Nothing Ventured

William Warwick, Book 1

By: Jeffrey Archer

Narrated by: George Blagden

The Sunday Times No.1 Bestseller

Nothing Ventured is the first novel in the incredible and thrilling William Warwick series by Jeffrey Archer, the master storyteller and bestselling author of the Clifton Chronicles and Kane and Abel.

This is not a detective story, this is a story about a detective.

William Warwick is eight when he decides to join the police force. Resolute in the face of his prominent QC father’s objections, William graduates in Art History from university and immediately enrols as a constable in the Metropolitan Police.

Gaining insight from his first mentor, an experienced, world-weary constable, his keen mind quickly takes him into a role in Scotland Yard’s Art and Antiques unit and his first case: the recovery of a Rembrandt stolen from the Fitzmolean Museum.

It will take skill and tenacity for William to solve the crime, and along the way he will encounter many who will change his life, from Miles Faulkner, a crooked art collector, and his influential lawyer – who bends the law to the point of breaking – to research assistant Beth Rainsford, a woman with secrets who he falls hopelessly in love with . . .

William Warwick’s destiny is set, the only question is, how far will his ambition take him? Thrilling, absorbing and entertaining, Nothing Ventured heralds the start of a new series from master storyteller Jeffrey Archer and introduces a character destined to become one of his most enduring legacies.

Continue the gripping series with Hidden in Plain Sight.

Critic reviews

Probably the greatest storyteller of our age

If there was a Nobel Prize for storytelling, Archer would win

A pacey tale of fakes, forgeries and ripped-off Rembrandts worthy of a TV crime caper

Fast-paced and thrilling, with his trademark plot twists and cliff-hangers

Juicy, fast-paced read with a fabulous twist

A rollicking read filled with aspirational underdogs, suave sophisticates, and fractious family intrigue

Lovely expansion of the Clifton Chronicles

this is a great start to what I hope will become a series I will enjoy. William has just started which makes sense as the story is about the characters including what I expect to be the nemesis to come

Story was good until the last third of the book

How can anyone seriously believe that the crown did not cross examine Faulkner with all the evidence they had from the private detective and Scottland Yard or check his phone calls, bank statements or travels arrangements etc. to disproof his story?
The end was not believable even for as long ago as 1984.

An easy listen/read

An excellent choice for an audible book. The story remained interesting and easy to listen to throughout. Maybe not as on-the-edge-of-your-seat as some other Archer books, but still well researched and like-able characters. The narrator was excellent with true to character and consistent voices.

Great new series

I thorough enjoyed this first book interesting as a book about the career of a detective .

Typical Archer!

Such a joy to read! And in the usual Archer style,he delivers the cliffhanger and the end