George Valentine's Retirement Plan

They say power corrupts; and those who want it get it by exposing those who have it. It’s a dog eat dog world – and George Valentine is its middleman.

George Valentine’s Retirement Plan is a quirky, fictional look at the world of political scandal as seen by those that dig up the dirt, featuring larger than life characters, comedy, action and farce. It is the first novel by Laurence Cooper, who has brought his experience of making and managing reputations to this novel.

‘I liked the idea of a story based on the lives of those on the bottom rung of the ladder of intrigue,’ Laurence explains. ‘The people who rummage through dustbins. Then one night, a friend and I discussed how we could build and then destroy a person’s reputation.’ By combining these two ideas with his knowledge of the PR industry and world of politics, he created a fascinating world…

From their South London home George and Dorothy Valentine dig up dirt for divorces, corporate battles and political smear campaigns. They’ve decided to retire after their next case. When their last mark turns out to be the Home Secretary, George dreams of a grand finale while Dot fears disaster. Chaos rules as George’s retirement plan unravels and his maverick family must pit their wits against an oligarch, a Bulgarian hitman and the Albanian sex trade – as well as the Westminster elite.

George Valentine’s Retirement Plan is a wild romp through a world where reputations are traded like commodities, and will appeal to readers with an interest in political thrillers, crime capers, comic adventure and anyone enthralled or appalled by political corruption.