Bestselling British novelist Jeffrey Archer has died at the age of 86, his publisher HarperCollins announced on October 5.

Archer died suddenly and peacefully at his home between writing sessions, the publisher said. His death came just before the release of his final novel, Adam and Eve.

Archer sold more than 300 million books worldwide in a writing career spanning five decades. His 1976 debut, Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less, made him famous. Kane and Abel became one of the best-selling books in the world.

He was also a major figure in British politics. Archer served as a Conservative MP from 1969 to 1974. He became deputy chairman of the Conservative Party in 1985.

His political career ended in disgrace in 2001. He was jailed for four years for perjury and perverting the course of justice. He was released in 2003.

Archer was made a life peer in 1992. He retired from the House of Lords in 2024. He is survived by his wife Mary and their two sons.