A world on the brink of catastrophe. In London, 26-year-old Venetia Stanley – aristocratic, clever, bored, reckless – 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, a young intelligence officer is assigned to investigate a leak of top secret documents – and suddenly what was a sexual intrigue becomes a matter of national security that will alter the course of political history.

Seamlessly weaving fact and fiction in a way that no writer does better, Precipice is the thrilling new novel from Robert Harris. 'The king of the page-turning thriller' i Paper'Harris's cleverness, judgment and eye for detail are second to none' Sunday Times'Harris writes with a skill and ingenuity that few other novelists can match' Financial Times'Harris is a master of historical fiction, a compelling author who brings to life the recent and ancient past' TLS