HEADS YOU WIN

Leningrad, Russia, 1968. Alexander Karpenko is an extraordinarily gifted child and it’s evident from an early age he’s born to be a leader. But when his father is assassinated for defying the state, he and his mother have to flee Russia.

At the docks there are two container ships they can board. One is bound for America, the other one for Britain. Which one should they take?

This clever novel is reminiscent of the 1998 movie Sliding Doors in which the destiny of the main character, played by Gwyneth Paltrow, depends on whether she catches a train or not.

In Heads You Win one version of the story has the boy and his mother settling in Britain where he eventually becomes a member of parliament. In the other version they move to New York where he becomes the chairman of a bank. But in both storylines he returns to Russia after 30 years.

This was one of the best books I read last year. It’s highly entertaining with a final twist that might shock some. Archer is a brilliant storyteller.