A Very English Scandal cover art

A Very English Scandal

Now a Major BBC Series Starring Hugh Grant

 Preview

Get 30 days of Premium Plus free

£8.99/month after 30-day free trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options
Buy Now for £12.99

Buy Now for £12.99

About this listen

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of A Very English Scandal by John Preston, read by Daniel Weyman.

The bestselling book that inspired the Bafta-winning BBC drama

Corruption. Blackmail. Conspiracy to murder. A Very English Scandal has all the hallmarks of a classic thriller with one difference. It's all true.

In the late 1960s Jeremy Thorp, the charismatic leader of the Liberal Party, was at the height of his political career. But homosexuality had only just been legalized, and a former relationship with a younger man named Norman Scott threatened to destroy Thorp's carefully curated facade. Helped by fellow politicians, Thorpe schemed, deceived and embezzled until he saw only one way to silence his ex-lover for good.

Meticulously researched and endlessly extraordinary, Thorp's trial captured the moment that British society discovered the truth about its political class - and learned just how far the Establishment will go to protect its own.

'Gripping. A story of cack-handed assassins, buffoonish policemen, dodgy Home Secretaries' Daily Telegraph

'I loved it; eccentric, dark, humane and English in the very best sense' Alain de Botton

'Retold with masterful skill . . . It grips like a detective story' Daily Mail, Book of the Week

 Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions Corruption & Misconduct Crime Espionage Murder Politics & Government True Crime White Collar & Corporate Crime Great Britain Exciting Scary

Critic reviews

A terrific book and brilliantly researched. John Preston writes wonderful dead-pan prose and reveals the depths of depravity, the absurd power of snobbery and the old boy networks of the time (Claire Tomalin)
I loved it; eccentric, dark, humane and English in the very best sense. It's going to be a sure fire-hit (Alain de Botton)
All stars
Most relevant
I recommend this as an excellent listen. The story is fascinating - I lived through it but much of it passed me by at the time. The research is brilliant and it's been beautifully put together. At its heart - despite many wry and satirical moments - is an appalling expose of the 1970s Establishment looking after its own. It goes a long way towards explaining why 21st century voters hold politicians in such contempt.

Excellent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Preston's account of the Thorpe Affair is masterly, absorbing and wonderfully paced. An astonishing achievement and one of the best audiobooks of the year.

Exceptional

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A moment in history brought about by the social prejudices of the time but a fascinating and intriguing story. Brilliantly written and read.

Incredulous and mesmerising

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Is there anything quite as wonderful as an old-fashioned British political sex scandal? And this book has got it all: Arrogant politicians high on their own perceived importance, toadying lackeys willing to do anything to further their own careers, back-stabbing journalists willing to sacrifice anybody for the next scoop, and all the while the bowler-hatted English establishment falling over themselves to hush the whole thing up. And all over the backdrop of the turbulent political climate that was Britain in the 70s.

Simply excellent stuff...

A good old-fashioned page-turner...

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
well read. unbelievable story and fleshes out the tv programme if you have seen it

excellent

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews