Jeffrey Archer, whose novels and short stories include the Clifton Chronicles, Kane and Abel and Cat O Nine Tales, is one of the worlds favourite storytellers and has topped the bestseller lists around the world in a career spanning four decades. His work has been sold in 97 countries and in more than 37 languages. He is the only author ever to have been a number one bestseller in fiction, short stories and non-fiction (The Prison Diaries). Jeffrey is also an art collector and amateur auctioneer, and has raised more than 50m for different charities over the years. A member of the House of Lords for over a quarter of a century, the author is married to Dame Mary Archer, and they have two sons, two granddaughters and two grandsons. Ronald Searle was born in Cambridge in 1920 and was educated there at the Cambridge School of Art. He is a hugely successful graphic artist and pictorial satirist. As well as his collaboration with Geoffrey Willans on the Molesworth books and his invention of St Trinians, his work has been the subject of numerous exhibitions across the world and appears in several major American and European collections. Anton Lesser is one of Britain's leading classical actors. He has played many principal roles for the RSC including Richard III, Romeo and Petruchio. His many television credits include Spooks, The Politicians Wife and playing Charles Dickens in London.
