Geoffrey Archer, the British writer who achieved one of the greatest commercial successes in literature and a former Conservative Party official, has died at the age of 86.
Publisher HarperCollins announced that Archer had died “suddenly and peacefully” at his home. His final novel, “Adam and Eve”, is expected to be released later in October.
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Even in his final days, the author continued his public engagements. On Sunday, he attended a meeting with readers in London, where he spoke about the new work, which is due to be published in October.
Giles Brandreth, a presenter and author who attended the event, said Archer had been in very good spirits. According to him, the writer had announced that “Adam and Eve” would be his final book.
Archer also built a significant reputation in politics. He served for five years as a Conservative MP and later held the post of deputy chairman of the Conservative Party. In the mid-1980s, he was a senior official in Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s administration.
However, his greatest success was linked to literature. Archer’s works have sold more than 300 million copies worldwide. Among his best-known books are “Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less” and “Kane & Abel”. In 1992, he was appointed a life peer in the House of Lords.
The conviction that ended his political career
Archer’s political career came to a serious halt in 2001, when he was found guilty of perjury and perverting the course of justice, resulting in his imprisonment.
The criminal proceedings were linked to a libel lawsuit he brought against The Star newspaper in 1988. In that trial, Archer had received £500,000 in damages, but the court later found that he had lied during the proceedings.
The court sentenced him to four years in prison, while he was released in 2003. Afterward, Archer returned to the House of Lords and remained there until his retirement in 2024.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch expressed her deep shock at the writer’s death. She said she had received a message from him on Monday morning.
Former Conservative minister Nadim Zahawi also paid tribute to Archer, describing him as an “extraordinary man” and praising his ability to bring storytelling, humor and energy.
Kate Elton, Archer’s publisher and chief executive of HarperCollins UK, said that working with him had been one of the most important experiences of her career. She described the writer as exceptionally dedicated and a “dream” collaborator for any publisher.
