I read Archer's best known work, the novel Kane and Abel, a couple years ago. It tells the story of two men born on the same date in 1906. One, an immigrant in abject poverty, and the other, a member of the Boston elite. Their lives become intertwined with American history in the 20th century. It is a book filled with, for the most part, realistic power plays and family narratives. I really enjoyed it and felt the connections to the wars and economic fluctuations of the times worked. It is a piece of historical fiction I regularly recommend, along with The Century series by Follett.

Archer's new novel Heads You Win is similar in that it poses two stories side-by-side. Young Alexander's father is killed on the docks of Leningrad by the KGB in the early 60s after trying to organize a labor union. He and his mother are forced to flee in the hull of a ship. His uncle flips a coin to determine the ship and their destination. This is where the character and the story splits: One Alexander travels to London and one to New York City. Both Sasha and Alex (the names they adopt in their new countries), maintain their personalities and interests... but (and you knew this was coming) their ascension is so easy and their conflicts are resolved without much trouble. Sasha metriculates to Oxford and Alex to NYU. One goes into politics and the other business. Both have an interest in art... eh Eh EH.

I was disappointed that the character of Alexander's mother didn't have a larger role in each of the threads. I was disappointed that each story became a predictable routine of problem/ solution. The initial exploration of a split narrative is a fun one, but the result and the trite ending just wasn't for me.

Archer has other works that are definitely worth a read if you enjoy this genre, but Heads You Win is not one I would recommend.

I have read several of Archers books and some are good and some are great... This one was good but nothing special... The story and subject just did not grab me but I will continue to read his work as I like his style.

HEADS YOU WIN is Jeffrey Archer’s attempt to write a novel about a single character and the two paths that bifurcated his life.

Alexander and his morher must leave Russia, after their lives are endangered by the perfidy of friend, Vladimir. There are 2 ships they can take, one going to England and the other to the USA. Here Archer follows the life that Alex/Sasha would have followed on each of the different paths.

The unbelievable success that the characters find actually fly against realities and make this book little more than a complicated fairy tale. Unlike, Kate Atkinson who uses the results of differing paths in LIFE AFTER LIFE with great skill, I found this book to be more of a muddle, using lots of confusing Russian names and fantasies, which constantly strained my credulity.

Ultimately, Alexander, no longer divided returns to Russia to fulfill his destiny, with a totally absurd ending.

Sorry, to be negative but as a fan of Jeffrey Archer, I was really disappointed in this book.