Book info

• Title Only Time Will Tell
• Author Jeffrey Archer
• Year 2011
• Genre Historical

It is 1920, and against the backdrop of a world ravaged by conflict, Harry’s story begins with the words ‘I was told that my father was killed in the war’. Harry’s existence is defined by the death of his father and he seems destined to a life on the docks until a remarkable gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys school and entry into a world he could never have envisaged. Over the course of twenty years, as the Second World War and the fight against Hitler draws nearer, Harry will learn the awful truth about his father’s death and of his own connections to a powerful shipping family, the Barringtons. And in doing so, he will change his destiny forever...

Thoughts

It’s exactly because of the recommendations given to me for this book series that I have been reluctant to start - a proper page turner that you can’t put down, is how it was described to me and boy was that an accurate description.

In Archer’s traditional style, we’re following the pre-war exploits of two families, linked in a top secret and inextricable way, plus their surrounding friends and acquaintances. The story gets off to a slow start, but gradually picks up the pace, and the way it is structured adds to that.

Each main character gets a section told from their point of view, and when the next character takes over, they just catch you up to the current day from their side of things before forging ahead. Initially, I found it odd to be dipping back in time and reading the same stuff again, but as each character takes over, you get more and more information.

I’m not used to books ending on such a cliffhanger, but as this was always intended to be a multi-part series, it’s not a surprise. What a cliffhanger it is, too, I can’t wait to read the next one.

Rating: 4 / 5