Jeffrey Archer, the bestselling British author and former politician who served a prison sentence after being convicted of lying in a high-profile libel case, has died at the age of 86, his publisher HarperCollins said on Monday.
Archer sold more than 300 million copies globally and was renowned for fast-paced thrillers, including his 1976 debut novel, “Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less”, and the 1979 bestseller “Kane & Abel”. His final novel, “Adam and Eve”, is scheduled for publication on Tuesday.
In a statement HarperCollins’ UK CEO and Archer’s editor, Kate Elton, said, “We’re all devastated to have lost a writer who has brought joy to generations of readers — and a true friend.”
Archer was also a prominent Conservative politician. He briefly served as a lawmaker before taking up a senior position within the party under then-Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in the mid-1980s.
However, he also became widely known for his highly publicised downfall.
In 1987, Archer sued the Daily Star after the tabloid alleged that he had paid a woman for sex, winning a then-record £500,000 ($660,450) in damages. The controversy resurfaced in 1999 when he was selected as the Conservative candidate to become London’s first elected mayor.
A former friend later accused Archer of lying, resulting in charges of perjury and perverting the course of justice. He was convicted and sentenced to four years in prison, of which he served two. During his imprisonment, he wrote “A Prison Diary”.
HarperCollins hailed Archer as a “master storyteller”, adding that his readers “meant everything to him”. The publisher said Archer had appeared at London’s Leicester Square Theatre on Sunday, where he signed books for fans alongside broadcaster Gyles Brandreth.
Archer was born in north London on April 15, 1940, and later moved with his family to Weston-super-Mare in Somerset. He entered politics in 1969 after being elected as the Conservative MP for Louth, serving in the House of Commons for five years before going on to become deputy chairman of the Conservative Party.
According to HarperCollins, Archer and his wife Mary celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary this year.
