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Type of bind: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 823.914
EAN num: 9780312379292
ISBN number: 0312379293
Label: St. Martin's Press
Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 512
Printing Date: March 04, 2008
Publishing house: St. Martin's Press
Release Date: March 04, 2008
Sale Popularity Level: 8213
Studio: St. Martin's Press
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
International bestseller and master storyteller Jeffrey Archer is at the very top of his game in a story of fate and fortune, redemption and revenge.
If Danny Cartwright had proposed to Beth Wilson the day before, or the day after, he would not have been arrested and charged with the murder of his best friend. But when the four prosecution witnesses are a barrister, a popular actor, an aristocrat, and the youngest partner in an established firm’s history, who is going to believe your side of the story?
Danny is sentenced to twenty-two years and sent to Belmarsh prison, the highest-security jail in the land, from where no inmate has ever escaped.
However, Spencer Craig, Lawrence Davenport, Gerald Payne, and Toby Mortimer all underestimate Danny’s determination to seek revenge, and Beth’s relentless quest to pursue justice, which ends up with all four fighting for their lives,
Thus begins Jeffrey Archer’s most powerful novel since Kane and Abel, with a cast of characters that will remain with you long after you’ve turned the last page.
And if that is not enough, prepare for an ending that will shock even the most ardent of Archer’s fans.
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Rated by buyers 
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Those who have read Archer's former novels will find this story does go over the same ground of a lot of them. The book is a bit far fetched in parts, relies on coincidences to pull off the storyline and the central character Danny doesn't have a consistent level of intelligence throughout the story. The book is however fiction after all albeit not necessarily original. The story is good enough to keep you reading until the end and satisfying enough that you'd recommend it to others.
This novel is really a couple of different stories following the timeline of the central character of Danny Cartwright. Initially we have the pretty much uneducated, illiterate and not too bright from London's poorer suburbs, Danny celebrating his engagement to life long friend Beth, with her brother Bernie in a British upmarket pub. Four drunk, upperclass men whose successful careers are quickly on the rise take exception to the three drinkers who don't really belong in such a place and don't hold back in bating the poorer class drinkers with their opinions of the group. One line of comments implying Beth is a hooker and they'd like a go when the two lads have finished with her particularly annoys Danny. Beth tries to usher her group out the back door to avoid confrontation but when they find one of the men blocking the path and the others waiting outside the Danny and Bernie can't resist teaching them a lesson. Unfortunately Bernie ends up dead and with the four men and the barman all disputing Beth and Dannys version of events, Danny is charged with his best friend's murder.
Next we have a lengthy court room drama which to be honest is a probably a bit long since obviously with the title of the book we know the outcome. After this we have a story emulating Archer's own time behind bars revisiting the day to life of Archer's three A Prison Diaries books. Smartly Archer did not include in Danny's character the more irritating actions of himself as a prisoner such as refusing to drink tap water. In fact Danny's mentor and cell mate Sir Nicholas Moncreiff is probably based on Archer's perception of himself, (a guy jailed for a crime that seems laughable, keeps a diary and gets along and becomes a favourite with the prison staff). Danny basically decides to better himself and become like Nick, even getting the same haircut. The implausible nature of the storyline is also added that suddenly Danny looks exactly like Nick.
The book then takes the reader on a Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less vengeance style storyline which although a lot more far fetched, predictable and unrealistic than that book was is still a good tale.
The ending is very predictable, uneventful and a bit of a let down being that the cover blurb "prepare for an ending the will shock even the most ardent of Archer's fans". Clearly the blurb has not read this book at least not to the final pages.
An enjoyable read, not Archer's best work but a decent length also means its not bad value for money.
Rated by buyers 
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Virtually I could not put this book down! It was full of suspense from the very first chapters. Archer has masterfully woven several plot lines
into this story and yet does not lose the reader. I was speechless and
mightily impressed with the ending!! So much so that I actually pressed "Next Page" on my Kindle several times. If you enjoy excellence in suspense, this book is for you!
Rated by buyers -
Prisoner of Birth offers a typically "Archer-esque" range of unexpected twists in an easy-to-digest, linear plot. Court scenes follow exhilarating clashes amongst legal heavyweights of the English system. One of Archer's best works. Highly recommended.
Rated by buyers -
While the story was terrific I was disappointed with the condition of a new book. On the book jacket there was a ink smear which was not a big deal. However 300 pages into the book there 5 pages of where the ink had run over. I have never seen this in a book before. Attempted to contact St Martin's Press but could not locate their address. Attempted to telephone Amazon for an exchange but no number listed on the internet. Reviewed their return procedures and it was a hasstle. Plus I wanted to complete this rivoting novel. Amazon could make things easier.
Rated by buyers -
This is a typical Jeffrey Archer masala story. Keeps you gripped till the end.
Falsely implicated and convicted for a murder, our hero escapes from prison and takes revenge. Archer relies on his extensive knowledge of the English Establishment to weave a very gripping tale.
Archer fans will love it.
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