British novelist and former politician, Jeffrey Archer, has died aged 86, a day before the publication of his final novel, Adam and Eve.
Archer, who was a prominent figure in the Conservative Party and a close associate of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, died suddenly and peacefully at his home on Monday, according to his publisher, HarperCollins.
The publisher said Archer had met fans and signed books at London’s Leicester Square Theatre on Sunday and had been scheduled to attend literary events later this week.
“We’re all devastated to have lost a writer who has brought joy to generations of readers — and a true friend,” said Kate Elton, HarperCollins’ UK CEO and Archer’s editor.
“When he set out to write ‘Adam and Eve’, he told me from the very beginning that it would be his final novel”.
Archer entered the British Parliament in 1969 at the age of 29 but left politics after becoming embroiled in financial difficulties linked to a fraudulent investment scheme.
He subsequently turned to writing, producing bestselling thrillers including Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less and Kane & Abel.
His books sold more than 300 million copies worldwide and were published in 119 countries, according to HarperCollins.
Archer’s political career was later overshadowed by a notorious legal scandal.
In 1987, he sued the Daily Star for alleging that he had paid a woman for sex and won £500,000 in damages.
However, the issue resurfaced after he was selected as the Conservative candidate for London’s first elected mayoral election in 1999.
He was later convicted of perjury and perverting the course of justice and sentenced to four years in prison, serving two years.
During his imprisonment, he wrote A Prison Diary.
Despite the scandal, his literary career continued to flourish.
“When I was three, I wanted to be four; when I was four, I wanted to be prime minister,” he was quoted as saying in 2001.
Speaking recently about why he had decided to make Adam and Eve his final book, Archer told the BBC, “It’s been 50 very happy years. But there is always a time. I think the clever thing in life is when to get out.”
