British author Jeffrey Archer passed away on Monday, October 5, 2026, at the age of 86. His publisher, HarperCollins, confirmed that he died "suddenly and peacefully" at his home, just between two writing sessions. Known for his bestselling novels such as Kane and Abel and The Clifton Chronicles, Archer had sold over 300 million books worldwide. His final novel, Adam & Eve, was published on October 6, the day after his death. Just a day earlier, on October 4, he had participated in an event at the Leicester Square Theatre in London with presenter Gyles Brandreth and signed copies of his books. He was also scheduled to appear at the Cheltenham Literary Festival later in the week to promote Adam & Eve, which had been officially announced in January as his last novel. Born in London on April 15, 1940, Archer began his career in politics, serving as a Conservative Member of Parliament for Louth in Lincolnshire from 1969 to 1974. A failed investment in a Canadian company, Aquablast, led to financial ruin, forcing him to lose his home and leave Parliament. This experience inspired his first novel, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less, published in 1976. The book was later translated into French and published in 1988 under the title La Main dans le sac by Presses de la Cité. Archer’s career took off in 1979 with the publication of Kane and Abel, the first in a trilogy that also includes The Prodigal Daughter and Should I Tell the President?. The novel was retranslated in 2010 by Marianne Thirioux and published by First Éditions and later by Livre de Poche. Several of his other works were also translated into French, including The Power of the People and Into the Dragon's Mouth, both by Presses de la Cité. In 2011, Archer began writing The Clifton Chronicles, a seven-volume family saga that follows the lives of Harry Clifton and the Clifton and Barrington families across decades of British history. The series was translated into French by Georges-Michel Sarotte and published by Presses de la Cité and later by Livre de Poche. He later started a new series centered on William Warwick, a young police officer from Scotland Yard. The first volume, Who Doesn't Try, was published in France by Les Escales in 2020, translated by Oscar Perrin. The series continued with The Warwick Bet and Rather Die, published by HarperCollins France. Despite his literary success, Archer remained involved in politics. Margaret Thatcher appointed him vice president of the Conservative Party in 1985, but he resigned in 1986 after a scandal involving payments to a prostitute. He later sued the Daily Star for defamation and won £500,000 in damages. However, the case resurfaced years later, leading to his conviction in 2001 for perjury and obstruction of justice. He served just over two years in prison, during which he wrote three volumes of a diary titled A Prison Diary: Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven. Named a life peer in 1992 as Baron Archer of Weston-super-Mare, he remained a member of the House of Lords until his withdrawal in July 2024. Adam & Eve, published by HarperCollins on October 6, 2026, is set in Britain during the years leading up to World War II. The novel follows two children born on November 11, 1918—Adam, the son of a shepherd, and Eve, the daughter of a count. Their lives are shaped by class differences and the looming threat of war. Archer had previously announced that Adam & Eve would be his final novel. He is survived by his wife, the scientist Mary Archer, their two sons, and five grandchildren.