A Prisoner of Birth

infobox Book |
name = A Prisoner of Birth
title_orig =
translator =


image_caption = First edition cover
author = Jeffrey Archer
illustrator =
cover_artist =
country = United Kingdom
language = English
series =
genre = Novel
publisher = HarperCollins
release_date = 6 March 2008
english_release_date =
media_type = Print (Hardback & Paperback)
pages = 512 pp (first edition, hardback)
isbn = ISBN 0-230-53142-3 (first edition, hardcover)
preceded_by = The Gospel According to Judas
followed_by =

A Prisoner of Birth is a mystery novel by English author Jeffrey Archer, first published in 6 March 2008 by Macmillan (ISBN 0230531423).

The novel concerns Danny Cartwright the protagonist, who after proposing to his childhood sweet heart Beth Wilson takes her and her brother Bernie Wilson to celebrate at a nearby pub. In the pub they are instigated by a group of four persons into a fight. Even though they attempt to leave the pub without getting involved in a fracas, one of the persons, Spencer Craig, follows them out of the pub along with his friends.

In the resulting fight, Bernie is stabbed and dies. His murder is blamed on Danny in a well orchestrated move by Spencer and his friends, a popular actor, an aristocrat, and the youngest partner in an established firm's history, resulting in Danny's arrest and conviction. Sentenced to 22 years in Belmarsh prison, the highest security jail in South-east London, he encounters two prisoners. Albert Crann, known as "Big Al," and Sir Nicholas Moncrieff.

Nicholas teaches Danny Cartwright how to read and write slowly. Their friendship grows ever closer until Danny decides to look like his friend in the hope that it will help his forthcoming appeal.

Danny Cartwright begins to gather evidence with the help of his young lawyer, Alex Redmayne, for his appeal. Failing to present the new evidence, Cartwright is forced to spend another twenty years in Belmarsh prison. Outside, Beth Wilson is pregnant with his daughter.

Nicholas is murdered by a fellow inmate and his death is made to be seen as a suicide. The timely intervention of Big Al leads to the subsequent release of Cartwright. Cartwright, pretending to be Nicholas, must sort out his friend's family affairs before pursuing his own goal of clearing his name and his vengeance upon the four individuals who led him to be falsely accused.

A lengthy legal battle between himself and Nicholas' hated uncle Hugo leaves Danny Cartwright in the possession of over $50 million with which he plans to expose Spencer Craig and clear his own name so he might live with his new family.

The rest of the story involves the path that Danny has to follow to prove his innocence. In this, this story is quite similar to Alexandre Dumas's The Count of Monte Cristo, which this book and the protagonist references many times.

External links

* [http://www.jeffreyarcher.co.uk Jeffrey Archer's official website]