Only Time Will Tell (The Clifton Chronicles, #1)
by Jeffrey Archer
Only Time Will Tell by Jeffrey Archer holds a highly rated rating of 4.04 out of 5, based on 41.2K reader ratings. First published in 2011. The book spans 386 pages.
About Only Time Will Tell
From the internationally bestselling author of Kane and Abel and A Prisoner of Birth comes Only Time Will Tell, the first in an ambitious new series that tells the story of one family across generations, across oceans, from heartbreak to triumph.
The epic tale of Harry Clifton’s life begins in 1920, with the words “I was told that my father was killed in the war.” A dock worker in Bristol, Harry never knew his father, but he learns about life on the docks from his uncle, who expects Harry to join him at the shipyard once he’s left school. But then an unexpected gift wins him a scholarship to an exclusive boys’ school, and his life will never be the same again.As he enters into adulthood, Harry finally learns how his father really died, but the awful truth only leads him to question, was he even his father? Is he the son of Arthur Clifton, a stevedore who spent his whole life on the docks, or the firstborn son of a scion of West Country society, whose family owns a shipping line?This introductory novel in Archer’s ambitious series The Clifton Chronicles includes a cast of colorful characters and takes us from the ravages of the Great War to the outbreak of the Second World War, when Harry must decide whether to take up a place at Oxford or join the navy and go to war with Hitler’s Germany. From the docks of working-class England to the bustling streets of 1940 New York City, Only Time Will Tell takes readers on a journey through to future volumes, which will bring to life one hundred years of recent history to reveal a family story that neither the reader nor Harry Clifton himself could ever have imagined.
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Author | Jeffrey Archer |
| Published | 2011 |
| Pages | 386 |
| Genres | Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Mystery & Thriller, Suspense |
| Average Rating | 4.04 / 5.00 |
| Total Ratings | 41,187 |
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Frequently Asked Questions
What genre is Only Time Will Tell?
Only Time Will Tell is categorized as Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thriller, Mystery & Thriller. Its primary genre classification is Mystery & Thriller.
Is Only Time Will Tell worth reading?
Based on 41.2K reader ratings, Only Time Will Tell has an average score of 4.04 out of 5.00, which is considered "Highly Rated."
How many pages is Only Time Will Tell?
Only Time Will Tell has 386 pages.
Who wrote Only Time Will Tell?
Only Time Will Tell was written by Jeffrey Archer. It was first published in 2011.
What is the ISBN for Only Time Will Tell?
The ISBN-13 for Only Time Will Tell is 9780312539560.0.
Data sourced from community book ratings and reviews. Last updated: April 15, 2026
