Maxwell: The Final Verdict

by Tom Bower

Robert Maxwell was one of the most flamboyant, complex and - seemingly - the richest self-made men in post-war Britain. The tentacles of his power stretched from newspapers to football, from the boardrooms of his many companies and into the thoughts of the world at large.

Maxwell: The Final Verdict is a story of greed and corruption on a truly mammoth scale. Revealing, for the first time, how Maxwell hurtled tumultuously towards disaster, it draws upon an exceptional resource of inside knowledge, such as could only have been assembled by the leading investigative journalist of his generation. Including intimate accounts of Maxwell’s lifestyle and personality from his closest associates - from world politicians to girlfriends - answering all the questions surrounding his death and the investigations which followed it, and with full details of the trial of Kevin and Ian Maxwell, this is the most explosive expose of the decade.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction

513 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 31, 1995

About the author

For the author of works on child development, see T.G.R. Bower

Tom Bower (born 28 September 1946) is a British writer, noted for his investigative journalism and for his unauthorized biographies.

A former Panorama reporter, his books include unauthorised biographies of Tiny Rowland, Robert Maxwell, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Geoffrey Robinson, Gordon Brown and Richard Branson.

He won the 2003 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award for Broken Dreams, an investigation into corruption in English football. His joint biography of Conrad Black and Barbara Amiel Conrad and Lady Black: Dancing on the Edge was published in November 2006, and an unsuccessful libel case over a passing mention of Daily Express proprietor Richard Desmond in the book was heard in July 2009.

An unauthorised biography by Bower of Richard Desmond, provisionally entitled Rough Trader, awaits publication. Bowers's biography of Simon Cowell, written with Cowell's co-operation, was published on 20 April, 2012.

Bower is married to Veronica Wadley, former editor of the London Evening Standard, and has four children.

Reviews

[Richard Gunstone · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting summary of the Maxwell empire and its demise. Very readable. There were obvious complexities around the way money was moved around, and perhaps these were too forensic in their presentation, but in all other respects insightful.

[Paul Bennett · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s sometimes easy to forget what a monster Captain Bob was.

American friends have asked me if Britain has had an equivalent to Trump. Maxwell is as close as we got in my opinion. A self aggrandizing and venal bully, incompetent and crooked businessman, sociopath and womanizer without morals. Both men fit the bill. Maxwell even flirted with politics and was an MP for six years. Add two crooked sons (although Kevin Maxwell is far brighter than the Trump spawn) and a spoilt and doted upon daughter and the picture is complete. Maxwell named his yacht the Lady Ghislaine after the aforementioned (and now infamous) daughter and fell (or jumped) from it to his death in 1991. The one area in which they diverge is personal courage. Maxwell won the MC for his bravery during WW2 whereas Trump is a serial draft dodger.

This is an excellent account of the downfall of the “Bouncing Czech” and well worth reading.

[david earnshaw]

Excellent,amazing how he got away with it.

[Tomos Dyfed Bowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read

[Amanda Hart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intense and powerful in its delivery although a little overwhelming with the detail of monetary transactions as opposed to the characters involved.

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

The sheer depth of Bower's forensic research can make this a bit heavy going at times but, if you're interested in the story of the "Bouncing Czech", I've not found anything better.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely excellent book