Sins of the Father by Jeffrey Archer

This sequel to Only Time Will Tell is the second book in the Clifton Chronicles which follows the wealthy English Barrington family and the not so affluent Clifton family. Harry Clifton joins the merchant marine during WWII. He survives the sinking of his ship, and hoping to start a new life in America, takes on the identity of a dead American friend. His hoax works too well. Police arrest him for a murder committed by the dead man. Jeffrey Archer develops the characters well and writes an intriguing story.