Introduction

Nothing Ventured heralds the start of a brand-new series in the style of Jeffrey Archer’s #1 New York Times bestselling Clifton Chronicles: introducing Detective William Warwick. But this is not a detective story, this is a story about the making of a detective. The novel was originally published on 3rd September,2019.

About the Author

Jeffrey Howard Archer is an English novelist, life peer and former politician. His work includes novels and short stories such as Kane and Abel & A prisoner of Birth. He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction, short stories, and non-fiction.

Storyline of The Novel

Jeffery Archer starts a new series of books that entails the story of a detective choirboy who fights the city crime against all odds. This new series introduces William Warwick, a family man and a detective who will battle throughout his career against a powerful criminal nemesis. Through twists, triumph and tragedy, this series will show that William Warwick is destined to become one of Jeffrey Archer’s most enduring legacies.

William Warwick has always wanted to be a detective, and decides, much to his father’s dismay, that rather than become a lawyer like his father, Sir Julian Warwick QC, and his sister Grace, he will join London’s Metropolitan Police Force. William Warwick after graduation from Kings’ college reveal to his father, sir Julian Warwick, that he wants to be a copper and has no intention to serve Her Majesty’s court. Under the attentive mentorship of Fred Yates, William begins his life on the beat. After some eighteen months on the beat, William becomes a neophyte detective in Scotland Yard’s Arts and Antiquities squad where one of his cases involves the hunt for a Rembrandt painting stolen some seven years earlier from the Fitzmoleon Museum. His career, both with the Met and with Scotland Yard, will define his life. On his journey to Scotland yard’s William is assigned tasks of Investigating the theft of Rembrandt painting. During his chase of the Rembrandt, he meets the love of his life and the Fitzmolean Museum’s gallery assistant Beth Rainsford. While putting the clues together he comes across a self-styled farmer and suave art collector Miles Faulkner, his friend and lawyer Booth Watson, and Christina (Miles’s wife). Along with the story Christina befriends William and Beth but on whose side is she on, remains a suspense.  

Analysis of The Storyline

The book starts with William revealing to his father that he’ll not be working in his chambers instead he’s interested in becoming a cop and would like to pursue the same. The author carves the character of William as honest, loyal, and hardworking. We fellow him from his childhood to becoming a successful & ambitions cop. He joins the beat at Scotland yard under the mentorship of Fred Yates who with his oft-repeated pearls of wisdom taught valuable lessons which were far more useful than MET’s handbook. Soon William was assigned to the task of finding a precious/expensive painting on his journey. The book takes you through various twists in the plot which keeps the readers on the edge of their seats. Through the story, each character grows both in their personal and professional lives as well. The end of the book is the lead into its next part “Hidden in Plain Sight”, after a series of twist and turn in the story the Rembrandt finally hangs in Fitzmolean with another prestigious painting named Rubens. The author leaves the reader with a bit of a surprise when the conman Miles invites Constable Warwick to his New York’s apartment “Should you ever find yourself in New York, do give me a call because I would like to invite you round to my apartment to show you the Originals”.

Criticism of The Storyline

Serving as the inaugural book for a new series, “Nothing Ventured” is a genial introduction to William Warwick. With likable characters and some interesting twists in the plot, the narrative keeps the reader’s interest. Throughout the telling of the tale, William grows, both in his career and in his personal life. And then there’s the ending that, while certainly designed to serve as a lead-in to the next book in the series, is sure to leave readers wondering why, given the circumstances, Miles Faulkner would ever voluntarily make such a comment to William. It seems completely out of character for a suave, clever, resourceful man.

Conclusion

The book takes us through the story of a detective, Courtroom, Museum and Conman. The storyline is well rounded with good narratives and less paragraph chunks. Any reader of The Clifton Chronicles will remember Harry Clifton’s work as an author and creator of William Warwick, now Archer has brought Warwick and those books to life by writing them.