Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Only Time Will Tell cover art

Only Time Will Tell

By: Jeffrey Archer
Narrated by: Roger Allam, Emilia Fox
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Sons of Fortune cover art
The Fourth Estate cover art
The Eleventh Commandment cover art
Hell cover art
A Prison Diary cover art
Jane Eyre cover art
The Sins of the Fathers cover art
Wuthering Heights cover art
The Life We Bury cover art
Virgins cover art
The Bastard cover art
Into the Wilderness cover art
Speaks the Nightbird cover art
Glass and Steele Boxed Set: Books 1-3 cover art
In the Blood cover art

Summary

Ambitious and addictive, Only Time Will Tell is the first novel in Jeffrey Archer’s The Clifton Chronicles, beginning the epic tale of Harry Clifton, a working-class boy from the docks of Bristol. Read by Emilia Fox, known for her role in Silent Witness, and Roger Allam.

It is 1920, and against the backdrop of a world ravaged by conflict, Harry’s story begins with the words ‘I was told that my father was killed in the war’. Harry’s existence is defined by the death of his father and he seems destined to a life on the docks until a remarkable gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys school and entry into a world he could never have envisaged.

Over the course of twenty years, as the Second World War and the fight against Hitler draws nearer, Harry will learn the awful truth about his father’s death and of his own connections to a powerful shipping family, the Barringtons. And in doing so, he will change his destiny forever . . .

Richly imagined and populated with remarkable characters, The Clifton Chronicles will take you on a powerful journey, bringing to life one hundred years of family history in a story neither you, nor Harry, could ever have dreamt of.

Continue the bestselling series with The Sins of the Father and Best Kept Secret.

©2011 Jeffrey Archer (P)2011 Macmillan Publishers

What listeners say about Only Time Will Tell

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,369
  • 4 Stars
    934
  • 3 Stars
    260
  • 2 Stars
    107
  • 1 Stars
    79
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    2,288
  • 4 Stars
    649
  • 3 Stars
    126
  • 2 Stars
    47
  • 1 Stars
    37
Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    1,979
  • 4 Stars
    759
  • 3 Stars
    244
  • 2 Stars
    89
  • 1 Stars
    75

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story-telling

Jeffrey Archer certainly knows how to tell a story that keeps you listening and wanting to know more. It's a bit like a modern fairy story with set-backs and triumphs for the hero. We are told the story through the eyes of the main characters who tell us in turn their view of what happens as Harry grows from boy to manhood in the period from just after the First World War to the outbreak of the Second in 1939. There's quite a bit of period detail of life at this time sprinkled with historical facts that add to narrative. There's a certain old fashioned charm about the book that makes a pleasant change from all the modern detective fiction I've been reading/listening to recently. I can't wait for the next book in this story of Harry Clifton as this book ends on a cliff-hanger.
The two readers are very good. Roger Allam has a lovely gravelly voice that is a pleasure to listen to and he's pretty good at different accents.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

37 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

A Surprise

I really enjoyed this book, the narration is excellent, and although the story isn't my usual reading material - I was absolutely gripped, and like some other reviewers I am now thinking - 'My goodness! How long must I wait for the next instalment?'

The characters were brilliantly drawn and I loved the way the storytelling switches between the main characters and one sees the story from differing points of view.

I enjoyed Jeffrey Archer's original books and bought this on the strength of those, however when I found that the story was of a different genre I was initially disappointed - but how wrong I was.

I really cared what happened in the lives of the characters, and cannot wait for the existing 'cliff-hanger' to be explained.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

26 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

The other side of the story

The story takes you on a journey viewing the lives of the characters from many angles. Each character's view point either 'fills in the gaps' for the questions you want answered, or leaves you more intrigued. At the start there are several characters who go on to be pivotal to the life that Harry leads. However, just when you think others cannot make a difference, they make an appearance and change your thoughts on what may or may not happen. You often find yourself planning ahead in your mind for what you think is going to happen, only to be thrown a 'curved ball'. A great story that becomes impossible to stop. Is there, Can there be, a sequel?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

18 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Can't wait for the next book

Have avoided this author previously as being a bit too mainstream and predictable - only ever seen TV versions of his novels - I am definitely chastened. A really good read with well drawn characters and a twist in the tail. (Have I heard that somewhere before?) Archer may write to a predictable format, but this is a good story. Shall be looking forward to the next episode.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

17 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Wonderfully Enjoyable, then frustrating at the end

I really enjoyed this book, took it with me all around the house, 'til it got to the end...... The characters are excellent, Mr Archer has a knack in making his characters very realistic, that you think you actually know these people! I have just got to the end.................. NOOOOOO!!!!! What happens now????? How can you leave us all hanging? Hurry up with book 2 - please do tell me there is a book 2! Hurry up Audible!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved It

Why is that Jeffrey Archer writes such a good story. He really is one of the few authors that you just don't want to finish reading the book but can't put it down either. Another great book which I thoroughly enjoyed, can't wait for the next two to be published.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars

Chewing gum for the brain

I don't think Lord Jeff claims to be the greatest author since Dickens but this is as bad as it gets.
His research appears to have been just plain lazy and the plot and story are an insult to ones intelligence.
I know I appear to be in the minority but I feel I have to redress the balance.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

13 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars

Story Meister

Jeffrey Archer is just a master at storytelling. He shapes the characters brilliantly and I particularly enjoyed the perspectives from each main character's point of view.

Some reviewers have expressed disappointment in the ending - clearly more will be revealed in Book 2! Please deliver it via Audible as soon as it's published.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

10 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars

Predictable - but a good yarn

Rather a predictable story line, and as in other of his books some of the story line just a little unbelievable. Never the less I enjoyed the book and look forward to the next part.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

9 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Looking forward to next instalment.

Where does Only Time Will Tell: Clifton Chronicles, Book 1 rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Very high on my list of favourites.

What did you like best about this story?

Roger Allam and Emilia Fox.

Have you listened to any of Roger Allam and Emilia Fox ’s other performances? How does this one compare?

No, I have not. Now a fan, I intend to follow their work.

If you made a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

The Touch of Life.

Any additional comments?

One of the most absorbing, superbly narrated audiobooks I have listened to.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

8 people found this helpful