The Sins of The Father; by Jeffrey Archer.

It has taken long since the publication of the first part and one needs to be reminded of the story so far, but even independently it is worth reading. The anxiety to read the next part which takes long, by which time one has forgotten somewhat, takes a toll, but still -

The uncertainty of the ending is the third time Archer has used it, once in UK and once in US based story, both with the equal opposite and once with twins too.

One finds satisfaction in the end a bad guy comes to, but wishes it were not paid for by his victim being beaten up before and dying later. Also, it would have been all right if the mother were to marry a wealthy suitor who cares about her as well, and the otherwise satisfactory marriage she chooses of necessity of heart and mind could have come just a tad earlier.

The dilemma at the end remains the same as at end of part one, and one wishes there were a satisfactory solution in writing if not in life.

Too many works - one at least of Archer, one of Cookson - have been about the dilemma of a brother and sister falling in love due to the excruciatingly bad behaviour of the father of the two and part of his family. One wonders what basis there was in reality for this fascination - but it does serves to remind males to not endanger their own progeny by such behaviour, and acknowledge progeny rather than attempt to deny, or even better, behave well in the first place with the mother of the progeny.