Precipizio

by Robert Harris, Annamaria Raffo (Translator)

Londra, estate 1914. Mentre l'Europa si avvicina inesorabilmente alla Prima guerra mondiale, Venetia Stanley, un'affascinante giovane donna dell'alta società londinese, intrattiene un fitto carteggio con il primo ministro Herbert Asquith, un uomo sposato con più del doppio dei suoi anni. Venetia è la sua amante clandestina, la sua unica confidente sulle questioni di Stato e, nelle appassionate lettere che i due innamorati si scambiano quasi quotidianamente, Asquith la mette al corrente di informazioni confidenziali sul futuro dell'Europa e di telegrammi diplomatici di estrema riservatezza. Fino a che una grave fuga di documenti sensibili e il conseguente rischio di violazione della sicurezza nazionale non mettono in allarme le alte cariche governative. Paul Deemer, un giovane agente dei servizi segreti, viene ingaggiato per avviare un'indagine in merito. Non ci vuole molto perché Deemer risalga alla relazione tra Asquith e Venetia, e quindi a un loro possibile coinvolgimento nella vicenda. Ciò che da principio appare un semplice scandalo amoroso si trasforma rapidamente in un affaire ad alto rischio, in grado di cambiare per sempre il corso degli eventi. Intrecciando fatti realmente accaduti a un magistrale racconto di finzione, Robert Harris fa rivivere con estrema accuratezza uno dei momenti cruciali della storia in un thriller ad alta tensione, dove un'ossessione privata arriva a minacciare il destino di un paese.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Historical, Thriller, Audiobook, British Literature, World War I

443 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 29, 2024

About the author

ROBERT HARRIS is the author of nine best-selling novels: Fatherland, Enigma, Archangel, Pompeii, Imperium, The Ghost Writer, Conspirata, The Fear Index, and An Officer and a Spy. Several of his books have been adapted to film, most recently The Ghost Writer, directed by Roman Polanski. His work has been translated into thirty-seven languages. He lives in the village of Kintbury, England, with his wife, Gill Hornby.

Reviews

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

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 *

[Faith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Venetia Stanley was in her twenties and engaged in an affair with British Prime Minister, H. H. Asquit during the period leading up to WWI. I have not read a lot about that war, but apparently the portrayal of the affair in this book was accurate. Asquith wrote to Venetia obsessively, several times a day. He wrote while in cabinet meetings, and worse, he sent Venetia official and secret documents and his letters were full of state secrets. Obviously, this is not how you would like your PM to behave, but at least it provided a contemporaneous record of the war planning.

The couple was not particularly discreet. This book included passages from his letters, which were preserved. It presented a picture of a needy, besotted old man and a selfish younger woman, neither of whom cared a bit about the impact of their affair on anyone (including Asquith’s wife) or the country. She eventually grew tired of Asquith and married (and cheated on) someone else.

This was not an “electrifying thriller”, as the blurb states. I learned a little history, but it was a pretty disjointed history lesson. I enjoy the author’s writing style, but this isn’t one of my favorite books by him. 3.5 stars

[Tom Mooney · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Harris, who has successfully written several books, like, “Conclave” which was made into an Academy Award movie winning Best Adapted Screenplay in 2025, has now given us this historical fiction story. With something we don’t see in our modern world…

“There were twelve deliveries ‘of mail’ a day in London.”

It only took a penny stamp, and most likely all the mail was never scrutinized or handled by anyone other than the writer and the intended reader, or an unknown unscrupulous person who had easy access to the mail, since security was so lax.

This could easily become an issue when it became clear that the married Prime Minister (PM), H. H. Asquith was having a rather ‘interesting’ correspondence and affair with a rather provocative aristocrat named Venetia Stanley who was half his age.

How will this correspondence affect matters of the state?

Not only are readers becoming aware of this May-December clandestine affair, but of the PM’s own impulsive behavior of just handing Venetia state folders for her input. Seriously?!

At the same time, readers learn of a river tragedy in which two deaths occur, and much cover-up happens. Who is protecting whom and why? And, why are they so quick to close the case?

And, what happens when the Prime Minister learns of the murder of the Archduke Franz Ferdinand? Is this a foretelling he should pay attention to?

But readers let us put this all aside. Right now, Special Constable Paul Deemer has a more pressing case to investigate when highly classified telegrams seem to be showing up thrown across the countryside. What?!

Well, as it turns out, our PM seems to think this is one way to impress his pretty lover. What?!

So, what is our Special Constable discovering? Could it possibly be an overabundance of love letters and secret information telegrams with classified information that is seemingly a casual disregard for (inter)national security? Seems rather different for a premise story plot don’t you think?

Could it be a sign of madness on Asquith’s part? Or is he just a hopelessly infatuated older man? Does this all sound like a preposterous premise?

Well, the circumstances that are being presented here are based on true events. The question is, will this fictionalized story of those true events seem believable? (No spoilers from me.)

For those who enjoy historical fiction, this particular story may appear to some readers to be sweet, romantic, staid, wrapped up in an epistolary style story within a story. It will also include the experience of early signs of WWI, British politics and social climate, which showcases the obvious class system of the times.

Be sure to read the Author’s Historical Note at the end.

3.5 stars

[Steph Hall · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Andrew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Jill H. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

I am a great fan of Robert Harris's books which weave fiction with fact without affecting the fact. I was not, however, quite as engrossed with the subject matter of this story as I have been with his other works.

This is the tale of the affair between the married British PM, H.H. Asquith and Venetia Stanley, an unmarried upper class free spirit member of society. It is set in the few years preceding and then during WWI when Asquith was the PM. He was noted as a bit of a flirt, especially with young women (he was in his '60s) but his love for the 27 year old Miss Stanly appeared to totally overwhelm him. They threw caution to the wind and their affair became gossip within the government and high society.

That is the factual information in the book and is supported by the over 500 letters which passed between the two that are now kept at Oxford University. The fictional information is the conversations between the two and with members of Asquith's cabinet members and the effect of the affair that clouded his judgement as Britain entered WWI.

If you are aware of this incident in Asquith's life (which I was) or even if you aren't, the book moves very slowly and is filled with too many quotes from the letters mentioned above. I am probably in the minority but this is one of Harris's lesser works. I liked it but didn't love it.

[Iain · Rating 4 out of 5]

A curious book that I enjoyed reading not so much for the fictional embellishments that Harris invents, which is quite a slight, thin tale of love, but for the factual, real life story between PM Asquith and Venetzia. It is quite a revelation to learn that the leader of Great Britain during WWI was so irresponsible, naive and callous, indulging in affairs with young women while sending hundreds of thousands of toung men off to die and so cavalier when it came to national security. The recent history of appalling politicians and leaders in the West may not have started as recently as we think. An interesting slice of War history.

[Ceecee · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

A terrific very well written historical fiction based on the letters between PM Herbert Henry Asquith and Venetia Stanley. The actual letters are used in the book. Kept me riveted throughout. Who knew HHA was such a player??

[Cathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

It would take far too long to list all the novels by Robert Harris I’ve read so I’ll just get straight to the point and say Precipice is another brilliant blend of fact and fiction, and that his many fans won’t be disappointed.

What is most remarkable about the book is how much of it is based on fact. Prime Minister Herbert Asquith really did have a liaison with socialite Venetia Stanley, a woman almost half his age. (Whether it was consummated or not is a matter of speculation.) He really did write her multiple letters every day, some composed during Cabinet meetings. (There were twelve postal deliveries a day in London at that time.) His letters still exist, in the British Library, and some are reproduced in the book. He really did go for long car drives with Venetia, often prioritising these over other meetings including audiences with the King. He really did share secret documents with her, including decoded Foreign Office telegrams at a time when the information contained in them would have been incredibly useful to potential enemies. And, most remarkably, from time to time he really did toss documents out of the window of his car, some of which were found by members of the public and handed in to the police. Ironically, it was Asquith who put the Official Secrets Act on the statute book.

You might be asking yourself if so much of the book is based on fact, then where’s the fiction? What actually has the author had to conjure up from his imagination? Well for one, Venetia’s letters to Asquith were all destroyed so the letters that appear in the book are the author’s creations, written in the breezy style of her letters to other correspondents.

Secondly, the author introduces a fictional character, Sergeant Paul Deemer, who is co-opted to Special Branch in order to discover the person responsible for the breach of security. He finds himself becoming an unwitting observer of the relationship between Asquith and Venetia. At one point he muses, ‘It was more than ever like following a romantic novel published in instalments, its story propelled towards its inevitable climax by forces the reader could see more clearly than its characters’.

Despite being married and having several children, Asquith comes across as completely besotted with Venetia to the point of recklessness. He comes to rely on Venetia as someone to unburden himself to, who can act as his sounding board and provide him with encouragement when he struggles with the difficult decisions with which he is faced. This is increasingly the case as a European war becomes inevitable.

It’s less clear what Venetia sees in Asquith. A father figure, perhaps, since her own was so remote? Or was she simply flattered by the attention of someone so important? Did she relish being a participant in events in a way she otherwise would never have been? She certainly finds his devotion flattering, although his need for her and his demands on her time gradually become overwhelming. It’s then that we see that rebellious streak in her become courage.

Another thing I found remarkable about the story is that alongside running the country and, later, fighting a war, Asquith, his fellow Cabinet ministers and other members of their social circle managed to find time to attend lavish dinners most nights and weekend house parties during which huge quantities of alcohol were consumed. Many an important decision was made with a bottle of brandy to hand.

The book is peppered with real historical figures including Secretary of State for War, Lord Kitchener, Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey (he who, on the eve of Britain’s entry in the First World War, famously remarked ‘The lamps are going out all over Europe, we shall not see them lit again in our life-time‘), Chancellor of the Exchequer, David Lloyd George, and most notably Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, the driving force behind the disastrous Gallipoli campaign.

Whether the outcome of Asquith’s and Venetia’s affair really did have a bearing on Asquith’s deficiencies in the handling of the war which ultimately forced him to agree to the formation of a coalition government is a matter for speculation. The inclusion of two previously unpublished paragraphs of a letter from Asquith to Venetia on the final page of the book makes it clear what the author thinks.

Although the backdrop to Precipice is the turbulent period in the run-up to the outbreak of the First World War and the growing disaster of its initial phase, it’s the personal story of Herbert Asquith and Venetia Stanley – and the consequences of their relationship – that takes centre stage. Precipice is a thoroughly absorbing, impeccably researched book that fans of 20th century history will love.

[Thomas Tyrer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've read all of Robert Harris' novels to date, but I have to say that the past two, including this one, have been the weakest. Sometimes I suppose the reader simply disengages from the writer, and perhaps sometimes the writer changes direction. But whatever the case, I may have come to an end with Harris. There are novels like "Fatherland" or "Enigma" or "Archangel" or the "Imperium" ocycle up to "Conclave" that I found really enjoyable. But the latest group of "Act of Oblivion," "The Second Sleep" and now "Precipice" that were each less compelling than the other. "Precipice" is largely an epistemological narrative told in love letters between the then-prime minister of England and his mistress as England embarks on WWI. For me at least, the letters become more and more cloying as the novel progresses, and I suppose that is ultimately the point. That the Prime Minister relies on this young woman (about half his age) to vent his frustrations and seek her counsel. But he comes across as more weak and ultimately pathetic as the pages turn. I wanted to shout "man up" to someone leading an entire nation, and for about the final third of the novel, I just wanted it to end.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is an image from this book that I can't shake: Prime Minister HH Asquith balling up and tossing top secret cables out the back window of his luxury car, literally throwing caution to the wind. It was the summer of 1914 and those cables contained details of the looming war in the east, as Austria sought revenge for the Serbian assassinations of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife, as well as the possible revolution to the west, in simmering Ireland.

The PM was not a stupid man; he was a well-respected member of Britain's political aristocracy, having ascended from working class oblivion to the highest seat of the legislature. But by the time we meet him in Robert Harris's brilliant Precipice, Asquith's judgment is severely compromised. He has become a lovesick, silly creature whose obsession with a woman forty years his junior threatens national security. His careless treatment of top secret documents speaks of the corrosive nature of power. He, like so many in positions of influence or celebrity, become accustomed to behaving with impunity.

Whether or not the detail of those tossed telegrams is true, Precipice is built around verifiable history. Harris was given access to the trove of correspondence Asquith showered upon Venetia Stanley, an aristocrat of the Downton Abbey variety whose family maintained massive estates and yet never seemed to do a lick of actual work, having inherited titles and wealth from previous generations. All of Venetia's letters and telegrams were destroyed, so only Asquith's besotted missives remain. From these, Harris created a riveting political thriller. He also creates an unforgettable character in Venetia, who begins the story as a spoiled, bored society girl dallying with an older, married man for the sport of it—the risk, the access to 10 Downing Street's inner chambers, the flattery his pours on her in his florid letter that arrive morning, noon, and night (oh, the astonishing efficiency of the British post!). It isn't Venetia finds her own purpose outside the aristocracy that has coddled her every whim that she begins to question the affair and her lover's bizarre judgement.

Harris invents a Scotland Yard detective assigned to a secret government agency to track the obvious leak within the highest levels of British government (it's inevitable those discarded cables would be found by passers-by). This subplot elevates the suspense, as do the many Cabinet meetings that show the machinations of a nation deliberating war.

First-rate, deftly entertaining historical fiction.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Looking for something entertaining that is sure to sharpen my mind, I turned to this piece by Robert Harris. Exploring Europe as the Great War lurks in the shadows, Harris seeks to tell the story of Britain’s war effort and a secret its prime minister has kept to himself. Decisions must be made without delay, which could tear relationships of all sorts to tatters. Harris delivers a great piece that kept me curious until the very end.

The summer of 1914 was quite eventful across the European continent. War was imminent and no one was eager for it, though alliances were key to the chest beating and threats of territorial overthrow. London saw Venetia Stanley bored and waiting for events to transpire. While connected and clever, Venetia wants to be in the know. This is helped by her secret affair with the current prime minister, H.H. Asquith. Their ages differ greatly, but the connection is more than physical.

During their numerous discussions, Prime Minister Asquith has shared war plans with Venetia, breaching protocols and parliamentary rules, as well as countless personal rules. When an investigation opens into a breach of intel, Venetia must be worried, though she knows Asquith will protect her. She basks in all that she is told and how she can influence the prime minister, more than some Cabinet ministers around the table as they prepare for battle.

With the declaration of war, Britain targets Germany and Asquith begins stressing about everything happening. His talks with Venetia turn highly political and they struggle to balance their relationship with the situation across the continent. War sees millions slain on the battlefield and young men with little interest in fighting for king and country. Still, the voluntary aspects are done as Europe stands on the precipice of disaster. Harris delivers a stunning piece of historical fiction for all to enjoy.

Robert Harris had shown repeatedly how great a storyteller he can be, given the right ingredients. His narrative is strong and keeps the reader eager to learn more in this story that mixes fact and fiction. The narrative remains solid while never quite giving the reader a clear picture of what is to come. Characters flavour the story and leave their impact on the larger story in ways that are highly enjoyable. The plot delivers a great direction and provides the reader with something surprising as fact morphs into unexpected fiction in ways only Harris could craft with such ease. I am eager to see what else he has in store for readers soon!

Kudos, Mr. Harris, for entertaining and educating in equal measure.

Love/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/

[Clif Hostetler · Rating 3 out of 5]

The following Author's Note is at the very beginning of this historical novel:

All the letters quoted in the text from the Prime Minister are — the reader may be astonished to learn — authentic, as are the telegrams, newspaper reports and official documents, along with the correspondence between Venetia Stanley and Edwin Montagu.
However, the letters from Venetia Stanley to the Prime Minister are entirely invented.
Paul Deemer is a fictional character.

This note is needed because the content of the letters from the Prime Minister are otherwise unbelievable. They are love letters written by Prime Minister Asquith to his mistress Venetia Stanley. Not only do they signal embarrassing infatuation coming from a married man in his fifties to a woman in her twenties, but he demonstrates a compulsive need to share the most sensitive governmental information about decisions and actions—even top secret items including decrypted telegrams.

This was all taking place during the time immediately prior to and during the early years of World War I. As time passed his letter writing became even more compulsively frequent reaching as many as three time per day (mail was delivered twelve times per day within London). He felt that he needed to write about every little detail of government activities. All these letters were being sent in the regular mail with information that would have been extremely valuable to the Germans had they known about them, but Veneta Stanley was not a German spy and there's no indication that anyone other than her read them.

She apparently replied with letters that he found to be reassuring and helpful to him with the decisions he needed to make as a wartime Prime Minister. There is evidence that Veneta felt uncomfortable with her position as the recipient of all that confidential government information, and her acceptance of a marriage proposal from Edwin Montagu to what they both knew would be a loveless marriage was probably motivated by her desire to have an excuse to ask that the Prime Minister cease sending letters.

This book provides a fictional Scotland Yard detective named Paul Deemer who learns about the letters and monitors their content—secretly steaming open the letters, photographing them, and resealing and putting them back into the mail. This sort of fictional plot allows readers of the novel to know about the flow of information that is taking place, and subsequently there is suspense related to the potential political consequences if the letters become public. In historical reality the letters were never made public until after the death of Veneta. Those letters have since becomes a valuable source of information to historians because many of the meetings that the Prime Minister writes about have no other minutes or records recording what took place.

I was fascinated by the situation described in the book of the cluelessness of the British government during the time leading to the beginning of WWI. They had no idea of seriousness of what they were getting into.

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I only finished this because it is by Robert Harris. Not my (extremely expensive porcelain) cup of tea.
This is an epistolary novel about a sordid love affair among insufferable English people. The Dardanelles debacle and other historical events are connected to the affair but it is far-fetched. Asquith may have been madly in love or just mad, but I don’t think that is what precipitated World War I (and so the title seems unjustified).
A fictional detective character provides some relief from the insufferables but his presence is not enough and it just accentuates how awful the non-fictional people are.
This book seems at one stage that it will become some kind of feminist heroine story but the historical facts at the end indicate that what the lead character does with her wealth and freedom is to continue pursuing pleasure.

[Ian · Rating 3 out of 5]

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!

[Julian Worker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Normally, I buy Robert Harris books in the duty free at a certain airport when I'm on holiday and then read them in 2-3 days and there is no exception with his latest.

This book is quite astonishing in so many ways.

The book starts in July 1914. The 26-year-old socialite Venetia Stanley is having a love affair with the 62-year-old Liberal politician Herbert Henry Asquith who is the Prime Minister of the UK, a country on the brink of being dragged into World War 1. This affair is a fact and is taking place to the backdrop of the international machinations leading to the declaration of war.

There are lots of love letters from both Venetia and Herbert to the other. The Prime Minister's letters are genuine, he actually wrote them all, sometimes 2-3 per day, at all times, even in cabinet meetings he was chairing. Venetia's letters are fiction, largely because it's believed Asquith destroyed them. Everyone knew about this relationship and yet they carried on (make your own meaning here). Now, the Prime Minister started to include secret information with his letters and when they'd talked about the best course of action in relation to these secrets e.g Home Rule in Ireland, The Dardanelles campaign, troop manoeuvres in September 1914, the information was tossed aside, out of the window of the car in some cases. It's shocking to think that during the initial Cabinet discussions about The Dardanelles, Asquith was distracted by writing a letter to Venetia, and so didn't listen properly...

The Security Services found out about this and started an investigation into how the secrets were being leaked. The fictional detective who leads this investigation in the book is called Paul Deemer whose brother Fred is in the BEF sent to France. He finds out the truth about the affair by intercepting all the mail between Venetia and Herbert but this strand of the story suddenly tails off once the security team decide no secrets are being leaked to the enemy although they are leaked for domestic political reasons (there were rich press barons around at that time too - some things never change.)

The real-life characters such as Rupert Brooke, Winston Churchill, David Lloyd George, Lord Kitchener, Margot Asquith, and Edwin Montagu are mentioned frequently.

[Clemens Schoonderwoert · Rating 3 out of 5]

This standalone novel is about PM H H Asquith of Great Britain and his obsessive infatuation towards an aristocratic young woman called Venetia Stanley.

For historical details concerning this book I like to advice you to read the Author's Note at the start, and the Historical Note and Acknowledgements at the end of the book.

There's nothing wrong with the author's storytelling in general, the atmosphere at the beginning and during WWI comes splendidly off the pages, but the correspondence between PM Asquith and lady Venetia was at first rather surprising until it became really boring, simply because the missives back and forth will keep dragging on and on, and in the end that was too much for me to make this tale a well deserved accomplished achievement in my view.

What I find most disturbing is the fact that a PM is telling state secrets to and sharing his obsessive love like a simpleton for this young woman, in the expectation that she will know the answers to all his heartache, political problems and hardships.

All in all I found this a strange kind of love affair to be honest, and one that has not captured me at all, and that's my honest opinion after reading this tame book.

As a whole its a tame political and wartime recollection of Britain during 1914-1915, with a leader of Government with his head in the clouds because of Venetia, and thus so preoccupied with other things instead of state affairs that the PM will end up as a kind of loser, politically and romantically.

Recommended to anyone who like a romantic liaison between a PM and an aristocratic young woman that will have catastrophic consequences in the end, but alas for me its a book with not much substance, and that's why I like to call this book "A Mediocre Fall"!

[Joy D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Precipice is historical fiction based on a real relationship between Prime Minister H. H. Asquith and Venetia Stanley in the early days of World War I. The plot is centered around the letters written by the Prime Minister to Venetia revealing his innermost thoughts and even state secrets. Harris states in the opening that all the letters from Asquith are real and quoted with permission. I am glad he disclosed this fact up-front, or I would never have believed it!

The Prime Minister wrote to Venetia multiple times daily, even during Cabinet meetings. Harris constructs a story around these letters by employing a third party, a (fictional) Inspector from Scotland Yard, who is intercepting and reading both sides of the correspondence as a potential security risk. The novel examines how Asquith's obsession with the much younger Stanley compromised his leadership abilities during a global crisis.

It is marketed as a “thriller,” but it reads more like historical fiction, or a story of political intrigue. It is evenly paced. By focusing on this lesser-known episode, the novel offers a fresh perspective on a well-documented era. I found it both an engrossing character study and a thoughtful examination of how personal relationships can influence world events. I am always impressed by Harris’s ability to transform real-world tensions into compelling fiction that both entertains and invites serious reflection.

4.5

[Agnes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Una piacevolissima ed interessante lettura. Momento storico e ambientazione tra i miei preferiti.
Un ottimo romanzo storicamente fedelissimo : ho visto- con una punta di soddisfazione- che tra i saggi che Harris cita alla fine , ce ne sono tre che ho letto e ai quali sono affezionata I sonnambuli: Come l'Europa arrivò alla Grande Guerra
Catastrofe 1914: L'Europa in guerra. e
I cannoni d'agosto
Complimenti ad Harris, che è riuscito a raccontare eventi storici con la scorrevolezza di un romanzo, con fatti e documenti assolutamente autentici.
Grazie agli amici di GR per averlo segnalato

[Liviu · Rating 5 out of 5]

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.

[Boris Feldman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Upon reflection, I've decided that this book was bad enough that it merits a longer commentary. I am a fan of Robert Harris. He is not a great author, but he is often better than airport-quality paperback reads. This novel, however, felt like a project undertaken to make an alimony payment (shades of Norman Mailer). It is essentially an excuse to reprint portions of the correspondence between a mediocre Prime Minister, Asquith, and a younger aristrocratic woman who played him. That's all. I've now spared you reading the book. They are both boring. Their "affair," such as it was, is boring. The letters are insipid. Although the launch of WW1 usually makes even a modest novel worth reading, sadly, that was not the case here. Had this not been produced by a well-known author, it would probably have been self-published in one of the lesser former states of the Empire.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Chrissie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love most of Robert Harris's books. He picks events in history, researches them meticulously, then adds his own characters who slot in perfectly and help him to tell an absorbing story.

In this offering, he recounts British Prime Minister Asquith's affair with a 26 year old society girl before and during World War I.

In letters, the PM discusses highly confidential matters, and these letters do not appear to have been treated as carefully as I would have hoped.

I did not know about this relationship, and was rather horrified on so many levels, but I was hooked by the story, as always.

[Ron Marlborough · Rating 1 out of 5]

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.

[Francis Pellow · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Gaby · Rating 4 out of 5]

Absolutely crazy that this is based on real letters

[William de_Rham · Rating 3 out of 5]

Generally, I’m a fan of Robert Harris’s historical novels and eagerly await the next one. While I recognize that “Precipice” has many strengths, I found it somewhat repetitive, overlong, and slow.

468 pages, “Precipice” is a novel that examines World War I, English Prime Minister H.H. Asquith, and his extra-marital love affair with socialite-turned-nurse, Venetia Stanley. It is based partly on, and quotes extensively from, the hundreds of love letters H.H. wrote to Venetia.

Well-researched, “Precipice” will give readers a good understanding of how and why World War I started, how the British got into it, and some of the problems they encountered prosecuting the war.

However, I found that it painted a very unflattering picture of the men responsible for conducting the war. For instance, young Winston Churchill comes off as a bloviating, blood-thirsty, blundering bull-in-a-china-shop. And Asquith himself? Harris portrays him as a love-besotted, thoroughly self-absorbed, and obtuse weakling who, when he’s not worrying and incessantly writing to inquire whether Venetia still loves him, is more interested in notions of national honor than the men being fed into the maw of war.

My least favorite part of the novel was the over-reliance and extensive quoting of Asquith’s letters to Venetia. IMO, it slowed the novel's pace a lot. Flowery, treacly, and repetitive to the extreme, the letters do little to advance the plot, but much to portray Asquith as a needy and obsessive elderly suitor neglectful of his responsibilities to the nation. And while Mr. Harris tells us that Asquith was quite a talented politician and leader, he never portrays those talents. That, along with the treatment of Churchill (whom history has shown to be an extraordinary leader) left me feeling that the novel is sometimes somewhat skewed.

While "Precipice" treats war and romance, there are no gritty scenes of battle or violence and what little sex there is is limited to tame canoodling.

[Gernot1610 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ich habe meist ein Problem mit historischen Romanen. Meine Angst ist immer die, dass der Roman die tatsächliche Geschichte überdeckt oder gar verfälscht (siehe die Päpstin). Oft wird Geschichte auch aus der heutigen, politischen, Sicht beschrieben.
Robert Harris schafft es immer wieder nicht in diese Falle zu tappen. Der vorliegende Roman katapultiert den Leser mitten in die Wirren des beginnenden ersten Weltkrieges und ein Beziehungsdrama zwischen dem Premierminister und einer "viel zu jungen" Adligen. Die Stimmung ist fantastisch eingefangen, die historischen Figuren lebendig geschildert.

[James · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Precipice' (2024) is the 16th and latest offering from best selling historical novelist Robert Harris.

This time around Harris recounts and partially fictionalises the relationship between former Liberal Prime Minister (1908-1916) Herbert Asquith and his friend, moreover close confidant, socialite Venetia Stanley - more than 30 years his junior.

It's a shocking story, not merely for the implied or alluded to adultery - but rather more for the sharing of somewhat sensitive government information to say the least. At a time when the country was on the very brink of a world war...

Not maybe classic Robert Harris at his very best (the Cicero trilogy, Second Sleep, an Officer and A Spy, Enigma et al) it's nevertheless a great story, well researched and recounted in Harris's usual compelling and page turning style.