A while ago, rather quite a long time now, I began a new idea here on My Bookshelf. It was A Stranger's Choice. Today I am revisiting this in kind. Not quite the same but similar. Well, you'll see.
On Friday I was assisting a customer in the book store and she was purchasing Jeffrey Archer's Only Time Will Tell and we got to talking about the author. She simply adores his writing and mentioned a few of his works that she has enjoyed. I was happy to inform her that Only Time Will Tell is the first in a new series of Mr. Archer's, the Clifton Chronicles. As we discussed a bit further, she made a recommendation to me. She said I simply must read Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less by Jeffrey Archer.
Curiosity peaked, I did a little investigating and this is what I discovered:
First published in hardback in 1976
The conned: an Oxford don, a revered society physician, a chic French art dealer, and a charming English lord. They have one thing in common. Overnight, each novice investor lost his life's fortune to one man. The con: Harvey Metcalfe. A brilliant, self-made guru of deceit. A very dangerous individual. And now, a hunted man.With nothing left to lose four strangers are about to come together -- each expert in their own field. Their plan: find Harvey, shadow him, trap him, and penny-for-penny, destroy him. From the luxurious casinos of Monte Carlo to the high-stakes windows at Ascot to the bustling streets of Wall Street to fashionable London galleries, their own ingenious game has begun. It's called revenge -- and they were taught by a master.
Interesting fact:
It took Jeffrey some time to find a publisher for this first novel. When it was published, it only sold 3,000 copies in hardback. The paperback did a bit better, selling about 20,000 in the first year. However, as word-of-mouth took over, demand increased. Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less has now been reprinted 57 times.
Marvellously plotted, with just the right amounts of romance, wit and savoir-faire...
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
