There were a couple of uncomfortable moments for me (but then I got over myself...) when the story wove around characters who were real people and members of the British Royal Family, with one behaving very indiscreetly! On a luxury liner en route to New York, the battle for power at the heart of a wealthy dynasty is about to turn to murder. This sounds all wonderful and intruiging and Archer is still someone who knows how to captivate the reader, but I thought the whole book a little unbalanced. I don’t want to give away spoilers, but certain parts of the story seemed not to have anything to do with other parts. The timing looked a bit off because I expected certain parts of the story to be in other places, and there were sometimes too many repetitions of facts and figures and storylines. My thanks to HarperCollins and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of Next in Line.

But why choose a banker as your cover?' asked the young man. 'Because I have the feeling you wouldn't know the difference between a spreadsheet and a balance sheet.' ABOUT 'NEXT IN LINE': London, 1988. Royal fever sweeps the nation as Britain falls in love with the ‘people’s princess’. The Tower of London is one of the most securely protected places in the world - it has to be, as it houses the reigning Monarch’s Crown Jewels, used every year at the State opening of Parliament.Exited as I was over having been approved for ‘a new Archer’, I must admit I’m a little disappointed now. I’m not in the habit of copying blurb texts in my review, but this time I will.

I kept asking myself if a criminal mastermind would really expend so much time, effort and money on bringing down a few people rather than jetting off to the sun to enjoy his freedom? But again, there'd be no book without Faulkner sitting on a chair, stroking a white cat mumbling "mwah ha hah". Estate agent, car salesman, and funeral director. All of which we were fairly confident wouldn't be followed by never ending questions.' In London, the Metropolitan Police have set up a new Unsolved Murders Unit to catch the criminals nobody else can. Four victims. Four cases. All killers poised to strike again. In Geneva, millionaire art collector Miles Faulkner, convicted of forgery and theft was pronounced dead two months ago. So why is his unscrupulous lawyer still representing a dead client? And who is the mysterious man his widow is planning to marry? So suspend your disbelief, enjoy the ride. It's an easy read, it's fast paced and there's even a bit of Tower of London history thrown in to keep you interested.You know what you're getting with such an established writer. The writing (editing?) is occasionally a bit sloppy, but who cares when the story is full of thrills and fun? Recommended escapism or palate-cleansing.

After graduating from university, William begins a career that will define his life: from his early months on the beat under the watchful eye of his first mentor, Constable Fred Yates, to his first high-stakes case as a fledgling detective in Scotland Yard’s arts and antiquities squad. Investigating the theft of a priceless Rembrandt painting from the Fitzmolean Museum, he meets Beth Rainsford, a research assistant at the gallery who he falls hopelessly in love with, even as Beth guards a secret of her own that she’s terrified will come to light. The last Archer I read was Kane and Abel. I have to say the style seems remarkably similar from then to now despite an interval of 40 years. However I suppose when you're as popular as Mr Archer why change a winning formula? Enter one of the standout characters of the novel, young (and extremely affluent, want-to-be FBI agent) James Buchanan, the grandson of the ship's owner, Fraser Buchanan - who unexpectedly dies aboard. In that case,' continued the young man, not looking convinced, 'you'll be able to tell me what the exchange rate was between the dollar and the pound when the currency market opened this morning.' Impenetrable. Well protected. Secure. Home to the most valuable jewels on earth. But once a year, when the Queen attends the State Opening of Parliament, the Metropolitan Police must execute the most secret operation in their armory as they transport the Crown Jewels across London.

Detective William Warwick #5

William looked up at the young man who'd asked the question. 'No, I'm the assistant manager of the Midland Bank in Shoreham, Kent.' Next in Line doesn't disappoint if you're a Jeffrey Archer fan, or even if you are reading him for the first time. It has all the elements of clever plotting, multiple threads which twine into each other to provide the reader with a well crafted and layered read. THE UNPUTDOWNABLE THRILLER FROM THE BESTSELLING AUTHOR OF THE CLIFTON CHRONICLES – PERFECT FOR FANS OF KEN FOLLET, JOHN GRISHAM and DANIEL SILVA Many thanks to Harper 360/HarperCollins for the opportunity to read Next in Line in advance of its publication.