A masterclass in page-turning historical fiction from the bestselling author of Fatherland and Act of Oblivion, Precipice imagines the British Prime Minister on the verge of leading the nation into war and the secret love affair which could have world-changing implications.
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.
Publisher: Cornerstone
ISBN: 9781804941294
Number of pages: 544
Weight: 500 g
Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 35 mm
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
A most enjoyable read! I love historical fiction and the author has written a novel that’s impossible to put down; the story unfolds of the relationship between Venetia Stanley and the then Prime Minister Asquith, who... More
What bliss to be alive and in possession of a new Robert Harris novel, even better an advance proof copy. I like counterfactual novels (Fatherland) and ones which bear a resemblance to real events (Conclave) but... More
What an amazing story based on the letters written between PM Asquith and his socialite mistress Venetia Stanley. With World War one breaking out, the PM writes about everything, including top secret information, and... More
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