The Man In The Wooden Hat by Jane Gardam****

Volume 2 of the Old Filth trilogy tells the story from Betty's point of view( Eddie Feathers' wife, who has died when Volume 1 has just begun). I enjoyed this story much more than the first volume. Much of what we learned about Betty in Volume 1 is explained more fully, especially her relationship with Veneering, who as we know was a long-time rival of Eddie's. We don't learn as much about her childhood, mainly I think because it was not important to the story of meeting, marrying and living with Eddie Feathers.there are a few coincidences in this novel, like Isobel Goldenby being a friend of Betty's, and Eddie never finds it, even though he also has a relationship with her.

I'm going to move right on to Volume 3- Lost Friends

Be Careful What You Wish For: volume 4 The Clifton Chronicles y Jeffrey Archer

Sebastian goes involved in banking, Giles gets a cabinet post, Don Pedro Martinez is still trying to get rid of the Barringtons and the Cliftons. This volume ends with the newly opened- launched Buckingham cruise ship with many of the B-C family on board, plus a team of men with a ticking bomb on board.

Best Kept Secret by Jeffery Archer ***

Book Three of the Clifton Chronicles.

Giles Barrington is re-elected as MP, with assistance from Harry Clifton son, Sebastian. Sebastian has a friend, Bruno, whose father turns out to be a mafia type fellow, who sends Seb to Argentina on a money- laundering mission,,without Seb ever finding out what it was all about - no, really- there is so much in these stories that is so implausible- there are potentially dangerous or scandalous situations that hold your interest, but it all ends up so disappointedly neutral. Giles' wife is so evil, but Giles never realizes it. Seb never knows what was in that statue. And I think Seb's going to fall in love with his step sister. But they are light reading, and always a cliff hanger ending. in this one, Sebastian and Bruno are in a sports car, being followed closely by a lorry. there is a collision and someone is killed, but we don't know who. I say it's Bruno, because Seb has to survive, he's a main character! Stay tuned.