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A Very English Scandal

Sex, Lies and a Murder Plot at the Heart of the Establishment

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A Very English Scandal

By: John Preston
Narrated by: Daniel Weyman
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About this listen

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

The shocking true story of the first British politician to stand trial for murder.

Behind oak-panelled doors in the House of Commons, men with cut-glass accents and gold signet rings are conspiring to murder.

It's the late 1960s, and homosexuality has only just been legalised, and Jeremy Thorpe, the leader of the Liberal party, has a secret he's desperate to hide. As long as Norman Scott, his beautiful, unstable lover is around, Thorpe's brilliant career is at risk. With the help of his fellow politicians, Thorpe schemes, deceives and embezzles - until he can see only one way to silence Scott for good.

The trial of Jeremy Thorpe changed our society forever: it was the moment the British public discovered the truth about its political class. Illuminating the darkest secrets of the establishment, the Thorpe affair revealed such breathtaking deceit and corruption in an entire section of British society that, at the time, hardly anyone dared believe it could be true.

A Very English Scandal is an eye-opening tale of how the powerful protect their own and an extraordinary insight into the forces that shaped modern Britain.

©2016 John Preston (P)2016 Penguin Audio Con Artists, Hoaxes & Deceptions Corruption & Misconduct Elections & Political Process Espionage Europe Freedom & Security Great Britain Murder Politicians Politics & Activism Politics & Government True Crime White Collar & Corporate Crime Exciting

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All stars
Most relevant  
Thoroughly researched, witty, poignant and brilliantly written. Add to that the brilliant narration, replete with characterisations of the key players. Superb work and a joy to listen to.

Superb on every level

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I’m of the age when I actually remembered this happening and now I know the truth
You know you just didn’t know just what might be going on and this highlights what was happening at the time unbelievable!!
The narrative by DW was perfect

All Star 5*****

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This story is often told as a comical tale of incompetence, even in the excellent TV adaptation, but the reality is breathtakingly awful and nasty. Corruption in politics, the police, the judiciary, and the media allowed the evil Thorpe to remain a free, if much diminished, man. I’m getting incandescent about it! As excellent as The Fall,

One slight quibble - and not worth docking a star for - the narrator (who is terrific) is quite softly spoken and the recording level is pretty low so I sometimes found it a little difficult to hear.

Pump up the volume

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What an amazing story, I had no idea all this had gone on in British politics, nor any clue that it would be involving the Liberal Democrats.

The debauchery and debasement of these people who are supposed to be representatives of the populace is just horrific. No matter wether you are accepting of homosexuality or not the treatment of the young man in this book is truly awful.

The arrogance of he people involved and the complete lack of integrity is really quite shocking. Yes we all know the clichè about politicians lying, but this story reveals it goes to a whole other level.

Fascinatingly shocking

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Hmmm, not sure if I would pay for this but OK! Long read and I did want to listen to the end, although in no rush.

Interesting

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The story told here is an excellent demonstration of the strange Jekyll and Hyde nature of a British politician, Jeremy Thorpe, in the 60s and 70s, and those who sought to save him from the extraordinary ways he had behaved

Gripping narration of a political scandal

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A thoroughly enjoyable book, well narrated and full of intrigue. It was an era I grew up in, so very poignant. Well worth a listen.

Thoroughly enjoyable.

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Thoroughly enjoyed this title.
My only quibbles are
1. Insufficient attention to the money trail.
2. Separately I would have liked a clear exposition of how JT funded his lifestyle .
3. Evidence that Bissell, the Sunday Telegraph, Cantley, Chief Prosecution Counsel and AG threw the case is missing.

Marvellous

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I thoroughly enjoyed this production - especially its detail and expert pace of delivery by Daniel. The story is well known but at the end it was so painfully evident that the ‘Establishment’ will stop at nothing to distance itself from any threat to its continued existence. This continues to this very day…

Riveting yarn..

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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...

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