Over My Dead Body is the fourth installment in the Detective Inspector William Warwick series. If you love family sagas with well developed characters, this Jeffrey Archer series is very satisfying. The mystery continues with unsolved murders, the art world, and detective work. This was a quick, entertaining read, and I can’t wait to see what Jeffrey Archer writes next!

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Over My Dead Body, the fourth book in Jeffrey Archer’s William Warwick series, is another tour de force by the master storyteller. There are many good reasons why Archer is one of my favorite authors, and this novel exemplifies them all.

When DCI William Warwick embarks on a cruise with his wife, Beth, he has little intention of getting involved in a murder investigation. Yet that is exactly what he does. Shortly thereafter, Warwick is back on the case, a member of the newly-created Unsolved Murders Unit. His suspicions are aroused when attorney Booth Watson continues to represent the interests of Miles Faulkner, a client who is alleged to have died two months earlier (in the third book). Before long, he finds himself on Faulkner’s trail with newly-minted Unit member Ross Hogan.

From the opening pages, Archer takes us on a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase through cruise ships and continents, facing the most unsavory villains and the most sophisticated thieves. The intensity does not let up until the cases are resolved. The writing is tight, clever and extremely smart, as is Warwick himself. The plotting is a gem of construction, with each scene lending itself to a piece of the puzzle.

The characters are both likeable and memorable. William Warwick’s integrity Is above reproach. He is as intelligent and persistent as anyone, and his relationship with Beth brings out his compassionate side. Beth is a charming companion for William, and she often acts as the voice of moderation. Miles Faulkner is the quintessential villain whom you love to hate. Ross Hogan is a nice addition to the cast and has a poignant storyline. Even the minor characters have a positive impact on the novel. James Buchanan, a young man with a desire to learn about being a detective who meets William on the cruise, is interesting and charming.

Although I did receive an ARC, I also listened to the audio version. George Blagden does an admirable job of bringing the characters to life. His narration significantly added to the entertainment value of the story.

Over My Dead Body upholds the weighty tradition that flows through all of Archer’s novels. I highly recommend it (and the entire Warwick series). While Over My Dead Body can be read as a standalone, it can best be appreciated when the series is read in order. I am already looking forward to continuing William Warwick’s story in the fifth book Next in Line.

Note: I received an ARC of Over My Dead Body from NetGalley and Harper Collins 360. The above is my honest review.

It has been a while since I’ve read anything by Jeffrey Archer. I’ve always enjoyed his writing style, but the last couple of books dragged for me. I quite enjoyed Over My Dead Body despite the fact hat I felt the start of the book ultimately went nowhere and never resolved the initial mystery to satisfaction.

The remainder of the tale involving the pursuit of an art thief that escaped prison was quite fun and involved stops in Scotland, Barcelona and a hideaway for Franco.

Despite a few disconnects I loved the book. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

And at the heart of all three investigations are Detective Chief Inspector William Warwick, rising star of the department, and ex-undercover agent Ross Hogan, brought in from the cold. But can they catch the killers before it’s too late?

My first Jeffrey Archer book was years ago whe he was first published and I had just started traveling to the UK. And since I have remained an avid reader of all his books. Which, of course, includes the latest in the William Warwick series. I am very intrigued by the various characters and the creative ways they are written into the stories.

I would like to think the author, the publisher and NetGalley for my copy of the book.

Archer fans, Detective Chief Inspector William Warwick, is back and his arrow is pointed directly at Miles Faulkner. Presumed dead, Warwick knows that Faulkner has nine lives and the only way to skin this cat is to put him behind bars.

Gifted a cruise by his wife's friend Christina, Warwick soon realizes it was a ploy to get him off shore and treading water to return. Readers will have to piece together 'dead-end' clues to solve the mystery. How will the stories merge and what is the secret behind Faulkner's mastermind?

The novel can be read as a standalone but knowing the characters will add layers to the story. The feud between the families, Faulkner and Warwick's cat-and-mouse games and a thrilling chase around the world will delight fans and first-time readers.

Thank you to #NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review #OverMyDeadBody. I eagerly await Archer's books and somehow this one slipped in unnoticed. Realizing that I had missed a thrilling mystery, I stayed awake until 3 AM to finish it. It was worth the wait and the chase throughout the novel and minor characters adding their mark was perfectly penned.

One of the things I admire about the author is that you can't rule out secondary characters. There's often plot twists surrounding their brief encounters. Will I reveal the truth, over my dead body!

I am huge fan of Jeffrey Archer but I did not realize this was a part of a series and for that reason I was confused. I should have read the previous three books before I read this one.

Bestselling British author Jeffrey Archer has released his fourth novel in the William Warwick series, and Over My Dead Body is, as usual for Archer, an excellent novel. Detective Chief Inspector William Warwick is on a luxury cruise where he is front and center in investigating the murder of the head of a wealthy family and the quest for power. After the cruise, Warwick continues his investigation of an unscrupulous art dealer who has suspiciously been declared dead (Warwick’s sure he is alive), and also he has been named the head of a new cold case squad with plenty of cases to solve.

Although Archer is a veteran storyteller, and gives an English twist to his excellent storytelling abilities, he hasn’t modernized his language to include things that are politically correct, such as “stewardess” instead of “flight attendant” which has been the correct term for over 30 years. His writing is excellent, albeit a bit old fashioned which is refreshing and makes his novels even better. His characters seem real and are well-developed. This novel has plenty of ups and downs, as well as surprises and building suspense, especially near the dénouement of the novel, allowing readers to sit on the edge of their seats throughout.

Anyone who hasn’t read Jeffrey Archer has really missed out. This series is excellent, and his previous novels are also worth reading. Over My Dead Body can be read as a standalone novel, but readers will find that they want to read the other novels in the series. Well-worth reading.

Special thanks to NetGalley for supplying a review copy of this book.

Published by ‎HarperCollins on October 19, 2021

Over My Dead Body is the latest and best of four novels (with another to come) that chronicle the early career of William Warwick, a British cop who rises quickly through the bureaucracy of Scotland Yard as the series progresses.

Warwick is now a Detective Chief Inspector. He’s about to take charge of a unit that will examine cold case murders. Before that happens, he takes a cruise with his wife and rather handily solves an onboard murder with an assist from a precocious young American named James who attends a high-end prep school in Connecticut and plans to go to Harvard before becoming director of the FBI. William and James get along well, probably because they are both insufferably smug.

James is an American teen but he doesn’t sound like an American or a teen. His belief that American lawyers use the phrase “on the balance of judgement” rather than “beyond a reasonable doubt” suggests that James isn’t as smart as he believes himself to be. Or maybe he doesn’t watch American television.

In any event, the main story takes place after Warwick is recalled to England. Warwick’s nemesis throughout the series has been Miles Faulkner, whose crimes involve art and an ongoing attempt to swindle his wife Christina, who either is or isn’t the best friend of Warwick’s wife, depending on Christina’s shifting loyalties. Warwick is again hot on the heels of Faulkner, this time chasing him to Spain.

Jeffrey Archer overcomes the failings of the earlier novels in the latest installment. Warwick and his family have taken great pride in demonstrating the extraordinary refinement and proper behavior of British aristocracy. traits that make them annoying and dull. Fortunately, Warwick’s perfect father and sister play no role in this story, making Over My Dead Body less a novel of manners than the earlier books.

Warwick still has a stick up his bum, as is evidenced by the sole G-rated sex scene. Warwick’s idea of foreplay is to discuss his latest case with his wife while they’re getting undressed. But at least they’re getting undressed, which is an improvement from the earlier novels.

Archer brings a character named Ross to greater prominence in this novel. Ross acts as a counterbalance to “choirboy” Warwick. Having finished his undercover assignment, Ross becomes involved with a former hooker whose loyalty to Ross or to the forces of evil is not immediately clear. When Ross is given reason to seek revenge for an injustice, he does so untroubled by the law. This should give the moralizing Warwick fits, but he sublimates his law-and-order instincts to some degree, allowing a more interesting plot to develop than Archer achieved in the earlier novels.

RECOMMENDED

A thriller with a light touch, some likable characters, interesting settings and situations make for another solid installment in the DCI William Warwick series. No real surprises, just a few enjoyable hours reading a slightly dated British police procedural. A special nod to the alternate universe inhabited by characters known as Inspector Watchit, PC Plod and the Doubtfuls.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper 360/HarperCollins for a copy.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an e ARC of this book.
A continuation of the William Warwick series. Ties up all the loose ends. Will it be the last? I hope not. Great characters with many plot lines that keep you guessing all the way.

The fourth book in the Detective William Warwick series follows Detective Warwick on his quest to bring in Miles Faulkner, a supposed dead man, who has altered his appearance to escape a life in prison. Can Detective Warwick actually do it?

To preface, I haven’t read any other books by Jeffrey Archer, so this was my first one in this series. The book was decently entertaining and started strong, but I thought there were a few parts where it felt like I was missing information from previous books. The ending fell a bit short for me, which is why I didn’t rate it as high as I think it could have been. The pace of the book was slow-medium and it was written well. I liked some of the characters, but there seemed to be some storylines of minor characters that didn’t add too much to the story. Overall, I liked the book. If you are a fan of British detective novels, I think you will like this one, too.

Thanks to @harpercollins360 and @harpercollinsca and @netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. I rated this book 3.75 stars, rounded up to 4 stars.

It's always a pleasure to spend time in William Warwick's world. One odd thing - I always find myself reading in an English accent somehow. ha!

Jeffrey Archer has been a favorite author of mine for years. In this book - as usual - Archer gives us a large mystery to solve as well as a few more minor ones. No way to get bored with these books! There are plenty of twists to keep the reader guessing (and one heart-stopping event that I was SO glad turned out to be a twist).

Good writing, good characters, and good story. How could we want anything more?!!

When master criminal Miles Faulkner decides to pit his talents against Detective William Warwick and his team, his criminal days were coming to an end. This book includes many back stories as well as the main race to capture Faulkner in his new identity as Capt Ralph Neville. While this criminal may be a little smarter than the rest, Detective Warwick will deploy his team and work his considerable cast of friends, acquaintances and informants to put as many obstacles in his way as it will take to capture him. Along the way, he'll solve a murder or two and take his wife Beth on a working vacation. The trip through Warwick's world was enjoyable, as all of Jeffrey Archer's books are.

This is the fourth in the Detective William Warwick series. I read the first one, but somehow missed #2 and #3!

I really liked the first one, but #4, not quite as much. Although it takes place in the 1980s, there was a kind of old fashioned quality to it that reminded me of a much earlier era. There was a well crafted plot and the story moved along at a fast pace. I did think the murder on the cruise ship a bit superfluous and some of the plot a bit over the top. Yet, it was an enjoyable read.

If you are looking for a fast, somewhat quaint police procedural, you might enjoy this.

Over My Dead Body is another great book by Jeffrey Archer. Even though several stories are going on simultaneously, Archer is a master at crafting a solid novel that has a great plot.

#OverMyDeadBody #NetGalley

Over My Dead Body by Jeffrey Archer is another thrilling tale of DCI William Warwick and his antics. William is not on the trail of Miles Faulkner, arch criminal, who is ostensibly dead. William knows better. Her just has to find him. He and his wife, Beth are currently on holiday, sailing to New York and then spending a week there before flying home. How could they afford this luxury? It was a gift from Faulkner's widow, Cynthia, as she had booked it and then discovered she was to be married at the same time, so obviously it had to be given away. Was it a gift or a canny way to keep William away from the wedding ceremony, where he was certain to find Faulkner? While on the boat, William met the grandson of the owner of the company, James Buchanan, still in high school but extremely bright and observant. His plan was to become the Director of the FBI at some future point, and had begun his training. He helped William solve a crime while on board.

William is a modern day Sherlock. He thinks fast and very differently. The plot is a good one, if ongoing. William invites other people to be part of his investigations; he is never spare with sharing his ideas and knowledge. In this case it is DI Ross Hogan, who has been undercover for years. Not only do they match wits, but in some ways Hogan comes out on top. The plot and all its arms is enticing and remarkable. It is easy to follow and yet pretty complicated. It is a very witty script and very English. I always look forward to another episode of Warwick's adventures.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Over My Dead Body by Harper Collins, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #netgalley #harpercollins #overmydeadbody #jeffreyarcher

This book starts with detective William Warwick on holiday with his wife on a cruise ship, where a murder takes place. He gets back to work investigating this murder and on his return is put in charge of the new cold case unit at the London Metropolitan Police. One of the cases is his nemesis, Miles Faulkner. He attended the funeral, but never believed the man was dead. Can he and his partner Ross Hogan catch the killers before they strike again?
There's just so much going on in this book I had trouble keeping up. I didn't realize it's the fourth book in the series, so I know I missed a lot of previous information, which is my own fault. I just loved the entire Clifton Chronicles series, and this book just want the same for me.
I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and given voluntarily.

For a reader, the first chapter of a book provides a wealth of information. It’s beneficial in building a relationship between the author and reader, highlighting the style and tone, as well as other various nuances. My introduction to author Jeffrey Archer came with Over My Dead Body.

How I missed reading any of his books up to this point, I certainly have no idea. Archer’s touted as being one of the top storytellers in the world, which seems like a rather lofty description. However, all it took was that first chapter. Immediately, I drew several conclusions about the author:

This man possesses exquisite talent and skill with a vast vocabulary.
His characters, specifically Detective Chief Inspector William Warwick, are multi-dimensional.
The story I was about to read would be an engaging experience from start to finish.

Call it an international thriller that begins on the high seas and ultimately unfolds in London and Spain, among other European locales. Warwick is hot on the heels of a fugitive thought dead. Set against a backdrop of fine art, the storyline is packed with page-turning action. The author sets the bar high with crisp dialog and a cast of memorable characters. Determining the meaning behind the title was also exciting.

Over My Dead Body delivers an engaging experience produced by an author with a true gift. Discovering an author with Archer’s level of talent is like tasting the finest of wines. My goal now is to work my way through the backlist of an author who is indeed one of the top storytellers in the world.

Title reviewed for Novels Alive.

Jeffrey Archer is one of my favorite authors. He writes complex stories that have rich characters. While I haven’t read the first 3 books in the series, I was able to follow this one, but it is definitely set up in a previous book. Reading it would help your experience while reading this one.

William Warwick is a detective chief inspector for the metropolitan police in London. He previously arrested Miles Faulkner, but he escaped and died. But Warwick has always suspected Faulkner isn’t really dead. Well, it seems Warwick is always right and he plays a cat and mouse game with Faulkner trying to recapture him.

I just love how Archer draws you in and tricks you with a slight of hand. The only reason I didn’t give this one 5 stars is there are a lot of characters to keep track of and the first third seemed a little out of place, but maybe that’s my lack of reading the whole series.

I've read many books by Jeffrey Archer and have enjoyed them all. This one, like all of them was easy to read and fast paced. Good characters and pacing. I highly recommend this book.