The Sins of the Father (Clifton Chronicles) (urspr publ 2012; utgåvan 2012)

In the second book of the Clifton Chronicles, young Harry Clifton is looking forward to a future with his true love, Emma Barrington. That is, until a family secret tears them apart and Harry escapes into the merchant marine, where he's now presumed dead. The reader knows Harry isn't dead. He conveniently took on the identity of a dead man and upon arrival in New York was immediately arrested for that man's crimes.

Meanwhile, back in England, Emma becomes convinced Harry is still alive, leaves her son with Harry's mother, Maisie, and heads for New York to follow up on her hunch. Her brother, Giles Barrington is fighting at Tobruk, where we meet one of his old enemies, currently his commander.

This is pure melodrama and if you're a fan I urge you to start with the first book of the series, Only Time Will Tell. Fortunately, I am able to suspend disbelief when I'm reading and am totally hooked. I've already picked up the third book, Best Kept Secret. Be advised, this series is really one long book, each ending with a cliffhanger. I'm grateful there are five others published so I won't have to wait to find out what happens next.
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Harry Clifton, aufgewachsen bei den Hafendocks in Bristol, und Giles Barrington, Nachkömmling einer großen Schifffahrt-Dynastie, verbindet seit ihrer Jugend eine tiefe Freundschaft. Aus der Enge des Arbeitermilieus hat Harry es auf eine Eliteschule geschafft und steht als junger Mann jetzt an der Seite seiner großen Liebe Emma, der Schwester von Giles. Mit dem Eintritt Englands in den Zweiten Weltkrieg 1939 werden die Schicksale beider Familien erschüttert. Giles gerät in Kriegsgefangenschaft und Harry verschlägt es von Bristol nach New York, wo er eines Mordes angeklagt und verhaftet wird. Emma, macht sich auf, um den Mann zu retten, den sie liebt ...

This is the second book in the series, and it is NOT a stand-alone. The Clifton Chronicles are, as you may have guessed, a series of books about generations of the Clifton family. This one spans the period of WWII and it was interesting to see it from both the European and American sides.

This book may be kind of sappy, (it's DEFINITELY sappy as compared to my normal reading), and all the characters are pretty much black or white, there are no grays here. That said, I found it to be great fun and I will be continuing on with the series. ( )

If there were 10 stars, I would have given it 10 stars. LOVE the characters in this trilogy.. can't wait for the final book... ( )

The Clifton Chronicles book #2

In this sequel to “Only Time Will Tell”, Mr. Archer continues the Clifton Chronicles with a plot-driven story that begins hastily with Harry Clifton in prison detailing his experiences after he had switched identities with Lt. Tom Bradshaw who died when his ship was sunk by a U-boat. Mr. Archer is a canny and experienced author that has made his sequel complete in itself without the benefit of what has happened before. Harry’s backstory really didn’t matter although I am glad to have read the first installment. I think it is always preferable to read series in sequence in order to understand the characters’ connections and what sparked the chain of events that follows.

The story spans the years of World War 11 with the family drama of the Cliftons and the Barringtons continuing at top speed. This is an attention grabber from the start plunging us into the action, shifting points of views between 5 characters and peeling layers after layers of the story in every chapter. The narrative is divided into sections by character and we follow each one as the years move on during the war. All are strongly connected to Harry, the central character. The war is at the forefront and we have a few combat scenes which are vividly described and exciting. While, back in England the other characters are caught up in their own melodrama. It is quite captivating to follow them.

Mr. Archer puts a cunning twist in the very last paragraph…and, yes, we're left with another cliff-hanger, right at the end, as we're awaiting a decision from the House of Lords…..

Well now I need to read “Best Kept Secret” and not wait a year to do so…..I am curious to see what will come out of this family drama. ( )