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    A Prisoner of Birth: A Novel
    Unavailable
    A Prisoner of Birth: A Novel
    Unavailable
    A Prisoner of Birth: A Novel
    Audiobook16 hours

    A Prisoner of Birth: A Novel

    Written by Jeffrey Archer

    Narrated by Roger Allam

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this audiobook

    International bestseller and master storyteller Jeffrey Archer returns with a tale of fate and fortune, redemption and revenge with A Prisoner of Birth.

    Danny Cartwright and Spencer Craig never should have met. One evening, Danny, an East End cockney who works as a garage mechanic, takes his fianceé up to the West End to celebrate their engagement. He crosses the path of Spencer Craig, a West End barrister posed to be the youngest Queen's Counsel of his generation.

    A few hours later Danny is arrested for murder and later is sentenced to twenty-two years in prison, thanks to irrefutable testimony from Spencer, the prosecution's main witness.

    Danny spends the next few years in a high-security prison while Spencer Craig's career as a lawyer goes straight up. All the while Danny plans to escape and wreak his revenge.

    Thus begins Jeffrey Archer's poignant novel of deception, hatred and vengeance, in which only one of them can finally triumph while the other will spend the rest of his days in jail. But which one will triumph? This suspenseful novel takes the listener through so many twists and turns that no one will guess the ending, even the most ardent of Archer's many, many fans.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Audio
    Release dateMar 4, 2008
    ISBN9781427202840
    Unavailable
    A Prisoner of Birth: A Novel
    Author

    Jeffrey Archer

    Jeffrey Archer, whose novels include the Clifton Chronicles, the William Warwick novels and Kane and Abel, has topped bestseller lists around the world, with sales of over 300 million copies. He is the only author ever to have been a #1 bestseller in fiction, short stories and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries). A member of the House of Lords for over a quarter of a century, the author is married to Dame Mary Archer, and they have two sons, two granddaughters and two grandsons.

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    Reviews for A Prisoner of Birth

    4/5

    521 ratings36 reviews

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    • 5/5
      This is my first novel by Jeffrey Archer and I am just sitting here wondering how I ever could have missed such an amazing mystry writer. This is bad news for my TBR pile as I can only imagine I will be running out to purchase more! :)A mondern day spin on the premise of The Count of Monte Cristo done beautifully. This book grabs has you page one and holds on until the very last page. I had to read on to find out how Danny Cartwright was going to overcome the injustices against him. From the Cover: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.
    • 4/5
      Archer is a fine storyteller and this retelling of Dumas' popular tale The Count of Monte Cristo is a gripping page-turner. Yes, it is a trifle beyond belief in places, but the reader is prepared to be amazed if a miscarriage of justice might be overturned. Although there are no real surprises in the plot, the court scenes were satisfyingly clever. Very enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      I have not read a book from this genre in a long while. I have to say, people who write these dramas must have twisted minds to begin with, but I am just naive, I'm sure. I enjoyed this far more than I thought I would. Had a hard time putting it down.
    • 5/5
      Professional book reviewers seem to take great delight in trying to destroy Jeffrey Archer's reputation as a popular author.They ignore the fact that his books regularly top the best sellers lists and have sold millions of copies world-wide.I've never read an Archer that I didn't like - The plots are well paced and the characters force you to root for them. These are what I'd define as genuine page-turners.A Prisoner of Birth doesn't disappoint and makes a great modern retelling of the classic Alexandre Dumas novel The Count of Monte Cristo.Well recommended for all Archer fans and also anyone who has been put off by the reviews from so-called 'experts'Mr Archer's reputation in other areas may be a little murky but as a teller of tales he is up there with the best.
    • 4/5
      This book is a great read in classic Archer style going back to the classic Kane & Abel. A story of revenge financially and in the courts. A cast of characters you sympathize with and others you loathe..
    • 5/5
      Great read. A young man is framed for the murder of his best friend by a "gentlemen" at the bar. The man and his fiance say he is innocent but four "gentlemen" at the bar said they saw him do it. He is imprisoned for 20 years. His cell mate turns out to be a "Sir" in Scotland. His cell mate is murdered (in his place) and the story goes from there. How does he escape and how does he get the actual murderer to admit or be charged with the murder.
    • 5/5
      Very interesting & suspenseful. Totally different twist. Excellent read in my opinion.
    • 4/5
      This book is by a British author, and I thoroughly enjoyed listening to it. The reader did a good job and the story kept my interest such that I'll seek out other books by the author. I can't quite give it a 5 but it's close. There's something to be said for a book that sends a reader seeking more writings by the same author.

      Briefly, the story is about a man falsely imprisoned, the relationships he has in and out of prison, and how justice is eventually served, with plenty of twists and surprises. Many of the details seem authentic and quite interesting. Well worth the read.
    • 4/5
      Renenge is a dish, best served cold. A great…well thought out story. 8/24/09Listened on Audio Roger Allam - Good
    • 5/5
      ‘Prisoner of Birth’ was my first Jeffery Archer read for several years and as with his past novels I was not disappointed. I will not disagree with those who claim that the plausibility of being convicted of murder and then walking free under another’s identity may be more than stretching the truth. However, I read for enjoyment and I always find Jeffery Archer novels entertaining. Again, I found this a real page turner. As My-Good-Wife had only been able to purchase the large print edition, as a Father’s Day gift, the hundred or so words per page were quickly devoured! Was there a slight reference to my nearly three score years and eyesight in that purchase???? Hmm…..
    • 5/5
      This is Jeffrey Archer at his best. I think "A Prisoner of Birth" would have to be my favourite.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely superb. Archer writes with so many twists you can never predict the outcome. He is becoming one of my favourite novelists
    • 4/5
      Furst tunem I have read a Jeffrey Archer novel, and it was a good one.I loved the court scenes, but the mistaken identity didn't ring true to me at all. But it didn't spoil the story.I shall be reading more from him. in future.
    • 5/5
      First time I have ever read a book by this author and from the beginning I knew I would be tracking down more. I loved the writing style and the presentation of the story as it unfolded. You already know who did it, the question quickly becomes how is the man convicted of the crime going to prove his innocence? Typically I pick up all of the subtle hints and plot devices used to set up a mystery, but this was a genuinely enjoyable read for me. Some things I figured out well in advance, some I worked out gradually and the court scenes simply became a joy to experience. It's a big book and there is a lot of story to be told, but you never feel overwhelmed by the size and scope of what is put before you. In fact, I often picked up the book and read for hours without feeling those hours pass by. If you plan to read this book on your lunch break, remember to set an alarm because you will most likely forget to check the time while you're turning the pages.
    • 4/5
      Modern take on Monte Christo,
    • 5/5
      Great. 10 out of 10
    • 5/5
      Description: If Danny Cartwright had proposed to Beth Wilson on any other day, he would not have been arrested and charged with the murder of his best friend. But when the prosecution witnesses happen to be a group of four upper-crust college friends--a barrister, a popular actor, an aristocrat, and the youngest partner in an established firm's history--who is going to believe Danny's 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. But Spencer Craig, Lawrence Davenport, Gerald Payne, and Toby Mortimer all underestimate Danny's determination to seek revenge--and the extent to which his fiancée Beth will go in pursuit of justice.
    • 5/5
      I really enjoyed this book, a little slow to begin but I was soon caught up in the characters and the plot. very clever a lot of suspense and Jeffrey Archers Style of writing made it a very good read. Would recommend.
    • 5/5
      Great story telling. I listened to this and was captivated from the beginning. Archer makes great use of foreshadowing and although you may get a glimmer of how it will end, the ride is fun and diverting. Top notch audio entertainment.
    • 3/5
      We've seen this one before from Mr. Archer. It's entertaining but it's his regular formula.
    • 3/5
      A Predictable book!!!
    • 4/5
      “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” Dumas’ Dantes did; and Archer’s Danny does.
    • 2/5
      A remake of Count of Monte Cristo set in reasonably modern times. Again predictable but must admit that it one of the better written Archer works.
    • 4/5
      Quite enjoyable. A fun way to spend time. Enjoyed it very much. Andrew Webber should write an opera about this book!
    • 4/5
      The audio book was extremely well read by Roger Allam who did all the accents very well. I thought this was as good as the best of Grisham and in a legal mode similar to his, but with English courts and barristers. Not totally plausible, but great to see how Archer kept me entwined with many interesting twist and turns.
    • 3/5
      An unbelievable premise - as if people wouldn't recognise him! But if you accepted that initial premise, it was a great page turner and enjoyable.
    • 4/5
      It was a good read - fast and not complicated in its plotting. However, it's quite a ways into the world of the far-fetched and requires that there be a corrupt cop, corrupt lawyers, corrupt prison guards, and a bond between 3 men that would have 2 of them risking prison to protect their murdering friend in a drunken fight. Also it plays on the stereotypes of rich men disinheriting their rebellious offspring, greedy relatives, Swiss bankers being underhanded and etc.Oh, and for some reason, lawyers in this book also make great detectives and spies and candid photographers.Sigh... there's not a lot of effort put into creating original or necessarily believable characters or situations, but it's well enough written that it makes for an interesting read.
    • 1/5
      A predictable and pacy holiday read. I read it in two days. I won't give a synopsis of the story as many others have already done so.It was entertaining, but not thought provoking. Throughout my rather fast reading of this book, I had an image of Archer plotting out all the inter-connections and the twists and turns on a single sheet of paper. A times it felt a little clunky, as though he thought to himself, "I must just add this bit here, so book 4 or book 5 later on makes sense". It also felt as though it had been writen with the idea that it might be made into a film at a later date.This is not a book I'd recommend to someone who is an avid reader; rather I'd recommend it to someone who only reads whilst on holiday and is looking for summer escapism. Not my favourite book by a long stretch.
    • 2/5
      Slow-starting jailbreak novel that turns on an absurd premise. Reworking the plot of a classic novel diminishes the surprise that is the key element of a thriller and Archer's prose technique is not strong enough for tha to be the work's main merit. Superficial characters exchange flat dialogue in what feels like the inept novelisation of an unmade movie. I have enjoyed some Archer novels for the energy of his plots; this lacked that.
    • 5/5
      Incredibly brilliant! Archer certainly does not disappoint - plot twists abound, but with a purpose. Keeps you on the edge of your seat while reading, and provokes thought when you aren't. I highly recommend it!