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.
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
