How to read Jeffrey Archer’s books in order

Born in 1940, Jeffrey Archer is an English author and former politician. He was the Member of Parliament in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s. He was also the candidate for the Mayor of London. However, after being imprisoned for perjury, he ended his political career in the early 2000s. Nevertheless, he’s best known for his novels, both in the fiction and non-fiction genre. His Kane and Abel book from 1979 is one of the top bestseller titles of all time, with over 34 million copies sold across the globe. Some estimates suggest that he has sold over 350 million books, many of them audio titles, some of which are available right here on Speechify. Hence, let’s get into his book series and the different orders in which you can read or listen to them.

Exploring the literary world of Jeffrey Archer

Interestingly enough, Archer’s first book titled Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less was published so that he can try to avoid bankruptcy in 1974. It first came out in the U.S. and then several years later in Britain. Thanks to the positive feedback, Archer continued to write, and his seminal work, Kane and Abel, came out in 1979 and quickly found its place on the New York Times bestseller list. Throughout the years, many of Jeffrey Archer’s books and short stories were developed into plays, radio dramas, and even TV films and shows. Today, he is the author of many dozen books, all in various series and genres, so let’s briefly go through them.

Jeffrey Archer book series

Kane and Abel

In Kane and Abel, Archer tells the story of two men—William Lowell Kane and Abel Rosnovski—who were born on the same day, but at different places and to different circumstances. Nevertheless, they become entangled through fate, and due to their mutual quest they dreamed about. Both are ambitious and powerful, yet also ruthless and fueled by greed, trying to build their personal empires.

The Clifton Chronicles

The Clifton Chronicles series is another bestselling work of Jeffrey Archer. The books follow the saga of the Clifton family through several generations, starting with Harry Clifton, the family’s patriarch. The tale of the family includes rivalry and triumph, as well as heartache and tragedy, all while creating a legacy that Harry would never have even dreamed of.

Detective William Warwick

The William Warwick series are Archer’s bestselling crime and detective novels that follow the titular character through five decades. Throughout the books, he goes through various ups and downs, but eventually manages to become the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. Still, the road to greatness is paved with many events, many of them tragic and sad.

Non-fiction series Prison Diary

As mentioned, Jeffrey Archer served a prison sentence in the early 2000s. However, while incarcerated, he spent his time writing about his experience behind bars. This led to a series of books known as the Prison Diaries, in which he dissects what it’s like being in prison in Britain and how similar it is to a real-life hell experience.

Jeffrey Archer books in order

Kane and Abel books publication order

• Shall We Tell the President? (1977)
• Kane and Abel (1979)
• The Prodigal Daughter (1982)

Kane and Abel books chronological order

• Kane and Abel (1979)
• The Prodigal Daughter (1982)
• Shall We Tell the President? (1977)

The Clifton Chronicles books publication order

• Only Time Will Tell (2011)
• The Sins of the Father (2012)
• Best Kept Secret (2013)
• Be Careful What You Wish For (2014)
• Mightier Than the Sword (2015)
• Cometh the Hour (2016)
• This Was a Man (2016)

Detective William Warwick books publication order

• Nothing Ventured (2019)
• Hidden in Plain Sight (2020)
• Turn a Blind Eye (2021)
• Over My Dead Body (2021)
• Next in Line (2022)
• Traitors Gate (2023)

Standalone novels publication order

• Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less (1976)
• First Among Equals (1983)
• A Matter of Honour (1985)
• As the Crow Flies (1990)
• Honor Among Thieves (1993)
• The Fourth Estate (1996)
• The Eleventh Commandment (1998)
• The Accused (2000)
• Sons of Fortune (2002)
• False Impression (2005)
• A Prisoner of Birth (2008)
• Paths of Glory (2009)
• Heads You Win (2019)

Short stories/novellas

• Old Love (1990)
• The Grass is Always Greener (2000)
• Cheap at Half the Price (2011)
• Never Stop on the Motorway (2011)
• In the Eye of the Beholder (2011)
• It Can't be October Already (2017)
• A Wasted Hour (2017)

Short story collections

• A Quiver Full of Arrows (1980)
• Fools, Knaves, and Heroes (1989)
• Twelve Red Herrings (1994)
• To Cut a Long Story Short (1997)
• The Collected Short Stories (1997)
• A Twist in the Tale (2000)
• Cat O'Nine Tales and Other Stories (2006)
• And Thereby Hangs a Tale (2010)
• The New Collected Short Stories (2011)
• Tell Tale (2017)
• The Short, The Long and the Tall (2020)

Children's books

• By Royal Appointment (1980)
• Willy And The Killer Kipper (1981)
• The First Miracle (1994)
• Willy Visits The Square World (1995)

Non-fiction series, a Prison Diary publication order

• A Prison Diary (2002)
• Purgatory (2005)
• Heaven (2006)

Other non-fiction books

• The Gospel According to Judas by Benjamin Iscariot (2007)

Publication order of anthologies

• The Grown-Ups' Book Of Books (1999)

Jeffrey Archer audiobooks

Although you can listen to Jeffrey Archer’s books on Amazon’s Audible service, there are other better alternatives. Namely, there’s Speechify—the home of more than 60,000 titles, which includes Archer’s several book series and standalone books.

Speechify

With books ranging from fiction to non-fiction genres, Speechify offers one of the most expansive collections of audiobooks today. Yet, the amount of good reads, or better yet listens, isn’t the only reason to check out its catalog. Speechify offers first-time users to listen to their first book for free. But that’s not all. With Speechify, you can listen to audiobooks on practically any device out there. From phones to tablets to computers, you’ll be able to enjoy audiobooks anywhere and at any time. Try Speechify Audiobooks today, and enjoy listening to your favorite Jeffrey Archer stories in new ways.

FAQ

Is it necessary to read the Clifton Chronicles in order?

Yes, we would recommend that you read them all in order. Each book builds on the previous one to tell a continuous story, hence reading them out of order can make you confused.