This is a good holiday read. The story keeps moving and I really wanted to get to the end. It has an interesting last sentence, explaining some of the veiled hints from earlier in the book. I felt that, even if I hadn't known who the author was , I would have recognised the style in the first chapter. It reads very much as all the other Jeffrey Archer stories with a main character who is amazingly intelligent and principled. Some of the themes of the story are predictable and also difficult to believe - but wholly believable and to be expected in an Archer story.
I recommend it

Jeffrey Archer is one of the best of the current story tellers, he keeps me interested up to the last page, although I found this book a little confusing. The story starts in the USSR before the war when times were very difficult and the KGB had spies everywhere. Sacha/Alexander Karpenko’s father wants to start a trade union, for this the KGB arrange his death. His mother Elena, who works as a cook decides that they should take a risk and escape Russia. The dangerous escape is arranged by a close member of their family. When they get to the docks there are two crates, one going to Boston the other going to London. They must choose which crate to stow away in. This is the greatest decision of their lives, theIr future depends on this. The story continues from there, I read this book in two days as I needed to know what happens.

Heads You Win

For decades, I avoided reading anything written by Jeffery Archer. But I was sucked in by the epic Clifton chronicles. I had to put aside my prejudice and recognise that he's a fine storyteller. OK, it's not great literature, but his plotting is skilled, the characters are diverse and there are always plenty of twists and turns. It's great escapist reading and Heads You Win follows that tradition.

The story opens in Russia where the KGB kill a dock worker keen to start a Trade Union. His family flee to start a new life. I initially thought there was a misprint as the story followed the same characters, but with different choices. Once I realised, it was seamless and flowed well and it turns into a gripping saga covering some 30 years of events.

This is Archer still at the top of his storytelling game. I was lost in the adventure, I kept reading long after I should have been sleeping and the related very short chapters encourage you to read just one more! It's slightly formulaic, but it's a formula that works. Exciting, tense, unexpected turn of plot and I really enjoyed it.

My thanks to the publisher for a review copy via Netgalley

Heads you win begins in Leningrad Russia in 1968, Alexander Karpankov's father has been murdered by the KGB for trying to form a trade union in the dockyards, in great danger Alexander and his mother must flee the country, they are smuggled out via the docks where they must make a decision whether to flee on a boat going to Britain or one going to New York, this they do by the toss of a coin.
I must admit to being a little confused until I realised Mr Archer was giving us the outcomes of both sides of the coin.
A well crafted and entertaining story but I am unable to write my main quibble with this book without giving any spoilers, there were no great dramas and I felt there could have been more differences in at least one side of the coin. I can't say the ending came as any surprise but that did not effect my reading enjoyment.
My thanks to net galley and publisher for opportunity to review this book.

Jeffery Archer books always fall into the marmite category of you either love the book or hate it. This one defies that by falling into the I’ve read this before category.
I can’t say I didn’t enjoy the book but it just felt like I was reading something I had read in the past. No it’s not a rip off or a copy of anything in particular, it’s just not very original.
It’s sliding doors meets anything by Len Deightons, or Robert Ludlum