Archer featuring a compelling historical crime drama set around the life of a fun fictional character. The protagonist of this series, William Warwick, actually first came into existence in Archer’s iconic Clifton Chronicles series of historical fiction books, where he was introduced as the in-narrative fictional protagonist of a series of detective books written by the Clifton Chronicle’s main character, Harry Clifton. After Archer concluded the Clifton Chronicles a couple of years ago, he decided to provide his fans with a more detailed exploration of this fictional detective, and this series is the result. The William Warwick series looks set to be Archer’s next major long-running series and it will explore the entire career of Warwick, from eager young recruit to hardened and brilliant detective. This is the second William Warwick novel following last year’s Nothing Ventured, and Archer has come up with an enjoyable new tale that proved really hard to put down.

This second entry in the William Warwick series contains another intriguing and exciting character driven narrative that sees the protagonists engage in a game of wits with some despicable criminals. This proved to be an excellent historical crime fiction novel that not that not only continues the compelling narrative set up in the previous book in the series but which also sees the protagonist go after an entirely new foe. Archer presents a great recreation of 1980s London and takes the story in an interesting new direction by having William attempt to combat the city’s crippling drug trade. However, the story still has a fascinating focus on the world of art and antiquities and its associated criminal underbelly, thanks to the amazing returning antagonist from the first novel. This story proved to be really exciting and fast-paced, and I enjoyed the variety of different crime fiction elements that Archer included in the plot, as the protagonists attempt to take down their quarry in a number of different manners. Readers are treated to a range of great sequences, from pulse-pounding police raids, detailed investigations, cunning undercover operations and even a very entertaining courtroom sequence. Archer has loaded Hidden in Plain Sight’s story with all manner of twists and turns, so much so that the reader is often left surprised at who ends up on top and where the story will go next. This was a really enjoyable narrative that I found to be extremely addictive, resulting in me powering through the entirety of Hidden in Plain Sight in just over a day. Fans of the previous entry in the series (as well as the Clifton Chronicles) will have a great time continuing the fun story started in Nothing Ventured, while new readers will also be able to quickly dive into this novel and become engrossed in the story.

Like all of Archer’s books, the narrative of Hidden in Plain Sight is strongly driven by the excellent characters that the plot follows. Archer utilises a range of different character perspectives to tell his story, presenting a rich and multifaceted narrative that explores the lives of several intriguing protagonists, as well as a couple of great villains. Most of the story focuses on the series’ titular character, William Warwick, the determined, ambitious and righteous police officer who has dedicated his life to fighting crime. Warwick continues to grow as a detective throughout Hidden in Plain Sight, losing more of his “choir boy” personality and gradually becoming more addicted to the job and the danger. Despite that he still maintains his strong moral code and proves to be a very likeable central character, especially as Archer spends a lot of time exploring his personal life and his various relationships. In addition to Warwick, Archer also dedicates a large amount of the book to several key side characters including Warwick’s police colleagues, the major antagonists and members of Warwick’s family. These various additional characters and perspectives really added a lot to the story’s flow, and it was a much more effective way to tell this narrative than through the eyes of Warwick alone. Most of these characters are only featured for a small amount of time throughout the book, but I felt that Archer made the most of their appearances, showcasing their personalities and motivations in an excellent manner and making sure that the reader was concerned for their various story arcs.

While these books are mostly focused on the exploits of William and his crime fighting associates, the character I have the most love for is the villain, Miles Faulkner, who is a constant highlight of each book. Faulkner is a debonair and brilliant criminal mastermind who specialises in elaborate art thefts and forgeries and who gained the attention of the protagonists in Nothing Ventured. Faulkner serves as a brilliant foil to William and the other police, continually outsmarting them at every turn and thoroughly acting as the cocky master villain. Faulkner pretty much steals every scene he appears in, and you cannot help but enjoy his antics, even when you are pulling for the protagonists to knock him off his pedestal. Archer introduces a number of entertaining and clever twists around Faulkner throughout Hidden in Plain Sight, and it was extremely entertaining to see the various ways in which this antagonist manages to manipulate everyone around him and generally come up on top, even when it appears that he has lost. I personally liked the more vindictive streak that appeared as part of Faulkner’s character in this book, following his various losing encounters with William and the other protagonists. Not only does this result in a number of clever and elaborate revenge ploys but it also gives a harder edge to Faulkner as the overall antagonist of the series, and hints that he may have some diabolical plans for William in the future entries of this series. I had a lot of fun with this excellent antagonist and I cannot wait to see what villainy he unleashes next.

Hidden in Plain Sight is another fun and clever novel from Jeffery Archer that comes highly recommended. Archer has done an excellent job of continuing his William Warwick series, and readers are in for an exciting and enjoyable time with this book. I really liked where Archer took the story in Hidden in Plain Sight and I am looking forward to seeing how the series will continue next year.

Amazon

Nothing Ventured by Jeffrey Archer

On July 16, 2019June 25, 2023 By The Unseen LibraryIn Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery9 Comments

Nothing Ventured Cover

Publisher: Macmillan (Trade Paperback – 10 September 2019)

Series: William Warwick series – Book 1

Length: 323 pages

My Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Amazon

One of the biggest names in modern fiction, Jeffrey Archer, returns with Nothing Ventured, an intriguing piece of historical crime fiction that starts up his brand-new William Warwick series.

William Warwick, son of a respected London defence attorney, has always dreamed of becoming a detective in the London Metropolitan Police Force. Despite the opposition of his father, William enrols as a trainee police officer at the start of the 1980s after finishing university. Armed with determination, sharp observation skills, an education in fine art and a can-do spirit, William is unaware of the adventures in store for him.

After quickly making the rank of detective constable, William is assigned to Scotland Yard’s Arts and Antiquities squad. While also investigating of a series of different art crimes and frauds across London, the squad is mainly concerned with capturing Miles Faulkner, a criminal mastermind responsible for the thefts and forgeries of some of the most expensive art in England. All previous attempts to capture Faulkner have failed miserably, as the criminal is always two steps ahead of the police.

As William becomes more and more involved in investigating the various crimes Faulkner is organising, he makes a crucial breakthrough when he befriends Faulkner’s wife, Christina. Christina is willing to return a valuable stolen Rembrandt from Faulkner’s personal collection in return for help from the police. Can Christina be trusted, or will Faulkner once again evade justice and continue his dastardly schemes? In addition, what happens when William falls head over heels in love with Beth, a research assistant at the museum the Rembrandt was stolen from, whose family secrets may drive a terrible wedge between her and William?

I have mentioned before how Jeffrey Archer, or the Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare as a Member of the British House of Lords, is one of the more colourful professional novelists in the world today. Archer has produced over 30 diverse books since 1976, including several standalone novels, a bestselling long-running series, several collections of short stories, three plays, three non-fiction books about his time spent in prison, and four children’s books. I have read several of his books in the past, although I only have his 2018 book, Heads you Win, currently reviewed on my blog at the moment.

Nothing Ventured is a fantastic new novel from Archer and is the first book in a planned eight-part William Warwick crime fiction series. The William Warwick series actually has a very interesting origin, as William Warwick served as the protagonist of a fictional series of books written by the main character in Archer’s most iconic series, the Clifton Chronicles, Harry Clifton. Following the end of the Clifton Chronicles in 2016 and several requests from his fans to expand on the adventures of Warwick, Archer started on this series. The William Warwick series will examine the career of its titular character and show the various cases he investigates that helped him to become a great detective.

This series is off to a good start with Nothing Ventured, as Archer creates a compelling and enjoyable read that does a fantastic job introducing the readers to his new protagonist and showing the early days of his police career. Archer has always excelled at creating historical fiction narratives that focus on the lives of specific characters, and Nothing Ventured is no exception. Within this book, the reader gets a great idea of the character of Warwick and sees the struggles and early influences that drive him to become a successful police detective. The reader is also introduced to a bevy of interesting side characters, many of whom are set up to be major friends, colleagues, love interests or antagonists of Warwick through the future books of the series. Overall, Archer does a superb job setting up his overarching series in Nothing Ventured, and the intriguing mysteries explored within, as well as the introduction of a likeable new protagonist, should ensure readers will check out future instalments of this series.

One of the most intriguing aspects about Nothing Ventured was the focus on the artistic world and the subsequent fraud or theft that accompanies it. At the start of the book, the protagonist studies art history at university and subsequently develops a life-long love for the artistic greats. This appreciation of art becomes an important part of his future career, as it helps him join the Arts and Antiquities squad. Throughout the course of Nothing Ventured, Warwick and his colleagues investigate a number of different instances of art fraud, including forgeries of famous works, fraudulent signatures of historical figures and the forging of fake antique coins, among several other interesting examples. I thought that this was an absolutely fascinating focus for this book, and I really enjoyed reading about all the different ways art fraud could be committed. It also allowed for a number of unique and compelling mysteries, and readers will enjoy seeing the diverse outcomes that result from these cases. I also enjoyed the various discussions about art that permeated the book’s narrative. Archer is obviously very passionate and knowledgeable about classic artworks and antiquities, and this shines through in his writing. I am hoping that this focus on art will continue in future books of the William Warwick series, as it really helped set this book apart from some other historical mystery series.

The focus on the art world in Nothing Ventured also allowed Archer to introduce a great antagonist in the form of Miles Faulkner. Faulkner is a criminal mastermind who specialises in crimes involving art and is the bane of the Arts and Antiquities squad. Faulkner is a great gentleman-thief character, who is in many ways quite similar to Warwick, especially when it comes to his love and appreciation of artistic works. However, unlike Warwick, he uses his knowledge for his own benefit and is a fantastic master criminal. I really enjoyed the various ways that Faulkner was able to outsmart the police in this book, and he proved to be a worthy opponent to Warwick and his colleagues. The reveal of the true depths of Faulkner’s intelligence and deviousness in the last sentence of the book is masterfully done and Archer is clearly setting the character up as one of the major antagonists of this series. I look forward to seeing him return in future entries in this series, and I am sure he will continue to be a great villain.

Readers should also keep an eye out for the chapters in which Archer splits the focus between two separate events occurring at the exact same time. This is done a couple of times throughout the course of the book, and these split chapters are a lot of fun to read. They are mostly done to highlight the differences between two similar events happening in different areas; for example, showing two different police operations occurring at the same time, or two unrelated court cases with implications for the protagonist that are running in separate court rooms. The inclusion of these simultaneous events was done really cleverly in places, and it resulted in a couple of amazing and compelling chapters which I felt were some of the book’s best scenes. I hope that Archer continues to utilise this writing technique in the future books of this series, as it was a true highlight of Nothing Ventured.

Jeffrey Archer has once again created a thrilling and intriguing novel that focuses on the life of an English protagonist in a historical fiction setting. Nothing Ventured is the compelling first instalment of a crime fiction series with some real potential. Within this first book of the William Warwick series, Archer has come up with an intriguing life story to follow, introducing some great characters and producing some captivating mysteries and criminals that readers will love to unravel in future books. The massive planned William Warwick series should ensure Archer remains one of the bestselling historical fiction authors for the next eight years, and I look forward to seeing how the career and life of the titular main character progresses in the next instalment of the series.

Amazon