Precipice by Robert Harris

Improbable Sweethearts Venetia Stanley and H.H. Asquith

By Robert Harris

Harper, 2024

Reviewed by Editor/Publisher Mike Hanlon

Except for his recent work on the topic of papal-politics, Conclave, I'm a big fan of historian-novelist Robert Harris's writings. His Pompeii and Act of Oblivion are among my all-time favorite historical fiction novels. I rate his 2024 Precipice about the preposterous, but well-documented, romantic affair between 26-year old bright, aristocratic, Beatrice Venetia Stanley and 61-year old British prime minister Herbert Asquith, in his top rung.  What turns this soap operatic plot into an exciting historical tale is that it all takes place in 1914–1915 against a detailed background of such notable events as the July Crisis, the Retreat from Mons, the Battle of the Marne, the munitions shortage, and the Gallipoli fiasco.  

One would think that a Prime Minister would be fully engaged in managing such earthshaking affairs.  But, no, Asquith was busier writing hundreds of missives to the young lady he was obsessively wooing.  The heart of this book is a fascinating selection of these letters and notes between Asquith and Stanley.  The Prime Minister's letters presented in the novel are true specimens which became available upon the death of Venetia in 1948. Her responses are wholly invented by Harris. These fictional letters, however, are quite credible stand-ins for Venetia's— elegant in style and voice, and both tactful and guarded in responding  to the latest ploys of her  pursuer. 

Asquith's relentless correspondence in contrast becomes annoying and tiresome for the reader and must have been likewise for Venetia.  Here's an early example from Precipice of Asquith trying to gain some psychological ascendency over her while luring his "darling counsellor" with some insider gossip. 

This willingness to share closely-held cabinet information evolves over time to his frequently revealing highest-level secrets and documents to Venetia about the conduct of the war—serial violations of the Official Secrets Act.

Two other story lines accompany the matters romantic.  The author provides an excellent ringside seat to some of the major events of the early war.  I particularly enjoyed the insights on the character of some of the major personalities of the British cabinet during these trying times. Who knew that Horatio Kitchener worked so diligently at avoiding accountability for unfortunate decisions, or that Admiral Jackie Fisher was a fabulous dancer, or that Winston Churchill was incredibly pushy? (Wait. I guess I did know that last detail, but Harris really hits it hard.)

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What ties all of this into a surprisingly exciting and tension-filled account is a third element of the story that I knew nothing about until delving into Precipice. According to Harris, an office of British Secret Service got on to the prime minister's practice of tossing secret information to Venetia quite early and started reading all the lovers' mail. This persisted until the termination of the correspondence in 1915 when Miss Stanley escaped Herbert's clutches by marrying an uninspiring, but safer, chap named Montagu. As to what the spooks did with all that intelligence—well, my lips are sealed. I'm afraid you will have to read the book if such matters interest you.

Mike Hanlon