Bestselling author and former MP Jeffrey Archer has died aged 86. The writer passed away "suddenly and peacefully" at his home on Monday, his publisher HarperCollins confirmed. He had been due to attend the Cheltenham Literature Festival on Saturday to discuss his final novel, Adam and Eve.
A Cheeky Gift From the Late Author
A journalist recalls receiving a gift from Mr Archer that she found rather amusing. This was before he admitted lying in court after paying prostitute Monica Coghlan and returned the then-record £500,000 libel damages he won from the Daily Star. He was jailed for perjury.
Her husband, David, a well-known political journalist and broadcaster, bought her one of Lord Archer's books of short stories. She had read many of his tales, including Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less.
Spotting a Literary Similarity
Unfortunately for Lord Archer, she is a big fan of Somerset Maugham and spotted a distinct similarity between Archer's The Wine Taster and the plot of Maugham's The Pearl. The next time Lord Archer saw David in Parliament, he asked if she had enjoyed the stories. David laughed, said yes, and told him what she had said.
The stories were a huge success, and when they were reprinted, Lord Archer acknowledged Somerset Maugham and sent her a signed copy. "I'll never know whether he had copied the story, but I had to admire his cheek," she said.
Family and Publisher Tributes
Archer is survived by his wife Mary, their two sons and five grandchildren. They celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary earlier this year.
Kate Elton, Lord Archer's editor and HarperCollins UK chief executive, said: "He was the master storyteller and an editor's dream - phenomenally hard-working, utterly committed to completing draft after draft to get every word as perfect as possible, and a true champion of the 'team' nature of great publishing."
