Jeffrey Archer, Novelist Whose Real Life Rivaled His Thrillers, Dies at 86

Jeffrey Archer, a British novelist and former politician, has died at the age of 86. According to his publisher, HarperCollins, he died peacefully at his home on Monday, between writing sessions. Archer had a successful career as a novelist, and his life experiences, marked by achievement and disgrace, often influenced his best-selling novels.

Archer served as a Conservative MP for five years and later as the party's deputy chairman. He was made a life peer in 1992 and returned to the House of Lords after being released from prison in 2003, where he had served a four-year sentence for perjury and perverting the course of justice. He retired from the House of Lords in 2024.

Archer's editor, Kate Elton, HarperCollins UK chief executive, described him as a "master storyteller" and an "editor's dream", praising his hard work and commitment to publishing.

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