Next In Line Jeffrey Archer Novels & Stories

My parents were award-winning teachers, having nurtured countless outstanding students. However, I had always been the last in line, failing every single class. After yet another gentle warning from my homeroom teacher, my dad finally snapped. "How did I end up with a kid this dumb? You're deliberately trying to torture me, aren't you?" He disappeared for three days. When he returned, he had a boy with him. "From today on, Josh is the only true child of this family. You are no longer allowed to call us Mom and Dad. "Get out! You'll only earn the right to be my son once you can actually pass your exams." The next time I saw them was at the hospital during a check-up organized by their school for all the staff. The head of guidance recognized me immediately. "Yale? Isn't this Shane from your family? "He works here now. And Josh's condition, there's hope for him! You should have him contact the new Dr. Cunningham right away." Seeing me in my white coat, my dad's expression shifted again and again. "This kid… switched jobs and didn't even tell me." I subtly used my coat to cover the badge hanging on my chest. It read: Department Director: Asher Cunningham

My father died and left me with more than grief. He left me with a debt. A debt owed to Malik St. James, the most feared man in Atlanta. Ruthless. Powerful. Untouchable. I thought he came to collect money. Instead, he came for me. One minute, I was trying to rebuild my life after my father’s death. The next, I was trapped in a world of power, violence, and dangerous secrets where one wrong move could get me killed. Malik St. James rules Atlanta with fear. Everyone calls him King. He doesn’t forgive, he doesn’t forget, and he always collects what’s owed. But the closer I get to him, the more I realize my father wasn’t the man I thought he was. Someone wants me dead. Someone is hiding the truth. And Malik may be the only man powerful enough to keep me alive. In a city built on loyalty, betrayal is everywhere. As old secrets surface and enemies close in, the line between hate and desire begins to blur. I was never supposed to belong to Malik St. James. And he was never supposed to fall for me. But every king eventually finds his weakness. And I might just be his. “You belong to me, Zariah.” “I don’t belong to anyone.” His dark eyes locked onto mine. “We’ll see about that.”

Three years into our marriage, Rylan Shaw brings another woman home. "Maeve, you should learn from the younger ladies. Stop acting like a block of wood all the time." With a calm resolve, I shatter our wedding photo and hand him the divorce papers I've long prepared. "Let's get divorced, Rylan. I'll step aside for her," I declare. His friends insist that without him, I'll starve on the streets. Rylan believes the same. "Once she's suffered enough out there, she'll realize how lucky she was to be Mrs. Shaw." But a week passes, then a month—and I never return. That's when Rylan begins to grow uneasy. Panic and restless nights consume him. One evening, drunk and desperate, he pounds on the door of my new apartment. "Maeve, if it's money you want, I'll give it all to you…" The door swings open to reveal an unfamiliar man—bare-chested, pajama pants hanging low, fresh scratches streaking his abdomen. Jonah Archer arches a brow, dissatisfaction flickering in his eyes as he asks, "Mr. Shaw, what madness brings you to my wife's door in the middle of the night?"

Presley Brookmore was bullied by her older half-brother Odin and his two best friends Cruz and Anderson, all of her life. They made it their life mission to humiliate her at every turn. Was it her fault her father carried on an affair with her mother who got pregnant with her and wrecked Odin’s idyllic life? She didn’t think so but apparently, Odin and his cronies did, and so they bullied her at every turn. When an opportunity to get back at Odin’s best friend Cruz Hawley presents itself in a serendipitous moment, she doesn’t let it slip away. Taking full advantage of the fact as a billionaire, an attractive one at that, all eyes are on him and people are snapping photos and videos of the celebrity in the restaurant, she makes a scene straight out a daytime soap opera. Cruz Hawley returned to Vancouver with the intent to take his billion-dollar medical equipment company to the next level. When his childhood best friend’s younger sister pops out of the woodwork and not only destroys his chance at a connection with a client, but makes him a social media sensation, his businesses take the hit. Cruz is going to teach the troublemaker a lesson but it’s his heart on the line when he finds himself looking forward to every challenge she is presenting. It’s win, lose, or draw and as a former Olympian, there is no way he can lose. Let the game of hearts begin. Winner takes all.

Ciara Heartfield comes from family of Betas but due to her inability to shift and not find her mate by the age of 20, her status is reduced to that of an Omega. Finding love with Lucas Blake, her first best friend was probably the best thing that happened to her, that's until he leaves her for her other friend, Bella Jones. After her cousin, Sophia runs away, Ciara is forced to get married to the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack as a substitute bride. Orion Stone is the next in line to the Alpha position of the Silver Moon Pack After schooling abroad most years of his life, he was ready to take up the Alpha position from his father and plans to settle down with his first love and childhood friend, Sophia Heartfield. Unfortunately for him, Sophia has run off with her fiancee, James leaving him to get married to a substitute bride who turns out to be his mate. Orion does everything he can to find her and even neglects his mate, Ciara.His half brother, Bryan recognizes her as his mate at Orion's coronation ceremony and is determined to use her to get revenge. Will Orion ever succeed in finding Sophia or will he eventually fall for his mate? What will happen when Bryan reveals Ciara is also his mate? Will she end up with the two men or will she chose another like her ex, Lucas who comes back begging?

Three years after I had made my girlfriend, Sophia Lambert, sleep with her superior, she finally went from being his lover to becoming his wife. Meanwhile, I barely made it out alive after years of being undercover in a drug trafficking ring. My body was broken beyond repair, and I had returned home only to wait for death. Sophia arrived with one of her arms wrapped around her husband’s during a charity visit for the poor. When she saw me standing in line for relief aid, she let out a mocking laugh. “Benjamin, how did you end up like this?” I hunched my shoulders. I hid the First-Class Merit Medal for Narcotics Enforcement I had received not long ago. After a long silence, I asked, “Are you happy now?” She twirled the diamond ring on her finger in a lackadaisical manner. “The wedding’s next week. What do you think? “If you want, you can even become a groomsman. Orlando believes in diversity. His groomsmen comprises of different kinds of guys. He’s just missing someone disabled.” I shook my head and turned down her offer. “No, I won’t be able to make it.” The poison in my body had already spread to my heart. I only had a few days left.

When Gwendolyn Lee Grace lands her first nursing job after graduation, she’s thrilled — until she realizes her new position is a live-in caretaker for the reclusive patriarch of the wealthy Bearanstein family. Their sprawling mountain estate is as mysterious as its owners… and none more so than Arthur Bearanstein III — the brooding, impossibly gorgeous heir everyone calls Baby Bear. Arthur’s life is already ruled by duty. As the only son, he’s next in line to inherit the Alpha position from his ailing father. But there’s a catch: the ancient power of the Alpha can only pass to one who’s bonded with his fated mate. And Arthur’s mate is nowhere to be found. Until Gwendolyn walks through the door. From the moment they meet, sparks fly hotter than a forge fire. She’s everything he can’t have — human, off-limits, and dangerously tempting. Yet beneath her golden curls and soft smile lies a strength Arthur can’t ignore… and a secret even she doesn’t know. When Gwen discovers that the Bearansteins’ wealth hides something wild, ancient, and fur-covered, she must decide whether to run from the beast within Arthur — or embrace the destiny that’s been calling her all along. In a world where love can awaken the beast, sometimes “just right” means fated.

Meet Xolvion, he is the youngest son of the demon lord and his favourite in line to inherit his throne. However, he is also the bastard son of a low ranking succubus, and unlike his older brothers and half-sisters, not a full-blooded and powerful demon. Xolvion has inherited no great magical power from his father like his siblings and is seen as a good for nothing hornless bastard with nothing going for him, other than the ability to seduce the opposite sex. The night before his 221st birthday his siblings decide to get rid of him for good and attempt to kill him. However, he survives and flees to the human kingdom, knowing it is no longer safe to stay in the demon kingdom for fear of his life. He swears revenge against his siblings vowing to one day return and reclaims the throne for his own. Once in the human kingdom, the MC quickly uses his incubus powers of seduction to make his way in their world. Soon discovering that the ability to seduce the opposite sex isn't the only magical power he possesses. Learning that if he absorbs the fluids of another living being. He will gain their abilities and increase his strength. Xolvion embarks on a quest to seduce the most powerful female heroes and adventures in the land known as the holy saints, gaining their powers one by one until he becomes strong enough to get his revenge and become the next demon lord!

Saelyna and her twin brother, Cyran, are among the last, few elves in Halden that are still healing from the wounds of the rebellion. They both work in the King's Glade, growing the magical kingpeas for His Grace's use. One day, Saelyna steals some of the peas in a bid to sell them and repay her brother for the loss of his sheep. That same evening, a werewolf attacks Cyran while hunting, injuring him severely. He escapes and makes it home, but is dying from the wound. A mysterious stranger stops by to help, and uses the peas to heal him. The king's mages, however, have detected the use of magic and send their scouts to apprehend the culprit. Saelyna and Cyran prepare to flee, but are kidnapped, along with other elves. They are taken to a land called Eldad, and their captors turned out to be the werewolves, who wants them to work on their lands and grow more kingpeas to aid their second attempt at a rebellion. Saelyna is placed under the claws of Caivan, who turns out to be the mysterious stranger who saved Cyran's life. And Cyran is forced to work for Gylen, the werewolf who had attacked him. Saelyna finds out that he's not the helping kind though. Caivan is the pack's beta, and next in line to be the alpha, which requires him to be brutal, sharp at will and self-centered. Over time, though, Saelyna and Caivan grow closer, bonding over their affinity for magic, their plans to escape the world and their love for books.

The night before our wedding, Jason Scott receives the cancer diagnosis of my adopted younger sister, Helena Sanderson. His expression falters, and he says indignantly, "We'll cancel the wedding tomorrow, Victoria. Helena is very fragile now. I can't risk upsetting her at this point in time." I reply, "I don't agree with it! Why would my wedding upset her?" Jason doesn't show any displeasure after my rejection. He even thoughtfully prepares a glass of milk for me. … When I wake up the next morning, I realize the house that should be full of excitement is eerily quiet. Anxious, I dial Jason's number 99 times. He only picks up the call on my 100th try. "Where did my wedding dress and shoes go?" I ask. Jason falls silent for a moment. His tone is apologetic when he replies, "I'm sorry, Victoria. Helena wants to experience being a bride once. I can't let her leave with regrets. Please bear with this for now. I'll make it up to you once she passes away peacefully." As the line goes dead, I sit frozen on the bed, unable to recover for some time. … A month later, while Jason is on his honeymoon, I send the livestream of my wedding announcement with his rival, Frank Lawrent, directly onto his phone. Jason regrets it bitterly.