Pan Be Careful What You Wish For

Although I feared that this volume, like its predecessor, would be another bullet pointed resume in the lives of the Barringtons and Cliftons, I am pleased to say that it wasn't quite as bad.Yes, there were a lot of short scenes which skipped through a lot of time, but Archer did spend time on the things that were important to this volume - the vendetta Martinez has against the family and the blossoming of Jessica Clifton.I got really absorbed in this volume and so, when the emotional scenes came, I was fully engaged and felt the heartache Archer wanted me to feel.I cannot say any more as it will give away the story, so I'll finish by saying that Archer certainly knows how to end a volume on a cliff hanger!!Despite it being 1am when I finished this, I jumped out of bed and grabbed the next volume - Mightier than the Sword - as I just had to know the outcome otherwise I wouldn't have slept. Damn you Archer for the bags under my eyes!

Nobody could claim that Jeffrey Archer is one of the literary greats, but his writing is at least literate (more than could be said of many best-selling novelists, who clearly feel that a verb in each sentence is optional) and above all else he is a story teller. The story is always compelling and he makes you care about the characters (another optional aspect for booker prize short-listers). The only downside about this Clifton series is that the end of each book is abrupt and unsatisfactory. The truth is this is not a series of books; it is one massive book cut into seven (eventually) volumes. Basically, you either read the lot, or leave them all alone. Good for profits, but not good practice (there I go: no verb in that "sentence"!).Cheers Alan

I purchased Jeffrey's first novel in the Clifton Chronicles whilst on holiday last month (this is the second book Only Time Will Tell was the first) and I could not put it down, consequently I purchased this one Be Careful What You Wish For, and again, only half-way through and it's the same, difficult to put down. A truly remarkable read. In order for me not to miss the full saga I purchased the next novel The Best Kept Secret too. What a lovely lovely story, would fully recommend.

I thought this was going to be the last book in The Clifton Chronicles so having reached the end of Be Careful What You Wish For - once again a cliff hanger - I just can't wait to get the 5th book to find out what happens next. Jeffrey Archer really can spin a very good yarn and I have recommended this latest saga to a number of my friends. I am very familiar with Bristol as it was in the 1960s and the surrounding areas so this makes the series come even more alive for me.

I have read with enthusiasm all of Archer's Clifton Chronicles so far ... The danger is that they can become a bit staid and predictable, which is the case with this one. What began as a winning formula, is, in my humble opinion losing its appeal. There are too many other books to read on the market and I don't think I need to read any more of these.Archer is such a good story teller - please keep your stories coming!