THIS WAS A MAN CONTINUES THE STORY OF THE CLIFTON FAMILY. IT STARTS WITH THE READERS TO BELIEVE KARIN HAS BEEN EXECUTED BY HER RUSSIAN HANDLER AFTER BEING FOUND OUT AS A DOUBLE AGENT. HARRY SETS OUT TO WRITE HIS LITERARY MASTERPIECE. THE BARRINGTON SHIPPING EMPIRE IS SOLD AND EMMA ENDS UP HELPING THE GOVERNMENT OF MARGARET THATCHER AND JOINS GILES IN THE HOUSE OF LORDS. SEBASTIAN GETS PROMOTED TO RUN THE BANKING BUSINESS IN WHICH HE HAS WORKED FOR YEARS. HIS DAUGHTER JESSICA DOES WELL AS AN ART STUDENT, BUT NEARLY LOSES ALL IN A DISASTROUS CHANGE OF COURSE. GILES HAS A VERY SUCCESSFUL CAREER IN THE LORDS, ONLY TO SEE HIS FUTURE DASHED. AND LADY VIRGINIA STILL GETS INTO AND OUT OF ONE MESS AFTER ANOTHER THROUGH HER SCHEMES.
