Cometh the Hour was published by Macmillan in 2016. Emma Barrington ascends to the chairmanship of a major corporation while the family confronts threats both old (Lady Virginia’s relentless scheming) and new. Harry’s international literary reputation brings both influence and danger. The novel covers the 1970s and early 1980s, using the period’s economic turmoil and political change as backdrop for the saga’s penultimate developments.
The Thatcher Era
The novel’s backdrop of economic turmoil and political transformation — the Winter of Discontent, Thatcher’s rise, the beginning of the free-market revolution — gives the saga its historical texture. Archer, who was himself a figure in Conservative politics during this period, renders the era with insider familiarity.
Collecting Cometh the Hour
First edition (Macmillan, London, 2016): Boards with dust jacket.
Approximate market values:
- Fine in dust jacket: $15–$25
- Very good: $8–$15
Projected values (2026–2036): Modest appreciation. Part of the Clifton Chronicles set.
Frequently Asked Questions
How historically accurate are the Clifton Chronicles? Archer weaves fictional characters through real events — the Bristol Blitz, post-war austerity, the Cold War, Thatcher’s rise — with reasonable accuracy on the historical framework, though the personal dramas are entirely invented. The period detail of British social life is considered one of the series’ strengths.
Is Cometh the Hour the penultimate book? Yes. It is the sixth of seven volumes. The title comes from the proverb “Cometh the hour, cometh the man,” and the novel ends on one of the series’ most dramatic cliffhangers.