Jeffrey Archer, the bestselling British novelist and former Conservative politician died aged 86, a day before the publication of his final novel, Adam and Eve, his publisher HarperCollins said on Tuesday. The publisher said Archer died “suddenly and peacefully” at home “between writing sessions”. His final book is due to be published on Wednesday (IST).
Archer sold 300 million books worldwide during a literary career that began with Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less in 1976. His novels, including Kane & Abel, published in 1979, reached readers in 119 countries and appeared in 49 languages, according to HarperCollins. The publisher said he spent a combined 14 years and five months on the Sunday Times bestseller lists and five-and-a-half years on the New York Times bestseller lists.
Kate Elton, HarperCollins' UK chief executive and Archer's editor, said the publisher was devastated by his death. She paid tribute to an author whose work had brought joy to generations of readers and described him as a friend.
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Archer also held a prominent place in British politics. He served briefly as an MP before becoming a senior Conservative Party official under Margaret Thatcher in the mid-1980s. His political career, however, was overshadowed by a libel case that ultimately led to his imprisonment.
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In 1987, Archer sued the Daily Star over a report that he had paid a woman for sex. He won £500,000 in damages, a record award at the time. The case came under renewed scrutiny after he was selected in 1999 as the Conservative candidate to become London's first elected mayor. A former friend accused him of lying. Archer was subsequently convicted of perjury and perverting the course of justice and sentenced to four years in prison. He served two years, during which he wrote A Prison Diary.
The original libel trial became notorious for judge Bernard Caulfield's summing up, which included remarks about the elegance and appearance of Archer's wife, Mary.
Despite his public downfall, Archer continued to draw readers internationally, sustaining a publishing career spanning novels and accounts of his time in prison.
His death came shortly before a scheduled appearance at the Cheltenham Literature Festival, where he was due to discuss Adam and Eve this weekend. He had recently appeared on radio programmes to promote the novel. HarperCollins' announcement placed his death just one day before the book's scheduled release, bringing his decades-long career to a close.
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