What an excellent book on the Profumo affair!!!. In the past I read some articles on this subject but I was left with more questions than answers....till I reached for this book. The author explained all the characters involved in the scandal and why it was a 'big issue' at that time. The book is amazingly well - written, logical and full of details. Highly recommended!!!

In the early 1960s,the British news media were dominated by several high-profile spying stories: the breaking of the Portland Spy Ring and George Blake.In 1962, John Vassall,a homosexual Admiralty clerk had been blackmailed into spying by the Soviet Union.After press suggestions that Vassall had been shielded by his political masters, the responsible minister, Thomas Galbraith,resigned from the government pending inquiries.Galbraith was later exonerated by the Vassall Tribunal, after which judge Lord Radcliffe sent two newspaper journalists to prison for refusing to reveal their sources for sensational and uncorroborated stories about Vassall's private life.The imprisonment severely damaged relations between the press and the Conservative government of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan;columnist Paul Johnson of the New Statesman warned, "any Tory minister or MP who gets involved in a scandal during the next year or so must expect—I regret to say—the full treatment." People involved in the Profumo Affair were politician John Profumo,model and showgirls Christine Keeler and Mandy Rice-Davies,osteopath Stephen Ward,naval attache and spy Yevgeny "Eugene" Ivanov, and Lord Astor.John Profumo, the Secretary of State for War in Harold Macmillan's Conservative government, had an extramarital affair with model Christine Keeler beginning in 1961.Profumo denied the affair in a statement to the House of Commons in 1963; weeks later, a police investigation proved that he had lied.The scandal severely damaged the credibility of Macmillan's government, leading to Macmillan's resignation in October 1963.For John Profumo,while he did fall from grace,he had cushions to land on such as his wealth,and connections.He gained redemption by volunteering at Toynbee Hall.Mandy Rice-Davies eventually became an accomplished businesswoman and actress.By contrast,Keeler found it difficult to escape the negative image attached to her by press, law, and parliament throughout the scandal.Perceiving himself as a scapegoat for the misdeeds of others,Ward fatally overdosed nearing the end of his trial.Ivanov returned to Russia and continued his naval career.Bill Astor died in 1966.

This is the best book that I have read on the Profumo affair so far, and I have read a few. I have also read Profumo’s son’s book, which I recommend. Vanessa Holburn forensically examines all the details of the case and its influence on society even today, without being salacious. Amazingly, it is still extremely complicated and there are many unanswered questions.

Was Stephen Ward a spy? Was the Russian Ivanov a spy? Did Ward use Christine Keeler to find out secrets from the War Minister, Profumo? Was Ward a scapegoat? Why did Profumo even get involved with this young woman so carelessly? Did PM Macmillan know that Profumo was lying to parliament?

It was certainly an age of spy scandals and loosening morality, ripe for another huge scandal, one that brought down the government. Always a fascinating story, it’s nevertheless difficult to ‘get a grip’ on it because it is so complicated, but Holburn does an excellent job. I am probably a bit more sympathetic to Profumo, than she is, though. After all, he did do his ‘penance,’ working at Toynbee Hall for a long time.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Such a fascinating story told in such a pedestrian way. The writing is dull and the events told in a disjointed and confusing manner

The Profumo Affair by Vanessa Holburn is a fascinating insight into this huge scandal that rocked Britain in the 1960's. Thanks to new information unlocked from the archives and the original Denning report, Holburn dissects the facts and brings to light a new perspective on the case, fact based, not media hyperbole and as such, I was utterly intrigued

John Profumo was the UK War Minister, married and yet thought it prudent to get spicy with a very young (19) showgirl, Christine Keeler. However, she also decided to get spicy in the same weekend with Yevgeny Ivanov, a diplomat AND russian spy. Now, the fact is, it was a time of free love etc, but let's face it, neither man had any reason to be talking to a sexual partner whom they hardly knew about state secrets. It's just silly. But, who was the one who was branded a whore and a liar? Not either man involved, but Christine Keeler. (despite the fact that Profumo then embarked on and continued an affair with Keeler - oh so totally innocent in the whole thing)

So was Keeler a communist? Was the pillow talk between the parties intentional? Was Profumo an innocent sap as he made himself out to be? This affair rocked Westminster and the nation, resulting in at least one self-unaliving, the dessimation of MacMillans cabinet and the destruction of multiple lives

Utterly, utterly fascinating and very well written, this new take on the Profumo affair based on facts, not hyperbole is a must-read

Thank you to Netgalley, Pen & Sword, Pen & Sword History and the fantastic author Vanessa Holborn for this very interesting ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own