“…I’m not a Queen, Artemisia, just a Princess”
“But you will be the Queen one day.”
“Then I’ll wear a crown.”
Jeffrey Archer, Next in Line
Title: Next in Line
Series: Detective William Warwick (Book 5)
Author: Jeffrey Archer
Genres: Mystery, Thriller, Historical Fiction
Pages: 378 (Paperback)
Publish Date: September 27th, 2022
My Rating: ★★★★
Read: 9/1/2022 – 9/4/2022
Review:
It’s always a gamble for me to go into an established series without having read any of the previous books. Normally, I try to avoid it altogether. However, when I read the plot for this one, I just had to give it a go.
While I certainly would have enjoyed the book a lot more with previous knowledge of the characters and past plot lines, this wasn’t the most difficult one I’ve ever jumped into mid-series. It helped to know what I was going into. Sometimes I don’t realize I’m picking up a part of a series and I spend the entire time frustrated with myself. That being said, I recommend reading from the beginning to avoid any plot holes. From reading other reviews, it sounds like one of the two main plots of this book is a continuation of the previous book in the series.
What I enjoyed most was the Royalty Protection Command, namely Princess Diana’s involvement in the story. Hearing in the author’s note that Jeffrey Archer had actually met her made it all the more special. I also loved Artemisia. So cute!
The book ends on a cliffhanger, which also makes me wonder about the book before this one. I may have to go back and read the others and revisit this one with more clarity because I would like to know what happens next!
A huge thanks to HarperCollins/Harper360 for sending me a free ARC to read and review!
Likes & Dislikes:
What I liked:
- Princess Diana. I’m a sucker for plots that involve her.
- The writing captured the time/setting well.
- Artemisia! She added a lot of charm to the book.
- William. He’s a likable protagonist.
What I didn’t like:
- The duel plot line. It doesn’t work for me in this kind of book. (I may have liked it better if I was better versed in the series.)
- Too many characters. I couldn’t keep everyone straight. (Again, this could be an issue due to jumping into the middle of a series.)
Afterthoughts:
As I already said, I am interested in going back and going forward with the series. The writing is good, though I can’t say it runs too deeply, and the main characters are likable. I would love to revisit this one with more backstories in mind.