Nothing Ventured

By: Jeffrey Archer

Narrated by: George Blagden

Length: 9 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's summary

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

A very pleasant surprise!!

I had real doubts about starting another series by Jeffrey Archer for two reasons; The first reason is that Archer is 79 years old so the outlook for him completing a series is questionable (I'm 76 years old so I should be safe making that comment). The second reason concerns Archer's Clifton Chronicles series which was to be a trilogy but ended up being a seven book series released during 6 years. The first six novels in The Clifton Chronicles ended in life or death cliffhangers of one or more major characters.

The very pleasant surprise about Nothing Ventured, Book 1 in the William Warwick series, is that it is a very, very good standalone novel which does not end in a life or death cliffhanger. I'm very happy that I purchased and listened to it. The genre is modern detective and it also has elements of a legal thriller.

The narrator George Blagden who I had never heard of. He does a great job but he could be better with female voices.

I purchased Nothing Ventured because of Audible's book return policy because I expected not to like the novel because I feared a major cliffhanger. I will not be returning it!

Still a great Storyteller

I work from home so I don’t have as much time in the car as I used to to listen to Audible books. I found myself sitting in parking lots and driving the long way around, just to keep listening. Jeffery Archer is still one of the great storytellers of our time

A must read!

Great Book Mr. Archer! What a refreshing read. No sex or graphic killing needed. Brings the reader back to a time that is missed.

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.

Nothing Ventured Indeed nothing gained.

I am an avid fan of Jeffrey Archer. I have read the entire Chilton Cronicals series. The series taught me a lot of history. I was excited to see that the author was staring a new series. The main character needed to be stronger in order to want to want to follow him to the next book. The performance was substandard. All the characters sounded the same. This might be an okay book for a beginner Archer reader but not for me.

Another fun read by Jeffrey Archer

This book is not too heavy, not too dramatic ... just fun in a well written and well narrated package. Can’t go wrong with a Jeffrey Archer book!

Love the twist and fantastic narration

Narration is always key to audio books. You can have a fantastic story so easily ruined by a narrator who can’t connect. George Blagden is fantastic. The story was great! It painted a beautiful picture of the making of a great detective and a villain that seems will still plague him despite the ending. I really adored this book and would recommend it. But again. It’s not a detective story but the story of a detective. So be prepared.

William Warwick does not disappoint.

Absolutely love Jeffrey Archer! He always has a twist...loved the ending. I look forward to more adventures with William Warwick!

Hopefully start of another great Archer series!

Look forward to the next installment of this new Archer series. Excellent narrator, absorbing story line and likeable characters....ingredients for quality and enjoyable read. Highly Recommend!

Couldn't put it down!

Finely interwoven story with clandestine plot and very believable characters...

George Blagden does a great job with all of the various voices and even does a good job with the American accents.

Can't wait for the next book, especially with the clue left in the last sentence of the book.