Jeffrey Archer was born in London, educated at Wellington School and Oxford, where he was president of the University Athletics Club. After leaving Oxford, he was elected to the Greater London Council and three years later at the age of 29, he became a member of Parliament for Louth. After five years, he invested heavily in a company that eventually went into liquidation. Archer was left with debts of 427,727 and on the brink of bankruptcy.
At the age of 34, Archer was determined to repay his creditors in full. He sat down to write his first novel, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less. It was sold to 17 countries within a year. It was also made into a successful serial for BBC Radio and was later televised in 1990 by BBC. His second novel, Shall We Tell the President? was a fast moving thriller about a plot to assassinate Edward Kennedy while he was President of the United States. With two bestsellers behind him, Kane and Abel came next. The book told the story of two men, one Polish and the illegitimate son of a gypsy and the other rich and privileged from a wealthy banking family. The novel became a best-seller all over the world.
Archer followed this with A Quiver Full of Arrows, a collection of short stories. This was followed by The Prodigal Daughter, the sequel to Kane and Abel. Then came the novel, First Among Equals. It became an award-winning television series for Granada. In 1986, he published A Matter of Honour: a tale about a letter that was never opened by the keeper, only to be passed on to his son after his death. His next book, A Twist in the Tale as a second set of short stories. His next novel, published in 1992, was As the Crow Flies, a saga that opens in the east end of London at the turn of the century. Honour Among Thieves was published in July 1993 and was a number one best-seller from London to Tokyo. He followed this with a set of 12 short stories Twelve Red Herrings, published in 1994. The Fourth Estate, based on the lives of Rupert Murdoch and Robert Maxwell, was published in 1996.
Jeffrey's 10th novel, The Eleventh Commandment was published in May 1998 and spent 24 weeks on the bestseller's list. Jeffrey's fourth book of short stories To Cut a Long Story Short was published in March 2000. His fifth, Cat O'Nine Tales was published in 2006. His novel, Sons of Fortune was published in December 2002 and his 12th, False Impression in March 2006. A Prisoner of Birth was published in March 2008 and topped the bestsellers lists around the world. Jeffrey's novel, Paths of Glory, was published in March 2009 and went to number one around the world. His most current work, And Thereby Hangs a Tale was published in 2010.
Archer is also a playwright, having written Beyond Reasonable Doubt, Exclusive and his most recent play, The Accused. He has also written an original screenplay about George Malloy called Paths of Glory and has completed a screenplay to his novel, False Impression.
Now published in 97 countries and more than 37 languages, Jeffrey Archer is firmly established with international sales topping 250 millon copies. He has been married for 40 years to Dr. Mary Archer. The have two sons, William and James. They divide their time between homes in London and Cambridge.
READ-A-LIKES -
W.E.B. GRIFFEN - The works of Griffin might appeal to Archer readers. Griffin's series feature communities of men, members of the U.S. military and police, and they combine accurate historical details with action and even a little soap opera. Try the Badge of Honor series that starts with Men In Blue.
KEN FOLLETT - Fans of Archer's fast-paced suspense stories should also consider fellow Englishman, Follett, another satisfying, old-fashioned storyteller. Predictable unpredictability characterizes Follett's complex, twisted plots. Consider novels such as Whiteout or Hornet Flight.
PATRICIA HIGHSMITH - Readers who enjoy Archer's twisted, psychological short stories should certainly try Highsmith. In her Ripley novels, Highsmith offers a charming, amoral hero and sets his adventures against detailed landscapes involving the rich and famous. The Talented Mr. Ripley is the first in the series.
DAVID BALDACCI - This best-selling Thriller writer might make another good suggestion for Archer fans. Political skullduggery fills his fast-paced suspense stories, known for their intricately twisted plots. Try The Winner or other thrillers such as Absolute Power, The Collectors or Divine Justice.
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