A Very English Scandal: Sex, Lies, and a Murder Plot at the Heart of the Establishment
- ISBN-10
- 1590518152
- ISBN-13
- 9781590518151
- Series
- A Very English Scandal
- Category
- Biography & Autobiography
- Pages
- 352
- Language
- English
- Published
- 2016-10-11
- Publisher
- Other Press, LLC
- Author
- John Preston
Description
The basis for the Emmy award-winning limited series starring Hugh Grant and Ben Whishaw A behind-the-scenes look at the desperate, scandalous private life of a British MP and champion manipulator, and the history-making trial that exposed his dirty secrets While Jeremy Thorpe served as a Member of Parliament and Leader of the Liberal Party in the 1960s and 70s, his bad behavior went under the radar for years. Police and politicians alike colluded to protect one of their own. In 1970, Thorpe was the most popular and charismatic politician in the country, poised to hold the balance of power in a coalition government. But Jeremy Thorpe was a man with a secret. His homosexual affairs and harassment of past partners, along with his propensity for lying and embezzlement, only escalated as he evaded punishment. Until a dark night on the moor with an ex-lover, a dog and a hired gun led to consequences that even his charm and power couldn’t help him escape. Dubbed the “Trial of the Century,” Thorpe’s climactic case at the Old Bailey in London was the first time that a leading British politician had stood trial on a murder charge, the first time that a murder plot had been hatched in the House of Commons. And it was the first time that a prominent public figure had been exposed as a philandering gay man, in an era when homosexuality had only just become legal. With the pace and drama of a thriller, A Very English Scandal is an extraordinary story of hypocrisy, deceit and betrayal at the heart of the British Establishment.
Get the book
Other editions
-
- 2018-05-08
- 352 pages
- Paperback
- Other Press, LLC
-
- 2016-10-11
- 361 pages
- Paperback
- Other Press, LLC
-
- 2018-09-25
- - pages
- Paperback
- National Geographic Books
-
- 2016-05-05
- 352 pages
- Paperback
- Penguin UK
Similar books
-
An Accidental Icon: How I dodged a bullet, spoke truth to power and lived to tell the tale
By Norman ScottOnly recently has Scott's version of events been vindicated. An Accidental Icon tells a story that is inspiring and jaw droppingly unbelievable: it is the tale of the courage and survival of one man who took on the establishment
-
The Grit in the Pearl: The Scandalous Life of Margaret, Duchess of Argyll (The shocking true story behind A Very...
By Lyndsy SpenceIn this meticulously researched biography Lyndsy Spence tells a tragic story of the life and downfall of this fascinatingly complex woman, and shows how she fell victim to a cruel husband, harsh social mores and an unforgiving class.
-
A Very British Coup
By Chris MullinDescribed as 'the political novel of the decade' when it was first published, A Very British Coup is as fresh and relevant now as it ever has been.
-
An English Affair: Sex, Class and Power in the Age of Profumo
By Richard Davenport-HinesWINNER OF THE POLITICAL BOOK AWARDS POLITICAL HISTORY BOOK OF THE YEAR 2014.
-
The Dig
By John PrestonMrs. Pretty, the widowed owner of the farm, has had her hunch confirmed that the mounds on her land hold buried treasure. As the dig proceeds, it becomes clear that this is no ordinary find.
-
The Duchess Who Dared: The Life of Margaret, Duchess of Argyll
By Charles CastleThe extraordinary story behind A Very British Scandal, starring Claire Foy and Paul Bettany Margaret was debutante of the year, the beautiful fairy-tale heiress immortalised in Cole Porter's 'You're The Top' - who ended up penniless and ...
-
Fall: The Mysterious Life and Death of Robert Maxwell, Britain's Most Notorious Media Baron
By John PrestonOr was he murdered—possibly by Mossad or the KGB? Few in the twentieth century journeyed as far from his roots as Robert Maxwell. Yet, as Fall reveals, no one, however rich and powerful, can entirely escape their past.
-
To Fall Like Lucifer: The True Story of a Very British Scandal
By Ian HarveyThis is a story of a scandal and its victim, of a society that looked the other way, and of the few who remained loyal.
-
Nothing But Scandal
By Allegra GrayWhen her father dies, leaving her penniless and without prospects, Elizabeth Medford is faced with a horrible future: marriage to the utterly vile Harold Wetherby.
-
A Very British Revolution: The Expenses Scandal and How to Save Our Democracy
By Martin Bell' This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to revive British politics, and the rebuilding starts here.