A beautifully penned story which is not only captivating, but is mesmerizing as well. At times one wonders how Jeffrey Archer manages to do it time and again with each new novel of his. The plot has enough twist and turns, never does it get dull or lose its pace, never is there a moment when reader can say oh I thought so, it's so well laid out and written that keeping the book down is a mighty task in itself. The wait of a year for this book to launch was worth it.
The story begins where we were all left hanging at the edge, with a Bomb blast happening at the maiden voyage of the luxury cruise liner Buckingham, with all of Barringtons and Cliftons aboard the ship. Soon the mystery unfolds as to how Harry, Giles and Emma manage to get the bomb off the ship seconds before it explodes, thereby leading to no casualities. Plot moves forward with Emma having to hide the truth about the bomb explosion from the public, as it would only Berlin Bezirke gather negative publicity and their might be an investigation launched.
Sebastian on the other hand is making a good name of his own in Farthing's Bank and is all set to lead it but Adrian Sloane is trying real hard to remove him from competition. Sebastian who has immersed himself in work is lonely at the personal front, will he ever get his love back in his life?
The story brings the focus back to Harry Clifton, when he launches a new campaign for the release of a fellow author, Anatoly Babakov and puts his own life in danger not once but at a couple of places. His loyalty, faith and memory are put to test many a times and he always emerges victorious. But will he manage to sneak out the only copy of the book and get it published?
Giles is now a minister and wants to go to the higher office, when he makes a personal mistake which could very well cause him his career. But does it or does he manage to get out of it, unharmed?
There is a lot to look forward to in this book and in the end you are again left wondering what happens next to the Clifton family, will they manage to survive the test of time or crumble at last? The book is absolutely a thriller to read and every page offers something fresh and unique to offer. A must read for all Archer fans!