Bestselling author and former politician Lord Jeffrey Archer has died aged 86 following a battle with prostate cancer. The legendary writer passed away "suddenly and peacefully" between writing sessions, his publisher confirmed.
Shock to fans after recent event
His death comes as a shock to fans after he appeared at a sold-out Leicester Square Theatre event in London just yesterday to sign books for hundreds of admirers. He was also due to make another public appearance in a matter of days to promote his latest release.
Lord Archer, who was first diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2013 following a routine blood test, has sold hundreds of millions of books across the globe. His publisher noted that "his readers meant everything to him."
Tribute from publisher
Paying tribute, HarperCollins UK CEO Kate Elton said: "It has been one of the great privileges of my publishing life to have been Jeffrey Archer's editor."
She went on to describe him as "the master storyteller and an editor's dream," adding he was "phenomenally hard-working, utterly committed to completing draft after draft to get every word as perfect as possible."
