Lady Archer 'tried to block book'

Mary Archer has fragrantly and determinedly defended her husband's reputation over nearly four decades of marriage.

Now the author of a biography of Lady Archer has revealed the equally determined efforts she made to block publication of the book.

Margaret Crick - whose husband Michael wrote a best-selling biography of Jeffrey Archer, the author and Tory peer who was jailed for perjury - told the Guardian that Lady Archer wrote a slew of letters to try to hold up the book. She had also told friends not to co-operate and made a personal approach to the head of New York publishers Simon & Schuster, Mrs Crick said. "She sent at least eight letters, either personally or from her lawyers Mishcon de Reya."

The biography, to be published this year, focuses on Lady Archer's suitability as chair of the NHS Trust at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. She obtained the post after her evidence - claiming to recall a contested A4 diary - was called into question during her husband's 2001 libel trial. Lord Archer was found guilty of concocting a false alibi to win a libel case against the Daily Star, which accused him of sleeping with a prostitute.

Mishcon de Reya said there had been no attempt to prevent publication of the book.