The Sins of the Father is the enthralling sequel to Jeffrey Archer’s Only Time Will Tell, and is the second book of his series called The Clifton Chronicles. It narrates the life and time of Harry Clifton.

Harry Clifton, in an attempt to escape the long buried secrets of his family and the fact that he may never be able to marry the love of his life, joins the merchant navy when Britain declares war on Germany. However, his ship drowns, until he is saved by an American cruise liner. A number of sailors are saved, among which is another American by the name of Tom Bradshaw. Bradshaw, however, dies at night and Clifton seizes this opportunity to escape his unwanted past.

It is at this juncture that Only Time Will Tell ends, and The Sins of the Father begins. On arriving at New York as Tom Bradshaw, he is arrested on charges of murdering his brother. After he is tried, declared guilty and sentenced, his lawyer mysteriously disappears, having initially given him hope of a lighter jail sentence, and the only escape for Harry at this point is to reveal who he really is.

However, he cannot possibly do that as it would mean jeopardising the life of the woman he loves.

However, this woman refuses to accept that Harry perished at sea, and, leaving behind their son at Bristol, she sets off to find the man she loves. A letter from him is the only proof she has of his existence - a letter that still remains unread.

Spanning from England to New York, Jeffrey Archer, the king of suspense and mystery, writes an enthralling novel that takes readers through a web of secrets, false identities, and courtroom drama, offering much thrill and entertainment.

Published on May 8, 2012, this book met with popular acclaim. Reviewers worldwide said that it met their expectations and was not a disappointing sequel. It received positive critical reviews from the likes of The Daily Telegraph, Publishers Weekly, and The Los Angeles Times declaring it as a pulse-quickening saga.