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Precipice
A spellbinding novel of passion, intrigue, and betrayal set in England in the months leading to the Great War from the bestselling author of Act of Oblivion, Fatherland, The Ghostwriter, and Munich.
Summer 1914. A world on the brink of catastrophe.
In London, twenty-six-year-old Venetia Stanley—aristocratic, clever, bored, reckless—is part of a fast group of upper-crust bohemians and socialites known as “The Coterie.” She’s also engaged in a clandestine 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 with Scotland Yard is assigned to investigate a leak of top-secret documents. Suddenly, what was a sexual intrigue becomes a matter of national security that could topple the British government—and will alter the course of political history.
An unrivaled master of seamlessly weaving fact and fiction, Precipice is another electrifying thriller from the brilliant imagination of Robert Harris.
Summer 1914. A world on the brink of catastrophe.
In London, twenty-six-year-old Venetia Stanley—aristocratic, clever, bored, reckless—is part of a fast group of upper-crust bohemians and socialites known as “The Coterie.” She’s also engaged in a clandestine 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 with Scotland Yard is assigned to investigate a leak of top-secret documents. Suddenly, what was a sexual intrigue becomes a matter of national security that could topple the British government—and will alter the course of political history.
An unrivaled master of seamlessly weaving fact and fiction, Precipice is another electrifying thriller from the brilliant imagination of Robert Harris.
464 pages, Hardcover
First published August 29, 2024
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Robert Harris
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
August 12, 2024
Summer 1914, and the world is about to face a war like no other.
In London, 26 year old Venetia Stanley is part of a group of aristocratic young people - party animals, bored and reckless. Venetia though is also harbouring a huge secret - she’s having an affair with the then Prime Minister H H Asquith. Asquith is married and in his early sixties.
Venetia and Asquith write to each other constantly, three times a day some days, but as war draws ever closer Asquith unbelievably shares sensitive information including top secret documents from various sources regarding the government’s battle plans.
Eventually, Paul Deemer, a young intelligence officer is tasked with finding the source of a leak of said documents, and when he discovers the obsessive nature of Asquith and Venitia’s relationship, it becomes a matter of national security that will change the course of political history.
Precipice is a mix of fact and fiction and is absolutely fascinating. Using the actual letters and telegrams Asquith and Venetia sent to each other gives an illuminating insight into how Asquith (in his complete obsession) was constantly being distracted from the office of Prime Minister, sometimes writing to Venetia in the middle of meetings, made even worse after the war had begun, as it shows that he really didn’t have his finger on the button, and in fact was asking for her advice in matters of war! It was clear that some of these letters bordered on treason.
Well written with an engaging story, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from Robert Harris.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
In London, 26 year old Venetia Stanley is part of a group of aristocratic young people - party animals, bored and reckless. Venetia though is also harbouring a huge secret - she’s having an affair with the then Prime Minister H H Asquith. Asquith is married and in his early sixties.
Venetia and Asquith write to each other constantly, three times a day some days, but as war draws ever closer Asquith unbelievably shares sensitive information including top secret documents from various sources regarding the government’s battle plans.
Eventually, Paul Deemer, a young intelligence officer is tasked with finding the source of a leak of said documents, and when he discovers the obsessive nature of Asquith and Venitia’s relationship, it becomes a matter of national security that will change the course of political history.
Precipice is a mix of fact and fiction and is absolutely fascinating. Using the actual letters and telegrams Asquith and Venetia sent to each other gives an illuminating insight into how Asquith (in his complete obsession) was constantly being distracted from the office of Prime Minister, sometimes writing to Venetia in the middle of meetings, made even worse after the war had begun, as it shows that he really didn’t have his finger on the button, and in fact was asking for her advice in matters of war! It was clear that some of these letters bordered on treason.
Well written with an engaging story, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from Robert Harris.
*Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for an ARC in exchange for an honest unbiased review *
September 11, 2024
Robert Harris is at the absolute height of his powers in Precipice, a novel of Prime Minister Asquith and Venetia Stanley, the woman less than half his age with whom he had a passionate affair, just as the world turned to fire.
At the onset of the novel, as Ireland appears to be slipping towards revolution, Asquith begins to confide in Venetia, sending her information and documents from cabinet, using her as a sounding board for his stresses. But, as war appears on the horizon in Europe, the Prime Minister begins to engage in much more dangerous behaviour, attracting the attention of the security services, in particular a special branch officer named Deemer (the only fictional character in the book).
Asquith is tenderly portrayed for the most part, though as the novel progresses he shifts farther from the lovesick, helpless romantic he sees himself as, and closer to the narcissistic creep he would undoubtedly be judged as by modern standards.
But what makes this novel more than anything is Harris's portrayal of Venetia, the aristocratic young woman who is the object of his obsession. A woman with a front row seat to the most explosive moments of world history, she is also someone simply searching for purpose in life. Harris always writes women incredibly well, and never better than here, as Venetia partly-unwittingly becomes one of the most significant political figures of her time.
Combining and blurring fact and fiction (Precipice features many dozens of real letters Asquith sent to Venetia) has always been Harris's string suit and he does it to tremendous effect in this, one of his best novels to date.
At the onset of the novel, as Ireland appears to be slipping towards revolution, Asquith begins to confide in Venetia, sending her information and documents from cabinet, using her as a sounding board for his stresses. But, as war appears on the horizon in Europe, the Prime Minister begins to engage in much more dangerous behaviour, attracting the attention of the security services, in particular a special branch officer named Deemer (the only fictional character in the book).
Asquith is tenderly portrayed for the most part, though as the novel progresses he shifts farther from the lovesick, helpless romantic he sees himself as, and closer to the narcissistic creep he would undoubtedly be judged as by modern standards.
But what makes this novel more than anything is Harris's portrayal of Venetia, the aristocratic young woman who is the object of his obsession. A woman with a front row seat to the most explosive moments of world history, she is also someone simply searching for purpose in life. Harris always writes women incredibly well, and never better than here, as Venetia partly-unwittingly becomes one of the most significant political figures of her time.
Combining and blurring fact and fiction (Precipice features many dozens of real letters Asquith sent to Venetia) has always been Harris's string suit and he does it to tremendous effect in this, one of his best novels to date.
August 30, 2024
Herbert Henry Asquith served as the British Prime Minister from 1908 to 1916. He took Great Britain and the British Empire into the First World War and was the last Liberal Prime Minister to command a majority government. Through his term as P.M. he was married to wealthy socialite Margot. Asquith was a bit of a drinker and enjoyed the company of younger women (he was in his early 60’s by the time of the Great War). He’d met and befriended Venetia Stanley (daughter of Edward Stanley, 4th Baron Sheffield) and had become close to her when Venetia accompanied a group including Asquith and his daughter Violet on a trip to Sicily. The pair were to become entangled in an affair and met up regularly and exchanged letters in the period 1912 to 1915.
Asquith’s letters to Venetia were kept by the recipient and, to this day, are held at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. The collection comprises more than five hundred items. In his letters, Asquith declared his love and also shared many political and military secrets, and even sometimes included top secret documents. They comprise one-half of the story of a romance and also a unique insight into Asquith’s mind and actions during a pivotal moment in world history. In this book, Robert Harris does what he always does: he takes known facts and events and fills in the gaps with a good deal of conjecture. He’s a master at this – it’s what makes his novels so compelling.
It seems that more than a hundred years ago, the postal system was much more efficient than it is today. In fact, deliveries in London at least were running at three times per day! In effect, letters were the text messages of the time. And Asquith made the most of this, often writing three letters each day, sometimes drafting them during meetings and debates. There’s a lot of love in the letters, but also – and increasingly so as time passes – a good deal of political and military commentary. Figures such as David Lloyd George, Edwin Montagu, and particularly Winston Churchill are regularly discussed.
For me, this story started slowly. I found the romantic element to be interesting enough but hardly compelling. But once the events leading up to the war, and also the early parts of the war itself, became a substantial component then I was truly gripped. Clearly, the author had to assume some elements and even admits to inventing a key character in order to flesh out the tale, but much of this story is historical fact. It’s a gripping and also, in many ways, a sad tale: one for history buffs and the romantics too. Another top class effort from this terrific writer.
My thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone for supplying a copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Asquith’s letters to Venetia were kept by the recipient and, to this day, are held at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. The collection comprises more than five hundred items. In his letters, Asquith declared his love and also shared many political and military secrets, and even sometimes included top secret documents. They comprise one-half of the story of a romance and also a unique insight into Asquith’s mind and actions during a pivotal moment in world history. In this book, Robert Harris does what he always does: he takes known facts and events and fills in the gaps with a good deal of conjecture. He’s a master at this – it’s what makes his novels so compelling.
It seems that more than a hundred years ago, the postal system was much more efficient than it is today. In fact, deliveries in London at least were running at three times per day! In effect, letters were the text messages of the time. And Asquith made the most of this, often writing three letters each day, sometimes drafting them during meetings and debates. There’s a lot of love in the letters, but also – and increasingly so as time passes – a good deal of political and military commentary. Figures such as David Lloyd George, Edwin Montagu, and particularly Winston Churchill are regularly discussed.
For me, this story started slowly. I found the romantic element to be interesting enough but hardly compelling. But once the events leading up to the war, and also the early parts of the war itself, became a substantial component then I was truly gripped. Clearly, the author had to assume some elements and even admits to inventing a key character in order to flesh out the tale, but much of this story is historical fact. It’s a gripping and also, in many ways, a sad tale: one for history buffs and the romantics too. Another top class effort from this terrific writer.
My thanks to Random House UK, Cornerstone for supplying a copy of this book via NetGalley in return for an honest review.
September 25, 2024
Excellent historical fiction detailed the fairly incredible (though real as all letters from the pm have been preserved) between H Asquith, British prime minister aged around 61 when the book starts on the eve of WW1 in July 1914 and Venetia Stanley aged 26 and youngest daughter of a rich aristocratic family. While married twice and with 6 surviving children (including Violet later Bonham Carter), Asquith a quiet, peaceful man of firm convictions, who rose from obscurity to being prime minister since 1908 and whose style of government is by conciliation and consensus - of course having to deal with forceful personalities like the youngish Lord of Admiralty Winston Churchill and Chancellor Lloyd George tests his skills to the utmost - is also known for his live of good life and attraction to younger women, his " harem" as his second wife Margot, another powerful personality, puts it. But none has had such a hold on him as Venetia with whom he has been involved for a few years now. Somewhat directionless and filling her time with friends (including Asquith oldest son) that like to shock society with various escapades, Venetia seems to genuinely care about the older Asquith and is happy to correspond with him and meet secretly when possible and advise him about this and that - the Irish Home Rule crisis being the latest hot issue that the time. But then all goes to hell when a minor Balkan conflict snowballs fast into a terrible war and despite his desire for peace, Asquith feels he has no choice but take Britain into it to resist what the political class thinks is German aggression and desire to dominate the continent.
As the war escalates and the casualties mount,so does the pressure Asquith puts on Venetia by sharing with her ultra secret documents,news etc...
And so it goes until the inevitable ending - extremely compelling and well written making pages turn by themselves and with lots of cool moments.
As the war escalates and the casualties mount,so does the pressure Asquith puts on Venetia by sharing with her ultra secret documents,news etc...
And so it goes until the inevitable ending - extremely compelling and well written making pages turn by themselves and with lots of cool moments.
September 1, 2024
Reluctantly I’m giving this a 3/3.5 as Robert Harris is one of my favourite authors and I’ve been looking forward to this book coming out for ages. It’s a fascinating topic and utterly shocking behaviour by our then Prime Minister but I felt it lacked pace in terms of the story and characters - it was redeemed by the fictional police officer who was a great addition. Normally I cannot put down Harris’s books but I felt myself wanting this to end as I found it monotonous in places. However, as always the research was first rate and it was an important historical story to reveal to the world.
July 21, 2024
My first novel by the author, and I must say, I am impressed! This novel based on the original letters written by H.H. Asquith and Venetia offers an incredibly honest, intimate and moving insight into their love affair. However, their letters were not only about love and utmost trust, but also definitely bordered on treason.... As their correspondence took place before and during WWI, the reader gets firsthand information about political decisions involving the war. Fascinating! The police investigation about the letters came to a rather thought provoking conclusion.....
Highly recommended!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I willingly leave an honest review.
Highly recommended!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I willingly leave an honest review.
September 7, 2024
the 50 to 100 pages which cover the unavoidable race to war were thrilling but the story around that didn't quite hold me and weren't as thrilling/suspenseful as Harris at his best.
August 23, 2024
Superb. An enjoyable mix of political intrigue, romance and history all penned by one of the finest authors around today.
September 24, 2024
My first encounter with the December-May romance between a British prime minister and a young society woman was reading Susan Howatch’s Scandalous Risks, where the role of Asquith was given to the dean of an English cathedral named Aysgarth and the setting moved to 1963 when everyone was gripped by the Profumo scandal. The object of the Dean’s affections still had the Christian name Venetia, but with the family name changed from Stanley to Flaxton. Now, reading the same story with the original characters and setting in Robert Harris’s Precipice, seems like moving from Anthony Trollope’s Barchester series to the Palliser political novels, only with real people and events. I am not a huge fan of historical fiction, both because we always know, except in the case of counterfactuals, how they are going to turn out and because the psyches of the principal characters are established by history and legend. But what literature can give the reader, which even the best historians cannot, is the sense of actually being there ourselves – in the cabinet room at 10 Downing Street or the drawing room of a great house, associating with the top people planning an invasion of the Dardanelles or a wedding at Saint Margaret’s, Westminster, with the possibility of a disastrous outcome for either.
Here the novelist comes to the aid of the historian. After encountering Winston Churchill filtered through the consciousness of Asquith and transmitted to his beloved Venetia, I began to understand how he acquired his reputation as a hare-brained thoroughly untrustworthy adventurer – the despatch and hasty recall of the newly hatched naval division in Belgium was evidence enough even before the Turkish adventure. Yet the original plan for the Dardanelles operation was good and if promptly executed might well have changed the outcome of history. But complicated military operations seldom come off on schedule.
To give the romantic story poignancy, Harris introduces a fictitious subplot with an imaginary Special Branch police Detective Sergeant seconded to military intelligence. We are to suppose that they are aware that someone at the highest level is leaking (as we now say) state secrets, and DS Deemer finds himself reading the intercepted correspondence between Asquith and Venetia. He even manages to gain access to her cache of letters in Alderley, the great Stanley house. On reflection, Deemer’s undercover exploits are wholly implausible, but they provide lots of suspense as well as allowing us to read the letters from another point of view than the protagonists’. And that’s necessary. Granted the liability of even the most sober (and Asquith was often anything but) and responsible older men to make complete fools of themselves when enjoying the admiring attention of an attractive person half their age (I do have the t-shirts), I can’t imagine where the Prime Minister ever expected the relationship to go. In the eighteenth-century it might possibly have worked, but not in a 20th-century democracy with a free and Opposition press. I also couldn’t see what Venetia enjoyed in the relationship. We all love the experience of being on the inside but Venetia doesn’t seem to have had any favourite persons or causes to advance. (Had I been she, I might have tried to get Edwin Montagu appointed Governor of the Andaman Islands to escape his attentions, as well as promoting woman suffrage and Irish Home Rule.)
Yet despite some unlikely features of character and plot, Precipice is an engaging historical romance that I enjoyed immensely.
Here the novelist comes to the aid of the historian. After encountering Winston Churchill filtered through the consciousness of Asquith and transmitted to his beloved Venetia, I began to understand how he acquired his reputation as a hare-brained thoroughly untrustworthy adventurer – the despatch and hasty recall of the newly hatched naval division in Belgium was evidence enough even before the Turkish adventure. Yet the original plan for the Dardanelles operation was good and if promptly executed might well have changed the outcome of history. But complicated military operations seldom come off on schedule.
To give the romantic story poignancy, Harris introduces a fictitious subplot with an imaginary Special Branch police Detective Sergeant seconded to military intelligence. We are to suppose that they are aware that someone at the highest level is leaking (as we now say) state secrets, and DS Deemer finds himself reading the intercepted correspondence between Asquith and Venetia. He even manages to gain access to her cache of letters in Alderley, the great Stanley house. On reflection, Deemer’s undercover exploits are wholly implausible, but they provide lots of suspense as well as allowing us to read the letters from another point of view than the protagonists’. And that’s necessary. Granted the liability of even the most sober (and Asquith was often anything but) and responsible older men to make complete fools of themselves when enjoying the admiring attention of an attractive person half their age (I do have the t-shirts), I can’t imagine where the Prime Minister ever expected the relationship to go. In the eighteenth-century it might possibly have worked, but not in a 20th-century democracy with a free and Opposition press. I also couldn’t see what Venetia enjoyed in the relationship. We all love the experience of being on the inside but Venetia doesn’t seem to have had any favourite persons or causes to advance. (Had I been she, I might have tried to get Edwin Montagu appointed Governor of the Andaman Islands to escape his attentions, as well as promoting woman suffrage and Irish Home Rule.)
Yet despite some unlikely features of character and plot, Precipice is an engaging historical romance that I enjoyed immensely.
September 20, 2024
As has been pointed out by other reviewers on goodreads, Harris is a master of combining fact and fiction - a terrific example being "A Officer and a Spy". In this novel, he again combines fact and fiction but to lesser effect. By setting up the novel to include a Special Branch policeman investigating the historical affair between Venetia Stanley and the Prime Minister HH Asquith, to me he indicated that the book would include an element of suspense and spy catching which did not occur. What he writes is a fairly sensitive portrait of a 26 year old aristocrat's involvement with an obsessive politician, who becomes more interested in his mistress than the conduct of World War I. What Harris does not include is an explanation of why a young woman with multiple opportunities (for the time period) for choosing a direction and life spent so much time propping up and coddling a much older, obsessive politician. Yes, Asquith did discuss current secret policies with her and valued her opinion but that seems to have occurred only once their relationship was well underway. And then, as a means of escape, Ms. Stanley chooses marriage with a man who prefers his own sex, when there were many other men who had offered her marriage, rather than forging her own path through nursing the war wounded, which she had just started. We needed a better sense of why this woman, who exhibited such an independent streak, would choose such a middling future. A bit of a let down, and toward the end bogged down with the tedious and interminable whining letters written by Asquith. But I will of course eagerly await Harris' next work, which I expect will be up to his usual snuff!
September 6, 2024
This book it was an awesome read. Robert Harris is such a great writer. I love that it used the real correspondence between Asquith and Venetia, it made for a really all consuming story that I struggled to put down. It was interesting and mind blowing at the same time the fact that the PM would share so much confidential war information because of his infatuation. Great book, I loved it.
September 17, 2024
4.5 Stars! Immersive, evocative, and nuanced!
Precipice is a compelling, enlightening tale that sweeps you away to London in the early 1900s and into the life of H. H. Asquith, from his position as Prime Minister of Great Britain to his all-consuming infatuation and love affair with a woman, Beatrice Venetia Stanley, who was more than half his age.
The prose is tight and fluid. The characters are intelligent, multilayered, and driven. And the plot is a fascinating tale about life, love, power, corruption, recklessness, loyalty, the inner workings of government, and the complexities of war.
I have to admit that I knew very little about H. H. Asquith when I started Precipice, but Harris did such a wonderful job of blending historical facts with captivating, alluring fiction that I was not only left entertained but incredibly intrigued to learn more about his life and his contribution to British politics.
Precipice is a compelling, enlightening tale that sweeps you away to London in the early 1900s and into the life of H. H. Asquith, from his position as Prime Minister of Great Britain to his all-consuming infatuation and love affair with a woman, Beatrice Venetia Stanley, who was more than half his age.
The prose is tight and fluid. The characters are intelligent, multilayered, and driven. And the plot is a fascinating tale about life, love, power, corruption, recklessness, loyalty, the inner workings of government, and the complexities of war.
I have to admit that I knew very little about H. H. Asquith when I started Precipice, but Harris did such a wonderful job of blending historical facts with captivating, alluring fiction that I was not only left entertained but incredibly intrigued to learn more about his life and his contribution to British politics.
September 8, 2024
Robert Harris knows how to write fantastic historical fiction.
September 6, 2024
An cringeworthy story brilliantly written. I really wanted to like this book.
September 8, 2024
‘He had kept his government together. But politics is merely a process of replacing one problem with another. Now there was just the little matter of the impending war.’
A powerful man is his sixties is infatuated with a woman less than half his age. He is sentimental, writing to his love many times a day, declarations of love mixed with the most sensitive secret information. As the pressure of the man’s responsibilities mounts, his adoration grows, his declarations become more exaggerated, and the young woman pulls back. It is a cycle of human behaviour that transcends any one time or space.
Such is the universal theme with which ‘Precipice’ engages, telling the story of Prime Minister H.H. Asquith’s extraordinary obsession with Venetia Stanley, in the early years of the First World War. Robert Harris uses Asquith’s letters to Venetia to offer the most fascinating insight into the heart of one of the most able politicians to have held the post of Prime Minister. It is a compassionate, nuanced examination, which is ably balanced with the depiction of the intelligent and resourceful Venetia Stanley, in Harris’s view one of the most consequential women in British political history.
In common with the rest of Harris’s work, it is deftly written historical fiction that tells us much about our current world. As the stability of Europe is once again threatened by conflict in the east, ‘Precipice’ reminds us of how quickly and easily such localised conflicts escalate into more widespread wars, as alliances are triggered and dominoes fall. It is a chilling, but necessary, reminder.
But at its heart, ‘Precipice’ is a very human story. It speaks of the frailty of the human heart (at any age) and is a reminder that even the most able political leader is a human being with all of the emotional complexity that entails.
A powerful man is his sixties is infatuated with a woman less than half his age. He is sentimental, writing to his love many times a day, declarations of love mixed with the most sensitive secret information. As the pressure of the man’s responsibilities mounts, his adoration grows, his declarations become more exaggerated, and the young woman pulls back. It is a cycle of human behaviour that transcends any one time or space.
Such is the universal theme with which ‘Precipice’ engages, telling the story of Prime Minister H.H. Asquith’s extraordinary obsession with Venetia Stanley, in the early years of the First World War. Robert Harris uses Asquith’s letters to Venetia to offer the most fascinating insight into the heart of one of the most able politicians to have held the post of Prime Minister. It is a compassionate, nuanced examination, which is ably balanced with the depiction of the intelligent and resourceful Venetia Stanley, in Harris’s view one of the most consequential women in British political history.
In common with the rest of Harris’s work, it is deftly written historical fiction that tells us much about our current world. As the stability of Europe is once again threatened by conflict in the east, ‘Precipice’ reminds us of how quickly and easily such localised conflicts escalate into more widespread wars, as alliances are triggered and dominoes fall. It is a chilling, but necessary, reminder.
But at its heart, ‘Precipice’ is a very human story. It speaks of the frailty of the human heart (at any age) and is a reminder that even the most able political leader is a human being with all of the emotional complexity that entails.
September 24, 2024
Robert Harris as always delivers creating a story from the known facts and making a novel feel like you are present as the events unfold. HH Asquith was Liberal party prime minister from 1908 until 1916 at a very turbulent time in European History. During that period he befriended a young lady of noble birth; Venetia Stanley. He proceeded to meet her on numerous occasions and openly discussed government secrets with her sharing details of troop movements and government war strategy, amongst other cabinet talks. The author informs us that the letters from Asquith to Stanley were not destroyed and he was able to use them as source material for his book and therefore the story behind Precipice is built on truth. This fact alone is unbelievable as is the attitude of Asquith who used his position to not only befriend young ladies, but to sexually abuse them (he was 35 years older than Stanley and professed undying love to her) She was happy to act as his chaperone ( it is debatable whether their relationship was sexual, although Harris believes it was) and then to effectively end the affair when she grew tired of his constant whining and promises of a future together….Asquith’s wife Margot was an Aristocratic socialite and free spirit, they both lived separate lives, in separate rooms leaving her husband to pursue and indulge his sexual fantasies. He used to meet Stanley in a “bedroom on wheels” hence the author’s assumption that the relationship was sexual in nature is well founded…
This is an astounding story told with the author’s flamboyant style, it makes a riveting and surprisingly informative read. I highly recommend and regard Precipice as one of my all time favourite books.
This is an astounding story told with the author’s flamboyant style, it makes a riveting and surprisingly informative read. I highly recommend and regard Precipice as one of my all time favourite books.
August 28, 2024
Summer 1914. In London, 26-year-old Venetia Stanley is part of an aristocratic group who like to party but she has a secret – she 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, Paul Deemer a young intelligence officer is assigned to investigate a leak of top secret documents . He discovers their relationship & suddenly what was a sexual intrigue becomes a matter of national security that will alter the course of political history.
I lost count of the number of times I googled whilst reading this book to find out what was fact & what was fiction. A riveting book which once I got into it, it was slow at the beginning, I found it hard to put down. The author has certainly done his homework as the attention to detail is very impressive.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
I lost count of the number of times I googled whilst reading this book to find out what was fact & what was fiction. A riveting book which once I got into it, it was slow at the beginning, I found it hard to put down. The author has certainly done his homework as the attention to detail is very impressive.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a special copy of this book; all thoughts and opinions are my own
September 20, 2024
This story of an upper-class, entitled narcissist who graduates from Balliol College and becomes prime minister, a position he is grossly unfit to hold, before being ousted by his colleagues is actually set in 1914.
As with Robert Harris' previous novels based on real events, An Officer and a Spy and Act of Oblivion, it's really just a record of what happened and, as such, lacks any real drama or tension. It's more of a character study - both of Asquith and his obsession, socialite Venetia Stanley, to whom he writes three times a day (including during War Cabinet meetings) often sending her highly classified information some of which he shows her during their car trips together before chucking them out the window.
Asquith's actual letters make up a lot of the text and are utterly jaw-dropping. More often than not it's the worst possible people who rise to positions of power and this novel shows that that has been the case for quite some time.
As with Robert Harris' previous novels based on real events, An Officer and a Spy and Act of Oblivion, it's really just a record of what happened and, as such, lacks any real drama or tension. It's more of a character study - both of Asquith and his obsession, socialite Venetia Stanley, to whom he writes three times a day (including during War Cabinet meetings) often sending her highly classified information some of which he shows her during their car trips together before chucking them out the window.
Asquith's actual letters make up a lot of the text and are utterly jaw-dropping. More often than not it's the worst possible people who rise to positions of power and this novel shows that that has been the case for quite some time.
September 21, 2024
Just before World War I, Prime Minister Asquith was having an affair with Venetia Stanley, an aristocrat who was less than half his age. He wrote to her every day and, as the crisis that was to lead to war developed and intensified, he confided in her, often sending highly classified material with his letter. Suspecting that Asquith's indiscretions could put the country in danger, Scotland Yard sets a detective called Beemer to intercept the letters. Robert Harris has used the original correspondence between Asquith and Venetia as the basis for a superb story blending history and romance. I was hooked - stayed up late a couple of nights ago to finish it. I learned a lot about the politics of war - insights that are sadly only too relevant today, although the methods of politicians' indiscretions may have changed. Highly recommended!
September 24, 2024
Fascinating account of the relationship between HH Asquith and his lover(?) Venetia Stanley at the outbreak of WW1, a narrative that incorporates the actual content of the letters from the Prime Minister to Venetia.
August 29, 2024
This riveting read is a seamless blend of fact and fiction, and the fact in ways is more shocking than the fiction! Set in London 1914, this book provides a very unique viewpoint on the outbreak of world war one, as Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith exchanges frequent letters - and confidential information - with his mistress. This is a compelling read; even though as a reader you know exactly how world events are going to unfold, you get caught up in the personal dramas developing the main characters. A history lesson with a very human element!
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the review copy.
#NetGalley #Precipice
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House UK, Cornerstone for the review copy.
#NetGalley #Precipice
September 10, 2024
Fun lil book about the PM’s affair using entirely real letters, ended in a strange place but had me gripped
September 19, 2024
Venetia, Prime, personal letters and WW1. An amazing collage of relationships and detective work. Details of 1914 &1915 described and a sense we are fighting a war on all fronts.
September 15, 2024
I have always enjoyed the historical novels of Robert Harris, but this one left me cold. For those who enjoy mushy love stories and triangles, this may be just the book for them. Every time Harris started with historical events it was interrupted by trivial letters, and even though they may be fact, I thought they were as interesting as watching paint dry.
Read
August 26, 2024A new book by Robert Harris is always an event in my world and Precipice continues his run as the unviralled master of historical fiction. He always seems to manage to find events which are important historically and humanise them in a way that brings any period completely to life, whether it’s Ancient Rome, 17th century England and America, Edwardian Britain or even a dystopian future.
Precipice is set in the United Kingdom in 1914 as war appears inevitable. The story revolves around the Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, and his affair with Venetia Stanley, a society woman 35 years his junior. The precipice of the title is not only applicable to a world hurtling towards the loss of a generation of young men, including the sons of those making the decisions, but also for Asquith personally as he takes all sorts of risks by telling her state secrets and passing on confidential information. Finally we have Paul Deemer, a (fictitious) policeman brought in to the security forces to infiltrate the mail between the two and discover which secrets may have been disclosed.
It’s a bizarre, almost unbelievable story, and yet it’s based on real life events. All the letters from Asquith which are contained in the book are his actual words (Venetia’s are invented to fill the gaps on her side as he destroyed her correspondence) and it’s incredible to see his infatuation and how much he focuses on her rather than world events, often writing to her three times a day (it’s also incredible to see such an efficient postal service). What’s most striking is the anonymity that the Prime Minister enjoys. He is able to walk around the streets unrecognised and Downing Street is open to all and little known even to taxi drivers. No. 10 feels more like a family home as Asquith walks across the road to discuss important matters late at night in the Foreign Office, then walks back home to lock the door behind him and go to bed.
Asquith could easily have come across as either pathetic or unlikeable but instead he remains sympathetic. He seems to realise he’s out of his depth in this role at this time but is unable to see a way out. His wife, Margot, is the strong and ambitious one in the relationship and he seems to have come to the position partly through her networking. It’s clear that Venetia Stanley is not the first woman to occupy this role for him, that he needs these outside interests and uses the correspondence also as a means of working out his own thoughts. There’s a real sense of how heavily his decisions weigh on him throughout and you can feel the pressure build on him as the crowds grow outside the windows of No. 10.
Venetia herself is an unusual and interesting character. She’s clearly intelligent but trapped by her position in the society of the time. She is very much part of the idle rich upper class, surrounded by bright young things who look no further than having fun (one of her circle is Asquith’s eldest son) and not at all satisfied by the thought of only marriage in her future rather than using her mind. In the beginning she seems to enjoy seeing such important information and discussing matters of national importance but becomes increasingly uncomfortable and suffocated by the situation as it spirals.
Once I began this book, I couldn’t put it down. I was familiar with the story but Harris is such a wonderful writer that he brings everything to life. The build up to the Great War is complicated, with all the alliances around Europe, and I wasn’t overly familiar with all the politicians of the time but he manages to set the scene very well and it’s soon clear who everyone is and what role they play. It’s fascinating to see the young Churchill in the background, a Johnsonian figure full of excitement about the chance of war and reckless in many decisions, but we’re also always very aware that most of these people are concerned about all the lives that may be lost, especially as their own sons are likely to have to fight, and are very aware of how terrible this war will be. It’s a wonderful book, another brilliant glimpse into history from Harris, and I can’t wait to see where in time he goes next.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
Precipice is set in the United Kingdom in 1914 as war appears inevitable. The story revolves around the Prime Minister, H. H. Asquith, and his affair with Venetia Stanley, a society woman 35 years his junior. The precipice of the title is not only applicable to a world hurtling towards the loss of a generation of young men, including the sons of those making the decisions, but also for Asquith personally as he takes all sorts of risks by telling her state secrets and passing on confidential information. Finally we have Paul Deemer, a (fictitious) policeman brought in to the security forces to infiltrate the mail between the two and discover which secrets may have been disclosed.
It’s a bizarre, almost unbelievable story, and yet it’s based on real life events. All the letters from Asquith which are contained in the book are his actual words (Venetia’s are invented to fill the gaps on her side as he destroyed her correspondence) and it’s incredible to see his infatuation and how much he focuses on her rather than world events, often writing to her three times a day (it’s also incredible to see such an efficient postal service). What’s most striking is the anonymity that the Prime Minister enjoys. He is able to walk around the streets unrecognised and Downing Street is open to all and little known even to taxi drivers. No. 10 feels more like a family home as Asquith walks across the road to discuss important matters late at night in the Foreign Office, then walks back home to lock the door behind him and go to bed.
Asquith could easily have come across as either pathetic or unlikeable but instead he remains sympathetic. He seems to realise he’s out of his depth in this role at this time but is unable to see a way out. His wife, Margot, is the strong and ambitious one in the relationship and he seems to have come to the position partly through her networking. It’s clear that Venetia Stanley is not the first woman to occupy this role for him, that he needs these outside interests and uses the correspondence also as a means of working out his own thoughts. There’s a real sense of how heavily his decisions weigh on him throughout and you can feel the pressure build on him as the crowds grow outside the windows of No. 10.
Venetia herself is an unusual and interesting character. She’s clearly intelligent but trapped by her position in the society of the time. She is very much part of the idle rich upper class, surrounded by bright young things who look no further than having fun (one of her circle is Asquith’s eldest son) and not at all satisfied by the thought of only marriage in her future rather than using her mind. In the beginning she seems to enjoy seeing such important information and discussing matters of national importance but becomes increasingly uncomfortable and suffocated by the situation as it spirals.
Once I began this book, I couldn’t put it down. I was familiar with the story but Harris is such a wonderful writer that he brings everything to life. The build up to the Great War is complicated, with all the alliances around Europe, and I wasn’t overly familiar with all the politicians of the time but he manages to set the scene very well and it’s soon clear who everyone is and what role they play. It’s fascinating to see the young Churchill in the background, a Johnsonian figure full of excitement about the chance of war and reckless in many decisions, but we’re also always very aware that most of these people are concerned about all the lives that may be lost, especially as their own sons are likely to have to fight, and are very aware of how terrible this war will be. It’s a wonderful book, another brilliant glimpse into history from Harris, and I can’t wait to see where in time he goes next.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy in return for an honest review.
September 28, 2024
The AUTHOR’S NOTE from the latest Historical Thriller from Robert Harris, PRECIPICE, contains some very eye-opening details about what you are about to read. He states that all of the letters and correspondence contained within the novel are real and taken directly from the originals. He also indicates that all of the characters in the novel are real with the exception of Intelligence Officer Paul Deemer.
That really sets the stage for a work of political, social intrigue that is also fueled with more than a little forbidden romance all during the early days of WWI in the U.K. It is 1914 in London and Prime Minister H.H. Asquith is literally watching his country at the precipice of both a civil war in Ireland and a World War. The World War was sparked by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo and immediately pit Serbia against Austria. Germany would of course be backing Austria and the allies against them immediately consisted of Russia and France. Britain wanted to ‘wait and see,’ to quote a phrase that P.M. Asquith made famous, but their hand may soon be forced by internal and external pressures.
There are two other characters of great prominence in PRECIPICE. The first is the 26-year-old daughter of a Lord and member of an eclectic group of wealthy young people named Venetia Stanley. The other is a police detective soon to be military intelligence officer D.S. Paul Deemer who we first meet when he is investigating the death of two young people from Venetia’s crew “The Coterie,” who leapt from a steamship during a birthday party on the water and subsequently drowned. Ironically, Venetia did not attend the party as she claimed to not be feeling well in a ruse to have another late-night rendezvous with the P.M.
As much as the P.M. wants to stay out of the war due to the economic straits the country is in, let alone the tens of thousands of soldiers that need to be trained for a war initially predicted to last three years, the response of the ultimatums made between Austria and Serbia do not go well. Once Britain is forced to get involved the need for military intelligence to flush out German spies and sympathizers becomes necessary. As a result, Paul Deemer is promoted into this small, specialized group where he begins hunting down potential spies and then focuses on government correspondence which may be at risk of interception by the enemy.
This will put Deemer directly on the path of the P.M. and Venetia whose back and forth correspondence and exchanging of information only those in the cabinet could know puts them under much scrutiny. It will also threaten the P.M. and his job directly. However, his obsession with young Venetia, although he is married with grown children, knows no bounds. The best part of this novel are the letters back and forth especially since they are all completely authentic. His own cabinet supporters grow concerned when they see the P.M. attempting to have a clandestine visit with Venetia while she and her family are vacationing in Penrhos instead of maintaining focus on the war effort.
One thing I found quite ironic is when Deemer is staying at the Watergate House during a mission since the infamous Watergate Hotel was the location of the collapse of the Nixon administration in the early 1970’s. He goes undercover as a gardener working on the Penrhos estate where Venetia and her family are to gain access to the correspondence he is chasing. Venetia, who seems to be very much in love with the P.M., continues throughout the story to fend off the advances of a member of his cabinet named Montagu who wants to marry her. She chooses to escape all this tension by becoming a field nurse working in France for three months, a period of time that nearly breaks the P.M. His correspondence during this time, often infused with sonnets and poetry, becomes desperate almost to the point of suicidal.
The suspense comes from waiting to see what Deemer and military intelligence will do when they eventually have all the correspondence between the P.M. and Veneita. The historical results are public record, but that does not take away for a second from the enjoyment in reading another masterwork of historical fiction from the great Robert Harris.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
That really sets the stage for a work of political, social intrigue that is also fueled with more than a little forbidden romance all during the early days of WWI in the U.K. It is 1914 in London and Prime Minister H.H. Asquith is literally watching his country at the precipice of both a civil war in Ireland and a World War. The World War was sparked by the assassination of Archduke Ferdinand and his wife in Sarajevo and immediately pit Serbia against Austria. Germany would of course be backing Austria and the allies against them immediately consisted of Russia and France. Britain wanted to ‘wait and see,’ to quote a phrase that P.M. Asquith made famous, but their hand may soon be forced by internal and external pressures.
There are two other characters of great prominence in PRECIPICE. The first is the 26-year-old daughter of a Lord and member of an eclectic group of wealthy young people named Venetia Stanley. The other is a police detective soon to be military intelligence officer D.S. Paul Deemer who we first meet when he is investigating the death of two young people from Venetia’s crew “The Coterie,” who leapt from a steamship during a birthday party on the water and subsequently drowned. Ironically, Venetia did not attend the party as she claimed to not be feeling well in a ruse to have another late-night rendezvous with the P.M.
As much as the P.M. wants to stay out of the war due to the economic straits the country is in, let alone the tens of thousands of soldiers that need to be trained for a war initially predicted to last three years, the response of the ultimatums made between Austria and Serbia do not go well. Once Britain is forced to get involved the need for military intelligence to flush out German spies and sympathizers becomes necessary. As a result, Paul Deemer is promoted into this small, specialized group where he begins hunting down potential spies and then focuses on government correspondence which may be at risk of interception by the enemy.
This will put Deemer directly on the path of the P.M. and Venetia whose back and forth correspondence and exchanging of information only those in the cabinet could know puts them under much scrutiny. It will also threaten the P.M. and his job directly. However, his obsession with young Venetia, although he is married with grown children, knows no bounds. The best part of this novel are the letters back and forth especially since they are all completely authentic. His own cabinet supporters grow concerned when they see the P.M. attempting to have a clandestine visit with Venetia while she and her family are vacationing in Penrhos instead of maintaining focus on the war effort.
One thing I found quite ironic is when Deemer is staying at the Watergate House during a mission since the infamous Watergate Hotel was the location of the collapse of the Nixon administration in the early 1970’s. He goes undercover as a gardener working on the Penrhos estate where Venetia and her family are to gain access to the correspondence he is chasing. Venetia, who seems to be very much in love with the P.M., continues throughout the story to fend off the advances of a member of his cabinet named Montagu who wants to marry her. She chooses to escape all this tension by becoming a field nurse working in France for three months, a period of time that nearly breaks the P.M. His correspondence during this time, often infused with sonnets and poetry, becomes desperate almost to the point of suicidal.
The suspense comes from waiting to see what Deemer and military intelligence will do when they eventually have all the correspondence between the P.M. and Veneita. The historical results are public record, but that does not take away for a second from the enjoyment in reading another masterwork of historical fiction from the great Robert Harris.
Reviewed by Ray Palen for Book Reporter
September 16, 2024
Robert Harris became a must-read author for me after reading and loving An Officer and a Spy, the Cicero trilogy and Conclave, but some of his more recent books have left me feeling slightly disappointed. His new one, Precipice, sounded promising, but would it be a return to form?
The novel opens in London in the summer of 1914 and introduces us to Venetia Stanley, a twenty-six-year-old woman from a wealthy, aristocratic family. Venetia is growing bored with the aimlessness of her days and the spoiled, shallow group of friends, known as the Coterie, that she has fallen in with, so when Herbert Henry Asquith begins an affair with her she sees it as a welcome escape. Not only is Asquith more than twice her age, he is also the Prime Minister and Venetia finds it flattering that he seems to value her opinion on politics and includes her in discussions on important matters of state.
Asquith is currently preoccupied with the situation in Ireland where the Nationalists are campaigning for Home Rule, but soon he has an even bigger problem to deal with as tensions begin to escalate in Europe and it looks increasingly possible that Britain could be pulled into a war. At this crucial moment in British history, it seems that the security of the nation is being put at risk – several confidential documents giving details of the government’s military and diplomatic plans have been found by members of the public and handed to the police. Only a small number of high-ranking government ministers have access to this information so, unlikely as it seems, one of them must be responsible for the leaks. Detective Sergeant Paul Deemer is given the task of investigating and it’s not long before he makes a shocking discovery.
Although I’ve read many novels set during WWI, they’ve usually dealt with ordinary people rather than politicians and certainly haven’t been written from the perspective of the Prime Minister. I knew nothing about H.H. Asquith’s private life, what he was like as a person or how he was viewed by his friends, colleagues and the public, so I learned a lot from this book. Harris draws on Asquith’s published letters to Venetia Stanley as one of his main sources and quotes from them extensively throughout the novel (Venetia’s letters to Asquith were apparently destroyed, so Harris uses his imagination to recreate them).
The impression I got of Asquith from this book, as a politician, was of a generally well-meaning man who was competent enough as a peacetime Prime Minister (apart from where the challenge of Ireland was concerned) but definitely not the right person to lead the country through a war. His overly cautious approach in the early stages was very frustrating to watch; it’s likely that the outbreak of war was inevitable and nothing he could have done would have averted it, but he didn’t seem to grasp the seriousness of the situation at all and refused to commit Britain one way or the other when he was being pressed from all sides to take decisive action. Even when war did break out, it seemed to be of less importance to him than his relationship with Venetia and again it was frustrating to see him sitting composing letters to her during cabinet meetings and plotting ways to escape from political duties to go and visit her. Although the general public weren’t supposed to know about the affair, it was an open secret amongst their family members and I couldn’t help feeling sorry for Margot, Asquith’s wife.
The thriller element of the novel is weaker and although I was never bored, the book never quite became unputdownable either. There’s no real mystery surrounding the security breaches because both we and Paul Deemer know from very early on who is responsible, but it’s still interesting to see how Deemer approaches the situation and there’s an entertaining section where he goes undercover in Wales in search of more information. There’s also a small twist towards the end of the book, which I hadn’t really seen coming, although it had started to occur to me that something wasn’t quite right!
Precipice is definitely more historical fiction than thriller, which may or may not appeal depending on your personal taste. Although it hasn’t become one of my absolute favourites by Robert Harris, I really enjoyed it for the fascinating insights into Asquith and his government.
The novel opens in London in the summer of 1914 and introduces us to Venetia Stanley, a twenty-six-year-old woman from a wealthy, aristocratic family. Venetia is growing bored with the aimlessness of her days and the spoiled, shallow group of friends, known as the Coterie, that she has fallen in with, so when Herbert Henry Asquith begins an affair with her she sees it as a welcome escape. Not only is Asquith more than twice her age, he is also the Prime Minister and Venetia finds it flattering that he seems to value her opinion on politics and includes her in discussions on important matters of state.
Asquith is currently preoccupied with the situation in Ireland where the Nationalists are campaigning for Home Rule, but soon he has an even bigger problem to deal with as tensions begin to escalate in Europe and it looks increasingly possible that Britain could be pulled into a war. At this crucial moment in British history, it seems that the security of the nation is being put at risk – several confidential documents giving details of the government’s military and diplomatic plans have been found by members of the public and handed to the police. Only a small number of high-ranking government ministers have access to this information so, unlikely as it seems, one of them must be responsible for the leaks. Detective Sergeant Paul Deemer is given the task of investigating and it’s not long before he makes a shocking discovery.
Although I’ve read many novels set during WWI, they’ve usually dealt with ordinary people rather than politicians and certainly haven’t been written from the perspective of the Prime Minister. I knew nothing about H.H. Asquith’s private life, what he was like as a person or how he was viewed by his friends, colleagues and the public, so I learned a lot from this book. Harris draws on Asquith’s published letters to Venetia Stanley as one of his main sources and quotes from them extensively throughout the novel (Venetia’s letters to Asquith were apparently destroyed, so Harris uses his imagination to recreate them).
The impression I got of Asquith from this book, as a politician, was of a generally well-meaning man who was competent enough as a peacetime Prime Minister (apart from where the challenge of Ireland was concerned) but definitely not the right person to lead the country through a war. His overly cautious approach in the early stages was very frustrating to watch; it’s likely that the outbreak of war was inevitable and nothing he could have done would have averted it, but he didn’t seem to grasp the seriousness of the situation at all and refused to commit Britain one way or the other when he was being pressed from all sides to take decisive action. Even when war did break out, it seemed to be of less importance to him than his relationship with Venetia and again it was frustrating to see him sitting composing letters to her during cabinet meetings and plotting ways to escape from political duties to go and visit her. Although the general public weren’t supposed to know about the affair, it was an open secret amongst their family members and I couldn’t help feeling sorry for Margot, Asquith’s wife.
The thriller element of the novel is weaker and although I was never bored, the book never quite became unputdownable either. There’s no real mystery surrounding the security breaches because both we and Paul Deemer know from very early on who is responsible, but it’s still interesting to see how Deemer approaches the situation and there’s an entertaining section where he goes undercover in Wales in search of more information. There’s also a small twist towards the end of the book, which I hadn’t really seen coming, although it had started to occur to me that something wasn’t quite right!
Precipice is definitely more historical fiction than thriller, which may or may not appeal depending on your personal taste. Although it hasn’t become one of my absolute favourites by Robert Harris, I really enjoyed it for the fascinating insights into Asquith and his government.
August 21, 2024
“The Past is a foreign country, they do things differently over there”. Hartley’s famous line is perfectly illustrated by this book. 1914 is just over one hundred years ago but so much has changed, for example there were twelve post deliveries every day in London, and commonly at least three everywhere. Without this useful facility the events central to this story could not have happened. Herbert Henry Asquith is a married man of sixty-two; his paramour, the honourable Beatrice Venetia Stanley, is twenty-six. She is a member of the aristocracy, he is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. Their love affair initially takes place within the rather hedonistic whirl of the rich and entitled upper class world of parties, dances and week end stays in castles. Asquith, known to the in-crowd as ‘Prime’, is more restricted than many others due to his public profile (although in the absence of TV and cinema he can freely walk around unrecognised outside the Westminster bubble) and their opportunities to meet are constrained. They can usually meet in the back of his ministerial car, shutters drawn – driver discreet, at least once a week, but otherwise it is snatched moments during those stays. Their relationship is sustained, therefore, by the exchange of letters (often two or three a day). It is not just an Affaire do Coeur because Venetia is clever and intellectual companion.
The book begins in July 1914, where the prospect of War in Europe suddenly rises to the top of the political agenda. Prime’s time is becoming more constrained just at the point where he needs her intellect as a sounding board and councillor. His correspondence, and his talk when they meet, is becoming more occupied with Matters of State and more indiscrete, including details of War Cabinet discussions, military actions and diplomatic transmissions. In other words she becomes party to the most secret information. The possibility that this might be happening comes to the attention of MO5(g) a secret government agency and Sergeant Deemer of the Metropolitan Police, is assigned the task of monitoring the situation, including intercepting and copying all their letters passing through the postal system. Is there a risk that this information can be leaked to the enemy? Obviously, any other people would be arrested, but the Prime Minister and the daughter of Lord Sheffield are not ‘other people’. Deemer must continue to investigate.
Robert Hariss is a hugely experienced writer of Historical thrillers, blending real events and real people with fictional ones. Here, however, the fiction is a minor part of the story, because the relationship between Prime and Venetia is a matter of historical record and, indeed, a cache of their letters (>500) exists and provides much of the text here. The records of the War Cabinet and other departments of government are also available, as are the names of all the important players, including Vernon Kell the head of MI5 who is identified as Deemer’s boss in the book. Essentially, therefore, the only fiction is Deemer’s investigation, and that is fairly routine, even pedestrian. The book might be classified as History, or Romance but I don’t think it can be called a Thriller. Nevertheless, it is a well written story, entertaining and illuminating for most readers.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
The book begins in July 1914, where the prospect of War in Europe suddenly rises to the top of the political agenda. Prime’s time is becoming more constrained just at the point where he needs her intellect as a sounding board and councillor. His correspondence, and his talk when they meet, is becoming more occupied with Matters of State and more indiscrete, including details of War Cabinet discussions, military actions and diplomatic transmissions. In other words she becomes party to the most secret information. The possibility that this might be happening comes to the attention of MO5(g) a secret government agency and Sergeant Deemer of the Metropolitan Police, is assigned the task of monitoring the situation, including intercepting and copying all their letters passing through the postal system. Is there a risk that this information can be leaked to the enemy? Obviously, any other people would be arrested, but the Prime Minister and the daughter of Lord Sheffield are not ‘other people’. Deemer must continue to investigate.
Robert Hariss is a hugely experienced writer of Historical thrillers, blending real events and real people with fictional ones. Here, however, the fiction is a minor part of the story, because the relationship between Prime and Venetia is a matter of historical record and, indeed, a cache of their letters (>500) exists and provides much of the text here. The records of the War Cabinet and other departments of government are also available, as are the names of all the important players, including Vernon Kell the head of MI5 who is identified as Deemer’s boss in the book. Essentially, therefore, the only fiction is Deemer’s investigation, and that is fairly routine, even pedestrian. The book might be classified as History, or Romance but I don’t think it can be called a Thriller. Nevertheless, it is a well written story, entertaining and illuminating for most readers.
I would like to thank NetGalley, the publishers and the author for providing me with a draft proof copy for the purpose of this review.
August 14, 2024
Something new from a master storyteller.
Say what you like about Robert Harris, he doesn't like to repeat himself. "Precipice" is something new from this thriller writer - a love story.
"Precipice" opens in 1914, just months before the outbreak of WW1. Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith is conducting a secret relationship with socialite Venetia Stanley. The pair meet often, in his car, in parks and on the street. They share private conversations, with him often revealing to her top secret Government information, she offering advice. They correspond by letter, often several times a day, and he is obviously smitten with her. But world events conspire to come between them, as war in Europe becomes ever more certain.
At the same time, a socialite party, populated by the great and the good of London society, and held on a boat on the Thames, comes to an abrupt end when a prominent gent drowns after jumping into the water. A young Detective Sergeant in the Police force is asked to investigate, while keeping any scandal out of the papers. His exemplary work is brought to the attention of Special Branch and he is soon assigned to investigate a leak of top secret documents. Could the Prime Minister have shared one secret too many?
What follows is a dark and complex tale of a man seemingly obsessed, a woman desperate for attention, and a world about to descend into war. Asquith is painted as a sometime weak man, yet able to make snap decisions when required. His seeming reliance on Venetia for advice sounds unlikely, but as the author had access to some 500 letters written by him, apparently supporting the fact, makes for some interesting speculation. The period detail is wonderful, and the fading glory of the British Empire is brought glaringly to life. Interactions between the various government figures is riveting at times, and Deemer, as the officer investigating the information breach is a man on a mission.
As usual, Harris' research is first-class and the way in which he weaves fact with fiction is almost magical. This is true of all his work, but here, in what is essentially a love story, he uses what remains of the correspondence between Asquith and Stanley, to paint a picture of the dynamic between them and asks how much she influenced his decisions. This book is not what fans might expect from a Harris novel, but those who stick with it will be rewarded by a rich and colourful narrative.
Fans of Harris' previous books will probably read this for completeness, but many will be disappointed in the lack of action. It's certainly a gripping read, and might even encourage some readers to reach for the history books.
Say what you like about Robert Harris, he doesn't like to repeat himself. "Precipice" is something new from this thriller writer - a love story.
"Precipice" opens in 1914, just months before the outbreak of WW1. Prime Minister Herbert Henry Asquith is conducting a secret relationship with socialite Venetia Stanley. The pair meet often, in his car, in parks and on the street. They share private conversations, with him often revealing to her top secret Government information, she offering advice. They correspond by letter, often several times a day, and he is obviously smitten with her. But world events conspire to come between them, as war in Europe becomes ever more certain.
At the same time, a socialite party, populated by the great and the good of London society, and held on a boat on the Thames, comes to an abrupt end when a prominent gent drowns after jumping into the water. A young Detective Sergeant in the Police force is asked to investigate, while keeping any scandal out of the papers. His exemplary work is brought to the attention of Special Branch and he is soon assigned to investigate a leak of top secret documents. Could the Prime Minister have shared one secret too many?
What follows is a dark and complex tale of a man seemingly obsessed, a woman desperate for attention, and a world about to descend into war. Asquith is painted as a sometime weak man, yet able to make snap decisions when required. His seeming reliance on Venetia for advice sounds unlikely, but as the author had access to some 500 letters written by him, apparently supporting the fact, makes for some interesting speculation. The period detail is wonderful, and the fading glory of the British Empire is brought glaringly to life. Interactions between the various government figures is riveting at times, and Deemer, as the officer investigating the information breach is a man on a mission.
As usual, Harris' research is first-class and the way in which he weaves fact with fiction is almost magical. This is true of all his work, but here, in what is essentially a love story, he uses what remains of the correspondence between Asquith and Stanley, to paint a picture of the dynamic between them and asks how much she influenced his decisions. This book is not what fans might expect from a Harris novel, but those who stick with it will be rewarded by a rich and colourful narrative.
Fans of Harris' previous books will probably read this for completeness, but many will be disappointed in the lack of action. It's certainly a gripping read, and might even encourage some readers to reach for the history books.
September 2, 2024
Love, War and Obsession: H.H. Asquith, Venetia Stanley and the 1st World War 4.5 rating
Robert Harris was a journalist before he became a novelist. This means, in his case, he is accustomed to forensic research and the investigation of facts, whilst also having the ability to give the dryness of facts, the minutes of meetings, shape, colour and vitality.
Precipice is absorbing and deeply shocking. It recounts how this country moved towards that fatal. Horrific 1914-1918 war, through the recounting of meetings by various factions and individuals in Cabinet and outside it.
The deeply shocking elements come from a single source – passionate, revealing letters disclosing information of national security, written by Liberal Prime Minister H.H. Asquith, aged 61, to 26 year old socialite Venetia Stanley. Clearly there was intense, reciprocated passion between the two. The ‘shocking’ does not lie in the fact of that mutual passion, nor even that Asquith was a married man. Rather, it is because in Asquith’s letters, at a time when this country was moving inexorably towards war, and then into war itself, Asquith was giving Venetia the details of Cabinet meeting, including proposed military actions, and even sending her decoded ‘flimsies’ detailing such actions and their results. And sending these through the post.
Venetia kept Asquith’s letters, and they came into public knowledge and as source material decades after the people involved had all died. Asquith though, destroyed her letters at some point.
So, Harris uses the reality of Asquith’s voice, and other historical sources detailing the political considerations of the day, but imagines (wonderfully) Venetia’s epistolary responses.
He also creates a fictional character, a policeman, later within the secret service, tasked with investigating potential security breaches which had come to the knowledge of some. Even if Deemer (his policeman) did not exist, there were of course those who were involved in the investigations within the security services
The only reason I couldn’t go quite to a straight 5 star rating , is because, years later, I am still so much in thrall to the brilliance of Harris’ ‘Act of Oblivion’, and ‘An Officer and a Spy’ both, similarly this wonderful combination of thorough research fleshed out with the novelist’s imagination of character, from known facts, and his ability to create dramatic, shaping narrative. I suspect long dead history may give a greater freedom to explore character.
Nonetheless, highly recommended
Robert Harris was a journalist before he became a novelist. This means, in his case, he is accustomed to forensic research and the investigation of facts, whilst also having the ability to give the dryness of facts, the minutes of meetings, shape, colour and vitality.
Precipice is absorbing and deeply shocking. It recounts how this country moved towards that fatal. Horrific 1914-1918 war, through the recounting of meetings by various factions and individuals in Cabinet and outside it.
The deeply shocking elements come from a single source – passionate, revealing letters disclosing information of national security, written by Liberal Prime Minister H.H. Asquith, aged 61, to 26 year old socialite Venetia Stanley. Clearly there was intense, reciprocated passion between the two. The ‘shocking’ does not lie in the fact of that mutual passion, nor even that Asquith was a married man. Rather, it is because in Asquith’s letters, at a time when this country was moving inexorably towards war, and then into war itself, Asquith was giving Venetia the details of Cabinet meeting, including proposed military actions, and even sending her decoded ‘flimsies’ detailing such actions and their results. And sending these through the post.
Venetia kept Asquith’s letters, and they came into public knowledge and as source material decades after the people involved had all died. Asquith though, destroyed her letters at some point.
So, Harris uses the reality of Asquith’s voice, and other historical sources detailing the political considerations of the day, but imagines (wonderfully) Venetia’s epistolary responses.
He also creates a fictional character, a policeman, later within the secret service, tasked with investigating potential security breaches which had come to the knowledge of some. Even if Deemer (his policeman) did not exist, there were of course those who were involved in the investigations within the security services
The only reason I couldn’t go quite to a straight 5 star rating , is because, years later, I am still so much in thrall to the brilliance of Harris’ ‘Act of Oblivion’, and ‘An Officer and a Spy’ both, similarly this wonderful combination of thorough research fleshed out with the novelist’s imagination of character, from known facts, and his ability to create dramatic, shaping narrative. I suspect long dead history may give a greater freedom to explore character.
Nonetheless, highly recommended
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