This Was a Man

Book excerpt: The seventh and final volume in Jeffrey Archer’s New York Times bestselling Clifton Chronicles series, This Was a Man, brings the epic saga of the Clifton family’s love, loss, and ambition to a dazzling conclusion. Harry Clifton’s story began in 1920, as a dock worker in England, and now he is set to write his magnum opus. As he reflects on his days, the lives of his family continue to unfold, unravel, and intertwine in ways no one could have imagined . . . Harry’s wife Emma, who just completed her time at the Bristol Royal Infirmary, receives a surprise call from Margaret Thatcher. Meanwhile, Giles Barrington discovers a shocking truth about his wife, Karin. Sebastian Clifton becomes chairman of Farthings Kaufman bank, but only after Hakim Bishara’s abrupt resignation. Sebastian’s daughter Jessica is expelled from school, but her aunt Grace comes to the rescue. And Lady Virginia, who is set to flee the country to avoid her creditors, finds an opportunity to clear her debts after the Duchess of Hertford dies—and a way to finally trump the Cliftons and Barringtons.