Description
A WORLD ON THE BRINK OF WAR. AN AFFAIR ON THE EDGE OF SCANDAL.
FROM THE SUNDAY TIMES NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR
'A riveting tale of politics, war and erotic obsession' Sunday Times
'His most enthralling yet . . . a slam dunk of a plot . . . extraordinary' Nicholas Coleridge, Independent
'Gripping . . . Harris also has the John le Carre gift for showing how meetings can become a form of blood sport' Jake Kerridge, Telegraph
'Splendid' Max Hastings, Sunday Times
Summer 1914. A world on the brink of catastrophe.
In London, 26-year-old Venetia Stanley - aristocratic, clever, bored, reckless - is having a love affair with the Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, a man more than twice her age. He writes to her obsessively, sharing the most sensitive matters of state.
As Asquith reluctantly leads the country into war with Germany, a young intelligence officer is assigned to investigate a leak of top secret documents - and suddenly what was a sexual intrigue becomes a matter of national security that will alter the course of political history.
Seamlessly weaving fact and fiction in a way that no writer does better, Precipice is the thrilling new novel from Robert Harris.
'The king of the page-turning thriller' i Paper
'Harris's cleverness, judgment and eye for detail are second to none' Sunday Times
'Harris writes with a skill and ingenuity that few other novelists can match' Financial Times
'Harris is a master of historical fiction, a compelling author who brings to life the recent and ancient past' TLS
Robert Harris, Sunday Times bestseller, May 2024
About the Author
Robert Harris is the author of fifteen bestselling novels: the Cicero Trilogy - Imperium, Lustrum and Dictator - Fatherland, Enigma, Archangel, Pompeii, The Ghost, The Fear Index, An Officer and a Spy, which won four prizes including the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, Conclave, Munich, The Second Sleep, V2 and Act of Oblivion. His work has been translated into forty languages and nine of his books have been adapted for cinema and television. He lives in West Berkshire with his wife, Gill Hornby.
Reviews
I'm not fond of the word masterpiece, but this is a masterpiece -- Nigella Lawson
Gripping drama -- Jake Kerridge * Telegraph *
Brilliantly blurring fact and fiction, Sunday Times bestselling author Robert Harris is back in full force * Dead Good Books - The best crime and thriller books of 2024 *
Fans of this hugely popular author should lap up this tale that mixes fact with fiction, as is his trademark * Sunday Express - Best Summer Reads *
'A beautifully crafted novel . . . a dexterous blend of the political and the personal . . . Precipice is Robert Harris's 16th novel, and there hasn't been a dud among them' -- Allan Massie * The Scotsman *
Precipice hones in on those vital summer days when Britain hovered on the brink of war, before plunging into the abyss that arguably destroyed European civilisation * Spectator *
Robert Harris is one of those authors you know you can rely on. His 16th novel, Precipice, is no exception * The Times *
Robert Harris is a sort of genius . . . I am knocked out by the assurance of his portrait of a time, a relationship, and the perils to which Britain's leader exposed himself amidst a supreme historic catastrophe. The book is yet another triumph for the author -- Max Hastings
Few have mastered the alchemy of the popular historical novel quite like Harris * i News *
Rollicking . . . Harris's best book since Conclave * Spectator *
Jaw-dropping . . . Nobody does this sort of yarn better * The Mail on Sunday *
Gripping . . . One of Harris's many admirable qualities as a novelist is his boldness -- Margaret MacMillan * Financial Times *
A wonderful book -- Dominic Sandbrook
Stunning . . . With his unique eye for slipping between the gaps in history, Harris has created a gripping thriller * Express *
Brilliant . . . blurs the line between fact and fiction, illuminating love and power -- Alex Preston * Observer *
Seamlessly blends fact and fiction . . . Gripping * Daily Mirror *
Historically literate, politically astute and gripping to the last page * The Times *
An impressive blend of fact and fiction . . . Beautiful * Politics Home *
Compelling * The Week *
Gripping . . . One of Harris's many admirable qualities as a novelist is his boldness * Financial Times *
A juicy political drama drawn from history -- Imogen Hermes Gowar * Guardian *
Seamlessly blends fact and fiction . . . Gripping * Woman's Way *
Absorbing . . . Easily on par with Harris's best historical fiction -- Declan Burke * Irish Times *
An astonishing story, brilliantly told * Sunday Independent *
Heir to le Carre and John Buchan, Harris is the classy English novelist who, in both quality and quantity, reaches the parts most writers cannot reach. The bestseller list seems to keep a place waiting for him, and every book of his is read by the Queen before its publication date. The latest, Precipice, is no exception... Harris is exceptional at taking historical stories and making them irresistibly readable, with a huge emphasis on the writing * Independent *
Gripping * Sunday Express *
Robert Harris is a master of the historical novel * The Literary Review *
Robert Harris is a master of the historical novel. He has a genius for taking facts and providing just enough invention or exaggeration to make a compelling story . . . Precipice is gripping and plausible * Literary Review *
Book Information
ISBN 9781529152821
Author Robert Harris
Format Hardback
Page Count 464
Imprint Hutchinson Heinemann
Publisher Cornerstone
Weight(grams) 696g
Dimensions(mm) 241mm * 162mm * 42mm
