Best-selling British author Jeffrey Archer dies at 86

British author Jeffrey Archer, a prolific novelist and former Conservative MP, passed away suddenly at the age of 86. His publisher, HarperCollins, confirmed his death in a statement. Archer was known for his masterful storytelling and his ability to bounce back from setbacks, selling over 300 million copies of his novels worldwide.

Despite his literary success, Archer's personal life was fraught with scandal, including a perjury conviction stemming from a claim he made in a 1987 libel case. He had previously sued the Daily Star newspaper for £500,000 after winning a case where his friend admitted to supplying a false alibi. Archer's career in politics was marked by ambition and setbacks, with his parliamentary career ending in 1974 due to financial troubles.

Despite his resignation in 1986, he was recommended for a peerage by then Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and later attempted to become the Tory candidate for London mayor in 1999. Archer's wife, Mary, a scientist, was by his side through his many trials, and he retired from the House of Lords in 2024.