Nothing Ventured

By: Jeffrey Archer

Narrated by: George Blagden

This is not a detective story, this is a story about the making of a detective....

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.

After graduating from university, William begins a career that will define his life: from his early months on the beat under the watchful eye of his first mentor, Constable Fred Yates, to his first high-stakes case as a fledgling detective in Scotland Yard’s arts and antiquities squad. Investigating the theft of a priceless Rembrandt painting from the Fitzmolean Museum, he meets Beth Rainsford, a research assistant at the gallery who he falls hopelessly in love with, even as Beth guards a secret of her own that she’s terrified will come to light.

While William follows the trail of the missing masterpiece, he comes up against suave art collector Miles Faulkner and his brilliant lawyer, Booth Watson QC, who are willing to bend the law to breaking point to stay one step ahead of William. Meanwhile, Miles Faulkner’s wife, Christina, befriends William, but whose side is she really on?

Nothing Ventured heralds the start of a brand new series in the style of Jeffrey Archer’s number one New York Times best-selling Clifton Chronicles: telling the story of the life of William Warwick - as 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 reveal that William Warwick is destined to become one of Jeffrey Archer’s most enduring legacies.

©2019 Jeffrey Archer (P)2019 Macmillan Digital Audio

BRILLIANT and fast

Nothing too complicated here - just good old fashion British - Scotland Yard police work. I think the best description comes from the author when he says "...this is not a Detective Story, it is a story about a Detective." Indeed it is. This is a book that introduces William Warwick, budding Metropolitan Police Force constable - from his rookie years learning on the street through his appointment to the Arts and Antiques Squad at Scotland Yard and his first few cases there. All of the action takes place in the early 1980's in a simpler yet more complicated time time pre-cell phone and pre-computer everything.
Super well narrated and brilliantly written, the story makes you cheer for Warwick, like his friends and family, and understand his determination to get the bad guys. The crimes themselves are intricate and well done with plausible detail and solid solutions... or ... just maybe not the solution you thought. Well done. Fun Read.

Thoroughly enjoyed the book

It was a great story with lots of twists until the very end. Very well written and performed. Can’t wait for Jeffrey Archer’s next book.

Archer never disappoints

A long favorite author .... great characters, storylines and can’t-put-down pace action! Onto the next book!

Wonderful!

Kept me engaged and looking for more throughout entire story. Narrator was clear and voices were nicely delineated. Story had a very real human side to it. sometimes the comments/conversations felt ad if you were there in person.

Loved it!!!

An enthralling and delightful start to a series.

Author Jeffrey Archer’s Book 1 in this series is an incredible listen and narrator George Blagden is perfectly paired with Archer. Not your usual detective story, I found this one informative as it is filled with knowledge, insight and the particulars of this coveted profession. Blagden’s incredible, perfect vocal and on-point tones are rare and unique, something I truly admire. Main character William Warwick proves to be quite the apt detective. Archer brings us romance, humor, infidelity, art forgery and more. Well worth a credit; I was lucky to purchase this for $5, a true value. Awaiting Book 2 with anticipation. High praise, indeed, to both Archer and Blagden, as well as Audible for serving up this extraordinary series.
Highly recommended with 🍒 🍒 🍒 on top.
✍🏻👏🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟👏✍🏻

LOVED IT!

loved the narration...loved that it was a nicely interesting story and didn’t have to use sex or filthy language to tell it.
on to the next title by jeffrey archer!

good, but not up to the Clifton series...yet

somewhat shallow characters for Sir Jeffrey, but given its the start of a series, it may well develop into the Clifton Chronicles panache. He has a ways to go to reach this level, hopefully subsequent books bring a deeper plot and more character development. the story was enjoyable, although narration was somewhat bland. I'll certainly give the series one more instalment, but am hoping for more/better, in line with some of Jeffrey's past great listens!

Nothing Ventured

Slow start. As is often the case, the last couple of chapters was much better. Not my favorite Archer book.

Great book

Really enjoyed listening to the book and would recommend it to all. And the narrator was also brilliant.

Gripping

I hope this series keeps going. I couldn’t stop listening. Spent an entire day taking my phone from room to room. On to book 2.