British bestselling author and former Conservative politician Jeffrey Archer has died at the age of 86, his publisher HarperCollins has announced.
Archer died suddenly and peacefully at his home on Monday, October 5, “between writing sessions”, according to the publisher. His death came a day before the release of his final novel, Adam and Eve. The author sold more than 300 million books worldwide during a writing career spanning almost five decades. His best-known works include Kane and Abel, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less and the Clifton Chronicles. His books have been published in 119 countries and 49 languages.
Archer remained active as a writer and public figure until his death. On Sunday, just a day before he died, he appeared at the Leicester Square Theatre in London with broadcaster Gyles Brandreth to promote Adam and Eve and sign books for fans. Brandreth later described him as being in “wonderful, ebullient form” during the event and said Archer had told the audience that the new novel would be his last.
Archer was born in London on April 15, 1940, and was raised partly in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. He entered politics before becoming a bestselling author, winning a by-election in 1969 to become Conservative MP for Louth in Lincolnshire. He served in Parliament for five years before leaving the House of Commons because of financial difficulties. However, he later returned to frontline Conservative politics and became deputy chairman of the party under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in 1985.
A Dented Political Career
His political career was eventually overshadowed by a legal scandal. Archer had won a £500,000 libel judgment against the Daily Star in 1987 after the newspaper alleged that he had paid a woman for sex. More than a decade later, evidence emerged that Archer had lied during the case. He was convicted in 2001 of perjury and perverting the course of justice and sentenced to four years in prison. He served two years before being released in 2003.
Archer retained his seat in the House of Lords after his imprisonment but retired from the chamber in 2024. His final years were dominated by his literary career and continued engagement with readers.
HarperCollins UK chief executive and Archer’s editor, Kate Elton, described him as a “master storyteller” and praised his dedication to repeatedly revising his work. Archer and his wife, Mary, celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary earlier this year. They had two sons and five grandchildren.
His death has drawn tributes from political and literary figures. This includes Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and former Conservative chancellor Nadhim Zahawi.
Archer had been scheduled to appear at the Cheltenham Literature Festival to discuss Adam and Eve. His final novel was published on Tuesday, one day after his death.