Books in Clifton Chronicles series

From the popular author of Kane and Abel and A Prisoner of Birth comes the story of one family across generations, across oceans, from heartbreak to triumph. The epic tale of Harry Clifton's life begins in 1920, with the words, "I was told that my father was killed in the war." A dock worker in Bristol, Harry never knew his father, but he learns about life on the docks from his uncle who expects Harry to join him at the shipyard once he's left school. But then his unexpected gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys' school, and his life will never be the same again. As he enters into adulthood, Harry finally learns how his father really died, but the awful truth only leads him to question who was his father? Is he the son of Arthur Clifton, a stevedore who spent his whole life on the docks, or the first-born son of a scion of West Country society, whose family owns a shipping line? This introductory novel in The Clifton Chronicles includes a cast of colorful characters and takes us from the ravages of the Great War to the outbreak of the Second World War, when Harry must decide whether to take up a place at Oxford or join the navy and go to war with Hitler's Germany. From the docks of working-class England to the bustling streets of 1940 New York City, Only TimeWill Tell takes readers on a journey through to future volumes, which will bring to life one hundred years of recent history to reveal a family story that neither the reader nor Harry Clifton himself could ever have imagined.

From the internationally bestselling author of Kane and Abel and A Prisoner of Birth comes Only Time Will Tell, the first in an ambitious new series that tells the story of one family across generations, across oceans, from heartbreak to triumph.The epic tale of Harry Clifton’s life begins in 1920, with the words “I was told that my father was killed in the war.” A dock worker in Bristol, Harry never knew his father, but he learns about life on the docks from his uncle, who expects Harry to join him at the shipyard once he’s left school. But then an unexpected gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys’ school, and his life will never be the same again.As he enters into adulthood, Harry finally learns how his father really died, but the awful truth only leads him to question, was he even his father? Is he the son of Arthur Clifton, a stevedore who spent his whole life on the docks, or the firstborn son of a scion of West Country society, whose family owns a shipping line?This introductory novel in Archer’s ambitious series The Clifton Chronicles includes a cast of colorful characters and takes us from the ravages of the Great War to the outbreak of the Second World War, when Harry must decide whether to take up a place at Oxford or join the navy and go to war with Hitler’s Germany. From the docks of working-class England to the bustling streets of 1940 New York City, Only Time Will Tell takes readers on a journey through to future volumes, which will bring to life one hundred years of recent history to reveal a family story that neither the reader nor Harry Clifton himself could ever have imagined.

How would you go about making a mummy? This beautifully illustrated and fascinating book transports young readers more than 3,000 years back in time so they can see how the ancient Egyptians created mummies—and why. Learn about Egyptian gods and legends, the embalming process that preserved the pharaohs’ bodily remains, and the way mummies were wrapped and buried. Fun “Did You Know?” questions will fascinate kids.

The gladiators were among the most celebrated figures in the Roman Empire, entertaining huge audiences by fighting wild animals—and each other—to the death. Now children can discover what their life was really like by following the fate of a Celtic warrior captured in Gaul and sent to compete as a gladiator in Rome. Detailed, foldout illustrations and fascinating text teach kids about the gladiator’s brutal world.

1945. 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 march onto the page.

Travel back in time to the year 1203, to the famous Castle of Chateau-Gaillard, built by King Richard the Lionheart. But King Richard is dead and John, England's new monarch, has offended the King of France. Now it's war! Will the castle hold? How will peasants survive? Learn all about medieval warfare in this tale of a real siege, based on the diary of Baron Roger de Lacy. Foldout flaps provide a detailed look inside the castle and its grounds, while tiny bound-in books show pages from the diary.

Would you have survived? In the Middle Ages, life was short and dangerous. Knights wore the finest armor, followed a strict code of chivalry, and swore an oath to the King. See what it took to become one of these nobles, from page to esquire to the final ceremony of anointing. Follow their training, examine their weapons and a full set of armor, and learn about the lavish jousts and other tournaments that were a regular part of a knight's life. The book contains: The Esquire's Handbook, a miniature guide to knight school and life, complete with lifesaving info; a tournament presented in split pages and foldout flaps; and another foldout that provides an insider's view of a castle under siege.

Jeffrey Archer's mesmerizing saga of the Clifton and Barrington families continues...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.