The Gamblers: John Aspinall, James Goldsmith and the Murder of Lord Lucan

by John George Pearson

In the tradition of “true crime” books, The Gamblers follows the fortunes of five men at the center of the ultra-fashionable Clermont Set including the infamous Lord Lucan who disappeared following the murder of his children’s nanny.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, True Crime, Audiobook, Crime, History

320 pages, Hardcover

First published August 23, 2005

About the author

John Pearson was a writer best associated with James Bond creator Ian Fleming. He was Fleming's assistant at the London Sunday Times and would go on to write the first biography of Ian Fleming, 1966's The Life of Ian Fleming. Pearson also wrote "true-crime" biographies, such as The Profession of Violence: an East End gang story about the rise and fall of the Kray twins.

Pearson would also become the third official James Bond author of the adult-Bond series, writing in 1973 James Bond: The Authorized Biography of 007, a first-person biography of the fictional agent James Bond. Although the canonical nature of this book has been debated by Bond fans since it was published, it was officially authorized by Glidrose Publications, the official publisher of the James Bond chronicles. Glidrose reportedly considered commissioning Pearson to write a new series of Bond novels in the 1970s, but nothing came of this.

Pearson was commissioned by Donald Campbell to chronicle his successful attempt on the Land Speed Record in 1964 in Bluebird CN7, resulting in the book Bluebird and the Dead Lake.

Pearson wrote the non-fiction book, The Gamblers, an account about the group of gamblers who made up, what was known as the Clermont Set, which included John Aspinall, James Goldsmith and Lord Lucan. The film rights to the book were purchased by Warner Bros. in 2006. He also wrote Façades, the first full-scale biography of the literary Sitwell siblings, Edith, Osbert and Sacheverell, published in 1978.

Pearson also wrote five novels:

Gone To Timbuctoo (1962) - winner of the Author's Club First Novel Award

James Bond: The Authorised Biography of 007 (1973)

The Bellamy Saga (1976)

Biggles: The Authorized Biography (1978)

The Kindness of Dr. Avicenna (1982).

Pearson passed away on November 13, 2021. He was ninety one at the time of his death.

Reviews

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Live By The Sword.

This is the story of The Claremont set, a group of aristocratic gamblers who lived in a strange secretive reality outside of the conventions of societies rules, devoted to they're peculiar code of honour based around taking risks and gambling...Pearson maps out the whole story in a very straight forward linear manor creating in brilliant depth of detail the evolution of this unique group of rich oddballs. He writes in a very clear but suggestive way, building up a vivid picture of the people and places featured in these pages. John Aspinall in particular who is central to this story is a very weird individual and his relationship with the wild animals he becomes devoted to serves well to exaggerate the strangeness of his personality.

I didnt enjoy this as much as his other book...One Of The Family, I have read, perhaps this is just preference of characters for me because The Gamblers is very well written and engaging. I found that for the most part however I really disliked many aspects of the central characters throughout this book. I found them despicable vile specimens of a society of people who consider theyre class to elevate they're importance in the human race.

[Anita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy reading about these circles of people, who appear to the world to be above the crowd, and yet are often so lacking in basic humanity, scruples, and morals. They both fascinate and repel me.

One aspect of my fascination is how people who have so much in the way of material resources squander them. Most of the people in this book seem incapable of either looking after themselves or relating well with others, except with those in the very same camp, self destructive alcoholic gamblers.
I enjoyed John Pearson's style of storytelling. I do think he needed a more diligent editor.
I look forward to reading more of his books.

[Helen Carolan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've liked Preston's later books, but this one of his earlier books is not as gripping. A gossipy look at the men who founded The Clermont gambling club and Annabel's nightclub, only to see it's reputation fatally tarnished when Lord Lucan, a founding member shot his nanny.

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intriguing characters operating in the 20th century musical and cultural Revolution decade of decades, including the mystery murder perpetrator who has eluded Scotland Yard and Interpol to this day. 4.3.

[Chloe Helon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was actually quite interesting when you get into it. It goes into detail about the clermont group without repeating itself. Definitely is educational and gives an insight into 1960s opinions and morals.

[Subjuntivo Subjuntivo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh, really.

[Gareth Price · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating book about a bunch of immoral scumbags with delusions of superior 'breeding' which remain indicative of everything that is wrong with the country

[Mr A. Rapado · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointing

I watched Lucan on tv and found it interesting, but just could not really settle their this book I am sorry to say.

[Jon Quirk · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fascinating look into the totally amoral World inhabited by the idle rich in the 1960's.

[Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great and very interesting to read about this people and this period of "history". The ending went downhill somehow. So overall vaguely disappointing.

[Lyssa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this as part of my reading challenge for 2014. I had heard of the Lord Lucan mystery years before, so my interest was already peaked.

[Kman999 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting enough, but more a collection of anecdotes than biography or history.