Jeffrey Archer’s latest offering is the sequel to Nothing Ventured. William Warwick graduated from London University in 1982 and decided to join the police force.

In 1986, he is promoted to detective sergeant and transferred to an especially focused team within the Drug Squad. This team has been formed to expose and close down the operations in South London of a notorious drug dealer who is known as ‘The Viper’.

Hidden in Plain Sight is the second book in a new series that Archer hopes will see William Warwick rise through the ranks to become Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police. It’s not just a detective story; it’s a story about a detective. Consequently, his family, friends and colleagues are fully developed characters.

‘The Viper’ is eventually identified. It’s discovered he was awarded a place at the Sorbonne University where he graduated with honours. He attended a business school in Paris before joining an international company. He doubled the company’s profits but resigned suddenly, moving to London.

William and his squad realise they are up against a man who could have chaired a major public company, been a cabinet minister or held a professorship at a prestigious university. Money – and lots of it – is important to ‘The Viper’ and the illegal drug trade is more profitable than the other three careers combined.

Time has to be found by William and his fiancée, Beth Rainsford, a valued staff member of a London art gallery, to prepare for their wedding. They attend two rehearsals where Reverend Teasdale takes them carefully through the service and warns them to be ready for something to go wrong on the day; it usually does. And what a ‘something’ that turns out to be.

Archer, a first-rate storyteller, has a relaxed style that’s very agreeable with short, sharp chapters that are engaging.

Reviewed by Clive Hodges