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  • Be Careful What You Wish For

  • Clifton Chronicles, Book 4
  • By: Jeffrey Archer
  • Narrated by: Alex Jennings
  • Length: 11 hrs and 39 mins
  • 4.6 out of 5 stars (1,895 ratings)
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Be Careful What You Wish For cover art

Be Careful What You Wish For

By: Jeffrey Archer
Narrated by: Alex Jennings
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Summary

The fourth spellbinding book in the epic Clifton Chronicles series

Be Careful What You Wish For opens with Harry Clifton and his wife, Emma, rushing to hospital to learn the fate of their son, Sebastian, who has been involved in a fatal car accident. But who died, Sebastian or his best friend Bruno?

When Ross Buchanan is forced to resign as chairman of the Barrington Shipping Company, Emma Clifton wants to replace him. But Don Pedro Martinez intends to install his puppet, the egregious Major Alex Fisher, in order to destroy the Barrington family firm just as the company plans to build its new luxury liner, the MV Buckingham. Back in London, Harry and Emma's adopted daughter wins a scholarship to the Slade Academy of Art where she falls in love with a fellow student, Clive Bingham, who asks her to marry him. Both families are delighted until Priscilla Bingham, Jessica's future mother-in-law, has a visit from an old friend, Lady Virginia Fenwick, who drops her particular brand of poison into the wedding chalice.

Then, without warning, Cedric Hardcastle, a bluff Yorkshireman who no one has come across before, takes his place on the board of Barringtons. This causes an upheaval that none of them could have anticipated, and will change the lives of every member of the Clifton and Barrington families. Hardcastle's first decision is who to support to become the next chairman of the board: Emma Clifton or Major Alex Fisher? And with that decision, the story takes yet another twist that will keep you on the edge of your seat.

©2014 Jeffrey Archer (P)2014 Pan Macmillan Publishers Ltd.

What listeners say about Be Careful What You Wish For

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Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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    1,356
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Performance
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Story
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 4 Stars
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  • 3 Stars
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  • 2 Stars
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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

First-class story-telling

This is the third part of the the author's Clifton Chronicles. I advise listening to the two earlier parts first as you'll get more from this book knowing the backs-stories of the characters. There are a few allusions to events in the previous books but I don't think I would have understood the significance if I hadn't listened to them, though it did take me a few chapters to get into the swing of things as it's been a while since the last book was published.

Jeffrey Archer certainly knows how to write a gripping story as I couldn't stop listening to this good old-fashioned tale of bad versus good people. Set in the late 50s and early 60s it evokes the era as real people are intermingled with the fictional characters. The upper classes and working-class men who have made good are portrayed as the heroes and the baddies are criminals from Argentina or ex-Nazis. Bankers are portrayed as exemplars of probity: ah, those were the days! It reminded me of John Buchan's style of daring-do with fine up-right British men pitted against wicked foreigners.

The author's experience gives realism to how government was run and the political figures of the day. There are lots of factual details about life in those times that add pleasure, especially for those of us who remember those days. However, the main thing is that this is a great story with many cliff-hanger moments as the two sides battle for supremacy. I guess that it will have a sequel: I can't wait.

Alex Jennings is one of my favourite actors and he's a terrific narrator with a vocal range that includes foreign and regional accents, different genders and ages so that I felt I was listening to the characters as the story unfolded.

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12 people found this helpful

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

Excellent - BUT!

I have been really drawn into this series, but I find that I have to take constant breaks from listening - not because I am bored - but because Jeffrey Archer has so many cliff hangers, and one can see the disasters unfolding. I tend to start feeling uncomfortable as there is so much hatred and spite shown in the stories.
Once again - he has left us hanging on a thread - waiting for the next instalment which will no doubt be in another years time.
To sum up, I have found this to be riveting listening, and the story is gripping with its twists and turns, BUT I find myself getting quite stressed as the story unfolds. Thank god there will only be one more!! (unless there is something I don't know about!)

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11 people found this helpful

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

Cracking story - Classic Archer

Any additional comments?

Starts with a cliff hanger from book two and ends with a cliff hanger. Classic "Archer", lots of twists and turns, bad baddies, trusting goodies and then then a master plan to sock it to the chief baddy. Listen to find out whether the plan works or is scuppered at the last minute! Compulsive listening. Bring on book four!

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

A very disappointing ending to the story.

Is there anything you would change about this book?

A more satisfactory ending

Would you ever listen to anything by Jeffrey Archer again?

Yes

What about Alex Jennings’s performance did you like?

OK

Do you think Be Careful What You Wish For needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

This is obviously what the author intended rather than thinking of his readers.

Any additional comments?

My husband and I felt that we had been left annoyed by the inconclusive ending.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars
  • AJ
  • 24-03-14

THE PIED PIPER OF STORY TELLING

Jeffrey Archer takes us on the latest journey of ups and downs within the lives of the Clifton's/Barrington families. Crafted to his usual high standards, this is Archer at his best and for regular readers who have followed the previous novels in the series, it is unmissable. My advice, if you haven't read the three earlier novels then do so before you embark on this one. It will be worth the wait.

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2 people found this helpful

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

Best of the Clifton works so far

Where does Be Careful What You Wish For rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

The best! Gripping tale.. Interesting and captivating I couldn't stop listening.

What did you like best about this story?

I enjoyed it all

What about Alex Jennings’s performance did you like?

The grip waiting for the explosion

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Yes

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2 people found this helpful

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

Disappointing, from a fan of JA

What would have made Be Careful What You Wish For better?

Less repetition. Difficult to follow as you knew you had read about that particular section before. Became bored, it has taken me weeks to motivate myself back to the story ( or lack of story)My husband and I feel it is just a "rehash" of previous booksAll of this from ardent Jeffrey Archer books

What could Jeffrey Archer have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Better storyline, rather than repetition

What didn’t you like about Alex Jennings’s performance?

Lacked enthusiasm for the story. Narration became boring.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment

Any additional comments?

Will the sequel be much of the same?

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1 person found this helpful

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

awesome

Would you listen to Be Careful What You Wish For again? Why?

absolutely, loved the plot line, twists and turns

What was one of the most memorable moments of Be Careful What You Wish For?

surprising ending

Which scene did you most enjoy?

to many to specify

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

the scenes that involved Sebastian's character, and his development and achievements

Any additional comments?

can't what for the next one!

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1 person found this helpful

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

Another cliffhanger

What made the experience of listening to Be Careful What You Wish For the most enjoyable?

Alex Jennings's narration - excellent as it has been in the previous books of the series.

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

Bits made me laugh, one bit made me cry but I won't say what as it might spoil it for others.

Any additional comments?

How am I going to be able to wait til the next installment let alone all 3 installments still to come? Please get a move on Mr Archer I need to know what happens next.

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1 person found this helpful

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

great listen but now I need to wait for five !!!!

What did you like most about Be Careful What You Wish For?

as with all archers books easy but exciting

What was one of the most memorable moments of Be Careful What You Wish For?

I loved the yorkshire banker and the fish paste millionaire fantastic

What does Alex Jennings bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?

I only listen to books now but his reading ? was great

Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

both

Any additional comments?

how many more ?? I think 4 was enough not sure I can live long enough to finish this story

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