Be Careful What You Wish For: A Novel (The Clifton Chronicles) Hardcover – March 11, 2014

Certainly the most vast of the Clifton Chronicles where characters and story-lines are concerned, Be Careful What You Wish For is a magnificent read. The introduction of various characters and stories in this book and the previous book of the series resulted in lower focus on individual characters, but alternatively greater focus on the Clifton and Barrington clans as a whole. One notable point is that this book is the darkest in the series, with the concept of 'justice for the wronged innocent' not being pushed through. It could be argued, however that this merely allows the story to remain consistent in that the Clifton Chronicles are not a tale of triumph, but rather a tale of exemplary individuals overcoming the challenges created by evil men in a world where evil men can do harm.Ultimately, this was a very interesting story and it ended with me longing for the next one in the series. It also ended with me confirming what I had suspected for about a decade - Jeffrey Archer is probably my favorite writer.

Those of you who have read the first three books in the series (you should read them in order) will know that at the end of each one Archer leaves you with a cliffhanger (I call them "Clifton" hangers) of an ending so you have to wait on tenterhooks for the next book in the series to be released find the answer. At the end of the last book ("Best Kept Secret") we were left wondering if Sebastian Clifton or his best friend Bruno had been killed in a fatal car accident. I would like to tell you what happens but can't do so because the outcome is important to the plot of this book.Harry is getting used to being a best-selling author of detective novels both sides of the Atlantic. Emma is becoming increasingly involved with the decision of the Board of the Barrington Shipping Company to build a luxury liner, the MV Buckingham, at a time when Transatlantic air travel is becoming the normal mode of business travel. Sir Giles Barrington MP is becoming a more important member of the Shadow Cabinet and is planning to marry again after his disastrous marriage to Lady Virginia Fenwick. Harry and Emma's adopted daughter, Priscilla grows up to become a very talented artist but has never been told the real secret of her birth.In the previous book the Cliftons foil Don Pedro Martinez's efforts to import a huge amount of near-perfect Nazi counterfeit five pound notes hidden in a Rodin statue. Martinez's vendetta to destroy the Cliftons and Barringtons is central to this book. This time he is ably supported by his sons, a former SS officer, Karl Lunsdorf and the IRA. He also uses the notorious Major Alex Fisher (who bullied Giles and Harry at school and nearly got Giles killed at Tobruk) as his proxy on the Board of Barrington Shipping to destroy the firm's plans to build the new luxury liner. Giles' ex wife Lady Virginia Fenwick, is still around and always happy to add her particular brand of poison to the family fortunes.All of this makes the foundation for exciting times in the lives of the Cliftons and Barringtons. While most of the characters were in the previous book, Archer adds a couple of interesting and influential new ones. Cedric Hardcastle is a dour and successful owner of a Yorkshire based Merchant Bank who becomes a member of the Board of Barrington Shipping and has to decide who to support to become the next chairman of the board: Emma Clifton or Major Alex Fisher? Priscilla's future father-in-law, Robert Bingham, who made his fortune as a manufacturer of fish paste, is another larger than life character who gets involved with the family fortunes.Jeffrey Archer is a consummate story-teller and this series continues to display his skills in writing easy-reading and page-turning family-based stories which twist and turn all the time. If you have read the first books in the series this is a must-read which I am sure you will enjoy. My only concern was that most of the baddies in this story are carried over from the previous one.What about the "Clifton" hanger ending? Of course there is one and you can see it building up during the latter part of the book. Of course it leaves you on tenterhooks until the next book is released in about a year. The series keeps on going and going (this one only took us from 1957 to 1964) so it seems there may still be some more Clifton Chronicles to come.

Jeffrey Archer is my favorite author; I've read virtually everything he's written. Some might think he's formulaic in his writing but to me he's one of the best page-turning authors around. He's one of the few authors whose books I keep on my shelves. The Clifton Chronicles is a great series, following family generations (the Barringtons and Cliftons) as they are born, grow, and pass on. If you've not read the three prior Clifton series books (Only Time Will Tell, Sins of the Father, and Best Kept Secret), wait on this one. If you have read them all, run to get this--you won't regret it. Archer keeps you guessing and guessing about who will succeed, fail, die or live. After reading his books, I can't wait until the next one. If you like Archer and the Clifton series, you will feel the same way at the end of Be Careful What You Wish For.

Clifton Chronicle continues on another nail-biting saga. This story had so many twists and turns that it would completely engross you till the end.

Jeffrey Archer at his best. I've read the first three in the Clifton Series. Amazing writing.

Fabulous, entertaining story line, Could not put the book down. Can’t wait for the next book. Amazing author. Must read.

De plus en plus de vrais « méchants » très dangereux. L’action est à couper le souffle et l’on souffre pour nos chères familles Barrington et Clifton. Arriveront-ils à surmonter tous les obstacles et traquenards que leurs sèment leurs ennemis ?

te tiene interesado todo el tiempo y definitivamente atraído a leer toda la colección de "Clifton Chronicles"

‘This is a cracker of a read. And quite “unputdownable”. The whole thing about Jeffrey is that he has always had the knack of producing page-turners . . . This is a tale about love, treachery, deceit, decency and good triumphing over evil. It is quite captivating . . . and just as you sit on the edge of your seat expecting all the loose ends to be tied into a neat little bow, Archer drops a bombshell in the last paragraph of the last chapter