Its celebration time as Willam Warwick and the team are back! Next In Line brings back all your favorite characters, for those of us who have followed the William Warwick series. Few things give the high that reading a Jeffrey Archer book on a lazed out, relaxed Saturday afternoon!
Next In Line conforms to the same set pattern that this series has so diligently stuck to. The ongoing story of the shrewd Miles Faulkner picks up from where it had left in Over My Dead Body. And, it continues to thread together all the books of this series. While in addition to it – just as in previous books – there is a fresh case at hand for Warwick and his team, which is unique to this book. From painting heists, drug cartels, corruption and murders, this time round they are tasked with Royalty Protection.
An interesting aspect of this book is that Jeffrey Archer has used real people with fictionalized situations. So, we find in this book – Princess Diana, Prince Charles, the Queen, Buckingham Palace, Kensigton Palace and so on. The story and situations, though they sound extremely close to reality, one can only guess that they are fictional. But whatever it might be, they make for an exhilarating read – fast paced, gripping and full of excitement.
Talking of characters, there are two that I wish to mention in particular. First, the adorable Artemisia – William’s daughter who keeps recurring in this story to add some lovable, sweet sequences that make your heart melt with her innocence. All three kids in fact are a bundle of joy. And it is so heartening to see their bond.
The second of course is the incorrigible Christina Faulkner who leaves you in splits just with her flippant nature as well as her guts. There are at least 3 instances that exemplify what a flipper she is – not to forget one where she leaves Sir Julian stranded asking for a lift as she switches sides when trying to trap Booth Watson. Hahah! The way she outwits Watson & Miles when they are trying to swindle her money leaving behind The Great Escape for Miles is probably one of the best sequences of the year for me. A most funny & enjoyable character.
Next In Line has the distinct Jeffrey Archer flair, which is what makes his avid readers love him so much. An abundant use of art, galleries, paintings – the Fitzmolean, Van Haeften, Kunstmuseum – it mirrors Sir Archers passion for art. And honestly, I love the setting of these books!
I think, one of the best things about Sir Jeffrey Archer is – plain, simple English – yet so effective which has rightfully earned him the title of The Best Storyteller Of Our Times! It just flows through – you simply ease through pages effortlessly, enjoying every bit of the plot.
And talking of the plot in itself, I think it is a winner at hands. Though all books of the Warwick Series are great, some fall a little short than the others. I felt in one of the past books that Warwick & Co. never get even with their nemesis Faulkner. It has been a Tom & Jerry chase between them. But this book is right up there – probably the best of the series thus far. The twist in the later half with the terrorists angle is gripping. And it was relieving to see Warwick’s team getting the better of Faulkner this time!
Conclusion:
This is Book #34 for me this year. I have thus read as many authors this year alone. While I have gone on to love the works of many of them and even become fond of the likes of Taylor Jenkins Reid, reading a Jeffrey Archer book is like homecoming. It feels like coming a full circle, for this is where it all started for me 🙂 Close to 2 decades back, my first novel I read was Sir Archer’s The Prodigal Daughter. And it was an instant connection that would last forever. There is a reason why he is the Master Story Teller. His books are thorough, simplistic, entertaining, inspiring, realistic – they are Jeffrey Archer! They are clean – devoid of all unnecessary raunchiness that is added these days just to make books more saleable. They are not bloated with a liberal use of slang that kind of feels “cool” these days. There is a typical flavor that an Archer book offers – be it one written decades ago, or be it one of the contemporaries. And Next In Line is no different.
For someone who has followed the series, these characters are now so familiar – they feel real. The bond they share, the confidence in each other – the way they are always taking the mickey out of Adaja – it is a lovable bunch of characters – a terrific team.
I loved this book to the core. The story is perfectly poised with the reader curious about Faulkner’s next move, Booth Watson’s fate, if Beth rejoins Fitzmolean, and so on. And until then, I would definitely recommend this book as a sure pick. Get it here. And to ones who haven’t yet read the previous books, you would surely enjoy them.
Other Books in The William Warwick Series: Hidden In Plain Sight (Jeffrey Archer) | Book Review , Over My Dead Body (Jeffrey Archer) | Book Review