Fall: Winner of the Costa Biography Award 2021

The Fall: The Mystery of Robert Maxwell In 1991, Robert Maxwell made a triumphant entrance into Manhattan harbour, aboard his yacht, the Lady Ghislaine, to complete his purchase of the ailing New York Daily News. Just ten months later, he disappeared from the same yacht off the Canary Islands, only to be found dead in the water soon afterward. This gripping biography delivers the definitive account of Maxwell's extraordinary rise and scandalous fall, from his humble beginnings as an Orthodox Jew who escaped the Nazi occupation of Czechoslovakia, to his rise as a Labour MP and astonishingly successful businessman. Maxwell's empire was built on a foundation of hard work and determination, but it was also built on a web of deceit and corruption. As the truth about his dealings began to surface, his reputation was left in tatters. How did a war hero and model of society become reduced to a bloated, amoral wreck? John Preston's masterful biography answers these questions, providing a detailed and engaging account of Maxwell's life and times. With access to previously unpublished documents and interviews, Preston sheds new light on the events surrounding Maxwell's death and the years that followed. This is a story of greed, corruption, and the darker side of ambition, and it is a worthwhile read for anyone interested in the complexities of human nature.