Bestselling author Jeffrey Archer heading to Lytham for book signing of new novel Traitors Gate

Archer is touring the UK for a series of book signings for his latest work, the novel Traitors Gate, and has included Lytham as one of his points on the map.

The book signing event has been arranged by Lytham bookshop Plackitt and Booth on Clifton Street, which has been arranging visits by top authors for many years.

The Archer session is listed for Thursday September 28 and will be held at Fylde Rugby Club, Lytham beginning at 12.30pm (doors 12 noon) and includes a talk and a signed hardback copy of his new book.

Alison Plackitt, co-proprietor of Plackitt and Booth, said: “There’s already been a lot of interest – Jeffery Archer is a real showman.

"We won’t be holding a literary lunch this time – we are creating more space in the hall to meet the demand.”

Archer was a Conservative MP from 1969 to1974 but he was hit by a financial scandal that left him almost bankrupt and didn’t seek re-election.

He revived his fortunes by turning his hand to writing novels – and became an outstanding success.

Hailed as a master storyteller, Archer is one of the world's bestselling authors, with sales of more than 275 million copies.

He first burst upon the literary scene in 1976 with the novel Not a Penny More, Not a Penny Less, said to have been inspired by his own experience of near-bankruptcy.

His biggest seller was Kane and Abel in 1979, the story of two men born on e same day, in very different circumstances, whose paths were destined to cross in the ruthless struggle to build a fortune.

Archer’s latest work, Traitors Gate, is a crime thriller which centres on a master criminal’s plans to steal the Crown Jewels.

He has written short stories and also became a playwright – even appearing as an actor on stage.

But Archer, who became deputy chairman of the Conservative party in the 1980s, has been dogged by controversy, successfully suing the Daily Star in 1987 after the paper alleged he paid a prostitute for sex.

The case came back to haunt him, though, and on July 19 2001, he was found guilty of perjury and perverting the course of justice at the 1987 trial.

He was sentenced to four years' imprisonment by Mr Justice Potts.

Even then Archer was somehow able to turn this trauma into literary success, with his Prison Diaries being another huge seller.

Tickets for the book signing cost £27 from the bookshop, by telephone on (01253) 796 958 or via www.plackittandbooth.co.uk