Did not read this book as I was unable to download it to my mobile,

What a pity; Oh well. Lots of luck with the book

It took me a while to settle into reading this but it’s more to do with the book being the fourth in the series as I wasn’t familiar with what happened in earlier books. It’s a good read and now I want to start it from the beginning. I would like to thank the publishers and Netgalley for letting me have the book to read and the opinions expressed are entirely my own views and are completely unbiased.

I have read many Jeffrey Archer books and have always enjoyed them although I haven’t read any in the William Warwick series. Unfortunately I did not enjoy this book. I found it really old fashioned and quite wooden. The story was quite muddled ,it possibly would have been better if I had read the previous Warwick books.

What can I say? Another triumph from the master of suspense. The wonderful thing about Jeffrey Archer is that you know what you're getting when you pick up one of his books, and he never disappoints. He interweaves mystery, murder and thriller like no other, and fans will love this latest instalment of the William Warwick series.

I haven't read a Jeffrey Archer book in years. I will now have to catch up with the William Warwick books. This was a real thrill ride, not a sentence wasted in the story. What I assumed to be the main plot of the book turned out to be a bit of a side hustle. Most disconcerting! Archer is a real storyteller, maybe not high brow enough for some but this is definitely a book to take you through a long journey, a late night or a few hours on the beach. Did not want this to finish! Thank you Netgalley.

Over my Dead Body is the 4th book in a series about Detective Chief Inspector William Warwick, and is the first Jeffrey Archer book I have read. Although this particular offering is part of a longer series, this book is perfectly fine to read as a stand-alone. There’s a bit of backstory to the characters in the previous books, but nothing that can’t be figured out with what has been written here.

The novel starts with DCI Warwick on an idyllic cruise, accompanied by his wife, their first real holiday in a long time. Sadly, things don’t quite pan out the way they hope, and Warwick is dragged back to work and solving a murder on board. As the novel progresses more and more cases are opened up all centering around DCI Warwick's new cold-case team.

The Team consists of DCI Warwick, DI Ross Hogan, and a handful of other detectives; each of which has been assigned their own particular case to solve. While there was a clear distinction between DI Hogan and the role he plays throughout as the plot evolves and the rest of the team, I did find that a lot of the other characters just blended into the background. There wasn’t enough distinction between any of them to make them enjoyable or memorable. I even place the main villain, Miles Faulkner in this category as he didn’t make himself stand out for any real reasons against those that were trying to bring him to justice, despite the premise being so promising.

Each of the cases has limited appeal to them and the way the novel is stitched together feels more like a collection of short stories that was haphazardly thrown together with very little care. In the end, the solving of them felt extremely unrealistic and rushed. It feels as though these cases are meant to keep the novel bound together for the reader, to keep a rolling interest as the narrative evolves; however, rather than being successful, it’s more like the story loses its focus and becomes disjointed. At times I found myself to be rather lost with the intricacies of the characters; especially the female characters who seemed the most vacant and lacking in individuality.

There is a bit of magic at the beginning of the book when DCI Warwick is enjoying his time off work on a cruise, where something tragic happens and Warwick is the one called upon to solve a murder. This section of the book feels like a classic ‘Whodunit’ story along the lines of Agatha Christies well-known Poirot, series. The way this section of the story was handled was particularly well written and the mystery element was gripping; even the characters introduced here had a lot more strength to them than the ones introduced later on. Sadly, when the honeymoon phase of the book is over, the magic gets lost.

DI Ross Hogan is a shining star in the book, his mannerisms and the events that surround him felt like there was some conscious thought into his making. He was a character that had personality and came across as well-rounded; he had flaws as well as strengths, unlike his rather ‘too perfect’ DCI boss. It was his story that engaged me as a reader.

I adore a book that has a good, well-rounded ending and while the bones of this were present in Over my Dead Body, I do feel like the ending was rushed. Everything came together just that little bit too quickly and the final ending was abrupt. There was no sense of closure with how rapidly the book stopped, which after the break-neck speed in which everything was wrapping up felt jarring.

Sadly, I struggled with this book and didn’t feel like I could connect with any of the characters. Everything, from the overall plot to individual cases just felt dry and strangely incomplete somehow. It felt like there was a distinct lack of personality to any of it and as a result, I only ended up finishing the book due to a sense of duty to NetGalley and Harper Collins for approving me to read it.

Book Review “Over my Dead Body” By Jeffrey Archer
JUNE 28, 2021 ~
Star Rating : 5 Stars

Well what can I say about this new novel from Jeffrey Archer? Enthralling, riveting and nearly brought me to tears. A real rollercoaster read emotionally. I quickly developed an intense dislike for millionaire art dealer, Miles Faulkner. A sign of a truly well written character that evokes such strong feelings in the reader from the off.

Up and coming Met officer, DCI William Warwick heads up a new closed case squad, solving crimes that nobody seems able to solve. Warwick is joined in the unit by ex undercover Ross Hogan, who still wishes he was undercover and has a tendency to go off on his tangent, solving things in his unique way.

Faulkner has been pronounced dead but Warwick feels something may not be all that it seems as Faulkner’s unscrupulous lawyer still appears to be representing his dead client, why?

Can this new squad solve the four murder that they have been tasked with. Can they figure out what Faulkner’s Lawyer is really up too?

I finished this superb novel in a couple of days. Reading until my eyes hurt because I just didn’t want to put it down.

I would certainly recommend this gripping read. Definitely one to pre order.

Publisher : Harper Collins UK, Harperfiction

Publish Date : 14th October 2021

ISBN ; 9780008474294

Reviewed by; Niki Preston

Twitter : @nikijrp

Facebook : For The Love Of Books

Instagram : @bookwormnjp

This is my first Jeffrey Archer novel. I was very impressed.
There are plenty of different story lines to keep the reader engrossed.
A very good thriller with a touch of humour.

I had not read an Archer novel for a long time and was looking forward to reading this thriller detective-led story. It is number four in the William Warwick series, and although I had not read the previous ones, it can stand alone perfectly well.
All in all, I have enjoyed it but not as much as I was expecting as I was not properly gripped and had to force myself to give it a proper go. Loads of threads make it definitely entertaining but there is not much depth in the intricacies of the plot (of course, there are a number of surprises!). For me, the fact that it is a choral story, with loads of characters who come in and out of the narrative give it interest and clearly the story is going to be continued... I can predict that a very clever boy will grow up and appear in a future instalment (I am curious about how the story will develop!!), the same can be said of Ross or the barrister... as for the storyline in Over my Dead Body, it follows the recapturing of the maverick Miles Faulkner with a number of detours, the best of all being Ross's incursion in the East End...
A good entertainment for the summer - cinematic and fun (some of the asides were really funny!!).
With many thanks to Harper Collins via NetGalley for the advance copy.

JEFFREY ARCHER – OVER MY DEAD BODY

I read this novel in advance of publication through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I chose this novel to review because I have not read Jeffrey Archer before and his sales top 250 million copies worldwide.

I must be honest with my opinion. This is, by some considerable margin, the most lethargic, basically written, and slap-dash novel I have read so far this year. Normally I give four- and five-star reviews where they’re warranted. This I give two. And that’s being generous. Not that my rating will make a blind bit of difference to its success. Even its pre-publication cover says it’s a Number One bestseller.

The story is told mainly through dialogue which is totally unconvincing – who in real life would say things these poor characters are forced to say? I feel sorry for them. It also seems old-fashioned. Everyone is ‘retorting’ or ‘replying’ or ‘announcing’ or ‘prompting’ or ‘unable to resist a smile’. Tags even the most basic author is encouraged to avoid.

Don’t waste your time. If you want an exciting page-turner, grab yourself the latest Lisa Jewell or Cara Hunter or one of dozens of other authors. Life is too short.

For some people liking a Jeffrey Archer book is almost a criminal offence but if book snobs can put their prejudices behind them then they can experience a really good yarn that keeps you engaged. I haven't read any of the previous books but I don't think that mattered especially as I am not a fan of recurring bogey men. This could easily be made into a very entertaining film
I enjoyed the plot enormously, I liked the characters (although I would have divorced Beth had she made me eat Caesar's Salad and Consommé on a cruise without even asking me!!) Good attention to detail and I liked the humorous touches.
An excellent read and when I need some light relief again I will revisit Jeffrey and his books
I'm giving 5 stars because I enjoyed it and it certainly would be a film I would love to watch

A classic Jeffrey Archer which doesn't disappoint. This is the first Warwick novel I've read and definitely to read more. A great page turner covering murder and art theft with lots of twists to the story. Definitely to be recommended.

Another brilliant romp through Scotland Yard, the art world and the murky world of Miles Faulkner, as William Warwick attempts to finally bring him to justice.

With less emphasis on court room drama and more on crime solving, I am really hoping that we’ve come to the end of the Faulkner storyline.

As ever, Jeffrey Archer’s writing style gives you a real page turner.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Classic Jeffrey Archer. Introduction to a clever plot at the start of the book and then gracefully unravelling it with some twists and turns along the way as the story unfolds. It's almost smug - but allows the reader also to feel smug as understanding dawns on how this is going to play out.

Another great instalment of William Warwick and his police career.
Mr Archer tells this story and follows William and his wife and his pursuit of Miles Faulkner whilst heading up a new squad in cold cases.
Great read and cannot wait for the next instalment.
Possible glimpse into the next serial subject Mr Archer?

THE CLOCK IS TICKING IN THIS ROLLERCOASTER RIDE OF A THRILLER…

In London, the Metropolitan Police have set up a new Unsolved Murders Unit – a cold case squad – to catch the criminals nobody else can. Four victims. Four cases. All killers poised to strike again.

In Geneva, millionaire art collector Miles Faulkner – convicted of forgery and theft – was pronounced dead two months ago. So why is his unscrupulous lawyer still representing a dead client? And who is the mysterious man his widow is planning to marry?

On board luxury cruise liner the Alden, a wealthy clientele have signed up for the opulence and glamour of a trans-Atlantic voyage. But the battle for power at the heart of a wealthy dynasty is about to turn to murder.

And at the heart of all three investigations lies Detective Chief Inspector William Warwick, rising star of the Met.

Only Warwick's genius for deductive reasoning, his fierce intelligence and his occasionally rash bravery – combined with that of ex-undercover operative Ross Hogan, reluctantly brought in from the cold – can bring the criminals to justice, and put his nemesis behind bars. But can they catch the killers before it's too late?
Love this author and enjoyed this book throughly! It was thrilling, it had intrigue, suspense, and lots of heart pounding moments! Lots of twists and turns!! Definitely some jaw dropping moments!

Jeffrey Archer is a master like no other at weaving a tale of mystery, murder and revenge. The star of this novel is a talented detective that is no stranger to the world of the wealthy and has a unique way of solving crimes. An excellent read!

I must say this was the first Jeffrey Archer novel which I was disappointed with. I’m really a big fan of Jeffrey Archer and have grown up reading his books. But I though this book was really not upto the standard that I expected from Jeffrey Archer. I thought the story was really jumbled up with some characters introduced for no reason. The book also did not keep me interested and I finished it just for the sake of finishing the book.
Anyways, I will give the book 3 stars as I did enjoy William Warwick’s character and his interaction with some of the other characters.
Thank you HarperCollins UK for an advanced copy of this ebook and giving me a chance to review this book!

This book, the next in the William Warwick detective series, is as good as the authors previous books. William is a Detective Chief Inspector now, but still trying to catch Miles Faulkner, thoroughly nasty baddie; even though he went to his funeral, William knows Miles is still out there. I enjoyed the little vignette on board the cruise ship with William (or choirboy) being befriended by James, grandson of the shipping lines owner. James was determined to go into Law, although he was being groomed for the family business. A nice ending for that particular storyline. Along with these two storylines, there are various other different threads that are being pulled together, as would happen in real policing, as Williams team are going through numerous cold cases. The plot lines by this author are always good, well researched, and the writing very readable. Although I have read the previous books, and I am glad I did so, this is still a stand alone read. I look forward to the next instalment.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

I was delighted to receive an advance copy of this book from one of my favourite series. It was a particularly good instalment because it tied up a lot of loose ends from the ongoing plot. At the same time, there were some standalone plotlines which had very satisfactory outcomes, with Jeffrey Archer's usual clever and unexpected twists and turns. This book also introduced a new character who I hope we'll see more of in future instalments!

I would highly recommend this!