Best Kept Secret

The Clifton Chronicles, Book 3

By: Jeffrey Archer

Narrated by: Alex Jennings

Length: 11 hrs and 15 mins

Publisher's summary

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Jeffrey Archer, the Clifton Chronicles continues with Best Kept Secret.

1945, London. The vote in the House of Lords as to who should inherit the Barrington family fortune has ended in a tie. The Lord Chancellor's deciding vote will cast a long shadow on the lives of Harry Clifton and Giles Barrington. Harry returns to America to promote his latest novel, while his beloved Emma goes in search of the little girl who was found abandoned in her father's office on the night he was killed. When the general election is called, Giles Barrington has to defend his seat in the House of Commons and is horrified to discover who the Conservatives select to stand against him. But it is Sebastian Clifton, Harry and Emma's son, who ultimately influences his uncle's fate.

In 1957, Sebastian wins a scholarship to Cambridge, and a new generation of the Clifton family marches onto the page. But after Sebastian is expelled from school, he unwittingly becomes caught up in an international art fraud involving a Rodin statue that is worth far more than the sum it raises at auction. Does he become a millionaire? Does he go to Cambridge? Is his life in danger? Best Kept Secret, the third volume in Jeffrey Archer's bestselling series, will answer all these questions but, once again, pose so many more.

©2013 Jeffrey Archer (P)2013 Macmillan Audio

Critic reviews

“Alex Jennings and Emilia Fox's dual narration captures a range of intriguing characters and a variety of English accents…the narrators' polished performance of the family's escapades keeps the listener engaged.” —AudioFile Magazine

“Archer's storytelling combines history, romance and intrigue, and the audiobook is outstandingly read by Alex Jennings and Emilia Fox.” —Inside Jersey

“[Archer's] well-drawn characters are outstandingly portrayed by readers Alex Jennings and Emilia Fox.” —The Star-Ledger

Archer continues to amaze me !!

Jeffrey Archer continues to amaze me through his talent and the Intrigue in this chronicle!!. A must-read!!

Below Expectations

Each of Mr Archer’s books after Kane and Abel never seem meet the high standard he set for himself or my expectation.

Oh no!! ... a nail biting ending

This was my reaction at the end of this 3rd installment! The story is well written, and the narrator did an admirable job. I still prefer the male narrator from the first book, but I am now accustomed to Mr. Jennings.

This book focuses more on Sebastian Clifton as he finishes high school and prepares for college at Cambridge University. There is intrigue with the Barringtons, and two villains, one from the past, and a very influential Spanish money mogul. The intrigue takes Harry and Sebastian to Argentina and back to London.
But what....oh no...! The ending will leave you gasping in horror and wonder. I can’t say more. Thankfully the 4th book is available to find out what happens...

Unexpectedly captivated - and captured

I was surprised to have become captivated by the first and by the subsequent Harry Clifton interconnected volumes. The books were on my "e bookshelf" for seven years as I had never read any of Jeffrey Archer's works. As I told my sister, a voracious reader, when recommending them to her, I don't think I could say anything in the way of describing them that I'm sure would be so compelling to me that I would immediately want to start the Clifton story - an extended story. All I could say is that I "could not put them down.". (My versions are audio, which embarrasses me to say as I'm old enough to have some "purist" tendencies and continue to think I should be reading hardback versions.)

Poor U.S. Research

This book is more entertaining than #2 in the series. Some day British authors will realize how different California is from New York or Washington D.C. However, anyone in the U.S. Knows that Stanford University is not in Los Angeles, and the idea of an extended learning degree in the 1950's is laughable. The list of huge mistakes goes on and on. It is a fun series if you can grit your teeth for the "American" accents. The narrator is great otherwise.

Another success

From time to time I read a work that does not live up to expectations. This has never occurred with Archer. Another success.

I enjoyed this book !

After reading the reviews I was in 2 minds wether to purchase this book or not as I had so enjoyed the first 2 books
And it seemed many were not happy with book 3.

I am so glad I did I found it a great read not quite like the first 2 but it has its own tempo and the narrator is amazing I feel he adds so much to this series , granted the plot is sort of rehashed in some ways , but still i am enjoying it and will keep going with book 4 and 5.

Shades of a soapie...

What did you like best about Best Kept Secret? What did you like least?

Seriously - I've read and listened to a lot of JA stories. The Clifton Series could have been his magnum opus. Instead it was spun out into a story version of a tv series. Poor. Poor. Poor.

What does Alex Jennings bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

The spoken performance is very good. He does slip accenting on a few occasions but it's not a huge distraction.

Was Best Kept Secret worth the listening time?

Nope

Worst ending ever!

This "trilogy" showed such promise but died somewhere in the second book. I agree with some other listeners that characters were not sufficiently developed and the book ended more abruptly than any book I've ever read. Very disappointed.

Clifton Chronicles Book 3

Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?

Yes. The interactions between the characters keeps the reader focused.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Harry Clifton's ability to grow and improve himself without losing the sense of his roots is compelling.

Which scene was your favorite?

The courtroom scene dealing with the inheritance of the title

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Actually I wanted it to go on forever. When is the next one to be released?