First Among Equals

—The Philadelphia Inquirer

“An endearing story.”

—The Wall Street Journal

“Archer plots with skill, and keeps you turning the pages.”

—The Boston Globe

“Top flight … Mr. Archer tells a story to keep you turning those pages.”

—The Washington Post

“Great fun!”

—Kirkus Reviews

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

FIRST AMONG EQUALS

Copyright © 1984 by Jeffrey Archer.

Political cartoons by Charles Griffin.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews. For information address St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

St. Martin’s Paperbacks are published by St. Martin’s Press, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010.

eISBN 9781429953627

First eBook Edition : March 2011

Hodder & Stoughton (UK) edition published 1984

HarperPaperbacks edition / October 1993

St. Martin’s Paperbacks edition / May 2004

READ ON FOR A PREVIEW OF

SINS OF THE FATHER

JEFFREY ARCHER

Available May 2012 From St. Martin’s Press

To learn more about Jeffrey’s other novels,

Visit www.JeffreyArcher.com

Or become a fan on Facebook www.Facebook.com/JeffreyArcherAuthor.

1

“MY NAME IS Harry Clifton.”

“Sure, and I’m Babe Ruth,” said Detective Kolowski as he lit a cigarette.